Planned Parenthood Offers Free HIV testing in Alaska
This week Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest is offering free HIV testing in four Alaska locations. It started today (Monday 12/10) and runs through Friday.
Randall and Diggins Ski to Team Sprint Victory
Anchorage’s Kikkan Randall teamed with Jessie Diggins of Minnesota to win a World Cup team sprint race in Quebec City, Canada today. It’s the first ever World Cup gold for a U.S. women’s cross country relay team.
What Is Juneau Fest 2012?
Juneau Fest 2012 promises free gifts and other prizes worth more than $25,000: electronics to sporting goods and household items, city recreational facility passes, and store gift cards. Firefighters could win a Remington rifle and police officers are eligible for a Glock handgun.
St. Paul Police Department Shuts Down
The three-person public safety department on the Pribilof Island of St. Paul shut down this week suddenly without much explanation, leaving the Bering Sea island without an on-site law enforcement presence. For the past few months there’s been tension between the community and the police department.
Congress Divided Over Possibility Of LNG Exports
There’s a rift in Congress over whether the country should export its glut of natural gas. A new report released by the U.S. Department of Energy is bolstering the hopes of those who want to see more exports.
Park Service Pushes Back Against Some Interior Sport Hunts
The National Park Service continues to push back against some state sport hunts in the Interior. It’s the latest skirmish in a battle over state and federal authority on preserves designated by the 1980 Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.
Denali National Park Gets New Superintendent
The National Park Service has named Don Striker as its new Superintendent for Denali National Park. Striker is currently superintendent for New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia.
Dozens Of YK Delta Wrestlers Qualify For State
Twenty-eight wrestlers from seven Yukon Kuskokwim Delta schools have qualified for the 123A State Wrestling Tournament this Friday and Saturday in Nikiski. Two of these qualifying schools are almost complete opposites: one is a perennial powerhouse, while the other is sending kids to state for the very first time.
Parnell: Design Smaller Ferries, Build Them Here
Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell announced Tuesday in Ketchikan that the state will immediately begin negotiations with the Ketchikan shipyard to design the first of at least two smaller ferries for the Alaska Marine Highway System, rather than the 350-foot ferry that had been planned.
Alaska Native Leaders Attend White House Tribal Nations Conference
Alaska Native leaders are in Washington D.C. for the White House Tribal Nations Conference. They’re using the time to voice concern over federal mismanagement.
A Peak Inside the ‘Walrus Diaries’
Walruses face an uncertain future as sea ice disappears from the Arctic Ocean. But two recent scientific papers shed some light on their plight. One study looks at where walruses forage in the summer as the ice retreats far off the continental shelf. The other predicts how the disappearing sea ice could impact walrus population numbers in the years ahead.
Fairbanks Students Lead Effort To Raise Awareness Of Distracted Driving
The danger of distracted driving is the target of a public outreach effort by a Fairbanks high school class.
Arctic Grayling Habitat Limited By Chena Slough Invasive
The Fairbanks Soil and Water Conservation District hosted a public meeting in North Pole Tuesday night to talk about the changing ecology of Chena Slough. The slough is undergoing a long term restoration project after biologists discovered the presence of an invasive aquatic plant and a serious decline in the Arctic grayling population.
Sitka Artist Wins $50,000 Fellowship
33-year-old Alaska Native artist Nicholas Galanin of Sitka has won a $50,000 fellowship for artistic excellence. The national artists’ advocacy organization, United States Artists – or USA – awarded Galanin the USA Rasmuson Fellowship in the Crafts and Traditional Arts category. The group announced the 54 grant recipients – who included visual artists, writers and musicians – Monday in Los Angeles.
Frigid Temperatures Close Delta-Area Schools
The cold snap that’s been gripping the Interior for more than a week now finally pushed the mercury to 50 below in the Delta Junction area, so Delta-Greely School District officials canceled classes this morning. The Delta district is one of the few in the Interior that closes schools if the temperature drops too low.
University Aims To Rein In Health Care Plan Costs
The University of Alaska, is looking at health care plan changes. The university covers over 80 percent of the cost of health insurance for about 4,000 employees. Many of the plan changes are aimed at reining in costs, which are rising 7 to 10 percent a year.
Senate Passes Bill That Could Delay Eielson AFB Closure
The U.S. Senate passed a bill today outlining the nation’s defense policy for the year. The bill could potentially delay the closure of Eielson Air Force Base. Despite bipartisan calls for reigning in federal spending, there’s zero appetite in Congress for closing military bases.
Only Survivor From Tenakee Boating Accident Has Died
The survivor of a recent deadly boating accident near Tenakee Springs has died. Juneau police say 26-year-old Jim A. Brown Jr. was found unconscious and not breathing at a North Douglas Highway home just before midnight.
Earthquake Rattles Southcentral Alaska
A 5.8 magnitude earthquake shook Anchorage at 4:42 this afternoon. The earthquake was centered 27 miles directly west of Anchorage in Cook Inlet, right next to Tyonek.
Unalaska Installs Emergency Mooring Buoy
When cargo ships run into trouble along the Great Circle shipping route, they often end up in Unalaska. There are plenty of support services in town, but there's only so much dock space. And with Unalaska's rough weather, simply dropping anchor isn’t secure enough.