Federal Spending Package Secures Funds For Tribal Health Care Facilities
In Congress tonight, a massive spending package has emerged after weeks of intense negotiations among lawmakers, and it contains good news for Alaskans. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, top Republican on the subcommittee for Interior Department spending, has announced that she’s secured $66 million to staff the state’s six new tribally operated health care facilities.
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Alaska’s Affordable Care Act Enrollment Remains Low
The federal government released numbers today that give an idea of who is signing up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. In Alaska, about 3000 people selected marketplace plans before Dec. 28 and 83 percent qualify for a subsidy to help pay for premiums. But Enroll Alaska has seen a steep drop off in the number of people signing up for insurance in the New Year.
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Refinery Owner Seeks Lower Cleanup Level For Tainted Groundwater
The operator of the North Pole refinery wants the state to set a lower standard for cleaning up the sulfolane groundwater-contamination problem in the North Pole area. Flint Hills Resources Alaska has asked the head of the state Department of Environmental Conservation to set a less-stringent cleanup level for the industrial solvent that leaked into the groundwater for more than a decade before Flint Hills bought the refinery in 2004. The requests could delay cleanup for several months.
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Akutan Volcano’s Geothermal Power Potential Increases
A new study says Akutan Volcano could be an even more promising source of geothermal energy than previously thought.
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Bering Sea Ice Sees 7-Year Expansion
While sea ice in the Arctic has been undergoing a seven-year decline, sea ice in the Bering Sea has been experiencing a seven-year expansion.
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Interior Alaska’s River, Lake Ice Thinner Than Normal
There’s less than normal ice build up on many Interior waters. The National Weather Service drills into ice on rivers and lakes at the start of each month, and agency hydrologist Ed Plumb says January’s measurements showed generally thinner ice.
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Allen Moore Wins Copper Basin 300
Allen Moore has successfully defended his Copper Basin 300 title. The Two Rivers musher held off Nicolas Petit on the final leg for his fifth victory, the most in race history.
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Trailbreakers Prepare Yukon Quest Route
Trailbreakers are busy packing and clearing the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race trail. There are no major changes planned for the route this year. This will be one of the busier years on the Alaska side of the trail, where dog teams are likely to encounter open water.
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UAA Planetarium Offers Unique Look Into McNeil Bear Sanctuary
If you are lucky enough to get a permit, the McNeil River Sanctuary in Southwest Alaska offers an opportunity to safely get up close and personal with the largest congregation of brown bears in the world. Since only 185 permits are drawn each year, a UAA professor decided to team up with an Alaskan filmmaker to create an immersive experience for those who can't make the trip.
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Alaska News Nightly: January 13, 2014
Federal Spending Package Secures Funds For Tribal Health Care Facilities; Alaska's Affordable Care Act Enrollment Remains Low; Refinery Owner Seeks Lower Cleanup Level For Tainted Groundwater; Akutan Volcano’s Geothermal Power Potential Increases; Bering Sea Ice Sees 7-Year Expansion; Interior Alaska’s River, Lake Ice Thinner Than Normal; Allen Moore Wins Copper Basin 300; Trailbreakers Prepare Yukon Quest Route; UAA Planetarium Offers Unique Look Into McNeil Bear Sanctuary
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A Night of (Competitive) Spoken Word
Today we’re attending a spoken word show.
Nora Herzog has been performing spoken word for about a year now. She’s always enjoyed writing poetry, but could never find a good way to share it.
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I Am A Bethel Cab Driver
Bethel, Alaska is home to the most taxi cabs per capita in the United States - with 66 cars serving a population of just over 6,000.
Naim Shabani is the manager of Kusko Cab, the largest cab company serving this unique bush Alaska city.
Treadwell slams Begich for the company he keeps; Dems call it hypocricy
The Senate campaign of Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell has issued a series of press releases attacking incumbent Mark Begich for allegedly receiving support from Outside politicians working to lock up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and enact gun control. But the Treadwell campaign was apparently unaware that a listed host for a Treadwell fundraiser in Chicago is one of the Senate’s biggest advocates for those same two issues.
Parnell Announces New Pipeline Plan, Changes AGIA Agreement
Governor Sean Parnell announced Friday the state is taking a new approach to a large-scale natural gas line in Alaska, and is terminating the agreement signed with TransCanada under AGIA.
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Supreme Court Okay’s Referendum Repealing Controversial Labor Law
The Supreme Court of Alaska has ruled that a referendum launched by union supporters to repeal a controversial Anchorage labor ordinance can go ahead.
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Ravn Investigating Cause Of St. Mary’s Crash
The NTSB is investigating the Era commuter plane that crashed and killed four people and injured six outside St. Mary’s. The government’s full report is many months away, but in the meantime, Era, now known as Ravn and others are digging into the cause of the crash.
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Alaska News Nightly: January 10, 2014
Parnell Announces New Pipeline Plan, Changes AGIA Agreement; Supreme Court Okay’s Referendum Repealing Controversial Labor Law; Treadwell Campaign Attacks Begich On ANWR; Ravn Investigating Cause Of St. Mary's Crash; Lawmakers File Dozens Of Bills In Advance Of Session; Air Quality Regulations Worry Fairbanks, State Officials; Winter Grizzly Sightings Raise Concerns Near Denali Park; AK: Shipwreck; 300 Villages: Chickaloon
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Air Quality Regulations Worry Fairbanks, State Officials
The controversial air-quality regulations that state officials have proposed for Fairbanks-area residents are aimed at reducing pollution from wood-burning heating systems. They do not apply to coal-fired systems, which are increasingly popular because coal is cheaper than wood.
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Lawmakers File Dozens Of Bills In Advance Of Session
State lawmakers have pre-filed more than 50 bills in advance of the legislative session.
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Winter Grizzly Sightings Raise Concerns Near Denali Park
Midwinter grizzly and track sightings have raised concern in the Denali Park area. Local resident, four time Iditarod Champion Jeff King spotted blood and bear tracks on a trail while training dogs Wednesday.
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