Alaska News Nightly: November 20, 2007

Alaska Support Industry Alliance comes under fire. Plus, how likely is an earthquake in the MatSu. And a new mining technology is about to get tested in Alaska. Those stories and more on tonight’s Alaska News Nightly, broadcast statewide on APRN stations.

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Les Gara criticizes the Alaska Support Industry Alliance
David Shurtleff, APRN – Anchorage
A state representative is criticizing an oil industry trade association for what he calls an effort to drive campaign contributions away from those who supported newly reformed taxes on the oil industry.

Castle Mountain Fault is active
Ellen Lockyer, APRN – Anchorage
Experts say that Matanuska Valley’s Castle Mountain fault is active, and it could slip anytime in the future. The U.S.Geological Survey’s Dr. Peter Haeussler says that major earthquakes have occurred along the faultline at regular intervals, and we could be due for another shaker at any time.

Church sex abuse settlement could spur other agreements
Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks
The 50 million dollar sex abuse settlement reached between the Oregon based Jesuits and a group of Alaska Native plaintiffs could spur a similar agreement with the Fairbanks diocese. The diocese also oversaw the clergy members accused of abusing native kids between the 1950’s and the 1980’s.

New mining technology set for trial in Alaska
John Ryan, KTOO – Juneau
The paste technology that Coeur Alaska and environmental groups are proposing for the Kensington Gold Mine near Juneau has never been used in Alaska. A gold mine set to open next month outside of Nome would be the state’s first to deposit its waste in the form of a thick paste. gives sightseers a taste of what the refuge has to offer.

Russian Salmon fleet under scrutiny
Anne Hillman, KDLG – Dillingham
TRAFFIC, a U-K based wildlife trade monitoring network, and the World Wildlife Fund say the Russian Salmon Fleet is over fishing and under reporting and that not only are the fishermen endangering the sustainability of their own fishery, they might also be hurting western Alaska.

UAF set to build research vessel
Mike Mason, KBBI – Homer
The University of Alaska Fairbanks is moving ahead with plans to build a state of the art research vessel that will be capable of handling the rough weather and dangerous sea ice condition in Alaska waters.

Thanksgiving for all
Len Anderson, KSKA – Anchorage
For five hours yesterday, thousands of Anchorage residents went to eight different distribution centers to receive all the ingredients for a traditional, family style Thanksgiving dinner.

Alaska artists win national grants
Melissa Marconi-Wentzel, KCAW – Sitka
Three Alaska artists flew to Los Angeles last weekend to accept $50-thousand dollar fellowships from a national philanthropic organization, “United States Artists.” Former Alaska poet laureate John Haines, Yupik/Inupiaq writer, carver and sculptor Susie Silook, and Tlingit wood carver Tommy Joseph were among 50 artists from 14 states to receive the grant awards.

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