Alaska News Nightly: October 21, 2009

Rights For All

Photo Courtesy of Blueberry Productions

“For the Rights of All: Ending Jim Crow in Alaska” is a documentary that highlights the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention this week in Anchorage. Diane Benson and Allan Hayton portray Elizabeth and Roy Peratrovich.

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Justice Department Anti-Corruption Head Stepping Down
The Associated Press
The head of the Justice Department’s anti-corruption unit is stepping down after the office’s botched trial of former Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens. The public integrity unit has been under intense scrutiny since the guilty jury verdict against Stevens, an Alaska Republican, was thrown out due to key evidence being withheld from his defense.

State Loses Key Child Welfare Case
Lori Townsend, APRN – Anchorage
The state of Alaska has again lost an attempt to overturn a decision that favors Alaska tribes in child welfare proceedings. The case was brought by the village of Kaltag for adoptive parents who asked the state to re-issue their child’s birth certificate, listing them as parents.

AFN to See AK Civil Rights Documentary: For the Rights of All
Libby Casey, APRN – Washington DC
This week a film about Alaska Civil Rights will make its state debut at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention in Anchorage.  “For the Rights of All:  Ending Jim Crow in Alaska” is a one-hour documentary profiling the struggle for Alaska Native Rights.  The film had its very first public screening recently in Washington, DC, at a venue the producers say was particularly meaningful.

Census of Alaska Starts in January
Ellen Lockyer, APRN – Anchorage
US census officials are in Anchorage on Wednesday in intensive training sessions with “partnership specialists”.  The specialists will be on the front lines of collecting census data in Alaska villages.

Unalaska Gets New Online Archive
Anne Hillman, KUCB – Unalaska
A new online video and audio archive highlights stories of Unalaska’s history.

Sitka Delegaton Meets with Iowans on Sheldon Jackson’s Future
Ed Ronco, KCAW – Sitka
A delegation from Sitka traveled to Dubuque, Iowa. They were meeting with University of Dubuque officials who have expressed interest in the Sheldon Jackson College campus.

State Seeking Alternative Energy Grants
Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks
The state is seeking applications for $50 million in alternative energy project grants. The request for proposals is the third round of a grant program started by the state legislature in 2008 when oil prices spiked. The program is administered by the state’s Alaska Energy Authority.

Pike Problem for Yakutat Might Be Over
Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska – Juneau
Yakutat could be done with its pike problem. The state poisoned the ravenous invasive species out of some small lakes near the northern Southeast Alaska town. And the salmon that once lived there have started to return.

Anchorage School to Test Volunteer Clinic
Len Anderson, KSKA – Anchorage
Anchorage’s Clark Middle School will soon have a student health clinic.  Monday night the Anchorage School Board unanimously approved a pilot plan for providing limited health services through community volunteers and non-district funding.

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