Anchorage news

• A history lesson: Anchorage’s trail system and the Nordic Skiing Association

  16-02-2017 23:27
  
  If you’ve lived in Anchorage for any amount of time, you’ve likely enjoyed biking, hiking, or cross country skiing on one of the area’s many trails. Three of the people responsible for bringing those trails to Anchorage are Jim Burkholder, Richard Mize, and Lin Hinderman. The trio are all former cross country ski coaches in Anchorage, and members of the Alaska Cross Country Ski Hall of Fame.
  When Mize and Burkholder arrived in Anchorage in the 1950s, the only place with groomed
  
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• House votes to lift Obama limits on Alaska hunting, trapping

  16-02-2017 22:31
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) – The House has approved a bill to lift some Obama administration restrictions on hunting and trapping of bears, wolves and other predators on federal lands in Alaska.
  The Fish and Wildlife Service said last year the rule will help maintain sustainable populations of bears, wolves and coyotes on national wildlife refuges across Alaska.
  Alaska Republican Rep. Don Young says the rule undermines Alaska’s ability to manage fish and wildlife on refuge lands- one-fifth of i
  
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• Dillingham drone sighting raises questions about privacy

  16-02-2017 22:04 via ktoo.org
  
  
  (Photo by Avery Lill/KDLG)https://cpa.ds.npr.org/kdlg/audio/2017/02/14_drone.mp3Michael Paisley of Dillingham was outside with his dog, when he realized that he was in the presence of an unwelcome visitor.
  “We were just standing there in the woods waiting for her to do her business when I heard a weird hum.”
  Paisley looked up to see a solid red light with green flashing lights around it.
  “I instantly realized it was a drone,” he said. “I watched it zip over our head
  
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• Baghdad bombing kills at least 45 people

  16-02-2017 21:38 via ktoo.org
  
  A bomb exploded in Iraq’s capital city on Thursday, killing at least 45 people.
  It happened on a street filled with car dealerships and garages in southern Baghdad, according to Reuters. Islamic State militants claimed responsibility in a statement released on social media that said the group was targeting Shiites Muslims.
  “This attack was on a large scale, but many similar, small bombings happen every day in the Iraqi capital, a constant bloody reminder that although ISIS no longer
  
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• Trump says he will issue ‘new executive action’ related to travel ban

  16-02-2017 21:35 via ktoo.org
  
  President Trump says his administration will continue to fight for his existing travel ban in the court system, and that he will also issue a new, “very comprehensive order” next week.
  Trump provided no details on what that new order would entail, but said it would “comprehensively protect our country.” The president made the remarks during a news conference Thursday at the White House.
  The president’s original executive order, temporarily blocking all refugees from
  
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• Lobbyist tax gets pushback in Alaska state House

  16-02-2017 21:12 via ktoo.org
  
  State Rep. Sam Kito III wants to close a $200,000 funding gap at the Alaska Public Offices Commission, or APOC, which oversees the activities of candidates, political groups and lobbyists.
  His solution: a selective income tax on lobbyists. The revenue, he says, would help with accurate and timely oversight of lobbying activities.
  “Over the recent couple of years we’ve actually, because of budget cuts, lost two lobbying staff people in Juneau … So this would be trying to b
  
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• Alaska’s gender wage gap among largest in U.S.

  16-02-2017 18:58 via ktoo.org
  
  Alaska has one of the largest wage gaps between men and women in the country, according to a new report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released Tuesday.
  Women in Alaska who worked full time in 2015 earned a median weekly pay of $787, while men earned $1,034 per week.
  That means female workers in Alaska took home about 76 percent of what their male counterparts earned.
  David Kong is a statistician with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. He said the mix of jobs available in Alaska is o
  
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• Officials work to get Fairbanks ready to host Iditarod start

  16-02-2017 18:44
  
  FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) – Preparations for the world’s most famous sled dog race are underway in Fairbanks now that the race’s official start has been moved from the Anchorage area.
  Iditarod officials announced the switch last week due to low snow conditions in the Alaska Range.
  The Fairbanks North Star Borough has been working with several agencies to coordinate the event, which is expected to draw thousands, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner said.
  The race starts March 6 on
  
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• Governor issues disaster declaration on Alaska’s opioid epidemic

  16-02-2017 18:23 via ktoo.org
  
  Gov. Bill Walker declared on Wednesday Alaska’s opioid epidemic a state disaster and ordered state and federal money for overdose medication.
  In the declaration, Walker said the opioid epidemic goes “beyond the timely and effective response and recovery capability of local resources.”
  The declaration will cost $4,058,316 from regular appropriations for the Department of Health and Social Services and from federal grants to fund naloxone distribution statewide. Naloxone is a dru
  
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• Midtown Anchorage apartment fire kills 2, displaces many

  16-02-2017 18:19 via ktoo.org
  
  
  Firefighters put out the smoldering blaze at Royal Suites Lodge in midtown Anchorage on Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Anne Hillman/Alaska Public Media)
  A midtown Anchorage apartment building caught fire early Wednesday morning, killing two people and injuring 16 others.
  A portion of the three-story Royal Suite Lodge on Minnesota Drive in midtown has collapsed from the blaze, and the cause is currently unknown.
  http://media.aprn.org/2017/ann-20170215-01.mp3
  Late Wednesday morning, firefighters were st
  
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• Studies reveal effectiveness of cooling caps in fighting chemo-induced hair loss

  16-02-2017 07:40
  DigniCap® Scalp Cooling SystemCourtesy DigniCap(.com)
  Hair loss has seemed an unavoidable side effect of chemotherapy. But on Tuesday, two new studies gave hope to breast cancer patients.
  For up to five hours during chemotherapy, a cooling cap pumps a below-freezing coolant into a helmet surrounding Tami Richardson’s scalp. She’s been undergoing chemo to treat her stage IV breast cancer for several weeks.
  “How does it feel on your head? It’s cold,” CBS New
  
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• It’s safety first for the Iron Dog Race

  16-02-2017 07:11
  
  Two thousand and thirty-one miles — that’s the distance of the Iron Dog Race. It will start at Big Lake on Sunday after a ceremonial day Saturday in Anchorage. The trail will take them to Nome, then back to Fairbanks.It’s a long way and a lot can happen. But the 2017 Donlin Gold Safety Expo Wednesday at Cabela’s will go just as far to mitigate any problems. 
  Danny Hester is a volunteer inspector ensuring each racer meets the al
  
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• Alaska Weather Forecast – Feb. 15, 2017

  16-02-2017 07:11
  
  Meteorologist Carlos Faura has the latest on today’s weather conditions and what we can expect for the rest of the week.
  Follow KTVA 11’s Weather Team on Facebook and Twitter. Got a weather-related photo or story idea? Email the team at [email protected].
  The post Alaska Weather Forecast – Feb. 15, 2017 appeared first on KTVA 11.
  
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• Cat, snake and other pets found alive at Royal Suite Lodge fire

  16-02-2017 06:47
  
  Last updated at 9:28 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 15
  At least a handful of pets were rescued from a large, fatal fire on Minnesota Boulevard Wednesday, Anchorage Fire Department spokeswoman Jodie Hettrick confirmed.
  A cat rescued from the Royal Suite Lodge fire – Animal ID #A229299. Courtesy Anchorage Animal Care and Control
  She said fire crews found a cat, a few goldfish and a boa constrictor at the Royal Suite Lodge and called the Anchorage Animal Care and Control to assist with their removal
  
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• Heart Failure Awareness Week: How to recognize symptoms and prevent heart failure

  16-02-2017 06:09
  
  This week is Heart Failure Awareness Week, a week dedicated to recognizing the signs and symptoms of heart failure. Most people don’t know that it happens gradually, not all at once like a heart attack.
  According to Dr. Ankie Amos, heart failure is categorized as damage to the heart so that the heart can’t pump blood, or the chambers have issues filling up. That causes fluid to back up, which can cause swelling in a patient’s ankles or stomach.
  One sign is decreased energy, ano
  
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• Budget amendments include money for fires, caseloads

  16-02-2017 05:58
  
  Gov. Bill Walker’s administration is seeking another $15 million for firefighting costs this year and additional funding for a state agency representing defendants charged in connection with a high-profile murder case.
  The Office of Public Advocacy is seeking $120,000 for an increased caseload. It is representing defendants who face charges in connection with the killing last fall of Palmer teenager David Grunwald.
  The total supplemental spending request is about $8.9 million less than Wal
  
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• Taxi driver kicks out fare who has Medicaid voucher

  16-02-2017 05:51
  
  He said he was kicked out of a cab because he didn’t have cash, but what Cory Martin did have should have gotten him a free ride.
  Martin lives in the tiny town of Chistochina on the Tok Cutoff Highway. He broke his back a little more than a year ago.
  “A Ford Explorer fell on top of me while I was changing a flat tire,” Martin explained. ” I got pinned underneath. It was a pretty bad ordeal.”
  Martin was prescribed potent painkillers that require constant monitoring.
  
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• Bill to bring Uber to Alaska runs into roadblocks in Alaska Senate

  16-02-2017 05:27
  
  Uber and other ride-sharing networks are showing an interest in Alaska — and people in Juneau, in them.
  “I think it would be great, I’ve got to use it before and I think it’s really nice,” said Larry Walsh, a traveler at the Juneau International Airport.
  “It seems like a good, quick experience. I just used it in Seattle, lots of places, I’ve used them and they work great,” said Juneau resident Susan James.
  But before Alaska can get ride-sharing net
  
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• Victims of fatal Royal Suite Lodge fire thought it was ‘another’ false alarm

  16-02-2017 05:05
  
  The American Red Cross of Alaska says it’s helping 50 people displaced by the fatal Royal Suite Lodge fire. Many of the victims will stay the night at the Spenard Community Recreation Center, where the nonprofit has set up a temporary shelter.
  Volunteers with the Red Cross have been working since around 3 a.m. to provide the victims with food, shelter and support. Many people at the shelter say they are still processing what happened.
  When the fire alarm first went off, some residents
  
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• Questions raised over new tanker escort tugs for Prince William Sound

  16-02-2017 03:58 via ktoo.org
  
  Crowley Marine Services currently holds the contract to provide oil tanker escorts and spill response and prevention in Prince William Sound. (Photo by Eric Keto/Alaska’s Energy Desk)
  A watchdog group is raising questions about whether new tugboats planned for Prince William Sound are up to the job of escorting oil tankers through the region.
  The new tugs are part of a major transition taking place in the system set up to prevent oil spills after the Exxon Valdez.
  Last year, Alyeska Pipeli
  
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• Environmental group to sue Hilcorp over Cook Inlet gas leak

  16-02-2017 03:31 via ktoo.org
  
  Still from footage taken by a helicopter of a gas leak in Cook Inlet, obtained by the environmental group Cook Inletkeeper. (Image courtesy Cook Inletkeeper)
  Footage taken from a helicopter provides a look at a gas leak first reported last week in Cook Inlet. The video, emailed to reporters by environmental group Cook Inletkeeper, shows gas steadily burbling to the water’s surface as chunks of ice float nearby.
  Hilcorp, the biggest oil and gas producer in the Inlet, owns the pipeline.
  
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• New bill from House lawmaker would hike minimum tax on oil industry

  16-02-2017 02:37 via ktoo.org
  
  Rep. Les Gara, D-Anchorage, during discussions about the state operating budget shortly before the House Finance Committee passed it, March 9, 2016. (Photo by Skip Gray/360 North)
  A state House lawmaker has released another bill proposing changes to the state’s oil and gas tax credit regime. Anchorage Democrat Les Gara debuted his bill, called the “Fair Share for Alaska’s Oil Act,” on Wednesday.
  Among the changes proposed in the bill is an increase in the state’s cu
  
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• Alaska anglers can now get sport fishing updates sent to their email

  16-02-2017 02:35
  
  The Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Sport Fish says anglers can now get updates on their favorite fishing holes in their inbox, thanks to a new email subscription service.
  The service will provide regional news releases, emergency orders and other fishing information to email subscribers, according to a statement from the division. Subscribers can select only their region of interest or multiple areas, depending on their preference.“We’re pleased to be abl
  
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• Reserves, dividends would be gone in 10 years without action, lawmakers told

  16-02-2017 02:27 via ktoo.org
  
  David Teal, fiscal analyst for the Alaska Legislature, runs through various budget models related to House Bill 115 for the House Finance Committee on Wednesday. HB 115 creates a state income tax, draws money from the Permanent Fund for the state budget and introduces a new formula for setting the amount of the Permanent Fund dividend. (Photo by Skip Gray/360 North)
  Alaska’s budget reserves could be gone in 10 years if the state government doesn’t take action to balance its
  
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• ATF joins investigation into fatal Royal Suite Lodge fire

  16-02-2017 02:24
  
  Last updated at 4:42 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 15
  The Anchorage Fire Department is investigating a large structure fire that claimed at least two lives early Wednesday. The Anchorage Police Department identified one of the victims as 38-year-old Teuaililo G. Nua, who worked at the Cordova Center halfway house.
  AFD spokeswoman Jodie Hettrick said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has joined the investigation into the fire. Hettrick said based on repor
  
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• Woman killed in Tudor Road car crash identified

  16-02-2017 02:00
  
  Part of Tudor Road near the New Seward Highway was closed Thursday following a fatal crash. (Jared Mazurek / KTVA)
  Last updated at 4:08 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 15
  A woman was killed in a late-Thursday morning car crash on Tudor Road, according to the Anchorage Police Department. She has been identified as 74-year-old Lynn E. Lewis, of Anchorage.
  Police said they were called to East Tudor Road and Shelikof Street at 11:18 a.m. In a release the agency wrote, “Initial indicati
  
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• Yahoo issues new security warning to users

  16-02-2017 01:19
  
  Yahoo is warning users of potentially malicious activity on their accounts between 2015 and 2016. It’s the latest development in the internet company’s investigation of a mega-breach that exposed 1 billion users’ data several years ago.
  It’s not clear how many users were affected by the malicious activity, which involved the use of forged cookies – strings of data which can be used to allow people to access online accounts without re-entering their passwords.
  Yahoo
  
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• Workforce Wednesday: Looking to the past to understand future careers

  16-02-2017 01:18
  
  University of Alaska Fairbanks professor Terence Cole has been looking to Alaska’s past to gain insight into the future of careers in our state. What he found was that most jobs that were available more than a century ago don’t exist anymore, and that people need to be instilled with a willingness to adapt change.
  “Life is a series of one adaptation after another, and the dramatic changes that have taken place in Alaska over history drive that lesson home like nothing
  
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• IRS impostor scam robs elderly Americans out of life savings

  16-02-2017 01:08
  
  It’s the top complaint to a U.S. Senate hotline for seniors: fraudsters posing as IRS agents, threatening arrests and demanding money.
  A Treasury Department official told lawmakers Wednesday that more than 10,000 people have reported falling prey to the so-called “IRS impersonation scam,” many of them elderly Americans.
  Phillip Hatch, who is 81, told a Senate panel via video that he received one of those calls at home in Portland, Maine. The caller told him there was a mistake
  
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• Ask a Climatologist: This winter’s alarming record low Arctic sea ice

  16-02-2017 00:54 via ktoo.org
  
  This winter, Arctic sea ice extent is at record lows. (Graphic Courtesy of Zack Labe/UC Irvine)
  During a normal winter sea ice grows quickly in the Arctic Ocean, filling up nearly the entire ocean basin. This year though, unusually warm weather and storms are keeping the sea ice extent at record lows.
  Climatologist Brian Brettschneider says Arctic sea ice is in pretty sad shape.
  “Most of the last 200 days, the sea ice has achieved a daily record low,” he said. “So even though i
  
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