Archive » AJC Issue Archive Departments |
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Bank of America to charge $5/month for debit cards |
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Economy grew at weak 1.3 pct. annual rate in Q2The economy grew slightly faster in the spring than previously estimated but remained dangerously weak in the face of high unemployment and higher gas prices. |
Judge upholds state permit system, denies claims against PebbleSuperior Court Judge Eric Aarseth finds allegations of harm unpersuasive and speculative. |
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House GOP regroups after loss on spending billHouse Republicans grappled Thursday with ways to revive a must pass measure to provide billions of dollars in much-needed disaster relief and prevent a government shutdown at the end of next week. |
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Air Force returns 170 grounded F-22s to serviceThe nation's F-22 fighter jets went back into service Wednesday, four months after they were grounded over pilot complaints about a lack of oxygen. |
Tug boat reattaches to loose fuel barge off AlaskaCalmer weather allowed a tugboat to reattach a tow line Wednesday to a fuel barge that had that broken loose off Alaska's west coast, the Coast Guard reported. |
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Officials float idea of using Susitna in AMHSWhile the Matanuska-Susitna Borough tries to find a way to get its innovative $78 million ferry Susitna into operation, it sits unused at a Ketchikan dock at a cost of $1.4 million a year. |
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Treasury probes $528M loan to bankrupt solar firmThe Treasury Department's inspector general has opened an investigation of a $528 million government loan to Solyndra Inc., the now-bankrupt solar panel manufacturer once cited as a model of the Obama administration's clean energy program. |
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Credit card defaults, late payments continue slideIt was a bumpy summer for credit card issuers, but most of the top banks reported that their customers continued to make their payments on time. |
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Oil hovers near $89 amid signs of weak US demandOil prices hovered near $89 a barrel Thursday, supported by a weaker dollar and rising stock markets in Europe even with signs of sluggish U.S. consumer demand |
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ESSAY: Post-9/11 ‘new normal’ looks much like oldIn the crucible of Sept. 11, no one could imagine things would ever be the same again. |
Parnell signs bill doubling size of Southeast State ForestThe Southeast State Forest will double in size with Gov. Sean Parnell’s signature Sept. 7 of a bill that adds about 23,000 acres to the forest, bringing it to nearly 49,000 acres. |
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Economic analysis of controversial halibut plan easier said than doneComments being made about the halibut catch sharing plan currently under consideration by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for Area 3A, the central Gulf of Alaska including Cook Inlet and Homer, frequently identify the need for an economic impact analysis. |
Archive » Real Estate |
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Revitalizing downtown FairbanksLocal business and city leaders are working to get more people in downtown Fairbanks, back to the Interior city's core business district and the center of its history. |
Archive » Transportation |
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Transportation extensions pass, state plans for 2013 cutsCongress may have met deadlines for once again passing short-term extensions for aviation and highway funding, but state transportation officials agree this is no way to run a railroad. |
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Ketchikan shipyard to help with new state ferryJUNEAU — Alaska state officials announced Sept. 12 a deal they hope will lead to the newest state ferry being built in Ketchikan, and likely even lead to future business for the state-owned shipyard there. |
Initial reports on Ambler mining area road due soonState transportation officials are preparing to release information — including preliminary cost estimates, and summaries of engineering and environmental issues — for a road built to the Ambler mining district in Northwest Alaska. |
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Paris readies electric car-sharing programParis is preparing to flip the switch on what aims to be one of the world's largest electric car-sharing programs. |
Tug boat reattaches to loose fuel barge off AlaskaCalmer weather allowed a tugboat to reattach a tow line Wednesday to a fuel barge that had that broken loose off Alaska's west coast, the Coast Guard reported. |
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Two new leases approved for Port MacKenzie by the Mat-Su BoroughA second new lease in a month was approved for Port MacKenzie at Tuesday night’s Assembly meeting. |
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Senate extends aviation, highway programsThe Senate passed a bill Thursday temporarily extending federal aviation and highway programs, averting another shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration, after a Republican senator abruptly dropped his campaign to block passage of the measure. |
Officials float idea of using Susitna in AMHSWhile the Matanuska-Susitna Borough tries to find a way to get its innovative $78 million ferry Susitna into operation, it sits unused at a Ketchikan dock at a cost of $1.4 million a year. |
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House passes FAA extensionsThe House on Tuesday approved a stopgap bill intended to avoid a shutdown of federal highway and aviation programs, with Senate action expected later this week. |
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Alaska’s economic development potential highlightedPeonies and movies may be among Alaska’s newest economic drivers in the coming years. |
Archive » Tourism |
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Theme parks cash in on guests' Halloween screamsUniversal Orlando's first foray into Halloween Horror Nights 21 years ago involved one weekend, a single haunted house tucked away in the back of the park by the "Jaws" ride and some people in store-bought masks jumping out of dark corners. |
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Early figures indicate cruise passengers downPreliminary figures indicate that Alaska saw fewer cruise ship passengers this year. |
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7 tips for saving on holiday flying and lodgingFlying over the holidays is going to cost more this year. And the longer you wait to book, the pricier it's likely to get. |
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Armrest wars: Flights are fuller than everDon't expect much elbow room on flights this fall. Planes have never been so full. |
Wisconsin wineries diversify and growNortheastern Wisconsin's wine country continues to grow. Not only is there another new winery this year, but also existing wineries are looking for new ways to grow their revenue. |
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Sealaska inventories artifacts at British MuseumA team from the Sealaska Heritage Institute has documented Tlingit and Haida artifacts at the British Museum in London. |
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Archive » Construction Articles |
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COMMENTARY: Right contractor can help with any major remodeling workRemodeling isn’t just for redoing kitchens and baths. Sometimes, you want to raise the roof — and occasionally the whole house. |
COMMENTARY: Home builders urge city to improve permitting processFor several years now we at the Anchorage Home Builders Association (AHBA) have been experiencing difficulties in getting timely service from the municipality of Anchorage (MOA) Department of Development Services. |
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Shocker: Power demand from US homes is fallingNEW YORK (AP) — American homes are more cluttered than ever with devices, and they all need power: Cellphones and iPads that have to be charged, DVRs that run all hours, TVs that light up in high definition. |
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Construction job demand promising in HomerFoundations going in, walls going up, roofs going on. Who knew this year's construction season was going to be so busy? Not Steve Bowen of Little Knife Construction. Every job that came Bowen's way this spring, he took. |
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Special DeliveryConstruction workers with Davis Constructors & Engineers Inc. raise the I beam into place during the topping-out ceremony for the new mother-baby tower at Providence Alaska Medical Center. |
KABATA workshop draws over 100 companiesThe Knik Arm Bridge construction projects seems to be drawing strong interest. About 100 participants attended a pre-statement of qualifications workshop late last month to get a feel for the work involved. |
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Archive » Oil & Gas |
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Shale oil could be ‘game changer’ for SlopeShale oil could be a “game changer” for the Alaska North Slope, and the state Department of Natural Resources is moving to facilitate shale development and find answers to problems that could impede it. |
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DNR commissioner: Oil investments must ramp upThe petroleum industry has to ratchet up Alaska investments in new exploration and development to at least $4 billion a year if the decline in oil production is to be reversed, state Commissioner of Natural Resources Dan Sullivan says. |
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Great Bear hopes to drill four shale oil test wells on SlopeGreat Bear Petroleum LLC has filed a plan of exploration with the state Division of Oil and Gas for approvals of six drilling locations on the North Slope, and says it hopes to drill up to four exploration wells this winter on the North Slope to test its concept of producing oil from shale formations, Ed Duncan, the company’s president, told the Alaska Oil and Gas Congress, an energy conference in Anchorage Sept. 20. |
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APNewsBreak: Texas refineries may get back $135MThree commissioners appointed by Gov. Rick Perry may grant some of the nation's largest refineries a tax refund of more than $135 million — money Texas' cash-strapped schools and other local governments have been counting on to help pay teachers and provide other public services. |
Tug boat reattaches to loose fuel barge off AlaskaCalmer weather allowed a tugboat to reattach a tow line Wednesday to a fuel barge that had that broken loose off Alaska's west coast, the Coast Guard reported. |
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Department working to strengthen tax cut positionAlaska's Revenue Department is working to strengthen the Parnell administration's argument for cutting oil production taxes. |
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Two new leases approved for Port MacKenzie by the Mat-Su BoroughA second new lease in a month was approved for Port MacKenzie at Tuesday night’s Assembly meeting. |
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Oil falls more than 2 percent on Europe concernsOil dropped more than 2 percent Monday on growing concerns about Europe's ability to solve its credit crisis. |
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Alaska hire: Legislators drill into hiring practices of oil companiesState legislators held hearings in Fairbanks and Anchorage Sept. 6 and 8 to drill into hiring practices of North Slope oil producers and contractors and to listen to complaints about nonresidents working in high-paying industry jobs that should be filled by Alaska workers. |
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Shell’s Alaska investment nears $4BShell Oil’s investment in its Arctic offshore exploration will reach the $4 billion threshold sometime this fall, but the company is now more optimistic than ever that it will receive the needed permits to do exploration drilling in 2012. |
Consultant report criticizes Alyeska maintenance systems in Valdez terminalA maintenance audit of the Valdez Marine Terminal commissioned by the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council gives credit to Alyeska Pipeline Service Co.’s maintenance workers but faults the pipeline company’s maintenance management system. |
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Nome spillCaution tape stretches in front of the scene where a vessel towing a barge drifted into channel rocks after its propeller became disabled, in Nome. |
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BP sees good results with Ugnu heavy oil production testThe first of four test production wells drilled by BP into the large Ugnu heavy oil deposit on the North Slope is performing well. This is significant because unconventional resources like heavy oil could make a major contribution to future North Slope production, but producing companies have to first figure out whether this oil, which is thick and lower quality, can be even produced. |
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Doyon leads in Interior explorationThe results of geochemical sampling across wide areas of the Yukon Flats show new evidence there is oil and well as natural gas in the region, according to Doyon Ltd., the Interior Alaska Native regional corporation exploring in the area. |
Gas prices drive rise in CPI; housing costs outpace nationPersistently high gas prices have Americans on track to spend a record $491 billion to fill up their tanks in 2011 and are contributing to a spike in the Consumer Price Index across the nation and in Anchorage. |
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Oil hovers near $89 amid signs of weak US demandOil prices hovered near $89 a barrel Thursday, supported by a weaker dollar and rising stock markets in Europe even with signs of sluggish U.S. consumer demand |
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New ND oil trust fund starts with meager earningsNorth Dakota sets up new state oil tax trust fund similar to Alaska's. |
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Industry: Boost energy to create jobsGovernment policies to increase domestic energy production could create up to a million jobs over the next seven years, the oil industry said in a report issued a day before President Barack Obama delivers a major speech on jobs. |
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Alyeska warns of more stoppages for pipelineAlyeska Pipeline Service Co.’s president has warned that more frequent Trans-Alaska Pipeline System interruptions are likely as the pipeline company grapples with problems related to low throughput and increased maintenance needs. |
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Repsol prepares to start work on its various lease holdingsSpanish major Repsol is planning an aggressive North Slope exploration drilling program this winter to evaluate almost half a million onshore and offshore acres in leases acquired last March from two independents, Armstrong Oil and Gas and GMT Exploration. |
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Escopta now drilling in Inlet, state limits well to 5,000 feetEscopta Oil Co. is now drilling at its KLU No. 1 exploration well in Cook Inlet with the Spartan Drilling Co.’s Blake 151 jack-up rig, but state officials have given the company permission to drill only to 5,000 feet. |
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State delays Slope lease sale, hoping to add acreageThe state will delay a North Slope lease sale planned for Oct. 26 for a few weeks with hopes that more acreage can be added and more companies can be enticed to bid for leases. |
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Shell’s Alaska investment nears $4 billion, more confident on explorationShell Oil’s investment in its Arctic offshore exploration will reach the $4 billion threshold sometime this fall, but the company is now more optimistic than ever that it will receive the needed permits to do exploration drilling in 2012. |
Oil tumbles on fears of economic slumpOil dropped more than 2 percent Tuesday on fears that the U.S. and Europe are headed for a prolonged economic slump. |
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Oil down 2 percent on discouraging jobs reportOil prices fell Friday along with the prospects for global economic growth as the government reported the economy added no jobs last month. |
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Gasoline close to record high before Labor DayGasoline is near the highest it's ever been for this time of year, just ahead of the Labor Day weekend. |
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State looks to streamline new oil developmentThe state Division of Oil and Gas is working on ideas for regulatory reforms and other steps that will boost oil and gas exploration and remove roadblocks to development of small oil accumulations, Bill Barron, the division director, told Anchorage business leaders in a briefing. |
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Buccaneer starts drilling second Kenai Peninsula gas wellBuccaneer Energy Ltd. has begun drilling on a second gas well at its new Kenai Loop project on the Kenai Peninsula south of Anchorage, the company said Aug. 29. |
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Propane has potential to power state, drive down energy costsHank Hill only wishes he could have sold this propane accessory. The television dad from the long-running cartoon series “King of the Hill” was never shy about lauding the benefits of propane — and propane accessories — for grilling and home heating. |
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Archive » Telecom |
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Bid to block AT&T deal reflects telecom industryThe Obama administration has explained its effort to block AT&T's purchase of T-Mobile USA by saying it will fight mergers that would reduce competition and hurt consumers. |
Archive » Technology |
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Avatar-class 3D comes to Alaska studioThe biggest movie yet filmed in Alaska has gotten a boost from the biggest director in Hollywood. |
Ultrasecret satellite spy shop NRO turns 50WASHINGTON (AP) — As it turns 50, the ultra-secretive National Reconnaissance Office is putting a multibillion-dollar misstep behind it and casting its spy satellites on new enemies, from al-Qaida bomb planters to North Korean nuclear engineers, according to its chief. |
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US gets chance to catch up on credit card securityNEW YORK (AP) — The next time you swipe your credit card at check-out, consider this: It’s a ritual the rest of the world deems outdated and unsafe. |
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IBM putting Watson to work in health insuranceEnough with the fun and games. Watson is going to work. IBM's supercomputer system, best known for trouncing the world's best "Jeopardy!" players on TV, is being tapped by one of the nation's largest health insurers to help diagnose medical problems and authorize treatments. |
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Invention site Quirky finds genius in the massesAt first glance, the offices of Quirky Inc. appear much like those of any number of Internet startups. |
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Startup tries to put sociability back into moviesStreaming movies might not yet have the equivalent of a theater experience, with roaring crowds crunching on popcorn, but they are getting more social. |
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Sony shows wearable 3-D personal theaterSony says it will start selling a head mounted display that provides a 3-D theater of music videos, movies and games, targeting people who prefer solitary entertainment rather than sitting in front of a TV with family or friends. |
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Yahoo fires Bartz as CEO, names CFO to fill voidYahoo Inc. fired Carol Bartz as CEO Tuesday after more than 2½ years of financial lethargy that had convinced investors that she couldn't steer the Internet company to a long-promised turnaround. |
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CEO hops in a Zipcar, not the bandwagonScott Griffith came to Zipcar when it was a struggling startup, with all the excitement and anxiety that usually entails. Engineers worked in the conference room because there wasn’t any other space, and new customers could stop by on Tuesday nights to eat pizza and learn how to use the new car-sharing service. |
Archive » Alaska Politics |
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Researchers pay fine for Alaska sea lion intrusion |
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Analysis: Alaska gains under Obama's jobs proposalA Democratic analysis suggests Alaska could stand to gain hundreds of millions of dollars in new infrastructure investment and thousands of new jobs under the president's new jobs proposal. Republican members of Alaska's congressional delegation responded coolly to the plan. |
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Alaska lt. gov's campaign could face $9K fineLt. Gov. Mead Treadwell's campaign committee could be fined more than $9,600 over its financial disclosures, including the alleged receipt of advertising discounts. |
State moving ahead with health exchange planThe state of Alaska plans to solicit consultants to help design a health insurance exchange. |
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Begich optimistic congressional super committee will reach agreementAlaska U.S. Sen. Mark Begich says he’s cautiously optimistic that the congressional super committee of 12 will be able to craft a plan for budget reductions by a Nov. 23 federal deadline. |
Assembly moves to investigate options on Petersburg borough formationThe city and borough of Juneau made a move to start researching a legal response to Petersburg’s filing to become a borough and it will likely counter Petersburg’s proposal to incorporate areas like Hobart Bay. |
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Archive » National Politics |
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Angling to be VP: GOPers run — without campaigningThey're writing books. They're making speeches. They're fawning over the big dogs. It's all part of the Campaign That Shall Not Be Known As a Campaign. |
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Hundreds of plants, animals up for new protectionsThe Obama administration is taking steps to extend new federal protections to a list of imperiled animals and plants that reads like a manifest for Noah's Ark — from the melodic golden-winged warbler and slow-moving gopher tortoise, to the slimy American eel and tiny Texas kangaroo rat. |
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Analysis: Is government's role to fix economy?The economy needs to be fixed. On this, Democrats and Republicans agree. They part ways over how to do it and, specifically, what role the federal government should play. |
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On spending, Congress can't agree on easy stuffCongress is once again allowing shutdown politics to bring the federal government to the brink of closing. For the second time in nine months, lawmakers are bickering and posturing over spending plans. |
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House GOP regroups after loss on spending billHouse Republicans grappled Thursday with ways to revive a must pass measure to provide billions of dollars in much-needed disaster relief and prevent a government shutdown at the end of next week. |
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Air Force returns 170 grounded F-22s to serviceThe nation's F-22 fighter jets went back into service Wednesday, four months after they were grounded over pilot complaints about a lack of oxygen. |
FACT CHECK: Are rich taxed less than secretaries?President Barack Obama makes it sound as if there are millionaires all over America paying taxes at lower rates than their secretaries. |
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GOP-led states change voting rules ahead of 2012After years of expanding when and how people can vote, state legislatures now under new Republican control are moving to trim early voting days, beef up identification requirements and put new restrictions on how voters are notified about absentee ballots. |
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Boehner says he sleeps well, doesn't get angryHouse Speaker John Boehner describes himself as "a pretty simple guy" who sleeps well at night and doesn't get angry despite the frustrations of working with a Democratic president and his own often-recalcitrant Republican colleagues. |
Treasury probes $528M loan to bankrupt solar firmThe Treasury Department's inspector general has opened an investigation of a $528 million government loan to Solyndra Inc., the now-bankrupt solar panel manufacturer once cited as a model of the Obama administration's clean energy program. |
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Perry facing new criticism for Texas vaccine orderFour years ago, Gov. Rick Perry put aside his social conservative bona fides and signed an order requiring Texas girls to be vaccinated against HPV. |
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Romney's aggressive approach here to stayAn assertive Mitt Romney has emerged in the GOP presidential race. The former Massachusetts governor has shown little willingness to assail his Republican competitors over the past few months, focusing all of his criticism on President Barack Obama. But in one night, Romney became the most prominent aggressor in a growing effort by the GOP field to derail front-runner Rick Perry |
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Nation's food anti-terror plans costly, unwieldyAn Associated Press analysis of the programs found that the government has spent at least $3.4 billion on food counter-terrorism in the last decade, but key programs have been bogged down in a huge, multi-headed bureaucracy. |
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To understand redistricting, read 'The Godfather'"Redistricting is politics in the raw. To understand it, you don't need to read 'The Federalist Papers.' You need to read 'The Godfather.'" |
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Obama tax cut would boost typical pay by $1,500Typical workers would get an extra $1,500 in their paychecks next year under a plan by President Barack Obama to expand a payroll tax cut that is scheduled expire at the end of the year. Higher paid workers would get more, and businesses would get tax breaks, too. |
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Congress returns to fight over jobs, budget cutsFights large and small await Congress as it gets back to business, with jobs and budget cuts topping a contentious agenda that also includes a lengthy roster of lower-profile but must-do items that also are potential victims of partisan gridlock. |
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Poll: OK to trade some freedoms to fight terrorismSurveillance cameras in public places? Sure. Body scans at airports? Maybe. Snooping in personal email? Not so fast. |
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Obama halts controversial EPA regulationPresident Barack Obama on Friday scrapped his administration's controversial plans to tighten smog rules, bowing to the demands of congressional Republicans and some business leaders. |
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Palin fuels presidential fire, but at what cost?Sarah Palin soon will end the will-she-or-won't-she presidential speculation that has trailed her for two years — and that she has fueled with abandon, perhaps to the detriment of her potential candidacy. |
Archive » Money Talks |
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US incomes fall for first time in nearly 2 yearsAmericans earned less last month, the first decline in nearly two years. With less income, consumers could cut back on spending and weaken an already-fragile economy. |
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Rate on 30-year mortgage falls to record 4.09 pct.Fixed mortgage rates fell to the lowest level in six decades for the second straight week. But few Americans can take advantage of the historically low rates. |
Biggest blind spot for car buyers? FinancingCar buyers are getting smarter about negotiating prices. Securing cheap financing is another matter. |
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Developed nations look to restore growthThe financial leaders of the world's most developed economies were wrangling Friday over how to revive a faltering economic recovery at a time when interest rates are already low and government debt is high. |
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Employers add no net jobs in Aug.; rate unchangedEmployers stopped adding jobs in August, an alarming setback for an economy that has struggled to grow and might be at risk of another recession. |
Big banks offer payday loans by another nameNEW YORK (AP) — Payday loans may be coming to a bank near you. They’re marketed under a different name, but a handful of major banks already let customers borrow against their paychecks for a fee. And there are signs the option may soon become more widely available. |
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Archive » Finance |
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Holiday may be a bah-humbug year for retailNEW YORK (AP) — It looks like retailers will have to work extra hard to keep this holiday season from turning into a bah humbug. |
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Bank of America to charge $5/month for debit cards |
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Economy grew at weak 1.3 pct. annual rate in Q2The economy grew slightly faster in the spring than previously estimated but remained dangerously weak in the face of high unemployment and higher gas prices. |
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Walgreen fiscal 4th-qtr profit jumps 69 percentDrugstore operator Walgreen Co. said Tuesday its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings jumped 69 percent, boosted in part by a gain from the $525 million sale of its pharmacy benefits management business. |
Stocks may be cheap. But they can get cheaper yetSomeone is about to play the fool — Wall Street analysts or investors. |
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Coupons users trading the scissors for a mouseThere may soon come a time when clipping coupons out of the Sunday circular is a distant memory. |
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Credit card defaults, late payments continue slideIt was a bumpy summer for credit card issuers, but most of the top banks reported that their customers continued to make their payments on time. |
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Best Buy 2Q profit falls, misses view, shares dropThe nation's biggest electronics retailer had performed relatively well throughout the economic downturn. But on Tuesday, Best Buy posted second-quarter profit that plunged 30 percent. |
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Kroger, Fred Meyer parent company, 2Q net income up 7.3 pct, sales top $20BKroger Co., the nation's largest grocer, reported higher second-quarter profit, boosted by tax adjustments and strong sales of gas as customers flocked to its discount loyalty program to ease their pain at the pump. |
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Swiss franc slumps; stocks drop again on US returnThe Swiss franc dropped sharply Tuesday after the country's central bank pegged it against the euro, while a recovery in European stock markets proved short-lived as Wall Street opened sharply lower. |
Economy shows signs of moving past August shocksU.S. consumers and businesses are not so worried that the economy is about to tumble into a recession after all. |
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Archive » Editorials |
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EDITORIAL: Open ANWR: Refuge part of deficit solutionRaising revenue without raising taxes. That’s an excellent idea if ever there was one. |
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Rising seafood values boost tax coffers; ADFG pushing internshipsMillions more dollars are being pumped into Alaska communities and state coffers by the seafood industry. All fish/shellfish catches are assessed a 3 percent raw fish tax with half remaining in the local community and half going to the State general fund disbursed at the whim of the Legislature. Based on big boosts in landings and values for many major fisheries last year and this year, there will be lots more Alaska fish bucks to go around. |
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EDITORIAL: Ketchikan urges locally made ferries, state should follow suitNo economic decision is as important to Ketchikan at the moment as the awarding of the Alaska Class Ferry contract to the local shipyard. |
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COMMENTARY: Home builders urge city to improve permitting processFor several years now we at the Anchorage Home Builders Association (AHBA) have been experiencing difficulties in getting timely service from the municipality of Anchorage (MOA) Department of Development Services. |
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COMMENTARY: Wild trading, lower stock prices marked August on Wall StreetIt was a pretty rough month for risk assets. Investors’ mood soured early on as the debt ceiling debate lingered to the bitter end. Then the drama of an S&P downgrade of the U.S. credit rating to AA+ played out in the midst of data showing that economic growth has slowed to “stall speed” of around 1 percent or so. |
COMMENTARY: Salmon forecast still coming up short on scattered pink returnsAlaska’s salmon harvest has topped 170 million fish and it is pretty clear by now that disappointing pink catches in prime producing regions will pull the season up short of the projected 203 million salmon. |
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COMMENTARY: Alaska Women’s Hall of Fame now accepting nominationsStanding beside the men who shaped Alaska from the far north – including men indigenous to the region – were the women who largely went unrecognized for the work they did. The Alaska Women’s Hall of Fame is rectifying that oversight today. |
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EDITORIAL: Remembering 9/11, the challenges, the changesIt’s been a decade. You probably still remember where you were, what you were doing, the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. |
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Editorial: Congress must use process to address the nation's debtVisits with Alaska's senators during this congressional recess confirmed they have a practical and realistic approach to the greatest danger facing our future generations — the federal debt. |
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Film’s benefits to Alaska not all on the bottom lineMovies, books and plays often shine a light on unrecognized or unaddressed problems in our society. By giving a voice to victims and those who are vulnerable, these media can have a profound impact on our understanding of issues and awaken our resolve to effect meaningful change. |
Archive » Features |
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Meteor nights |
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Kodiak Inn's new chef plans big changesWhen chef Gil Turturici came to Alaska, he was looking for an adventure.Instead, he found Kodiak, and a piece of home. |
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Rocket launches from Alaska with Navy satelliteA rocket launched from an Alaska island Tuesday is carrying an experimental Navy satellite designed to provide safer combat communications. |
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Coast Guard honors Sitka woman for 1950 sea rescueMore than 60 years after helping rescue a shipwreck survivor in stormy seas, a Sitka woman was honored this month by the U.S. Coast Guard and Alaska State Troopers. |
Missouri senator seeks review of Native contractU.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill is seeking a review of a $46 million no-bid contract awarded by NASA to an Alaska Native corporation. |
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Judge backs exemption for Alaska same-sex couplesAlaska's same-sex couples are entitled to the same senior citizen and disabled veteran property tax exemptions as married couples, a state judge has ruled. |
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AK group leaves US Chamber; NC chamber did sameThe chamber of commerce in a picturesque and quirky Alaska town is dumping its affiliation with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce over the national organization's right-leaning platforms. |
Alaska’s unemployment rate at 7.7% in AugustAlaska’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for August was 7.7 percent, unchanged from July’s revised rate, according to the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development. |
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New global killers: heart, lung disease and cancerWhat’s killing us? For decades, global health leaders have focused on diseases that can spread — AIDS, tuberculosis, new flu bugs. They pushed for vaccines, better treatments and other ways to control germs that were only a plane ride away from seeding outbreaks anywhere in the world. |
Families urge action as US drafts Alzheimer’s planWASHINGTON (AP) — As her mother’s Alzheimer’s worsened over eight long years, so did Doreen Alfaro’s bills: The walker, then the wheelchair, then the hospital bed, then the diapers — and the caregivers hired for more and more hours a day so Alfaro could go to work and her elderly father could get some rest. |
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Archaeological dig turns up small clay disksScott Shirar headed to Noatak National Preserve in July with petroglyphs and boulders on his mind. But when the University of Alaska Fairbanks archaeologist left the Northwest Alaska preserve two weeks later, four small clay disks had stolen his attention. |
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No more mail? What would Ben Franklin think?Imagine a nation without the Postal Service. No more birthday cards and bills or magazines and catalogs filling the mailbox. It's a worst-case scenario being painted for an organization that lost $8.5 billion in 2010 and seems headed deeper into the red this year. |
Fairbanks among top economies in USA new economic index lists Fairbanks as one of 12 metropolitan statistical areas nationwide showing "sustained economic recovery." |
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The Bookworm Sez: ‘Consuming’ explains why we giftYou weren’t looking for it. No, you were searching your calendar for something else but as you flipped the pages, there it was: Christmas. It’s coming, and though the weather still says “summer,” you’ll have to start your dreaded gift list soon. |
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ESSAY: Post-9/11 ‘new normal’ looks much like oldIn the crucible of Sept. 11, no one could imagine things would ever be the same again. |
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House for sober women could close due to financial issuesA house for women who are living sober that opened its doors a little more than a year ago may have to close because of financial reasons. |
BOEMRE to fund clean-up of 400,000 pounds of debris from Alaska coastThe Alaska Department of Natural Resources has received a nearly $1 million grant from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement. |
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Hoover, Alaska artist of Native imagery, has diedJohn Hoover, a revered artist in Alaska who used imagery and tales from Native traditions in contemporary works, has died at 91. |
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Appeals court hears arguments on gay troop banA federal appeals court wrestled Thursday with whether it can declare the military's ban on openly gay service members unconstitutional when the "don't ask, don't tell" policy is due to be lifted in 19 days. |
Anchorage clinic opens for Medicare patientsANCHORAGE (AP) — A new medical clinic is open for business in south Anchorage but patients will need a Medicare card to get in. The Alaska Medicare Clinic intends to keep costs low by relying on a team of registered nurses and medical aides to spend more time with patients. |
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13th corp seeks land as way out of insolvencyInsolvent and in no position to help itself, the 13th Regional Corp. is looking to Congress and its fellow Alaska Native regional corporations for a solution that would allow it to participate in revenue sharing by receiving a land allocation of as much as 1.2 million acres. |
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Alaska enters into budding world marketWhen you think of exports from Alaska, fish, lumber and zinc come to mind. Fresh cut flowers wouldn’t be on the list. They soon will be, though. |
Archive » Popular Politics |
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Homer group leaves US Chamber; NC chamber did sameANCHORAGE (AP) — The chamber of commerce in a picturesque and quirky Alaska town is dumping its affiliation with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce over the national organization’s right-leaning platforms. |
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Obama jobs speech to propose $300B in spendingFacing a frustrated public and a skeptical Congress, President Barack Obama will pitch at least $300 billion in jobs proposals aimed at getting Americans back to work quickly and forcing Republicans to take a share of the responsibility for solving the country's economic woes. |
Scrutinized Choctaw Indian casino hires new auditorPHILADELPHIA, Miss. (AP) — The casino resort owned by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians says it has hired a new auditor to provide independent review of its business and finances. |
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Archive » Movers and Shakers |
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Movers and Shakers |
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Alaska Airlines officers receive awards |
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Evy Gebhardt |
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Sharon K. Elliott |
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Kathleen H. Wescott |
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Wells Fargo contributes to charities in honor of employees |
Jacqueline Otto |
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S. Lane Tucker |
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Corinna Muller |
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Majs. George and Jeanne Baker |
Archive » Bulletin Board |
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Bulletins 9/25/11 |
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Bulletins (week of 9/11/11) |
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Bulletins |
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Archive » Fish Bytes |
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Fish Bytes: Writer raises stink about Legal Sea FoodsIsn’t the whole goal of sustainable fisheries management to make sure we have plenty of tasty wild seafood to eat? |
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Fish Bytes: A chat with IPHC biologist Gregg WilliamsBefore the launch of the website, I would have had to wait more than a week to get a new story up. Now, I can share Williams’ thoughts with you today. |
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Archive » Mining |
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Alaska to mine geological past for mineral marketsAlaska is known for its oil and gas wealth, but officials believe it also holds promise for providing many of the little-known minerals and elements that play major roles in day-to-day life. |
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Judge upholds state permit system, denies claims against PebbleSuperior Court Judge Eric Aarseth finds allegations of harm unpersuasive and speculative. |
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Mongolia wants bigger stake in gold, copper mineMongolia's government is demanding a bigger stake in the massive gold and copper mine it is developing in conjunction with mining companies Rio Tinto and Ivanhoe. |
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Washington senator asks EPA to protect Bristol BayWashington Sen. Maria Cantwell said Sept. 12 she would oppose a proposed huge copper and gold mine near Alaska's Bristol Bay if studies find it would harm salmon and thus put jobs in her own state at risk. |
NovaGold increases capital cost estimates for Donlin mine |
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Parnell signs bill doubling size of Southeast State ForestThe Southeast State Forest will double in size with Gov. Sean Parnell’s signature Sept. 7 of a bill that adds about 23,000 acres to the forest, bringing it to nearly 49,000 acres. |
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Archive » Fishery Stories |
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Halibut bycatch heads menu for council in Dutch HarborA variety of legal requirements and public pressures will weigh on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council when it convenes Sept. 28 in Dutch Harbor. |
COMMENTARY: Ocean zoning gets ax, assessments get increase in NOAA budgetFisheries are on the receiving end of federal dollars, instead of the other way around. As Congressional lawmakers slash budgets in Washington, D.C., money for all-important fishery stock assessments was actually increased from $51 million to $67 million for the next fiscal year, the amount requested by President Barack Obama. |
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Study examines availability of seafood to area residentsSoon, if they haven't already, 1,500 Kenai Peninsula residences will receive a post card from the University of Alaska Fairbanks asking them to answer six questions as part of a new study about food security on the Kenai Peninsula. |
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Judge upholds state permit system, denies claims against PebbleSuperior Court Judge Eric Aarseth finds allegations of harm unpersuasive and speculative. |
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Photo exhibit brings together Homer fishermenInspired by JR's Inside Out projects, Homer and California artist Lauryn Axelrod sought a subject she thought would be less contentious. Hang out on the docks, chat up area fishermen and mariners, take their photos and then post them around town was the idea of "Faces of Fishing." |
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Fishermen gather to share poems, inspirationWhen commercial fishing is slow, or Rich King just has a spare moment during a slow day on the water, he reads his poems to other fisherman over the marine radio. |
Washington, Oregon crab interests take aim at CDQs, Alaska council majorityWashington and Oregon individuals with stakes in the Bering Sea crab fishery are taking aim at the Alaska majority on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and the Community Development Quota program. |
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Rising seafood values boost tax coffers; ADFG pushing internshipsMillions more dollars are being pumped into Alaska communities and state coffers by the seafood industry. All fish/shellfish catches are assessed a 3 percent raw fish tax with half remaining in the local community and half going to the State general fund disbursed at the whim of the Legislature. Based on big boosts in landings and values for many major fisheries last year and this year, there will be lots more Alaska fish bucks to go around. |
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The volunteer club ~ Sitka styleVolunteer Lydia Kindig clubs a pink salmon as she helps take eggs at the Sitka Sound Science Center’s SJ Hatchery. |
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Researchers pay for Alaska sea lion intrusionA science consortium has agreed to a civil penalty of $9,000 for intruding into Alaska waters that were declared off-limits to protect endangered Steller sea lions. |
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Engineered salmon still a distant realityMembers of Congress are pushing to stop the Food and Drug Administration from approving genetically engineered salmon, saying not enough is known about a fish they say could harm fishery businesses in coastal states. |
Kenai Peninsula divided over halibut planKenai Peninsula commercial fishermen and sport anglers have often had disputes about who should have the right to catch salmon. |
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Extension for comment period puts time squeeze on NMFSThe comment period for a proposed halibut catch sharing plan has been extended, but not by enough time to delay its potential implementation in 2012. |
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Fish Bytes: A chat with IPHC biologist Gregg WilliamsBefore the launch of the website, I would have had to wait more than a week to get a new story up. Now, I can share Williams’ thoughts with you today. |
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Economic analysis of controversial halibut plan easier said than doneComments being made about the halibut catch sharing plan currently under consideration by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for Area 3A, the central Gulf of Alaska including Cook Inlet and Homer, frequently identify the need for an economic impact analysis. |
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Fish tags get smarter; processors groom next generationFish tags with iPhone technology are being used for the first time to track halibut migrations based on the earth’s magnetic field. Cash rewards of $500 are being offered to get the tags back so scientists can see how well they work. |
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Kodiak business relishes selling locally made pickled seafoodKODIAK (AP) — A new business on Shelikof Street is providing a fresh artery to deliver Kodiak seafood to gourmet restaurants and stores across the United States. Pickled Willy’s has been operating for just five weeks, but it was almost a year and a half in the making, said co-owner Barbara Hughes. |
