Alaska News Nightly: Friday, March 17, 2016

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Italian company Eni submits plan to drill for oil in Beaufort Sea

Elizabeth Harball, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Anchorage

Italian energy company Eni this month submitted an exploration plan to drill for oil in federal waters in the Beaufort Sea.

House passes deep cut to per diem allowances

Andrew Kitchenman, KTOO – Juneau

The House voted to cut the money to pay for lawmakers’ daily expenses during the legislative session by three-quarters.

Feds worry oil pipeline near leaking Cook Inlet gas line also at risk

Rachel Waldholz, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Anchorage

Federal regulators are raising concerns about a second pipeline in Cook Inlet.

Fairbanks cyclist wins Iditarod Trail Invitational

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

Jay Cable of Fairbanks has won the 1,000 mile Iditarod Trail Invitational human-powered race.

Forecasting Sitka’s herring biomass is a thorough but imperfect science

Robert Woolsey, KCAW – Sitka

As seiners converge in Sitka for the annual sac roe herring fishery, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is holding firm on its harvest target of 14,649 tons. This is despite having fallen short of that target in three of the last five years.

Open North American Sled Dog Championship kicks off

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

The Open North American Sled Dog Championship gets underway Friday (March 17) in Fairbanks. 23 mushers will compete for $40,000 in prize money over three days of sprint racing, with the fastest combined time winning.

Yukon Quest dog’s heart stopped

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

Final results of a necropsy performed on a dog that died during last month’s Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race are in.

Victor Joseph reelected as President of Tanana Chiefs Conference

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

Victor Joseph will serve a second term as President of the Tanana Chiefs Conference.

Pen Air works to integrate Saab 2000s

Lawrence Hamilton, KDLG – Dillingham

Pen Air is facing criticism from residents in Bristol Bay due to continued delays along its Dillingham-Anchorage route. The company said it is still in the process of integrating their new fleet of Saab 2000s.

AK: How genetics changed mush dogs of the past

Zachariah Hughes, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage

The huskies running today’s Iditarod bear little resemblance to the bulky sled-dogs Alaskans used to rely on year-round. As breeding programs have refined genetic lines to create dogs designed to excel at the thousand-mile winter-time race, the cost of specialization has been a lack of versatility.

49 Voices: Tsolmon Damba of Anchorage

Anne Hillman, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage

Tsolmon Damba in Anchorage. Demba is a nursing student from Mongolia who arrived in Alaska nearly seven years ago to attend UAA. She says the city is not what she expected.

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