APRN: Alaska News

Palin wows Republican National Convention

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:57:56 +0000

More than 40 million people watched last night as Governor Sarah Palin accepted the Republican nomination for Vice President in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the party’s convention in St. Paul. She attacked Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama, lavishly praised her running mate, John McCain, and defended the war in Iraq. Palin also talked about her small town roots and her political ideals.

Lori Townsend, APRN - Anchorage and Michael Carey, APRN - St. Paul, Minnesota

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National watchdog group attacks Palin over ethics

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:57:30 +0000

A national watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or “CREW” is slamming Governor Sarah Palin over the firing of Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan. The group goes after government officials it believes are beholden to special interests or are breaching ethical standards. “CREW” also recently applauded the Justice Department for indicting Alaska’s Senator Ted Stevens on counts of lying about receiving gifts.

Libby Casey, APRN - Washington, DC

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He’s back - Ralph Nader on the presidential ballot in Alaska

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:56:51 +0000

Ralph Nader will be on Alaska’s November general election ballot for U.S. president. The Alaska Division of Elections has certified more than 4900 signatures of Alaska voters. Nader needed 3145 signatures. He is now on the ballot in 45 states. The 2008 election will be the fourth time Nader has run for president as a third-party candidate.

Rosemarie Alexander, KTOO - Juneau

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Denali Park road running up against usage limits

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:55:47 +0000

Denali National Park officials began the scoping process last night for a new plan for how the park’s one road ought to be used. Currently, the road has a limit of ten and a half thousand trips a year. But visitor demand is projected to hit that limit within a couple of years. Already park managers sometimes have to curtail their own staff’s movements to stay within the limit. The process will lead to new contract terms for transportation providers to bid on.

Steve Heimel, APRN - Anchorage

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New study shows Native people twice as prone to alcohol-related deaths

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:55:23 +0000

Researchers with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have released a first of its kind study of alcohol attributable deaths and potential life lost among American Indians and Alaska Natives. The study says Native people are twice as likely to die from alcohol related causes than the general population and they lose more than six years of life per alcohol attributable death.

Lori Townsend, APRN - Anchorage

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Anchorage looks to find strength in growing diversity

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:54:55 +0000

Anchorage has a highly diverse population. And according to those taking part in the second Dialogue on Race in Diversity held last night, the big question is how well can the city take advantage of the situation.

Len Anderson, KSKA - Anchorage

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Palin preparing for speech as national Republicans defend McCain’s choice

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 02:18:53 +0000

Governor Sarah Palin is preparing to accept the GOP vice presidential nomination at the party’s convention and will speak to convention goers — and the nation — tonight in St. Paul, Minnesota. Palin spent about 10 minutes this morning getting a run-through at the arena to discuss the setup for her speech.

Lori Townsend, APRN - Anchorage

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Palin / Monegan / Wooten investigation hits a snag

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 02:18:44 +0000

The legislative investigation into the events leading up to the firing of Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan is facing a setback. Senate Judiciary chairman Hollis French had established a goal of issuing a report on the investigation by the end of October. When the committee’s investigator began gathering facts, Governor Palin promised full cooperation from her administration. But French says some obstacles have come up since then.

Dave Donaldson, APRN - Juneau

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Alaska’s teacher union now led by its first rural educator

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 02:18:32 +0000

The state’s largest teacher’s union has chosen a rural Alaska educator to lead their group for the first time. A veteran Bethel teacher has been chosen as the new President of the National Education Association of Alaska.

Angela Denning Barnes, KYUK - Bethel

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Aleutian excavations revealing ancient homes housing up to 300 people

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 02:18:15 +0000

People began populating the eastern Aleutians 9,000 years ago and continued heading west over the next 6,000 years. Remnants of their ancient — and not so ancient — village sites can still be seen in the Aleutians today, if you know what to look for.

Anne Hillman, KIAL - Unalaska

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University of Alaska accepting $1 million from Chevron

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 02:18:06 +0000

The University of Alaska (UA) announced yesterday that the oil company Chevron is giving the university $1 million in two $500,000 gifts.

Mike Mason, KBBI - Homer

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UAF enrollment falling on fears of winter fuel costs

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 02:17:49 +0000

High energy costs and concern about the upcoming winter are affecting enrollment at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). Tim Barnett, Vice Chancellor for student enrollment services at UAF, says overall student numbers are down slightly and most of that seems to be in non-degree-seeking students who typically take a class or two to upgrade their employment status.

Dan Bross, KUAC - Fairbanks

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Alaska weatherization program facing backlog of applicants

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 02:17:43 +0000

An office set up in Fairbanks to provide information on state energy efficiency and assistance programs is getting heavy interest. The Portal on Retrofits, Training and Loans was established to help people take advantage of the state-funded assistance. Portal Program liaison Michael Berrie says there’s a backlog of people trying to take advantage of weatherization and rebate programs.

Dan Bross, KUAC - Fairbanks

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Beaufort Sea survey finding fish moving north to Arctic waters

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 02:17:29 +0000

Fisheries biologists are back from a month-long trip to study fish species in the Beaufort Sea. They were looking at what types of fish inhabit the Beaufort and how plentiful they are. Global warming is already forcing more and more animals, including fish, north to the Arctic Ocean. The only previous survey of fish species in the area took place in the 1970’s.

Beaufort Sea survey program - NOAA

Lori Townsend, APRN - Anchorage

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North Slope Alaskans on the lookout for growing walrus haul-out numbers

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 02:17:16 +0000

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is asking North Slope residents to be on the lookout for walrus hauling out on shore. At this time last year, as many as 6,000 walrus crowded along Alaska’s Chukchi Sea coast when they ran out of ice to forage from. Joel Garlic Miller is a walrus biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Anchorage. He says the sea ice this year has lingered around longer, but there isn’t much left.

Annie Feidt, APRN - Anchorage

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Reports say FBI recorded more than 100 phone conversations with Ted Stevens

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:21:05 +0000

Attorneys for Senator Ted Stevens say the FBI recorded more than 100 of the Republican lawmaker’s phone conversations. Jurors could hear those calls later this month when Stevens stands trial on charges of lying about hundreds of thousands of dollars in home renovations and other gifts he received from an oil contractor.

Associated Press/Lori Townsend, APRN - Anchorage

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Governor Palin keeps a low profile at Republican convention

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:20:27 +0000

Republican National Convention got into full swing in St. Paul, Minnesota today after being largely on hold yesterday as hurricane Gustav hit Louisiana. President George Bush was scheduled to address delegates by video link up. Former Senator Fred Thompson and Independent Senator Joe Lieberman were also in the line up. But the big news continues to be Alaska Governor Sarah Palin - John McCain’s running mate.

Lori Townsend, APRN - Anchorage and Michael Carey, ARPN - St. Paul, Minnesota

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29 Alaska delegates ready for Republican convention

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:19:53 +0000

29 Alaskans are attending the Convention in St. Paul. Former State Legislator Nick Stepovich of Fairbanks is one of them. Stepovich says the selection of Sarah Palin has made quite a splash at the convention.

Dan Bross, KUAC - Fairbanks and Annie Feidt, APRN - Anchorage

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Mixed reviews for Palin from fish country

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:19:15 +0000

When she ran for Governor in 2006, Palin received broad support from the state’s fishing industry. She touted herself as a commercial fisherman, having worked at her family’s setnet site in Bristol Bay. But reaction from Alaska fishermen to her new roll on the Republican ticket has been mixed.

Casey Kelly, KMXT - Kodiak

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Aleutian volcano makes dramatic topographical changes

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:18:34 +0000

When Kasatochi volcano erupted last month, it did more than release massive clouds of ash and sulfur – it remade the face of the island.

Anne Hillman, KIAL - Unalaska

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Regulatory Commission of Alaska bucks Bush administration

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:17:52 +0000

State regulators last week declined to adopt the Bush administration’s system for allowing people who generate their own electricity to sell it back into the grid. But some sort of system is mandated by federal law, so the Regulatory Commission of Alaska will now have to come up with a system of its own.

Mike Mason, KBBI - Homer

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Petersburg airport to close for reconstruction

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:17:06 +0000

Petersburg’s airport is set to shut down for up to a month next spring. That will mean passengers and freight will have to travel to and from Wrangell to catch Alaska Airlines Flights. It’s part of a major project to reconstruct the runway with new safety improvements.

Matt Lichtenstein, KFSK - Petersburg

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Alaska Natives speak out on statehood anniversary

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:16:20 +0000

First Alaskans Institute, an Alaska Native advocacy organization is holding a series of statewide discussions on the impacts of statehood to Alaska Native people. The forums will be held in several communities over the next two months with the goal of providing a relaxed atmosphere for Native people to talk about how statehood has affected the lives of Alaska’s first people.

First Alaskans Institute

Lori Townsend, APRN - Anchorage

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VP pick Palin announces daughter’s pregnancy, requests privacy

webmaster@aprn.org (Alaska Public Radio Network) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 02:38:20 +0000

Governor Sarah Palin and her husband Todd announced today that their 17 year old daughter, Bristol, is five months pregnant. The McCain campaign says it knew about the pregnancy when Republican nominee John McCain picked Palin to be his running mate last week.

Annie Feidt, APRN - Anchorage

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