May-Issue-2 2012

 

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DHS slaps Furie with $15M Jones Act fine for Inlet jack-up rig

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has slapped a $15 million fine on Furie Operating Alaska LLC for a violation of the U.S. Jones Act over transportation of a jack-up rig to Alaska in late 2011, and has given the company 30 days to pay from May 9, the date of a letter notifying the company of the decision.
Tim Bradner, Alaska Journal of Commerce

Stocks gain on Wall Street; Facebook falls

U.S. stocks are rising, shaking off their worst weekly performance since November, as investors latched on to a relatively optimistic report from economists.
Associated Press

Europe faces difficult search for growth

On paper at least, European leaders agree: They need stronger growth measures to help their economies expand out of their 2½-year-old government debt crisis. Figuring out exactly what those new steps might be will be the hard part.
DAVID McHUGH, AP Business Writer

Party leaders refuse to budge on debt positions

Republicans and Democrats are refusing to budge when it comes to their already hardened positions on spending cuts versus tax increases to deal with the nation's debt.
Associated Press

Photo gallery: Eclipse

A rare annular eclipse took place Sunday night across the western US and Asia.
Photos by Associated Press

First Copper River Kings arrive in Anchorage

Bridge Seafood in Anchorage took the delivery this morning.
Photos by Michael Dinneen, Alaska Journal of Commerce

Postal Service to begin closing plants this summer

The nearly bankrupt U.S. Postal Service is moving forward with a multibillion-dollar cost-cutting plan that will close nearly 250 mail processing centers, saying on Thursday it can no longer wait as Congress remains deadlocked over how to help.
HOPE YEN, Associated Press

EPA: Mining could affect quality of water, fish

Failure of a large-scale mine planned near the headwaters of one of the world's premier salmon fisheries in Alaska could wipe out or degrade rivers and streams in the region for decades, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said in a draft watershed assessment released Friday.
BECKY BOHRER, Associated Press

Alaska unemployment hits 6.9 percent

Alaska's unemployment rate last month dropped to 6.9 percent, its lowest level since December 2008.
Associated Press

Parnell names Blumer labor commissioner

A special assistant to Gov. Sean Parnell has been named Alaska's new labor commissioner.
Associated Press

Begich wants more resources for tsunami debris

U.S. Sen. Mark Begich wants the federal government to provide at least $45 million to clean-up debris that will land on U.S. shores from last year's tsunami in Japan.
Associated Press

Facebook stock up slightly in public debut

Facebook is trading below its opening price in its debut on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
BARBARA ORTUTAY, AP Technology Writer

Modest bids in Cook Inlet sale; none for Alaska Peninsula leases

There was only modest bidding May 16 in a Cook Inlet oil and gas areawide lease sale, and an offering of leases on the Alaska Peninsula in southwest Alaska at the same time brought no bids in the sale.
Tim Bradner, Alaska Journal of Commerce

Pentagon restricts F-22 flights, safety a concern

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing a mysterious safety problem with the Air Force's most-prized stealth fighter, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Tuesday ordered new flight restrictions on the F-22 and summoned help from Navy and NASA experts.
Robert Burns, AP National Security Writer

No injuries reported after 4.6-quake in Alaska

Seismologists say an earthquake that struck in southern Alaska near Anchorage was widely felt in the city and other communities.
Associated Press

US economy provides some relief to markets

The shockwaves from Greece's failure to form a coalition government continued to reverberate around markets on Wednesday, though upbeat U.S. economic indicators gave the more positive-inclined investor something to latch on to.
PAN PYLAS, AP Business Writer

Fed: Several members could support further easing

Federal Reserve policymakers are open to further efforts to stimulate the U.S. economy if growth falters or threats escalate.
MARTIN CRUTSINGER, AP Economics Writer

Crossroads announcing $25 million ad push

An independent group favoring Republican Mitt Romney is launching a $25 million, monthlong advertising campaign against President Barack Obama in 10 states, further escalating an expensive TV ad war in presidential battleground states less than six months before Election Day.
PHILIP ELLIOTT, Associated Press

ND becomes nation's second-leading oil producer

North Dakota has passed Alaska to become the second-leading oil-producing state in the nation, trailing only Texas.
Associated Press

Redistricting board redraws southeast Alaska

The Alaska Redistricting Board on Monday made what its executive director called significant changes to southeast Alaska's political boundaries in an effort to win court approval for the plan.
BECKY BOHRER, Associated Press

Poll: Half of Americans call Facebook a fad

Half of Americans think Facebook is a passing fad, according to the results of a new Associated Press-CNBC poll. And, in the run-up to the social network's initial public offering of stock, half of Americans also say the social network's expected asking price is too high.
TALI ARBEL, AP Business Writer

US stocks waver; euro dives on Greece turmoil

Stronger news about the U.S. economy stilled the ripples from Europe's latest political impasse Tuesday, pushing U.S. stocks between modest gains and losses.
DANIEL WAGNER, AP Business Writer

Parnell making smallest budget vetoes of term

Gov. Sean Parnell on Monday announced $66.6 million in budget vetoes, the smallest cuts of his term and a result of lawmakers sticking to a spending limit.
BECKY BOHRER, Associated Press

Redistricting board will meet Monday on SE plan

The Alaska Redistricting Board will meet Monday in Anchorage to work on new House and Senate districts in Southeast Alaska.
Associated Press

Alaskan Brewing wins big at 'Olympics of Beer'

What’s better than frosty cold beer? Award-winning frosty cold beer. With three new World Beer Cup medals to hang around its neck, Juneau’s very own Alaskan Brewing Co. is the place for award-winning beer.
Russell Stigall, JUNEAU EMPIRE

Next up for Dimon: Facing the shareholders

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon came clean to stock analysts and accepted blame in a TV interview for a $2 billion trading mistake.
PALLAVI GOGOI, AP Business Writer

Revolving door: Yahoo ushers out another CEO

Yahoo still has credibility issues, even after casting aside CEO Scott Thompson because his official biography included a college degree that he never received.
MICHAEL LIEDTKE, AP Technology Writer

Stocks, euro drop as deadlock continues in Greece

A political stalemate in Greece rattled financial markets worldwide on Monday, sending U.S. stocks lower.
MATTHEW CRAFT, AP Business Writer

Archive »Transportation

Postal Service to begin closing plants this summer

The nearly bankrupt U.S. Postal Service is moving forward with a multibillion-dollar cost-cutting plan that will close nearly 250 mail processing centers, saying on Thursday it can no longer wait as Congress remains deadlocked over how to help.
HOPE YEN, Associated Press

Begich wants more resources for tsunami debris

U.S. Sen. Mark Begich wants the federal government to provide at least $45 million to clean-up debris that will land on U.S. shores from last year's tsunami in Japan.
Associated Press

Archive »Construction Articles

Alaska unemployment hits 6.9 percent

Alaska's unemployment rate last month dropped to 6.9 percent, its lowest level since December 2008.
Associated Press

Archive »Oil & Gas

DHS slaps Furie with $15M Jones Act fine for Inlet jack-up rig

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has slapped a $15 million fine on Furie Operating Alaska LLC for a violation of the U.S. Jones Act over transportation of a jack-up rig to Alaska in late 2011, and has given the company 30 days to pay from May 9, the date of a letter notifying the company of the decision.
Tim Bradner, Alaska Journal of Commerce

Modest bids in Cook Inlet sale; none for Alaska Peninsula leases

There was only modest bidding May 16 in a Cook Inlet oil and gas areawide lease sale, and an offering of leases on the Alaska Peninsula in southwest Alaska at the same time brought no bids in the sale.
Tim Bradner, Alaska Journal of Commerce

ND becomes nation's second-leading oil producer

North Dakota has passed Alaska to become the second-leading oil-producing state in the nation, trailing only Texas.
Associated Press

Archive »Technology

Pentagon restricts F-22 flights, safety a concern

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing a mysterious safety problem with the Air Force's most-prized stealth fighter, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Tuesday ordered new flight restrictions on the F-22 and summoned help from Navy and NASA experts.
Robert Burns, AP National Security Writer

Revolving door: Yahoo ushers out another CEO

Yahoo still has credibility issues, even after casting aside CEO Scott Thompson because his official biography included a college degree that he never received.
MICHAEL LIEDTKE, AP Technology Writer

Archive »Alaska Politics

Postal Service to begin closing plants this summer

The nearly bankrupt U.S. Postal Service is moving forward with a multibillion-dollar cost-cutting plan that will close nearly 250 mail processing centers, saying on Thursday it can no longer wait as Congress remains deadlocked over how to help.
HOPE YEN, Associated Press

Alaska unemployment hits 6.9 percent

Alaska's unemployment rate last month dropped to 6.9 percent, its lowest level since December 2008.
Associated Press

Parnell names Blumer labor commissioner

A special assistant to Gov. Sean Parnell has been named Alaska's new labor commissioner.
Associated Press

Begich wants more resources for tsunami debris

U.S. Sen. Mark Begich wants the federal government to provide at least $45 million to clean-up debris that will land on U.S. shores from last year's tsunami in Japan.
Associated Press

ND becomes nation's second-leading oil producer

North Dakota has passed Alaska to become the second-leading oil-producing state in the nation, trailing only Texas.
Associated Press

Redistricting board redraws southeast Alaska

The Alaska Redistricting Board on Monday made what its executive director called significant changes to southeast Alaska's political boundaries in an effort to win court approval for the plan.
BECKY BOHRER, Associated Press

Parnell making smallest budget vetoes of term

Gov. Sean Parnell on Monday announced $66.6 million in budget vetoes, the smallest cuts of his term and a result of lawmakers sticking to a spending limit.
BECKY BOHRER, Associated Press

Redistricting board will meet Monday on SE plan

The Alaska Redistricting Board will meet Monday in Anchorage to work on new House and Senate districts in Southeast Alaska.
Associated Press

Archive »National Politics

Party leaders refuse to budge on debt positions

Republicans and Democrats are refusing to budge when it comes to their already hardened positions on spending cuts versus tax increases to deal with the nation's debt.
Associated Press

Postal Service to begin closing plants this summer

The nearly bankrupt U.S. Postal Service is moving forward with a multibillion-dollar cost-cutting plan that will close nearly 250 mail processing centers, saying on Thursday it can no longer wait as Congress remains deadlocked over how to help.
HOPE YEN, Associated Press

Crossroads announcing $25 million ad push

An independent group favoring Republican Mitt Romney is launching a $25 million, monthlong advertising campaign against President Barack Obama in 10 states, further escalating an expensive TV ad war in presidential battleground states less than six months before Election Day.
PHILIP ELLIOTT, Associated Press

Archive »Finance

Stocks gain on Wall Street; Facebook falls

U.S. stocks are rising, shaking off their worst weekly performance since November, as investors latched on to a relatively optimistic report from economists.
Associated Press

Europe faces difficult search for growth

On paper at least, European leaders agree: They need stronger growth measures to help their economies expand out of their 2½-year-old government debt crisis. Figuring out exactly what those new steps might be will be the hard part.
DAVID McHUGH, AP Business Writer

Facebook stock up slightly in public debut

Facebook is trading below its opening price in its debut on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
BARBARA ORTUTAY, AP Technology Writer

US economy provides some relief to markets

The shockwaves from Greece's failure to form a coalition government continued to reverberate around markets on Wednesday, though upbeat U.S. economic indicators gave the more positive-inclined investor something to latch on to.
PAN PYLAS, AP Business Writer

Fed: Several members could support further easing

Federal Reserve policymakers are open to further efforts to stimulate the U.S. economy if growth falters or threats escalate.
MARTIN CRUTSINGER, AP Economics Writer

Poll: Half of Americans call Facebook a fad

Half of Americans think Facebook is a passing fad, according to the results of a new Associated Press-CNBC poll. And, in the run-up to the social network's initial public offering of stock, half of Americans also say the social network's expected asking price is too high.
TALI ARBEL, AP Business Writer

US stocks waver; euro dives on Greece turmoil

Stronger news about the U.S. economy stilled the ripples from Europe's latest political impasse Tuesday, pushing U.S. stocks between modest gains and losses.
DANIEL WAGNER, AP Business Writer

Next up for Dimon: Facing the shareholders

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon came clean to stock analysts and accepted blame in a TV interview for a $2 billion trading mistake.
PALLAVI GOGOI, AP Business Writer

Stocks, euro drop as deadlock continues in Greece

A political stalemate in Greece rattled financial markets worldwide on Monday, sending U.S. stocks lower.
MATTHEW CRAFT, AP Business Writer

Archive »Features

Alaskan Brewing wins big at 'Olympics of Beer'

What’s better than frosty cold beer? Award-winning frosty cold beer. With three new World Beer Cup medals to hang around its neck, Juneau’s very own Alaskan Brewing Co. is the place for award-winning beer.
Russell Stigall, JUNEAU EMPIRE

Archive »Mining

EPA: Mining could affect quality of water, fish

Failure of a large-scale mine planned near the headwaters of one of the world's premier salmon fisheries in Alaska could wipe out or degrade rivers and streams in the region for decades, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said in a draft watershed assessment released Friday.
BECKY BOHRER, Associated Press

Archive »Fishery Stories

First Copper River Kings arrive in Anchorage

Bridge Seafood in Anchorage took the delivery this morning.
Photos by Michael Dinneen, Alaska Journal of Commerce

Begich wants more resources for tsunami debris

U.S. Sen. Mark Begich wants the federal government to provide at least $45 million to clean-up debris that will land on U.S. shores from last year's tsunami in Japan.
Associated Press

Archive »General News

Stocks gain on Wall Street; Facebook falls

U.S. stocks are rising, shaking off their worst weekly performance since November, as investors latched on to a relatively optimistic report from economists.
Associated Press

Europe faces difficult search for growth

On paper at least, European leaders agree: They need stronger growth measures to help their economies expand out of their 2½-year-old government debt crisis. Figuring out exactly what those new steps might be will be the hard part.
DAVID McHUGH, AP Business Writer

Photo gallery: Eclipse

A rare annular eclipse took place Sunday night across the western US and Asia.
Photos by Associated Press

First Copper River Kings arrive in Anchorage

Bridge Seafood in Anchorage took the delivery this morning.
Photos by Michael Dinneen, Alaska Journal of Commerce

Alaska unemployment hits 6.9 percent

Alaska's unemployment rate last month dropped to 6.9 percent, its lowest level since December 2008.
Associated Press

Facebook stock up slightly in public debut

Facebook is trading below its opening price in its debut on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
BARBARA ORTUTAY, AP Technology Writer

Pentagon restricts F-22 flights, safety a concern

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing a mysterious safety problem with the Air Force's most-prized stealth fighter, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Tuesday ordered new flight restrictions on the F-22 and summoned help from Navy and NASA experts.
Robert Burns, AP National Security Writer

No injuries reported after 4.6-quake in Alaska

Seismologists say an earthquake that struck in southern Alaska near Anchorage was widely felt in the city and other communities.
Associated Press

Poll: Half of Americans call Facebook a fad

Half of Americans think Facebook is a passing fad, according to the results of a new Associated Press-CNBC poll. And, in the run-up to the social network's initial public offering of stock, half of Americans also say the social network's expected asking price is too high.
TALI ARBEL, AP Business Writer

Alaskan Brewing wins big at 'Olympics of Beer'

What’s better than frosty cold beer? Award-winning frosty cold beer. With three new World Beer Cup medals to hang around its neck, Juneau’s very own Alaskan Brewing Co. is the place for award-winning beer.
Russell Stigall, JUNEAU EMPIRE

Next up for Dimon: Facing the shareholders

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon came clean to stock analysts and accepted blame in a TV interview for a $2 billion trading mistake.
PALLAVI GOGOI, AP Business Writer

Revolving door: Yahoo ushers out another CEO

Yahoo still has credibility issues, even after casting aside CEO Scott Thompson because his official biography included a college degree that he never received.
MICHAEL LIEDTKE, AP Technology Writer