Casey Grove, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage
Casey Grove is host of Alaska News Nightly, a general assignment reporter and an editor at Alaska Public Media. Reach him at cgrove@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Casey here.
Bird flu detected in red fox and eagles found dead in Unalaska
Wildlife officials say the animals were most likely feeding on birds that had died from the H5N1 avian influenza.
Alaska forestry officials warn of dangerous fire conditions heading into holiday weekend
Warm and dry weather heading into Memorial Day weekend has prompted warnings for Alaskans to be extra careful not to start wildfires.
In Alaska’s crowded US House race, abortion stance sets candidates apart
When it comes to abortion, Alaska U.S. House candidates are all over the map.
How the battle over Alaska’s legislative districts landed in court
The state’s high court agreed with an earlier Superior Court decision and wrote that the Redistricting Board “engaged in unconstitutional political gerrymandering."
Walruses are skittish. That’s why this scientist is using drones to count them.
USGS research biologist Tony Fischbach says drones have proven to be safer, and they've helped with a long-running problem of understanding how many walruses just happen to be out of view underwater when researchers fly over.
Crews contain Anchorage wildfire that spread from burning home
A burn ban remains in effect for Anchorage, along with warnings for much of Southcentral Alaska.
The Race to Alaska is back, both in film and on the water
There's a new documentary out called "The Race to Alaska" that stitches together stories from the 750-mile, engineless, unsupported boat race.
Alaska Legislature meets deadline, passing budget and some bills that resemble ‘turduckens’
Alaska Beacon reporter James Brooks was up late following the Legislature's frantic scramble to pass bills before the deadline.
Alaska’s largest oil producer asks judge to block release of drilling info from NPR-A
ConocoPhillips Alaska is asking a judge to issue an injunction against the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission that would maintain the confidentiality of records the commission has from Conoco’s wells in the NPR-A.
Alaska News Nightly: Monday, May 16, 2022
A missing seven-year-old from Kodiak is found dead a few miles from his home. Also, liberal-leaning Alaska voters worry about splitting the vote in a crowded special primary to fill Don Young's seat. And deep snowpack in the Interior last winter led an increase in wildlife deaths.
Police say they’ve caught Duffy Murnane’s killer. Now her mom is fighting cancer: ‘I’m going to be there at that trial.’
Sara Berg says she's glad to know what happened to her daughter and to have a chance at getting justice. But she says what happened was horrific, and now Berg is trying to hold off cancer long enough to see Kirby Calderwood taken to trial.
Alaska News Nightly: Friday, May 13, 2022
Industry leaders and politicians criticize the Biden administration's cancellation of a Cook Inlet lease sale. Also, a mom in Homer finally has some answers about her daughter, who went missing in 2019. And a "ghost barge" is free-floating down the Kuskokwim river after it froze into the river last fall.
Alaska Permanent Fund dividend amount still in limbo, as state House leaders delay budget vote
For individual legislators, in an election year, stalling a bigger PFD in the name of sustainable budgeting is a tough call, especially with oil prices high. But for others, it's clear cut: If oil prices drop, the state will spend down savings and have to make up the difference with taxes, drastic cuts or both.
Alaska wildland fire crews ready for action, with state funding to reduce hazardous fuels
Norm McDonald, the state Division of Forestry's Chief of Fire and Aviation, says all it would take to go from an average fire season to a huge one is some hot, dry weather and a lightning strike, or the careless burning of some brush or a campfire.
Former Homer resident kidnapped, murdered woman missing since 2019, police say
The charges against Kirby Calderwood are the first public explanation of what happened to Anesha “Duffy” Murnane since she went missing in October 2019.
Alaska’s biggest electric utility fired new CEO less than a month after hiring him
According to a document Chugach Electric Association’s lawyers filed in federal court Wednesday, the company’s board terminated its employment agreement with Halpern “for cause” a little more than three weeks after both sides signed it.
US Army Alaska commander says soldier suicide prevention is top priority
That's after the numbers jumped from eight suicides in 2019 and seven in 2020 to 17 in 2021 that are either confirmed or suspected suicides.
Anchorage police search for man’s killer nearly 6 years after his disappearance
Jose Guadalupe Gonzalez was 46 in July of 2016, when police say his coworkers reported that he had not shown up for work.
Anchorage monoclonal antibody clinic under scrutiny for political donation and patient billing
Anchorage Assembly members and others have been questioning how WEKA got the deal with the city and why it charged patients hundreds of dollars per treatment session.
Alaska military exercise seeks more ocean; public comment ends soon
Northern Edge is a biennial, large-scale training exercise that involves the Air Force, Army and Marine Corps, as well as the Navy, which says it needs more room.