News

The risk of fires in Southeast’s Tongass National Forest has dropped. A warning was issued last week as warm, sunny weather dried out grass and underbrush.

The Alaska Air Group will buy back up to $650 million of stock, in a move approved by the Board of Directors.

Alaska was the first state in the country to add a ban on same-sex marriage to its Constitution. Now, five gay couples are trying to strike that ban down. Download Audio

Pacific walruses have been removed from the unusual mortality event declared in the North Pacific for several marine mammal species. Download Audio

Over the weekend, the Western Mining Action Network held a panel discussion in Anchorage on the development of large scale mines in British Columbia that could impact the Taku, Stikine and Unuk rivers. All are prolific salmon producers for Alaska. Chris Zimmer is the Alaska Rivers without Borders campaign director. He says there are a number of mines proposed for BC and two of the most concerning are the Tulsequah Chief mine and the much larger Kerr Suphurets Mitchell or KSM prospect which is half the size of the Pebble mine proposal and 50 times larger than Tulsequah. Download Audio

Chieftan Metals Corporation, based in Toronto, is the owner of the Tulsequah Chief Mine. Company President and CEO Victor Wypryski was traveling and could not be reached for comment today, but a recent posting on the company’s website highlights the results of a February water quality study. Conducted at the request of the British Columbia ministry of the environment, the study tested four sites on the Tulsequah River, near the confluence of the Taku River near the mine site. Chinook, Coho, sockeye salmon and dolly varden were tested. Researchers reportedly found no discernable impact in fish tissue samples from historic mining discharge. Download Audio

Robert Sanderson is first vice president of the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes and was at the mining conference. He also is concerned that Alaskans don’t have legal standing to address Canadian mining. Download Audio

A string of motorcycle collisions have taken five lives in the Southcentral area during the past several weeks. And on a narrow highway shoulder near Palmer last week, riders lined up for an impromptu memorial service at the site of an accident on May 3 that claimed the lives of three members of the Harley Owners Group Alaska Chapter. They placed flowers and flags at the site. Download Audio

Next month, Seattle-area mountain climber Bruce Stobie is going to attempt to get to the top of Denali. That alone is impressive, but Stobie faces an additional challenge. He’s blind. Download Audio

Group Challenging Alaska’s Same-Sex Marriage Ban; Pacific Walruses Removed From Unusual Mortality Event In North Pacific; Panel Discussion Addresses Effects Of British Columbia Mines; Concerns Raised Over Alaska’s Lack Of Standing To Address Canadian Mining; Study Finds No Discernable Impact From Tulsequah Chief Mine Discharge On Fish; Banking Error Delays State Payroll; Juneau Birders Photograph Rare Long-Billed Curlew; Mt. View Community Spruces Up For Spring; Motorcycle Collisions Claim 5 Lives This Year In Southcentral; Blind Climber To Attempt Denali Ascent Download Audio

The Alaska Alcohol Beverage Control Board says two Bethel establishments have been illegally allowing patrons to bring in and consume their own alcohol, operating as what’s known as “bottle clubs.” But two conflicting statutes in the state alcohol law put certain clubs in a gray area.

A Nikiski teacher accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student was the subject of a law enforcement manhunt Thursday afternoon. After the man threatened to commit suicide, two local schools were placed on lockdown. Alaska State Troopers caught the man on Friday.

Republican Senate Candidate Joe Miller did something unusual on Thursday: He spoke out in support of party that was not his own. The comments concerned the Libertarian Party, which could be in a position to gain converts from some dissent within the state GOP.