Sitka bears more active than normal, official says
Bear activity around Sitka has picked up recently, and wildlife managers want to remind people to be safe around their homes and on their hikes.
One injured in Haines bear mauling
A Fairbanks man was airlifted to an Anchorage hospital from Haines on Monday afternoon after being mauled by a bear nine miles west of town.
Legislature focuses on oil and gas tax credits in session overtime
It became clear that the largest stumbling block is how much and how quickly to scale back tax credits for the oil and gas industry.
Experts: Nomadic tradition waning, but Natives’ connection to land persists
“The culture is not lost; the culture has changed. Just as ours isn’t the same culture that our forefathers lived in, let’s say, the 17th century.”
Pulled back into Pebble, EPA retiree says he’s done
Phil North, the man the Pebble Partnership says was the mastermind behind the effort to block its proposed mine in southwest Alaska, spent a full day answering questions from a congressional committee Thursday.
Bill would require physical activity at school
Bills are on the move as the 29th Legislature goes into overtime, and one of several that passed last week would require school districts to provide a certain amount of physical activity every day.
Alcohol sales begin in Bethel, effect on Yukon-Kuskokwim communities unclear
Upriver from St. Mary’s, the village of Emmonak has been dry since 1991. The community is 120 miles northwest of Bethel near the mouth of the Yukon River, and the people there travel in and out of Bethel frequently.
Powerful Earthquake Hits Ecuador’s Coast, Killing 246
A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Ecuador’s central coast Saturday evening, killing hundreds and devastating entire regions of the country.
GPS locator beacon credited with saving skiers lost on glacier
It’s a trip that Jenny Neyman and Chris Hanna of Soldotna had wanted to take all winter – hiking and skiing on the Harding Icefield in Kenai Fjords National Park near Seward.
Renewable Energy Fund, casualty of budget crunch, may get new lifeline
So far this year, the state budget includes no money for the fund. But a bill passed by the Senate this week would try to replace some of that funding in years to come.
Head tax lawsuit could affect Ketchikan
The City of Ketchikan is keeping a close eye on what happens with the head-tax lawsuit, says City Manager Karl Amylon.
Juneau on Denmark’s radar for district heat plans
Jakob Bjerregaard was visiting from the Danish Embassy in Washington, D.C. He said more than 60 percent of his country gets heat through district heating.
Alaska lawmakers spare public radio but propose cutting public TV funding
“I think people made the case on radio that it was very important to rural Alaska,” Sen. Pete Kelly, R-Fairbanks, said in an interview after the meeting. He added: “TV, not so much.”
Weather played a role in Admiralty plane crash
Weather was a factor in the April 8 plane crash on Admiralty Island, which killed the pilot and two passengers and badly injured another person on board.
Legislature confirms Hopkins to AGDC board, Williams as corrections chief
A joint session of both houses voted 31-27 to confirm Hopkins to the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation board.
Gov. Walker pushes reset button on water protection bills
The federal government requires states have a process for designating extraordinary water bodies for high levels of protection, which is what these bills were intended to establish.
Bill to update Alaska’s ‘toothless’ military justice code advances
Investigators looking into allegations of sexual assault and harassment within the Alaska National Guard two years ago found no real recourse for cracking down on perpetrators. This bill would give the outdated military code teeth.
Gardentalk – Easy peas and challenging beans
Master gardener Ed Buyarski explains how and when to start peas, beans, and leafy vegetables like lettuce and cabbage.
How a drill rig ended up in no-drill rig zone in Homer’s port
Lawmakers designated Kachemak Bay a critical habitat area in 1974, which was incompatible with Homer Port and Harbor activity. The port director says normal operations technically violated the area’s environmental protections.
Bill to reform minor consuming penalties nears passage
The bill also would let state public safety officials run criminal background checks on applicants for commercial cannabis permits.