Alaska News Nightly comes to you from Barrow, Alaska tonight, in cooperation with KBRW.
Below is the complete story list and audio from today’s Alaska News Nightly, as broadcast on APRN stations statewide. Individual stories are available in the Alaska News category and you can subscribe to our news feeds via e-mail, podcast and RSS anytime.
World Environment Day comes to Barrow, Alaska
Lori Townsend, APRN – Anchorage (on assignment in Barrow)
Today the small community at the top of North America hosted the United Nations’ World Environment Day. The World Environment Day event has been an international event since 1972 and is heavily focused on global warming this year. Local Inupiaq representatives recounted the environmental changes they’ve witnessed on the North Slope in recent decades.
Changing arctic ice conditions under close study at Barrow
Annie Feidt, APRN – Anchorage (on assignment in Barrow)
The environmental changes discussed at the U.N. forum today included some data provided by a University of Alaska Fairbanks researcher that’s studied the ice at Barrow for the last nine years.
Ballots to go out on Deltana Borough formation question
Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks (read by Duncan Moon, APRN)
The Division of Elections has scheduled a vote on whether to form the Deltana Borough. Ballots will be mailed out July 30, and must be returned by August 21st.
Ocean Rangers could be in place by September
Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska – Juneau
The state is setting up the Ocean Ranger program for cruise ships. But officials say the fully-developed onboard environmental monitoring program will not be in place until next season. They hope to have a limited program running by September.
Coal votes to be counted by end of week
Ellen Lockyer, APRN – Matanuska-Susitna Borough
Matanuska Electric Association’s plan to build a coal-powered electric facility somewhere in the Matanuska Valley has drawn fire from a number of area residents.
Pirate detention could hurt Alaska pollock status
Charles Homans, KIAL (read by Duncan Moon, APRN)
A tramper that loaded pollock in Dutch Harbor last month has been detained in Morocco as a pirate vessel — an incident that could have implications for Alaskan pollock’s certification as environmentally-friendly seafood.
‘Empress of the North’ docked until July
Joe Viechnicki, KFSK – Petersburg (read by Duncan Moon, APRN)
The damaged sternwheeler cruise ship Empress of the North will be out of service until early July. The ship hit a charted rock in Icy Strait near Juneau in mid May.
State remembers 65th anniversary Dutch Harbor bombing in WWII
John Ryan, KTOO – Juneau
Flags around the state flew at half-staff on Sunday to mark the 65th anniversary of the Japanese bombing of Dutch Harbor in World War II. About 50 American soldiers were killed.
