State

An Alaskan appointed to a federal Communications Commission board, was dropped after a letter from Governor Sean Parnell's Chief of Staff asked for a…

The state has paid more than $91,600 in expenses for lawmakers who attended a recent policy tour in Norway.

Stories up for discussion this week are: Palin not running for president; Municipal elections results outside Anchorage; Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan's proposed budget for 2012; Alaska's oil and has tax report to legislature, soaring prison costs, State settles suit over rural schools, Alaska Native Corporation EyakTek corruption scheme, and John Katz steps down as head of the Governor's office in Washington.KSKA: Friday 10/7 at 2:00 pm & Sat 10/8 at 6:00 pmKAKM: Friday 10/7 at 7:30 pm & Sat 10/8 at 5:00 pm

The state and Conoco-Phillips are getting federal support for drilling plans in the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska – NPRA. Conoco-Phillips has several leases in the area, but has so far been blocked from developing them by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ refusing to allow the construction of a bridge over the Colville River.

The Governor’s Advisory Board on the state’s marine highway system has new leadership. The Marine Transportation Advisory Board met late last week in Skagway - home of Mike Korsmo, outgoing Chair of the board.

A man died in the state's maximum security prison in Seward and it is under investigation by the state Bureau of Investigation, who will not speculate on a cause of death for Egan J Tommy, 24, until they get a report from the state medical examiner.

The Alaska state ferry Fairweather will return to service this weekend. Alaska Marine Highway Director Mike Neussel says repairs have been completed on the water jet that sprung a leak in late August.

Federal and state Transportation officials held an open house today at Denali National Park to talk about a project to replace a bridge on the Parks Highway, and to get public comments about the proposal.

Alaska State Troopers are reporting the pilot as 23-year-old Gerald Richardson Minock. They say he was the only one on board when the boat turned upside down sometime Tuesday night or, more likely, early Wednesday morning.

A Pilot Station man is dead after a 32-foot tender he was piloting flipped over in the Yukon River.Alaska State Troopers are reporting the pilot as 23-year-old Gerald Richardson Minock.