Bethel City Council Investigation Sent to District Attorney’s Office
Officials are not speaking about the recent referral of the Bethel City Council’s investigation into contracts, nepotism, and personnel issues to the District Attorney’s office.
Bergdahl Release Ignites Political Controversy
Former Fort Richardson soldier Bowe Bergdahl was released over the weekend from nearly five years in captivity in Afghanistan. Both of Alaska’s U.S. senators issued warm statements welcoming the news, but in Washington, the price paid for Bergdahl’s release and questions about how he became separated from his unit are igniting a political firestorm.
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New EPA Carbon-Pollution Rules Will Spark Rate Hikes In Fairbanks
Golden Valley Electric Association customers can expect a rate hike to pay for new federally required pollution controls. The EPA’s emissions control requirements announced today, will be phased in over coming years in an effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.
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Prescribed Interior Burn Extends To Over 6,000 Acres
On the Kenai Peninsula, rain over the weekend helped further knock down the Funny River fire, but in Interior Alaska, a wild fire in the Delta Junction area gained major acreage over the weekend. The 100 Mile Creek Fire, sparked by an earlier prescribed burn on military land, went from about 700 acres to more than 6,000, as high winds fanned flames.
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Most Territorial Court Records Will Stay In Alaska
Most of Alaska’s Territorial Court records will not be transferred to the National Archives in Seattle, but will stay in Alaska.
Low Level Eruption at the Pavlof Volcano
The Pavlof Volcano on the Alaska Peninsula has started erupting but it’s considered a low level eruption. The Alaska Volcano Observatory raised the volcano alert level to “Watch” on Saturday after detecting a thermal anomaly at the summit of the volcano Saturday morning.
Wind Gusts Push Over Trees In West Anchorage
Wind conditions in Anchorage were not predicted to be strong enough to cause damage today, but sporadic gusts fell at least two trees in the Turnagain neighborhood in west Anchorage.
Drug Stockpile Recovered From Unalaska Home
Unalaska police may have reached a turning point in a long investigation into drug sales. Two people are in custody after a stockpile was discovered at the home -- and business -- they both share.
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Alaska Journalist Bob Tkacz Found Dead
Veteran Alaska journalist Bob Tkacz has died. He was 61. With his gravelly voice and dogged interviewing style, Tkacz was a fixture in the state capital press corps for more than 20 years.
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Committee Moves Bill Updating Magnuson-Stevens Act
The U.S. House Natural Resources Committee today moved a bill to update the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the primary fisheries law in federal waters. Alaska Congressman Don Young amended the bill to allow subsistence fishermen a voice on the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council.
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Kuskokwim Inter-Tribal Fish Commission Comes Together In Bethel
Tribal representatives took the first steps on Wednesday towards establishing the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. The group intends to push for co-management of salmon stocks and more direct involvement for tribal fisherman.
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Begich Speaks On VA Care In Alaska
Amid national outrage over the Veterans’ Administration’s handling of medical services for veterans and congressional calls for the resignation of VA secretary General Erik Shenseki, Senator Mark Begich today stopped short of calling for a resignation, but Begich said officials from the top down will be held accountable when Shenseki’s report comes out.
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Funny River Residents Meet After Evacuation Order Lifted
Funny River residents met Wednesday night at the local community center for the first time since the evacuation orders were lifted. Fire management officials were there to update them on continuing operations and to help the community move forward.
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Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel Visits JBER
U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel stopped by Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on Wednesday at the outset of a 12-day tour abroad. Hagel talked with army and air force personnel about the changes ahead as the U.S. transitions out of 13 years of war.
Alaska Journalist Bob Tkacz Found Dead
Longtime Alaska freelance journalist Bob Tkacz has died. He was 61. Juneau police say they responded to a report of a death at Tkacz’s downtown office Tuesday morning and found his body. The death is not considered suspicious.
Parnell Signs Budgets, Spares Veto Pen
Governor Sean Parnell signed the state operating and capital budgets Wednesday afternoon in downtown Anchorage, beginning with a speech to the Rotary Club, in which he said the Legislature met the spending targets he laid out for it.
Rain Falls On Funny River Fire, Provides Some Relief
The Funny River fire has grown to more than 182,200 acres. After a streak of warm, dry weather, firefighters are seeing a break in the weather, with rain falling Tuesday during the early morning hours and temperatures in the 50s.
Evacuation Order Lifted for Kenai Residents
The fire management team lifted the evacuation order this morning for Funny River Road from Mile 7 to the end of the road. Homeowners near the road remain under an evacuation alert, which means they should be ready to leave again if the fire gets worse in that area. Residents of Funny River Road were evacuated over the weekend. Many left with just a few necessities and haven’t been back home since.
Begich, Coast Guard Admiral Visit Aleutian Islands
This weekend, Senator Mark Begich and Coast Guard Rear Admiral Thomas Ostebo made a brief appearance in the Aleutian Islands. The officials shared their vision of how Unalaska -- and other coastal communities -- will have to support economic activity in the Arctic.
Research Center to Monitor Acid Levels
Remotely operated vehicles will be plying Prince William Sound and the Gulf of Alaska this summer, measuring acid levels. The float and glider vehicles are the latest technology deployed through a long running monitoring project overseen by University of Alaska Fairbanks Ocean Acidification Research Center Director Jeremy Mathis.