Alaska News Nightly: Wednesday, Mar. 23, 2016

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Savings on tax credits for oil and gas not as high as proposed

Andrew Kitchenman, KTOO – Juneau

A bill to revise oil and gas tax credits from the House Resources Committee includes only a fraction of the savings Governor Bill Walker proposed.

Canadian company seeks building railroad linking with Trans-Alaska Pipeline

Robert Hannon, KUAC – Fairbanks

A Canadian company is looking into the feasibility of building a railroad to Alaska to link with the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. The rail line would ferry Canadian oilsands to markets in the Far East. The company has been pursuing the project for years.

Bill banning sex ed from abortion providers moves forward in House

Hannon Colton, KDLG – Dillingham

A bill to bar abortion service providers from teaching sex education in public schools narrowly cleared a hurdle in the Alaska House Wednesday.

Several groups criticize Walker’s handling of fisheries

Associated Press

Fishermen, Alaska Native tribal members and clean water advocates are criticizing Gov. Bill Walker’s administration over its handling of fisheries and water issues.

Retreating sea ice: Good for walruses, bad for indigenous communities

Johanna Eurich – Fairbanks

As Arctic sea ice has retreated north during the last decade, walruses have adapted by changing their haulouts to take advantage of better resources and food. That’s good for the walruses… but it’s a problem for some Russian indigenous communities on the Chokotkan coast.

Sitka basketball team rescues six-plex occupants from fire

Robert Woolsey, KCAW – Sitka

Quick thinking by the Sitka boys basketball team averted tragedy Wednesday morning, when a six-plex in the Anchorage neighborhood where they were staying caught fire. The boys and their coach woke and rescued 11 occupants before firefighters arrived.

‘The Grand Bargain’ seeks to improve Sitka communities

Emily Kwong, KCAW – Sitka

In Sitka, a Citizen’s Task Force has been meeting for several months to
come up with a strategy for keeping the community’s basic services, while
adjusting the tax structure. And now, the Task Force is ready to reveal
their plan. They call it “The Grand Bargain.

Rare Aluutiq quiver now part of Kodiak Museum

Kayla Desroches, KMXT – Kodiak

Kodiak’s Alutiiq Museum recently acquired a quiver that is a rare example
of Alutiiq craftsmanship and also leads to a host of questions about its
origins. Sven Haakanson (sven HAHK-in-sin) is Curator of Native American
Anthropology at the Burke Museum and recently passed the quiver – and the
arrow that comes with it – along to the Alutiiq Museum.

Skagway to host largest cruise ship to sail Alaska waters

Jillian Rogers, KHNS – Haines

Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas is scheduled to dock in Skagway this
summer. It’s the largest cruise ship to land in the Gateway to the Klondike
by about 1,000 passengers, and largest to cruise Alaska waters. The vessel
will also make port calls in Juneau and sail the Inside Passage and Tracy
Arm.

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