Bristol Bay Run Nears 20 Million Sockeye
Bristol Bay fishermen had their biggest haul of the season July 8, with about 1.7 million sockeye harvested, including 1 million from the Naknek-Kvichak district.
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First Lady Wows Crowd at Native Youth Confab
About 30 Alaskans in their teens and 20s were in Washington, D.C. today to participate in the first-ever White House Tribal Youth Gathering. The highlight for many was a passionate speech by First Lady Michelle Obama.
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Body of Ketchikan Woman Recovered from Tongass Narrows
The victim has been identified as a 34-year-old Ketchikan woman. Next of kin have been notified, and the body has been sent to the State Medical Examiner for an autopsy.
Bodies Found On Denali Highway Thought To Be Homicide
The Alaska State Troopers have identified the bodies of two people found near the Denali Highway on Sunday after what they believe to be a double homicide.
Six-hour chum fishery to open in Juneau’s Amalga Harbor
Thursday is the opening of the purse seine season at Amalga Harbor in Juneau. Commercial fishermen will be able to catch chum, released from the DIPAC hatchery.
Sec. Jewell Pledges More Soverignty to Tribal Youth Visiting DC
Some 30 Alaska Native teens are in Washington D.C. today for the first-ever White House Tribal Youth Gathering.
Army to Cut 2,600 Soldiers from JBER
The Army said today it plans to cut 2,600 troops from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage and another 75 soldiers from Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks. That would slice two-thirds of the personnel from the 4-25th, the only airborne brigade in the Pacific.
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Ocean Acidification Threatens Shellfish Hatcheries
New research paints an unsettling picture of the future of shellfish in coastal Alaska. The effects of ocean acidification are worsening and could mean the end of hatcheries in the next 25 years if costly mitigation efforts aren’t put in place.
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Fire Crews Scramble to Protect Village on the Koyukuk
Fire crews are defending the Koyukuk River village of Hughes from a wildfire approaching from the east.
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IG Finds Service to Veterans Lacking at VA clinic in Mat-Su
The Inspector General for Veterans Affairs has verified a host of problems at the VA’s Mat-Su outpatient clinic.
Shell Finds Fracture in Hull of Icebreaker
An icebreaker leased to Shell sprang a leak and had to return to Dutch Harbor early Friday morning. The MV Fennica carries the company’s capping stack -- a critical piece of safety equipment for Shell’s plan to drill two wells this summer in the Chukchi Sea.
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Young Amendment Blocks ANWR Wilderness Plan
Alaska Congressman Don Young this afternoon added an amendment to a bill that would block the feds from spending any money on a plan that calls for more wilderness in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
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Alaska Ablaze: Fires Activity Puts State On Track For A Record-Setting Year
More than 300 wildfires are burning across Alaska right now- mostly in a wide swath of the interior and Southwest part of the state. More than 3 million acres of the state have burned so far this summer, which is on pace to beat the record setting 2004 season.
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Berkowitz Hopes to Swing Knik Arm Funding Over to the Port of Anchorage
New Anchorage mayor Ethan Berkowitz is outlining his priorities. Berkowitz recently told the Alaska Dispatch News that he'd like to funnel state funds tabbed for the Knik Arm Crossing into Port of Anchorage upgrades.
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Homer Feels the Squeeze of State Budget Cuts
The City of Homer holds a contract with the state to house prisoners arrested by the Alaska State Troopers outside city limits. The contract is still in place but to save money the state will stop paying about $350,000 to Homer. That is nearly 45 percent of the contract revenue.
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Some Juneau Whale-Watching Companies Commit To A Higher Standard
Seven whale watching companies in Juneau are the first in the state to participate in a voluntary stewardship program that challenges them to go above and beyond federal and state viewing guidelines. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has brought the East Coast program Whale SENSE to Alaska.
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Southeast King Opener to Close After 8 Days
Southeast commercial trollers will soon take a break from the king salmon harvest, but the final target this year remains anyone’s guess.
Ketchikan Advances A $3 Per Pack Tobacco Tax
In a split vote Monday, the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly voted to move forward with a proposed tobacco tax. The proposal calls for the borough to work with the City of Ketchikan on a tax that would be similar throughout the community. The suggested tax is $3 per pack of cigarettes, or 75 percent of the wholesale price on other tobacco products. Tobacco substitutes, including e-cigarettes, also would be taxed at a similar rate.
Southeast Businesses Make A Plea to Restore Tongass Rec. Funding
Fifty Southeast Alaska business-owners are asking Congress to give more money to the Tongass National Forest recreation program. Funding for trails, cabins and wildlife-viewing sites has declined in recent years, and tour operators worry the Forest Service won’t be able to maintain the attractions they depend on.
Missing hiker on Mt. Roberts trail found dead
A Florida man hiking on Juneau’s Mount Roberts trail system on July 4th was found dead last night.
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