Mat-Su Assembly Rejects Pot Vote
The Mat-Su Borough Assembly unanimously opposed Mayor Larry DeVilbiss' request for an advisory vote on banning commercial marijuana operations in unincorporated areas of the Valley.
State Pulls Funds for Knik Arm, Juneau Access Road from STIP
The state has amended a transportation plan to delay two large projects. Funds for the Knik Arm Crossing and the Juneau access road have been pulled from the current Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, or STIP.
Officials ID Port Accident Victim
Officials have identified the victim of a fatal accident at the Port of Anchorage last Friday as Charlie Tom "WD" James, Jr.
House Pushes Back Deadline for Financial Disclosures
The Alaska House has passed legislation pushing back the date by which legislators and other public officials must file annual financial disclosures. HB 65 would move the filing deadline from March 15 to May 15. A minority-led effort to keep the reporting deadline for legislators as March 15 failed.
Sac Roe Herring Fishery Quieter This Year
The Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery is a quieter affair this year, as the fleet conducts its first fully cooperative fishery since the mid-90s.
Lecture Addresses Food, Conflict, and Culture
Is food a source of comfort--or division? How can it be used to spark conversations about global conflicts? Those are the questions Anita Mannur is asking in her upcoming talk called "Kitchens in Crisis" at UAA.
Freeride World Tour Comes to Haines
Some of the best big mountain skiers and snowboarders in the world are in Haines this week for the Freeride World Tour. After taking on slopes in France, Andorra and Austria, the tour is holding its first ever Alaska stop.
Out North Re-opens with “A Perfect Arrangement”
After a two year hiatus, Out North Theater in Anchorage has re-opened. And their newest show harks back to their beginnings--raising awareness of new artists and social issues.
Northern Lights Put on Big Display Tuesday Night
Tuesday night, the Upper Valley experienced an impressive display of the Aurora Borealis. The lights are caused by particles from the sun being thrown into space and interacting with the charged particles in Earth's ionosphere, which begins about sixty miles above the surface. This is referred to by scientists as a geomagnetic storm. Donald Hampton researches those storms for the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He says the geomagnetic storm on Tuesday was very rare.
Juneau Cracks Down on Aggressive “Hawking”
The Juneau Assembly has approved new enforcement measures designed to cut down on “hawking” — an aggressive form of commercial sidewalk solicitation also called “barking.” Juneau police say the practice is on the rise, especially during the summer tourist season.
Lt. Kris Sell says downtown patrol officers will be working with local businesses this year to identify and stop hawking.
Dallas Seavey Wins The 2015 Iditarod
Dallas Seavey crossed under the burled arch in Nome at 4:13 a..m. Wednesday, securing his second-consecutive Iditarod win, and his third four years. He made the 22 mile run from Safety, the Iditarod's final stop before the finish line in Nome, in three hours.
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Iditarod Leaders Leave White Mountain, Head For Nome
The top teams have left White Mountain and they are on their way to the Iditarod finish line in Nome. Spectators are unlikely to see a major shakeup in the front end of the field, but this year’s race is likely to end with career bests for many of the teams up front.
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Iditarod Musher Dallas Seavey En Route To Safety, Nome
After completing the mandatory 8-hour layover in White Mountain, Dallas Seavey left the checkpoint at 6:10 p.m. Tuesday on his way to Safety - the final stop on the way to the Iditarod finish line in Nome.
Roe Herring Fishery Gets Two-Hour Notice
The Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery will be on two-hour notice starting 10 a.m. Wednesday, the Alaska Department of Fish & Game announced this Tuesday afternoon. A test sample taken from a body of herring west of Black Rock showed about 7% mature roe, which is low for the commercial fishery. But the Department said that percentage could rise rapidly over the next few days as less mature herring separate out from those ready to spawn.
Walker Introduces Medicaid Expansion Bill
After failing to expand Medicaid through a budget item, Gov. Bill Walker is trying again. He has introduced a standalone bill that would allow the state to accept federal funding for Medicaid expansion, while also offering
some reform measures.
Feds OK to Process Visas for Roe Technicians
The federal government can once again continue processing H-2b visas, the program that traditionally allows foreign roe technicians to work in Alaska seafood plants.
Premera Warns of Possible Data Breach
If you have a health insurance plan through Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska, your personal information may be vulnerable to a data breach. According to Premera, about 650,000 Alaskans are among the 11 million people potentially affected by a cyberattack of the health insurance company.
Iditabike Racers Reach Nome
In Nome, onlookers welcomed the first racers off the Iditarod trail on Monday – but not for the iconic sled dog race, these racers had wheels.
Alaska News Nightly: March 17, 2015
Walker Introduces Medicaid Expansion Bill; Visas Approved for Roe Technicians; Dallas Seavey Keeps Iditarod Lead; Premera Warns of Breach; Iditabike Racers Hit Nome; Rupert Delegation Lobbies for Continued Connections; UAF Rifle Team Falls Short; Emergency Teams Train in Dutch Harbor
Tribal Members Move Ahead Toward Unifying Region
Despite having no quorum and no vote, tribal members at the Calista-sponsored Yukon Kuskokwim Governance Convention on Monday decided to move ahead with an interim step toward unifying the regional politically. Leaders put the future of a proposed regional tribal government first in the hands of tribal councils and set a deadline of 30 days for them to vote. If successful, the proposal would then go before individual tribal
voters who would vote yes or no on it.