Anchorage news

• Vote postponed over Juneau’s controversial ‘camping ordinance’

  24-01-2017 23:55 via ktoo.org
  
  Juneau homeless resident Everett Johnson, far left, testifies about sleeping on the streets before the Juneau Assembly on Monday. (Photo by Jacob Resneck/KTOO)
  Juneau’s controversial anti-camping ordinance that would empower police officers to crack down on homeless people sleeping downtown has been postponed until next month.
  That’s following more than 90 minutes of testimony from dozens of residents including merchants, social workers and homeless people.
  They all agreed on on
  
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• APD: 4 people shot, 1 dead in overnight shootings

  24-01-2017 23:40
  
  The Anchorage Police Department says it’s investigating multiple shootings Tuesday that happened overnight.
  According to a Tuesday afternoon release from the department, Anchorage police received a call just before 10:30 p.m. on Monday that a man had been dropped off at a hospital with a gunshot wound. The man is in serious condition at the hospital, APD stated.
  Nearly 30 minutes later at 10:52 p.m., police received a call stating that another man had been dropped off at a d
  
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• University of Alaska weighs options for academic programs

  24-01-2017 23:31
  
  The University of Alaska has released dozens of options for restructuring academic and administrative programs as part of its ongoing budget review process.
  The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports the options released Friday are part of UA’s second of three planned phases that come in response to years of cuts in state funding.
  Teams of administrators, faculty and staff have reviewed four academic programs and four administrative programs and produced reports detailing possible changes
  
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• Newscast – Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017

  24-01-2017 22:55 via ktoo.org
  
  
  http://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/ktoo/2017/01/2017-01-24-newscast.mp3In this newscast: The Juneau Assembly hears from the public about a proposed anti-camping ordinance and tries to the keep the prospect of extending the road north alive.
  
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• Trump’s move on Keystone XL, Dakota Access outrages activists

  24-01-2017 22:43 via ktoo.org
  
  The Trump administration is pushing forward on plans for two major oil pipelines in the U.S., projects that sparked nationwide demonstrations and legal fights under President Obama.
  President Trump signed documents inviting the company behind the Keystone XL pipeline to resubmit a proposal for the project, which the Obama administration rejected in 2015, and instructing the Army to expedite the review and approval process for the section of the Dakota Access Pipeline that hasn’t been built
  
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• Mental Health Trust backs off Southeast timber sales

  24-01-2017 22:33 via ktoo.org
  
  Petersburg resident Jeff Meucci points to a lands map while Ed Wood looks on during a meeting on Alaska Mental Health Trust Land Office timber sales. (Photo by Angela Denning/KFSK)
  The Alaska Mental Health Trust Land Office will not pursue timber sales at controversial sites in Petersburg and Ketchikan – at least for now.
  The Trust had planned for sales at what’s known as Petersburg P-1, as well as Ketchikan’s Deer Mountain. Both met with community opposition.
  Deputy Director W
  
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• CBJ Regular Meeting – 1-23-17

  24-01-2017 22:02 via ktoo.org
  
  
  CBJ Regular Meeting 1-23-17
  http://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/ktoo/2017/01/CBJ-01-23-17.mp3
  
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• Even before leading John McPhee down the Salmon River, Pat Pourchot had his dream job

  24-01-2017 21:42 via ktoo.org
  
  Pat Pourchot rafting an Alaskan river in the 1970s. (Photo courtesy: Pat Pourchot)
  John McPhee’s book Coming into the Country starts with a river trip: six men, nine days- floating nearly the entire length of the Salmon river in northwest Alaska. The 26 year old leading the trip was Pat Pourchot, a recent Alaska transplant who had the job of a lifetime with the Interior Department.
  As Pourchot tells it, fresh out of college, he lucked into one of the best jobs in the world. In 1972, he was
  
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• UAA indoor track and field adapting with Dome out of commission

  24-01-2017 21:39
  
  The collapse of The Dome has the University of Alaska Anchorage indoor track and field team running back home.
  “We’re going to focus on what we can do, not what we can’t do,” said head coach Michael Friess, who’s now in his 27th season. “We’re going to train hard and fortunately we’re in a sport that it’s about how strong and fast you are and that’s what we’re going to continue to focus on.”
  The coach’s program ha
  
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• Stielstra, Neese will run Yukon Quest following decision by rules committee

  24-01-2017 20:24
  
  Ed Stielstra is an Iditarod veteran. The 47-year-old’s first of eight races was in 2004.
  But as a first-time Yukon Quest racer, he’s considered a rookie, and was required to appear at a pre-race vet check Monday morning.
  According a press release by the Yukon Quest, Stielstra arrived late and was withdrawn from the race by officials.
  Fellow mushers, including Brent Sass and Hugh Neff, took up Stielstra’s cause by publicly expressing outrage on social media. Neff even threa
  
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• Trump signs executive actions advancing Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines

  24-01-2017 18:33
  
  Donald Trump signed executive orders Tuesday, including two that would advance the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines, a pair of projects that were blocked by the Obama administration due in part to environmental concerns.
  As he signed the memo, the president said of the Keystone XL pipeline that it was “something’s that’s been in dispute,” and he suggested that the pipeline construction would create 28,000 jobs.
  Republicans and some union groups who backed the proje
  
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• 2017 Oscars: And the nominees are…

  24-01-2017 17:33
  
  Last Updated Jan 24, 2017 10:30 AM EST
  The coveted list of nominees for the Oscars were announced Tuesday morning from Hollywood. “La La Land” led the pack with 14 nominations.
  Academy unveils big changes for announcing Oscar nominations
  Former Oscar nominees, including Jennifer Hudson, Gabourey Sidibe and Guillermo Del Toro, talked about what it was like to find out they were nominated before presenting the nominations for the 89th annual Academy Awards.
  The Oscars will be
  
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• 2 men taken to hospital after Muldoon shooting; 1 in critical condition

  24-01-2017 15:19
  
  Police say two men were taken to the hospital after an overnight shooting in Muldoon.
  The Anchorage Police Department was called to the area of Muldoon Road and E. 12th Court just after 1 a.m.
  One of the victims is in critical condition, according to APD dispatch.
  Because of his condition, homicide detectives were called to investigate the shooting. They closed Muldoon Road temporarily while they gathered evidence.
  This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
  The post 2 men taken t
  
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• 1 man dead, 1 man hospitalized after Muldoon shooting

  24-01-2017 15:19
  
  Updated at 1:31 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 24
  Police say two men were taken to the hospital after an overnight shooting in Muldoon.
  The Anchorage Police Department was called to the area of Muldoon Road and East 12th Court just after 1 a.m.
  Further investigation revealed the shooting happened down the street near the 100 block of Muldoon Road, says APD Lt. John McKinnon.
  One of the victims was in critical condition, according to APD dispatch Tuesday morning. Because of his conditi
  
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• New housing development set to break ground near downtown Anchorage

  24-01-2017 08:53
  
  Plans for a new housing project near downtown Anchorage are well underway, according to its developer. 
  Known as Downtown Edge, the development is part of a larger project designed to improve an area between downtown and the Port of Anchorage. Downtown Edge will consist of 28 townhouses that will boast a view of Mount Susitna, Cook Inlet and the railroad, as well as close proximity to many of downtown’s hot spots, claims Bob Petersen, president of the Petersen Group. 
  “With
  
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• Anchorage skier killed by avalanche in Canada

  24-01-2017 08:50
  
  A 32-year-old Anchorage woman died in Canada Saturday morning after she and two friends were caught in an avalanche.
  The group had been skiing in the back country near Qua Peak in British Columbia when the avalanche occurred, according to a statement from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
  “The three were described as experienced back country skiers, had avalanche training and were equipped for back country skiing,” explained RCMP Sgt. Monty Taylor. “This was their last
  
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• Troopers: Home invasion turns into homicide investigation

  24-01-2017 07:29
  
  What was initially reported by Alaska State Troopers as a home invasion and shooting has since become a homicide investigation.
  In an online dispatch published Monday morning, troopers said the incident was reported at 8:47 p.m. on Sunday in Soldotna.
  One person was injured and taken to Central Peninsula Hospital with life-threatening injuries, the Peninsula Clarion reports.
  In a later update, it was revealed that the Alaska Bureau of Investigation was conducting a homicide investigation in the
  
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• Caught on camera: Midtown store burglarized for third time

  24-01-2017 06:50
  
  Employees at the Nutz Gadget store in midtown Anchorage are frustrated. Early Saturday morning, thieves burglarized the business for the third time in less than six months. Thankfully, the store’s security cameras captured the entire incident.
  In the footage, two people can be seen approaching the store and breaking a hole in the front door’s glass. One appears to try to open the door by sticking an arm inside, but fails. The pair leaves the storefront, only to return a few minutes l
  
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• Lithium batteries the culprits in Samsung Note 7 debacle, company finds

  24-01-2017 06:28
  
  It was overheating Samsung Galaxy Note 7 incidents that prompted a worldwide recall and months-long investigation by 700 Samsung engineers.
  Over 200,000 devices and more than 30,000 lithium-ion batteries were tested.
  Samsung found that a design defect — incorrect battery positioning in the Galaxy Note 7’s upper right corner –caused the first wave of problems.
  Then some replacement devices had a manufacturing error; An abnormal weld that led to internal short circuits.
  “Tw
  
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• BP signs cooperation agreement with state to advance gas project

  24-01-2017 06:15
  
  Alaska’s plans for a liquefied natural gas pipeline got a bit of a boost Monday. Oil giant BP and the state have inked a new agreement that calls for BP to assist the state in finding financing for its gas project, known as AKLNG.
  In August, BP, ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil announced they were ending their partnership with Alaska on AKLNG, a mega-project with a price tag of $45 billion to $65 billion. All three companies said an Alaska gasline wasn’t competitive enough for them, at
  
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• Anchorage crews repair hundreds of street signs damaged by drivers

  24-01-2017 05:51
  
  Drivers having a tough time on snowy roads have been taking a toll on street signs.
  The municipality’s Paint and Sign Shop reported 971 repairs so far this winter; last winter crews repaired 1802 signs.
  As the snow piles up around town, the orders at the shop start to stack up too.
  “There’s your perfect one-way,” Charmalee Howard said as she showed off a shiny new sign.
  Howard is part of the shop’s six-person crew in charge of more than 66,000 signs in the Anchorage
  
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• Heavy snow not a big concern for Anchorage roofs yet, company says

  24-01-2017 05:47
  
  A local roofing company said most Anchorage residents don’t need to start shoveling their roofs yet, or worry too much about the snow load.
  Jason Dial, with Rain Proof Roofing, said in most circumstances, the company recommends shoveling when snow reaches a height of about 32 inches. He said most people in Anchorage still have a foot or more to go.
  According to Anchorage municipal code, roofs must be able to withstand at least 40 pounds per square foot of weight. Dial said he’s been
  
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• State considers buying ConocoPhillips LNG facility in Nikiski

  24-01-2017 05:18
  
  The Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) isn’t reaching its hand out to lawmakers for new money on the state’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) pipeline project — known as AKLNG — but it is looking at taking on a new facility.
  In a presentation before the Senate Resources Committee Monday, AGDC confirmed it is in discussions with ConocoPhillips about purchasing the oil company’s liquefaction plant in Nikiski. ConocoPhillips announced in November it was looking t
  
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• After months of controversy, Deer Mountain might not be logged after all

  24-01-2017 03:45 via ktoo.org
  
  A springtime view of Deer Mountain. (Photo by Leila Kheiry/KRBD )
  Last summer, the Alaska Mental Health Trust announced its intent to log Deer Mountain — a popular scenic spot in Ketchikan. The trust uses its lands to make money for state programs, like mental health services, housing and addiction treatment. Now with a federal land swap in the works, the trust says they’ll pass on Deer Mountain.
  From Alaska’s Energy Desk, Elizabeth Jenkins spoke with Leila Kheiry from KRBD in
  
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• Gov. Walker introduces legislation to make Alaska IDs federally compliant

  24-01-2017 03:20
  
  Gov. Bill Walker introduced legislation Monday to bring Alaska into compliance with the REAL ID Act. Without compliant identification cards, Alaskans may not be able to go on base or be allowed through security checkpoints at airports as early as June 6.
  Passed by Congress in 2005, the REAL ID Act established standards for driver licenses and identification cards nationwide in an effort to combat fake IDs and improve security by verifying ID holders’ identity and legal status in the U.S. A
  
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• Bill seeks to prevent people who aren’t convicted from having assets seized

  24-01-2017 03:20 via ktoo.org
  
  Rep. Tammie Wilson, R-North Pole, speaks in January 2016. She has introduced a bill that would set rules restricting civil asset forfeiture. (Photo by Skip Gray/360 North.)
  Lawmakers are seeking to prevent law enforcement from requiring those accused of crimes – and their family members or associates — to forfeit their property before they’re convicted.
  A bill introduced in the Legislature, House Bill 42, is part of a national trend targeting what’s known as “civil
  
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• The lure of John McPhee’s “Coming into the Country,” 40 years later

  24-01-2017 03:10 via ktoo.org
  
  
  “Coming into the Country,” John McPhee’s book about Alaska, was published in 1977, introducing readers across the country to a wild place, less than 20 years into its statehood. The book quickly became a best-seller and is still popular with tourists and Alaska residents alike.http://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/ktoo/2017/01/23LEGACY.mp3John McPhee watches as Pat Pourchot patches their kayak so they could continue down the Salmon River. McPhee traveled to Alaska in the late 1970s
  
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• Eaglecrest GM resigns, takes job at Vermont ski area

  24-01-2017 02:19 via ktoo.org
  
  Eaglecrest General Manager Matt Lillard took the job just a few days before the 2011 Discover Eaglecrest Day. (KTOO file photo)
  Eaglecrest Ski Area General Manager Matt Lillard has resigned.
  Lillard said his last day in Juneau will be March 2. He starts work as general manager at Mad River Glen in central Vermont two days later.
  “I was not looking to leave Alaska and leave Eaglecrest,” Lillard said. “I love this area and the community. But it’s an opportunity that I&rsquo
  
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• Haines Assembly to discuss next steps for manager job

  24-01-2017 02:08 via ktoo.org
  
  The Haines Borough Assembly will discuss next steps for the borough manager position at a meeting Tuesday night.
  After firing former manager Bill Seward, the assembly voted to hire Public Facilities Director Brad Ryan as interim manager.
  Ryan and Haines resident Debra Schnabel have both expressed interest in the permanent position.
  A citizen complaint that accuses the Assembly of violating resident Diana Lapham’s constitutional rights is also on the agenda.
  The complaint refers to the Asse
  
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• Alaska mariculture task force get closer to industry plan

  24-01-2017 02:04 via ktoo.org
  
  Gov. Bill Walker signed an administrative order in early 2015, creating a mariculture task force in hopes of boosting aquatic farming and fisheries. The task force has been examining all areas of the mariculture industry and will present a comprehensive plan to Walker in 2018.
  The 11-member panel has split its resources into five advisory committees over the past year.
  Among the many issues the committees have taken on are investment, infrastructure, regulatory, environmental and marketing.
  Bren
  
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• Juneau Afternoon – 1-24-17

  24-01-2017 02:00 via ktoo.org
  
  Tuesday at 3 on A Juneau Afternoon,We’ll talk about 40 years of AWAREWe’ll get the details about Thursday’s screening of the film, The Weekend Sailor;We’ll learn about the Financial Peace University with guests Caroline Malseed & Michael Rowcroft;We’ll get an update on all things CANVAS;Micheala Moore will be here to highlight the upcoming JDHS production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the ForumAnd we’ll hear Writers Almanac, Bird Note, music and
  
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• ACLU: Juneau’s proposed ‘anti-camping’ law could be unconstitutional

  24-01-2017 01:24 via ktoo.org
  
  Two Juneau Police Department officers check on a man on Telephone Hill in downtown Juneau in July 2014. A proposed ordinance would empower the police to arrest and charge anyone in the downtown core that refused to move.  (Photo by Lisa Phu/KTOO)
  The American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska has warned that Juneau’s proposed anti-camping ordinance, drafted to deal with homeless people sleeping downtown, could violate a person’s constitutional rights.
  The ordinance would
  
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• Alaska dividend bill draws support from unusual allies

  24-01-2017 00:41
  
  Legislators on opposite ends of the political spectrum are supporting an Alaska Senate bill to restore the portion of Alaskans’ oil wealth checks cut by Gov. Bill Walker last year.
  Walker vetoed half the checks after legislative sessions that focused on the state’s multibillion-dollar deficit ended in gridlock.
  Senators who want the rest of the checks restored disagree with Walker’s veto but they also have different ideas on what a fiscal plan should include.
  It remains to be s
  
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