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Sitka High DDF team members Michael Boose and Jesse Bartelds, and Mt. Edgecumbe DDF team members Donovan Gurule and Doug McClenahan discuss their schools’ successes at the state Drama, Debate, and Forensics tournament in Anchorage over the weekend.

David West, orthopedic surgeon at the Ketchikan Medical Center, discussed how to prevent sports injuries for both regular athletes and weekend warriors on today’s Morning Edition.

West encouraged athletes to both keep active and exercise incrementally to avoid injuries, among other suggestions.

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Senate passes bill relaxing cruise ship wastewater standards; will go to governor’s desk. Am. Cancer Society’s Relay for Life returns to Sitka this summer. Former Sen. Kookesh in critical condition following heart attack. Entrepreneurs exchange ideas at Innovation Summit.

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JUNEAU — What’s the trick to helping figure out winter weather on the U.S. mainland? One way, according to meteorologists, is sending a hurricane hunter aircraft from Alaska or Hawaii to fly reconnaissance over the Pacific Ocean.

For about 15 years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has conducted such flights with the goal of improving weather forecasts for the United States — an idea born after winter flights over the North Atlantic improved storm forecasting in Europe.

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JUNEAU — A proposed massive dam in south-central Alaska could provide stable electricity rates in Alaska’s most populous region for a century, officials behind the effort said Tuesday.

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Asked whether her caucus would support a legal status for same-sex couples, such as civil unions, at a House minority caucus press conference Tuesday morning, House Minority Leader Beth Kerttula, D-Juneau, called the issue “a civil rights question” and said she believes that “people deserve to live with whomever they want.”

“There’s no two ways about this,” said Kerttula. “These are humans and deserve to have human relationships.”

Kerttula also responded to a question on whether the caucus would bring forth a bill to legalize civil unions for same-sex couples in Alaska.

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Former Angoon Democratic Senator Albert Kookesh discusses issues in his office. (CoastAlaska Photo/Ed Schoenfeld.

Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage listed Albert Kookesh in critical condition as of late afternoon.

Kookesh co-chairs the Alaska Federation of Natives and chairs the Sealaska regional corporation’s board of directors.

His family could not be reached for immediate comment. But Sealaska posted an update on its website saying he is resting after undergoing surgery to correct a blockage.

The update says doctors plan to wake him up from sedation Wednesday.

It says his family asked that no flowers be sent because Kookesh is allergic.

The Angoon Democrat served eight years in the House and eight years in the Senate. He lost a re-election bid last year after redistricting separated him from many of the communities he represented.

Kookesh has also been involved in a number of regional and nationwide Alaska Native organizations. He has a law degree and has been a seiner and a store- and lodge-owner.

In a recent interview, he said he was contemplating rejoining the fishing fleet.

An Alaska Native leader and former lawmaker remained in the hospital Tuesday after suffering a heart attack Monday in Juneau.

Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage listed Albert Kookesh in critical condition as of late Tuesday afternoon.

Then-Sen. Albert Kookesh addressed a 2011 Native Issues Forum audience in Juneau. He remains hospitalized in Anchorage after suffering a heart attack. Ed Schoenfeld/CoastAlaska photo.

Kookesh co-chairs the Alaska Federation of Natives and chairs the Sealaska regional corporation’s board of directors.

His family could not be reached for immediate comment. But Sealaska posted an update on its website saying he is resting after undergoing surgery to correct a blockage.

The update says doctors plan to wake him up from sedation Wednesday.

It says his family asked that no flowers be sent because Kookesh is allergic.

The Angoon Democrat served eight years in the House and eight years in the Senate. He lost a re-election bid last year after redistricting separated him from many of the communities he represented.

Kookesh has also been involved in a number of regional and nationwide Alaska Native organizations. He has a law degree and has been a seiner and a store- and lodge-owner.

In a recent interview, he said he was contemplating rejoining the fishing fleet.

Dr. Gordy Klatt ran the first Relay — 24-hours non-stop — by himself in 1985.

For twenty-eight years, the Relay has been one of the primary fund raising activities of the American Cancer Society. This year, over 5,000 communities across the country will participate in the all-night event.

Chase Carter is the community relationship manager for the American Cancer Society in Anchorage. He says the Relay for Life began informally in 1985, when Dr. Gordy Klatt, an oncologist in Tacoma, Washington, decided to make a personal statement to raise awareness about cancer prevention and treatment.

“So he went out one night, himself — he was a marathon runner — and ran for 24 hours. And it was such a crazy, novel idea that the next year when he was doing it again people joined him and paid to relay along with him, because no one really wanted to do the whole 24 hours. But they were willing to do an hour. So it’s just sort of evolved over the past twenty-eight years.”

Carter says the Relay never developed as a race. He calls it a family-friendly night out. Marathoners can carry Dr. Klatt’s tradition forward if they like, but the Relay now is all-inclusive.

“Everyone is welcome. We really encourage survivors to come, and a lot of times cancer survivors have mobility problems. So it’s a walk, and you get a team together of five to fifteen coworkers, family, and friends. You get this little campsite, and there’s one member from your team walking throughout the overnight event.”

A big part of the Relay is simply raising the profile of the American Cancer Society. Carters says the American Cancer Society is sometimes discouraged when cancer patients and their families fail to use free services and support available to them around the state. Most patients simply don’t know that they can obtain rides from the Anchorage airport, for example, if they’re arriving for treatment, or get help with hotel bills.

“Relay really helps get the word out in a community. We know we’re underserving the residents of Sitka, and we’re hoping that when we bring Relay to Sitka, we can work in conjunction with the local cancer groups to get the word out about what’s available to Sitkans.”

Planning for the American Cancer Society’s 2013 Relay for Life in Sitka gets underway tonight with a kickoff event at the Sitka Pioneer Home. Anyone interested in helping with the Relay — or any businesses interested in sponsoring the event or teams — are welcome to attend.

The location and time of the Sitka Relay have not been firmed up yet. Carter says the organization is thinking about using Moller Field, next to Sitka Community Hospital, as a starting location. He says summertime usually works best for the event. Organizers are looking at dates sometime in June or July.

KCAW’s Ed Ronco contributed to this report.

Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, who was absent during a vote last week that saw the Senate swap a polarizing resolution’s referral to his Education Committee with a referral to the Judiciary Committee, criticized the proposal and needled fellow Republicans in a floor speech Tuesday.

Stevens rose to speak on Senate Resolution 9, which would place a constitutional amendment before voters on public funds for education, during the “special orders” segment of Tuesday’s Senate floor session. He commented on the committee referral change being made while he was in Kentucky Friday.

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The Alaska Supreme Court has ruled that a Ketchikan man must pay local property tax, even though his home was built with Bureau of Indian Affairs grant funds, and is held temporarily under a deed of trust.

According to the Supreme Court opinion, Frederick Williams claimed that under the grant and deed of trust, the federal government owns his Stedman Street home. Therefore, he claimed, he should be exempt from paying property tax.

In a lower court ruling, the Superior Court rejected that argument. That court upheld the Ketchikan Gateway Borough’s argument that the deed of trust did not divest Williams of ownership responsibilities. Williams is the record property owner.

On appeal, the Supreme Court upheld the lower court ruling.

The grant to rebuild the home was awarded in 2002.  The deed of trust will expire after 20 years, along with any repayment requirements.

The Alaska State Senate passed the governor's controversial cruise ship wastewater legislation Tuesday morning. Proponents of the bill enjoyed a solid win with 15 out of 20 votes.

The bill was sent to Gov. Sean Parnell’s desk for his signature.

House Bill 80 eliminates a water quality criterion in the 2006 citizens initiative on cruise industry taxes and water quality that requires large passenger vessels to meet state standards at the point of discharge — measured where the effluent leaves the ship.

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Tracy Gagnon, with the Sitka Conservation Society, and Andrianna Natsoulas, with the Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust, discuss the lineup for the 2013 Food Film Festival, which opens Friday, February 22 in Sitka. All films will be free. For complete schedule information visit the Sitka Conservation Society online.

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Troopers arrest 14-year-old suspect in death of Mackenzie Howard. With little hope of state funding, Sitka officials nevertheless meet with legislators to make their case. Sitka man to serve two years for felony DUI.

Two Alaska legislators Monday released a joint statement to apologize for and explain the reaction of many of their caucus’ members to a an unexpected question Friday about gay rights issues.

Several members of the House majority caucus, including Speaker Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski, laughed Friday when asked a question by the Juneau Empire’s reporter about whether the caucus would support domestic partnerships or civil unions for same-sex couples.

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The issue of cruise ship wastewater is set to make what is perhaps its final appearance in the Legislature today.

House Bill 80, legislation aimed at changing water quality requirements for cruise ships and other large passenger vessels in Alaska waters, was held on its third reading until Feb. 19.

Last week the Alaska State Senate voted down five attempts to amend Governor Sean Parnell’s cruise ship wastewater bill. While voting in mostly lopsided opposition to all five amendments, Senators did not vote on the main body of legislation during Wednesday’s floor session.

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State geologists are mapping Alaska’s mineral potential from the land and air. They are paying specific attention to the strategic and critical minerals peppered throughout state land.

“Alaska has a tremendous number of these mineral types,” said Bob Swenson, state geologist and director of the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys for the U.S. Department of Natural Resources.

The state was home to 43 active exploration projects in 2012, Swenson said. However, 2013 is expected to see a reduction in exploration, he said.

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A bill that would allow school districts to apply for a three-year pilot program to try out a four-day school week cleared its first hurdle in the Alaska House of Representatives Monday, with the House Education Committee advancing the legislation after hearing public comment last Friday and Monday morning.

House Bill 21, which was introduced by Reps. Peggy Wilson, R-Wrangell, and Tammie Wilson, R-North Pole, was moved to the House Finance Committee, its second and final committee of referral.

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Four senators voted Friday against a procedural move by Senate President Charlie Huggins, R-Wasilla, to waive a committee referral on a proposed constitutional amendment, and one of them was a member of the Senate majority caucus: Sen. Dennis Egan, D-Juneau.

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