Alaska News Nightly: January 22, 2014
YKHC President Retires Amid Controversy With The Board; GovTrack Completes 2013 Report Card On Congress; Admiral Ostebo Outlines USCG’s Plans For Western Alaska; Court Says Inadequate Studies Conducted Before 2008 Lease Sale; Gov. Parnell Addresses Budget, 'Choose Respect' and Education; What Is The Center For Ocean Solutions?; ‘Excluder’ Could Limit Salmon Bycatch; Proposed Setnet Initiative Heading To Court; Young And Old Turn Out To ‘Bonfire for Bristol Bay’ Rally In Dillingham
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Gov. Parnell Addresses Budget, ‘Choose Respect’ and Education
Governor Parnell says he has three main priorities for the legislative session that started yesterday in Juneau: education, the gas line and the unfunded Pers/Ters pension fund liability. Parnell told APRN's Lori Townsend, the budget will be tight this year, but Alaskans have been through this before.
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Natural Gas Service To Expand In Sterling
Several hundred Sterling residents could finally get hooked up to natural gas later this year.
ADF&G Anticipating Another Low King Salmon Return
The Department of Fish and Game is predicting another below-average year for king salmon returns on the Kenai River.
Kodiak Police Seize $120,000 Worth of Drugs
Two men have been arraigned in Kodiak District Court following a drug seizure over the weekend. Kodiak Police Chief Ronda Wallace said the drugs were seized during a search of two hotel rooms on Sunday and have an estimated street value of at least $120,000.
Alaskan, Australian Natives May Be Vulnerable To Bird Flu
Indigenous populations in Alaska and Australia may be vulnerable to influenza, particularly a recent form of bird flu.
Calista Develops Regional Committee
The Calista board of directors is putting the pieces together of the new regional committee. The committee had a start in the 1980s, but it is getting new life this spring.
Alaska News Nightly: January 21, 2014
Minority Leader Beth Kerttula To Leave Legislature; Tuck, French Address Kerttula's Departure, Legislative Priorities; Chenault, Huggins Discuss Education, Gas Line, And Fish Politics; Anchorage School District Set to Lay Off More Than 200; Is Alaska’s Economy Grounded?
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Chenault, Huggins Discuss Education, Gas Line, And Fish Politics
As lawmakers begin the 90 day session, House Speaker Mike Chenault and Senate President Charlie Huggins say there is just one must pass bill this session- the budget. But the majority party has other items on their agenda, along with a commitment to fiscal restraint. APRN's Lori Townsend asked Speaker Chenault to outline his priorities.
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Anchorage School District Set to Lay Off More Than 200
Tuesday, the superintendent of the Anchorage School District announced how he will trim $23 million from the district's budget.
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Tuck, French Address Kerttula’s Departure, Legislative Priorities
With Kerttula's resignation, the Democrats will have a new leadership team in the Legislature. Hollis French took over as Senate Minority leader from Johnny Ellis in a pre-arranged deal this session. And now Chris Tuck will become minority leader in the House. Representative Tuck says the Democrats are ready to move forward without Kerttula.
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Minority Leader Beth Kerttula To Leave Legislature
House Minority Leader Beth Kerttula will be resigning from her seat. The Juneau Democrat has been chosen for an oceans policy fellowship at Stanford University, which begins this spring term.
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Coast Guard, ADEC Respond To Sunken Tug
The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Coast Guard are still monitoring the site where a tug boat sank and leaked diesel fuel near Wrangell last week.
Kensington Tops Coeur’s 4th Quarter Production
Nearly half of Coeur Mining’s 2013 fourth-quarter gold production came from Juneau’s Kensington Gold Mine.
New Data Offer Few Clues To Declining Beluga Whale Stocks
Fisheries scientists gathered in Soldotna Thursday for a presentation on years-long study of Cook Inlet Beluga Whales. The information those scientists shared provides a baseline for future studies of Belugas.
International Maritime Organization Working On ‘Polar Code’
A"polar code" for shipping vessels traveling in the Arctic could be agreed upon this week by a committee of the International Maritime Organization.
Faces of Alaska: Mr. Whitekeys
Alaskans know Mr. Whitekeys as a comedian, a musician and a Spam-loving night club impresario.
Whether you know him from his days behind the piano at the Fly By Night Club, his popular stage shows, or his regular commentary on local television, now is your chance to get to know the man behind the loud Hawaiian shirt.
TV: Monday, January 27 @ 8 PM
Legislature Prepares To Gavel In
Tuesday, the Legislature gavels back in, and for lawmakers things look a lot different than they did last January. There’s no oil tax legislation to tackle, and the state’s budget outlook is not quite as rosy as it’s been in past years. APRN’s Alexandra Gutierrez will be heading up our capitol coverage, and she’s here today to talk to us about what’s at stake over the next few months.
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Begich Takes Stand Against Pebble Mine
U.S. Sen. Mark Begich has taken a definitive stand against the Pebble Mine. He told the Anchorage Daily News over the weekend that he can’t support the proposed mine in Southwestern Alaska. In doing so, he’s broken away from the rest of Alaska’s congressional delegation and his three Republican challengers.
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Thayer Named Administration Commissioner
Curtis Thayer has been named commissioner for the Alaska Department of Administration. Gov. Sean Parnell named Thayer to the position Monday. Thayer had been filling in as acting Commissioner since last month following the resignation of Becky Hultberg.
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