Senate Passes Measure Lowering Student Loan Interest Rates
The U.S. Senate passed a compromise measure to lower student loan interest rates. The plan reduces rates for undergraduates and grad students enrolling in Alaska colleges this fall.
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Alaska Delegation Asks For Consensus Among CDQ Groups
Coastal Villages Region Fund, the state’s largest Community Development Quota group, has been asking for more fish for their fishermen. It would require Congress amending the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. In response, Alaska’s congressional delegation says before pursuing changes to fishing allocations they would need a consensus.
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Interior Communities Seek Donations For Flood Recovery
Specific items are being requested to help flood impacted communities in the interior, including Galena, where the most severe and wide ranging break up damage occurred. State Division of Homeland security and emergency management spokesman Jeremy Zidek urges people wanting to help to consider what’s needed before making donations.
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IRS Seizes Douglas Inn After Failing To Pay Taxes
A Douglas man and his business owe a million dollars in back taxes that have been due since 1999. The Internal Revenue Service in May seized P-P’s Douglas Inn, formerly known as Louie’s. The agency plans to auction off the downtown Douglas property to recoup some of the money owed to the federal government.
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New Tool Used To Combat Elodea
The invasive aquatic plant elodea is growing in a few Alaska fresh water sites, and work continues to fight it back.
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Cruise Ship Fails Surprise Health Inspection In Skagway
A cruise ship that failed a surprise health inspection while in Alaskan waters is making national news after it was discovered food was being stored in unsanitary conditions.
Arctic Shipping On the Rise
It’s shaping up to be a busy year for Arctic shipping. The Russian government has already granted 218 vessels permission to transit the Northern Sea Route this summer -- four times as many as made the trip last year.
Four Survive Floatplane on Prince of Wales Island
A floatplane crashed on Wednesday on Prince of Wales Island, and all four aboard are expected to survive. The DeHavilland Beaver was owned by Promech Air of Ketchikan.
Man Convicted Of 1st Degree Murder For Shooting, Killing Girlfriend
Wednesday, a jury convicted an Anchorage man of first degree murder for killing his girlfriend by shooting her in the eye last year. The defense for James Marquez, 36, argued for manslaughter, saying Marquez committed the act in a fit of rage. But the prosecution argued the act was done deliberately.
Man Who Crashed JBER Gate Sentenced To 5 Years In Prison
A five year prison term and more than $78,000 restitution is the sentence for the man who crashed a pickup through Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson last January. Kyle Hansen, 26, of Wasilla, was convicted of assaulting a federal officer who was knocked down at a roadblock at the base's gate as Hansen drove out. Hansen had a long chain of DUI convictions behind him.
2013 Sadler’s Alaska Challenge Mini-Doc
The Sadler's Alaska Challenge is the toughest and longest Handcycle race in the world. The 7 stage race was held in Alaska, July 15-21.
The Alaska Teen Media Institute documented the race.
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GCI and ACS Form Alaska Wireless Network
Alaska's two largest mobile service providers create joint venture to take on Verizon and AT&T.
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FEMA Admin Keeping Close Eye On Yukon River Disaster Response
FEMA Region 10 Administrator Ken Murphy is in Alaska this week to keep an eye on disaster response for Yukon River flood victims. Murphy spoke with APRN on Wednesday on the agency’s ultimate goal of providing services to disaster survivors to get them back on their feet as soon as possible. As of July 21, FEMA has paid out over $1 million in awards to individuals and households in the damaged areas.
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Galena, CCHRC Work Together To Rebuild Homes
The Fairbanks based Cold Climate Housing Research Center is working with Galena residents whose homes were damaged and destroyed by the flood. CCHRC President Jack Hebert is visiting Galena on Wednesday to share home designs based on past village housing projects, and get feedback from Galena.
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Water-Starved Alaska Village Gets Last-Minute Help
Last-minute help has arrived for a remote village that is down to its last drops of treated water.
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Bill Would Allow Road To Prince of Wales Mines
A bill making it easier to build a road to Prince of Wales Island mines has gotten some attention in the nation’s Capitol.
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Grad Student Discovers New Insect Species On POW
An entomology student working on a project on northern Prince of Wales Island found a strange insect. Turns out, it’s an ancient, and previously unidentified species, which she and her adviser have given a Tlingit name.
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Whittier Mayor Poised To Retain Seat Following Recall Election
Lester Lunceford is still the mayor of Whittier – at least for now. According to the unofficial results, the long-time mayor is poised to keep his position following Tuesday’s recall election. The recall stems from this year’s hiring of a permanent city manager.
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Warm Weather Kills Hatchery Chinook Near Petersburg
Over a thousand hatchery king salmon died at Blind River rapids sometime last week. The Chinook were returning to the Crystal Lake Hatchery on southern Mitkof Island, south of Petersburg. Warm water temperatures appear to be the culprit.
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AVO Looks To Improve Ash Forecasting With Online Tool
All of Alaska’s currently active volcanoes are hundreds of miles from the scientists responsible for warning us of potentially hazardous activity or the likelihood of ash clouds that disrupt air traffic. Satellite imagery and seismic sensors give researchers a look into what’s going on, but they depend heavily on citizen scientists for eyes and ears on the ground. The Alaska Volcano Observatory aims to improve the quality of ash forecasts through a new online tool.
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