Bethel Test Fishery Starts Early
The Bethel Test Fishery put nets in the water five days early this year. With no salmon fishing happening in the early season, the test data will be central to understanding the strength of the king run and helping managers decide when to open up for other species.
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Rain Gives Crews Leg Up On Funny River Fire
Rain and cooler conditions have given firefighters a chance to strengthen their effort and get a step ahead in their battle with the Funny River fire on the Kenai. Officials are always trying to plan a few days in advance. But now, they are also looking ahead to the next few months and long-term management of the fire and its effects.
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AK: A Musical Celebration
Alaskans have had some big anniversaries this year: The ‘64 earthquake and the Exxon Valdez oil spill among them. Acoustic musicians celebrated their own anniversary last month in Juneau: the Alaska Folk Festival’s 40th. The week of concerts attracts hundreds of singers, pickers and strummers and thousands of fans from around the state.
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300 Villages: Rampart
This week, we're heading to Rapart, in Interior Alaska. The Koyukon Athabascan community is tiny, but working to attract new residents. Floyd Green is tribal administrator of Rampart Alaska. He's just 21 years old.
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Managing Predators
Managing predators is not easy, but it’s harder to manage people. Predator populations are spreading in the Lower 48 states, and farmers are not happy. Meanwhile in Alaska the tourists are arriving, the bears are out and so are the moose calves.
APRN: Tuesday, 6/3 at 10:00am
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Alaska Edition Friday May 30, 2014
Sexual assault and the National Guard update. Update on Southcentral fires. The SARB board meets to evaluate the trans-Alaska pipeline. Jim Minnery, leading conservative activist, modifies his views on gays. Changes ahead for workers compensation law. Verizon enters the Alaska market. Six Native regional corporation join the vote no campaign against the oil-tax referendum. Anchorage Police Chief Mark Mew says his department is understaffed.
KSKA: Friday, May 30 at 2:00 p.m. and Saturday, May 31 at 6:00 p.m.
KAKM: Friday, May 30 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 31 at 4:30 p.m.
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Committee Moves Bill Updating Magnuson-Stevens Act
The U.S. House Natural Resources Committee today moved a bill to update the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the primary fisheries law in federal waters. Alaska Congressman Don Young amended the bill to allow subsistence fishermen a voice on the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council.
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Kuskokwim Inter-Tribal Fish Commission Comes Together In Bethel
Tribal representatives took the first steps on Wednesday towards establishing the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. The group intends to push for co-management of salmon stocks and more direct involvement for tribal fisherman.
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Begich Speaks On VA Care In Alaska
Amid national outrage over the Veterans’ Administration’s handling of medical services for veterans and congressional calls for the resignation of VA secretary General Erik Shenseki, Senator Mark Begich today stopped short of calling for a resignation, but Begich said officials from the top down will be held accountable when Shenseki’s report comes out.
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Funny River Residents Meet After Evacuation Order Lifted
Funny River residents met Wednesday night at the local community center for the first time since the evacuation orders were lifted. Fire management officials were there to update them on continuing operations and to help the community move forward.
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2-Year State Predator Control Program Claims 153 Interior Bears
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game shot 64 black and brown bears from helicopters in the Western Interior in May. That brings the total number of bears shot during a two-year effort to 153. The Board of Game approved the program following requests from Kuskokwim River-area hunters, who were concerned about a declining moose population.
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Alaska News Nightly: May 29, 2014
Committee Moves Bill Updating Magnuson-Stevens Act; Kuskokwim Inter-Tribal Fish Commission Comes Together In Bethel; Begich Speaks On VA Care In Alaska; Rain Helping Firefighters Maintain Containment Lines; Funny River Residents Meet After Evacuation Order Lifted; Alaska Zoo Caring For Orphaned Wolf Pups; 2-Year State Predator Control Program Claims 153 Interior Bears; Secretary of Defense Visits JBER
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Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel Visits JBER
U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel stopped by Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on Wednesday at the outset of a 12-day tour abroad. Hagel talked with army and air force personnel about the changes ahead as the U.S. transitions out of 13 years of war.
As Chinooks, Chums Enter the Yukon, Fishermen Chafe Under Tight Restrictions
Subsistence fishermen say they’re willing to back off the kings, but they want to be able to get their chums. Both Chinook and chum salmon are starting to swim up the Yukon River, but with the worst king run on record expected this year, Fish and Game officials are implementing tight restrictions that subsistence users say are keeping them from getting chums.
Alaska Journalist Bob Tkacz Found Dead
Longtime Alaska freelance journalist Bob Tkacz has died. He was 61. Juneau police say they responded to a report of a death at Tkacz’s downtown office Tuesday morning and found his body. The death is not considered suspicious.
Name Of Helicopter Pilot Killed In Crash Released
Anchorage police have released the name of the pilot of a helicopter that crashed at the Birchwood Airport in Chugiak.
Lower Skilak Lake Campground, Boat Launch Reopens
The Funny River fire is holding steady at just over 192,831 acres and is considered 46 percent contained.
Rain, Little Wind Helps Firefighters Combat Funny River Fire
Light rain and little wind has helped keep the Funny River fire from growing much for the past two days. It is 30 percent contained and as of Wednesday afternoon, it is estimated to have burned more than 183,000 acres on the central Kenai Peninsula.
Fairbanks Team Leads Firefighting Efforts on Kenai
Wednesday marked one week since the Funny River fire began burning on the Kenai Peninsula. Very early on in the fire, one group - Alaska Interagency Incident Management Team - from Fairbanks has been in control of the firefighting efforts.