Fairbanks Residents Combat Invasive Plant
Fairbanks residents gathered Tuesday night to discuss how best to deal with an invasive plant that is slowly taking over roadways within the North Star Borough. Attendees agreed public outreach and awareness is the best option to combat Bird Vetch.
300 Villages: Alatna
This week, we’re visiting the tiny interior community of Alatna, north of Fairbanks. Clara Sam is a council member in Alatna.
AK: Off Course
They say birds of a feather flock together. But try telling that to a small, brightly colored songbird that showed up in Bethel last month. The unusual bird is thousands of miles outside of his normal range. And he hasn't started flying south yet. That has many birders wondering why he sticking around and if he's going to try to survive the harsh Alaska winter.
Three Hikers Rescued From Deer Mountain
A locator beacon turned what could have been a long, drawn-out, overnight search operation on Ketchikan’s Deer Mountain into a quick and successful afternoon rescue.
Southcentral Alaska Copes With Flooding
The Matanuska and Susitna Valleys are reeling from floods due to Wednesday’s intense wind and rain. Earlier today, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough declared a state of emergency and has requested help from state officials. John Madden, director of Alaska Homeland Security and emergency manager for the state, says the state emergency operations center has been activated.
- NWS: Anchorage
- NWS: Alaska Water Levels
- Mat-Su Emergency Services
- Anchorage Conditions Hotline: 907-343-4701
Energy, Manufacturing Companies In Asia Hope To Buy Alaska Gas
Energy and manufacturing companies in Asia want to buy Alaska North Slope gas. The Alaska Gasline Port Authority says it has interest from six corporations: four in Korea, and one each in Thailand and Indonesia.
Golden Valley Electric Secures Gas Shipments To Fairbanks
Golden Valley Electric Association has cleared a hurdle in its push to truck North Slope natural gas to Fairbanks. The electric utility has secured a gas supply contract with BP. Under the deal, Golden Valley can purchase up to 23 billion cubic feet of gas annually for 20 years. It’s a key part of a project being forwarded in partnership with the Flint Hills Refinery.
Shell Authorized For Two Beaufort Sea Boreholes
Shell may have abandoned its hopes of hitting oil in the Arctic this year, but the company is now cleared to do preparatory work in the Beaufort Sea. The U.S Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement gave Shell the go-ahead today to drill a pair of 1,500-foot boreholes in Alaska’s northern waters. Shell is already doing similar work in the Chukchi Sea.
Suspect of Shooting North of Kiana Arrested
Alaska State Troopers say the suspect in a shooting of two brothers north of Kiana has been arrested and identified as a Kiana actor who went missing earlier this month after the death of his 74-year-old mother.
Kivalina Students Heading Back to School
Kivalina students will finally head back to classes Monday, five weeks after the fall semester was postponed because late summer storms damaged a water supply pipeline that left the school and teacher housing without clean water.
America’s Top Port Sees Streak Tweaked
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration just issued its fisheries report card for 2011, and Alaska is on the honor roll. Last year, 2.3 billion pounds of seafood worth $1.3 billion crossed the state’s docks.
State’s Lawsuit Against Fast Ferry Manufacturer Scheduled For Spring
The State’s lawsuit against the manufacturers of the fast ferries is back on the calendar. A trial is scheduled for next spring, but attorneys representing the State and the Alaska Marine Highway System are worried that they won’t get any pre-trial cooperation from the German company that made the high-performance diesel engines.
‘Glacier Deer’ Spotted in Southeast
Southcentral Alaska has its white moose, now Southeast Alaska has its white deer. Alaska Department of Fish & Game biologist Phil Mooney was tagging mountain goats on Baranof Island outside of Sitka in late August and saw the unusual animal from his helicopter.
Longtime APRN Legislature Reporter Retires
Very few people know the ins and outs of the state legislature in Juneau as well as APRN’s Dave Donaldson. He was hired in 1991 to cover state politics for APRN and has now logged an impressive 22 legislative sessions. He arrived in Juneau from North Carolina, thinking he would only stay one year. But like many Alaskans, he fell in love with the state, and Juneau, almost instantly.
Missing Hikers Return to Akutan
Two hikers who went missing on Akutan Island have made it back to town. The Oregon natives set off for Akutan’s volcano Tuesday morning, equipped only for a day hike. When they didn’t report for work at Trident Seafoods on Wednesday, the company sent out ground search parties and contracted with PenAir to do flyovers. The State Troopers and Coast Guard joined the search later in the day.
Double Shooting Near Kiana Under Investigation
A double shooting near Kiana is under investigation. Alaska authorities say two men were shot Tuesday night in an altercation at a cabin 40 miles upriver from the village of Kiana. Alaska State Trooper spokesperson Megan Peters says the trouble began when the two hunters stopped at a remote cabin.
Arctic Sea Ice Begins Freezing Again
Wednesday, the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Colorado announced that the sea ice is starting to freeze up again in the Arctic Ocean. Unless some big winds come up, it looks as if the biggest melt-back of the sea ice happened on Sunday, Sept. 16. It was a record.
BBNC Leaders Push For Salmon Fishery Protections In DC
Leaders from the Bristol Bay Native Corporation are in Washington, D.C. pushing members of Congress to support the forthcoming EPA watershed assessment and to increase protections for the salmon fishery in Bristol Bay.
Seward Declares Emergency Due To Flooding
Heavy rains in Southcentral Alaska are inundating local rivers and creeks, causing flood concerns from Cordova to Anchorage. And a National Weather Service forecast for the Anchorage area indicates more wet weather to come this weekend.
Collaboration Keeps Contract In Kake
A collaborative effort involving government, environment and business interests has kept a construction contract in Kake. While it’s a small job, those involved say it’s a model that could be duplicated in other economically-strapped villages.