News

The unemployment rate in Alaska dropped to 6.6 percent in December. The decrease of point one percent from November continues a downward trend. The state has seen its unemployment rate decline since August.

President Barack Obama laid out clear directives to Congress yesterday. He wants the legislative branch to ban the sale of high capacity magazines and armor piercing bullets, require background checks for all gun sales, and crack down on straw purchases of guns – sales when a legally cleared person buys a gun for someone who is legally barred from purchasing one.

Gov. Sean Parnell's State of the State address last night underscored the priorities he's been pushing throughout his administration. He called for a comprehensive crime bill that would levy harsher penalties on sexual predators, and he set a goal of improving Alaska’s high school graduation rate from 70 percent to 90 percent.

The state run company pursuing a smaller volume in-state bullet line to bring North Slope gas to Fairbanks, Anchorage and other communities, has overhauled the project. The new plan puts the gas line on a diet.

Thursday, Federal wildlife officials announced an agreement that could lead to the re-introduction of Wood Bison into Alaska. Larry Bell, a Fish and Wildlife Service assistant regional director for external affairs, says a special rule has been drafted that would designate re-introduced Wood Bison as a “non-essential, experimental population”, which means land the animals occupy would not be designated as critical habitat.

Early Wednesday morning a man from Togiak was found dead near the trail between Togiak and Manokotak. State Troopers had been alerted the night before that Douglas Gamechuk, 43, was overdue. His snowmachine was found out of gas about 35 miles west of Manokotak and searchers located his body 4 to 5 miles away from it.

President Barack Obama today signed off on nearly two dozen executive orders meant to curb gun violence. These orders launch a gun ownership safety campaign, require the Centers for Disease Control to examine the causes of gun violence, and call for law enforcement officials to receive better training for active shooter scenarios.

A group of health reform advocates went through heroic efforts to meet the deadline for applying for an innovative program under the Affordable Care Act. They were hoping to start what's called a health cooperative in Alaska- an organization that would offer an alternative to buying insurance from the major carriers. But a day after the application was submitted, the fiscal cliff deal in Washington erased all new funding for the program.

The state is reviewing proposals for liquefying North Slope gas, trucking it to Fairbanks, and distributing it to consumers. The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority last month solicited letters of interest in the project, and agency spokesman Karsten Rodvik says they received 16 replies by a Jan. 8 deadline.

Eielson Air Force Base was on lock down for nearly an hour on Wednesday afternoon following an inaccurate report of an active shooter on base. Emergency responders with the 354th Fighter Wing are in the midst of week-long training exercises.