Arctic fiber-optic cable could benefit far-flung Alaskans

Alaska Native corporations and a multinational firm are planning to build the first fiber-optic cable between Asia and Europe through the Arctic.

RURAL BLOG: THE VILLAGE

Former NANA subsidiary exec gets 21 months for fraud

Clyde Thomas Beard, former chief financial officer for NANA Services, was sentenced today for filing phony expense reports and charging the company for personal items including airline tickets, Seattle Seahawks merchandise and a diamond ring.

Native contracting benefit defended

A U.S. Small Business Administration program that awards advantages in contracting to Alaska Native corporations is valuable to the whole state and should be continued, Congressman Don Young and Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan said at a news conference Tuesday.

Calista Corp. pays benefit to elderly

Calista Corp., the regional Native corporation for Western Alaska, said it is issuing $300 payments this week to over 1,500 shareholders who are age 65 or older, the company said.

Doyon gets 126,000 more acres of land

The federal government has turned over another 126,000 acres of land to the Fairbanks-based Native corporation Doyon Ltd.

Mine opposition by regional corporation induces anger

Two Bristol Bay village corporations that own land near the massive copper and gold Pebble prospect said Tuesday they are outraged by their regional corporation's decision to oppose it.

PDF: Pedro Bay Corp. statement

PDF: Alaska Peninsula Corp. statement

PDF: Bristol Bay Native Corp. statement

Bristol Bay Native Corp. opposes Pebble

The Bristol Bay Native Corp. board voted Friday to oppose the development of the massive copper and gold Pebble prospect in Southwest Alaska and offshore oil and gas leasing in the Bering Sea.

The Pebble Blog

Schubert new CEO at Bering Straits Native Corp.

Bering Straits Native Corp. has promoted Gail Schubert to chief executive.

Fire Island wind farm still on despite loss of partner

Cook Inlet Region Inc. recently lost its key partner in the Fire Island wind project, but the company plans to spend millions to get the wind farm built and generating electricity in Anchorage by the end of 2011.

Alaska Newsreader: Kenai City Council OKs residential wind turbines

New Web site serves Native employment

From a small tourism office downtown, you can tell a lot about unemployment in Anchorage.

Native firms face changes to contracting

A federal agency is proposing big changes to the controversial contracting program for minorities that spurred massive growth among Alaska Native corporations over the past decade.

Native leaders enlist legislators in contracting battle

Alaska Native leaders on Monday urged state lawmakers to join them in defending a embattled federal contracting program that has spurred enormous growth among Alaska Native firms in recent years.

INSIDE ALASKA BUSINESS

Arctic Slope $46.6M in the black

The Arctic Slope Regional Corp. board has declared a fall dividend of $41.96 per share, or $4,196 per 100 shares, to be paid to shareholders in December.

Native firms thrive on business list

Native corporations dominate the newest list of the largest Alaska-based, Alaskan-owned businesses.

Accountant admits embezzling from Native corporation

A 45-year-old Seattle-area accountant has admitted that he embezzled $188,000 from a subsidiary of an Alaska Native corporation.

Native firms start PR campaign against contracting probe

A coalition of five Alaska Native corporations recently launched a public-relations campaign to fight back against congressional attacks on the government contracting that has helped make them some of the state's largest companies.

PDF: Congressional report on contracting

Native contracting Web site

Hoonah village corporation hires investment banker from New York

A former investment banker has been hired as the chief executive officer for Huna Totem Corp.

Doyon, partners launch exploratory gas well

Drillers punching 11,000 feet beneath Nenana Basin could strike it rich with a natural gas find of 2 billion cubic feet -- or they could find a dry hole. Doyon Ltd. and three partners are taking the gamble, sinking about $15 million this summer into an exploratory gas well, Nunivak No. 1.

Yukon Flats land trade for oil exploration is no deal

A controversial land swap pitched as a key to oil and gas development in the Yukon Flats is dead. The Fish and Wildlife Service says no deal after years of study and negotiations.

Native no-bid contracting sows tension in US Senate

Wealthy Alaska Native corporations that benefit from no-bid federal contracts have used their special preferences far beyond their original purposes, said Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who will be leading a critical public review of the program today.

PDF: Senate staff report on Native corporation contracting preferences

Four Native corporations join to counter contracting probe

Four Alaska Native corporations have joined with tribes and businesses to form a coalition to fight what they say is misrepresentation of their role in government contracting.

Native corporation contracts get a close look in US Senate