Anchorage Daily News

Murkowski plans town hall meeting on health care

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski has scheduled a town hall meeting on health care reform from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Mirror Lake Middle School in the Chugiak area.

Former mayor of Fairbanks borough dies

A former mayor of the Fairbanks borough has died. Juanita Helms died Saturday. She was 68.

Obama visit postponed a day

President Obama's first visit to Alaska, originally scheduled for Veterans Day, has been postponed a day, the White House said Saturday.

Kenai Borough mayor trims pay for top aides

Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Dave Carey has cut the salaries of his two top appointees following public criticism he heard when their pay hikes were made public.

DUI suspected in fatal crash

A woman sought by police as a possible drunken driver crossed the center line of the Seward Highway in her SUV on Thursday and struck a car head-on, killing its driver and injuring its passenger.

GOP rally in D.C. against health care bill draws Rep. Young

Rep. Don Young doesn't attend many big public events in Washington, so his presence was notable Thursday at a Republican rally at that drew thousands of people who oppose health care legislation scheduled for a vote this weekend in the House.

Fugitive Alaska sex offender dies on the run in Argentina

Alaska prosecutors have closed the case of a 64-year-old convicted sex offender who fled before sentencing after the defendant was found dead in Argentina.

Injured swan left behind after flock flies on

The Tern Lake trumpeter swan wounded with an arrow earlier this year was unable to fly south for the winter and has been left behind by its flock.

The Village blog: Photos from the swan's capture Saturday

Owners plan salvage attempt for capsized fishing boat

A 59-foot commercial fishing boat that capsized near Unalaska Island is drifting toward the Gulf of Alaska and attempts to salvage it could begin as early as today, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

Strong Mat-Su winds knock out power, send roof flying

Gusty winds in Mat-Su knocked out power and sent one large roof crashing onto a pickup Thursday afternoon. Fifteen outages were reported, from the Glenn Highway to Wasilla and along Knik-Goose Bay Road.

Video: A windy day in the Valley

Air Force to downsize staff at closed King Salmon base

The Air Force is planning to save several million dollars a year by cutting the contract staff at its small King Salmon facility, now used only for training, officials announced today.

Loeffler sworn in as U.S. attorney for Alaska

The first woman to serve as U.S. attorney for Alaska was sworn in today. Karen Loeffler, already serving as the interim U.S. attorney, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate for the permanent position Thursday. President Obama signed her commission Friday morning.

Man seriously injured in accidental shooting

Police say a 25-year-old Juneau man suffered life-threatening injuries after he put a .22-caliber rifle in his mouth and pulled the trigger "to find out if it was loaded."

Judge shows leniency in Masek sentence for corruption

Former state Rep. Beverly Masek was sentenced to six months in federal prison today for her part in the Alaska political corruption scandal, a lenient punishment that sliced a year from the minimum confinement in federal guidelines.

Julia O'Malley column: Masek's excuses sound hollow

Palin dinner offered on eBay brings in $63,500 for charity

The chance for dinner with former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has brought in $63,500 for a charity which aids wounded veterans.

More on Sarah Palin

Wainwright soldier found dead in barracks

The death of an Alaska-based soldier found dead in his Fort Wainwright barracks room this week is under investigation, Army officials said today.

Begich says rural trip was eye-opening for Cabinet members

Four secretaries in the Obama Cabinet had their eyes opened to unique Alaska problems in their just-completed trip to rural communities, U.S. Sen. Mark Begich said Thursday.

Obama Cabinet team sees difficulties unique to the Bush

Rural blog: The Village

Board dismisses Palin ethics complaint

The Alaska Personnel Board has dismissed another ethics complaint filed against Gov. Sarah Palin.

Read the report

Alaska Politics blog: Questions raised about Palin ethics investigator. Who is Tom Daniel?

Alaska Politics blog: More on the Alaska Trust - how involved was Palin?

SUV driver reaching for phone escapes injury after hitting train

An SUV driver plowed across a median and several lanes of traffic Friday afternoon before striking a train in West Anchorage, all of it ostensibly beginning when the man dropped his cell phone, according to police.

Cop pleads not guilty in sex assaults

APD officer Anthony Rollins on Thursday faced a Superior Court judge, handcuffed and wearing yellow jailhouse garb with the word "prisoner" stenciled on the back. Rollins' attorney entered not guilty pleas to 14 felony counts, most involving rape or sexual assault.

Woman dies in fall from State Office Building

JUNEAU -- Authorities say a 66-year-old Juneau woman has died in a fall from an eighth-floor ledge of the State Office Building.