Alaska News Nightly: September 11, 2012

Individual news stories are posted on the APRN news page. You can subscribe to APRN’s newsfeeds via email, podcast and RSS.

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Continuing Resolution Protects Eielson F-16s For Now

Peter Granitz, APRN – Washington DC

Congress is preparing a six-month stop gap funding bill. It should keep the government afloat until the end of March, and avoid a government shutdown before the election. APRN’s Peter Granitz reports on how the bill protects Eielson Air Force Base from potentially losing its F-16 squadron.

Working Group Discusses Rising Fairbanks Fuel Prices

Emily Schwing, KUAC – Fairbanks

If the trends in fuel prices continue, Fairbanks residents could pay well over $15,000 a year to heat their homes by 2015. That’s what experts told Senator Joe Thomas of Fairbanks and members of the Democratic Senate Energy Working Group during a hearing Monday. The group met to discuss fuel prices in the Golden Heart City and surrounding interior villages.

Feds Won’t Take Over Chatham Fisheries, At Least For Now

Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska – Juneau

Federal officials will not take over management of waters from the state – at least for now. They recently rejected a petition from Angoon’s Native corporation aimed at increasing subsistence salmon harvests.

Study Of Rare Bird Conducted At Kodiak Refuge

The Associated Press

A study was conducted on Kodiak Island this summer that could result in a seabird being placed on the endangered species list.

White Moose Generates Internet Buzz

Tim Ellis, KUAC – Fairbanks

A white moose that’s been hanging around Delta Junction for the past few years made another appearance last week at a local bed and breakfast. The latest sighting generated some Internet buzz, and led a local biologist to again consider whether the animal is an albino or just a colorless cow.

Invasive Species Hurting Southeast Resources

Sarah Cuiksa, KRBD – Ketchikan

There are at least 135 invasive species already thriving in Southeast Alaska. Biologists are worried about several more that could have the potential to dramatically affect the region, especially in the ocean environment.

Illness Hits Two Alaska Cruise Ships

Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska – Juneau

Two cruise ships sailing Alaska waters have battled recent norovirus outbreaks. The highly-contagious illness causes vomiting, diarrhea and fevers, and can lead to dehydration.

UAF Considers Possibility Of ‘Aurorium’

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

The advance of darkness means the return of prime aurora viewing season in interior Alaska, but a project being considered by the University of Alaska Fairbanks could make watching the northern lights a year round experience. UAF geophysical Institute director Bob McCoy says the facility would be similar to a portable planetarium.

McCoy says the “aurorium” would offer a realistic experience by employing three dimensional projection of actual aurora recorded by an all sky fish eye lens camera. He says the Geophysical Institute is working on the video, but that funding for the facility, which could be located on campus, at Pioneer Park or at Chena Hot Springs, still has to be secured.

‘The Village’ Documents Life In Old Fangak

Aaron Selbig, KBBI – Homer

For five years, a group of Alaskans has been struggling to help people a world away in Old Fangak, a thousand-year-old village in the new country of South Sudan. Last week, theatergoers in Homer had a chance to see the premier of “The Village,” a film that documents life in Old Fangak and the remarkable efforts of the Alaska Sudan Medical Project.

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