Kaiser wins 2nd K300, Bethel crowns hometown champ again
Bethel’s Pete Kaiser wins the Kuskokwim 300 sled dog race for the second year in a row. Last year he became the first local musher to win the race in 29 years.
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Moose hunter’s land jurisdiction lawsuit goes to Supreme Court
A dispute between an Alaska boater and the National Park Service will be heard by the highest court in the country this week on Wednesday, Jan. 20. Lower courts have rejected Anchorage resident John Sturgeon’s suit challenging Park Service authority to regulate Alaska rivers, where they pass through federal conservation units.
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State, Native interests also ride on hovercraft case in Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday will hear an Alaska case challenging the National Park Service's authority to ban hovercraft on navigable rivers. But the case has alarmed people with no interest in hovercraft, and it splits Alaska Native stakeholders.
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Pivotal Alaskan economist Arlon Tussing dies at 82
An economist who played an important role in the shaping of modern Alaska has passed away. Dr. Arlon Tussing began his work in Alaska at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Department of Economics in 1965.
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After corruption allegations, tribes call on AVCP to meet
Four tribes in western Alaska are calling on the Association of Village Council Presidents to broaden the focus of a special meeting originally intended to address regional governance, and to set a date for the gathering.
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Oil spill response barge breaks loose in Unalaska
The 200-foot-long oil spill response barge Ibis, anchored in Iliuliuk Bay for the past several months, came off its mooring Saturday afternoon in rough seas and drifted onto Front Beach, requiring a coordinated response effort.
Comment due on Mental Health Trust lease to Usibelli
Alaska's Mental Health Trust Land's Office is in the process of determining the issue of a ground lease of Trust land to Usibelli Coal. The approximately 95-acre parcel is located adjacent to Usibelli's Wishbone Hill prospect near Palmer.
Petersburg schools consider added in-service day
School administrators in Petersburg are floating the idea of adding one more day a month off from school for students next year. It’s a proposal to help teachers catch up with required training and the district is hoping to hear feedback on the plan.
Petersburg land selection committee narrows down choices
A committee of Petersburg residents is narrowing down its list of land the new borough might select from the state. That committee met this month and focused on economic development lands like rock pits, boat ramps and parcels that could be used for environmental mitigation.
R2AK officials planning a second epic race
The Race to Alaska is coming back, and this year will include a team from Alaska.
State budget the focus as Legislature prepares to meet
Alaska's budget deficit is expected to be the focus of the legislative session beginning this week. But the road to a solution could be rocky, with differing ideas for how to help close the hole and difficult choices that could significantly impact state services.
More Alaska families choosing home schooling for their kids
A growing number of families in Alaska have been enrolling their children in a home schooling program that officials say offers flexibility to those who live far from their nearest school.
Troopers arrest suspect in shooting at Palmer home
Alaska State Troopers say an 18-year-old man is facing an attempted murder charge after shooting another man in the head at a Palmer residence.
Budget cuts could reduce alcohol abuse treatment services
Behavioral health providers in Alaska are concerned about the impact of a potential $7 million reduction in grants to services such as mental health counseling and alcohol and drug abuse treatment.
Alaska News Nightly: Friday, Jan. 15, 2016
Red Dog Mine owners sue borough over severance tax; An obscure rule may be contributing to Alaska's rising health care costs; Federal Subsistence Board votes to improve Alaska relations; Wal-Mart to shutter Juneau store; Homer authorities give Spit campers the boot; Amid icy trail conditions, mushers ready for K300; Musher Brent Sass' lead dog dies days before K300; AK: David Bowie's Alaskan name-twin adopts rocker's rebel streak; 49 Voices: Roger Sparks of Eagle River
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Red Dog Mine owners sue borough over severance tax
The Red Dog Mine operating in northwest Alaska is suing the Northwest Arctic Borough, claiming the municipality has enacted an unfair severance tax.
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An obscure rule may be driving up Alaska health care costs
Buried deep in the October 2004 supplement of the Alaska Administrative Code are a few sentences a lot of Alaska health care experts are talking about right now. It's called the 80th percentile rule. It was adopted as a consumer protection measure, but insurers say it's encouraging excessive prices for specialty care.
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Wal-Mart to shutter Juneau store Feb. 5
Wal-Mart announced today that it’s closing its Juneau location, along with 154 other stores across the country. The location will operate with limited hours for the rest of the month and shutdown Feb. 5.
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Winter campers on the Homer Spit get the boot
The City of Homer is trying to kick out campers at an unofficial campsite on the Homer Spit. Police are telling people living in a parking lot beside the Seafarer’s Memorial to move to an official campground down the road. One camper is willing to move, but he has one request.
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Amid icy trail conditions, mushers ready for K300
Twenty-five mushers, some local, some international – all prepared to race this evening along icy river trails — are in Bethel for the Kuskokwim 300. The race starts tonight at 6:30 p.m. It’s the longest of three races that’ll take place over the weekend.
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