Rural Alaska

Suspect in Bethel cabbie's death jailed on other charges

A man suspected in the killing of a Bethel cab driver is in jail on charges unrelated to the cabbie's death, according to Alaska State Troopers.

With rats gone, a name change is suggested for Rat Island

Rat Island was once over-run with rats. But with the rats dead and gone after having eaten grain pellets laced with poison, two Alaska Native groups say it's time for a name-change.

Feds announce $67 million in Alaska Native housing grants

Federal officials said $67.4 million in Indian housing block grants have been awarded to 46 Native villages and tribes in Alaska.

Alaska Ship and Drydock could become part of Oregon company

An Oregon company will acquire Alaska Ship and Drydock.

2 Barrow children left in room open to 30-below cold

When police entered a Barrow apartment last week on a report of a child not breathing, they found a caregiver smelling of alcohol, two hypothermic and naked children, and a child's bedroom with the window open to the Arctic winter, according to court documents.

Firearm accidentally discharges, kills Sitka man

A 50-year-old Sitka man has died in an accidental shooting.

Agencies pledge science-based policy in Arctic development

The head of President Obama's working group on Alaska energy development says the federal government will bring a renewed effort to incorporating science in Arctic policy decisions.

Mother, boyfriend charged in death of Barrow child

The investigation of the beating death of a Barrow child and the battering of the child's baby sibling took another twist Monday when Anchorage police arrested the children's mother on a warrant from Barrow.

Rural Alaska air travel subsidies survive budget cuts

Subsidies for rural Alaska air travel survived the cost cutting talk as Congress passed a four-year funding bill for the Federal Aviation Administration on Monday after years of dispute.

FAA bill speeds switch to GPS for airliners

Shell still hopes to drill this summer in Arctic waters

It's the billion-dollar question in Alaska for 2012: Will this be the year Shell Oil begins large-scale offshore exploratory drilling in Arctic waters? Two months into 2012, the oil giant is beyond the lead time it said it needed to assemble the flotilla of support vessels that must accompany drill ships.

Shell's Arctic drilling plan gets major boost

Icebreaker Healy returns to Seattle after 254 days at sea

The Coast Guard cutter Healy is back in Seattle after a 254-day patrol that included clearing a path for a crucial fuel delivery to ice-bound Nome.

Photos: Coast Guard Cutter Healy, tanker Renda reach Nome

2 men sentenced in Bethel beating death

Two men have been sentenced to life in prison in the beating death of a Hooper Bay man in Bethel.

Alaska town waives Sunday alcohol ban for the big game

More than 3,000 miles from the game action, the community of Dillingham recently decided to officially waive its Sunday ban on alcohol sales at bars and restaurants each Super Bowl Sunday.

Kids' art celebrating Tongass on display in Ketchikan

The Tongass Historical Museum and the U.S. Forest Service have joined forces to bring a new exhibit to Ketchikan. "A Forest of Words: Youth Voices Celebrate the Tongass National Forest" is a collection of art created by Southeast Alaska schoolchildren as a way to honor the forest in which they live.

Man charged with shooting rifle into neighbor's home

A Brevig Mission man on Wednesday fired a rifle from inside his house into a neighbor's home, missing the people inside by inches, Alaska State Troopers said.

Federal subsistence board renews review of Alaska rural designation

The state's federal subsistence board has discarded seven years of work to determine which rural federal lands in Alaska are eligible for subsistence hunting.

'Mixed bag' of foul weather hits southern Alaska

A "mixed bag" of freezing rain and snow is causing hazardous driving conditions north of Anchorage on the Glenn Highway. To the south, increased avalanche risk along Turnagain Arm has caused state transportation officials to issue a warning for motorists.

Current Alaska weather warnings, advisories

2012 ALASKA LEGISLATURE

Rural lawmaker wants council on Alaska Native languages

Linguists and Native groups from across Alaska are lining up behind a proposal aimed at preserving and revitalizing the state's 20 Native languages.

Democrats introduce resolution against unlimited campaign spending

Bill would help fund legal services for low-income Alaskans

More Legislature coverage

Ketchikan artist drawn to paint animal carcasses

Artist Callie Bellon doesn't know what draws her to paint dead animals. "Everybody asks me for an explanation of what it means," she said. "It's just carcasses."

GRAPHIC

Alaska Interior weathers a cold weekend

Interior Alaska endured severely cold temperatures over the weekend, with records broken in Galena ( - 63 Saturday and - 65 Sunday) and Bettles ( - 60 Saturday and Sunday).

Interior secretary names 2 Alaskans to Subsistence Board

Two longtime Alaskans have been appointed to the Federal Subsistence Board. The Department of the Interior says Anthony Christianson of Hydaburg and Charles Brower of Barrow have been appointed to represent subsistence users.