Murkowski’s oil export effort gains traction, yet fate uncertain
Sen. Lisa Murkowski is making progress on ending the U.S. ban on crude oil exports. It’s one of her biggest goals as chairman of the Senate Energy Committee. But powerful interests are fighting to keep the ban in place.
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Like Sitka, parts of Juneau are susceptible to landslides
This past weekend, a Juneau Preparedness Expo gave the public a variety of information on how to cope in an emergency. One lecture more relevant than ever was on mudslides and landslides–just weeks after Sitka’s deadly disaster.
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Religion and climate change – can you talk about both?
Is climate change a religious issue? A group of Alaskans says yes, and a national survey supports them, for some groups. Alaskans joined together this weekend in Anchorage for an interfaith Earth Care Jamboree.
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Tugboat sinks in Gastineau Channel
A tugboat, known as Challenger, sank near Aurora Harbor around 3 p.m. on Saturday. Coast Guard Petty Officer Geno Kludt said the 96-foot wooden vessel was engulfed by water in about fifteen minutes.
Religion and climate change – can you talk about both?
Is climate change a religious issue? A group of Alaskans says yes, and a national survey supports them, for some groups. Alaskans joined together this weekend in Anchorage for an interfaith Earth Care Jamboree.
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In unnerving trend, 35,000 walrus haul out at Point Lay
In what’s becoming an increasingly common sight, tens of thousands of walrus have hauled out on the coast of the Chukchi Sea near the Native Village of Point Lay.
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New ways to fund housing in Anchorage opens doors for low-income families
Two new affordable housing complexes are opening in Anchorage this fall. Tenants have already started moving into the 18-unit Susitna Square in East Anchorage. But building the developments required creative financing to make it possible.
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Donation illuminates Alaska Native civil rights history
A recently donated collection of letters, essays, photographs and newspapers is shedding new light on the history of Alaska Native civil rights. One particularly controversial figure in the documents spent half a century advancing Alaska Native causes.
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After amputation, the mobility of a sea kayak beckons
A spinal cord injury or amputation doesn’t have to stop someone from being active on the water. A few Juneau instructors now have the know-how to modify kayaking equipment for people of all abilities after a training that wrapped up Tuesday.
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Department of Defense studying economics of drawdown in Anchorage
The BEAR group held its second meeting to look at ways of mitigating negative impacts from loss of thousands of troops.
In Hydaburg, sea otter pelt craft is a budding cottage industry
Sea otters have the thickest fur of any mammal, which makes it a valuable commodity. But there are strict regulations surrounding how to market that fur. Coastal Alaska Natives have the right to sell just the pelts, but only to each other. Non-Natives cannot legally buy pelts, but they can purchase sea otter handicraft. On a recent rainy evening in Hydaburg, local Natives gathered for a sea otter sewing class to expand their marketing potential.
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Run, zipline, signal fires mark J’eet’s Challenge
For the first time last month, Hoonah hosted an 8.3-mile footrace called J’eet’s Challenge. The course begins near sea level, runs through town and then up a mountain to the finish line. The race winners lit mountaintop signal fires, echoing events from a Tlingit story. From there, runners hopped into harnesses and ziplined back down to Icy Strait Point, which is Huna Totem Corp.’s salmon cannery turned tourist attraction.
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Mendenhall Glacier ice caves on Smithsonian Magazine’s ‘bucket list’
Smithsonian Magazine has listed Juneau’s Mendenhall Glacier ice caves on a list of “25 Great New Places to See.” It’s number six on the “life list” or “bucket list,” beaten out by the largest cave located in Vietnam, gorilla trekking in East Africa and the Alma Telescope in Chile.
Farragut Farm goes gaga for garlic
At Farragut Farm, Bo Varsano and Marja Smets live off the grid, 4 hours by slow boat from Petersburg. It’s a good life but it’s hard to make money especially when there is only one market to sell too in the summer and it’s only once every two weeks. So they’re moving into another type of business that seems to be taking off in Alaska right now. Nope….not marijuana. Gourmet garlic.
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State ferry LeConte rescues six men from overturned skiff
The LeConte state ferry recently rescued six men that were stranded in the water.
He’s a little like Ollivander; Pointe shoe wizard comes to Southeast
There aren’t any specialist ballet stores in Southeast Alaska. That means it’s hard for young ballerinas to find the right fitting shoes.
AK: Fishing, Cooking And A Yup’ik Upbringing Made Alaska’s Health Commissioner
When Valerie Davidson agreed to accept the job of Alaska's health commissioner, it was with one important condition. She made sure Gov. Walker was okay with her working out of Bethel each summer. Davidson was born in Bethel and owns a house in the community, right on the Kuskokwim River.
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Walker may call gas line special session in October
Gov. Bill Walker may call a special session of the Legislature next month to consider the Alaska LNG Project, and a possible state purchase of TransCanada's share in the gas pipeline.
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In historic visit, Obama sidesteps Alaska press
During an eventful visit emphasizing climate change, Obama did not take a single question from the press.
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Juneau Library to launch Alaska Native stories project
The Juneau Public Library system embarks on an oral history project this spring collecting Alaska Native stories on educational experiences. The capital city’s library is one of ten picked from more than 300 national applicants to bring StoryCorps to the community.
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