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Westlake leads Nageak as DOE works to resolve District 40 election
Andrew Kitchenman, KTOO – Juneau
The Alaska Division of Elections is still working to certify the results of the House race for the district that includes North Slope and Northwest Arctic boroughs.
Should Alaskans fear diseases frozen in the permafrost?
Zoe Sobel, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Unalaska
Russian officials say warming permafrost could be linked to a deadly anthrax outbreak in Siberia this month. Permafrost can be found almost everywhere in Alaska — from the Arctic coast to Anchorage. But at least one expert isn’t alarmed about the potential for thawing ground to bring old diseases back to life.
Search for missing Chena hiker ends in success
Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks
A search that tapped air and ground resources ended successfully Monday night when an overdue hiker was rescued in the wilderness near Chena Hot Springs Resort, east of Fairbanks. Alaska State Troopers report that 19-year-old Anatoliy Balko was spotted from the air and picked up with a helicopter.
Alaska Native elder and leader dies at age 77
Associated Press
John Schaeffer Jr., an Inupiat Eskimo elder and tribal leader in northwest Alaska, has died. He was 77.
Anchorage police ID 2nd man found dead in park
Associated Press
Anchorage police have released the name of a second man who was found dead in a local park over the weekend.
Forest service gives go ahead for Kuiu Island timber sale
Elizabeth Jenkins, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Juneau
An old growth timber sale recently announced in a Ketchikan newspaper has one conservation group scratching its head. That’s because this type of harvest — near valuable salmon streams — won’t be allowed in the future. The U.S. forest service is working on a new timber plan in the Tongass National Forest, which is expected to be finalized by winter. In the meantime, forest managers are moving ahead with timber sales under the old rules.
Leaf-mining bug infestation leaving birch leaves brown across the state
Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks
Many birch leaves in Fairbanks and Anchorage are going from green to brown as the result of an insect infestation. U.S. Forest Service entomologist Stephen Burr in Fairbanks says a leaf mining bug believed to have come to the state on imported ornamental trees, is to blame.
Crystal Serenity brought tourists, but little profit for Nome businesses
Tyler Stup, KNOM – Nome
Last week, the cruise ship Crystal Serenity sailed into Nome and 850 of the cruise ship’s passengers were ferried in from the offshore vessel and took the day to tour the city.
AT&T donates $750K to help Anchorage high school graduates
Anne Hillman, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage
AT&T is donating $750 thousand dollars to an Anchorage program aimed at helping at-risk and homeless youth graduate high school. “Back on Track” is a collaboration between United Way, the Anchorage School District, and Covenant House Alask
Researchers combine science and traditional food preparation
Kayla Desroches, KMXT – Kodiak
Food scientists with the help of a botulism expert are trying to combine science and traditional Alaska Native methods to make one prohibited food safe to eat. Regulated programs under the State of Alaska Food Safety and Sanitation Program are not allowed to accept or distribute seal oil due to the danger of botulism, a potentially fatal disease which is caused by bacteria in contaminated food.
Ice-Age salmon harvests
Robert Hannon, KUAC – Fairbanks
New research reveals salmon played an important role in the diets of ice-age Alaskans. The information comes from an archaeological dig on the Tanana. Two University of Alaska Fairbanks scientists applied new techniques to uncover clues about the lives of Alaska Natives almost 12,000 years ago.
