Speaker Harris wants special session to consider energy cash for Alaskans
Mon, May 12, 2008
Alaska House Speaker John Harris is asking Governor Palin to expand the special legislative session next month to allow lawmakers time to develop a direct energy assistance plan to help all Alaskans immediately pay their high fuel bills. Proposed bills might make payments to residents or directly to utilities.
Dave Donaldson, APRN - Juneau
State launches $100 million home energy efficiency grant program
Mon, May 12, 2008
Alaskans facing high energy prices can take part in a state program going into effect this week to help lower fuel expenses. The Home Energy Rebate program is designed to make everyone’s life a little more comfortable.
- Energy Rebate Program and Weatherization programs
- Statewide list of Energy Raters for the Rebate program (PDF link)
- List of providers for the low-income Weatherization program
Dave Donaldson, APRN - Juneau
Juneau electricity boss reflects on April avalanches, looks ahead
Mon, May 12, 2008
Bill Corbus, chairman of the board of Juneau’s electric utility works in a two-room office downtown. It’s on the second floor next to a bank of elevators, but the 70-year-old Corbus uses the stairs — in the name of conservation. He says the April avalanches that severed Alaska Electric Light and Power’s connection to low-cost hydropower are the biggest calamity ever to hit the company.
Weld Royal, KTOO - Juneau
Exxon Valdez plaintiff tax protections missing from Farm Bill on eve of passage
Mon, May 12, 2008
Congress has agreed on a final version of the U.S. Farm Bill. It now goes to the president to approve or veto. The legislation includes crop subsidies, increased food-stamp funding and tax breaks to racehorse owners. But one provision is conspicuously missing.
Amy Bracken, KCHU - Valdez
UPDATE (6:15pm 5/12): APRN’s Joel Southern reports from Washington, D.C. — “House and Senate negotiators have reached agreement on a Farm Bill compromise. The conference agreement has not yet gotten final Congressional approval on the House and Senate floors.”
Centuries-old Aleut mask moves to new home in Anchorage
Mon, May 12, 2008
A rare wooden Aleut mask has a new home at the Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association (APIA) in Anchorage. APIA rescued the mask from an auction at Sotheby’s 10 years ago. Since then, it’s been on display at the Anchorage Museum. But now APIA has its own place of honor for the mask at its new building in Anchorage. (Photo by Dr. Doug Veltre)
Annie Feidt, APRN - Anchorage
New Petersburg-Kake road driving transportation discussion
Mon, May 12, 2008
State officials are moving forward with building a road connecting Petersburg and Kake. They say the link between the two island communities would support commerce as well as construction of a new power line. But the plan is raising concerns.
Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska - Juneau
Alaska’s kids enjoying a stroll across Asia
Mon, May 12, 2008
Alaskan kids are walking across Asia. Well, they’re actually walking across a very large map of Asia. National Geographic’s “Traveling Map of Asia” is touring the state’s schools. It’s a hands- and feet-on approach to geography.
Melissa Marconi-Wentzel, KCAW - Sitka
Prudhoe Bay oil production halted
Fri, May 9, 2008
Oil production at Prudhoe Bay was halted today when a vehicle clearing snowdrifts damaged the power supply to processing centers. BP said production would be “way down” today and would ramp back up over the next several days. BP’s Northstar field also went off-line as a result of the power outage. Northstar produces about 79,000 barrels of crude daily from a man-made island in the Beaufort Sea.
Associated Press, Anchorage & Lori Townsend, APRN - Anchorage
Demonstrators protest sharp rise in Juneau power rates
Fri, May 9, 2008
More than 130 people protested the recent quadrupling of power prices in Juneau this afternoon on the steps of the state capital. In addition to seeking government relief, the Juneau People’s Power Project urged Juneau citizens not to pay the new rates. Rates spiked to 52 cents a kilowatt hour after avalanches knocked out the city’s main transmission lines last month.
John Ryan, KTOO - Juneau
Karleen Jackson, Alaska Commissioner of Health and Social Services resigns
Fri, May 9, 2008
Jackson has been with the department since 2003, when she became deputy HSS commissioner in the Murkowski administration. She took over as commissioner in 2005 and was not replaced when Governor Palin took office last year. But Jackson says she recently compared notes with Palin and it was clear they had a difference of opinion. She says she offered her resignation and the governor accepted. Jackson declined to be more specific.
Rosemarie Alexander, KTOO - Juneau
7 Alaska Governors honor state’s 50th anniversary
Fri, May 9, 2008
Governors Murkowski and Palin sign limited edition 50th Anniversary prints. Photo by Len Anderson.
In what was an historic event, this afternoon seven of Alaska’s surviving governors came to the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center to sign a special, limited edition print designed to honor Alaska’s 50th anniversary as a state… and raise some money toward the celebrations.
Len Anderson, KSKA - Anchorage
Experts tell Senate committee climate modeling is essential
Fri, May 9, 2008
A panel of expertes at US Senate Commerce Committee hearing testified that climate modeling is important to understanding what’s causing global warming. But they also said models have flaws and shortcomings that need to be addressed to make climate predictions more reliable.
Joel Southern, APRN - Washington, DC
Congress asked to investigate Forest Service
Fri, May 9, 2008
A national watchdog group is asking Congress to investigate allegations that the US forest service retaliated against a whistleblower employee from Petersburg. An independent federal agency, which is now embroiled in its own controversy, dropped the case earlier this year after the employee died.
Matt Lichtenstein, KFSK - Petersburg
Southeast herring under scrutiny
Fri, May 9, 2008
Researchers from the University of Portland are conducting a comprehensive study of Pacific Herring in Southeast Alaska.
Alec Dickenson, KRBD - Ketchikan
Cordova annual shorebird festival gets underway
Fri, May 9, 2008
Birders from around the world are gathered in the community to observe the swarms of tiny fowl, and capture them on film. Meanwhile, the Prince William Sound Science Center has been out literally capturing the birds.
Amy Bracken, KCHU - Valdez
Summer sun a constant companion in Barrow - but where’s the ice cream?
Fri, May 9, 2008
Residents of Barrow will soon gain 24-hour daylight. Starting tomorrow, the sun will remain above the horizon for almost three months. The summer could have been even sweeter - with a new arctic-themed flavor of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. But recently Barrow folks narrowly missed the opportunity to give it a try.
Earl Finkler, KBRW - Barrow
Vic Kohring sentenced to prison
Thu, May 8, 2008
Convicted former lawmaker Vic Kohring was sentenced to 3-and-a-half years in federal prison this morning. He was found guilty in November of bribery, conspiracy, and attempted extortion for his role in the ongoing VECO corruption scandal.
Legislature wants to take special session to the people
Thu, May 8, 2008
The Special Session of the legislature the governor has called next month will have a new twist – it’s taking some of its deliberations outside of Juneau.
Dave Donaldson, APRN - Juneau
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