Alaska News Nightly: Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018

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 @AKPublicNews

Listen now

Cyber-security firm says Alaska was targeted by Chinese cyber spies

Rashah McChesney, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Juneau

Report details state, private companies that were targeted.

State house candidate faces charges over food stamp benefits

Associated Press

An Alaska legislative candidate and her husband have been accused of misleading the state in applying for food stamps.

NTSB releases initial report on deadly Alaska Range crash

Phillip Manning, KTNA – Talkeetna

The National Transportation Safety Board has issued a preliminary report on the flightseeing crash that killed five people earlier this month.

Lieutenant governor candidate Grunwald was fired at height of National Guard scandal

Andrew Kitchenman, KTOO – Juneau

Edie Grunwald is a retired Air Force colonel who’s running to be the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor. She also was fired at the direction of former Governor Sean Parnell. The dismissal was part of the fallout from the Alaska National Guard scandal that contributed to Parnell’s defeat four years ago.

Political support to play part in jury selection for trial

Associated Press

Alaska political support is expected to play a role in the jury selection process for the trial of one of the four young men charged with murder in the 2016 death of their high school classmate.

Democrat hopes to unseat Young with ‘Medicare for all’ campaign

Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media – Washington D.C.

Dimitri Shein was born in the Soviet Union and immigrated to Anchorage when he was 12. He says the experience helps him appreciate what makes America exceptional. “And now I see all these values under attack.”

Alaska marijuana board taking comment on onsite use draft

Associated Press

Alaska marijuana regulators will take public comment on the latest draft proposal for allowing onsite use of marijuana in authorized stores.

Alaska Marijuana Control Board fines pot festival organizer

Associated Press

An organizer of a marijuana festival where people consumed pot inside a designated tent has been fined $2,500.

Major oil development planned in NPR-A to get ‘streamlined’ environmental review

Elizabeth Harball, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Anchorage

The Bureau of Land Management has kicked off the environmental review process for what could be one of Alaska’s biggest future oil developments, in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. The Trump administration wants to make that process go faster. But environmental groups worry a faster review won’t do enough to protect the Arctic wilderness.

In Utqiaġvik, a growing erosion problem may soon outpace local efforts to slow it

Ravenna Koenig, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Fairbanks

“We know that the berm isn’t the long-term solution,” Scott Evans with the North Slope Borough said. “But that’s what we have the ability to do right now. So that’s what we’re continuing to do because we know it’s slowing everything down.”

Previous articleCyber-security firm says Alaska was targeted by Chinese cyber spies
Next articleMajor oil development planned in NPR-A to get ‘streamlined’ environmental review