AKPM Staff
Sociologist Steve Picou paints a grim picture of future catastrophes
Alabama Sociologist Steve Picou made his reputation studying the social impacts of the 1989 Exxon-Valdez oil spill. Then Hurricane Katrina hit in his own back yard. Today he warned people at the Alaska Forum...
Alaska gets its first large scale wood-pellet plant
A new Alaska company, Superior Pellet Fuels, plans to build the facility in North Pole this summer. The company will process local waste wood from forest clearing projects and saw mills into a...
Slow pollock season affects more than fishermen
The Bering Sea pollock fishery officially opened on January 20 but two weeks later, most of the fleet hasn't left the port.
Anne Hillman, KUCB - Unalaska
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State distributes $10 million in cruise-ship fees to southeast communities
The state is sending close to $10 million in cruise-ship passenger fees to about a dozen coastal Alaska communities. State tax official Johanna Bales says all communities should receive their payments by this week....
Looking for a solution on the Ruth Lake hydro-power project
Petersburg and Wrangell’s political fight over new hydro-power development at Ruth lake near Petersburg came up at a meeting of the Thomas Bay power authority last week. The authority is made up of representatives...
Alaska News Nightly: February 3, 2009
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.
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Alaska lawmakers grapple over stimulus package
Dave Donaldson, APRN...
Talk of Alaska: Soapy Smith
Is there a political lesson to be learned from the Alaska Gold Rush? Consider Soapy Smith, the con man who became a pillar of society in Skagway. He paid off public officials who looked...
Governor and legislative leaders join forces over Federal stimulus package
Governor Palin and the presiding officers of the House and Senate are joining forces to present their arguments against the federal economic stimulus package that is currently before the Senate.
Dave Donaldson, APRN - Juneau
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House Energy Committee headed to the Alaskan bush
The House Energy Committee is going on the road this month. Charisse Millet has scheduled meetings in Kotzebue and Nome this weekend and in Dillingham and Bethel the last weekend of the month. Millet...
Second former Young staffer implicated in Abramoff corruption scandal
A second former staffer to Congressman Don Young, Fraser Verrusio, has been implicated in the Jack Abramoff influence-peddling investigation. Identified in federal court papers only as "Staffer D," Verrusio is said to have accepted...
Juneau back on hydro power
Juneau is back on hydroelectric power, after an avalanche tore down the Snettisham powerline January 12. Alaska Electric Light and Power crews finished repairs to the line yesterday afternoon. Generally, 100% of Juneau’s power...
State ferry ‘Lituya’ damaged in last week’s grounding
The state ferry Lituya sustained a gash in its hull as a result of Friday’s grounding off the coast of Metlakatla.
Deanna Garrison, KRBD - Ketchikan
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Cim Smyth wins Tustumena 200 sled dog race
Cim Smyth pulled out a 2-minute victory over defending champion Lance Mackey in the Tustumena 200 sled dog race over the weekend on the Kenai Peninsula. Smyth’s 12-dog team pulled into the Clam Shell...
Yukon Quest mushers make final preparations
Final preparations for the Yukon Quest are underway. Over the weekend, participants in the 1,000-mile main event, and shorter Quest 300, dropped off bags of race food and gear for distribution to checkpoints along...
Wind power comes to Nome
The Bering Straits and Sitnasuak Native Corporations last week celebrated the arrival of commercial wind energy to Nome, as they cut the ribbon on their new Banner Wind Farm.
John Francis, KNOM - Nome
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Wind power a disappointment across the border in Canada
In Canada, wind energy would seem a natural fit for northern, windy coastal communities. But it's never lived up to its promise, even at a wind energy project in Rankin Inlet.
Jackie Sharkey, CBC -...
Alaska Airlines 737 struck by lightning
An Alaska Airlines 737 was struck by lightning on its approach to Sitka yesterday evening. All passengers disembarked in Sitka and the plane went on to Juneau
with only the flight crew. The plane sustained...
Redoubt keeping Alaskans in suspense
Mt. Redoubt volcano seems determined to keep Alaskans gripped in suspense. Alaska Volcano Observatory geologist Tina Neal says Redoubt remains in a heightened state of unrest. She says an episode of high seismic activity...
Is Alaska’s pollock fishery ‘sustainable’?
Alaska's pollock fishery is seeking recertification as a "sustainable fishery" from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). The Council provides independent, third-party certification for fisheries around the world to ensure they are not damaging the...
Debate over cruise ship passenger fee fails to fade
Two major tourism industry groups say they have no plans to ask lawmakers to reduce or eliminate Alaska’s cruise-ship passenger fee. Some municipal leaders in Juneau and Ketchikan want the fee reexamined. They say...