Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media
Liz Ruskin is the Washington, D.C., correspondent at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at lruskin@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Liz here.
Obama budget reveals Alaska flashes
President Obama delivered his final budget to Congress this morning. It has a picture of Denali on the cover, and several big-ticket Alaska items among its pages. Download Audio
State seeks power to prosecute Bill Allen on federal trafficking charge
Alaska Attorney General Craig Richards says the state wants authority to pursue charges against former VECO boss Bill Allen for allegedly transporting a young woman across state lines for sex. The state has tried before, but in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch today, Richards cites a new law that requires her to allow the state to pursue the federal case, or provide a detailed explanation why she won’t. Download Audio
Obama proposes big new tax on oil
President Obama wants to impose a $10-per-barrel tax on crude oil. An industry adovcate calls it an attempt to punish oil companies. Sen. Lisa Murkowski gave it "absolutely no chance" of passing Congress.
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Sen. Sullivan co-sponsors bill to split 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
The age-old effort to split up the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is back. Republican senators Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Steve Daines of Montana have co-sponsored the latest bill.
Bill aims to split Ninth Circuit Court
The age-old effort to split up the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is back. Republican senators Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Steve Daines of Montana have co-sponsored the latest bill.
New system will warn of big quakes – but not in Alaska
A prototype of an earthquake early warning system called Shake Alert is close to launch. Soon, West Coast residents will be able to get alerts on their cell phones a few seconds to a few minutes before a big quake strikes. But the warnings won’t cover Alaska.
Congress OKs Coast Guard bill to transfer lands
Congress has approved a Coast Guard bill that includes several land transfers Alaska’s congressional delegation has pursued for years. One of them is at Point Spencer, to advance the possible construction of an Arctic deepwater port near Nome. Bering Straits Native Corporation hopes to develop the port, in partnership with the state of Alaska. Download Audio
As U.S. buys more guns, state agency has more dough than it can handle
The Alaska Division of Wildlife Conservation is largely funded by a federal tax on the sale of guns and ammunition, and sales nationwide are booming. But now the division may have to give back a portion of its bounty.
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FDA stops imports of genetically engineered salmon
The FDA issued an alert this morning to stop imports of genetically engineered salmon.
For one brief day, women run the U.S. Senate
In Washington, the side streets of Capitol Hill look suitable for running the Iditarod. But the U.S. Senate did meet this morning. For all of 10 minutes. Only the female senators from two northern states participated.
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Senate to take up energy modernization bill
The big snow storm that struck the East Coast over the weekend has delayed the start of Congress’s work week. But when the Senate returns, it will take up one of Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s biggest priorities: an energy modernization bill. Murkowski says the energy world has changed a lot since 2007, when the last such bill passed Congress.
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Murkowski sees departures, promotions of top staff
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski today announced a slew of staff changes. Current and former employees say the timing of the multiple departures is coincidental. For those of you keeping score at home, sharpen your pencils: We'll take it from the top.
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The name is ‘Pollock.’ Just ‘Pollock’
It’s official: The fish formerly known as “Alaska Pollock” now goes by a single name. It’s just called “pollock” now.
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Top Army nominee says he’s not keen to cut Alaska troops
When Pentagon nominees comes before the Senate Armed Services Committee for a confirmation hearing, it’s a sure bet that Sen. Dan Sullivan will press them to rethink the announced cuts to JBER's 4-25th. Eric Fanning, nominated for Army secretary, offered little resistance.
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Supreme Court hears Alaska hovercraft case
The justices of the U.S. Supreme Court debated Wednesday morning whether the Park Service can impose its rules on rivers that flow through Alaska’s national parks and preserves.
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Supreme Court hears case challenging NPS authority
The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments Wednesday morning in a case challenging the National Park Service’s authority to ban hovercraft in Alaska’s federal parks and preserves.
Market experts: Oil could go lower but prices will rebound
Crude prices may continue their slide, but a top government energy economist predicts the price will rise to $40 a barrel by the end of this year, and to $50 a barrel by the end of next year. Possibly.
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State, Native interests also ride on hovercraft case in Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday will hear an Alaska case challenging the National Park Service's authority to ban hovercraft on navigable rivers. But the case has alarmed people with no interest in hovercraft, and it splits Alaska Native stakeholders.
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Obama’s energy remark baffles Alaska senators
In his State of the Union address Tuesday night, President Obama never mentioned Alaska or the Arctic, but he took a few shots at the oil industry. Obama says it’s time to accelerate the move away from “dirtier” energy.
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IG clears EPA of bias on Pebble but finds fault with staffer
The EPA's inspector general has concluded the EPA did not treat the Pebble project unfairly when it issued a controversial document detrimental to the mine.