Two Bering Sea groundfish catcher-processor vessels have been accused of tampering with the scales used to weigh their harvest. As KUCB’s Stephanie Joyce reports, the alleged violations carry hefty penalties for the vessels’ parent company, American Seafoods.

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Governor Sean Parnell is in New York meeting with banks and rating agencies about Alaska’s budget and economic outlook.

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As federal agencies are beginning to furlough employees because of sequestration, the long-term unemployed in Alaska are about to see a reduction in their unemployment benefits.

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Paul Liedberg, recently retired from the USFWS, finds time for “citizen scientist” work around Dillingham. KDLG photo

Some invasive species of bark beetles, if they make it to Alaska, could pose a serious threat to our trees and forests. In ten years of surveys, none have been detected, but state and federal forestry officials are coming to rely on volunteers to help monitor for them across the state. KDLG’s Dave Bendinger reports on one such volunteer who’s keeping an eye out the beetles around Dillingham.

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Individual news stories are posted on the APRN news page. You can subscribe to APRN’s newsfeeds via email, podcast and RSS. Follow us on Facebook at alaskapublic.org and on Twitter @aprn.

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Bill Could Ease Way To Arctic Port

Peter Granitz, APRN – Washington DC

The U.S. Senate is expected to a pass a sweeping bill authorizing dozens of water projects on Wednesday.

A provision is included that Alaska’s senators say could ease the way to an Arctic port.

Cruise Ship Waste Referendum Won’t Be On Ballot

Alexandra Gutierrez, APRN – Juneau

When voters head to the polls next year, they could be faced with questions on oil taxes, the minimum wage, and the use of recreational marijuana. But one thing that won’t be on the ballot is a referendum on a controversial bill concerning cruise ship waste.

An Anchorage Doctor Learns How To Talk About Death

Annie Feidt, APRN – Anchorage

Doctors deal with death all the time. But they often struggle to help patients live with a terminal disease. A specialty called Palliative Care is trying to change that. It’s been around since the early 1990s. But a lot of people, even in the medical profession, don’t know it exists.

Rescued Polar Bear Cub Heads To New York’s Buffalo Zoo

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

Kali, the orphaned male polar bear cub that has been kept at Anchorage’s Alaska Zoo, spent Tuesday afternoon waiting patiently in his carrier for boarding on a  UPS cargo jet bound for the East Coast. Kali is heading to his new permanent home at New York’s Buffalo Zoo.

Musk Ox Herd Spotted Along Kuskokwim River

Angela Denning-Barnes, KYUK – Bethel

A herd of musk oxen was seen on the frozen Kuskokwim River recently. It’s a sign that the population is expanding in the region.

Two Bering Sea Catch Processors Accused Of Tampering With Scales

Stephanie Joyce, KUCB – Unalaska

Two Bering Sea groundfish catcher-processor vessels have been accused of tampering with the scales used to weigh their harvest. As KUCB’s Stephanie Joyce reports, the alleged violations carry hefty penalties for the vessels’ parent company, American Seafoods.

Parnell Meets In New York About State’s Economic Outlook

The Associated Press

Governor Sean Parnell is in New York meeting with banks and rating agencies about Alaska’s budget and economic outlook.

Long-Term Unemployment Benefits To Experience Cuts

Joaqlin Estus, KNBA – Anchorage

As federal agencies are beginning to furlough employees because of sequestration, the long-term unemployed in Alaska are about to see a reduction in their unemployment benefits.

Dillingham Volunteer Monitors For Invasive Beetles

Dave Bendinger, KDLG – Dillingham

Some invasive species of bark beetles, if they make it to Alaska, could pose a serious threat to our trees and forests. In ten years of surveys, none have been detected, but state and federal forestry officials are coming to rely on volunteers to help monitor for them across the state. KDLG’s Dave Bendinger reports on one such volunteer who’s keeping an eye out the beetles around Dillingham.

“Leonard Fancher rails a turn in Kincaid” Photo by Tim Woody

Anchorage’s Singletrack Advocates are planning to build more mountain bike trails this summer – a six mile extension of the popular trails they have already built at Kincaid Park. The Municipality of Anchorage Parks and Recreation Commission unanimously approved the project at its meeting on May 9th. Construction will start in July and they hope to be done by this fall. This ambitious goal is the way this can-do group rolls.

The Singletrack Advocates formed in the fall of 2004. Together with Anchorage’s Parks and Rec Department and Alaska Trails, they brought representatives from the International Mountain Bike Association to Alaska to teach sustainable trail building. That summer, the Brown Bear Trail in Far North Bicentennial Park was built by volunteers. Since then, an additional 17 miles of Singletrack trails have been funded, designed, constructed and maintained by the group.

With Alaska Trails as its fiscal sponsor, STA has raised over $500,000 in private contributions, grants, and thousands of hours of volunteer time. STA recently became a full-fledged 501(c)3 non profit. It is an exciting step for a dynamic group and it will definitely lead to more mountain biking fun for Anchorage.

Volunteers hand craft Kincaid singletrack. Photo by Janice Tower

Volunteers have been the key to STA’s success. Engaging volunteers not only saves money, it gives those volunteers a sense of stewardship on the trails they build and use. A volunteer who builds a trail one year will return the next year to help maintain what they have built. Alaska Trails has been pleased that its tool trailer has been able to play a role in these great trails.

“The Kincaid Singletrack Trails relied heavily on volunteers who needed tools to accomplish their work. Much of the hand finishing was provided by volunteers. Volunteers dedicated 1,241 hours to this 9 mile trail. Their work would not have been possible without the use of the Alaska Trails Tool Trailer. There were work sessions in which we had over 50 volunteers!” stated Janice Tower, STA President.

The new trails in Kincaid will be as much fun as the ones already on the ground. The proposed route runs east to west by the World Cup Nordic Start area and then down to the Sisson loop to connect with the Coastal Trail. There are very few Nordic trail crossings in the proposed project area and this extension would improve the entire network within Kincaid Park as a perimeter loop.

From youngsters in the Mighty Bikes program to the thousands of runners in the Tuesday Night race series, from Arctic Bicycle Club racers all the way to those just trying mountain biking for the first time – these trails are an asset to the community and a great way for people to recreate. Kincaid Park will be enhanced with these trails and the Singletrack Advocates are the right group to build them. Keep looking for more great things from Singletrack Advocates and see you on the trails.

Ask Americans what the Constitution’s most important feature is and most will say it’s the guarantees of liberty enshrined in the Bill of Rights. In this episode, Sagal explores the history of the Bill of Rights and addresses several stories — ripped from the headlines — involving freedom of speech, freedom of religion and right to privacy.

• TV: Tuesday, 5/14 at 8:00 p.m.