Alaska News Nightly: April 2, 2014

Individual news stories are posted on the APRN news page. You can subscribe to APRN’s newsfeeds via email, podcast and RSS. Follow us on Facebook at alaskapublic.org and on Twitter @aprn.

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Tribal Judge: Bill to Improve Village Public Safety Doesn’t Go Far Enough

Liz Ruskin, APRN – Washington DC

The U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee today looked at a raft of bills aimed at improving the safety of Native American communities, including Alaska Native villages. A bill that would strengthen Alaska tribal courts and tribal law enforcement drew no opposition at the hearing, but the bill is likely to become more controversial.

Most Citizen Measures Could Make November Ballot

Alexandra Gutierrez, APRN – Juneau

Between a contested Senate primary and a mess of ballot questions, the August primary election is expected to be particularly lively. But a set of unusual circumstances and odd timing has the potential to push all but one of the citizen measures to the November general election, if the Legislature gavels out late.

Sitka Shops For Teachers At Seattle Fair

Ed Ronco, KPLU – Seattle

For school districts in rural Alaska, this is prime recruiting season. Next week, they’ll hold a job fair in downtown Anchorage, looking for teachers to fill hundreds of openings statewide. But they’re also looking outside the 49th state.

Helicopter Improves Access To Akutan Airport, For Now

Annie Ropeik, KUCB – Unalaska

For the past year and a half, people on Akutan have been taking a hovercraft to get to their airport on a different island. Now, the Aleutians East Borough has made the switch to a helicopter as their new airport taxi. The change has been a relief for residents.

Petersen Trumps Trombley

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

Voters in Alaska’s largest city elected six municipal assembly seats Tuesday, but with thousands of absentee and early ballots still to be counted, the outcomes of some races may change.

Alaska Native Village CEOs Association Conference Addresses Land Contamination

Joaqlin Estus, KNBA – Anchorage

Under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971, more than 200 village corporations were promised land in and around their communities. At a meeting of the Alaska Native Village CEOs Association in Anchorage this week, participants described the problems they’re encountering with the contaminated lands that were conveyed to them.

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