Alaska News Nightly: Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018

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Alaska’s lone U.S. House rep honored as longest-serving member

The U.S. House of Representatives honored Congressman Don Young Wednesday for becoming the new “dean of the House,” the title bestowed on the longest-serving member.

Liz Ruskin/AKPM – Washington D.C.

Permanent Fund Corp. sees rapid growth

Alaska owns a massive investment account. Right now, it’s worth more than $63 billion, and it has been growing rapidly lately. Over the last 10 years, it has more than doubled in size.

Rashah McChesney/Alaska’s Energy Desk – Juneau

Vice President Mike Pence to visit missile facilities in Alaska in February

On his way to attend the winter Olympics in South Korea in February, Vice President Mike Pence plans to make a stop in Alaska.

Emily Russell/Alaska Public Media – Anchorage

Alaska’s new bail rules, pretrial division take effect

Alaska’s criminal justice system is scaling back the use of cash bail for many awaiting trials, and the state has created an entirely new Pretrial Enforcement Division.

Andrew Kitchenman/KTOO-AKPM – Juneau

For Anchorage to Mat-Su commuter rail, a task force takes shape

Gov. Bill Walker says he wants a task force to look into the decades-old idea of commuter rail service between Anchorage and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

Casey Grove/Alaska Public Media – Anchorage

Citizens group investigates Cook Inlet’s aging oil infrastructure

A watchdog citizens’ group is working on a series of reports on Cook Inlet’s oil and gas infrastructure, following several accidents last spring.

Elizabeth Harball/Alaska’s Energy Desk – Anchorage

Kodiak fishermen find extra work through halibut research amid stock concern

The Pacific Halibut fishery may see a drop in stock over the next few years and the International Pacific Halibut Commission, which regulates the fishery, uses surveys in Kodiak waters to collect data.

Kayla Desroches/KMXT – Kodiak

Ask a Climatologist: What is polar amplification?

The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet, and climatologist Brian Brettschneider says it’s a phenomenon called polar amplification.

Annie Feidt/Alaska’s Energy Desk – Anchorage

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Casey Grove is host of Alaska News Nightly, a general assignment reporter and an editor at Alaska Public Media. Reach him atcgrove@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Caseyhere

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