Environmental Leader Rick Leo Killed in Accident
A December 23rd traffic accident claimed the life of Rick Leo of Trapper Creek. Leo was a well-known writer and advocate for environmental stewardship in the upper Mat-Su Valley.
Arctic Port Feasibility Study Expected In March
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is expected to release a feasibility study on an Arctic port in early March, according to Corps spokeswoman Lorraine Cordova.
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Election Year Ramps Up
With 2014 underway, we now entered an election year. Alaskans will be choosing a governor, a lieutenant governor and as always, deciding whether to re-elect Alaska Congressman Don Young. But national attention, and money, is already focused on the U.S. Senate race.
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Slow to Moderate Job Growth Forecasted This Year In Alaska
The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development predicts that the state’s economy will grow only a little this year, with just 1,500 jobs added.
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Exxon, Chevron Spend Big Against Oil Tax Referendum
Exxon and Chevron have made major contributions to a campaign that wants to preserve a controversial oil tax law that passed this year, according to recent filings with the Alaska Public Offices Commission.
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New Energy Politics Changes Likely To Affect Alaska
In Washington, at both the White House and in Congress, 2014 brings changes to the politics of energy that are likely to affect Alaska.
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Juneau Dogs Suffer From Kennel Cough
Suspected cases of kennel cough in dogs have recently spiked in Juneau. An animal shelter has cancelled its daily dog daycare and is quarantining its kennel.
US Senate Is Close To Saving A St. Mary’s Man Cabin
A St. Mary’s man is one step closer to saving his cabin. William Alstrom’s small cabin is located on the Andreafsky Wilderness in the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, about 31 miles northwest of St. Mary’s.
Kookesh To Step Down As Sealaska Board Chair
Albert Kookesh is stepping down as chairman of the board of directors for Sealaska, the regional Native Corporation for Southeast Alaska. The company also announced the deadline to apply for its president and CEO position, as Chris McNeil prepares to retire.
Alaska Waters to Brace for More Shipping
Canada’s energy board gave conditional approval earlier this month to the Northern Gateway Pipeline project, which would run through British Columbia and would send hundreds of more crude oil supertankers along high-traffic shipping lanes in Alaska waters. That means the Aleutian Islands will have to prepare for a higher risk of spills and accidents.
Part II: Lt. General Russell Handy On Arctic Strategy
The Alaskan commander for the state's military, Lt. General Russell Handy is tasked with coordinating and overseeing the implementation of the Arctic Strategy plan. In part two of our interview with General Handy, he says funding has not yet been determined, partially because of uncertainty over how quickly arctic climate conditions are changing.
State Encouraging More to Get Flu Shots
An effort to coax more Alaskans into getting a flu shot has prompted the State Division of Public Health to continue its fee waiver for flu vaccines. Free vaccines will be available at all state public health centers in Alaska for certain Alaskans.
Alaska Tapped To Be UAV Test Site
A University of Alaska lead consortium has been selected by the Federal Aviation Administration to operate an unmanned aerial vehicle test center. It will be one of six centers across the country charged with helping integrate the technology into national airspace. Alaska partnered with Oregon and Hawaii on the successful proposal.
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Slow Business, High Costs Shut Down Paxson Lodge
The Paxson Lodge is closed. The owner of the roadhouse at the junction of the Richardson and Denali highways says he shut the lodge down due to slow business and high operating costs. It’s the latest of several Richardson Highway roadhouses that have closed down in recent years.
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Part 1: Lt. General Russell Handy On Arctic Strategy
Last month, the Department of Defense released an eight-point Arctic Strategy. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel presented the document at the Halifax international security forum in Nova Scotia. It is a military blueprint for managing the future of international shipping, territorial sovereignty, tourism and security in a rapidly changing Arctic. In the first of a two part interview, Alaska’s top military official, Lt General Russell Handy says what stands out from the plan is how much is yet unknown.
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Thousands of Alaskans to Lose Unemployment Benefits Saturday
About 6,500 Alaskans will see their emergency unemployment benefits come to an end on Saturday, according to the state Department of Labor.
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Budget Pressure Mounts On Senate Appropriations Committee
It’s quiet in the U.S. Capitol these days, but the pressure is on one groups of lawmakers – the appropriators – among them Alaska’s two senators, Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich.
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Interior Alaska Temperatures Dip To 50 Below
Interior low temperatures dipped into the 50 below range again today, as a cold snap that began Monday, deepened across the interior. Among the coldest readings this morning were minus 55 at Eagle and 54 below at Ft. Yukon. A strong inversion has kept hilltop temperatures in the 10 to 15 below range, while sinking the deepest cold into valleys. The Fairbanks bowl has also suffered from accumulated emissions.
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Appeals Court Reinstates Overfishing Charges Against Kookesh, Two Others
The Alaska Court of Appeals has reinstated over-fishing charges against former State Senator Albert Kookesh and two other men. In 2009, Kookesh and three others were fishing for sockeye salmon at Kanalku Bay near his hometown of Angoon. A state wildlife trooper observed them catching more salmon than allowed under their subsistence permits.
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Arctic Sea Ice Volume Up 50%
In October 2013, the European Space Agency satellite CryoSat measured 9,000 cubic kilometres of sea ice on the Arctic Ocean, said an ESA news release Monday. At the same time of year in 2012, it measured just 6,000 cubic kilometres — a record low.