Legislature Passes Gov. Parnell’s LNG Pipeline Plan
The House voted 36-4 on the measure Sunday. The Senate later voted 16-4 to agree to the House changes. Senate Bill 138 would set state participation at about 25 percent in a project also being pursued TransCanada, the Alaska Gas-line Development Corp., and the North Slope's major players. It would allow the project to move to a stage of preliminary engineering and design and cost refinement.
Missed Deadline Pushes Initiatives To General Election
Because the Legislature did not meet its midnight deadline, three citizen’s initiatives are expected to be moved from the August primary to the November general election.
Download Audio
With Education Standoff, Legislature Misses Deadline
All session, legislative leadership has promised to gavel out early, to be home in time for the Easter holiday. That didn’t happen. In fact, the Legislature did not gavel out at all. With the House and Senate struggling to make a deal on education, lawmakers are forced into extra innings.
I Am A Cupcake Warrior
After winning Food Network's "Cupcake Wars," Kastle Sorensen and her "Kastle's Kreations" food truck have turned Alaska's cupcake scene upside down.
http://youtu.be/NPWl8zViBTY
Senate Passes Bill Transferring $3 Billion To Retirement System
After wrestling with how to approach the state’s massive unfunded liability for months, the Alaska Senate unanimously agreed to put $3 billion toward the public employee pension system just hours after their plan was released.
Effort To Revive Parts Of Controversial Permitting Bill Scrapped
An effort to resurrect parts of House Bill 77 was abandoned on Friday night.
Education Activists Wary of Latest School Funding Bill
In Juneau, the latest version of the education funding bill emerged today, and it isn’t what school advocates were hoping for. Senate Finance co-chairman Kevin Meyer says it’s a comprehensive bill that would add $100 million to education, and he says the Republican majority is committed to keeping that money in the budget for each of the next three years.
Download Audio
Legislators Enter Session’s Home Stretch
Education isn’t the only thing left on the Legislature’s plate. APRN’s Alexandra Gutierrez is our Capitol correspondent, and she’s joining us today to walk us through what lawmakers need to do in the 60 hours before they gavel out.
Download Audio
Series Of Quakes Rattle Northwest Alaska
A series of earthquakes rattled Northwest Alaska about 40 miles northeast of Kotzebue on Friday morning. The tremors began with a strong 5.6 magnitude earthquake at 10:44 Friday morning.
Download Audio
‘Recall Lindsey Holmes’ Group Takes Petition Dismissal To Court
Representatives from the "Recall Lindsey Holmes" group and Alaska's Division of Elections met in State Superior Court on Thursday.
Download Audio
Talkeetna Guides With Everest Experience Speak About Deadly Incident
On Friday, a deadly incident claimed the lives of at least 12 people on Mount Everest. Willi Prittie and Ellie Henke, both residents of Talkeetna, have extensive experience on Everest.
Download Audio
NTSB Releases Preliminary Report on Fatal Hageland Crash
The National Transportation Safety Board has published a preliminary report about the crash that killed two pilots near Three Step Mountain.
Download Audio
Alaska News Nightly: April 18, 2014
School Advocates Unhappy With Education Bill’s Latest Rendering; Legislators Enter Session’s Home Stretch; Series Of Quakes Rattle Northwest Alaska; 'Recall Lindsey Holmes' Group Takes Petition Dismissal To Court; NTSB Releases Preliminary Report on Fatal Hageland Crash; Talkeetna Guides With Everest Experience Speak About Deadly Incident; AK: Hazing Birds; 300 Villages: Akiachak
Download Audio
300 Villages: Akiachak
This week, we’re heading to Akiachak, in Southwest Alaska. The village is the first in the state to formally decide to dissolve its local government in favor of traditional tribal representation. Jonathan Lomack is the executive director for Akiachak Native Community Tribal Government.
Download Audio
AK: Hazing Birds
At most major airports someone is paid to chase birds off the runway, but at Sitka’s airport that job is especially challenging. That’s because three-fourths of Sitka’s runway is surrounded by water. Fish spawn along its banks, attracting hungry birds. That problem was highlighted four years ago when two Alaska Airlines jets collided with eagles on takeoff. KCAW’s Emily Forman spoke with the expert who came in afterward to make sure the runway is safe.
Download Audio
Congressional Issues: U.S. Representative Don Young
Taking phone calls from all over the largest congressional district in the nation can be a challenge, but it also makes for quite a radio show. Alaska Congressman Don Young is back in his district for the spring recess, and ready to talk with you on the next Talk of Alaska.
APRN: Tuesday, 4/22 at 10:00am
Download Audio
Alaska Lawmakers Vote To Allow Medevac Membership Programs
Legislation allowing medevac membership programs to continue is on its way to Gov. Sean Parnell for his signature. The Alaska House unanimously approved Senate Bill 159 on Tuesday. It sailed through the Senate in late February.
Carnival Miracle Cancels 15 Ketchikan Port Calls
Citing mechanical issues that affect the Carnival Miracle’s maximum cruising speed, Carnival Cruise Lines has canceled 15 of that ship’s port calls in Ketchikan this summer.
State House Approves 2016 Sunset Date For Alaska Film Tax Credit
The state House voted Thursday to sunset the Alaska Film Tax Credit in 2016. The provision was part of a bill requiring state agencies to report to the Legislature on so-called “lost revenue.” That’s the millions of dollars in revenues the state doesn’t collect each year due to various fee exemptions and tax credits. The bill adds sunset dates to some of them, meaning those programs would expire if lawmakers don’t intervene before then.
Alaska Edition: April 18, 2014
Patrick Flynn takes over as chair of the Anchorage Assembly. The Alaska Legislature is still addressing major capital projects in the final days of the session. The Loussac Library bond failed by 14 votes. Why? Legislation to raise the minimum wage becomes deeply controversial. Wasilla does a turnaround on regulating the drug spice. The cost of Gov. Parnell's North Slope initiative is ballooning. Two inmates die in Alaska prisons in a week.
KSKA: Friday, April 18, at 2:00 p.m. and Saturday, April 19, at 6:00 p.m.
KAKM: Friday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 19, at 4:30 p.m.
Download Audio