2013 Aurora Highlights Short
Here's a highlight reel of my best aurora nights in 2013, including THE best St. Patrick's Day aurora display. That was an epic night in Alaska with an EPIC FLIGHT to the stars!
2014 has great potential. We are still in the peak phase of the solar cycle and on any given night, predicted or not predicted, there can be a light show that will set you free.
Goodwill Job Center Opens, Thrift Store Planned
Goodwill industries is opening a job center in downtown Anchorage today (Thursday). The non-profit center aims to help those with barriers to employment overcome them.
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Shively Takes Aim At Recent Anti-Pebble Mine TV Spot
The proposed Pebble Mine isn't at the permit stage yet, but it continues to make news. This week, anti-mine groups released a letter signed by more than 300 scientists opposing the project, and the Pebble Partnership has announced a shuffle at the top. Attorney Tom Collier will become CEO, taking over from John Shively, who will stay on as chairman of the board. Meanwhile, Shively is taking aim at a recent anti-Pebble TV spot.
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Senate Passes Farm Bill
The U.S. Senate passed a four-year farm bill Tuesday that includes Payments in Lieu of Taxes. The so-called PILT program sends some $26 million a year to Alaska communities adjacent to non-taxable federal lands. The bill also renews Alaska’s Village Safe Water program, which gets some $30 million a year from the federal government.
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Richardson Highway Reopens After Avalanche Debris Removed
The wait is over for residents in Valdez. The Richardson Highway is now completely open to motorists ahead of schedule. The announcement comes after avalanches buried and flooded the roadway nearly two weeks ago.
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Alaska News Nightly: February 5, 2014
Who Should Pay For Public Education?; Shively Takes Aim At Recent Anti-Pebble Mine TV Spot; Senate Passes Farm Bill; Richardson Highway Reopens After Avalanche Debris Removed; Board Of Fish Contemplates Kenai River King Conservation; Cook Inlet Salmon Changes Could Benefit Mat-Su; Legislation Allows Pre-2008 Canadian Polar Bear Trophies Into U.S.; 2 Minors Charged In Illegal Musk Ox Killings; Yukon Quest Leaders Race Into Dawson City; U.S. Ski Team's Winning Formula Includes Plenty Of Fun
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Board Of Fish Contemplates Kenai River King Conservation
The state Board of Fisheries continued deliberation over dozens of proposals for Cook Inlet fishing industries today. Some steps were made in the direction of conserving Kenai River king salmon, but many other issues are due for some attention.
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Cook Inlet Salmon Changes Could Benefit Mat-Su
Mac Minard, is a fisheries biologist now working as a consultant for the Mat-Su Borough. He says the board’s action today focuses primarily on Kenai River king salmon, but it could be beneficial to the Mat-Su on two fronts.
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Legislation Allows Pre-2008 Canadian Polar Bear Trophies Into U.S.
The U.S. House passed a bill Wednesday that included a provision allowing some 41 American sport hunters to bring polar bear trophies home from Canada.
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2 Minors Charged In Illegal Musk Ox Killings
In January, two minors were charged in the Nome Court House with 11 counts of wanton waste of big game. The case comes from an incident a year-and-a-half ago near Brevig Mission in which a herd of musk ox were illegally killed and not harvested. At the time of the incident the defendants were 13 and 10-years-old.
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Should Local Funding Of Public Schools Be Optional?
Every year, politicians struggle with how much money to put toward public education. Now, they’re asking another question: Who should pay for it? One legislator is making the case that local governments shouldn’t be obligated to contribute to school budgets.
Troopers Identify Body In Quinhagak
Alaska State Troopers have identified the body that was found in Quinhagak Monday afternoon as that of 25-year-old Lisa Johnson. She had been a missing person since Feb. 2.
Yukon Quest Leaders Race Into Dawson City
A fast pace at the front of the pack has Yukon Quest teams spread out over nearly 200 miles of trail. Cody Strathe who’s running in 4th place isn’t expected into Dawson City until the early evening, roughly 18 hours after the first team arrived at the half way point.
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U.S. Ski Team’s Winning Formula Includes Plenty Of Fun
On the Cross Country Skiing World Cup scene, the U-S Women are known as the team that has the most fun. And you can bet they'll have more glitter, face paint and fancy socks than any other Olympic team in Sochi. The accessories may seem silly, but they've also become an important element in the phenomenal success of the team.
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In The Dark of Winter Don’t “Kiss It All Goodbye”
Artists love to exchange their wares with fellow craftsmen. I still have chimes my older daughter, Jenn, made in kindergarten almost forty years ago.
So when my friend Lawrence Vescera mailed me his sci-fi tome, Kiss It All Goodbye, I was thrilled to turn off reruns of The Borgias, pour some tea and begin the enchantment while forgetting icy roads outside my cozy nook.
Read more. Board Of Fish Meetings Continue
The state Board of Fisheries continued its Upper Cook Inlet meeting Tuesday. Much of the day was devoted to Kenai River king salmon issues, but the Board began the day by taking a step back.
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Court Temporarily Suspends Restrictions On Medicaid-Funded Abortions
An Anchorage Superior Court judge has temporarily suspended a regulation that would have restricted women who qualify for Medicaid funded abortions.
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North Pole Crude Refinery Shutting Down
Officials with Flint Hills Resources Alaska announced today they will halt processing crude oil at the company’s North Pole refinery over the next few months.
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Top Three Mushers Strategize As They Come And Go From Eagle
The top three Yukon Quest teams arrived in Eagle in the wee hours of Monday morning, well ahead of schedule. It was clear as they relayed their tales that teams are starting to strategize as they near the half-way mark in this year’s race.
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Teachers, Parents Speak Against Using Public Funding At Private Schools
Many of the arguments against SJR9 focused on school vouchers. While the measure would not create a voucher system, it would enable lawmakers to set one up if they desired.
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