In this newscast:
- Alaska snowboarder buried under large avalanche: Bad weather hampered the search for a 39-year-old Alaska snowboarder buried by an avalanche.
Alaska State Troopers say Marvin Scott of Ketchikan was caught in an avalanche reported to be 100 yards wide by 1,500 yards long while snowboarding Sunday. - State flags lowered to half-staff to honor former state House Speaker Joe Hayes: Alaska flags will be lowered to half-staff from Tuesday through Thursday in honor of a former state House speaker Joe Hayes, 88, who died Feb. 16.
- Sitka’s First Presbyterian Church to close, end congregation: The First Presbyterian Church of Sitka has announced that it is dissolving as a congregation and is beginning the process of closing the church. The Daily Sitka Sentinel reported Monday that the closure is in response to dwindling membership and the high cost of maintaining the aging church.
In other news:
Juneau Assembly lawyers up over AEL&P buyout
Hydro One asked the Juneau Assembly to rescind its petition to intervene over its acquisition of Alaska Electric Light and Power. In return it had offered some general commitments that Assembly members felt didn’t go far enough to protect the community’s interests.
The Regulatory Commission of Alaska is hearing public testimony at 7 tonight at Centennial Hall. The RCA’s hearing will be broadcast live on KTOO beginning at 7 p.m.
Alaska’s Medicaid and public assistance backlog is 20,000 people deep
More than 20,000 Alaskans are waiting for their applications for assistance through health and social services to be processed by the state government.
The House Finance Committee voted Monday in favor of hiring 41 people to reduce the backlog. The extra hires would cost $2.2 million, matched by an equal amount of federal money.
Young suggests guns could’ve saved Jews during Holocaust
Speaking at a conference in Juneau last week, Alaska U.S. Rep. Don Young argued against gun control by suggesting Jews might not have died in the Holocaust if they had been armed.
There’s a small craft advisory for boats in the waters of Icy and Chatham straits and waters near the upper portion of Stephen’s Passage. The National Weather Service issued the advisory, which is effect until about 6 p.m. Tuesday.
You can hear these stories and more at ktoo.sandbox.5mts.com/listen.
