YK Delta Teen Smoking Rate Well Above National Average
A Mayo Clinic study of teen smoking rates in the Yukon Kuskokwim delta region found young people there use tobacco at high rates. Nearly 30 percent of 11 to 14 year olds and 63 percent of high school students use tobacco, compared to less than 20 percent of teens nationally. Dr. Christi Patten is the lead author of the YK Delta study. She says focus groups with kids in the region helped them design the intervention program for the youth, but the results were not good.
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Alaska Senate Opposes Creation Of Beringia International Park
The Alaska Senate has unanimously passed a resolution opposing the Beringia International Park – an idea agreed upon in 1991 by then-Presidents Bush and Gorbachev.
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Juneau Childcare Workers See Higher Wages
Juneau childcare workers are getting paid more and staying in their jobs longer than they were just a few years ago. That’s according to an organization that runs a pilot program designed to improve access to childcare in the Capital City.
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Alaska Supreme Court Decides Pipeline Worth Billions, Not Millions
The State Supreme Court reaffirmed on Wednesday that the Trans-Alaska Pipeline is worth $10 billion.
Murkowski Continues To Push For King Cove Road
In her annual address before the State Legislature on Wednesday, Murkowski described the Interior Department’s decision to block the project as “heartless and wrong.” She says it’s an extreme case of federal overreach.
Alaska News Nightly: February 19, 2014
Court Reaffirms Trans-Alaska Pipeline Value; Bush Pilots Hit Hard After New Interpretation Of Tax Law; Murkowski Continues To Push For King Cove Road; Ketchikan Assembly Nixes Draft Letter To Gov. Parnell; YK Delta Teen Smoking Rate Well Above National Average; Alaska Senate Opposes Creation Of Beringia International Park; Juneau Childcare Workers See Higher Wages
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Air Taxi Services Say IRS Overreach is Crushing
Alaska air taxi operators say the IRS has re-interpreted tax law for their industry, hitting some Bush pilots with tax bills of up to a million dollars. Alaska’s federal lawmakers are asking the revenue office to back off until they get some answers about what the rules are. In the meantime, the unexpected burden is driving some air carriers into debt, or out of business entirely.
Bill Would Standardize Grievance Process For Mental Health Patients
The bill would set up a 24-hour crisis line for patients and establish an administrative appeal process. Mental health facilities would be required to employ patient advocates and to use the same type of complaint forms.
Home Depot’s Hiring Initiative Doesn’t Mean Much To Alaska
The Home Depot is touting a nationwide initiative seeking 80,000 “new hires” this spring and summer, including 270 in Alaska — but that’s nothing new. The home improvement retailer is looking to hire 45 seasonal employees in Juneau, 45 in Fairbanks, and 180 in Anchorage.
Dry Well Forces Buccaneer to Abandon West Eagle #1
Buccaneer Energy has experienced another setback in its oil and gas exploration efforts in Alaska. After spending millions of dollars to begin an onshore project east of Homer, the company is pulling up stakes and abandoning its only well at the site.
Slow Down Like a Spaniard: with Cake
The hardest thing to get used while studying abroad in Spain was the timing of Spanish meals. Spaniards eat a light breakfast, their largest meal of the day at 2 in the afternoon and a light dinner around 9 at night.
Inevitably, I would find myself with my stomach grumbling around 6.
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Delta Western, Employees Clash Over Unionizing
A labor dispute is brewing between a regional fuel distributor and its staff in Unalaska. Employees of Delta Western say the company doesn’t want them to unionize.
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Tok Residents Trying to Revive Biomass-Fueled Power Plant Project To Cut Energy Costs
Business and community leaders in Tok are trying to revive a plan to cut the area’s high energy costs by generating electricity with biomass.
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Fairbanks Assembly Votes To Participate In Education Suit
The Fairbanks North Star Borough will participate in a school funding lawsuit filed by the Ketchikan Gateway Borough against the state of Alaska. The suit challenges the constitutionality of the state requiring organized municipalities to help cover the cost of local schools.
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Save Our Schools Rallying Cry Heard On Capitol Steps
Holding signs saying “Kids! Not Cuts” and “Vouchers Hurt Public Schools,” about 200 people packed the Alaska Capitol steps for a “Save our Schools” rally yesterday afternoon.
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Supporters Cheer Alaska Native Language Bill
The Barnes Committee Room at the Alaska Capitol erupted in cheers this morning, as a panel of lawmakers unanimously moved a bill that would make 20 Alaska Native languages official state languages.
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Alaska New Nightly: February 18, 2014
Employers Struggle With Ballooning Cost Of Workers’ Comp Medical Bills; Delta Western, Employees Clash Over Unionizing; Fairbanks Assembly Votes To Participate In Education Suit; Democrats Use Driver’s License Bill As Vehicle For Gay Rights Fight; APOC Reviewing Tosi Complaint; Tok Residents Trying to Revive Biomass-Fueled Power Plant Project To Cut Energy Costs; Save Our Schools Rallying Cry Heard On Capitol Steps; Supporters Cheer Alaska Native Language Bill
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Democrats Use Driver’s License Bill As Vehicle For Gay Rights Fight
A bill that would save military spouses the trouble of going to the DMV has triggered an unlikely battle over gay rights in the state legislature.
Employers Struggle With Ballooning Cost Of Workers’ Comp Medical Bills
Employers in Alaska pay the highest workers compensation premiums in the country. And most of that cost goes toward medical claims. The Alaska State Chamber of Commerce has for several years, made reforming the system one of its legislative priorities. And this year, at least one state lawmaker is working on legislation to help control workers compensation costs.
APOC Reviewing Tosi Complaint
A complaint was filed today (Tues. 2/18) with the Alaska Public Offices Commission against Anchorage Assembly candidate Mao Tosi. The complaint alleges Tosi's campaign for an East Anchorage Assembly seat violates Alaska's campaign laws on 15 counts.