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FBI Releases Details of Koenig Death
The Associated Press
The FBI says an Anchorage barista who was disappeared in February was sexually assaulted, strangled and dismembered. The suspect in Samantha Koenig’s death, Israel Keyes, died in an apparent suicide earlier this week.
In the most detailed account yet of what happened to Koenig, authorities said Keyes told them he strangled the 18-year-old and left her body in a shed outside his Anchorage house until he returned from a cruise.
Keyes dismembered Koenig’s body and disposed of the remains in a frozen lake north of Anchorage.
He was arrested in Koenig’s death in March in Texas, after using her stolen debit card at ATMs in several states.
After his arrest, Keyes confessed to killing Koenig and at least seven other people across the country over the past decade.
Alaska Native Leaders Attend White House Tribal Nations Conference
Peter Granitz, APRN – Washington DC
Alaska Native leaders are in Washington D.C. for the White House Tribal Nations Conference. They’re using the time to voice concern over federal mismanagement.
Studies Look Into Receding Sea Ice Impact On Walrus
Annie Feidt, APRN – Anchorage
Walruses face an uncertain future as sea ice disappears from the Arctic Ocean. But two recent scientific papers shed some light on their plight. One study looks at where walruses forage in the summer as the ice retreats far off the continental shelf. The other predicts how the disappearing sea ice could impact walrus population numbers in the years ahead.
Fairbanks Students Lead Effort To Raise Awareness Of Distracted Driving
Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks
The danger of distracted driving is the target of a public outreach effort by a Fairbanks high school class.
Arctic Grayling Habitat Limited By Chena Slough Invasive
Emily Schwing, KUAC – Fairbanks
The Fairbanks Soil and Water Conservation District hosted a public meeting in North Pole Tuesday night to talk about the changing ecology of Chena Slough. The slough is undergoing a long term restoration project after biologists discovered the presence of an invasive aquatic plant and a serious decline in the Arctic grayling population.
YK Delta Health Records Going Digital
Mark Arehart, KYUK – Bethel
Soon medical visits in the YK Delta could become simpler, and possibly safer. The Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation is working on a new, elaborate electronic health record system—so village clinics and the hospital in Bethel can share patient information in moments.
Sitka Dock To Get First Regular Visits In 2013
Ed Ronco, KCAW – Sitka
A businessman who spent millions of his company’s money to build a cruise dock outside of Sitka two years ago will finally get his first regular customers. The Seven Seas Navigator and the Regatta have both announced plans to dock at Halibut Point Marine in 2013. For Chris McGraw, it means his wait for business is finally over, but the work of moving thousands of people is just beginning.
Sitka Artist Wins $50,000 Fellowship
Anne Brice, KCAW – Sitka
33-year-old Alaska Native artist Nicholas Galanin of Sitka has won a $50,000 fellowship for artistic excellence. The national artists’ advocacy organization, United States Artists – or USA – awarded Galanin the USA Rasmuson Fellowship in the Crafts and Traditional Arts category. The group announced the 54 grant recipients – who included visual artists, writers and musicians – Monday in Los Angeles.
