Steve Heimel, APRN - Anchorage

sheimel (at) alaskapublic (dot) org | 907.550.8454 | About Steve

Kulluk Hearing Continues In Anchorage

The hearings about the grounding of the drilling rig Kulluk continued today in Anchorage. In the morning, the investigators heard from the contractor who towed the rig up last summer without incident. In the afternoon, Shell emergency response executive Norman “buddy” Custard returned for more questioning.

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May 21, 2013 - 5:20 pm

The Kulluk remains grounded and upright with no evidence of sheen in the vicinity
on Friday, Jan. 4. The rig grounded in high seas and strong winds Dec. 31, 2012, and a full-scale response and recovery involving the U. S. Coast Guard, Shell, the State of Alaska, local governments and private contractors has been underway since then. Photo by Judy Patrick

Many Questions Remain As Coast Guard Probe Continues

Many questions remain after the first day of a week-long Coast Guard probe of the grounding of the drilling rig Kulluk last New Year’s Eve on an island south of Kodiak.

May 21, 2013 - 9:53 am

Coast Guard Begins Kulluk Hearing

Monday, the U.S. Coast Guard began a week-long probe of the grounding of the drilling rig Kulluk last New Year’s Day on an island south of Kodiak. The rig was being towed to Seattle when it broke loose in bad weather and ended up going aground. APRN’s Steve Heimel was at the hearing today at the Anchorage Assembly chambers.

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May 20, 2013 - 5:33 pm

Joe Miller Ordered To Pay $85,000 In Alaska Dispatch Legal Fees

Former Republican U.S. Senate nominee Joe Miller has not yet said if he will appeal an award of court costs to an internet news organization that sued to get his personnel records in 2010.

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May 20, 2013 - 5:29 pm

Coast Guard Opens Kulluk Investigation Hearing

The Coast Guard opens an investigative hearing into January’s grounding of the drilling rig Kulluk off Kodiak Island today.

May 20, 2013 - 10:46 am

The Cook Inlet Trek

Step by step an Alaska couple and their two children are making their way along the coast of Cook Inlet, from Seldovia, up and down Turnagain and Knik Arms, and down the west side. Reaching Anchorage, they’re connecting with you, on the next Talk of Alaska.

KSKA: Tuesday, May 21 at 10:00am

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May 17, 2013 - 12:00 pm

Body Discovered In Burning Van In Anchorage

A man’s body was discovered in a van that was burning in the parking lot of a mid-town Anchorage restaurant Thursday night. Karl Leroy Cox. Junior, 28, was reportedly living in the van. The van was not street legal. Investigation continues.

May 13, 2013 - 10:21 am

Child Hospitalized After Big Lake Sled Dog Yard Attack

A child visiting a sled dog lot in Big Lake is hospitalized after a dog got loose and attacked her. The lot was Jake Berkowitz’s but there were other dogs boarding there as well.

May 13, 2013 - 10:19 am

Tools and Writing About Them

Living in the wild is one of Alaska’s primary attractions, but just how wild do you want it? Many hunt and fish. Some go for extreme sports, or climb rocks and ice, and some guide others in wilderness adventure. But some choose seasonal hard work in the wild, leaving them time for other explorations. Explorations they will be sharing on the next Talk of Alaska.

KSKA: Tuesday, 5/14 at 10:00am

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May 10, 2013 - 12:00 pm

Alaska ACLU Head Leaving State For New Position

Alaska ACLU head Jeff Mittman is leaving the state for another post with the organization. An ACLU press release does not disclose what his new job will be, but says that an interim Executive Director will serve while a national search goes on.

May 10, 2013 - 9:08 am

More Lawsuits Filed Against Former State Probation Officer

More lawsuits have been filed by women against former state probation officer James R. Stanton, already convicted of charges related to allegations of sexually preying on his clients.

May 10, 2013 - 9:07 am

Henry Huntington. Photo from The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Arctic Scientists Take On ‘Emerging Research Questions’

Environmental changes from climate warming are hitting the Arctic harder and faster than anyone predicted. This week, top Arctic scientists have been meeting in Anchorage looking for better ways to investigate and even track the changes and what they could mean.

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May 9, 2013 - 5:27 pm

Polar Research Board Deliberate Emerging Climate Warming Issues

Thursday, a committee of the Polar Research Board deliberates in a closed session in Anchorage on what they heard from Arctic researchers from many different fields about emerging issues involving climate warming.

May 9, 2013 - 9:21 am

Interior Department Declares Offshore Well-Capping System Test Successful

The Interior Department says a test of an offshore well capping system in the Gulf of Mexico was successful. The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement says Noble Energy and the Helix Well Containment Group have shown the device could contain a deep-water blowout.

May 8, 2013 - 10:00 am

Cook Inlet Oil, Gas Leases Up For Sale

There is a state oil and gas lease sale for tracts in the Cook Inlet area on Wednesday. The state Oil and Gas division opens bids at the Convention Center at 9 this morning.

May 8, 2013 - 9:59 am

Woman Dies In Alakanuk 4-Wheeler Crash

Early Tuesday, a woman flipped her four wheeler in Alakanuk and died in the crash. State Troopers say it looks like alcohol was involved. Lois Chikigak was 30. The crash was reported at 1:43 Tuesday morning.

May 8, 2013 - 9:56 am

Shell Names New Head Of Arctic Operations

Shell has named a replacement for its outgoing head of Arctic operations, David Lawrence, who is leaving by mutual consent after numerous problems with the company’s Chukchi and Beaufort Sea exploratory operations and a federal report that blamed the company for poor oversight of its contractors.

April 30, 2013 - 5:24 pm

Court Clarifies Order To Redistricting Board

The state Supreme Court gave the state Redistricting Board the clarification it was looking for last week. It said its order requiring the Board to draft a map of legislative districts based on the criteria of the state Constitution should involve all districts, not the few in which there is a federal concern to preserve Native voting power.

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April 29, 2013 - 6:06 pm

Public Debt for Public Good

First established to help Alaskans get mortgages, the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation now has responsibility for a natural gas pipeline, and it may soon be in charge of a bridge. The next Talk of Alaska is your chance to talk to the man the Legislature trusts to handle all this, Dan Fauske, the Executive Director of the AHFC.

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KSKA: Tuesday, 4/30 at 10:00am

April 26, 2013 - 12:00 pm

Bill Walker To Run For Governor

Next year’s election season is already heating up, with Republican Bill Walker announcing today that he will again run for Governor, as he did in 2010.

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April 25, 2013 - 5:33 pm