Alaska News Nightly: Friday, May 8, 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.

With Foster Care Cases Up, Lawmakers Consider Funding Triage

Alexandra Gutierrez, APRN – Juneau

The Walker administration is pushing for more funding for the Office of Children’s Services, in response to the growing number of foster children in the system.

Lawmakers Seek Audit of State Crime Lab

Alexandra Gutierrez, APRN – Juneau

Lawmakers have approved an audit of the state crime lab to see if it is properly managing evidence.

Prenatal Pot Use On The Rise in Alaska

Elizabeth Jenkins, KTOO – Juneau

About one in 14 Alaska women are using marijuana while pregnant. That’s based on the state’s pregnancy risk monitoring survey which hundreds of new moms complete each year. Between 2002 and 2011, the number of women reporting marijuana use during pregnancy more than doubled. The women are more likely to be younger, Alaska Native and lower income.

2 New Wolf Kills Add to Denali Population Decline

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

The recent killing of two Denali National Park wolves has increased calls for protection of the animals on state land adjacent to the park, where hunting and trapping are legal.

Hovercraft To Shuttle Cruise Tourists to Taku Glacier

Lisa Phu, KTOO – Juneau

The start of the cruise ship season brings a new excursion from one of the oldest tour outfits in Southeast. Allen Marine Tours is set to run hovercraft trips to the Taku Glacier starting this week.

Alaska WWII Vet Enjoys Bird’s Eye View of D.C. Flyover

Liz Ruskin, APRN – Washington, D.C.

This is Victory in Europe day, the 70th anniversary of World War Two’s end in Europe. In Washington, D.C. more than 50 vintage military aircraft flew over the national mall to the Capitol. One Alaska vet got a bird’s eye view.

49 Voices: Michelle Troll

Anne Hillman, KSKA – Anchorage

This week we hear from Michelle Troll who moved to Alaska to work at the Ketchikan Daily News more than 30 years ago and never, ever intended to stay.

AK: Samurai Musher

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

If you didn’t hear the rendition of the Alaska Flag Song by a Japanese choral ensemble last week at Anchorage’s Alaska Performing Arts Center, you missed something special.

Previous articleAK: Samurai Musher
Next articleAlaska WWII Vet Enjoys Bird’s Eye View of D.C. Flyover