Anchorage Daily News

PALIN, ON CANADIAN TV SHOW, OFFERS ADVICE TO OBAMA (CTV, with video): Just a few days after signing a historic agreement she hopes will see a Canadian company build a massive pipeline to flow natural gas from Alaska to Alberta and into the North American distribution system, Gov. Sarah Palin says she is working to strengthen relations with Canada, and President-elect Obama should too.

Palin suggested the pipeline contract is an example of cross-border co-operation that Obama can learn from.

"I want to grow the relationship we have with Canada," Palin said from Fairbanks. "I know Alaska is doing all we can to grow that relationship, and we've gotta have faith that the newly elected administration will see the light on that and work very hard to increase and strengthen the relationship between our two countries."

Palin was less agreeable when discussing the suggestion from the Obama team during the campaign that he would make changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement.

"I think he was wrong to send a message that he would unilaterally want to go in and renegotiate," Palin said. "I do not support that, but I think ... he's going to see some conditions that will allow him to temper his position even on that."

NAFTA, she said, has resulted in jobs in both the U.S. and Canada, and must be protected in order to keep both countries' economies "revving."

Also: Palin praises Canada (Canadian Press)

TURKEY SLAUGHTERED IN PALIN VIDEO FETCHES $225 IN AUCTION (The Raw Story): A bidder on eBay has paid $225 for the Alaska turkey who was slaughtered on camera as Gov. Sarah Palin gave one of her first televised interviews since her failed run for vice president.

Also: Turkey farmer finds fair end for fowl story (Mat-Su Frontiersman)

ACCUSED ANCHORAGE KILLER, VICTIM HAVE FAIRBANKS LINKS (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner): A former Fairbanks man accused of shooting and killing another man in Anchorage over the weekend had a history of erratic behavior with guns that worried local leaders. Several people say Keane "Alex" Crawford, 28, once displayed a holstered handgun at a Fairbanks City Council meeting to make a point about gun rights.

Also: Shooting suspect pulled 4,000 votes in 2006 (ADN Alaska Politics blog)

LITTLE LEAGUES NATIONWIDE SAY COMPANY TOOK THEIR MONEY (KIRO, Seattle, with video): Little Leagues are missing thousands of dollars, and they say a Bellevue, Wash., company took their money and won't give it back. The company, Count Me In, helps thousands of youth sports teams nationwide collect registration dues and donations.

Also: Anchorage ski club isn't alone chasing funds (Anchorage Daily News)

FOUR YEARS LATER, ALEUTIAN SHIPPING DISASTERS REMAIN A THREAT (KUCB, Unalaska): Today marks the anniversary of the Selendang Ayu shipping accident in the Aleutian Islands. Six crew members died when the 738-foot freighter went ashore and spilled 60,000 tons of soybeans and over 340,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil.

JUNEAU TURNS DOWN NEW CRUISE SHIP DOCK (KTOO, Juneau): Juneau officials and port users have given thumbs-down to a new cruise ship dock jutting out from Fisherman's Wharf on the downtown waterfront. They say it would cause too many navigation problems for floatplanes and for ships using neighboring docks.

BEGICH, MURKOWSKI DECLARE ‘GENERATIONAL SHIFT' (The Associated Press): At a joint news conference in Sen. Lisa Murkowski's D.C. office, Senator-elect Mark Begich said they have an advantage their Alaska predecessors did not: a bipartisan delegation that can "make sure its views are heard" by both parties. Murkowski called the generational shift appropriate as Alaska celebrates its 50th anniversary as a state. "It's pretty timely that we have the next generation of leadership to begin our second path to 100 years" as a state, she said.

Also: Alaska's new Senate delegation meets in D.C. (APRN)

CAMPAIGNS OFFER PEEK AT WHAT REALLY HAPPENED (The New York Times): At a post-election presidential campaign conference last week at the University of Kansas, John McCain representatives admitted they mishandled Gov. Sarah Palin, McCain's running mate, and Barack Obama representatives said they didn't see the choice of Palin as a serious threat to his election chances.

CRAB FISHING EMPLOYMENT DROPS SHARPLY AFTER PRIVATIZATION (Morris News Service): Alaska continues to hold its own as the nation's No. 1 fishing state, with salmon fisheries providing the most jobs. However, employment in the crab fishery has dropped substantially in part because that fishery was privatized, state economists say.

NOTHING PERSONAL, OPRAH, SAYS PALIN (CNN): Gov. Sarah Palin didn't snub Oprah Winfrey by rejecting an invitation to appear on her talk show, Palin spokesman Bill McAllister says. "The governor ... was also invited to appear on Letterman, Leno, Stephanopoulos, ‘The Daily Show.' She passed on a vast majority of these requests. We're up to about 250 requests for interviews and appearances and so on." McAllister said she hadn't ruled out an "Oprah" appearance.

FROM THE UNALASKA POLICE BLOTTER (Unalaska Advertiser): Suspicious Person/Activity - Intoxicated complainant told an officer that he had bought a plane ticket for a woman, whose name he did not know, all the way from Louisiana to Unalaska. The woman then left his house to spend quality time with one of the complainant's male friends, whose full name he also did not know. The complainant asked an officer to take the woman's suitcases off his porch so they wouldn't get stolen. The officer encouraged the drunken man to put the suitcases inside his house until such time as the nameless woman returned to him.

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Dogs of war: The Alaska wolf debate (Backpacker magazine)

Reason for Fairbanks man's Colorado killing spree unknown (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)

Polar dinosaurs didn't flee cold, dark winters (LiveScience)

Wide-awake grizzlies spook Bettles (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)

Rescued Brooks Range hiker criticized (Daily News, Fairbanks News-Miner)

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