UAF makes efforts to combat failures in sexual assault cases
It’s been more than four months since the University of Alaska Fairbanks announced it failed to follow its own procedures in disciplining students accused of sexual assault. At the time an independent review of the UA system was ordered. UAF said it now has transparent procedures and software in place to prevent similar lapses, but the review is delayed. Download Audio
Toksook Bay basketball player to star in ESPN’s “I am Yup’ik”
A short film starring Toksook Bay high school student Byron Nicholai will air on ESPN’s SportsCenter next month. The film,‘I am Yup’ik’ was filmed in Bethel and Toksook Bay.
Ayaprun Yupik Immersion school students move buildings in lieu of a permanent facility
After over 50 days of being split between the District Office and Gladys Jung Elementary, Ayaprun Yupik Immersion school students are set to move to the Kipusvik building next month. Principal Sam Crow said he spoke to the project manager and superintendent who hoped that students could start their first day at the new building on Tuesday, March 15 after their spring break.
ANSEP proposal to re-purpose Mt. Edgecumbe High comes under criticism
While other groups have rallied in support of Mt. Edgecumbe High School, Sitka Tribe of Alaska’s Tribal Council hasn’t yet taken a formal position on a proposal from the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program to take over the school. Students from Mt. Edgecumbe visited the Tribal Council at its meeting this month to keep them in the loop about the school’s plans to pushback against the ANSEP proposal.
Sitka Girl Scouts advocate for safer intersection
Girl Scouts in Sitka are doing more than selling cookies this year. One local troop is concerned about the safety of a heavily-used crosswalk. The scouts hope to persuade the Alaska Department of Transportation that the intersection is more hazardous than the state thinks it is.
Sobering center considered as an alternative to prison in Fairbanks
Recent deaths in Alaska prisons have underscored problems with jailing severely intoxicated individuals, pointing to the need for an alternative approach. Bethel operates a sobering center, where care and treatment are the focus, and a similar facility is being explored as an option in Fairbanks. Download audio
Aklestad and Johnson earn $10,000 as first Iron Dog racers into Nome
Downtown Nome was buzzing with the sound of snowmachines on Tuesday as the first Iron Dog racers started arriving. Tyler Aklestad and Tyson Johnson claimed the $10,000 prize for the first team to reach the halfway finish.
Law-makers sign $35,000 contract for LIO analysis
The Legislative Council has approved a contract for a global consulting firm to examine whether lawmakers should move offices out of the controversial Legislative Information Office in downtown Anchorage. Download Audio
Alaska Air National Guard members deploy to Middle East
More than 100 members of the Alaska Air National Guard are deploying to the Middle East this week. The guard says most of them are part of an airlift squadron, flying C-130s. Others come from Guard maintenance units.
Alaska News Nightly: Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016
Alaska Air National Guard members deploying to Middle East; Democrats want to embrace candidates who won’t wear label; Cannabis deadline means beginning of applications, but not sales; Legislature to hear bill for Alaskan income tax; $7 million of next years budget to be cut from liquid natural gas; UA president touts plan to save state money; 2016 Iron Dog snowmachine racers start to arrive in Nome; Nanwalek school bursting at the seams; Lack of snow, winds fuel Alaska’s first wildfire of 2016; IFA releases report on effects of Southeast Alaska ferries Download Audio
Democrats want to embrace candidates who won’t wear label
The Alaska Democratic Party is suing to open its ballot to non-partisan candidates. Democrats say they want to be more inclusive. Some Republicans allege the Democrats are trying to pull a fast one. Download Audio
Cannabis deadline means beginning of applications, but not sales
Wednesday is an important date in the state's long process of licensing commercial cannabis in Alaska: The deadline for the state to have a permit application up and running.
With negotiations delayed, Administration proposes $7M cut to gas line budget
State officials have put a number on how much they will trim from next year’s budget for marketing liquefied natural gas from the proposed pipeline: $7 million. That’s the cut Governor Bill Walker’s administration will make to its budget request. It reduces the number of companies marketing gas to customers in Asia from three to one.
Legislature to hear bill for Alaskan income tax
A legislative committee will hear a bill that would levy a personal income tax on Alaskans later than anticipated. The Senate Labor and Commerce Committee was to have heard the bill Tuesday afternoon, but testimony on another bill before the committee ran long.
2016 Iron Dog snowmachine racers start to arrive in Nome
Competitive Iron Dog teams started to arrive in Nome Tuesday. Team Number #8, Tyler Ecklestad of Palmer and Tyson Johnson of Eagle River, arrived at the 1000 mile halfway point along the Iron Dog trail just after 3:30 Tuesday afternoon. They won ten thousand dollars for their effort, but they weren’t the first team to arrive in Nome.
UA president touts plan to save state money
University of Alaska President Jim Johnsen is touting a restructuring plan called “Strategic Pathways” as a way to save the state money. The plan, presented to the Board of Regents last week, would reorganize the system into three “lead” universities, but it lacks specifics about how much money it would save, or which programs might be on the chopping block.
Nanwalek school bursting at the seams
Nanwalek School is nearing 150 percent capacity, but the Kenai Peninsula Borough School district has no plan to expand the facility. It’s so crowded that next year, the principal plans to move one class into a re-purposed garage. Nanwalek is an Alutiiq/Sugpiaq community near the Southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula.
State’s first wildfire burns open tundra
A lack of snow in interior Alaska helped the state's first wildfire of 2016 burn open tundra. The Alaska Division of Forestry says in a statement that the fire started and was extinguished Monday on military land about 10 miles south of Delta Junction. The agency says the fire was started by live-fire training. Firefighters from the Fort Greely Fire Department extinguished the fire.
Report details Inter-Island Ferry System’s economic impacts
An independent southern Southeast Alaska ferry system contributes about $50 million a year to the region’s economy. The Inter-Island Ferry Authority just released a report showing its impacts on tourism, seafood, health-care and other industries. The Inter-Island Ferry Authority, or IFA, has been sailing for about 15 years It runs between Hollis, on Prince of Wales Island, and Ketchikan. And it’s separate from the much larger Alaska Marine Highway System.
Lack of snow, winds fuel Alaska’s first wildfire of 2016
A lack of snow in interior Alaska helped the state's first wildfire of 2016 to burn on open tundra. The Alaska Division of Forestry says in a statement that the fire started and was extinguished Monday on military land about 10 miles south of Delta Junction.