Alaska News Nightly: Friday, Oct. 13, 2017

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Trump health subsidy plan throws wrench in planned Premera rate drop

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

Just last month Premera announced it would drop its health insurance rates on Alaska’s individual market by more than 26 percent. But the drop may not be quite that steep after all, at least for one type of plan. The new factor is President Trump’s decision last night to stop paying Cost Sharing Reductions.

Though wary of Iran nuclear deal, Sullivan bucks Trump on backing out

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

President Trump has mandated that Congress decide what to do with the Iran nuclear agreement. Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, was harshly critical of the agreement in 2015. Still, Sullivan now says the U.S. should not back out of the deal.

Pentagon announces changes for immigrants entering the military

Zachariah Hughes, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage

The Defense Department announced changes to military recruiting that will make it harder for legal immigrants to enlist and qualify for citizenship.

Former Alaskan describes evacuating his California home following wildfires

Lori Townsend, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage

A former Alaska resident who now lives in northern California is waiting to learn if his home will survive the wild fires. Clark Mishler, a professional photographer lived and worked in Anchorage for more than 40 years.

In Iliamna, EPA hears mixed reactions to its new course on Pebble Mine

Elizabeth Harball, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Anchorage

Unlike the hearing the day before in Dillingham — where public input was unanimously against the proposed Pebble Mine and EPA’s new course — the reaction in Iliamna was more mixed.

In Port Heiden, recent storms exacerbate an old problem

Avery Lill, KDLG – Dillingham

Several Bering Sea storms have hit the coast of Southwest Alaska hard this past week. For the village of Port Heiden on the Alaska Peninsula, that has meant accelerated erosion, an issue the village has been dealing with for years.

AK: The mystery behind Ketchikan Ghost Tours

Leila Kheiry, KRBD – Ketchikan

Ketchikan is home to plenty of supernatural phenomena. That’s the theory, at least, behind a new venture: Ketchikan Ghost Tours.

49 Voices: Mia Kinard of Anchorage

Wesley Early, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage

This week we’re hearing from Mia Kinard in Anchorage. Kinard moved to Alaska from South Carolina a little over a year ago.

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