Lori Townsend, Alaska Public Media
Lori Townsend is the news director and senior host for Alaska Public Media. You can send her news tips and program ideas for Talk of Alaska and Alaska Insight at ltownsend@alaskapublic.org or call 907-550-8452.
UAA Handing Out First Doctorate Degrees
The University of Alaska Anchorage is going to award its first doctorate degrees next week. The Ph.D.s in Clinical Psychology will go to two students in a program administered jointly by UAA and the University of Alaska Fairbanks. In the past, UAF has handed out the doctoral degrees for the program, but now UAA’s name will also appear on the diploma.
Methane Hydrates Could Prove To Be Vast Untapped Resource
The U.S. Department of Energy says it was able to safely extract a steady stream of natural gas from methane hydrates this winter on Alaska’s North Slope. The agency partnered with oil companies to test new technology to remove methane trapped in ice crystals beneath the sea floor. The federal government calls methane hydrates a vast untapped resource with enormous potential.
Parnell Blames Unresolved Oil Tax, Gas Line Bills On Senate
Governor Sean Parnell is laying blame for the failure of the Special Session squarely on the state Senate. The session wrapped up Monday evening when the Alaska House followed the Senate’s lead and adjourned. That left the in-state gas pipeline bill unresolved. Earlier, the governor pulled his oil tax bill from consideration. Lawmakers did pass one bill to strengthen the state’s human trafficking laws.
New Research Sheds Light On Mercury Pollution
Mercury pollution is a growing problem in the Arctic. And new research is offering some insight into how mercury reacts with the sea ice that covers much of the Arctic Ocean. Sandy Steffen is a Physical Scientist with Environment Canada. She studied mercury pollution on the sea ice outside of Barrow and is presenting her work this week at the International Polar Year conference in Montreal.
Alaska Tribes Angry With VAWA Exemption Error
Alaska tribal advocates are upset by a section in the federal reauthorization of the 2000 Violence Against Women Act. Section 905 of the act would expand tribal court jurisdiction by allowing those courts to issue protective orders against ‘any person’ including non-Native offenders.
Group To Renovate Northwest Alaska Boys And Girls Clubs
An organization that focuses on volunteerism will be in five northwest villages this summer renovating Boys and Girls Club buildings. Hope Worldwide is an international faith based group that helps match up local and Americorp volunteers with communities in need. The group will be conducting what they call Arctic Regeneration camps in villages blending leadership training and mentoring for young people with the work of sprucing up clubs.
Tribal Organizations Await Results Of Salazar v. Ramah Navajo Case
Tribal organizations in Alaska and across the country are anxiously waiting for a decision in a case just argued before the U.S. Supreme court.
Alaska Native Leader Passes Away
A long time Alaska Native leader and executive director of the Nanuuq commission died recently. Charlie Johnson, an Inupiat from the Nome area passed away on April 12.
Report Says More Needs To Be Done To Make Offshore Drilling Safer
The former members of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Commission aren’t handing out any “A’s” as they grade the progress industry, Congress and the Interior Department have made since the accident two years ago.
Ken Anderson Wins Kobuk 440
The Kobuk 440 wrapped up over the weekend in Kotzebue with the first three mushers getting back to Kotzebue Sunday. Ken Anderson won at 11:47 yesterday morning, reaching the finish line with six dogs. Kobuk 440 time keeper Liz Moore says the second place finisher is the rookie of the year Scott Smith.
Kobuk 440 Starting Tonight
The Kobuk 440 gets underway tonight at 6pm in Kotzebue. The race runs through six area villages including Norvik, Ambler and Kiana. The race is a qualifier for the Iditarod. Ten mushers are competing.
Point Thomson Settlement Seen As Path to Gas Pipeline
Governor Sean Parnell today, (Friday) announced what is likely to be seen as a milestone in the development of North Slope Liquefied Natural Gas, or LNG. He says litigation concerning the development of Point...
Alaskan Dropped from FCC Board Amid Questions
An Alaskan appointed to a federal Communications Commission board, was dropped after a letter from Governor Sean Parnell's Chief of Staff asked for a change. In early March, Senator Mark Begich's staff put forth...
Bill Would Expand Right To Self Defense
A State House bill that would expand the right to self defense in Alaska has been getting increased attention, in part because of the Trayvon Martin case.
Prairie Home Companion Sound Effects Guru Visits Anchorage
Making funny noises had landed many kids in hot water during school or other quiet occasions, but for Fred Newman, the talented live sound effects guy for Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion show, it’s how he makes his living. Newman is in Anchorage to help Cyrano’s Theater Company celebrate its 20th anniversary. When I asked about his title, he said there isn’t one.
AK: Redefining Alaskan Art
When someone says Alaska Native art, the first thing that comes to mind is often traditions like ivory carving, skin sewing or intricate weaving. But a new group of young Alaska Native artists in Anchorage is working to expand that image to one that embraces modern life as well as honoring their heritage.
Health Care Legislation Heading To Supreme Court
This Friday marks the two year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act- President Obama’s health care overall. Its birthday present will be a trip to the Supreme Court next week. Justices will hear arguments on whether two aspects of the law are constitutional- the individual mandate requiring citizens to purchase health insurance and the Medicaid expansion. Alaska is one of 26 states suing to overturn the law. But the state has also benefited from the Affordable Care Act.
Dana Stabenow Releases 19th Kate Shugak Novel
Homer mystery writer Dana Stabenow has just released the 19th novel in her Kate Shugak series. For the first time the Private investigator Shugak meets up with another series character of Stabenow’s Liam Campbell.
Debate Over Prop Five Heats Up
The debate around Proposition Five in Anchorage is starting to heat up. The proposition- on the April municipal ballot- would provide legal protections against discrimination to gay, lesbian and transgender people. Last month, the anti-prop five group 'Protect Your Rights' launched a website called protectanchorage.org. On the website, the organizer of that group, and the head of the Alaska Family Council, Jim Minnery, quoted openly gay Anchorage Daily News Columnist, Julia O'Malley, to make the point that the kind of discrimination that prop five would prevent does not exist in in Anchorage.
Report Saying Stevens Prosecutors Withheld Information Made Public
More than three years after the late Senator Ted Stevens was found guilty of omitting gifts on financial disclosure forms, a report made public Thursday says federal prosecutors intentionally withheld information that could have exonerated him, as well as allowing testimony that they knew was false.