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Earthquakes shake Southeast Alaska, Yukon communities
Abbey Collins, KHNS – Haines
May kicked off to a shaky start in Northern Southeast Alaska. Two major earthquakes woke residents early Monday morning. They were some of the most powerful quakes Haines area residents have felt in years, but caused hardly any damage in Alaska.
Supreme Court leaves polar bear habitat intact
Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media – Washington D.C.
A California-sized chunk of the Arctic will remain designated as critical polar bear habitat. That’s the effect of a U.S. Supreme Court order Monday declining to hear an appeal from the state of Alaska, Arctic Slope Regional Corporation and an oil industry trade group.
Trump order baffles Bering Sea Elders
Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media – Washington D.C.
When President Trump signed an order last week lifting his predecessor’s restrictions on offshore leasing in the Arctic, he also revoked a decree that created the “Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area.”
Computer finds income tax could help budget if oil price is low
Andrew Kitchenman, KTOO – Juneau
The extra money from a state income tax would help Alaska’s state government withstand low oil prices or poor investment returns, according to a computer model developed by nonpartisan budget experts.
Central Council working to put Juneau parcels into trust
Jacob Resneck, KTOO – Juneau
Southeast Alaska’s largest tribal organization has applied to the federal government to put seven parcels in downtown Juneau into a federal trust.
Court rules civil commitment statutes don’t apply to foster children, North Star Hospital
Anne Hillman, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage
A three-year-long legal argument about committing foster children to North Star Behavioral Health Hospital is one step closer to resolution. A judge ruled in late March that the Office of Children’s Services can legally commit foster kids to the psychiatric hospital without getting a judge’s approval.
Anchorage firefighter’s discrimination lawsuit set for trial
Casey Grove, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage
An Anchorage firefighter is suing over what he said is a pattern of racial and age discrimination at the Anchorage Fire Department.
Gov. Walker signs bill recognizing the Black Americans who helped build the Alaska Highway
Wesley Early, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage
Yesterday, Governor Walker signed Senate Bill 46 into law, establishing October 25 as “African American Soldiers’ Contribution to Building the Alaska Highway Day.”
Ice-out guessing game in Nenana searches for winner as ice moves
Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks
The ice on the Tanana River moved at Nenana today toppling and pushing the Nenana Ice Classic tripod enough to trip the clock in the annual ice-out guessing game.
Rhymes and Rhythms: Angoon poet Frank Sharp to be published
Emily Russell, KCAW – Sitka
Rhymes and Rhythms– that’s the title of a new book of poems written by Angoon elder Frank Sharp. The book is scheduled for release this summer and will have an audio component to it, so readers can hear the poet his own work.
