Alaska News Nightly: Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018

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With tweaks, Alaska Supreme Court rules Yes for Salmon can go on ballot

Elizabeth Harball, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Anchorage

The Alaska Supreme Court today ruled that only certain provisions of the controversial ballot initiative are unconstitutional. Whether the rest becomes state law will be up to Alaska voters.

Interior official: ‘millions’ more acres in NPR-A to open for oil development 

Elizabeth Harball, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Anchorage

A top Trump administration official says the Interior Department is moving to open millions more acres in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve to oil development.

Anchorage healthcare providers discuss rural tele-health systems with FCC Commissioner

Wesley Early, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage

As part of his statewide tour of broadband systems, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr stopped in Anchorage today to hear from rural health providers. Commisioner Carr has already visited Unalaska and Palmer on his Alaska tour to learn about challenges with broadband Internet access.

Division of Public Health releases numbers on opioid overdoses

Zachariah Hughes, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage

A new report from the state’s Division of Public Health offers a bleak outlook of Alaska’s continued struggle with opioid addiction.

Mountaineering ranger details how Denali rescue operation became recovery operation 

Casey Grove, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage

A rescue effort for the occupants of a flightseeing plane that crashed last weekend in Denali National Park has turned to a recovery effort. A Talkeetna-based mountaineering ranger tethered to a helicopter in what’s known as a “short haul” reached the Thunder Mountain crash site Monday and confirmed four onboard had died, with the fifth presumed dead.

Two men arrested for allegedly shooting bear and two cubs on camera

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

Alaska State Troopers report that 41-year-old Andrew Renner and 18-year-old Owen Renner, both of Palmer, face felony and misdemeanor charges related to killing a black bear sow and two cubs in their den.

Likely winner emerges in rare Anchorage Assembly race

Zachariah Hughes, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage

Though several hundred ballots remain to be counted, candidate Austin Quinn-Davidson had a double-digit lead in preliminary results.

Petersburg could look at end or changes to recycling program

Joe Viechnicki, KFSK – Petersburg

Petersburg’s recycling program is no longer saving the borough money on the cost of shipping solid waste out of town. That’s because of a drop in the value of recyclable materials and an increase in the cost of processing that material.

‘Art activist’ spends week in Togiak to promote conservation

Austin Fast, KDLG – Dillingham

An artist from Los Angeles recently spent a week in Togiak to learn how people have lived off the land and thrived in the region. Her goal is to promote conservation of Alaskan wilderness.

Kodiak service kicks off annual St. Herman pilgrimage

Kayla Desroches, KMXT – Kodiak

In preparation for the pilgrimage, Kodiak’s Orthodox Church has put together a schedule of events, including a banquet, a tea with the bishop of Alaska, and multiple services. One such service kicked off Pilgrimage Week yesterday evening at the Holy Resurrection Cathedral.

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