Alaska News Nightly: February 2, 2015

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.

Download Audio

Legislature Plans For Gasline Special Session

Alexandra Gutierrez, APRN – Juneau
Republican leaders expect that the Legislature will go ahead with a special session in October to consider a natural gas policy.

Sex Workers Want Lobbyist in Juneau

Alexandra Gutierrez, APRN-Juneau
Every legislative session, different interest groups will hire lobbyists to influence legislation that affects them. But what happens if you’re already on the wrong side of the law? A sex worker group is trying to raise money to send one of their own to Juneau.

Arctic Standards Won’t Be Ready For Shell’s Return

Liz Ruskin, APRN-Washington, DC
After Shell’s troubled 2012 drilling season in the far north, the Interior Department began working on Arctic-specific standards for offshore drilling. But those new standards aren’t done yet.

String Of Earthquakes Shakes Up Pribilof Islands

Lauren Rosenthal, KUCB-Unalaska
The Pribilof Islands aren’t usually prone to shaking. But more than a dozen earthquakes have been recorded in between St. Paul and St. George in the last few days.

Child Center Leaving UAA, Frustrating Parents

Josh Edge, KSKA-Anchorage
Tanaina Child Development Center at the University of Alaska last week received notice from the University that the center will need to find a new location. The decision has left many parents frustrated, but the two sides are still in discussions to see if a new agreement can be reached.

Alaska Regional Hospital To Open Mountain View Clinic

Annie Feidt, APRN-Anchorage
Alaska Regional Hospital is planning to open a healthcare clinic in Mountain View by the end of year. There aren’t any primary care services in the neighborhood currently.

Alaska Legislature Takes Second Look at Erin’s Law

Daysha Eaton, KYUK-Bethel
Erin’s Law is back in the legislature. If passed, the bill would require school districts, statewide, to provide age-appropriate K-12 sexual abuse education.

Poor Design Led to BC Mine Tailings Pond Failure

Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska-Juneau
Poor design led to last summer’s catastrophic failure of a British Columbia mine tailings pond. That’s the conclusion of an investigation ordered by provincial officials and released last Friday.

Vets Check Yukon Quests Dogs

Emily Schwing, KUAC-Fairbanks
Over the weekend, veterinarians looked over the sled dogs that will run the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race in both Fairbanks and Whitehorse. The vets wanted to make sure the dogs were healthy, well-fed and ready to race on the 1,000-mile trail.

Previous articleLegislature Plans For Gasline Special Session
Next articleGovernor’s proposed budget cuts could mean fewer staff at ASD