Alaska News Nightly: Monday, June 5, 2017

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Governor floats idea of head tax to end legislative stalemate

Andrew Kitchenman, Alaska Public Media & KTOO – Juneau

After an entire regular session and more than half a special session gone with no deal on a state budget, Governor Bill Walker met with legislative leaders today to roll out a compromise package.

Wildfire near Dillingham grows to 1,000 acres

Dave Bendinger, KDLG – Dillingham & Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

The Alaska Interagency Coordination Center reports 11 blazes were started by lightning strikes over the weekend.

Caelus postpones appraisal well for big North Slope oil discovery

Elizabeth Harball, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Anchorage

The company behind what could be Alaska’s biggest oil discovery since the 1960s will not be drilling a well to confirm the find this winter, as originally planned.

Fairbanks mayor attempts to address police shortage with incentives

Robert Hannon, KUAC – Fairbanks

City of Fairbanks Mayor Jim Matherly is trying to address a local police officer shortage with an incentive bonus program.

GCI suffers crime-related statewide outages for second time in 2 months

Casey Grove, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage

For the second time in as many months, Alaska’s largest communications company suffered statewide outages due to alleged criminal activity. This time, however, a man is behind bars for causing damage to GCI equipment at the Denali Tower building in Midtown Anchorage.

65 years after crash, recovery resumes on Colony Glacier

Zachariah Hughes, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage

The military is resuming an annual mission on the Colony Glacier, where an Air Force plane crashed 65 years ago killing the dozens of service members on board. The plane was found during the initial search, but body recovery was deemed to be too dangerous and the plane and its contents soon disappeared beneath the ice.

Anchorage activists hold march against gun violence

Henry Leasia, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage

An Anchorage group wants to change the dialogue about guns. On Saturday, the Anchorage chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America held a march commemorating National Gun Violence Awareness day.

UA regents discuss budget uncertainty

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

The University of Alaska Board of regents wrapped up a 2 day meeting in Fairbanks Friday to address the ongoing Strategic Pathways initiative to cut costs and focus the university on core missions.

Fishermen are pulling up empty nets from Kuskokwim’s low water

Anna Rose MacArthur, KYUK – Bethel

Water on the Kuskokwim is low, and nets are coming up mostly empty. Subsistence fishermen along the entire river are reporting this situation. Other fishermen, facing tight restrictions and cultural tension, have decided to refuse to fish.

African-American soldiers who helped build Alaska Highway honored

Tim Ellis, KUAC – Fairbanks

Fort Greely and Delta Junction celebrated the Alaska Highway’s 75th anniversary Saturday – and one of the soldiers who helped build it. Gov. Bill Walker and other state and local leaders attended a tribute to 96-year-old Leonard Larkins, one of more than 3,000 African-American soldiers who helped build the highway.

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