Alaska News Nightly: December 14, 2007

Legislation that passed in the U.S. Senate today will help fishermen who are plaintiffs in the Exxon Valdez punitive damage case.  Plus, an Alaska Airlines pilot welcomes a new federal law that will allow him to keep flying into his sixties.  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.New law helps Exxon Valdez spill plaintiffsLori Townsend, APRN - AnchorageThe U.S. Senate today passed tax legislation that is designed to help fishermen who are plaintiffs in the Exxon Valdez punitive damage case  currently in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.Pilot retirement age increased by governmentLori Townsend, APRN - AnchoragePilots can stay on the job 5 more years under a new federal law. Yesterday, President George Bush signed a bill raising the mandatory retirement age for commercial pilots from age 60 to 65.A look at the life of Thomas StewartRosemarie Alexander, KTOO - JuneauAlaska Constitutional Convention secretary Thomas Stewart was nearly finished with a history on the making of the convention when he died Wednesday.Sitka herring fishery set at highest level everMelissa Marconi-Wentzel, KCAW - SitkaThe Sitka Tribe of Alaska calls the commercial quota “shocking”, and predicts it will jeopardize the subsistence herring egg harvest.Foxes test positive for rabies on North SlopeJanelle Everett, KBRW - BarrowThe North Slope Borough Health Department has issued a quarantine for two communities after foxes there tested positive for rabies.Seattle couple quests toward Aleutian islandAmy Bracken, KCHU - ValdezLast June, Bretwood Higman and Erin McKittrick started out on a walk. A half a year later they still haven't reached their destination: the Aleutian Island of Unimak.