Alaska’s Cleveland Volcano Erupting

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Photo Credit: NASA Goddard Photo and VideoAlaska’s Cleveland Volcano is undergoing a continuous low-level eruption following an explosion early Saturday morning, scientists from the Alaska Volcano Observatory and the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Satellites and cameras suggest low-level emissions of gas, steam and ash, scientists said, and satellites detected highly elevated surface temperatures at the summit. A faint plume of ash extended eastward below 15,000 feet, but the Federal Aviation Administration said there were no flight restrictions as a result.

“Sudden explosions of blocks and ash are possible with little or no warning,” scientists said. “Ash clouds, if produced, could exceed 20,000 feet above sea level.”

Read more from this story HERE.

Round We Go: Murkowski’s Senior Fisheries Aide, Fresh out of Prison, Now a Lobbyist Seeking Favors from Begich

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A former aide to Sen. Lisa Murkowski who served time in prison for falsifying his fishing records is now working as a lobbyist.

Arne Fuglvog represented four commercial fishing companies: Aleutian Spray Fisheries, Blue North Fisheries, Fishermen’s Finest and Glacier Fish, according to lobbying records from the first quarter of this year. The Kodiak Daily Mirror reports that Fuglvog is listed as president of Coastal Resource Strategies LLC, a lobbying firm based in Seattle. He is listed on lobbying on issues like the Coast Guard authorization bill.

U.S. Mark Begich’s office confirmed that Fuglvog has been in contact with that office. Begich, an Alaska Democrat, is chairman of the Senate subcommittee on oceans, atmosphere, fisheries and the Coast Guard.

Read more from this story HERE.

State Investigating Alaska State Troopers’ Altercation with Woman ‘Arrested for Nothing’ (+video)

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Photo Credit: YouTubeA video that has gone viral since its posting earlier this week has spawned an investigation into the actions of two Alaska State Troopers in Kodiak.

Since the woman’s arrest, the state has charged her with several counts of assault, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct.

After watching this video, you will likely find these charges difficult to believe:

First Brown Bear Attack of the Season

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Photo Credit: __Wichid__A brown bear attacked a well-known area biologist and birder while he was watching birds at the Kasilof River beach on Sunday afternoon with his family.

Alaska State Troopers said the bear first attacked a vehicle and a telephone pole before attacking Toby Burke, 48, a biological technician at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.

Burke did not do anything to provoke the bear and suffered bruising on his arm from the brief attack, said Megan Peters, Alaska State Troopers spokesperson. Emergency medical services examined Burke’s arm and said he was fine. Burke declined further medical attention, Peters said.

“The man was very lucky,” Peters said. “… He was able to walk away and go home.”

Multiple residents called troopers about the oddly behaving bear on the beach. One trooper and two Alaska Wildlife Troopers responded. Troopers shot and killed the bear after it charged them from beyond the tree line where they were patrolling and where the bear had last been seen.

Read more from this story HERE.

EPA Study on Pebble Mine Relies on Report from 'Admitted Data Fakers'

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Photo Credit: Getty Images The Environmental Protection Agency’s revised draft assessment of an Alaska mine project cites research from environmental consultants who admitted falsifying a report in an environmental lawsuit.

The EPA’s new review of the potential Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay, Alaska, relied on research from Stratus Consulting and Ann Maest, the company’s managing scientist. Stratus recently admitted to providing false statements in a decades-long $19 billion lawsuit against the oil company Chevron.

Maest and Stratus claimed earlier this month that they had been misled by a plaintiffs’ lawyer when they provided an environmental report detailing the damage done by Chevron subsidiary Texaco to areas of Ecuador. They disavowed the report as “tainted.”

The environmental impact report used against Chevron was supposed to be written by an independent expert, but was instead written by Stratus, which was employed by lawyers representing Ecuadorian villagers.

Read more from this story HERE.

Bethel Native Sets Several US Powerlifting Records (+video)

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Photo Credit: Calista CorporationBethel Regional High School graduate, Natalie Hanson, is now the American powerlifting record holder in three of the sport’s biggest events. At 23-years old, Hanson set the official record for bench press, squat and total weight lifted for her age group and size. As of now, no one in the USA under 23-years old weighing under 75 kilos has ever officially lifted as much weight as she has.

“I’m in shock,” says Hanson about her record breaking performance, “it still doesn’t feel like that.”

Hanson broke the records at the Alaska State Championships for Power Lifting held in Anchorage, an event sanctioned by the USA powerlifting.

Hanson set the records in the Junior Division for ages 20 – 23.

Watch video here:

Read more from this story HERE.

Anchorage Daily News 'Mocks' Profound Texas Tragedy; Gov. Perry Attacks

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This week, the Anchorage Daily News published a cartoon that mocks the tragic explosion of the fertilizer plant in Texas that killed and injured dozens.

The tasteless cartoon portrays Texas Governor Perry on the left stating that, “Business is BOOMING in Texas.” The right frame then shows a massive explosion.

The cartoon was originally published by the California-based McClatchy newspaper empire, owners of the Anchorage Daily News and other Alaska media outlets.


In response, Texas Governor Rick Perry blasted the California-based media empire, stating that it

was with extreme disgust and disappointment I viewed your recent cartoon. While I will always welcome healthy policy debate, I won’t stand for someone mocking the tragic deaths of my fellow Texans and our fellow Americans. Additionally, publishing this on the very day our state and nation paused to honor and mourn those who died only compounds the pain and suffering of the many Texans who lost family and friends in this disaster.

Despite this criticism, the Anchorage Daily News (as of the publication date of this Restoring Liberty post) has not removed the offensive cartoon.

Advocates Eye Legalizing Marijuana in Alaska

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Photo Credit: APAlaska, known for its live-and-let-live lifestyle, is poised to become the next battleground in the push to legalize the recreational use of marijuana.

The state has a complicated history with the drug, with its highest court ruling nearly 40 years ago that adults have a constitutional right to possess and smoke marijuana for personal use in their own homes. In the late 1990s, Alaska became one of the first states to allow the use of pot for medicinal reasons.

Then the pendulum swung the other direction, with residents in 2004 rejecting a ballot effort to legalize recreational marijuana. And in 2006, the state passed a law criminalizing possession of even small amounts of the drug — leaving the current state of affairs somewhat murky.

Supporters of recreational marijuana say attitudes toward pot have softened in the past decade, and they believe they have a real shot at success in Alaska.

The state is reviewing their request to begin gathering signatures to get an initiative on next year’s ballot. The proposal would make it legal for those 21 and older to use and possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana, though not in public. It also would set out provisions for legal grow operations and establish an excise tax.

Read more from this story HERE.

Rabid Wolf North of Fairbanks Prompts Health Warnings

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Photo Credit: Charles Jeffrey DanoffAlaska health and wildlife officials are issuing warnings after a trapper killed a wolf that tested positive for rabies.

The wolf was killed near Chandalar (CHAN’-dah-lar) Lakes about 185 miles north of Fairbanks. The carcass was transported to the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and discarded in a forested area.

The incident has state officials concerned because rabies had not been detected in the area south of the Brooks Range.

Read more about the rabid wolf HERE.