Anchorage news

• North Korea fires unidentified projectile, South Korea says

  13-05-2017 23:54
  
  The South Korean military says North Korea launched an unidentified projectile early Sunday morning, according to Reuters.
  The news agency says the unidentified projectile was fired from North Korea’s west coast, citing a South Korean military official.
  The South Korean news agency Yonhap reported that the object appeared to be a ballistic missile but the nature of the launch was not immediately clear.
  Yonhap reports the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff did not say whether the apparent l
  
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• Sen. Dan Sullivan receives mixed reactions at town hall

  13-05-2017 23:49
  
  FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) – Sen. Dan Sullivan has become one of the many Republican congress members who have faced criticism at recent events.
  The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports (http://bit.ly/2pwf9i1 ) Sullivan got heat at his Friday town hall for comments he made on the Affordable Care Act to a largely progressive audience. Some members of the audience brought red and green placards to visually express their reactions to Sullivan’s words.
  According to the report, red was the more
  
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• Shishmaref’s new Language Nest immerses toddlers in Inupiaq

  13-05-2017 23:36
  
  Shishmaref’s Inupiaq Language Nest has officially opened its doors to its first group of young students, KNOM reported.
  Hattie Keller, now the newly appointed Inupiaq Director for Kawerak, says they have hired two staff members to teach a group of zero-to-three year olds at Shishmaref’s language nest.
  “Well, I’m overseeing right now the language nest in Shishmaref, and we have a linguist, Morris Kiyutelluk, and we have an Inupiaq immersion teacher, so she’s learning
  
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• Troopers: Kaltag man wanted for kidnapping, assault

  13-05-2017 22:23
  
  Last updated at 3:48 p.m. on Saturday, May 13
  Alaska State Troopers are asking for the public’s help locating a Kaltag man wanted on several charges, including assault and kidnapping.
  According to an agency dispatch, troopers based in Galena received a report on April 7 that that 40-year-old Arlo Olson chopped down the door at his girlfriend’s house.  Three days later, a warrant for Olson’s arrest was issued from the Galena Court House. Olson was charged with fourth-d
  
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• The new Mother’s Day must-have gift: an experience

  13-05-2017 22:01
  
  America’s biggest generation is giving Mother’s Day a makeover.
  The traditional gift may have been a bouquet and fancy brunch, but millennial moms are the most likely age group to say they want a “gift of experience” to celebrate the holiday, according to a survey from the National Retail Federation. Spending on Mother’s Day is projected to reach a record $23.6 billion by Sunday, the retail group said.
  Demands from millennials who want customized or “out of th
  
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• Vehicle crashes into Juneau home, 1 charged

  13-05-2017 21:11
  
  Courtesy of the Juneau Police Department.The Juneau Police Department said they received multiple 911 calls when a blue Dodge Caravan crashed through a home near Mendenhall Loop Road and Grant Street Friday night.
  Around 10:20 p.m., the agency said, the Caravan hit the residences’ shed and then pushed into a wall in the house.  Juneau police said the house sustained “significant damage” and other items in the shed were damaged, as well.
  Witnesses told police they saw the
  
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• ‘Sting’ operation leads to recovery of stolen bees

  13-05-2017 20:35
  
  GREAT FALLS, Montana (AP) – A Montana beekeeper has recovered hives that were stolen from him in California, thanks to an agricultural sting operation.
  Lloyd Cunniff of Choteau reported 488 hives stolen in January, after he had transported them to California for the almond pollination season.
  A tip led Fresno County authorities to find stolen hives worth $170,000 in a rented bee nursery space, a cow pasture and hidden in a drainage along a freeway.
  Fresno County Detective Anders Solis, mem
  
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• DeeDee Junrowe reacts to Sockeye verdict

  13-05-2017 08:11
  
  Victims of the sockeye fire are trying to process what the verdict means.
  Two years later, the property around musher DeeDee Jonrowe’s house still shows signs of the fire. DeeDee’s house was one of the 55 destroyed by the fire.
  Lost in the flames– 40 years of memories– including pictures of her mother, who died a month later from cancer.
  DeeDee says she accepts the jury’s decision. While she didn’t know the two acquitted of starting the fire, she say
  
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• DeeDee Jonrowe reacts to Sockeye verdict

  13-05-2017 08:11
  
  Victims of the sockeye fire are trying to process what the verdict means.
  Two years later, the property around musher DeeDee Jonrowe’s house still shows signs of the fire. DeeDee’s house was one of the 55 destroyed by the fire.
  Lost in the flames– 40 years of memories– including pictures of her mother, who died a month later from cancer.
  DeeDee says she accepts the jury’s decision. While she didn’t know the two acquitted of starting the fire, she say
  
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• This couple just got married on Mt. Everest and the photos are unbelievable

  13-05-2017 07:25
  
  CREDIT: Charleton Churchill, Adventure Wedding Photographer
  Every couple feels on top of the world on their wedding day. But one California couple just made that metaphor a reality… by literally exchanging vows on top of the world. Ashley Schmieder and her husband James trekked for three weeks, threw on a wedding gown and tux, then got married at base camp on Mount Everest. In fact, they became the first couple to ever successfully do so in traditional wedding garb.
  So, if you think your
  
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• SSA releases most popular baby names

  13-05-2017 07:15
  
  The Social Security Administration released its annual list of the 1,000 most popular baby names for 2016 on Friday. Emma was the top baby name for girls for the third year in a row, and Noah remained the top baby name for boys for the fourth year in a row.
  The top 10 girls’ names for 2016:
  Emma
  Olivia
  Ava
  Sophia
  Isabella
  Mia
  Charlotte
  Abigail
  Emily
  Harper
  And the most popular names for boys:
  Noah
  Liam
  William
  Mason
  James
  Benjamin
  Jason
  Michael
  Elijah
  Ethan
  To see a longer list of the 1,00
  
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• HAARP enjoys new era of transparency and scientific research under UAF management

  13-05-2017 06:27
  
  The High-Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP), a longtime favorite facility for conspiracy theorists, is enjoying a new era of transparency under the management of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. While the Air Force still owns the land on which the equipment sits, the military transferred responsibility for the facilities and equipment to UAF in August 2015.
  The Air Force had considered destroying HAARP until the university led an effort to save it.
  “We got a bunch of lett
  
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• Inside the Gates: Maintainers, the hidden force behind the flight

  13-05-2017 06:22
  
  When it comes to fighter jets, it’s the pilots and their planes that get the most attention. But, there is a crew of dedicated airmen on the ground who work hard to keep those planes flying.
  The moment a jet lands and rolls to a stop, there is a pit crew ready to meet it, day or night, rain or shine.
  “We are operational 24 hours a day to make sure these aircraft are ready to go,” said 1st Lt. Joel Sanchez, Asst. Officer in Charge for the 67th Air Maintenance Unit.
  They don&rsqu
  
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• Tourism expects record numbers, despite major cuts in marketing

  13-05-2017 06:17
  
  First, the good news: Alaska should expect to see more visitors this year. That’s the projection from the head of Visit Anchorage.
  “We’re expecting a very small percentage increase, probably flat to 3 percent up,” said Julie Saupe.
  That’s not the only reason to feel good.
  “Each visitor to Alaska will leave about $1000 behind in Alaska,” added Saupe.
  Anchorage could get 1 million visitors this year, and the city is not the only one expecting a high number
  
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• Does firing James Comey put Trump in legal jeopardy?

  13-05-2017 04:09
  
  WASHINGTON — The FBI is investigating meddling by the Russians in the U.S. election and whether anyone on the Trump team colluded with them. Former FBI Director James Comey was heading that investigation, so does firing him put the president in legal jeopardy?
  Within hours of President Trump’s tape tweet, a pair of top Democrats had sent a letter to the White House counsel, requesting “copies of all recordings regarding this matter.”
  “The president’s actions t
  
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• Sushi parasite on the rise, doctors warn

  13-05-2017 04:05
  
  Sushi has a healthy reputation – it can be low fat and high in protein – but a new report serves as a stark reminder that sushi made with raw fish can carry a dangerous parasite. Doctors warn that it’s becoming a greater problem in Western countries as more people eat sushi, and they documented one recent case that serves as a cautionary tale.
  The case of a previously healthy 32-year-old man from Lisbon, Portugal, is featured in the medical journal BMJ Case Reports this week. T
  
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• Pacific nations come together to talk environmental security

  13-05-2017 03:37
  
  The Alaska National Guard hosted representatives of 24 Pacific nations in Anchorage this week for the 2017 Pacific Environmental Security Forum.
  The event is a chance for civilian and military leaders to discuss managing the environment in the region, today and into the future. They shared best practices when it comes to environmental stewardship and identified partnership opportunities for militaries in the region to support environmental programs.
  AKNG Adjutant General Laurie Hummel opened the
  
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• Senate votes down state income tax

  13-05-2017 03:15 via ktoo.org
  
  Senate Finance Co-Chair Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, speaks during budget deliberations in April. He said Friday the state will likely need an income tax, but not this year. (Photo by Skip Gray/360 North)
  The Senate voted against a state income tax Friday.
  Bethel Sen. Lyman Hoffman was one of 15 who voted no. He said he believes the state will eventually require an income tax. But he said it shouldn’t happen this year.
  “We need to work on the things we can work on, the thi
  
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• Baker gets 45 years in Eagle River shootings

  13-05-2017 03:12
  
  Thursday, 35-year-old James Baker was sentenced to 45 years in prison for the murder of June McCarr and the shootings of two others in March 2015.
  Baker, of Anchorage, entered a guilty plea back in August as part of an agreement with the State. The plea deal allowed Superior Court Judge Michael Corey to sentence Baker up to 80 years in prison.
  Judge Corey handed down a 35-year sentence for the murder charge and a 10-year sentence for one count of attempted murder, though 25 years of the sentence
  
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• Pink slips go out to Anchorage teachers; more on the way

  13-05-2017 02:51
  
  With state funding up the air, the Anchorage School District is laying off teachers. Five tenured teachers got pink slips Friday, and 200 non-tenured positions are next on the chopping block.
  The non-tenured layoffs will be targeted at first-year and non-specialty teachers, according to the district. It means a sad end to the school year for many.
  “Whenever teachers are laid off it causes distress in the classroom,” said Brinna Wojtalewicz, president of the Anchorage Education Associ
  
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• Cannery worker’s body found on Twin Hills beach

  13-05-2017 02:49 via ktoo.org
  
  A body was found on a Twin Hills beach Thursday evening. James Schneider, a 56-year-old man from Oregon, worked at the Togiak Fisheries Cannery.
  His co-workers began searching for him when they noticed his absence earlier in the day, Alaska State Troopers said. He was found face down in the mud. It was apparent to Schneider’s co-workers that he had fallen 15 feet from the cannery dock during low tide.
  When troopers arrived on scene, the body had been moved because the tide was rising.
  No f
  
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• State gasline corporation raises specter of eminent domain

  13-05-2017 02:19 via ktoo.org
  
  Members of the unincorporated Kenai Peninsula community of Nikiski are weighing their options after the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation filed for federal permitting of a massive LNG project, raising the possibility of using eminent domain to get the land it needs for the project to go forward. (Photo by Rashah McChesney)
  The rumor mill in the Kenai Peninsula community of Nikiski is up and running again after the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) mailed letters to landowners la
  
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• Juneau Afternoon – 5-12-17

  13-05-2017 02:15 via ktoo.org
  
  
  Friday at 3 on a Juneau Afternoon, Andy Kline will be your host.
  We’ll talk with members of The Defibulators, playing this weekend as part of the Juneau Jazz & Classics Festival;
  We’ll learn about an Investing workshop on Monday;
  Robin Paul will be here to highlight the Crime Line;
  We’ll talk to some high school artists preparing for their show.
  That, Writer’s Almanac, Bird Note, music and more, live at 3 on KTOO, repeated at 4 on KRNN, and available on demand via kto
  
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• Verdict: Defendants in Sockeye Fire trial found not guilty

  13-05-2017 01:52
  
  The Anchorage couple accused by the state of causing the June 2015 Sockeye Fire, which burned over 7,000 acres and destroyed 55 homes throughout the Willow area, was found not guilty on all counts Friday.
  The verdict was read at the Palmer courthouse late Friday afternoon.
  Charges against Greg Imig and his wife Amy Dewitt were originally filed by the state in July 2015. Closing arguments in the case ended Wednesday. The couple faced 12 charges each for burning without a permi
  
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• Kodiak embraces commercial harvest of kelp

  13-05-2017 01:40 via ktoo.org
  
  
  Nick Mangini’s crew pictured from above following harvest. Tamsen Peeples far right. (Photo by Kayla Desroches/KMXT)
  Commercial seaweed farming could be the hot new industry in Alaska, and Kodiak is getting in on it.http://media.aprn.org/2017/ann-20170511-08.mp3
  Blue Evolution, a company from the Lower 48 that turns seaweed into pasta products, has partnered up with both Alaska and out-of-state groups to harvest and process the super food in Kodiak.
  According to Blue Evolution, the first h
  
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• Juneau Assembly to review ‘Field of Fireweed’ rezone in advance of proposed motorcross park

  13-05-2017 01:23 via ktoo.org
  
  
  Spike Bicknell, owner of the Honsinger Pond property, wants to build a motorcross park on 26 acres near the airport. Public opposition has been fierce over the loss of bird habitat.
  http://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/ktoo/2017/05/170512_Honsinger_Pond.mp3Efforts to rezone land around Honsinger Pond in advance of a proposed motorcross park is set to go before the Juneau Assembly on Monday.
  Public opposition to rezoning the former gravel pit known for its swathes of blooming fireweed was taken to t
  
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• More than 200 Anchorage teachers to receive layoff notices

  13-05-2017 00:59 via ktoo.org
  
  Amid uncertainty over state funding, the Anchorage School District is preparing to lay off hundreds of teachers.
  The district’s chief human resources officer Todd Hess said 200 non-tenured teachers will be notified by the end of the school year.
  “With the uncertainty that the school district is facing with funding, we have to be prepared to meet our financial obligations,” Hess said.
  The Anchorage School Board already has eliminated more than 90 teaching positions, which the di
  
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• Brooklyn’s Defibulators bring Honkey Tonk heart attack to Jazz & Classics Festival

  13-05-2017 00:35 via ktoo.org
  
  
  The Defibulators play the Juneau Jazz & Classics Festival on Friday, May 12 at 7:30. (Photo courtesy of the artist)
  The Juneau Jazz and Classics Festival hosts Brooklyn alt-country band The Defibulators on their final stop of a southeast Alaska tour.
  http://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/ktoo/2017/05/12JAZZ.mp3The six-piece started playing in New York’s punk bars which inspired their rowdy, high-energy sound. “You know, nothing too delicate,” banjo and
  
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• Alaska Senate votes down income tax proposal

  13-05-2017 00:30
  
  The Alaska Senate has voted down an income tax proposal approved by the House and designed to fund education.
  The Senate last Wednesday unanimously approved waiving House Bill 115 from two committees after the measure received four hearings in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee. It failed Friday primarily along party lines on a vote of 15 to 4.
  Members of the Republican majority said an income tax isn’t necessary this year, based on calculations included in their own fiscal plan&ndash
  
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