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Murkowski Not Satisfied With Response On Allen

The Associated Press

Senator Lisa Murkowski says she’s not satisfied with the explanation she received on the government’s handling of a key witness in an Alaska corruption case.

Murkowski requested an inquiry into the Justice Department’s investigation and decision not to prosecute Bill Allen on charges of transporting a minor across state lines for immoral or exploitative purposes.

In a letter to Murkowski, Assistant Attorney General Ronald Weich said Justice officials have wide discretion in deciding whether to pursue criminal charges. He said Justice’s internal ethics watchdog, charged with determining whether the decision not to prosecute Allen was based on improper factors, found further investigation of the matter unwarranted.

Allen was a key witness in an investigation that ensnared then-Senator Ted Stevens. Stevens’ conviction was tossed after the Justice Department admitted misconduct.

Biologists Trying New Ways To Eliminate Southcentral Pike

Joaqlin Estus, KNBA – Anchorage

Northern pike are native to other parts of the state, but not Southcentral Alaska. Biologists are experimenting with new tactics to wipe out northern pike that have been introduced to waterways in the area since the 1950s. They’re also working to educate the public on why it’s important not to illegally stock waterways with pike.

PFD To Invest In Rentals

Dave Donaldson, APRN – Juneau

The Permanent Fund is ready to invest $400 million toward the idea that a growing number of people don’t want to own homes.

The Fund’s Trustees have approved an investment in American Homes For Rent, a company that buys packages of single-family homes – including foreclosures – and manages them as rental units. The Permanent Fund would own as much as 80 percent of the company that already owns more than 1,000 houses nationally. The Fund’s Executive Director Mike Burns says the company sees some changing demographic groups that want alternatives to a home investment.

“Another factor due to the economic times, I think is weighing heavily on people, is their need for mobility. Someone doesn’t want to pass up on a job opportunity in Minneapolis because they can’t sell their home in Colorado Springs. So mobility is becoming…it’s a factor,” Burns said.

Burns says the investment is part of the Fund’s Special Opportunities Portfolio — saying the need for the company will exist only for a while.

“It will go away and hopefully we will never do it again — the country will never get in this type of situation again. But for a period of time, we think a window is open and we’d like to see if we could go through that window,” Burns said.

Burns says the properties the company will purchase will mostly be in areas where there are large number of homes on the market now — saying property management needs to work on a large scale to be profitable.

A final contract is under negotiations right now — and Burns says as soon as that is completed, the transaction will be finalized.

NPR Foreign Correspondent Comes Back To Alaska Roots

Lori Townsend, APRN – Anchorage

Years before I even came to Alaska much less starting working for APRN, a young man from Fairbanks made his reporting debut at KYUK in Bethel. He then went to work as host and producer of this show, Alaska News Nightly, eventually making his way to NPR in Washington DC. Corey Flintoff has spent the last decade working as a foreign correspondent for NPR in the Middle Cast. Flintoff is back in Alaska this week helping out APRN, this time as more of a celebrity than reporter. He says the stories he was reporting on during his early career are very similar to the stories in the Alaska news today.

Seattle Company Recycling Hundreds Of Junk Cars Near Haines

Margaret Friedenauer, KHNS – Haines

When hundreds of junk cars began taking over the Chilkat Valley near Haines this year, it prompted complaints from neighbors and concern in the borough about how to deal with the problem. But thanks to some coordination between the borough and a Seattle recycling company, hundreds of junk cars and piles of scrap metal have been removed from the Chilkat Valley.

Alaska Airlines Testing New Luggage-Tagging System

Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska – Juneau

Alaska Airlines is trying out a new luggage-tagging system at the SeaTac Airport. It could expand to other airports, including some in Alaska.

Customers use new kiosks to weigh their own bags and print out and attach labels. Travelers still must drop off luggage with agents and show identification.

Airline spokeswoman Bobbie Egan says it’s a small change that should save some time.

SeaTac is the airline’s largest hub, followed by Anchorage, Portland and Los Angeles.

AK: Anchorage DJ Teaches Mountain View Kids to Spin

Daysha Eaton, KSKA – Anchorage

The Mountain View Boys & Girls Club is packed with kids after school. One reason they show up is the music. There’s a room filled with instruments and a digital production studio. Now an Anchorage DJ who grew up in the neighborhood is adding to the mix by sharing his craft.

300 Villages: Tatitlek

This week, were visiting Tatitlek, a tiny village in Prince William Sound, south of Valdez.  That was David Totemoff Senior, Tatitlek’s IRA Council President.

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Stevens Prosecutors Suspended Without Pay

Peter Granitz, APRN – Washington DC

Two prosecutors in the bungled corruption case of former Senator Ted Stevens have been ordered suspended without pay. The suspension comes as part of a new report on the trial. This is the harshest punishment to date.

The report runs nearly seven hundred pages and was sent to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, and Judge Emmet Sullivan. Sullivan presided over the case in 2008.

It comes from the United States Department of Justice, the agency that prosecuted the late Senator and ultimately reversed the conviction because of the prosecutors’ misconduct.

Joseph Bottini, still an assistant U.S. attorney in Anchorage, will be suspended for forty days without pay. And James Goeke, now Assistant U.S. attorney in Washington State, will be suspended without pay for fifteen days.

The two withheld information in the Stevens corruption trial that would have discredited the government’s key witness, Bill Allen. The report says the prosecutors recklessly ignored contradictory statements from Allen … and refused to share information showing Stevens was willing to pay for the construction work done on his Girdwood home.

A report from a special prosecutor released in March said no charges should be filed against the two. That report said the misconduct was completely intentional. This one, from the DOJ notes the misconduct as unintentional. It does not name any other members of the prosecution team. It says none acted with professional misconduct, though it says, without naming, one prosecutor exercised poor judgment.

Some could see suspension without pay as a slap on the wrist. The two could have lost their jobs, either way, they can appeal.

Amendment Halts Proposed Eielson F-16 Move

Emily Schwing, KUAC – Fairbanks

During the final day of mark-ups to the fiscal year 2013 budget for the Department of Defense, the Senate Armed Services Committee approved an amendment sponsored by Senator Mark Begich.  The amendment places a one-year moratorium on any action that reduces the civilian workforce on military bases, which would put a halt to the proposed F-16 move from Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks to the joint base in Anchorage.

Murkowski’s ‘Frankenfish’ Amendment Fails

Jay Barrett, KMXT – Kodiak

A vote on the floor of the U.S. Senate today turned back an amendment by Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski to require a comprehensive study before genetically-engineered salmon can be sold to consumers.

Mountaineer Dies After 2,000 Foot Fall Down Denali

Dave Donaldson, APRN – Juneau

A Finnish man died from injuries he received Wednesday skiing down Mount McKinley in Denali National Park. Ilkka Uusitalo fell while on the area known as the Orient Express – a 40-45 degree slope just below the 18,000 foot level.  Maureen McLaughlin, Public Information Officer for the Talkeetna Ranger Station says his fall ended about 2,000 feet lower at the bottom of a 60 foot crevasse.

McLaughlin says Uusitalo was part of a team with a lot of experience in ski descents in Europe.

National Park Rangers arrived on the scene about an hour after the fall and transported his body to Talkeetna.  The accident is the second fatality on Denali this season.

Young: Transparency Makes Good Government ‘Impossible’

Robert Woolsey, KCAW – Sitka

Alaska’s lone congressman says transparency is the problem with – and not the solution to – good government. Don Young took advantage of the congressional recess to visit Sitka and speak at the Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday. Besides sharing his nostalgia for the days before television cameras intruded into the capitol, the 40-year representative railed against younger Alaskan’s comfort with government largesse, and their lack of productivity.

Governor Signs Bill Giving Easier Access To Juvenile Criminal Records

Dave Donaldson, APRN – Juneau

It will be easier to get court records of juvenile offenders under a bill Governor Sean Parnell signed Thursday.

Petersburg To Ask For Reconsideration Of Redistricting Decision

Matt Lichtenstein, KFSK – Petersburg

Petersburg will ask the Alaska Supreme Court to reconsider its decision on redistricting. The City Council made that decision after consulting with its attorney in a special meeting yesterday afternoon.

AuruMar Beginning Gold Mining Feasibility Study For Nome-Area Leases

Matthew Smith, KNOM – Nome

After spending $5 million on dozens of mining leases off the coast of Nome, AuruMar Alaska Inc. will begin a two-year feasibility study next month to decide if their leases warrant large-scale gold mining operations. The company revealed its plans for the study at a public meeting last night in Nome.

‘The Green Machine’ Could Help Lower Rural Energy Costs

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

A waste heat powered generator could save costly fuel in rural villages.  The University of Alaska Fairbanks Alaska Center for Energy and Power recently completed testing of a unit called “The Green Machine”. Center rural energy specialist Ross Coen says it converts heat into electricity.

Composting Key to Clean Water

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

Large amounts of animal waste dumped into landfills and left to rot can cause environmental problems.  But composting animal waste, like horse manure, can help keep land and water clean.  As part of our occasional recycling series, KSKA’s Ellen Lockyer discovers one Palmer family that has come up with a unique exchange program that just makes good horse sense.

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Israel Keyes Attempts To Flee Courtroom

The Associated Press

The man charged with kidnapping and murdering an Anchorage barista attempted to flee today at a hearing in federal court.

U.S. marshals say 34-year-old Israel Keyes was quickly subdued.

Supervisory deputy Dave Long says handcuffs had been removed and Keyes broke leg restraints.

Long says Keyes tried to dash but was grabbed by a marshal. Long says Keyes either tried to leap over the bar separating the public from the defendant’s table or his momentum carried him over it.

Other marshals descended on Keyes.

He’s charged with abducting 18-year-old Samantha Koenig in February from the coffee stand where she worked. Her body was recovered from a lake in April.

Lawyers Wrap Up Examination Of FBI Informant In Militia Trial

Lori Townsend, APRN – Anchorage

The trial of Peacemakers militia leader Schaeffer Cox, Coleman Barney and Lonnie Vernon continued today in federal court in Anchorage. The prosecution wrapped up with their star witness, FBI informant Gerald Olsen. Richard Mauer is an investigative reporter for the Anchorage Daily News and is covering the trial. Mauer says for two days Olsen told of his observations while undercover in the militia, but today under defense cross examination, there were revelations about his character.

Anchorage Clerk Resigns As Investigation Mounts

Daysha Eaton, KSKA – Anchorage

Anchorage Municipal Clerk Barbara Gruenstein has resigned. Her resignation comes after nearly two months of controversy surrounding the April 3 Municipal Election.

Brown Bear Killed By Fish And Game

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

A young brown bear that had been a favorite subject of Anchorage area photographers the past few weeks has been killed by state wildlife officials.

Committee To Address Law of the Sea Treaty This Year

Peter Granitz, APRN – Washington DC

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry announced at a hearing Tuesday he will bring up the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea treaty this year. Both of Alaska’s Senators strongly support treaty ratification But Kerry will wait until after the November election to bring it to a vote

Top Obama administration officials have been urging the Senate to take up the 30-year-old treaty for weeks and the Senate has now officially begun what will be a long process.

The first of several committee hearings on the treaty featured the nation’s top security brass, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey.

The treaty – which more than 160 countries have ratified – regulates shipping routes and deep-sea mining. It enjoys broad support, from business groups like the Chamber of Commerce to environmental ones, like the Natural Resources Defense Council.

And because of that swath of support, Secretary Clinton took the unusual step of using her opening remarks to needle opponents of the pact who say it infringes on U.S. sovereignty.

“Well the fact that a treaty was negotiated under the auspices of the United Nations, which is after all a convenient gathering place for the countries of the world, has not stopped us from joining treaties which are in our interests. We are party to dozens of agreements negotiated under the U.N. auspices,” Clinton said.

Secretary Clinton says those focus on commerce, telecommunications and defense.

That last reason is why Secretary Panetta is making the pitch. He says the treaty expands the sovereignty of the United States – in such a size and way not seen since the country grew to include the West and Alaska.

Secretary Panetta says that as the U.S. Navy is facing a myriad of ongoing issues, from turmoil in the South China Sea, to an increased global presence in the Arctic, it will need to form partnerships with other countries to ease the burden, and that’s where the treaty comes in.

“If 160 nations have acceded to it, and we say to hell with them, we’re not going to participate in that, then 160 nations are going to determine what happens with the Law of the Sea. And we won’t be there,” Panetta said.

Only the Senate can ratify a treaty and, right now, there are at least a couple dozen skeptical Republican senators.  Senator Kerry, a vocal supporter, says moving the vote on the treaty until after the election will remove a substantive global pact away from the toxic political climate.

But if the hearing is an indication, maybe it won’t. Idaho Senator Jim Risch read a segment of the treaty that he interprets as global environmental standards, something he’d like to work around.

“After this is adopted by the Senate, if it is, how are we going to get around the fact that we agreed that we will adopt these new laws and regulations?,” Risch said.

Ideological disagreements on regulation will not be resolved by Nov. 6.

But moving the vote provides more working room. Kerry says he’ll hold hearings with industries that support the pact, and top military personnel.  That could pit Republican hold-outs groups they typically get along quite well with.

And moving the vote past the election gives two key senators a little more time to sway the skeptics – Republicans Dick Lugar and Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski. Those two supporters will have to convince a fair number of their own party to hop on because the treaty needs 67 votes to pass.

And even if they think they can get the votes – they’ll need to make the argument that the treaty is worth time in a lame-duck session that’s guaranteed to be packed from beginning to end.

Preliminary Gas Line Work To Continue This Summer

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

Preliminary work will continue this summer on an in state natural gas pipeline. That’s despite the legislature’s failure to approve $200 million, and expanded powers for the agency charged with pursuing the project, the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation.  The legislature did provide $21 million, and AGDC President Dan Fauske says that’s enough to keep the North Slope to Southcentral project going in light of new direction from Governor Parnell.

Documentary Series Combats Obesity Problem

Dave Bendinger, KDLG – Dillingham

The Alaska Health Department is using a new four-part HBO documentary on obesity to draw attention to its effort to combat the problem.

Galena Students Taking Part In Potato, Carrot Production Project

Jeremy Scott, KIYU – Galena

The school year may be over for Galena’s students but, for some, the seeds of next year’s education are already in the ground. Over 80 students from the Interior Learning Academy and Sidney C. Huntington School are taking part in the Potato and Carrot Production Project.

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Air Force To Release Report On Eielson F-16 Move

Peter Granitz, APRN – Washington DC

The Air Force is set to release a report by May 31 on relocating the F-16 squadron from Eielson Air Force Base to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. The state’s Congressional delegation is pulling out the stops to block the move.

Both Senators Lisa Murkowski and March Begich have met with Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz this week and neither seems to think the meetings were particularly encouraging.

Murkowski says Schwartz recognizes Eielson’s continued role in defending the west and north, but the report will likely advocate the move anyway.

Begich’s meeting with Schwartz left the Senator questioning the Air Force’s math … and logic.

He says Schwartz insists Anchorage can maintain the growth in population – even though, Begich contends, there’s only a two percent vacancy rate.

“If you look at the last BRAC they did, the savings and cost, the Pentagon was totally off on these before. The overestimated the savings and underestimated the cost,” Begich said.

Eielson Air Force base survived the Base Realignment and Closure Commission – or BRAC in 2005. It’s slated for a downsizing now, and the two senators have pushed legislation to block any move. Begich has also placed a hold on a key Air Force appointee until the report comes out.

The Air Force aims to move the Aggressor Squadron and about half of Eielson’s employees to JBER. And when it does, the Air Force expects to save more than $30 million over five years.

Even if the Air Force moves forward with the plan, Begich says, there’s no way it will happen. The BRAC process needs to survive Congress, and even most budget hawks won’t vote to close a base in their home district.

Court Approves Redistricting Plan For 2012 Elections

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

The Alaska Supreme Court approved a redistricting plan for the 2012 elections on Tuesday. Alaska Redistricting Board executive director Taylor Bickford says the high court has accepted the amended proclamation plan of April 5, including voting maps for Southeast Alaska districts that the high Court had previously rejected. The state Supreme Court had asked the Board to redraw the two Southeast Districts as recently as May 10, and the Board submitted the changes, but the Justices decided to reject those changes. Bickford says the justices were listening to Alaska Native objections to the recent changes to Southeast.

Bickford says all aspects of the accepted plan have passed mandatory federal Department of Justice approval.  He says the Board is pleased with today’s decision. The Supreme Court has asked the division of elections and other interested parties whether the candidate filing deadline should be moved. That matter is still unresolved.

New District Pits Southeast Incumbents Against Each Other

Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska – Juneau

The Supreme Court’s latest redistricting ruling resurrects a contest between two incumbent Southeast lawmakers.

Tuesday’s decision puts Wrangell Representative Peggy Wilson in the same election district as Ketchikan Representative Kyle Johansen. They’ll face off against each other, as well as other candidates, in the August 28^th Republican primary. The new district matchup is only in place for this year’s elections.

Wilson now represents her hometown, Petersburg and Sitka. That would have stayed about the same under the Alaska Redistricting Board’s most recent plan.

But the earlier plan, chosen by the state’s Supreme Court Tuesday, puts her in a district with Ketchikan, Saxman and parts of Prince of Wales Island.

Wilson, reached via cell phone on a trip to the Midwest, says the decision surprised her.

Ketchikan has far more people than any other community in the new district.

Johansen could not be reached for immediate comment. But in past interviews, he’s said he preferred not to run against Wilson.

Wilson feels the same way.

Wilson and Johansen face at least two other Republicans in the August primary.  Ketchikan City Council Member Matt Olsen is the only Democrat running for what will be called House District 33.

Airline Planning Direct Flights Between Russia, Anchorage

Joaqlin Estus, KNBA – Anchorage

Soon, Alaskan travelers won’t have to fly nearly around the world to get to the other side of the Bering Strait. A Russian airline company is planning to launch direct flights between Anchorage and the Russian Far East for the summer season.

Climate Warming Causing Unexpected Release Of Methane

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

Climate warming is causing the release of methane in the far north from a previously undocumented source.  Past research has found methane created by biodegradation of thawing organic matter, but a University of Alaska Fairbanks led study has confirmed a deeper, older source. UAF researcher Katey Walter Anthony describes the gas as geologic methane.

Melting of overlaying permafrost and glaciers are allowing the ancient methane to escape. Walter Anthony and fellow researchers surveyed Alaska and Greenland looking for unfrozen lakes in winter, and then checked them for gas bubbling to the surface.

Walter Anthony says lab analysis confirmed the methane was from geologic sources like coal and oil reservoirs, information which could lead to new resource exploration in some cases.  She says the volume of geologic methane could rival ecological sources of the greenhouse gas.  Methane is the third-strongest greenhouse gas behind carbon dioxide and water vapor.

Winter Rough On St. Paul Reindeer Herd

Stephanie Joyce, KUCB – Unalaska

As the Pribilof Island of St. Paul slowly emerges from a brutal winter, it’s becoming clear the cold weather seriously damaged the island’s reindeer herd. KUCB’s Stephanie Joyce reports there might be some tough times ahead for locals who rely on the animals for meat.

Scientists Still Searching For Cause Of ‘Unusual Mortality Event’

Steve Heimel, APRN – Anchorage

Investigators say this year’s subsistence seal hunters are being very helpful in the ongoing effort to find the cause of a mysterious ailment that is bringing about hair loss and lesions.  In the Nome area, about 20 animals with signs of the illness have been reported, but they don’t appear to be new cases.

Buffer Zone Established For Nome-Area Mining Permits

Ben Matheson, KNOM – Nome

Offshore gold miners near Nome will have to stay a half-mile from river mouths and keep a 300 foot distance from fishing nets this summer.  DNR and Fish and Game have drafted new stipulations for the 130 mining permits in the works. Fish and Game Area Manager Jim Menard.

The new 300-foot buffer will apply to all set nets. The stipulations add that if a mining operation creates any turbidity, they must stay 500 feet from nets.

Menard says even years have seen the biggest returns on subsistence fish over the past eight years. He says odd years typically bring in about 30 ocean permits.

DNR’s Kerwin Kraus says no final decision has been made on what recourse lessees might have. He says he has not yet spoken with the impacted miners. Kraus says the half mile rule will not affect recreational miners.

Beyond the leases, several registered claims are within the half-mile range of rivers, stretching west to the Sinuk and east to the Solomon River.  Kraus says they will be impacted.

And the DNR has hired the seasonal employee to help manage the increased mining activity. Former Police Sergeant Byron Redburn will serve in the role this summer.  The DNR is still working to find a boat for Redburn to use.

Sitka Fine Arts Camp Welcomes Adult Session

Robert Woolsey, KCAW – Sitka

After three decades, the Sitka Fine Arts Camp is striking out in a new direction. Since 1973 the camp has taught thousands of kids music, dance, theater, and art. This summer, for the first time, they’ll offer a camp for adults.

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Corey Cogdell Heading To London Olympics

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

Eagle River’s 25-year-old Corey Cogdell, is headed to the summer Olympics in London. International trap shooter Cogdell won the U.S. Olympic Trials in Tuscon, Arizona by 10 shots, beating out four other women. She hit 47 out of 50 targets at morning trials on Sunday to take the lead into the final trial. Cogdell will be the only U.S. Olympic competitor in women’s international trapshooting at the Olympics this August.

Cogdell now lives and trains in Colorado, but she grew up in Alaska. Her proud father, Dick Cogdell, remembers her earliest attempt at hitting a target with a little Chipmunk rifle.

Dick Cogdell says his younger daughter Corey learned from observing her older sister’s shooting. Corey Cogdell now hits flying targets that travel 75-80 miles an hour, shooting out from ground level bunkers that throw the bird target from different angles and directions.

Cogdell beat the 100 degree heat in Tucson by relocating there three weeks before the Olympic trials and getting acclimated.  She also prepared for windy conditions, which continued through the three-day event at the Tucson Trap and Skeet Club.

Historic Alaska Roadhouse Destroyed In Blaze

Tony Gorman, KCHU – Valdez

One of Alaska’s historic roadhouses was destroyed by fire over the weekend. Glenn-Rich Fire and Rescue responded to the blaze at the Copper Center Lodge early Sunday morning.  Firefighters were unable to save the 116-year-old roadhouse.

DNR Terminates North Slope Lease

Dave Donaldson, APRN – Juneau

The Department of Natural Resources has notified Alaskan Crude Corporation – a Texas-based oil company– that it will end the unit agreement and state lease on more than 6,000 acres near Deadhorse. However, the company took the decision to court, arguing that it still has issues under appeal from the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission and that the Department has made unilateral changes to its unit agreement. The Supreme Court has ruled against those complaints.

International Polar Year Data Coming In

Steve Heimel, APRN – Anchorage

The first results are beginning to come in from the International Polar Year – a global effort to collect scientific data on the Arctic and Antarctic that began in 2007. The National Research Council published a summary last week.

Anchorage Election Recount Results Show Confusion at Polls

Daysha Eaton, KSKA – Anchorage

An Election Recount Board has released the results of a hand recount of the votes cast in 15 precincts during the Anchorage Municipal Election. The Board spent the past couple of weeks checking paper ballots against voting machine results and voter registries.

The 12-person Election Recount Board met at City Hall Monday morning to sign off on their report. They found that most precincts were only off by one or two ballots. But Precinct 840 had 205 signatures more than ballots. Municipal Attorney Dennis Wheeler was on hand to explain.

“The voters apparently signed the voter register but also signed the question register and had their ballots placed in question envelopes. And we think we have them all accounted for with the exception of eight.  It may be, we have some evidence of this, but it may be that those eight persons could not wait in line any longer. And, although they had signed the register, they left without actually casting a ballot, which is why you have more people who have signed than ballots cast,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler said the same was true in precinct 660, where the count was off by six. The recount was ordered by the Assembly after a group of voters petitioned the Clerk’s office for it. The April 3 Municipal Election was fraught with problems. An Election Commission report blamed the Clerk’s Office for not distributing enough ballots. More than half of the precincts ran out of ballots. The Anchorage Assembly has appointed a retired judge to pinpoint what went wrong. His report, due out by June 28, will be used as a guide to improve future elections. Denise Stephens is a member of the recount board. She says the anomalies they found happened because precinct workers did not know how to handle the unusual number and varied types of question ballots that were cast when precincts ran short of normal paper ballots.

“At the precinct they didn’t have a clear understanding of what they should do with those ballots once they were cast on a non-card for their precinct or they were on a facsimile or a copy or a question, you know a sample ballot, and they were put in question envelopes. So normally, if its in a question envelope you only sign the question register. But at the precinct that day because it wasn’t a normal question envelope, they had them sign both,” Stephens said.

Assembly Chair Ernie Hall observed the Election Board’s meeting. He says he’s relieved that the recount is finished, and is ready to move the process forward.

“I’ll be anxious to see how it gets handled. My anticipation is it’ll pass,” Hall said.

The full Assembly will review the recount report and vote on whether to certify it at their regular Tuesday meeting. Election Board members will answer questions from assembly members. There will be no public testimony.

Bristol Bay Hospital Designated As Trauma Center

Mike Mason, KDLG – Dillingham

The only hospital in the Bristol Bay region is now officially designated as a trauma center.

Rural Students Say Traditional Culture, Mentorships Help Curb Suicide

Joaqlin Estus, KNBA – Anchorage

Rural Alaska Native college students say traditional culture and mentorships protect against suicide.

The National Association of Rural Mental Health held its annual convention in Anchorage last week, with sessions on issues ranging from aging and mental health to workforce development and one on Native students’ views on suicide prevention.

Bethel Gets $23 Million For Swimming Pool

Mark Arehart, KYUK – Bethel

A group in Bethel has been advocating bringing a swimming pool to Bethel for decades so community members can have a safe place to learn to swim.  Their efforts got a $23 million boost, when Governor Sean Parnell signed the state’s budget earlier this week.

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EPA Releases Bristol Bay Assessment

Dave Bendinger, KDLG – Dillingham

The Environmental Protection Agency has released a draft document intended to inform their decision making process in regards to large mining projects in the Bristol Bay region.

Defense Authorization Facing Presidential Veto

Peter Granitz, APRN – Washington DC

Representative Don Young voted to increase Pentagon spending on Friday. Defense authorization is facing a veto from the president.

Arrow Refuse To Offer Curbside Recycling In Juneau

Casey Kelly, KTOO – Juneau

The state-regulated company that collects garbage in Juneau will start offering curbside recycling next month.

Arrow Refuse plans to pick up comingled materials, including paper, cardboard, metal cans, and plastics, but not glass. Customers can opt-in to the service for $3.11 a month.

Many Juneau residents have long clamored for curbside recycling. But not everyone is convinced that Arrow Refuse’s service is right for the community.

Kuskokwim River Breakup Less Extreme Than Expected

Angela Denning-Barnes, KYUK – Bethel

Although dozens of people were evacuated, breakup on the Lower Kuskokwim River was a lot less eventful than what experts had expected.

Bethel Hold Breakup Bash

Mark Arehart, KYUK – Bethel

From an ice standpoint, the Lower Kuskokwim breakup may have been quick, but in the eyes of residents along the river, it was a long time coming.  In Bethel dozens and dozens of people even gathered together for a riverside party.

Air Station Sitka Changes Command

Ed Ronco, KCAW – Sitka

Commander Ward Sandlin took over as commanding officer of Air Station Sitka on Wednesday. The top job changes every two years. Sandlin replaces Commander Doug Cameron.

AK: Climate Change

Johanna Eurich, KNBA – Anchorage

Alaska Natives living in some arctic coastal communities became the nation’s first climate change refugees when the loss of protective ice, exposed them to huge waves and storm surges, making it too dangerous to remain in their homes.  But inland villages are also feeling the affects of global warming. Melting permafrost is devastating the delta community of Selawik. To find out how residents are coping, Johanna Eurich visited the village, where the land is sinking and eroding.

300 Villages: Nenana

This week, we’re featuring Nenana, the interior village that’s home to the famous ice classic lottery. The community is located where the Nenana and Tanana rivers meet. Robin Campbell is Tribal Administrator in Nenana.

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Federal Government Unprepared To Deal With Tsunami Debris

Peter Granitz, APRN – Washington DC

The federal government is woefully unprepared for the tsunami debris washing ashore. Government officials testified on Capitol Hill on Thursday, and complained their agencies are underfunded, under-staffed and haven’t done nearly enough research.

Native American Energy Act Passes Committee Vote

Emily Schwing, KUAC – Fairbanks

The House Natural Resources Committee Wednesday passed Alaskan Congressman Don Young’s Native American Energy Act.  Among other actions, the bill establishes five Indian Energy Development Offices within the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  Young says the legislation also hold plaintiffs, rather than defendants, liable when an energy development project on Indian or Alaska Native Corporation land is delayed by what he calls “frivolous” lawsuits.

Representative Young also passed an amendment to his bill that voids a Department of Interior rule dealing with hydraulic fracturing on tribal lands unless the land owner gives express consent.

Young says the fracking rule makes tribal lands less competitive for development.  He told the Committee he is concerned that bureaucracy keeps too many energy development projects on native lands from moving forward. There is no word on when the bill will be heard on the House Floor.

Prosecution Presenting Evidence, Witnesses In Militia Trial

Lori Townsend, APRN – Anchorage

The trial of Peacemaker’s militia leader Schaeffer Cox and militia members Coleman Barney and Lonnie Vernon continued today in Anchorage. The prosecution is still presenting evidence and witnesses. Yesterday jurors heard from a former militia member who became alarmed at Cox’s behavior and another man who said he’d still take orders from Cox.  Sam Friedman is a reporter for the Fairbanks Daily News Miner and has been covering the trial. He says Philip Clark’s testimony started with his recollection of meeting Schaeffer Cox in 2009.

Nearby Residents Won’t See Effects Of F-22 Flight Restrictions

The Associated Press

The Air Force says people who live near F-22 bases shouldn’t see significant changes in how or where the aircraft are flying following new restrictions that will limit how far away from bases the stealth fighter jets can fly.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta ordered the restrictions on Tuesday as the Air Force attempts to figure out what’s causing pilots in the jet to experience dizziness and other symptoms of oxygen shortages while flying.

The F-22 is stationed in Alaska, Hawaii, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico and Virginia.

Fairbanks Soldiers Celebrate Return From Deployment

Emily Schwing, KUAC – Fairbanks

It’s been a busy week for soldiers that make up the First Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25^th Infantry Division. Wednesday, the soldiers celebrated their return from Afghanistan after a after a year-long deployment.

Memorial Honors Fallen Ft. Wainwright Soldiers

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

A memorial service was held on Ft. Wainwright yesterday to honor soldiers killed during the Stryker Brigade’s deployment to Afghanistan.

St. Lawrence Island Elder Started Studying Climate Change Independently

Johanna Eurich, KNBA – Anchorage

In the annals of climate change, there’s a story that stands out. It’s about a hobby that created a scientific legacy.  Leonard Apangalook has a masters in the traditional ways of his ancestors on the Bering Sea’s remote Saint Lawrence Island.  He like other Native hunters noticed the climate was changing but he went further. He stared writing his observations down.

Herring Fishery Hampered By Weather, Unripe Fish

Mike Mason, KDLG – Dillingham

The largest herring fishery in Alaska has been hampered the last few days by weather and unripe fish.

‘Yarn Bomb’ Covers UAA Statue

Heather Aronno, APRN – Anchorage

When you hear here the word “graffiti,” you don’t necessarily associate it with something cozy. But if you’re looking at a yarn bomb, that’s essentially what you’ve got. Yarn bombing, also known as guerilla knitting, involves covering public structures or objects in a colorful, non-permanent way. And UAA just got tagged.

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Cook Inlet Oil, Gas Lease Sale Nets Over $6.8 Million

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

State officials say Wednesday’s Cook Inlet oil and gas lease sale netted more than $6.8 million. Preliminary results indicate the sale is the second largest in Cook Inlet in a dozen years. Bill Barron, state Department of Natural Resources oil, says an gas division director, says five groups bid on 44 tracts.

The three primary bidders at today’s sale were Apache, Cook Inlet Energy, and a new player in Cook Inlet, Hillcorp.

Barron says the increased interest in Cook Inlet resources could be attributed to Apache’s earlier exploration efforts

State tax incentives have played a role in luring new development to the Inlet.  There’s no tax on Cook Inlet oil production.  Producers do pay a 5 percent royalty on new discoveries for the first 10 years. Barron says after today’s lease sale, it takes about a year before exploration can begin.

Naknek Residents Take On Logistical Recycling Endeavor

Dave Bendinger, KDLG – Dillingham

Recycling in rural Alaska can be an expensive logistical endeavor. And as recyclable material makes its way to local landfills, some electronics can threaten groundwater supplies. As part of our ongoing series on recycling across the state, KDLG’s Dave Bendinger looks at one Naknek resident’s effort to establish an economically viable means to recycle electronics in Bristol Bay.

Work Between Native Hunters, Biologists Lays Groundwork For Future

Johanna Eurich, KNBA – Anchorage

Climate change is causing ice withdrawal and creating stress for animals that live on it. When sick seals started showing up on the beaches off Barrow last July, some saw it as the latest evidence of global warming.

As part of our series on climate change, Johanna Eurich reports that tracking clues behind the ring seal’s sickness created an international effort, with Native hunters working with biologists in a way that may provide a model for responding to future changes in the Arctic.

Shell Oil Hopes To Begin Exploratory Drilling This Summer

Lori Townsend, APRN – Anchorage

Shell Oil officials are hoping to begin exploratory drilling in the Chukchi Sea this summer, searching for off shore oil and gas. Environmental organizations have filed suit throughout the permitting process, claiming not enough is known about the fragile arctic ecosystem. But Shell leaders say there is a substantial amount of science from numerous sources that has been compiled over at least four decades. Michael Macrander is the lead scientist for Shell Arctic research. Shell is using acoustic monitoring to better understand how whales respond to noise. This is a sample of the whale calls they’ve recorded.

Another Weak Yukon River Chinook Run In The Forecast

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

Another weak king salmon return is forecast for the Yukon River.  Alaska Department of Fish and Game Yukon area management biologist Steve Hayes says this summer’s Chinook run is predicted to be up to 146,000 fish, in line with weak runs since 1997.

Bald Eagles Back On The Attack

Alexandra Guiterrez, KUCB – Unalaska

In Unalaska, there are a few big signs that spring has arrived. The crocuses are coming up, the snow is starting to melt, and most significantly, the bald eagles are on attack. As KUCB’s Alexandra Gutierrez reports, trouble with the birds has started up again.

Anchorage Residents React To Morning Quake

Heather Aronno, APRN – Anchorage

An earthquake struck Anchorage this morning just as many residents were beginning their day. The 4.7 magnitude quake shook the city at 7:03 a.m.. There were no reports of damage, but the earthquake was centered right in town, so it felt very strong to most residents.

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Breakup Proving Tough On Kwethluk

Angela Denning-Barnes, KYUK – Bethel

Breakup has been harder on the Lower Kuskokwim than the Upper River this year.

Fifteen miles upriver of Bethel, the village of Kwethluk is flooding in all low lying areas. It has been for a few days now. Thirty-one elderly and chronic care patients were evacuated to Bethel before waters closed off the airport road.

Activists Protest Arctic Ocean Exploratory Wells

Peter Granitz, APRN – Washington DC

Activists in Washington, D.C. are urging President Barack Obama to stop Shell Oil from drilling exploratory wells in the Arctic Ocean this summer. They organized a small protest at the White House Tuesday.

Groups Sue To Protect Cook Inlet Beluga Whales

The Associated Press

The Native Village of Chickaloon, The center for Biological Diversity and two other groups are suing the National Marine Fisheries Service, claiming the federal agency’s permit for oil exploration will hurt endangered beluga whales in Cook Inlet.

The groups say NMFS improperly granted the permit to Apache Alaska Corp. for seismic exploration.

A survey last June counted 284 whales.

NMFS spokeswoman Julie Speegle says the agency can’t comment on pending litigation.

Murkowski Scores Additional Funding For Veterans

Mike Mason, KDLG – Dillingham

Alaska’s Senior U.S. Senator was successful inserting additional funding for veterans in legislation being considered in the Senate on Tuesday.

$107 Million To Be Spent On Pebble Permitting

The Associated Press

The Pebble Mine is being prepared for permitting later this year.

Mining company Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. announced Tuesday that $107 million has been approved to prepare the mine in southwest Alaska for permitting, with the process beginning in the fall.

Pebble is a huge copper and gold deposit that sits near some of the world’s last and best wild salmon-producing rivers. Supporters say the project will provide good jobs for years. But opponents say the mine poses an unacceptable danger to salmon, the region’s valuable renewable resource.

Northern Dynasty President and CEO Ronald Thiessen said meetings will be held with stakeholders in the fall.

JPARC Public Hearings Continue This Week

Rex Gray, APRN Contributor

Public hearings are continuing this week on the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, or JPARCs plan to modernize and enhance training areas in the state. Monday night, two dozen people attended a hearing at the Palmer train depot.

Elders Saw Climate Change Coming Early

Johanna Eurich, APRN Contributor

Long before climate change dominated headlines, Alaska Native elders noticed that major shifts were taking place in their environment.  It is not surprising that people living in remote place depending on wild fish and game should have a sophisticated and intimate knowledge of the weather and its impacts on the wild food they depend on.  But the elders went further.  Forty years ago, elders advised the young to prepare for hard times.

Contest Brings Innovative Architecture To The Aleutians

Stephanie Joyce, KUCB – Unalaska

The Aleutian Islands are soon to be home to some of the world’s most cutting-edge architecture. Last week, the International Living Future Institute announced the winners of a contest that challenged architects to design an affordable, net-zero energy home suitable for the region’s tough climate. Now, as KUCB’s Stephanie Joyce reports, the Aleutian Housing Authority is moving forward with plans to turn those designs into reality.

Anchorage Edges Closer To Glass Recycling Solution

Daysha Eaton, KSKA – Anchorage

Compared to just a few years ago it’s easier recycle in Anchorage. Since 2008, curbside recycling of paper, cardboard and plastics has spread throughout the municipality. And there are drop-off locations for other things from construction materials to electronics. But there’s one thing that people can’t recycle that they once could: glass.

Are Alaska’s Teachers Appreciated?

Alexandra Gutierrez, KUCB – Unalaska

If you use Facebook, you might have noticed your friends giving shout-outs to the teachers who have made a difference in their lives. This appreciation was part of last week’s Teacher Appreciation Week. KUCB’s Alexandra Gutierrez joined a sixth-grade class at the Unalaska City School to get the scoop on what makes a good educator, what challenges they face, and how to keep more teachers in the system.

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Groups Push For Ratification Of Law Of The Sea Treaty

Peter Granitz, APRN – Washington DC

Leaders in Washington D.C. are renewing the push to ratify a 30-year old treaty known as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The treaty’s passage could pave the way for expanded drilling in the Arctic Ocean. There’s an odd assortment of groups pushing for it in the nation’s capital.

Governor Signs Budgets And Bonds

Dave Donaldson, APRN – Juneau

The state’s spending plan for next year has been set as Governor Parnell Monday vetoed very little from the operating and capital projects budgets the legislature approved last month.

Some Federal Unemployment Insurance Payments To End

Casey Kelly, KTOO – Juneau

Some unemployed workers in Alaska are about to lose their unemployment insurance benefits thanks to federal legislation that ties the payments to a state’s unemployment rate.

Marine Toxins Finding New Habitats As Oceans Warm

Johanna Eurich, APRN Contributor

Climate change is transforming the North. As ocean waters warm fish and marine toxins normally seen down south find new habitat.  And that’s having a major impact on the people who gather wild food from the ocean, including Alaska Natives, who eat more wild protein than any other ethnic group in Alaska.  So we’re beginning our week long look at how Natives are responding to warmer lands and waters, by heading to a Cook Inlet beach at low tide.

Redistricting Board Votes To Revise Two Southeast Districts

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

The state’s Redistricting Board made short work of its agenda Monday in Anchorage, voting unanimously to revise two Southeast Senate districts as ordered by the Alaska Supreme Court.

New Management Style Allows Health Organization To Improve Care

Annie Feidt, APRN – Anchorage

A Native health care organization in Anchorage is transforming the way it does business with the Toyota management system.  Chugachmiut delivers health care and social services to seven Alaska Native villages around Prince William Sound. Executive director Patrick Anderson says the Toyota Lean management style has helped the organization free up resources to spend on improving care.

This interview is part of a reporting partnership that includes APRN, NPR and Kaiser Health News.

Communities Walk For Suicide Prevention

Len Anderson, APRN Contributor

Despite years of effort and millions of dollars in state campaigns, Alaska’s suicide rate remains at nearly double the nation’s average. On Saturday communities across the state participated in suicide prevention walks and gatherings.