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Dunleavy: Wasilla special session will be focused on PFD, capital budget can come later
Wesley Early, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage
Dunleavy held a press conference Friday in front of Wasilla Middle School, his recommended venue for the session. He says while there is still work to be done on the capital budget, the dividend is his priority for this session.
State-to-state restrictions on ivory sales have Bering Straits leaders upset
Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media – Washington D.C.
Federal law bans sales of African elephant ivory.. Six states have now banned the sale of ivory more broadly, and more states are considering such laws. And that has repercussions for Alaska Native ivory carvers, who use legally caught walrus tusks. At a forum in Washington D.C. this week, leaders from the Bering Straits region said they are frustrated.
Swan Lake Fire growth prompts switch from monitoring to firefighting
Casey Grove, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage
A wildfire near Sterling on the Kenai Peninsula grew to about 8,400 acres as of Friday, according to the Division of Forestry.
Fire danger is high in the Chugach National Forest
Abbey Collins, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage
Fires are still permitted in the forest, but the Forest Service is asking residents to be particularly careful.
Kitchen fire sparks Fairbanks lodge evacuation
Kirsten Swann, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage
A fire at the Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge led to the evacuation of more than 500 guests and staff Thursday evening.
Alaska lawmakers OK retroactive allowances
Associated Press
Alaska legislators will be able to collect retroactively an allowance for days they were in Juneau for the special session before the operating budget passed.
How bad are cruise ship emissions in downtown Juneau? An air quality survey aims to find out.
Adelyn Baxter, KTOO – Juneau
This summer, a state agency is conducting an air quality study in downtown Juneau, with an eye toward measuring the impact of cruise ship emissions. Here’s how Juneau residents are helping.
In wake of Copper River death, officials list dipnetting safety precautions
Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks
Basic safety precautions could have prevented the death of a dip netter in the Copper River.
AK: Juneau beach yields gold to dedicated dredgers
Jeremy Hsieh, KTOO – Juneau
In Juneau, a particular type of recreational mining has been picking up at a special beach in recent years. Mining histories identify the sand there as the century-old tailings of the Alaska-Gastineau Mining Company.
49 Voices: Charla Kouadio and Theresa Coley-Kouadio of Kotzebue
Katie Kazmierski, KNOM – Nome
This week we’re hearing from Charla Kouadio and Theresa Coley-Kouadio in Kotzebue. The married couple have lived in Kotzebue for just over two years.
