Marine debris barge to skip Southeast
The large barge picking up marine debris from the Gulf of Alaska coast is skipping Southeast. A month-long helicopter-and-barge operation will remove stored trash, much from 2011’s Japanese tsunami.
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Shell ship ‘Fennica’ heads to Oregon for repairs
A key ship in Shell Oil's Arctic drilling fleet left Alaska on Sunday. The icebreaker is headed south to Oregon for repairs after a three-foot gash was discovered in its hull.
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Legislative committee won’t take up Medicaid expansion Wednesday
The Alaska Legislature’s committee with gatekeeping authority over expediting the governor’s Medicaid plans meets Wednesday, but does not intend to take up the welfare program’s expansion.
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Fire Destroys Oyster Company Boat, Dock, Equipment in Little Jakolof Bay
A fire destroyed a sailboat, part of a dock, and some equipment owned by the Jakolof Bay Oyster Company last night. There have been no reported injuries.
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Alaska Supreme Court upholds superior court ruling against ‘Save Our Salmon’ Initiative
In a ruling issued Friday, Alaska’s Supreme Court upheld the overturning of the 'Save Our Salmon' Initiative.
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State Lifts Spending Freeze on Susitna-Watana Hydro Project
After a spending freeze by the governor and multiple attempts by the legislative minority to place it back into the state’s general fund, the Susitna-Watana Hydro Project team will now be allowed to spend over six million dollars it has left from previous years.
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Senate Ed Bill Bolsters Role of Alaska Tribes
An education bill the U.S. Senate passed last week includes several provisions that boost the role of Alaska Native tribes, and a new grant program for Native language immersion programs.
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Blue Crest energy expands operations in Cook Inlet
A relative newcomer to Cook Inlet’s oil and gas scene is charging ahead with big development plans, which could equate to oil production at 17,000 barrels a day, and the creation of more than 400 jobs.
In the Aftermath of the Card Street Fire, A Refuge Re-Opens
The Skilak Wildlife Recreation Area is just east of Sterling where the Card Street Fire first ignited. The area spans about 45,000 acres but only accounts for a little over 2 percent of the massive Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.
Four Survive, One Dead in Juneau to Hoonah Plane Crash
The U.S. Coast Guard Jayhawk helicopter crew has so far transported three survivors from the plane crash to Juneau.
“Ground crews are still searching to locate and assess the status of the other two from the airplane,” says Coast Guard spokesperson Grant DeVuyst.
Shell Rigs Leave Dutch for Chukchi, To Wait
Shell is still moving its drill rigs into the Arctic, even as one of its icebreakers prepares to head back south for repairs. The unexpected crack in the hull of the Fennica has added uncertainty to the start of the short Arctic drilling season.
Aniak Fire Base Battles Stubborn Fires
Nearly a million acres have burned in southwest Alaska this year. 85 fires are still ablaze in the region. The middle Kuskokwim base of Aniak is the nerve center for a fleet of helicopters and other aircraft, shuttling supplies and crews working to stop fires before they reach communities and cabins. As the season progresses, teams are settling into Aniak for the summer.
Next state budget proposal will include revenue package
The head of the governor’s budget team urged local leaders on Thursday to get involved in the discussion of the state’s precarious fiscal future.
It’s Official: Obama to Visit Anchorage Aug. 31
The White House announced today that President Obama will visit Alaska at the end of next month. On Aug. 31 Obama will visit Anchorage to address a State Department conference focused on climate change that is expected to draw foreign ministers from Arctic and non-Arctic countries.
Fatal plane crash wreckage awaits removal
A June 25th deadly plane crash in Ketchikan remains under investigation; something the National Transportation Safety Board says could take as long as a year and a half. However, just cleaning up the wreckage is also taking a while, begging the question, who’s responsible for it?
White House “Pre-Advance” Team Visits Dillingham
A government team will tour Dillingham facilities ahead of a possible Presidential visit later this year.
Walker Announces Plan To Expand Medicaid Unilaterally
After promising to expand the state’s Medicaid program on the campaign trail, Gov. Bill Walker has announced he will sidestep the Legislature to make that happen.
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Accidental Overdose Suspected Cause of Wainwright Soldier’s Death
The 23-year-old specialist died while on leave visiting family in Florida.
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K-9 in training to combat Juneau’s heroin problem
Juneau Police have a new tool to sniff out a steady flow of heroin and other narcotics entering the city. It's been about 25 years since the department had a K-9 on staff.
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Ohio newspaper endorses Mt. McKinley name change
The longstanding Alaskan campaign to restore the name "Denali" to Mount McKinley got an unlikely endorsement today.