Ellen Lockyer, Alaska Public Media
APTI Reporter-Producer Ellen Lockyer started her radio career in the late 1980s, after a stint at bush Alaska weekly newspapers, the Copper Valley Views and the Cordova Times. When the Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound, Valdez Public Radio station KCHU needed a reporter, and Ellen picked up the microphone.
Since then, she has literally traveled the length of the state, from Attu to Eagle and from Barrow to Juneau, covering Alaska stories on the ground for the AK show, Alaska News Nightly, the Alaska Morning News and for Anchorage public radio station, KSKA
elockyer (at) alaskapublic (dot) org | 907.550.8446 | About Ellen
Since then, she has literally traveled the length of the state, from Attu to Eagle and from Barrow to Juneau, covering Alaska stories on the ground for the AK show, Alaska News Nightly, the Alaska Morning News and for Anchorage public radio station, KSKA
elockyer (at) alaskapublic (dot) org | 907.550.8446 | About Ellen
Kulluk Hearing Sheds Light on Fuel Problem
The US Coast Guard Thursday continued it's probe of what went wrong when a Shell drill rig beached near Kodiak Island last December. This morning, the chief engineer of the tug Aiviq which had been towing the drilling barge Kulluk before it broke away, told a story of failed fuel injectors, while raising unanswered questions about suspected fuel contamination.
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KABATA Wants Independent Source To Review State Audit
The Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority, or KABATA, wants an independent source to review findings of a state audit of revenue projections that almost swamped the Knik Arm Bridge project in the waning hours of this year’s legislative session.
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Opponents of Oil Tax Reform Say They’ll Keep Fighting
Protesters and petition gatherers lobbied outside Anchorage's Denaina Center while Governor Sean Parnell was inside signing SB 21, the state's oil tax reform legislation. Opponents of the bill are seeking petitions to get a referendum on the 2014 state election ballot.
Governor Parnell Signs Energy Bills
Governor Sean Parnell signed into law Tuesday two bills that he says will have a huge impact on young Alaskans and on Alaskans of the future. SB 21, the hard fought oil tax reform bill, and HB 4, a bill authorizing an in - state gasline, were created to increase oil production in the state and to give Alaskan's access to the state's natural gas resource.
ConocoPhillips Reviewing Spending In Alaska
ConocoPhillips says it’s reviewing spending in Alaska, a month after the legislature passed Governor Sean Parnell’s oil tax reform. The tax cut is worth billions of dollars to oil companies in Alaska. ConocoPhillips executives talked about the state’s new tax regime during their annual meeting and an analyst presentation earlier this week.
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Late Season Snow Expected In Southcentral
The National Weather Service is predicting an “extremely unusual late season snowfall” for the Southcentral Alaska area on Friday through Saturday morning.
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Officials Close Kotzebue-Area Subsistence Musk Ox Hunt
State wildlife officials have closed a subsistence musk ox hunt near Kotzebue because of evidence of wanton waste of the animals. Area biologists say five cow musk oxen from the Cape Thompson herd were killed sometime during January or February of this year.
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State Keeping Close Eye On Mat-Su Flood Conditions
State officials are keeping an eye on anticipated flood conditions in the Interior of the state, but in the Matanuska Susitna Borough flooding is already starting. Borough officials say the ground is saturated with rain from last fall’s heavy storms, and that, coupled with the lack of snow this winter is causing conditions that give melting ice runoff nowhere to go.
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Rescued Polar Bear Cub Heads To New York’s Buffalo Zoo
Kali, the orphaned male polar bear cub that has been kept at Anchorage’s Alaska Zoo, spent Tuesday afternoon waiting patiently in his carrier for boarding on a UPS cargo jet bound for the East Coast. Kali is heading to his new permanent home at New York’s Buffalo Zoo.
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Man Dies After Bulldozer Falls Through Ice Near Stephan Lake Lodge
A fatal accident that took the life of a bulldozer driver near Stephan Lake Lodge north of Talkeetna on Friday occurred only hours after a state Department of Natural Resources team had flown over the site on an inspection tour. The work is being done to build an airstrip to support studies on the Susitna Dam project.
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Alaska Native Fisheries Group Wants Fair Share
An Anchorage based Community Development Quota group wants a greater share of Alaska’s deep sea fisheries. The Coastal Villages Region Fund, which represents 20 villages in Western Alaska, has asked the state’s Congressional delegation to make changes in how the fisheries quotas are allocated, but critics call the plan “reckless” and say it could endanger the entire CDQ program.
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Begich To Introduce Social Security Legislation
Senator Mark Begich plans to introduce two bills related to social security by next Monday. Begich met with leaders of Alaska organizations today (Thursday) in Anchorage to gauge their concerns and to announce his plan.
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Borough Group Seeks Valley Sexual Assault Response Program
Matanuska Susitna Borough residents turned out at Tuesday night's Borough Assembly special meeting to speak up about what they want included in this year's budget. And one line item that many Valley health care and law enforcement professionals are backing is funding for a Sexual Assault Response Team.
Group Seeks Funding For Mat Su Borough Sexual Assault Response Team
Matanuska Susitna Borough residents turned out at last (Tuesday) night's Borough Assembly special meeting to speak up about what they want included in this year's budget. And one line item that many Valley health care and law enforcement professionals are backing is funding for a Sexual Assault Response Team.
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Rural Energy Conference Aims To Cut Bush Power Costs
Rural Alaska power costs are skyrocketing.. that fact is not in dispute This week, energy providers are gathering in Anchorage to find ways to help bring down costs (while investigating new projects that could work in the state.) The goal of the Alaska Rural Energy Conference is to create a forum to share ideas aimed at finding solutions for energy - challenged Alaskans.
Energy Providers Gather To Discuss Costs
Rural Alaska power costs are unsustainable. And this week, energy providers are gathering in Anchorage to find ways to help bring down those costs. The goal of the Alaska Rural Energy Conference is to create a forum to share ideas aimed at finding solutions for one of the biggest problems facing the state.
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Weather Service Cuts Could Hurt Emergency Forecasting
Alaska’s National Weather Service workforce is facing a political storm on two fronts. While sequestration has frozen hire on vacant positions, an upcoming furlough will further reduce staff in offices already barely able to cover the workload.
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Native Youth Olympics Kick Off In Anchorage
The Native Youth Olympics got underway Thursday in Anchorage. More than 600 student athletes are gathered at the city’s Dena’ina Convention Center for three days of competition in games that showcase Alaska Native traditions, skills and teamwork.
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Airstrip Plan Irks Chase Residents
Residents in the Chase area say plans to bulldoze a trail to enable heavy construction in relation to the Susitna - Watana dam needs a lot more scrutiny. A local lodge-owner wants to build an airstrip in a remote area to prepare for the arrival of the dam project's science and environmental crews --- but getting the big caterpillars into the site could be the first challenge.
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Work To Move Forward On Susitna-Watana Dam
Work on the Susitna-Watana dam will go forward this summer, according to a spokesperson for the state agency tasked with the project.
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