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LNG Pipeline Suggests State Ownership Stake
Alexandra Gutierrez, APRN – Juneau
The Department of Natural Resources has released a roadmap for getting a natural gas pipeline built, and it involves taking on a multi-billion-dollar ownership stake in the project.
Gov. Parnell Issues Disaster Declaration For Fairbanks Area
Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks
Governor Sean Parnell issued a disaster declaration for the Fairbanks area today, following a winter storm last week that caused a widespread power outage. The declaration will help residents and the local electric coop recover damages.
Kotlik Residents Move Back To Damaged Homes As Water Supplies Run Low
Ben Matheson, KYUK – Bethel
Residents of Kotlik are using emergency water supplies as crews attempt to reconnect the city’s water system before the storage tanks are completely empty. The big surge of water and ice ripped up water and sewer lines, including the community’s water source. At last check, they were down to just a few days of water.
Judge OKs New Political Boundaries
The Associated Press
A state court judge has ruled that Alaska’s newly redrawn political boundaries meet constitutional standards.
Superior Court Judge Michael McConahy issued the ruling Monday granting the Alaska Redistricting Board’s requests for summary judgment.
The Alaska Supreme Court had ordered the board to redraw the state’s political boundaries after allowing an interim map to be used for last year’s elections.
Issues of compactness and socio-economic integration were raised in challenges to the way in which several of the districts were drawn in the latest iteration of the map. But McConahy found the challenged districts passed constitutional muster.
Fairbanks Man Frustrated With Obama’s ACA ‘Fix’
Annie Feidt, APRN – Anchorage
About 9,000 Alaskans are being forced out of their existing health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act. Last week, President Obama announced new rules that may allow some residents to keep their plans for another year. But for Fairbanks knife maker Mark Knapp, that “fix” doesn’t go far enough.
Residents Tell Bethel’s Tribe King Restrictions Are Warranted
Angela Denning-Barnes, KYUK – Bethel
Bethel’s Native Tribe, ONC, held a public hearing on Chinook fishing restrictions next summer. It’s part of a call out to tribes along the river to help come up with management options after poor King salmon runs the last several years.
Bethel Residents Make Case For Keeping Rural Status
Ben Matheson, KYUK – Bethel
Bethel’s rural status is not immediately at risk. But once the population hits 7,000, it will be presumed to be non rural unless it proves to have rural characteristics. The federal subsistence board is in a multi-year process of reviewing how it decides which communities have the critical rural priority for accessing resources on federal lands as described under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act or ANILCA.
Fallen Tower In Willow Brings Attention To Tall Tower Regulations
Phillip Manning, KTNA – Talkeetna
A cell and repeater tower that was blown down by strong winds east of Willow late last month has brought the issue of tall tower regulations to the forefront in the Mat-Su Valley. The Borough currently has an advisory committee looking into what requirements companies should follow.
Longtime Dillingham Educator Named Alaska’s 2014 Teacher of the Year
Connor Ito, KDLG – Dillingham
Dillingham Elementary School’s Denise Lisac has been named Alaska’s Teacher of the Year for 2014. Lisac has been an educator for 33 years, 30 of them in Dillingham, teaching Kindergarten and 1st grade, and now as school-wide reading specialist.
