Delta-area Birders Spot Species New to Interior During Christmas Bird Count
Delta Junction-area birders participating in the annual Christmas Bird Count spotted a rare species not normally seen this far north in the winter.
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Ambler Road Would Have Mixed Impact on NW Arctic Caribou
Facing halted state spending and budget cuts, the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, or AIDEA, says it’s still moving forward to prepare an environmental impact statement for the contentious Ambler Road, which would branch west off the Dalton Highway near Evansville and run into the copper deposit near Ambler. If the road gets the go-ahead, it’ll be a mixed bag for the Northwest Arctic Caribou Herd, who winter on and migrate through land that the road would bisect.
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Alaska News Nightly: January 2, 2015
Traffic Deaths Jump To Highest Level Since 2007; Walker Plans To Stick To Marijuana Implementation Schedule, But Other Delays Still Possible; Over $63 Million Worth Of Marijuana Sold In Washington State In 2014; New Charges Filed In Homer Sexual Assault Case; Prince William Sound Black Cod Fishermen Likely Facing Lower Harvest Limits; Delta-area Birders Spot Species New to Interior During Christmas Bird Count; Ambler Road Would Have Mixed Impact on NW Arctic Caribou; AK: Puppet Town; 300 Villages: Kasaan
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Alaska’s Revenue Shortfall and What to Do About it
The price of oil has gone down so far that it’s likely state revenues this fiscal year will be less than the forecast. And the forecast was already down more than $7 billion from the year before. The question the Governor and the Legislature are asking now is not whether there will be a deficit but just how big will it be and where will the money come from to fill it.
APRN: Tuesday, 1/6 at 10:00am
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300 Villages: Kasaan (Archive)
This week, we’re heading to Kasaan, located in Southeast Alaska on Prince of Wales island. The coastal Native village is home to the oldest Haida building in the world. Frederick Otilius Olsen Junior is from Kasaan.
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AK: Puppet Town (Archive)
Haines seems like a quintessential Southeast Alaska town. There are eagles, bears, salmon, big mountains and rough water. It’s a picture-book no stoplight, no movie theater, low crime type of community. But there’s a seedier and eclectic side of Haines that emerged late this winter: the underground puppet scene.
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Mallott To Decide Walker’s Future Involvement In Point Thomson Settlement
In a letter signed on Monday, Walker granted Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott the power to decide if Walker's prior litigation against the state while an attorney in private practice should prevent him from participating in decisions about those same cases in his new role as governor.
Alaska News Nightly: January 31, 2014
Mallott To Decide on Walker's Point Thomson Role; New Campaign Pushes Conservation in Aleutians; Arctic Shipping Falls; Anchorage Sets Temperature Record; Fish and Game Interview; Bainbridge Island Nonprofit Delivers Food with Protein
New Campaign Hoping to Increase Conservation in Aleutians
The waters around the Aleutian Islands support a dizzying range of wildlife -- and major industries right along with it. Right now, the government’s job is to help find a balance. But there’s a new campaign to permanently tip the scales toward conservation in the Aleutian Chain.
Arctic Shipping Chills in 2014
The year 2014 has proved to be a slow one for Arctic shipping. Just 31 ships sailed between Europe and Asia across the Northern Sea Route, and 22 did part of the route. That’s down from a total of more than 70 in 2013. Malte Humpert, executive director of the Arctic Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, says this year has served as a reality check on some of the over-heated Arctic predictions of recent years.
Crude Price Drop Unlikely To Affect Fuel Prices In Western Alaska
Oil prices continue to fall, with Brent crude around $56 per barrel and gasoline dipping below $3 per gallon around the state. But even as crude prices plummet, rural Alaskans are unlikely to see major savings this winter. Sean Thomas, the vice president of energy and shipping corporation Crowley Maritime, said western Alaska’s unique geography contributes to static fuel prices in the region.
Fish and Game Commissioner: All Resources Important
Fish and Game resources are important to nearly every Alaskan and the state's new acting commissioner of Fish and Game says he'll take that to heart as he makes decisions. Sam Cotten is a former Democratic state lawmaker. More recently, he's been a commercial fishermen and a member of the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council.
Anchorage Sets New Temperature Record
The city of Anchorage can claim a new record. The city did not see a temperature drop below zero for the entire year of 2014. The last time Anchorage residents saw a below zero reading was December 26, 2013.
Bainbridge Island Nonprofit Providing Unique Deliveries
This time of year, many have been buying pasta or cans of soup to contribute to food drives. But food bank organizers say they could use foods with protein. A Bainbridge Island, Washington nonprofit is delivering such foods in a unique way.
Ambler Road Would Have Mixed Impact on NW Arctic Caribou
The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, or AIDEA, says it’s still moving forward to prepare an environmental impact statement for the contentious Ambler Road, even after Governor Bill Walker has placed a hold on the project. The Ambler road would branch west off the Dalton Highway near Evansville and run into the copper deposit near Ambler. If the road eventually gets the go-ahead, it will be a mixed bag for the Northwest Arctic Caribou Herd which winters on and migrates through land that the road would bisect.
Walker Plans To Stick To Marijuana Implementation Schedule, But Other Delays Still Possible
At a recent meeting with governor, participants concluded that is possible to meet the timeline established recently passed marijuana initiative. It's just not certain.
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Walker Continues To Fill Out Cabinet With Administration, Education Commissioners
Walker has named Sheldon Fisher head of Administration, and will keep Mike Hanley on as education commissioner.
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Regional Subsistence Advisory Councils Having Trouble Filling Seats
Subsistence harvests are managed by federal agencies with input from local residents through regional advisory councils. Local residents aren’t stepping up to be on the councils.
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Second Boy Reaches Deal in Illegal Brevig Mission Muskox Killings
Both boys charged with chasing down a herd of muskox before killing several of the animals just outside of Brevig Mission have now reached a deal with state prosecutors, bringing to a close a case that started back in 2012.
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Lance Mackey Enters 2015 Yukon Quest Field
One of the biggest names in long-distance dog mushing has signed up for the Yukon Quest, the 1,000-mile race between Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, and Fairbanks.
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