Natives Lobby Obama Administration On Subsistence Rights
Alaska Natives from the North Slope are meeting with Obama administration officials this week. They hope to sway officials to support subsistence rights in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska.
Scientists Investigate Poor King Salmon Returns
State Fish and Game officials are attempting to fill in some blanks in knowledge about Chinook Salmon. Poor returns all over Alaska this year have sparked questions about the abundance and reproductive success rate of Alaska’s chinook. Fish and Game has released a draft analysis,“Alaska Chinook Salmon Knowledge Gaps and Needs” to the public, and today in Anchorage, the department opened its Chinook Salmon Symposium to get some questions answered. But there seemed to be few answers and a lot of questions.
Voters To Decide On Transportation Bond Proposition
On Nov. 6, Alaskans will vote on a bond proposition that would allow the state to borrow close to half a billion dollars for transportation related projects around the state.
Making Education Relevant in Saint Mary’s, Alaska
From a distance, it can be hard to tell why some rural school districts seem to work better than others…why some have better test scores, higher attendance and graduation rates. In the next installment of our series “being Young in Rural Alaska” from the producers of Kids These Days, Jessica Cochran looks at one Yukon River village – and how the community works together to support the school.
From Barrow To The Big Cities: The Story Behind Two Orphan Walruses
You may recall stories recently about two Alaska walrus pups going to new homes in big city zoos. The pudgy cute faces of Patak and Mitik were seen nationwide as the youngsters made their way to Indianapolis and New York City zoos. National reports indicated they were rescued from the ocean off Alaska. But that’s a pretty big place. KTOO’s Rosemarie Alexander narrowed it down with the help of a former Juneau resident who lives in Barrow and visited with one of the walrus pups.
APOC Staff Recommend Waiving Fine Against Bell, Decision Expected Tuesday
Alaska Public Offices Commission staff say that Alaska State Senate Candidate Bob Bell violated campaign finance reporting law. But they are recommending that the fine against Bell be waived.
Family Urges Help In Finding Sitka Woman
The family and friends of a missing Sitka woman have urged anyone with information to come forward as local authorities continued their search Monday.
Group Asks That Attorney Suspensions Be Reversed
A national group is asking that the suspensions of two prosecutors in the bungled corruption case of then-U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens' case be lifted.
Trade Group Launches LNG Export Campaign
A liquefied natural gas trade group launched what it calls a major campaign to promote LNG exports. The initiative aims to sway public support behind exporting LNG, something Alaska has done for decades, but the rest of the country is just beginning.
Woman Found Dead In East Anchorage
A 52-year-old woman was found dead in a van in east Anchorage last night. The person reporting the death to the police said that the van owner allowed the woman to sleep in the vehicle. A department press release says that the responding officers did not see any immediate signs of foul play, but the cause and manner of her death will be determined by the Alaska State Medical Examiner’s Office. Her identity will not be released until her next of kin have been notified.
AFN Passes 40 Non-Binding Resolutions
The annual Alaska Federation of Natives convention closed on Saturday after passing 40 non-binding resolutions, some in response to recent events.
APD Searching For Missing Woman
Anchorage Police Department detectives spent the weekend searching for a missing woman from Fairbanks. Thirty-three year old Mary Anne Alexie arrived in Anchorage on Oct. 9 and was last heard from at about 3 a.m. on Oct.
Tribal School Could Lose Language Program
A tribal run K - 8th grade school near Palmer has made the study of Alaska Native language and culture it's cornerstone. But funding to continue the Ahtna language studies at Ya Ne Dah Ah school is drying up, and although the school has applied for Bureau of Indian Affairs assistance, it's been turned down because of an old state education policy. KSKA's Ellen Lockyer has more.
Anchorage Group Says Issue Ads Need Better Disclosure Rules
All but one seat in the state legislature is up for reelection this fall. Combine that with the controversial issue of oil tax reform and Alaskans are hearing a lot of political ads this campaign season. The Alaska Public Interest Research Group released a report that compiles spending amounts from groups producing so-called "issue ads" in the state.
Oregon Sex Abuse Case Documents Out 7 Scout Leaders in Alaska
This week the Boy Scouts of America publicly released more than 14,000 pages of the previously confidential so-called “perversion files.” The records name 1,200 alleged perpetrators across the country. The files show that seven scout leaders in Alaska used their position of power and trust to abuse children in five communities. The men named in the files volunteered with troops in Juneau, Fairbanks, Kotzebue, Ketchikan, Homer and at Eielson Air Force Base, between 1965 and 1985.
AFN Continues In Anchorage
The Alaska Federation of Natives Convention continues in Anchorage through Saturday, when delegates vote on a slate of resolutions. The resolutions determine AFN’s course of action during the next 12 months and beyond, and if Friday morning’s sessions were any indication, Alaska Natives are gathering their collective political clout to gain greater control over every level of their lives.
AK: Puppy Love
Dogs are an important part of life in Alaska. They are revered as great athletes and celebrated as trusty companions. And when Bethel reporter Mark Arehart moved to the state recently, he had no trouble jumping on the dog loving bandwagon. He eagerly anticipated owning his first dog, and a few months ago, he brought home an adorable sled dog puppy. We’ll let him take the story from there.
Alaska’s Unemployment Rate Falls In September
The unemployment rate in Alaska fell last month. It continues to be lower than the national average.
300 Villages: Nome
Now it’s time for 300 villages. And where else would we go for a show about dogs than Nome, the town on the edge of the Bering Sea that hosts the finish of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race each year. Dennis Richardson is the manager at the Nome Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Arctic Winter Games Officials Considering Fairbanks As 2014 Venue
Representatives from circumpolar nations are in Fairbanks to preview venues and plan for the 2014 Arctic Winter Games. The last time the youth sporting event was held in Alaska, was in Kenai in 2006. The Games International Committee includes members from Alaska, Canadian provinces, Greenland, the Scandinavian Arctic and Russia, and they like what they’re seeing in Fairbanks.