Alaska News Nightly: July 17, 2008

Former governor Walter Hickel was hospitalized this morning . Meanwhile Super deep ice cores drilled in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge promise new perspective on climate shift. And NOAA will be using a jet to update shoreline maps and nautical charts of Kachemak Bay. Those stories and more on tonight’s Alaska News Nightly, broadcast statewide on APRN stations.

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Governor Hickel hospitalized
Dave Donaldson, APRN – Juneau
Former Governor Wally Hickel was hospitalized early this morning  after complaining of chest pains.  His assistant Malcolm Roberts says Hickel was feeling better by 7:00am, looking for breakfast, and asking that his appointments be rescheduled to take place in his hospital room.

Obama Campaign targets Alaska
Dave Donaldson, APRN – Juneau
The Barack Obama campaign has big plans for Alaska.  Pete Rouse, Deputy Campaign Manager for the Democrat’s National Campaign for the White House,  told reporters today that the state is one of 18 targeted for this year’s election.

Denali Borough hopes to take ownership of Nenana River property
Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks
The Denali Borough could soon be taking ownership of some prime real estate along the Nenana River.  The 17-hundred acre plot is one of many parcels the Borough selected for its municipal land entitlement, and the Department of Natural Resources is in the process of taking public comment on the conveyance. The Nenana River Canyon land is north of the commercial strip known as Glitter Gulch outside the Denali National Park entrance.

Hydropalooza has begun in Kachemak Bay

Emily Schwing, KBBI – Homer
Homer area residents will likely see a small modified jet flying over KachemakBay starting at the end of the week.  As part of a two-year project called hydropalooza, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will be using the jet to update shoreline maps and nautical charts of Kachemak Bay.

Slow run of pinks in Southeast turns attention to chum salmon

Joe Viechnicki, KFSK – Petersburg
Southeast Alaska’s commercial purse seine fleet has not caught many pink salmon so far this summer. Instead, the fleet is focusing on hatchery chum salmon returns in the early season.

Chum meets chum on the Yukon
Angela Denning-Barnes, KYUK – Bethel
The Yukon River’s two chum runs are meeting up this week. The summer chum run is winding down and the fall chum run is just beginning. The state’s monitoring programs near the Yukon coast began reporting all chum as fall chum salmon as of Wednesday, which means the commercial fisheries have also gone to fall chum.

Grant allows Safe Harbour to double its services for Anchorage homeless
Len Anderson, KSKA – Anchorage
Tuesday night Alaska’s only nonprofit hotel for homeless families and disabled individuals took a big step toward doubling its services.  Without debate the Anchorage Assembly approved a community development block grant of $450,000 to Safe Harbour, a facility which over the past 7 years has housed some 2300 guests seeking toturn their lives around. 

Arctic ice cores may hold secrets about climate
Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks
Super deep ice cores drilled in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge promise new perspective on climate shift.  The University of Alaska Fairbanks project involved drilling 150 meters into the McCall Glacier this spring.

Analyzing ballot measure 4
Mike Mason, KBBI – Homer
When Alaskans go to the polls in August to vote in the primary election they will also decide the fate of ballot measure number 4. But what is ballot measure 4?

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