Murkowski sells back Kenai River land to short circuit ethics concerns
Thu, July 26, 2007
Over the past week, Senator Lisa Murkowski’s Kenai River land deal with long-time friend and political supporter Bob Penney has brought her a firestorm of criticism and a Senate ethics complaint. So today, Murkowski said she and husband Verne Martell have decided to let go of the 1.27-acre tract.
Joel Southern, APRN - Washington, D.C. (read by Lori Townsend, APRN)
Alaska Democrats start campaign against Don Young online
Thu, July 26, 2007
The Alaska Democratic Party has begun a full campaign against Don Young’s re-election next year. Party leaders showcased a new website today called dropdon.com that chairman Jake Metcalfe says shows what he calls the “web of corruption” surrounding the veteran Congressman.
Dave Donaldson, APRN - Juneau
New report shows consistent warming across Alaska
Thu, July 26, 2007
The Alaska Public Interest Research Group (AKPIRG) released a report today (written by U.S. PIRG) compiling and analyzing government climate data from Alaska and across the nation. The findings show that over the past seven years Barrow, Anchorage and Talkeetna have experienced temperatures consistently one to 3 three degrees (Fahrenheit) above normal.
- Download the complete U.S. PIRG report, Feeling the Heat (PDF)
Lori Townsend, APRN - Anchorage
Gold mine outside Fairbanks cleared for cyanide heap leach construction
Thu, July 26, 2007
The operator of the state’s largest gold mine hopes to begin construction of a proposed heap leach facility later this summer. The project at Fort Knox Mine has undergone extensive scrutiny given the technology’s tainted history in the West.
Dan Bross, KUAC - Fairbanks
- Fort Knox heap leach documents at the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mining, Land & Water
- Fort Knox Mine is owned by Kinross Gold Corporation in Canada
IHS Director contract up for renewal amidst constrained funding
Thu, July 26, 2007
Charles Grim’s appointment as Indian Health Service (IHS) Director is up for renewal. At a U.S. Senate Indian Affairs hearing today, lawmakers praised Grim’s record but said the IHS, the Bush Administration and Congress all have to do a lot more to improve the health of Native Americans. Lisa Murkowski, the new vice chair of the Indian Affairs panel, said none of what Grim has had to do since he started leading the IHS has been easy.
Joel Southern, APRN - Washington, D.C. (read by Lori Townsend, APRN)
New ferry authority in Southeast seeing mixed ridership numbers
Thu, July 26, 2007
Traffic is up for Southeast Alaska’s newest ferry — the Stikine. More passengers and vehicles are traveling on the Inter-Island Ferry Authority (IFA) ship on its northern route. But the IFA’s other ferry — Prince of Wales — is carrying fewer passengers this year on the southern route.
Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska - Juneau
Forest Service employees and volunteers cut new trails into Petersburg wilderness
Thu, July 26, 2007
A small crew is at work carving a new trail up Petersburg mountain. The team of eight Forest Service employees and volunteers has been living and working on the densely forested mountainside for 10-day stints since mid-May.
Ike Sriskandarajah, KFSK - Petersburg
Alaska News Nightly: July 26, 2007
Thu, July 26, 2007
Senator Murkowski announced today she’s selling her controversial Kenai River land. Plus, the Alaska Democratic Party has launched its campaign against Don Young with a new website called dropdon.com. Those stories and more on tonight’s Alaska News Nightly, broadcast statewide on APRN stations.
Individual news stories are posted in the Alaska News category and you can subscribe to APRN’s news feeds via e-mail, podcast and RSS.
Murkowski says she’s giving up Kenai land to end ethics controversy
Thu, July 26, 2007
Senator Lisa Murkowski is trying to put a stop to the political flak she has gotten for buying Kenai riverfront property from family friend Bob Penney at a price critics say was well below fair market value. Today, Murkowski said she and husband Verne Martell are giving up the land — at a loss.Murkowski has been under fire since the political blog TPM Muckraker published a story about the land deal last week. She believes she paid a fair price for the property, but said it isn’t worth the criticism leveled at her and others since then.
Yesterday a government watchdog group filed a complaint about Murkowski’s land deal with the Senate Ethics Committee. She says she’s not sure what will happen with that, but is prepared to cooperate with any Ethics Committee inquiries.
Based on a Kenai borough assessment from last year, Murkowski and her husband paid Bob Penney $179,400 for the 1.27-acre tract. But since the sale, the land has been reassessed at nearly $215,000. Nearby Soldtna real estate brokers have said the price Murkowski and Martell paid for the land seemed low compared to similar tracts in the area.
Joel Southern, APRN - Washington, D.C.
This is a mid-day news update. For the complete story, tune in to Alaska News Nightly this evening on local APRN stations statewide.
Don Young’s House committee assignments may be in jeopardy
Thu, July 26, 2007
Congressman Don Young’s legal woes could cost him his committee assignments in the U.S. House, according to an article in today’s edition of Roll Call. The newspaper says yesterday’s reports that Young is under a federal criminal investigation as part of the widening federal probe of corruption in Alaska politics has gotten other Republicans talking about how to “address the Young matter.”
Roll Call’s report says part of those conversations include whether he should be removed as ranking Republican on the Natural Resources Committee and second-ranking Republican on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. There’s also talk about whether Young should stay on the Republican Steering Committee.
A Young spokeswoman says speculation appears to be coming from a group of fiscally conservative Republicans that Young clashed with recently. She says no one in the House Republican leadership is pressuring Young to step aside at this point.
Meanwhile Young underwent prostate surgery Tuesday and was discharged from the hospital Wednesday.
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