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.
North Slope Election Won’t Be Decided Until Tuesday
North Slope Borough residents will not have a final answer on who their new mayor will be until next Tuesday. The borough had a run off election yesterday between Charlotte Brower and George Ahmaogak.
Western Alaska Storm Forecast Update
A Bering Sea storm packing hurricane-force winds and 35-foot waves is moving rapidly toward the western Alaska coastline. We’ll hear how communities are preparing. But first we have National Weather Service meteorologist Jim Brader on the line to give us and update on the storm.
No Evacuation Orders in Effect for Kotzebue Area
In Kotzebue, Wendy Schaefer is the community incident commander. She says winds are picking up, but currently there are no evacuation orders for any communities within the Northwest Arctic Borough however if evacuations are needed, they will go to a local facility and remain within their village.
Providence Hospital Ceasing to Hire Tobacco Users
Providence Alaska Medical Center and its affiliates around the state will stop hiring tobacco users as of Nov. 17. The health care provider will begin testing prospective employees for nicotine along with illegal drugs.
Annual Stand Down Aims to Help Veterans in Need
The 19th annual Stand Down for Veterans in Need will be held Friday at the North Terminal of the Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage. As APRN's Lori Townsend reports, the event is designed to help vets access numerous services and assistance. Marcia Hoffman Devoe is the public affairs officer for the Alaska VA healthcare system. She says the People Mover buses will offer free transportation to veterans who have a VA card.
High Winds Cause Extended Power Outage on the Kenai
Residents on the Kenai Peninsula are experiencing an unhappy start to winter weather. A powerful wind storm with gusts estimated at up to 60 miles an hour knocked out power to thousands of peninsula homes and businesses on Tuesday.
Large Seafood Expo Kicks Off in China
One of the biggest seafood expos in the world got underway today in Qingdao China. The China Fisheries and Seafood expo includes 800 companies from 38 countries.
Kenai Predator Control Proves to be Contentious Issue
Predator control is being proposed for two areas of the Kenai Peninsula and it’s proving to be a contentious issue for residents there.
State Seeks Comments on Updated Suicide Prevention Plan
The statewide suicide prevention council has updated the plan for suicide prevention and is currently seeking public comment on it. The revision is entitled-Casting the Net Upstream: Promoting Wellness to Prevent Suicide in Alaska.
Barrow Writer Receives Accolades for ‘My Name is Not Easy’
A Barrow writer is a finalist for the National Book Award. Debby Dahl Edwardson received the honor for her book, “My Name is Not Easy,” in the young adult fiction category.
Veterans Speak of VA Struggles
During the AFN convention in Anchorage over the weekend, Alaska’s U.S. senators Mark Begich and Lisa Murkowski brought together officials from both the federal and state Veterans Administration to conduct a Native Veteran’s listening session.
Journal of Commerce Investigates Executive Pay
Investigative reports usually get a lot of attention from the public and in the media. But an investigation of executive pay in the Community Development Quota program that was published in August 2010 in the Alaska Journal of Commerce seemed to slip under the radar.
AFN Panel Discusses Relationship With State Government
The AFN convention continued Friday in Anchorage. After Governor Sean Parnell and Representative Reggie Joule addressed the crowd, a panel discussion was convened on how Alaska Natives can strengthen their relationship with the state of Alaska.
AK: Newest Marian Call Album Funded by Fans
Anchorage Singer-Songwriter Marian Call doesn’t have any trouble writing material. She says the ideas spill out of her and shape into songs quickly. That’s fortunate, since Call has a hectic schedule working to make it as a musician far from the mainstream recording hotspots in the Lower 48.
AFN Convention Gets Underway in Anchorage
The Alaska Federation of Natives annual convention got under way today in Anchorage at the Dena’ina convention center. The event is billed as the largest annual gathering of Native people in the United States.
Kohring to Change Plea on One Count of Indictment
A former Alaska lawmaker facing retrial on federal corruption charges plans to plead guilty this week.
North Slope Finding Some Success in Fall Whaling Season
North Slope communities are having some success with fall whaling.
NSB Mayor Race Heading for Runoff Election
The North Slope Borough mayor’s race is heading for a run off election. Three candidates were vying for the position, Charlotte Brower, former borough mayor George Ahmaogak Sr and Fenton Rexford. Brower received 639 votes, Ahmaogak 601 and Rexford 583.
Over 200 ‘Occupy Anchorage’
More than 200 Alaskans spent a good part of their Saturday afternoon and early evening in downtown Anchorage’s Town Square, showing solidarity for the Occupy Wall street gatherings that are ongoing around the country.
Medicare in Alaska
Alaskan seniors are seeing changes to Medicare under the federal Affordable Care Act. Dates for enrolling in prescription drug plans or changing existing plans are now earlier. What else do Alaskans need to know about changes to Medicare? What is a Medical Home? How is the shortage of doctors who will take Medicare patients in Alaska being addressed?
KSKA & APRN: Tuesday 10/11 at 10:00 am