Alaska News Nightly: May 2, 2014

Individual news stories are posted on the APRN news page. You can subscribe to APRN’s newsfeeds via email, podcast and RSS. Follow us on Facebook at alaskapublic.org and on Twitter @aprn.

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Two Alaska State Troopers Slain In Tanana

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

A 19-year-old Tanana man has been arrested in connection with the murder of two Alaska State Troopers on Thursday. The bodies of the two slain law officers were brought to the state medical examiner’s office in Anchorage on Friday, accompanied by a Trooper escort.

Tanana Residents Devastated By Trooper Deaths

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

Tanana is an Athabascan village about 130 miles west of Fairbanks, near the confluence of the Tanana and Yukon Rivers. The village’s 300 residents all know one another, and many are related.

Tensions Bubble Up Between Alaska GOP, Tea Party

Alexandra Gutierrez, APRN – Juneau

For years, there’s been conflict between the Alaska Republican Party’s establishment wing and its more conservative Tea Party faction. Those tensions bubbled to the surface Friday when the party’s U.S. Senate candidates took the stage at the state convention.

Firefighters Respond To Caribou Lake Wildfire

Aaron Selbig, KBBI – Homer

Firefighters with the Alaska Division of Forestry are responding to a wildfire near Caribou Lake today.

Rep. Lindsey Holmes Will Not Seek Reelection

Alexandra Gutierrez, APRN – Juneau

West Anchorage Republican Lindsey Holmes will not be running for reelection to the Alaska House of Representatives.

Carl Moses Remembered For ‘Full Career’ Of Public Service

Annie Ropeik, KUCB – Unalaska

Flags are at half-staff today as Alaska says goodbye to its longest-serving state representative. Carl Moses died in Sand Point on Wednesday after a long illness. He was 84. He leaves a legacy of service in Southwest Alaska and across the state.

Fairbanks Schools Anticipating Teacher, Staff Reductions

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

The State Legislature has boosted money for education, but it’s not enough to stem cuts by the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. The district is getting 6 million new dollars from the state, $3.3 million more than the expected increase, but acting Superintendent Karen Gaborik says it’s not sufficient to avert teacher and staff reductions.

AK: Smokejumpers

Emily Schwing, KUAC – Fairbanks

Red Flag warnings have already been issued for parts of south central and the Interior and wildland firefighters are gearing up for the season. Some of them will approach wildfires from the ground, but there’s one elite group that’s been training for more than two months to fight fire from the air. KUAC’s Emily Schwing caught up with the Alaska smokejumpers to find out how they train and why they do it.

300 Villages: Wrangell

Jolene Almendarez, APRN – Anchorage

Carol Rushmore works for the city and Borough of Wrangell.

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