News

Congress has however--once again passed the National Defense Authorization Act. It’s the annual defense policy bill.

A project is underway to replace the power line across Turnagain Pass on the Kenai Peninsula. Skiers and snowmachiners between Turnagain Arm and the Johnson Pass campground are advised to be on the lookout for stockpiles of materials placed there by the Chugach Electric Association, which may be covered with snow as the winter wears on.

A federal judge has given final approval to BP PLC's settlement with businesses and individuals who lost money because of the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. BP estimates it will pay $7.8 billion to resolve more than 100,000 claims by businesses and individuals.

Robin Samuelsen, a Native and civic leader in the Bristol Bay region has been named the "Person of the Year" by the Northwest Fisheries Association.

A rural school district has figured out a way to help students connect for learning... and for fun.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved genetically modified salmon, deciding the fish would not pose an environmental threat. This triggered outrage from Alaska's congressional delegation.

Alaskan Cup’ik Yup’ik military officer, Major Wayne Don, was recently promoted again in the Alaska Army National Guard.

Student loan debt is second only to mortgage debt in America, totaling out to about 1 trillion dollars. This is a serious financial hit for graduates, especially in a fairly weak economy. But, some Alaska legislators are working to reduce the burden on students.

Bells across Alaska rang at 9:30 Friday morning in memory of the 26 victims who were shot to death one week ago at an elementary school in Connecticut.

Congress is recessing until after Christmas without an agreement on staving off the fiscal cliff. Senator Mark Begich is not optimistic. Late Thursday night Speaker John Boehner canceled a vote on his alternative to President Barack Obama’s plan to prevent tax increases and spending cuts January second. That proposal, called Plan B, would have raised taxes on people making more than one million dollars per year.

It was anticipated that the U.S. House would vote on a so called Plan B on Thursday that would have raised taxes on those who make a million dollars per year. The President had forwarded an idea to raise taxes on those who make $400,000 per year. The House has now put off the vote because of a lack of support to pass it. APRN’s Peter Granitz tells us the hold up in Congress is not unusual.

The “Bristol Bay Forever” citizen initiative cleared the Lieutenant Governor’s Office on Thursday, which means the initiative’s sponsors can start collecting the necessary signatures to put the initiative on the ballot.

For veterans without military ID cards, several pieces of documentation were required to visit the Alaska Office of Veterans Affairs located on the Joint Elmendorf-Richardson military base in Anchorage, including a driver's license, vehicle registration and proof of insurance. That's no more, now that the office has moved off the base.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is one step closer to finalizing a management plan for the National Petroleum Reserve on Alaska’s North Slope. Salazar signed off today on the preferred alternative for the reserve and released the full details on what’s included in the plan.

Doyon is seeking permits to mobilize for oil and gas exploration work in the Yukon Flats and Nenana Basin. The permits for cross country travel are out for public comment.

It looks like Petersburg-area voters have approved the formation of a Borough, but the count is not yet final. The mail-in election wrapped-up on Tuesday.

The U.S. Census Bureau has released a long awaited report that includes the latest Census data for the Alaska Native population.

Alaska provisions in a relief bill for states affected by Hurricane Sandy are coming under scrutiny. Some senior Republican senators want to strip aid for the fishery disaster.