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Several proposals emerge for using Permanent Fund to fix budget
Andrew Kitchenman, KTOO – Juneau
There are three different proposals to draw money from Alaska Permanent Fund earnings to pay for part of the state government’s budget.
Northern Dynasty rebuts Kerrisdale attack, warns of action to protect investors
Dave Bendinger, KDLG – Dillingham
Northern Dynasty Minerals issued a response Friday (Feb. 17) to a New York hedge fund’s claims that the Pebble project is over-hyped and overvalued. That report drove Northern’s share prices tumbling quickly, but the Vancouver-based mineral exploration company said they are the target of an aggressive activist short selling attempt based on “unsupported speculation.”
Alaska board, prompted by suit, proposes new abortion rules
Associated Press
The Alaska State Medical Board has proposed new abortion regulations, prompted by a lawsuit from abortion-rights advocates who argue that existing rules restrict second-trimester abortions.
Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office hires new director
Zachariah Hughes, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage
The state announced Tuesday (Feb. 21) a new head for the office in charge of regulating alcohol and marijuana.
Sullivan urges Board of Game to repeal predator control regulations
Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks
U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan is urging the State Board of Game to get behind legislation to repeal a rule regulating predator control on federal wildlife refuges in Alaska.
Exercise near Deadhorse to test paratroopers’ ability to operate in cold
Tim Ellis, KUAC – Fairbanks
About 200 paratroopers from Joint Base Elemendorf-Richardson (JBER) will drop into Deadhorse Tuesday as part of a joint Army-Air Force rapid-deployment exercise that’ll include Stryker Brigade soldiers and equipment from Fort Wainwright.
Alaska farmers push for hemp legalization
Caroline Halter, KTOO – Juneau
With growing pressure to diversify Alaska’s economy, lawmakers are talking about legalizing hemp for commercial purposes — something at least 30 other states have already done.
New taxi regulations will be on April ballot
Anne Hillman, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage
After an expedited review, a referendum on Anchorage’s new taxi cab regulation will be on the April ballot. The ballot question asks voters if they want to repeal an ordinance that passed last December, creating more than 100 additional taxi permits in the municipality over the next five years.
Most Alaska high school grads unprepared for UA math and English
Tim Bodony, KIYU – Galena
A new University of Alaska report finds that the majority of Alaska high school graduates attending UA schools are not prepared for entry-level courses in math and English.
HAARP schedules first experiments since UAF takeover
Dan Bross, KUAC
Experiments are scheduled through the end of the month at the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program or HAARP facility. It’s the first time science is being conducted at the ionospheric research station in Gakona since the University of Alaska Fairbanks took it over from the Air Force in 2015.
Sheet metal apprenticeship organized in rural Alaska
Anna Rose MacArthur, KYUK – Bethel
Rural and urban Alaska can be very different worlds, and skills used in constructing buildings or maintaining equipment in one might not apply to the other. A new partnership of urban trainers and rural workers is seeing if it can take what’s taught in urban Alaska and create an apprenticeship program for rural communities.
Sitka author’s “Alaskan Laundry” wins statewide award
Emily Kwong, KCAW – Sitka
Sitka author Brendan Jones has won a statewide award for his book “The Alaskan Laundry”.
