Alaska News Nightly: April 24, 2015

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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Republican Lawmakers Looking To Avoid Constitutional Budget Reserve Vote

Alexandra Gutierrez, APRN – Juneau

The Republican majorities in the House and Senate are now considering ways to avoid a vote on the constitutional budget reserve.

 

More National Guard Records Released

Alexandra Gutierrez, APRN – Juneau

After a five-month hiatus on document production, the Walker administration has released a batch of records related to the Alaska National Guard scandal.

 

The Blind Spot: Beyond No-Man’s Land

Zachariah Hughes & Anne Hillman, KSKA – Anchorage

Though substance abuse among young people in Anchorage and statewide is troublingly high, some officials see reasons for optimism. All this week, as part of our series “The Blind Spot,” Alaska Public Media is exploring holes in the safety net for teens struggling with drugs and alcohol. And, as KSKA’s Zachariah Hughes reports, policy solutions are starting to address the problem.

 

Testing Refusals Hit Haines, Put Star Rating And Funding At Risk

Emily Files, KHNS – Haines

A growing national movement to opt-out of standardized testing has hit the Haines School District. That put the district well below the federal mandate of 95 percent participation which could put thousands of dollars in grant funding at risk.

 

Southwest’s Healthy Sea Stars Could Shed Light on Wasting Disease

Annie Ropeik, KUCB – Unalaska

A mysterious virus that’s been wiping out sea stars on the West Coast since 2013 has spread all the way to Southeast Alaska — but not to Southwest. A group of researchers found that last month in Unalaska and Kodiak. They hope the islands’ healthy sea stars will give new clues about how the virus works.

 

AK: Small Town Newspaper

Emily Kwong, KCAW – Sitka

The Sitka Sentinel celebrated its 75th anniversary last year without much fanfare. As many newspapers in big cities have folded or turned into online only operations, the Sentinel steadily churns out five issues a week. The paper is owned and edited by Thad and Sandy Poulson, reporters who arrived in Sitka in 1969 and are determined to keep the press running.

 

49 Voices: Tom Irons of Homer

This week, we’re hearing from Tom Irons, who is retired and lives in Homer.

 

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