Individual news stories are posted on the APRN news page. You can subscribe to APRN’s newsfeeds via email, podcast and RSS. Follow us on Facebook at alaskapublic.org and on Twitter @aprn.

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Troopers Shoot, Kill Sutton Man

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

An Alaska State Trooper shot and killed a Sutton man Thursday night after the man fired a shotgun at Troopers who were trying to get him to comply with a restraining order.

How Safe Are Alaska’s Bridges?

Alexandra Gutierrez, APRN – Juneau

A section of Interstate-5 fell into the Skagit River in Washington yesterday after a truck reportedly knocked into the steel framework. No one died, but the collapse sent cars hurtling into the water. The bridge was built in 1955, and was considered to be outdated by federal standards. In Alaska, there are more than a hundred bridges that fall into that obsolete category.

Two Remote Volcano Sensors Resume Sending Seismic Data

Ben Matheson, KDLG – Dillingham

Scientists are now able to monitor two remote volcanoes on the Alaska Peninsula after equipment came back to life this spring.

Sitka Father, Son Plan Lower 48 Run Against GMOs

Ed Ronco, KCAW – Sitka

A Sitka man and his 14-year-old son are hoping to convince you that genetically modified organisms are bad for your health, and for the environment.

Singer-Songwriter Hears Call Of Alaska

Brianna Gibbs, KMXT – Kodiak

Alaskan singer songwriter Marian Call has a new album out called “Marian Call Live In Europe.” The album grew out of an enormously successful Kickstarter campaign that raised more than $60,000 and sent her to Europe to perform and record a new album. Now she’s finishing up a statewide tour and about to set out to play music in the western Lower 48.

AK: Girls On The Run

Anne Brice, KCAW – Sitka

To a lot of us, running seems like work, or at least exercise. But for a group of girls in Sitka, running is actually pretty fun. They’re part of an after-school program that combines running with important life lessons.

300 Villages: Anchor Point

This week we’re heading to Anchor Point, a small community 14 miles north of Homer on the Kenai Peninsula. Bobby Ness lives in Anchor Point.

Individual news stories are posted on the APRN news page. You can subscribe to APRN’s newsfeeds via email, podcast and RSS. Follow us on Facebook at alaskapublic.org and on Twitter @aprn.

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Oil And Gas Group Sues Over Bearded Seal Listing

The Associated Press

The Alaska Oil and Gas Association is suing over a federal decision to list certain populations of Arctic bearded seals as threatened.

The trade association says there is no scientific evidence linking climate change to adverse effects on the seals. It also says that scientific data indicates the populations currently appear to be healthy.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Fairbanks, seeks to have the listing rule set aside.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in December announced that ringed seals and bearded seals in the Arctic Ocean would join polar bears as species listed as threatened by loss of sea ice.

Pritzker Avoids Controversy At Nomination Hearing

Peter Granitz, APRN – Washington DC

President Barack Obama’s nominee to lead the Commerce Department, business woman Penny Pritzker, presented her credentials for the post before a Senate committee today.

Ostebo Explains New Arctic Strategy

Laureli Kinneen, KNOM – Nome

Coast Guard Rear Admiral Thomas Ostebo is traveling to major coastal communities in Alaska this week – Kotzebue, Barrow and Dutch Harbor. Today he was in Nome explaining how the Coast Guard will implement the United States Coast Guard Arctic Strategy that was just released this month.

Aiviq Engineer Suspects Contaminated Fuel Contributed To Engine Failure

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

The US Coast Guard today continued its probe of what went wrong when a Shell drill rig beached near Kodiak Island last New Year’s Eve. This morning, the chief engineer of the tug  Aiviq which had been towing the drilling rig Kulluk before it broke its tow line, told a story of failed fuel injectors, while raising unanswered questions about suspected fuel contamination.

Former Judge Facing Trial For Stealing Cocaine

Alexandra Gutierrez, APRN – Juneau

Last year, Paul Pozonsky resigned from his position as a hearings officer for the state Department of Labor following an inquiry his residency status. The situation was odd for a number of reasons. For one, there were questions about whether Pozonsky landed the job because of his family’s political connections in Alaska. Then, there was the fact that he was being investigated by a grand jury in Pennsylvania for actions he took while he was a judge there. Now, that investigation is complete and Pozonsky is facing trial for stealing cocaine that was being used as evidence in cases that the presided over.

Fort Yukon Flooding Danger Mostly Over

The Associated Press

The community of Fort Yukon is able to relax after days of worry as it appears the danger from flooding is mostly over.

Late Wednesday night, dozens of residents watched as slabs of river ice suspected to be from a once-menacing ice jam 12 miles up the Yukon River passed safely below the town’s levee. The ice jam had accumulated a lake of water estimated to be 7 miles wide and 30 miles long, which could have created a serious flash flood if it broke all of a sudden.

Early Wednesday, the ice jam developed a large hole that likely grew, sending more ice downriver.

City flood coordinator Velma Carroll says she was told Wednesday night that the worst appears to be over.

More Bacterial Infections Associated With Raw Milk Consumption

Aaron Selbig, KBBI – Homer

A new batch of bacterial infections has again been traced to a raw milk operation on the Kenai Peninsula.

In a news release Thursday, the Alaska Section of Epidemiology said it is investigating another outbreak of Campylobacter infection associated with the consumption of raw milk. This new outbreak is associated with raw milk distributed by the same Kenai Peninsula cow-share program that was linked to a similar outbreak in February.

Five new cases of the infection have been identified to date, with two of the five people seeking medical attention. Testing by the Alaska State Public Health Laboratory identified the bacteria strain as Campylobacter. The same strain was found in cow manure obtained earlier this year at the cow-share farm that distributed the raw milk.

State Epidemiologist Joe McLaughlin called the outbreaks “an unfortunate reminder of the inherent risks associated with raw milk consumption.”

Homer Officials Discuss Potential Move For Pier One Theatre

Ariel Van Cleave, KBBI – Homer

Homer city officials are in the early stages of creating a land-use plan for the area where the Pier One Theatre sits. The building is currently located in an area zoned for marine commercial and industrial use.

Marine Debris Awareness Gets Second Symbol

Brianna Gibbs, KMXT – Kodiak

It’s been about a year since Ophelia, the marine debris octopus, was built by Kodiak High School art students. The sculpture, which now resides in the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, was constructed using items collected from Kodiak beaches. Ophelia has become a mascot for marine debris clean up, and a vivid example of how much trash is circulating in the world’s oceans. But she won’t be the only example for long.

Individual news stories are posted on the APRN news page. You can subscribe to APRN’s newsfeeds via email, podcast and RSS. Follow us on Facebook at alaskapublic.org and on Twitter @aprn.

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Fish And Game Institutes New Razor Clam Harvesting Regulations

Aaron Selbig, KBBI – Homer

As the Memorial Day weekend approaches, Clam diggers on the Kenai Peninsula will have to keep in mind a new set of rules for harvesting razor clams. For the first time in a decade, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is reducing the bag limit for razor clams from 60 per day all the way down to 25.

Man In Charge Of Kulluk During Tow Testifies At Hearing

Steve Heimel, APRN – Anchorage

Wednesday, the man who was in charge of the Shell drilling rig Kulluk when it went aground New Year’s Eve testified at a Coast Guard hearing that he had never done a winter tow in Alaska before, but he thought they were prepared for the weather ahead when they left Dutch Harbor ten days earlier, to cross the Gulf of Alaska.

Alaskan Officials Rip On NPR-A

Peter Granitz, APRN – Washington DC

The state of Alaska, North Slope Borough, and Arctic Slope Regional Corporation continue to pressure the federal government over its management of the National Petroleum Reserve – Alaska.

The Alaskan officials testified before a mostly-friendly House Committee about a bill that would reevaluate NPR-A.

Ice Jam Above Fort Yukon Loosens

Emily Schwing, KUAC – Fairbanks

A massive ice jam 12 miles upriver from Fort Yukon partially let loose early this morning.

Fairbanks Green Up Likely Latest On Record

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

Another sign of this year’s slow arrival of spring: green up will likely be the latest in Fairbanks recorded history.

Assembly Postpones Public Testimony Decision

Daysha Eaton, KSKA – Anchorage

Tuesday night, the Anchorage Assembly voted unanimously to postpone indefinitely an ordinance that would have changed the way that public hearings are conducted.

JBER Soldier Competes In Best Warrior Competition

Josh Edge, APRN – Anchorage

A Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson soldier is competing this week in the Pacific Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition in Hawaii. The week-long competition began Saturday and will end with the awards ceremony on Thursday.

Cloud Covers Making Pavlof Observation Difficult

Lauren Rosenthal, KUCB – Unalaska

Heavy cloud cover over the Alaska Peninsula is making it tough for scientists to monitor Pavlof Volcano. The Alaska Volcano Observary hasn’t been able to get a clear picture of the peak by satellite for almost two days.

According to pilot reports today, the volcano is still erupting, but the ash plume has dropped from 20,000 feet to 10,000 feet or less and is blowing out to sea.

That’s good news for regional airlines, which canceled flights to southwest Alaska this week over concerns that the ash would damage their planes. PenAir President Danny Seybert says the airline restored all of its routes today and started adding some extra planes to work off a backlog of more than 300 passengers.

KABATA Wants Independent Source To Review State Audit

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

The Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority, or KABATA, wants an independent source to review findings of  a state audit of revenue projections that almost swamped the Knik Arm Bridge project in the waning hours of this year’s legislative session.

State To Appeal Dismissal Of Roadless Rule Lawsuit

Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska – Juneau

The Parnell administration says it will appeal the dismissal of its lawsuit over the roadless rule in the Tongass National Forest.

Meanwhile, faced with no participation by the state government, and limited participation by environmental groups, the Tongass Futures Roundtable group has decided to shut down.  The organization was formed  to resolve Southeast Alaska forest-issue conflicts.

Individual news stories are posted on the APRN news page. You can subscribe to APRN’s newsfeeds via email, podcast and RSS. Follow us on Facebook at alaskapublic.org and on Twitter @aprn.

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Parnell Approves State Operating Budget

Alexandra Gutierrez, APRN – Juneau

Thirteen billion dollars — that’s the cost of running the state next year. Gov. Sean Parnell approved the state’s budget today, and APRN’s Alexandra Gutierrez reports that the he was light with his veto pen.

Governor Signs SB21, HB4 Into Law

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

Governor Sean Parnell also signed into law Tuesday two bills that he says will have a huge impact on young Alaskans and on Alaskans of  the future.  SB 21, the hard fought oil tax reform bill, and HB 4, a bill authorizing an in – state gasline.

Crowd Protests Oil Tax Cuts

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

Outside Anchorage’s  Dena’ina Center,  Senator Hollis French warmed up a small crowd protesting the oil tax breaks for Alaska producers.

Executives Push Feds For Export Approval

Peter Granitz, APRN – Washington DC

Leaders from energy companies say they’re worried the window for exporting liquefied natural gas is closing.

As APRN’s Peter Granitz reports, they’re sounding off less than a week after the federal government granted the second export license in the Lower 48.

Ice Jam Above Fort Yukon Could Mean Disaster

Emily Schwing, KUAC – Fairbanks

A massive sheet of winter ice is holding back hundreds of thousands of gallons of silty Yukon River ice roughly 12 miles upriver from Fort Yukon.  Ed Plumb is a hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Fairbanks.

Yukon River-Area Villages Voice For Flooding

Emily Schwing, KUAC – Fairbanks

Other villages in the middle Yukon River region are bracing for high water and breakup-related flooding as the weather starts to warm in interior Alaska.

Kulluk Hearing Continues In Anchorage

Steve Heimel, APRN – Anchorage

The hearings about the grounding of the drilling rig Kulluk continued today in Anchorage.  In the morning, the investigators heard from the contractor who towed the rig up last summer without incident.  In the afternoon, Shell emergency response executive Norman “buddy” Custard returned for more questioning.

Emotions Run High As Fishermen Testify On Religion

Angela Denning-Barnes, KYUK – Bethel

Emotions ran high as the Kuskokwim fishermen trials continued today (Tuesday) at the Bethel Court House. More fishermen were found guilty for illegal fishing last summer during King salmon closures.

Bail Denied For Defendant In Coast Guard Killings

The Associated Press

A federal judge has denied bail for a 61-year-old man accused of killing two men at the Coast Guard station on Kodiak Island.

James Wells wanted to be released to detention and electronic monitoring to third-party custodians as he awaited trial for the fatal shootings of Coast Guardsmen Petty Officer 1st Class James Hopkins and retired Chief Petty Officer Richard Belisle in April 2012. Wells is charged with murder and is set to go on trial in February 2014.

Wells appeared before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge John D. Roberts in Anchorage Monday.

Roberts said he was not “at all convinced” that bail was appropriate in the case.

Wells’ arrest in February came after an investigation led by the FBI and the Coast Guard Investigative Service.

Individual news stories are posted on the APRN news page. You can subscribe to APRN’s newsfeeds via email, podcast and RSS. Follow us on Facebook at alaskapublic.org and on Twitter @aprn.

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Coast Guard Begins Kulluk Hearing

Steve Heimel, APRN – Anchorage

Monday, the U.S. Coast Guard began a week-long probe of the grounding of the drilling rig Kulluk last New Year’s Day on an island south of Kodiak.  The rig was being towed to Seattle when it broke loose in bad weather and ended up going aground.  APRN’s Steve Heimel was at the hearing today at the Anchorage Assembly chambers.

Circle Residents Clean Up After Flooding

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

Residents of Circle are cleaning up after an ice jam on the Yukon River caused extensive flooding in the community on Sunday.

Fishermen Found Guilty, Although Court Agrees Subsistence Salmon Fishing Is Religious

Angela Denning-Barnes, KYUK – Bethel

The Kuskokwim fishermen trial resumed Monday in Bethel. Last June, about 50 fishermen were cited for illegal salmon fishing. Half of them pleaded not guilty and have been fighting it in court ever since.

Pavlof Ash Falls On Sand Point

Lauren Rosenthal, KUCB – Unalaska

Pavlof Volcano continued to erupt over the weekend, spitting a plume of ash that reached 22,000 feet into the sky.

State Proposes $50 Million For ANWR Development

Peter Granitz, APRN – Washington DC

Governor Sean Parnell says he’s willing to ask the state legislature for fifty million dollars in next year’s budget to discover the true volume of oil in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge.

Joe Miller Ordered To Pay $85,000 In Alaska Dispatch Legal Fees

Steve Heimel, APRN – Anchorage

Former Republican U.S. Senate nominee Joe Miller has not yet said if he will appeal an award of court costs to an internet news organization that sued to get his personnel records in 2010.

Ketchikan Breaks World Rainboot Race Record

Leila Kheiry, KRBD – Ketchikan

Nearly 2,000 people turned out in Ketchikan Saturday afternoon to break to Guinness World Record for the largest rainboot race.

Alaska Cultural Connections: Cross Cultural Communication

Anne Hillman, APRN Contributor

Nuiqsut is both one of the newest communities on the North Slope and one of the oldest. The area was inhabited for centuries by the Iñupiat, and then abandoned for Barrow.

In 1973 former community members decided to resettle the area and build a village far from the bustle of the regional hub. But just 25 years later, the bustle came to them in the form of Alpine Oil field.

For our series on culture in Alaska, APRN contributor Anne Hillman found out how the oil company and the community have learned to communicate with one another.

Individual news stories are posted on the APRN news page. You can subscribe to APRN’s newsfeeds via email, podcast and RSS. Follow us on Facebook at alaskapublic.org and on Twitter @aprn.

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Interior Rivers Begin To Break Up

Emily Schwing & Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

Break up is starting to happen on Interior rivers. The Yukon River ice began moving early this morning at Eagle. It jammed and caused some flooding of low lying homes and roads. Six homes and a handful of sheds have been hit by truck size chunks of ice. At least three homes have been picked up and moved off of their foundations. 15 miles downriver from Eagle a cabin and a summer home have been completely destroyed, sandwiched between enormous chunks of ice. The water levels receded quickly this morning and the immediate threat to homes appears to be over.

It’s the second largest flood on record after the devastating 2009 river break up. And the National Weather Service is worried snow melt in the mountains could increase the flooding potential again in the coming days.

National Weather Service hydrologist Ed Plumb says additional problems are expected as the break up front progresses downstream.

Plumb says colder air moving across the region will slow break up over the weekend, but an expected warm up into the 60’s next week could cause rapid melting and raise the potential for ice jams and flooding. There’s been ice jam flooding on the Tanana River at Salcha, pushing water into a flood prone neighborhood along the Old Richardson Highway.

State To Ask For $750,000 For Marine Debris Cleanup

The Associated Press

West Coast states affected by debris from the 2011 tsunami in Japan are about to receive an initial quarter million dollars each from a $5 million gift from Japan for cleanup.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is distributing the money and will allocate the remainder on an as-needed basis.

The pool of funds has taken a hit, with NOAA using half a million dollars to remove a dock that washed ashore on a remote beach on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula.

The state of Alaska is preparing to ask for up to $750,000 in additional funds to help with clean up this summer. Unlike in other states, many of the beaches targeted for cleanup in the state are remote or difficult to access and there is a narrow window in which to conduct cleanup operations.

Wisconsin Man Hopes To Change Petition Rules

Alexandra Gutierrez, APRN – Juneau

There are a lot of rules if you want to gather signatures to get something on the ballot. You have to be at least 18. You can’t share your petition booklet with other people. And you have to be a resident of the state of Alaska. Now, a man from Wisconsin wants that last part of the law struck down, and he’s taking his case to court.

Cybercrimes Increase In Alaska And Nationwide

Mike Mason, KDLG – Dillingham

A new report from the FBI’s “Internet Crime Complaint Center” shows an increase in the number of cybercrimes in Alaska.

Feds Oppose Smaller Sealaska Land Bill

Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska – Juneau

A new, smaller Sealaska land-selection measure faces opposition from the federal government. The legislation would transfer 3,600 acres of the Tongass National Forest to the Southeast-based regional Native corporation.

Anchorage Residents Partake In Bike To Work Day

Evan Erickson & Annie Feidt, APRN – Anchorage

Bike to Work Day in Anchorage was soggy and cold this morning. But that didn’t stop hundreds of hearty Alaskans from participating.

Those who did hit the trail were rewarded with several “treat” stations at key bike commuter spots around the city. APRN intern Evan Erickson staked out a spot at the popular “bacon station” at the intersection of the Seward Highway and the Chester Creek Trail.

AK: Exploding History

Lauren Rosenthal, KUCB – Unalaska

It’s been more than 70 years since Unalaska came under attack during World War II. But you don’t have to look hard to find the remnants. The community is littered with old gunnery installations, battered quonset huts, and bunkers — some of which are being preserved for posterity.

300 Villages: Tuluksak

This week, we’re going to Tuluksak, a community of almost 400 people near the Kuskokwim River. George Lamont is a resident of Tuluksak.

Individual news stories are posted on the APRN news page. You can subscribe to APRN’s newsfeeds via email, podcast and RSS. Follow us on Facebook at alaskapublic.org and on Twitter @aprn.

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Arctic Council Adds Six Observer Seats

Peter Granitz, APRN – Washington DC

The Arctic Council – the association of the world’s polar countries – has agreed to grant observer status to six non-Arctic nations.

ConocoPhillips Reviewing Spending In Alaska

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

ConocoPhillips says it’s reviewing spending in Alaska, a month after the legislature passed Governor Sean Parnell’s oil tax reform. The tax cut is worth billions of dollars to oil companies in Alaska. ConocoPhillips executives talked about the state’s new tax regime during their annual meeting and an analyst presentation earlier this week.

Agency To Consider Alaska Lake Seals As Threatened

The Associated Press

A federal agency says it will consider a petition seeking to list a population of harbor seals living in a freshwater Alaska lake as a threatened or endangered species.

The National Marine Fisheries Service says it has accepted a Center for Biological Diversity petition to list seals that live in Iliamna Lake 200 miles southwest of Anchorage.

The agency has a Nov. 19 deadline to perform a status review of the seals, estimated to number 250 to 350 adults.  The agency can propose a listing or reject it.

A listing would present a potential environmental hurdle to the Pebble Mine.

The proposed open-pit copper and gold mine would require a 140-mile road to Cook Inlet.  About 50 miles would pass along the lake shore, where seals hunt for salmon.

Report Shows Mineral Values Tripling Since 2001

Joaqlin Estus, KNBA – Anchorage

A state report shows the value of minerals produced in Alaska more than tripled between 2001 and 2011. Mining industry wages have also surged as employers seek skilled workers.

Tanana River On Track For Record Late Break Up

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

Tanana River ice is on track for a record late break up at Nenana.  Later than normal break ups are expected at many interior river communities, due to this year’s cold spring, but there’s special significance for the Tanana at Nenana, where an over 318 thousand dollar jackpot is at stake in the annual Nenena Ice Classic guessing game. Classic manager Cheri Forness says most of the 261 thousand break up time guesses entered by ticket buyers this year, have gone by.

Late Season Snow Expected In Southcentral

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

The National Weather Service is predicting an “extremely unusual late season snowfall” for the Southcentral Alaska area on Friday through Saturday morning.

Anchorage Farmers Markets Prepping To Open Despite Possible Snow

Daysha Eaton, KSKA – Anchorage

It may not feel like spring yet in Anchorage, but that’s not stopping the Farmer’s Markets from opening.

Yakutat To Celebrate Return Of The Terns

Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska – Juneau

Yakutat is gearing up for an influx of birders. They’re coming to the northern Southeast Alaska community to celebrate the return of a somewhat rare seabird.

Stu Ramstad Relives Memorable Moments In The Air

Lori Townsend, APRN – Anchorage

Alaska is celebrating 100 years of aviation this year. And aviator Stu Ramstad is an important part of that history. He grew up in a gold mining family. And became a pilot at age 14 in 1954. He says he didn’t goof off in the air. He considered the plane a tool that you loaded up and used to deliver supplies. But he told APRN’s Lori Townsend, he did have scary times as a pilot and survived two in-flight fires.

Individual news stories are posted on the APRN news page. You can subscribe to APRN’s newsfeeds via email, podcast and RSS. Follow us on Facebook at alaskapublic.org and on Twitter @aprn.

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Great Bear Undecided On 2013 Drilling Season

Peter Granitz, APRN – Washington DC

A few years ago, executives from start up oil company Great Bear Petroleum told Alaska legislators they’d drill some two hundred North Slope wells per year for fifteen years.

Activity Increases At Pavlof Volcano

Stephanie Joyce, KUCB – Unalaska

Pavlof Volcano put on a light show for residents of several communities on the Alaska Peninsula on Tuesday night. Activity at the volcano has increased, and it’s spewing ash up to 20,000 feet.

Interior Rabies Cases Prompt Animals Vaccinations

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

The recent detection of two cases of rabies in wolves trapped south of the Brooks Range has prompted concern about whether the deadly disease has re-emerged in the interior.  Many pet owners in Fairbanks are getting their animals vaccinated as a precaution.

Marine Highway Dropping Discounts To Save Money

Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska – Juneau

Say so long to summer drivers riding the ferry for free. Wave goodbye to the winter roundtrip discount. And printed schedules? Those are on their way out too. The changes are some of the ways the Alaska Marine Highway plans to address a $3.5-million spending cut mandated by the Legislature.

Atka Searches For Funds To Replace Aging Health Clinic

Lauren Rosenthal, KUCB – Unalaska

The remote village of Atka, in the western Aleutians, is home to just 71 people. But that’s about to change. The local processing plant wants to quadruple its workforce – and with that, the city of Atka is ramping up a campaign to replace its dilapidated clinic.

Officials Close Kotzebue-Area Subsistence Musk Ox Hunt

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

State wildlife officials have closed a subsistence musk ox hunt near Kotzebue because of evidence of wanton waste of the animals.   Area biologists say five cow musk oxen from the Cape Thompson herd were killed sometime during January or February of this year.

According to Jim Dau a biologist with the state office in Kotzebue,  wildlife officials were tipped off to the killings when two musk oxen bodies were spotted by census takers last month.

On further investigation, Wildlife Troopers found 5 more cow moose bodies that had apparently been shot, and left unsalvaged.

Dau says the illegal harvests exceeded the harvest quota for the unit. The hunt was scheduled to open July 1. The closure does not affect a similar musk ox hunt on the Seward Peninsula.

State Keeping Close Eye On Mat-Su Flood Conditions

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

State officials are keeping an eye on anticipated flood conditions in the Interior of the state, but in the Matanuska Susitna Borough flooding is already starting. Borough officials say the ground is saturated with rain from last fall’s heavy storms, and that, coupled with the lack of snow this winter is causing conditions that give melting ice runoff nowhere to go.

Fisherman Recovers Over Half Of Group’s Lost Canoe Paddles

Matt Lichtenstein, KFSK – Petersburg

A Petersburg fisherman has recovered more than half of the hand-carved cedar paddles that were lost by the One People Canoe Society late last month.

Female Alaska Native Rapper Finding Worldwide Success

Lori Townsend, APRN – Anchorage

There are not great numbers of female rappers and Alaska Native female rappers probably number in the single digits. But one such artist is finding great success in the state and around the world as a woman with a passion for raising awareness of the struggles of Native people.

Individual news stories are posted on the APRN news page. You can subscribe to APRN’s newsfeeds via email, podcast and RSS. Follow us on Facebook at alaskapublic.org and on Twitter @aprn.

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Bill Could Ease Way To Arctic Port

Peter Granitz, APRN – Washington DC

The U.S. Senate is expected to a pass a sweeping bill authorizing dozens of water projects on Wednesday.

A provision is included that Alaska’s senators say could ease the way to an Arctic port.

Cruise Ship Waste Referendum Won’t Be On Ballot

Alexandra Gutierrez, APRN – Juneau

When voters head to the polls next year, they could be faced with questions on oil taxes, the minimum wage, and the use of recreational marijuana. But one thing that won’t be on the ballot is a referendum on a controversial bill concerning cruise ship waste.

An Anchorage Doctor Learns How To Talk About Death

Annie Feidt, APRN – Anchorage

Doctors deal with death all the time. But they often struggle to help patients live with a terminal disease. A specialty called Palliative Care is trying to change that. It’s been around since the early 1990s. But a lot of people, even in the medical profession, don’t know it exists.

Rescued Polar Bear Cub Heads To New York’s Buffalo Zoo

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

Kali, the orphaned male polar bear cub that has been kept at Anchorage’s Alaska Zoo, spent Tuesday afternoon waiting patiently in his carrier for boarding on a  UPS cargo jet bound for the East Coast. Kali is heading to his new permanent home at New York’s Buffalo Zoo.

Musk Ox Herd Spotted Along Kuskokwim River

Angela Denning-Barnes, KYUK – Bethel

A herd of musk oxen was seen on the frozen Kuskokwim River recently. It’s a sign that the population is expanding in the region.

Two Bering Sea Catch Processors Accused Of Tampering With Scales

Stephanie Joyce, KUCB – Unalaska

Two Bering Sea groundfish catcher-processor vessels have been accused of tampering with the scales used to weigh their harvest. As KUCB’s Stephanie Joyce reports, the alleged violations carry hefty penalties for the vessels’ parent company, American Seafoods.

Parnell Meets In New York About State’s Economic Outlook

The Associated Press

Governor Sean Parnell is in New York meeting with banks and rating agencies about Alaska’s budget and economic outlook.

Long-Term Unemployment Benefits To Experience Cuts

Joaqlin Estus, KNBA – Anchorage

As federal agencies are beginning to furlough employees because of sequestration, the long-term unemployed in Alaska are about to see a reduction in their unemployment benefits.

Dillingham Volunteer Monitors For Invasive Beetles

Dave Bendinger, KDLG – Dillingham

Some invasive species of bark beetles, if they make it to Alaska, could pose a serious threat to our trees and forests. In ten years of surveys, none have been detected, but state and federal forestry officials are coming to rely on volunteers to help monitor for them across the state. KDLG’s Dave Bendinger reports on one such volunteer who’s keeping an eye out the beetles around Dillingham.

Individual news stories are posted on the APRN news page. You can subscribe to APRN’s newsfeeds via email, podcast and RSS. Follow us on Facebook at alaskapublic.org and on Twitter @aprn.

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Couple Escapes As Landslide Destroys Cabin

Robert Woolsey, KCAW – Sitka

Two Sitkans are safe after a massive landslide destroyed the cabin they were camping in Sunday morning. An air taxi pilot rescued the pair from a debris field estimated to be 20 feet deep. All their belongings were buried in the slide. Their dog remains missing.

Scientists Detect Eruption At Peninsula Volcano

Stephanie Joyce, KUCB – Unalaska

Alaska’s most active volcano appears to be erupting. Mount Pavlof, on the Alaska Peninsula, started rumbling this morning, according to Alaska Volcano Observatory scientist-in-charge John Power.

Man Dies After Bulldozer Falls Through Ice Near Stephan Lake Lodge

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

A fatal accident that took the life of a bulldozer driver near Stephan Lake Lodge north of Talkeetna on Friday occurred only hours after a state Department of Natural Resources team had flown over the site on an inspection tour.  The work is being done to build an airstrip to support studies on the Susitna Dam project.

Wildfire Season Expected To Start Later Than Normal

Peter Granitz, APRN – Washington DC

The federal government is predicting a normal wildfire season in Alaska this year, but it could be later than normal.

Kenai Peninsula Razor Clams Appear To Be Declining

Aaron Selbig, KBBI – Homer

Alaskans who make an annual habit of digging for razor clams on the Kenai Peninsula may have noticed something odd over the last few tears – there just doesn’t seem to be as many clams on the beaches as there used to be. Scientists have also noticed the trend.

Mining Company Pulls Out Of Exploratory Project Near Tok

Tim Ellis, KUAC – Fairbanks

A Canadian mining company is pulling out of an exploration project near Tok.  The move comes as the price of gold has fallen about 15 percent from unprecedented highs in recent years, and may signal a slowdown in the mining industry.

Cold Returns To Interior Alaska

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

Break up will slow down this week as cold air returns to the Interior.  National Weather Service meteorologist Scot Berg says a cold front is rapidly moving across the region.

Denali National Park Expected To Open On Time Despite Lingering Snow Cover

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

The start of the tourist season in Interior Alaska is coming up, and Denali National Park will be ready, despite lingering snow cover.

Alaska Cultural Connections: Food And Culture

Annie Hillman, APRN Contributor

Some people crave ice cream or fresh vegetables or pasta. Others prefer dried fish or caribou. As part of our series exploring culture in rural and urban Alaska, APRN’s Anne Hillman found out how strong links between food and culture are common throughout the state.