Tag: APRN: Alaska News

The push for a pipeline to deliver natural gas from the North Slope to market has been a long one, and opinions differ on how soon it might become a reality. And now the need for gas is rising within the state of Alaska. The cost of any gas line would be enormous. We’ll be talking about the investment prospects for a natural gas pipeline on the next Talk of Alaska. KSKA: Tuesday 3/19 at 10:00 am Download Audio

When it finally arrives in Unalaska next week, the Shin Onoe will be one of the biggest vessels to ever stay in port here. It’s 150 feet wide, with a 60 foot draft when it’s full of coal, soybeans, or iron. Right now, it’s empty. It was traveling along the Great Circle shipping route to Prince William Sound early this week to pick up cargo when its turbocharger failed, just west of Attu island.

Shell’s chief executives responded to questions about the January grounding of the Kulluk drill rig during the company’s annual results conference in London Thursday. In a prepared presentation, Shell’s Chief Executive Officer, Peter Voser, played down the company’s many mishaps in Alaska last year.

The Alaska Republican Party's Executive Committee has blocked incoming party chair. Russ Millette from taking his position. In a meeting last night, the committee voted to oust Millette, who was elected to the chairman's position at the party's annual state convention in April of last year. Millette says he's weighing his options to fight the decision.

Kikkan Randall won the world cup skate sprint near Sochi, Russia today, on the same course that will serve as the Olympic venue next year. The Alaska Pacific University skier won all three heats.

Oral arguments are being heard Friday in US District Court in Anchorage for a lawsuit that challenges the decision made by the National Marine Fisheries Service to authorize the first of at least three years of seismic exploration in Cook Inlet.

Vice President Joe Biden says he will deliver recommendations for new gun control measures to President Barack Obama on Tuesday. Mr. Biden says he will call for both legislation and executive order from the White House.

It looks like there was a spill from the Kulluk grounding after all. One of four life-boats dislodged and washed ashore as the huge rig grounded off Sitkalidik Island has at least two damaged fuel tanks. The rig itself has been towed to more sheltered waters and responders discovered the empty tanks while assessing materials washed to the the shoreline during the New Year's Eve grounding. The spill is estimated as under 270 gallons of diesel fuel. That estimate may rise as more tanks are examined on the four lifeboats.

The Parnell administration is poised to introduce oil tax reform legislation again. Previous attempts have failed to gain enough support to pass the state legislature. The new bill was previewed for the Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce Tuesday. It incorporates some ideas raised in recent year’s discussions.

Trials began yesterday for two dozen Kuskokwim subsistence fishermen who allegedly fished with salmon nets when they were restricted this past summer. The first three fishermen were found guilty at the Bethel District Court House today. The politics of subsistence rights versus state restrictions weighs far heavier on the trials than the violations themselves, worth $250 each

Gathering information about the scale of the problem of sex trafficking in Alaska will be the focus of a state hearing on the issue next week. The lengthily titled State of Alaska Task Force on the Crimes of Human Trafficking, Promoting Prostitution and Sex Trafficking will hold hearings in Anchorage and Bethel. Cori Badgley is an assistant Attorney General with the state. She says domestic violence and sexual assault of children are usually in the backgrounds of victims of sex trafficking. She says it's important for Alaskans to weigh in on this crime.

A public meeting between representatives of Buccaneer Energy and concerned Homer citizens turned contentious Tuesday night, with many people wondering why the company’s ‘Endeavor’ jack-up rig is still parked at the Homer harbor nearly two months after its arrival. Company officials say the rig will soon be moving to drill in the Cosmopolitan Unit near Anchor Point but as KBBI’s Aaron Selbig reports, the State of Alaska says that’s not likely to happen.

The Republican primary race for Matanusaka Valley's state House District 11 ended with incumbent Republican Bill Stoltze easily defeating challeger Tom Connelly. Stoltze, who has served in the legislature since his 2002 election, came out of Tuesday's primary with 82% of the vote.

Republican upstart Mike Dunleavy is heading to Juneau. Dunleavy's upset of incumbent Wasilla Senator Linda Menard has big implications for next year's legislature.

It’s not everyday that a person from a tiny remote village in Alaska gets national attention. But that’s what’s happening to Matt Bissonnette, a former Navy Seal who has penned a book titled “No Easy Day”, about killing Osama Bin Laden.