Alaska News Nightly: November 1, 2007

Vic Kohring is found guilty on three of four counts and is the second Alaska legislator to face sentencing in the federal corruption probe of Alaskan state politics. Plus, a halloween night stick-up in Talkeetna was no trick, and Mat-Su dairy farmers consider what may be their final option to avoid a mass livestock slaughter.  Those stories and more on tonight's Alaska News Nightly, broadcast statewide on APRN stations.Individual news stories are posted in the Alaska News category and you can subscribe to APRN's news feeds via e-mail, podcast and RSS.Vic Kohring: GuiltyDavid Shurtleff, APRN - AnchorageA federal jury found former state legislator Vic Kohring guilty of bribery, conspiracy, and attempted extortion this afternoon in Anchorage.Speaker Harris says Alaska House is now cleanDave Donaldson, APRN - AnchorageSpeaker John Harris was responsible for Kohring resigning his office earlier this year, and he says he now believes no other members of the House are under any sort of investigation for any improper activities.Musser weighs inDave Donaldson, APRN - AnchorageEric Musser was legislative assistant to Kohring, but was fired from his job after he raised ethics concerns about another legislator -- Bev Masek of Willow.House votes for mining regulation changesJoel Southern, APRN - AnchorageThe Democratic-controlled U.S. House approved a bill today that calls for a big overhaul of the laws that govern hard rock mining on public lands.Halloween armed robbery no trick in TalkeetnaAmanda Stossel, KTNATwo men were arrested in downtown Talkeetna last night for armed robbery. Witnesses say the two held a group of trick-or-treaters at gunpoint and demanded the children's candy.Invasion of the Atlantic salmonJohn Ryan, KTOO - JuneauMany Alaskans know to watch out for Atlantic salmon, on the lam from fish farms in British Columbia.Mat Su creamery gets one last lookEllen Lockyer, APRN - AnchorageMat- Su dairy farmers are hoping a last-ditch effort to put together a small creamery will pan out in time to save their struggling industry. But the current lack of a processing facility could eventually force farmers to slaughter their herds anyway.Cruise ship ranger program nears realityEd Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska - JuneauState officials are close to awarding a contract to manage cruise-ship pollution monitors. The Ocean Rangers program ran on a part-time basis last summer. Officials hope to have it fully functioning next season.Fairbanks Dumpster divers targetedBen Markus, KUAC - FairbanksDumpster diving may soon come to an end in Fairbanks.