Alaska Morning News: Thursday, May 16, 2019

7 a.m. Newscast

Legislature’s failure to finish work leads Dunleavy to call immediate special session

Andrew Kitchenman, Alaska Public Media & KTOO – Juneau

The Alaska Legislature failed to pass a budget or a crime bill Wednesday, the last day of the 121-day session, prompting Gov. Mike Dunleavy to call lawmakers into an immediate special session.

Ketchikan planes in mid-air crash both had equipment designed to help avert collisions. What went wrong?

Nathaniel Herz, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Anchorage

Both of the planes involved in Monday’s fatal mid-air crash near Ketchikan were equipped with transponders designed to help avert collisions, but many details about Monday’s crash — and how the navigation systems may or may not have worked — remain unknown.

8 a.m. Newscast

NTSB starts recovering two wrecked floatplanes

Leila Kheiry, KRBD – Ketchikan

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board have recovered one of the two planes involved in Monday’s mid-air collision in Ketchikan’s George Inlet area, and were working on recovering the second.

US House bill clears path for Alaska tribes to put land in trust

Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media

The U.S. House on Wednesday passed a bill that would clear a legal cloud over whether Alaska tribes can put land in trust, giving them the authority to govern over that land.

What the healthcare overhaul at VA means for Alaska vets

Zachariah Hughes, Alaska Public Media

In just a few weeks, the Department of Veterans Affairs will begin implementing one of the largest overhauls in the history of the VA. The Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks (MISSION) Act goes into effect on June 6, and is intended to modernize veteran healthcare as a wave of younger vets are beginning to access services.

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