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Peter Maassen Appointed To Supreme Court
The Associated Press
Alaska Governor Sean Parnell has appointed an Anchorage lawyer to the state Supreme Court to replace a justice recently named to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Parnell appointed Peter Maassen, who came to Alaska in 1980 with his wife and has been in private practice most of his career. He replaces Justice Morgan Christen. Maassen is a partner at a general civil law firm.
The Alaska Supreme Court consists of a chief justice and four associate justices. The governor picked Maassen from a list of two applicants nominated by the Alaska Judicial Council.
‘Violence Against Women Act’ Reauthorization Slows In Congress
Peter Granitz, APRN – Washington DC
A reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act has slowed in Congress. The House and Senate have passed their own versions of the bill, and if the two chambers want to reconcile the two bills, they’ll need to address issues of native sovereignty and tribal courts.
Klukwan Native Corporation Files For Bankruptcy
Margaret Friedenauer, KHNS – Haines
The Native village corporation Klukwan Inc. in Southeast Alaska filed for bankruptcy this week.
Firefighters Fighting Lower 48 Blazes
Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks
Alaska firefighters are helping battle blazes in the Lower 48 again. Alaska Fire Service spokesman Mel Slater says a total of 200 firefighters headed south this week. The deployment includes village and regional crews managed by the State, Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. Slater says Alaska is in a position to help out.
Slater says five Alaska based firefighting aircraft, a mix of helicopters and planes remain in the Lower 48, since being sent out of state last month. This year’s fire season has been slow in Alaska, with only 207,000 acres burned.
Kookesh Ahead In Campaign Fund-Raising Race
Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska – Juneau
The Ketchikan-Wrangell House district has the only party primary in Southeast Alaska this year. But candidates in two other districts are still raising money and gearing up campaigns.
Fairbanks Catholic Diocese Celebrates 50th Anniversary
Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks
The Fairbanks Catholic Diocese is marking its 50th anniversary this weekend. Events including a Sunday mass, will recognize the roles, good and bad, the church has played in communities across a large area of the state.
Hikers Troubled By Problem Bears Along Popular Fairbanks Area Trail
Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks
Two bears continue to be a problem along a popular Fairbanks area hiking trail. One of the young grizzly siblings stalked a group of 3 hikers and their dog on the Granite Tors Trail in the Chena River State Recreation Area last month. The group was able to fend off the animal, but back packs containing food were left behind. State Parks northern region superintendent Brooks Ludwig says there have been two additional incidents involving the bears since.
AK: Summer Camp
Dave Bendinger, KDLG – Dillingham
Kids can learn to be an astronaut at Space Camp. For song and dance, maybe it’s off to Broadway camp. Fish science? For that, there’s no better place than Bristol Bay Salmon Camp. Nine high schoolers from around Alaska learned aquatic science skills as they studied the ecosystem of spawning salmon in Wood TikChik State Park recently.
300 Villages: Butte
This week, we’re heading to the community of Butte, located at the foot of Bodenberg Butte in the Matanuska Susitna Valley. It’s home to about 3000 residents. Brit Lively is a longtime resident of Butte. She lives there with her domestic partner, five horses and a mule.
