Sealaska Dividends Include No Corporate Earnings
The spring dividend for most Sealaska shareholders will be $721, but some will receive less than a tenth of that amount.
Legislature OKs $5.8 Million In Capitol Repairs
The legislature has approved $5.8 million in additional repairs and renovations to the Capitol building.
Alaska House Names April as ‘Child Abuse Prevention Month’
The Alaska House of Representatives voted unanimously Thursday to name April “Child Abuse Prevention Month” in Alaska. House Concurrent Resolution 21 was sponsored by Representative Geran Tarr from Anchorage. The resolution heads to the Senate for consideration.
Lawmakers Shelve Controversial Permitting Bill
With the end of session looming, lawmakers found the bill was simply too complex and too polarizing to advance.
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Homer Man Shoots, Kills Self With Trooper’s Pistol
Alaska State Troopers say a Homer man fatally shot himself after he grabbed a trooper’s gun during a struggle following a domestic violence call.
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Coast Guard Finds Violations in Kulluk Grounding
The Coast Guard has released the results of an investigation into the grounding of Shell's Kulluk drill rig at the end of their troubled Arctic drilling season. The agency documented multiple safety violations. It also found a desire to avoid a state tax contributed to the decision to move the rig in poor conditions.
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Young Lights into Interior Secretary Over King Cove
Interior Secretary Sally Jewell already rejected a plan to build a road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge to link King Cove to the all-weather airport at Cold Bay. These days, all three members of Alaska’s Congressional delegation are trying to get her to change her mind, and today was Congressman Don Young’s turn to press the case.
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NMFS Clears Commercial Fishing In Sea Lion Habitat
After a research review, the National Marine Fisheries Service is prepared to loosen controversial limits on fishing in the western Aleutian Islands.
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As Education Bill Nears Vote, Lawmakers Brace For Funding Fight
On Friday, state representatives will vote on a sprawling education bill that deals with everything from school budges to teacher tenure to the establishment of charter schools. Some lawmakers are already preparing for a marathon session.
Gov. Parnell Calls Proposal To Deal With Teacher Retirement System ‘Immoral’
How to address the teacher retirement debt is another friction point for lawmakers. Governor Sean Parnell says a House Finance Committee proposal to deal with the teachers’ retirement system is “immoral” and shifts the debt obligation to future generations.
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KABATA Legislation Passes Senate Finance Committee
The plan to construct a toll bridge across Knik Arm advanced yesterday, when the Senate Finance committee voted in favor of sending it to the floor for consideration.
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Fish & Game Cancelling Staffed Program At Bristol Bay Walrus Islands Sanctuary
Back in 1960, seven uninhabited Bristol Bay islands south of Togiak were incorporated into the Walrus Islands State Game Sanctuary. As the name suggests, the sanctuary protects one of the largest terrestrial haulout sites of Pacific walruses in North America. The Department of Fish and Game’s Wildlife Division decided last week that it will terminate its Round Island Program, which staffs the sanctuary to monitor the marine mammals and host visitors.
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Wife Of Missing Mt. Marathon Racer Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit
The wife of a man who went missing during the 2012 Mt. Marathon race is suing the Seward Chamber of Commerce. The wrongful death suit is asking for a judgment of $5 million.
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Aleutians East Scrambles For Cheaper Link To Akutan Airport
Yesterday, we reported that Akutan residents are pleased with their new airport taxi — a helicopter that came online in February. The Aleutians East Borough is already running out of money to pay for it. Today, in the second part of our series on the struggle to connect Akutan to its airport, the borough settles on a permanent solution. It’s one they rejected a decade ago.
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Alaska News Nightly: April 3, 2014
USCG Releases Kulluk Report; Rep. Young Presses Interior Secretary On Izembek Road; NMFS Clears Commercial Fishing In Sea Lion Habitat; Legislature Scraps Deal To Buy Anchorage LIO; Gov. Parnell Calls Proposal To Deal With Teacher Retirement System ‘Immoral’; KABATA Legislation Passes Senate Finance Committee; Fish & Game Cancelling Staffed Program At Bristol Bay Walrus Islands Sanctuary; Homer Man Shoots, Kills Self With Trooper’s Pistol; Wife Of Missing Mt. Marathon Racer Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit; Aleutians East Scrambles For Cheaper Link To Akutan Airport
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Legislature Scraps Deal To Buy Anchorage LIO
A deal to buy the Anchorage Legislative Information Office building for $28 million is officially off the table. Rep. Mike Hawker, an Anchorage Republican, made the announcement early Thursday morning, at a six-minute meeting of the Legislative Council.
Legislature’s Exit Time Could Shift Initiative Scheduling
Between a contested Senate primary and a mess of ballot questions, the August election is expected to be particularly lively. But a set of unusual circumstances and odd timing has the potential to knock all but one of the citizen measures to the November general election, if the Legislature gavels out late.
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Tribal Judge: Bill to Improve Village Public Safety Doesn’t Go Far Enough
The U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee today looked at a raft of bills aimed at improving the safety of Native American communities, including Alaska Native villages. A bill that would strengthen Alaska tribal courts and tribal law enforcement drew no opposition at the hearing, but the bill is likely to become more controversial.
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Sitka Shops For Teachers At Seattle Fair
For school districts in rural Alaska, this is prime recruiting season. Next week, they’ll hold a job fair in downtown Anchorage, looking for teachers to fill hundreds of openings statewide. But they’re also looking outside the 49th state.
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Helicopter Improves Access To Akutan Airport, For Now
For the past year and a half, people on Akutan have been taking a hovercraft to get to their airport on a different island. Now, the Aleutians East Borough has made the switch to a helicopter as their new airport taxi. The change has been a relief for residents.
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