Sitka Library settles in at new digs
It’s official: the contractor handed off the keys to the newly renovated Sitka Public Library this week, and the Sitka Library Commission moved right in.
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White House invites Alaskan to State of Union
Lydia Doza got a text message she nearly ignored. It led to a special White House invitation to honor her efforts inspiring Native American youth to choose STEM careers.
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‘The Blob’… on winter vacation or gone for good?
Is 'The Blob' taking a winter breather? Or, is it fizzling out? After over two years, is The Blob finally dead? The giant, persistent mass of warm ocean water seems to have cooled over the last few months, possibly because of another warm ocean phenomenon that is now dominating the Pacific.
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Leaked documents point to misallocation of federal funds at tribal group
In late December, the Association of Village Council Presidents laid off 30 employees. AVCP has made no official statement about why the layoffs occurred, but documents show misappropriation of federal grant money over nearly a decade.
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Alaska soldier earns prestigious medal for heroic fishing rescue
A soldier stationed at Joint-Base Elmendorf-Richardson is set to receive one of the nation's highest military awards on Friday. According to Army officials, it's the first time the Soldier's Medal has been awarded to a troop in Alaska for a rescue that happened in state. And it started with a fishing trip.
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During Orthodox Christmas, old traditions stay strong
January 7th is Orthodox Christmas, which is celebrated in many communities across Alaska. And the celebration is in full swing in the Alaska Native village of Nanwalek on the Southern Kenai Peninsula.
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Autopsy yields nil on pregnant soldier’s death
A special state investigator for the Guard scandal flagged Michelle Clark's death as warranting further review. But with a toxicology report that found nothing and a tight-lipped police department, the pregnant soldier's family feels there's been no justice for Michelle.
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Family suspects Guard scandal at play in pregnant soldier’s death
For many Alaskans, the scandal at the Alaska National Guard is long over. But nothing is resolved for the family mourning Michelle LaRose Clark, a guardsman who died in 2011, of unknown causes. Clark's family, and a retired officer, can't let go of the idea that her death is related to what she knew about crime within the Guard.
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Downtown crash rattles culture of trust in Civil Air Patrol
The Civil Air Patrol occupies an unusual place between the worlds of civilian and military aviation, one that relies primarily on self-monitoring.
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Wildlife rescuers overwhelmed with starving sea birds
Common murre seabirds are challenging rescue workers as they make their way inland, becoming stranded and hungry.
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City releases audio, video of Kodiak police encounter with Pletnikoff
The city of Kodiak released video and audio recordings and other documents associated with the case where three city police officers are suspected of using excessive force in subduing Nick Pletnikoff, an autistic young man, in September.
No time to Google when mom is ready to deliver
Anchorage municipal attorney Bill Falsey got a quick lesson in labor and delivery this week. He and his wife, Alaska Dispatch News reporter Jeannette Lee Falsey, expected to have their baby in the hospital. Falsey says Jeannette woke at about three in the morning on December 29th, with contractions that were far apart. By 6 am, the couple had called Bill's mom to come to the house and were getting ready to go to the hospital. Then Jeannette's water broke and the contractions quickly became more urgent. Download Audio
Color me this: New trend for adults makes timely arrival in Haines
A new trend has landed in Haines, and for once we’re not trailing way behind. Adult coloring is wildly popular pretty much everywhere, including Alaska, and the Babbling Book on Main Street can’t keep the boutique pages in stock. Download Audio
Russian icebreaker makes record-setting Arctic voyage
According to the Russian media outlet Port News, a Russian icebreaker has just completed the fastest transit of the Northern Sea Route. Along with setting the speed record, the icebreaker also completed the trip over a month after the shipping season usually ends in the Arctic.
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Holy Bible translated into modern Yup’ik
The Holy Bible is now available in the modern Yup’ik orthography after nearly half a century of work put in by fluent Yup’ik speakers in the Bethel area and the American Bible Society. A number of elders were involved with the project.
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Pilot crashed into Anchorage building where wife worked during unauthorized flight
One person is confirmed dead after a small plane struck an office building in downtown Anchorage at 6:18 a.m Tuesday morning. Investigators say the pilot was not sanctioned to fly the aircraft.
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Basketball teams converge on Anchorage for tourney
Tournament organizer Heath Day said the Alaska Fellowship of Christian Athletes organized the tournament to give teams from across Alaska a chance to play each other before the state tournament in region.
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Bacterial infection to blame in Kachemak otter die-off
Tests results are back on dead sea otters from Kachemak Bay. About 82 percent of them had streptococcus syndrome, which is caused by a bacterial infection, according to biologists with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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Alaska’s pot cafes will give patrons a taste of cannabis
Alaska is about to become the first state to have pot cafes where people can buy and consume marijuana, similar to Amsterdam. Right now, that’s not legal in other states that have recreational marijuana.
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On the edge: Shedding light on Juneau murder victim Robbie Meireis
Robert Meireis had a tough life that included a history of violence, years in prison, even tattoos tying him to white supremacist groups. He lived a violent life on the edge of society. That he met a violent end in a double murder discovered last month in West Juneau wasn’t necessarily a surprise to some people who knew him. And yet, he also had people that cared about him and were stunned when the news broke.