Arrest made in case of Wasilla man killed in Montana hit-and-run: Wyran V. Young, a 31-year-old Washington state woman, has been charged with evidence tampering and leaving the scene of a fatal accident in connection with the roadside death of 81-year-old Elgie Bedford, of Wasilla. The Billings Gazette reports that Bedford's body was found along Interstate 90, near Helena, Mont. on Sept. 30. Young is accused of running over Bedford's body, and then washing away the remains from her pickup truck at a local carwash. Young's father, 50 year-old Westley L. Young has also been charged with helping his daughter wash the truck. Young was tracked down by her license plate, and when approached by Washington police she allegedly told officers that "the semi ahead of us hit the guy first," according to the Billings Gazette.
Satellite television service wades into KTUU-GCI fight in rural Alaska: Microcom, an Anchorage-based satellite provider, said it is offering Dish network programming, including the feed from Anchorage-based NBC station, KTUU, to rural residents. A fight over the retransmission agreement between cable provider GCI and KTUU, has left many rural residents without access to NBC programming and KTUU's top-rated newscast. GCI pulled KTUU from its rural programming on Nov. 9, after months of failed negotiations between the cable giant and the TV station. The move has affected 7,000 rural GCI subscribers. The Alaska Rural Communication System (ARCS), a community-based satellite service, will also continue to show KTUU news and other NBC programming. (Correction: The preceding entry in Alaska Beat originally and mistakenly said that Alaska Communication Systems provides KTUU broadcasts in some areas of Alaska via cable television it provides. ACS no longer provides cable television. The error as been eliminated from the entry above.)
Former Wasilla City Councilman in trouble with law again: Former Wasilla City Council member Noel H. Lowe, 42, was pulled over Monday afternoon for allegedly texting while driving and ultimately busted for possessing more than three ounces of pot, Alaska State Troopers reported. Lowe was charged with both texting while driving and fifth-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance. Noel's wife Sandra Lowe, 36, was reportedly in the passenger seat and was also charged with misconduct involving a controlled substance. This isn't Noel Lowe's first run-in with the law. He resigned from the city council in 2005 after questions were raised about his residency. But in 2004, before his resignation, he was charged with a DUI in Fairbanks, which was dismissed when he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of refusing to take a chemical test during the incident. Then, in 2009, he pleaded guilty to a drug charge in Glennallen.
Krispy Kreme shops coming to Alaska: The doughnut Alaskans have long salivated after is finally coming to the Far North. That's the word from the Krispy Kreme corporation, which said it plans to open four shops in Anchorage and the Matanuska Valley in the coming three years. Bringing the franchise to Alaska is Jack Lewis and the principal investors at North to Alaska, LLC. Lewis founded Sourdough Mining Company Restaurant, Peanut Farm Sports Grill, McGinley's Irish Pub, and two Firetap Alehouse locations in Alaska, according to Krispy Kreme. Based in North Carolina, Krispy Kreme donuts have been a big hit in Alaska on those rare occasions when it's flown in from Outside for fund-raisers. The company operates at some 240 locations nationwide. "Jack Lewis and the principals of North to Alaska have amassed more than 25 years of successful restaurant experience," said Patricia Perry, the company's vice president of Domestic Franchise Development. "They possess a thorough knowledge of the Alaskan marketplace and culture, and are committed both to growing with us and sharing the joy of Krispy Kreme with Alaskan doughnut and coffee fans." Said Lewis: "My partners and I look forward to turning on the very first Hot Doughnuts Now® sign in Alaska. We know our fellow Alaskans will truly enjoy the unique and delicious experience that is Krispy Kreme."
Morning 4.7 earthquake near Talkeetna: A 4.7-magnitude earthquake shook up Interior Alaska at 9:16 a.m. Tuesday. The quake, 84 miles deep, was about 59 miles from the Sounthcentral town of Talkeetna and about 71 miles from Denali Park. No damage has been reported.
Alaska Railroad gets reality treatment: The Alaska Railroad will get some national attention when a reality series documenting the company airs this week. "Railroad Alaska" debuts Saturday, Nov. 16 on the Destination America, a cable channel owned by Discovery Communications. The series includes six hour-long episodes that focus on the railroad, the crews and the communities the railroad serves. According to the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, the series filmed this summer mostly between Whittier and Hurricane Gulch. Many stories will focus on residents who live off the grid in Talkeetna and how the railroad plays into their lives. For more information on the show, see the Alaska Railroad's Facebook page, and watch the trailer below.