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Committee sends budget to full House
Andrew Kitchenman, KTOO – Juneau
The House Finance Committee has proposed cutting 31 million dollars from the state budget. That’s a little less than 1 percent of the amount the Legislature directly controls. As the full House considers the spending plan next week, clear differences have emerged over whether those cuts are deep enough.
Rep. Young suggests “wall bonds” are the way to fund Trump’s wall
Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media – Washington D.C.
Alaska Congressman Don Young doesn’t like President Trump’s plan to build a wall on the border with Mexico, and his objection isn’t on humanitarian grounds. Young says the wall just won’t work.
Judge weighs lawsuit over Utqiagvik name
Associated Press
A judge in Alaska has dealt a legal blow to opponents of the Inupiaq name approved by voters for the nation’s northernmost town.
Musher suffers dog loss at Galena checkpoint
Zachariah Hughes, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage
A dog has died in this year’s Iditarod. It happened shortly before midnight at the Galena checkpoint.
Why are mushing teams much larger at the midway point?
Zachariah Hughes, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage
The first three mushers to arrive in Huslia all had 16 dogs on the line—the same number they started the race with nearly 500 miles ago. Up and down the leader-board mushers are arriving with big teams, and dropping far fewer dogs than in recent years.
The rich mushing legacy of Huslia
Ben Matheson, KNOM – Nome
Huslia is hosting the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race for the second time ever. The Interior village is rich in mushing history as it is the home of the late sprint champion musher George Attla Junior and other top names in Alaska dog racing. And as elite teams pass through the home of mushing royalty, local dog drivers are looking ahead to the next generation of mushers.
Village of Napaimute is opening a commercial lumber sawmill below Kalskag
Anna Rose MacArthur, KYUK – Bethel
The Native Village of Napaimute is starting a commercial lumber business in the middle Kuskokwim this year. The workers are currently moving the sawmill 40 miles downriver from Chuathbaluk to three miles below Kalskag where the mill will cut commercial lumber on demand, creating jobs and providing cheaper, locally sourced lumber for Kuskokwim residents.
International Women’s Day and the YWCA
Lori Townsend, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage
Wednesday was International Women’s Day. Some women in the U.S. stayed home from work to highlight the economic importance of women. Others wore red in a show of solidarity or committed to not shopping for the day or only shopping at women owned businesses.
AK: Wild salmon on the school lunch menu in Sitka
Emily Russell, KCAW – Sitka
KCAW’s Emily Russell in Sitka reports on how wild salmon makes its way out of a fisherman’s net and onto a student’s plate.
49 Voices: Carlos Tayag of Unalaska
Zoe Sobel, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Unalaska
This week we’re hearing from Carlos Tayag in Unalaska. Tayag is the Teen and Leisure program coordinator for the city and moved to the island from Washington three years ago.
