Alaska News Nightly: Monday, Oct. 22, 2018

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Report: Ex-Anchorage cop suing city interfered with Alaska National Guard investigation

Casey Grove, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage

A once-confidential report on the botched Anchorage police investigation of drug dealing and sexual assault within the Alaska National Guard is at the heart of a former police lieutenant’s wrongful termination lawsuit, which has culminated in a trial.

Division of Elections says absentee ballots cast for Walker are final

Adelyn Baxter, KTOO – Juneau

Through Friday, the Alaska Division of Elections says it has received more than 3,000 absentee ballots for the Nov. 6 general election.

State’s largest union endorses Begich after previously throwing support behind Walker

Andrew Kitchenman, KTOO – Juneau

Alaska’s largest labor federation announced today that it’s endorsing Begich. The Alaska AFL-CIO leadership made the decision Sunday, two days after its first choice – Governor Walker – suspended his campaign and endorsed Begich.

Alaska senators address AFN on convention’s final day

Zachariah Hughes, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage

The 52nd annual Alaska Federation of Natives convention concluded Oct. 20 in Anchorage with high-level addresses from Alaska’s senators, and AFN delegates still reeling from the news that Gov. Bill Walker is suspending his re-election campaign.

Anchorage School District, union continue contract talks

Associated Press

The Anchorage School District and the union that represents about 3,300 of its educators plan to continue working toward contract agreement, the Anchorage Daily News reports.

St. Paul rat evades team of eradication experts

Zoe Sobel, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Unalaska

A rat is still on the loose on St. Paul Island, having evaded the community’s decades-old prevention program for more than seven weeks. A fish plant worker nearly caught it on Sunday, but it slipped out of his hands.

Possible ‘green’ Halloween on the horizon in Fairbanks

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks

With Halloween just over a week out, Fairbanks is looking at the potential of a third straight year with minimal snow cover, and a possible first ever green Halloween.

Bald Mountain Air ordered to pay $500,000 in whistleblower case

Aaron Bolton, KBBI – Homer

An administrative law judge has ruled in favor of an Anchorage whistleblower who claims that Bald Mountain Air Service based in Homer fired him after he reported several safety issues to the Federal Aviation Administration. However, the airliner plans to appeal the ruling.

Petersburg’s assembly, hospital board meet again on future of the facility

Joe Viechnicki, KFSK – Petersburg

Petersburg’s hospital board last week made another pitch to the borough assembly about the importance of coming up with a plan for a new or renovated medical center.

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