Emily Schwing, special to Alaska Public Media
Mushers Drop Off Food In Preparation For Yukon Quest
Mushers in Fairbanks and Whitehorse handed over thousands of pounds of dog food, human food and personal items to Yukon Quest race officials last Saturday. The annual food drop brings both a sense of relief and taste of reality to those who are signed up to run in the international sled dog race.
Flu Cases Spike In Alaska
The Center for Disease Control is reporting widespread flu in 47 states, including Alaska. The influenza virus has been active in the state since early November.
State Reviews Plans To Bring North Slope LNG To Fairbanks
The state is reviewing proposals for liquefying North Slope gas, trucking it to Fairbanks, and distributing it to consumers. The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority last month solicited letters of interest in the project, and agency spokesman Karsten Rodvik says they received 16 replies by a Jan. 8 deadline.
False Alarm Locks Down Eielson
Eielson Air Force Base was on lock down for nearly an hour on Wednesday afternoon following an inaccurate report of an active shooter on base. Emergency responders with the 354th Fighter Wing are in the midst of week-long training exercises.
AK: Recovering
It’s been almost four years since the largest flood in the history of the city of Eagle and Eagle Village devastated both communities. In the spring of 2009, a series of extremely warm days melted a higher than normal snowpack. When a massive ice jam broke free, a deluge of water surged toward the city and the nearby native village. KUAC’s Emily Schwing visited both communities last summer to find out how locals have fared since the flood.
Legislators Pre-File Bills For Upcoming Session
Alaska’s 28th legislature meets in Juneau on Jan. 15. Some legislators have already filed bills in advance of the 90 day session. Democratic Senator Bill Wielechowski of Anchorage has pre-filed a bill that allows active-duty military members who have maintained their Alaska residency while outside the state to retain their Permanent Fund dividend eligibility.
Volunteers Create 5,000 Yukon Quest Trail Markers
Volunteers gathered in south Fairbanks last weekend for the first in a handful of events leading up the start of the 30th running of the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race on February second. They were tasked with cranking out 5,000 trail markers for the event.
Fairbanks Museum Exhibit Examines Hibernation
Hibernation and the Science of Cold. That’s the focus of a new exhibit that just opened at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks’ Museum of the North tomorrow (Saturday). KUAC’s Emily Schwing stopped by the for a sneak peak.
No Snow Stops Sheep Mountain 150
The mushing season is in full throttle by now, but with a lack of snow, mushers are starting to wonder how their racing season will shake out. On Monday, organizers announced the cancellation of the Sheep Mountain 150, a favorite mid-distance race in Southcentral Alaska It's not be the only sled dog race to succumb to this year’s weather.
AHFC Study Estimates $125 Million In Energy Savings
Over the last three years, the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation has collected energy use data on more than a thousand publicly owned buildings in the state. Results show that energy-related improvements to public buildings could save more than $125 million annually.
Arctic Grayling Habitat Limited By Chena Slough Invasive
The Fairbanks Soil and Water Conservation District hosted a public meeting in North Pole Tuesday night to talk about the changing ecology of Chena Slough. The slough is undergoing a long term restoration project after biologists discovered the presence of an invasive aquatic plant and a serious decline in the Arctic grayling population.
Wolf Advocates Say Lack of Denali Buffer has Economic Consequences
The decline of at least one wolf pack along the eastern border of Denali National Park and Preserve has wildlife advocates concerned that wolf watching in and around the park could become a thing of the past. The groups argue that a decline in the wolf population could have a dire impact on the local economy.
Fairbanks Unveils Air Quality Community Action Program
The Fairbanks North Star Borough unveiled a new air quality community action program during a meeting in North Pole Thursday night. The program encourages residents to voluntarily refrain from burning wood on days when air quality is poor.
Park Service Releases Survey Results For Denali Wolves
The National Park Service this week released the results of this year’s fall wolf count. The final numbers indicate that the wolf population in Denali National Park and Preserve has fallen by 61 percent since an all-time high of 147 wolves were counted in 2007.
Biologist Requests Land East Of Denali Park Be Closed To Hunting, Trapping
Conservation Biologist Rick Steiner sent a request this week to Alaska Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Cora Campbell asking for an emergency order that would close state lands east of Denali National Park to hunting and trapping wolves. The season opened Nov. 1. Steiner made a similar request last May after Park Service biologists reported the dispersal of the Grant Creek Wolf Pack. The pack did not produce pups this year.
Report Warns Of Potential Thawing Permafrost Hazards
A report out yesterday from the United Nations Environment Program urges policy makers and the general public to account for potential hazards of thawing permafrost. One UAF scientist co-authored the report. He believes at least half of the world’s permafrost will be thawing within the next century.
Botanist Searches for Wood Alternatives
Musical instruments require extremely high quality wood. One Botanist has spent the last five years at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks searching for alternatives to what’s becoming an increasingly limited resource for woodwind instruments.
Rare Human Remains May Hold Secret To Alaska’s Ancient Past
Construction workers uncovered human remains near McGrath last month during work on an erosion control project along the Kuskokwim River. An investigation revealed their Athabascan origins. Results from scientific analysis are still very preliminary, but the findings could shed new light on the origins and history of interior Alaska’s Native people.
Copper Basin Is On After Organizers Overturn Cancellation
The future for a dog sled race between Paxson and Glenallen was in question after most of race board resigned last year. A series of trail, weather and personal difficulties forced the last remaining board member to post a cancelation notice on Facebook last month. But outcry from the mushing community gave organizers a reason to regroup.
Interior Senate Democrats Fall in General Election
Two interior members of Alaska Bipartisan Senate Coalition fell to Republicans Tuesday. Incumbent Senators Joe Paskvan and Joe Thomas were defeated by Senator John Coghill and Former Legislator Pete Kelly.