A News

Greece, New York, looks like your typical New England town: quiet tree-lined streets, modest ranch-style homes and a lot of churches. Nearly a decade ago, Greece made national headlines when two residents sued the city over the prayer that begins each town board meeting. They alleged the invocations, though technically open to all faiths, were almost exclusively Christian.

KTOO’s midday newscast for Thursday, March 2, 2017. In this newscast: House lawmakers hear public testimony largely opposed to a new oil and gas tax overhaul, the National Weather Service expects 6 to 10 inches of snow to accumulate in the area, and many of Ketchikan’s wastewater systems aren’t meeting federal water quality standards.

Sessions, who says he never met with Russian operatives about the campaign, has been under pressure for contact he had with the Russian ambassador last year.

The White House wants to eliminate Environmental Protection Agency funds for water projects in Alaska Native villages, according to an article in the Washington Post on Wednesday, March. 1. The article said the Trump administration’s plans for the EPA budget also include trimming grants to states by 30 percent and eliminating climate-change initiatives.

Some foster children are eligible to receive Social Security benefits, but the kids and their families don’t always know the money is available. Instead, the state applies for the benefits and puts the funds toward paying for foster care services. Now a lawsuit is asking if the state needs to notify families and guardians before it starts taking the money.

There may be fewer king salmon on the Kuskokwim River this summer than hoped, and some residents want to meet with state biologists now to figure out how best to manage both expectations and the fishery.

The retired neurosurgeon’s nomination raised eyebrows, given his lack of experience in the field, but the Senate voted 58-41 to confirm him.

Most Alaskans who offered public testimony Wednesday on a proposed overhaul of the state’s oil and gas taxes and tax credits opposed the measure. House Bill 111 would also increase minimum production taxes.

The city’s finance department concluded last year that cruise ships are legally liable to collect local sales tax and could raise as much as $100,000 annually. But an ordinance considered by the Juneau Assembly on March 6 would exempt onboard transactions as a friendly gesture to the industry.

Social science research that shaped the law points to evidence that sending many offenders to jail will actually increase the likelihood they’ll commit more violations in the future.