Alaska News Nightly: Thursday, Sep. 7, 2017

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

Listen now

Five kids dead in Butte trailer home fire

Casey Grove, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage

Five children died in a fire that gutted a trailer home in Butte this morning off the Old Glenn Highway near Palmer. The girls ranged in age from three to 12.

Alaskan says he’ll build consensus in Interior post

Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media – Washington D.C.

Former DNR commissioner Joe Balash has been nominated for assistant Interior secretary, overseeing the BLM and other offices. Balash says his perspective on resource extraction formed early, and was shaped by his love of salmon.

Sheldon Fisher selected as state Department of Revenue Commissioner

Andrew Kitchenman, KTOO – Juneau

Governor Bill Walker today announced he’s appointed Sheldon Fisher to be Alaska’s Department of Revenue Commissioner. Fisher will move from his current position as commissioner of the Department of Administration.

Alaska hatches plan for vast road network across the Arctic

Elizabeth Harball, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Anchorage

Alaska’s capital budget this year includes $7.3 million to plan the construction of an Arctic road system.

Alaskan firefighters dispatched to battle blazes in Montana

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

Over 500 Alaskans are working wildfires in the Lower 48. According to state and federal wildfire response agencies, a sixth jet load of emergency firefighters from Alaska deployed this week to Montana.

Community members and archaeologists race against time at Nunalleq

Teresa Cotsirilos, KYUK – Bethel

It’s been eight years since a small team began excavating an ancient village outside of Quinhagak. Now archaeologists and tribal leaders are saving what they can before the site washes away.

Building community fish harvest monitors to create “change on the Kusko”

Anna Rose MacArthur, KYUK – Bethel

Increased control over natural resources, like fish, is a top priority for Kuskokwim tribes. One way to move in that direction is through collecting harvest data during fishing season, which helps with the difficult job of in-season management.

Ask a Climatologist: Fairbanks records early first freeze

Annie Feidt, Alaska’s Energy Desk- Anchorage

Fairbanks gets the first freeze of the season about a week ahead of normal.

Previous articleFive kids dead in Butte trailer home fire
Next articleThe end of an era