Anchorage’s federal court sifts through jury candidates in advance of the Pete Kott trial. Plus, a new study confirms dramatic predictions of polar sea ice melting this century. Those stories and more on tonight’s Alaska News Nightly, broadcast statewide on APRN stations.
Individual news stories are posted in the Alaska News category and you can subscribe to APRN’s news feeds via e-mail, podcast and RSS.
Corruption trial wading through jury selection process
David Shurtleff and Lori Townsend, APRN – Anchorage
Jury selection continued today for the corruption trial of former Alaska legislator Pete Kott.
New NOAA study confirms predictions of massive sea ice losses this century
Lori Townsend, APRN – Anchorage
A new report takes a closer look at the models the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) used to measure the loss of sea ice for its latest report released earlier this year. The new research was conducted by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration oceanographer James Overland. Overland and a colleague used only the IPCC models that most closely matched satellite records and documented sea ice loss. The results were dramatic.
- Press release at NOAA
- The full report by scientists Overland and Wang is due to be published September 8, 2007 in Geophysical Research Letters, a publication of the American Geophysical Union
BP and oil industry react to Governor’s oil tax proposal
Dave Donaldson, APRN – Juneau
The Palin administration’s proposal to rewrite part of the state’s tax regime for the oil and gas industries has drawn immediate opposition from the oil industry. BP Alaska’s president Doug Suttles says the governor and legislature would be taking a risk if the change is approved.
Yupik elder Pete Abraham reflects on stories no longer shared between generations
Anne Hillman, KDLG – Dillingham
Respect for elders is an important element of Yupik culture. Traditionally, community members bring them berries and moose and the elders share the history and culture of the area.
Dungeness crab catch up in Southeast Alaska
Matt Lichtenstein, KFSK – Petersburg
State estimates say Southeast Dungeness fishermen took more than 3.5 million pounds of crab this summer. The overall value was up about 58% over last year.
- Dungeness crab — Wikipedia
Ongoing herring collapse in Prince William Sound irks Cordova residents
Amy Bracken, KCHU – Valdez
For 18 years, the residents of Prince William Sound have lived with ongoing studies and endless litigation tied to the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. The herring fishery crashed within four years of the spill and has not recovered. Exxon says the spill and the herring decline are unrelated, but Cordova residents strongly disagree.
