Alaska News Nightly: March 3, 2009

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Governor Palin confirms her support of in-state gasline
Dave Donaldson, APRN – Juneau
Governor Sarah Palin today made public her commitment to work toward a gas line from the North Slope to the Railbelt, SouthCentral – and if possible – rural Alaska. She will be workingtoward what is called the “bullet” line that runs independent from a line to the lower 48.

Death Penalty legislation remains mired in House committee

Rebecca Sheir, KTOO – Juneau
Legislation to create a death penalty in state law remains in the Judiciary Committee this week. After three hearings, Chairman Jay Ramras says the Committee will take up House Speaker Mike Chenault’s bill again over the next two weeks.

MatSu Borough Mayor dies of cancer

Len Anderson, KSKA – Anchorage
Matunuska Susitna Borough Mayor and former state legislator, Curt Menard, died this morning of cancer. Menard began his political service in 1984 on the Mat-Su School Board.  In 1987, he went to Juneau first as a state representative and then as a senator.   In 2006, he became Borough Mayor.

Southeast faces bleak tourist season

Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska – Juneau
Southeast’s summer tourist season could be bleak. That’s the word from a number of experts addressing an industry conference in Ketchikan last week.

Middle school students building experimental plane
Len Anderson, KSKA – Anchorage
Airplane construction isn’t what normally comes to mind when you consider middle school education. But students at Anchorage’s Begich middle school will have the chance to build an experimental home made model.

Jamaican musher sets sights on the last great race
Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks
Last week, Newton Marshall became the first Jamaican musher to complete the Yukon Quest. And now he may be turning his sights on the Iditarod.  The road from his sunny island nation to the frigid sport of sled dog racing was not always an easy one:

Kate Shugak rides again
Lori Townsend, APRN – Anchorage
Prolific Alaskan author Dana Stabenow’s latest book in the Kate Shugak mystery series quickly hit the New York Time’s best-seller list after its recent release. Whisper to the Blood is the 16th novel in this series and one of 31 books Stabenow has written.

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