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Mental Health Trust board push for restructure, prompts resignation by long-time CEOÂ
Anne Hillman, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage
The CEO of the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority resigned yesterday [Wednesday] and will take on a different role in the organization. Jeff Jessee served in the position for 21 years. Some of the trustees allege that his resignation indicates violations of the Alaska Open Meetings Act.
Anchorage attorney accuses Justice Thomas of 1999 groping
Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage
An Anchorage attorney says U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas groped her 17 years ago, when she was a scholar in a post-college program in Washington, D.C.
University of Alaska seeks cuts to skiing and indoor track programs
Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks
The University of Alaska is recommending elimination of 6 sports teams. Under the cost saving proposal rolled out at an Anchorage press conference by UA President Jim Johnsen Thursday, the University of Alaska Fairbanks would lose its cross-country ski teams, and the University of Alaska Anchorage would drop its ski and indoor track squads.
For this Anchorage Republican, Johnson trumps Trump
Rachel Waldholz, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Anchorage
Recent polls show the Johnson/Weld ticket pulling anywhere from 7 to 18 percent of the vote in Alaska. One of those voters is 31-year-old Samuel Moore, of Anchorage. Moore is a financial analyst, and he’s active in local Republican politics. But while he voted for Mitt Romney, John McCain and George W. Bush, he says he can’t support Donald Trump.
Native artisans worry ivory bans in other states could reverberate in Alaska
Davis Hovey, KNOM – Nome
In June, the federal government instituted a near-total ban on the domestic commercial trade of African elephant ivory.
Licenses for sport fishing, hunting and trapping to increase in price next year
Avery Lill, KDLG – Dillingham
On the first of the year, the fees for Alaska sport fishing, hunting, and trapping licenses and tags will go up. It’s the first time in 24 years that hunting license and tag fees have increased and the first time in a decade for sport fishing.
Ask a Climatologist: In Anchorage, first snow is right on schedule
Annie Feidt, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Anchorage
The first snowfall in Anchorage came nearly right on schedule. On average, the city has at least a trace of the white stuff by October 16th, four days earlier than the date of this year’s first snow.
Glacial fjords home to surprise coral, but maybe not for long
Elizabeth Jenkins, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Juneau
Most people wouldn’t expect coral to thrive in Southeast Alaska. But it exists in the silty waters of glacial fjords. Now scientists are wondering if the coral, which serves as important fish habitat, could be in danger from an invisible threat — ocean acidification.
