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Cold snap makes you wonder: Why do we live in Fairbanks? (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner): Why do I live here? That was the question a hitchhiker I picked up last week posed as we descended down the Steese Highway into the cloud of ice fog that has been disguised as Fairbanks for the past 10 days. Even after more than 22 years in Alaska, I didn't have an answer for him.
Brains on ice: Cycling to work at minus 15 (Bicycles and Icicles blog): Unless I remember to ride slowly at first, I tend to get about a third of a mile from my house before the front of my head feels like it's being crushed under a Chevy truck. For two or three minutes, I have to roll my head from side to side and blink my eyes while the throbbing pain makes me feel like I'm going to pass out and collapse into a snow bank.
Ohio representatives pick up campaign to retain Mount McKinley name (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner): Two Ohio representatives have taken up the crusade to retain "Mount McKinley" as the official federal name of the continent's tallest mountain. Picking up where former Rep. Ralph Regula left off, Reps. Tim Ryan and Betty Sutton introduced a bill aimed at keeping any talk of "Denali" verboten.
Otter trap kills Kodiak dog (KMXT): A Kodiak man lost one of his dogs to an otter trap on New Year's Day. Mike Hansen, a retired commercial fisherman, described his attempt to rescue Matches. "My dog died in my hands," he said.
The particle physicist and the Iditarod (Symmetry Breaking): Eric Rogers has endured frostbite over more than 1,000 miles of rugged terrain and can also help uncover the mystery of how the universe evolved, whether extra dimensions exist, and what makes up the building blocks of matter that permit the existence of the race course, his dog team and Sarah Palin's beloved moose. How many other mushers can say that? See also:
A youthful dream fulfilled, even with frostbite (Anchorage Daily News, 3/17/07)
First Americans arrived as two separate migrations, according to genetic evidence (Science Daily): After the Last Glacial Maximum some 15,000 to 17,000 years ago, one group entered Alaska from Beringia following the ice-free Pacific coastline, while another traversed an open land corridor between two ice sheets to arrive directly into the region east of the Rocky Mountains.
Family pleads for return of mother's stolen cremains (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner): A North Pole family is pleading for the safe return of their deceased mother's ashes. Someone kicked in the door of Lana Schneidewind's home and took a game console, clothes and the remains of her late mother. "The only thing I want back are the remains," Schneidewind said.
Sen. Murkowski in Senate confirmation hearing for Daschle (The New York Times): Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski discussed access to Medicare and other issues during questioning of Sen. Tom Daschle in his bid to become secretary of health and human services.
New Congress, new debate over ANWR (Alaska Public Radio Network): The new session of Congress is only in its first week, and already it faces two competing bills dealing with the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. In the House, Alaska Republican Don Young reintroduced a bill to allow drilling in the refuge, and Massachusetts Democrat Edward Markey reintroduced a bill to protect the coastal plain.
Alaska senators back Obama in call for delay in switch to digital TV (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner) : Alaska's senators said Thursday that they agree with President-elect Barack Obama's request to delay next month's national switch to digital television. About one-third of Fairbanks-area TVs will be affected by the switch.
Volunteers map Beach Lake sled dog trails with GPS (Alaska Star): Working with the Eagle River-Chugiak Parks and Recreation Department and local dog mushers, six volunteers, armed with GPS systems, set out to map the centerline, or middle of the trail, of the nearly 25 miles of Beach Lake trails.
Return to Alaska Newsreader through the day for new links.
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HIGHLIGHTS FROM RECENT NEWSREADERS:
Levi Johnston's mother speaks out (People magazine)
Video: Ski racers sprint in underwear at 10 below (Faster Skier)
"America's Most Wanted" investigates Alaska corpse discoveries (Fox)
Glacier lake about to break out; Kenai flooding possible (Peninsula Clarion)
Fly fishing hot, even though winter's not (Redoubt Reporter)
Alaska Natives look for new friends in Congress (National Public Radio)
Big storms are good news for commercial fishermen (New Scientist)
Coast Guard's Top 10 action videos for 2008 (U.S. Coast Guard)
Beloved dog lost to beaver trap on skijoring trail (The Bristol Bay Times)
Unalaska police blotter a cure for common crime (The Dutch Harbor Fisherman)
‘Deadliest Catch' crew sets out to make Kodiak proud (Kodiak Daily Mirror)
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