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Alaska Permanent Fund Value, on alaskajournal.com
30,766,500,000
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June 30, 2009
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Oil Tracker
Oil Tracker 66.98
--2.58

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Oil Tracker 3.49
--0.14

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Friday 1:20 pm, July 3, 2009


Palin resigning as Alaska governor

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said Friday she is resigning from office at the end of the month, raising speculation that she would focus on a run for the White House in the 2012 race.


News Stories


Begich talks politics, goals for new job
Alaska Sen. Mark Begich said he and his colleagues in the Senate are digging into a massive 1,300-page climate and energy bill passed by the U.S. House June 26 to understand its impacts and to put their own imprint on the bill.


Northwest borough makes offer to buy Red Dog road, port
The Northwest Arctic Borough has made a new proposal for acquiring or gaining an interest in the Red Dog mine road and port owned by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, the state corporation that owns the facilities that support the mine's operations.

First day of Iditarod sign-up lures 60 mushers
WASILLA - Sixty dog mushers, led by three-time defending champion Lance Mackey of Two Rivers, have signed up for the 38th running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Aviation training developed to help Alaska air tour pilots
In an effort to improve air tour safety in Alaska and Hawaii, several groups have joined the Federal Aviation Administration to create a new training and terrain awareness simulation program for commercial pilots new to Alaska.

Mat-Su firm to appeal incineration decision
A Matanuska Valley firm ordered by federal authorities to stop incinerating hospital, medical and infectious wastes feels it is in compliance with the Clean Air Act and plans to appeal the case, an attorney representing the owners said June 29.


Applied Microsystems nabs big idea contest
Anchorage-based Applied Microsystems Inc. is the official winner of the Big Idea contest, landing five years of free high-speed bandwidth, compliments of Alaska Communications Systems Inc.


Burns' new documentary notes Alaska national parks
Award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns, with his new documentary on America's national parks, has touched the hearts of Alaska's conservationists and the tourism industry, both with their own personal passions for seeing these parks thrive for generations to come.

Oil and Gas

Exxon will pay interest in oil spill case; still disputes court fees
Exxon Mobil Corp. said it will not appeal a court decision requiring it to pay millions of dollars in interest on $507.5 million in punitive damages stemming from a 1989 oil spill in Prince William Sound.


Iraqi oil licensing round runs into trouble

Iraq's hopes for an oil-revenue fueled postwar recovery suffered a sharp blow June 30 as the foreign oil companies it counted on to help develop its vast reserves greeted the country's first oil auction in over 30 years with grumbles and just one deal.


Fisheries

Sockeye salmon making a strong, early showing in Bristol Bay
Bristol Bay's famed sockeye salmon run started showing signs of a strong return in mid-June, and by June 29 the bay's harvest surpassed 8 million reds, more than double the return by that date a year ago.

Commerce Corner

Risks of another Madoff-style scam
WASHINGTON (AP) Monday, June 29, brought some closure to Bernard Madoff's victims, who were swindled out of $65 billion in the largest recorded financial fraud a scheme that was exposed in part because the plummeting stock market led investors to demand repayment of money that was long gone.


New trend: Meet the 'transumer'
Cassandra Smith spends $800 a month renting designer handbags and leases a luxury condo in downtown Miami. Environmentalist Zoee Turrill helped create a bike-sharing program at the University of Denver.

Opinion

Editorial: Let the Kensington mine gold rush begin
The U.S. Supreme Court's 6-3 decision upholding the Army Corps of Engineers' interpretation of the Clean Water Act will allow the Kensington Gold Mine, at long last, to resume production. With tourism down and effects of the recession being felt in most Juneau homes and businesses, the news couldn't have come at a better time.


Opinion: Palin explains, one more time, about federal energy funds
It is important for Alaskans to know that while state legislators resolved to accept all federal stimulus funds, I vetoed $28.6 million for state energy programs because it came with conditions.

Opinion: Miners; Vet the science before making climate decisions
The issue of human-generated impacts on climate has been unfortunately politicized with responsible scientists arrayed on both sides of the issue. It is the view of many Alaskans, including the Alaska Miners Association, that precipitous, massive, expensive change in national policy to address an unsettled issue is unwise.

Opinion: Alaska is a good example of why public health plan won't work
Health care reform is at the top of the priority list for President Barack Obama and Congress - it should also be at the top of your list.
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