Backyard Boat Building In Sitka
Sitka’s rich history of wooden boat building began with the sturdy, ocean-going dugout canoes of local Natives, and peaked in the early 20th Century, when the harbors were filled with wooden trollers, seiners, and seal boats.
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Three New Wildfires Reported In Upper-Susitna Valley
New fires have been reported along the Kashwitna River, near the junction of the Susitna River and Watana Creek and a third fire closed almost 30 miles of the Parks Highway north of milepost 317.
Kuskokwim River Gear Restrictions To Start Friday
The main stem of the Kuskokwim River has gone without restrictions for salmon fishing this season. At least, up until now. Restrictions will go into affect this Friday in the form of 6-inch gear limitations.
F/V Alaska Juris Crewman Struck in Head By Frozen Fish
The Coast Guard hoisted a 43-year-old crewman with multiple injuries off the F/V Alaska Juris Friday afternoon. According to the Coast Guard, the crewman had been struck in the head with a box of frozen fish.
OWL Project Connects Libraries Statewide
Imagine following a guide as he swims through Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. He holds up shells for you to see and points out colorful fish. You wave your hand to get his attention and ask a question.
After listening to the answer, you continue exploring together: You and the other 50 people seated in Muldoon Neighborhood Library’s community room.
Read more. Opinions Vary On President’s Plan To Combat Climate Change
President Barack Obama is laying out his framework for combating climate change. If successful, it could be a major accomplishment and part of his legacy. The president is bypassing Congress, and the delegation has mixed reaction.
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Galena Residents Gradually Return To Rebuild
It’s been nearly a month since an ice choked Yukon River overflowed its banks and flooded Galena. The ice bergs have melted and the river looks docile, but many people remain displaced by what it did. Most flood refugees are living outside the village, but more and more are coming back to rebuild their lives.
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State Closing Disaster Assistance Centers As Federal Aid Arrives
With Tuesday’s federal disaster declaration for areas affected by last month’s flood, the State of Alaska has effectively decided to close the disaster assistance centers that had been set up this week in Galena and in Circle.
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DOMA Ruled Unconstitutional
The Defense of Marriage Act has been ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. This morning the court issued an opinion saying that DOMA deprives people of equal liberty as protected by the Fifth Amendment.
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Fairbanks-Area Officials See Problems With Contamination Response Proposals
The mayor of North Pole is expressing concern about a proposal by the Fairbanks Borough Mayor to expand the city’s water system into areas where an industrial solvent has contaminated groundwater. Meanwhile, two state environmental officials say they strongly support another proposal to quickly begin cleanup of sulfolane-contaminated groundwater in the North Pole area.
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Lawmakers Calculating Costs Of State-Run Health Insurance For Public School Employees
Lawmakers are now trying to figure out what it would cost to implement a state-run health insurance program for public school employees.
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Cook Inlet Tribal Council Enters Video Game Realm
A regional non-profit tribal organization is putting several million dollars into creating video games infused with Alaska Native values and culture. Cook Inlet Tribal Council is hoping to engage, empower, and educate young people… and to make money from what it says is the nation’s first indigenous-owned video game company.
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Assembly Nixes Further Sitka Street Closures
The City of Sitka canceled plans to create a temporary pedestrian mall along Sitka’s main downtown thoroughfare. A group of community volunteers trying to boost the image of the city’s central business district was trying to close the street for four consecutive Wednesdays, to see if a street mall might appeal to visitors and locals. But the closure annoyed motorists and caused controversy in the Southeast Alaska community.
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Mr. Spock Beams (OK, Cruises) Into Ketchikan
Leonard Nimoy is taking a cruise through Alaska this week. KRBD’s Leila Kheiry caught up with the actor on the downtown dock in Ketchikan and has this report.
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Pribilof Islands Middle Schoolers Make a Documentary about Seabirds
A group of St. Paul Island 6th and 7th grade students have been studying the seabirds native to their island. For their final project for the Seabird Youth Network, the young students teamed up with Alaska Teen Media Institute to make a video documentary.
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UPDATE: Supreme Court Strikes Down Portion Of Voting Rights Act
The U.S. Supreme Court vacated a major provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act on Tuesday morning. The Court did not invalidate the entire law, and Alaska’s Congressional delegation has mixed reactions.
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With Representation On Decline, Voting Rights Decision Worries Native Districts
Most states that had been covered under the Voting Rights Act won't feel the full impact of the Supreme Court's ruling until 2020, when the next redistricting cycle starts up. But Alaska, along with Texas, will experience the effects straight away. Here, political lines still haven't been finalized, and today's decision could shape the way boundaries are drawn.
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Court Issues Decision On Indian Child Welfare Act
The U.S Supreme court released another decision today that has implications for tribes in Alaska. The Indian Child Welfare Act or ICWA was enacted to stop American Indian and Alaska Native children from leaving their biological families and tribes when these children were being placed in foster care or up for adoption. ICWA mandates a preference for the Native child’s family and tribe before non Native placement can be considered. The Supreme Court’s decision is in response to a case in South Carolina.
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Former Bethel Foster Parent, Daycare Provider Arrested On Sex Abuse Charges
A former foster parent and daycare provider in Bethel has been arrested for charges that he sexually abused a 4-year-old. Bethel police arrested 69-year-old Peter Tony June 13 after investigating him for six months. They say he could have many more victims going back to the 1970s.
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Pavlof Eruption Picks Up Again
The eruption at Pavlof Volcano, on the Alaska Peninsula, has picked up again. The volcano is spewing ash to 28,000-feet, the highest it’s reached since the unrest started in early May.
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