← Alaska News Nightly - Alaska Public Media
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- [00:00]
Nat Herz
Support for Alaska Public Media on Demand comes from Siri, an Alaska Native corporation with operations and investments spanning five continents, 45 states and two U.S. territories.
- [00:19]
Ilko Lehman
But there's still dirty fuel belching sulfur into Alaska, and that's a problem.
- [00:24]
Casey Grove
One state lawmaker looks to curb pollution from cruise ship exhaust. From Alaska Public Media. This is statewide news on Alaska News nightly for Tuesday, February 17th. Good evening. I'm Casey Grove. Also tonight, a 17th candidate joins the race to be Alaska's next governor.
- [00:40]
Avery Elfelt
I care about our future and I care about the way that we steward our land.
- [00:46]
Casey Grove
Those stories and more tonight on Alaska News Nightly.
- [00:59]
Avery Elfelt
I'm Shelby Herbert, a reporter with the Alaska Desk. That's a joint reporting effort from Alaska Public Media and kuac, where I work in Fairbanks and other public radio stations in Anchorage, Haines and the Allusions. It allows us to connect to the issues happening in communities all across the state. You can hear our stories during the morning News Alaska News Nightly or online@alaskapublic.org the Alaska Desk is only possible with the support of grants and listeners like you. Thank you.
- [01:29]
Casey Grove
The cruise and shipping industries for years have slashed air pollution by using seawater to scrub pollutants out of their exhaust. While some ships dispose of the pollutants on land, many release them into the sea. The situation is fueling a global push to protect marine environments. And in Alaska, as Avery Elfelt reports for the Alaska Desk, a lawmaker is working on bringing the issue to the State House.
- [01:53]
Avery Elfelt
In July, a state inspector boarded a cruise ship in Juneau for a routine review. They snapped a photo of a metal drum full of chunky black sludge. It was laden with sulfur and heavy metals, which are bad for public health if released into the air. That particular drum was slated to be offloaded on land. But on many ships in Alaska, systems called scrubbers dilute the pollutants and send the mixture into the ocean. Now State Senator Jesse Keel is looking to address that issue. The Juno Democrat is drafting legislation to crack down on the technology, which produces a largely invisible and little regulated source of water pollution.
- [02:31]
Ilko Lehman
But there's still dirty fuel belching sulfur into Alaska, and that's a problem.
- [02:35]
Avery Elfelt
That issue is not isolated to Alaska. A growing list of ports, states and countries are trying to address it. These scrubber systems stem from rules adopted by the International Maritime organization, or IMO. In 2020. The IMO wanted to cut air pollution, namely sulfur pollution, from ships. Some crews and shipping companies complied by using cleaner fuels. But others invested in the scrubbers, which use seawater to remove pollutants from ship exhaust. On many ships, the resulting wash water goes right back into the sea.
- [03:08]
Ilko Lehman
The scrubber wastewater contains a lot of these substances. It's a sort of a cocktail of all sorts of substances.
- [03:16]
Avery Elfelt
That's Ilko Lehmans. He's an advisor to the Clean Arctic Alliance, a global coalition focused on the shipping industry. In the air, these pollutants can increase the risk of illness, including cancer and respiratory diseases. Determining how they affect marine environments can be complicated. But Lehman says a growing body of research indicates they have negative outcomes for marine life, too, including mussels and crustaceans like crab.
- [03:40]
Ilko Lehman
The evidence is so clear that we have no reason to doubt that there's.
- [03:46]
Avery Elfelt
A tangled web of rules and regulations surrounding the issue. The IMO sets the global standard, and for now the international body allows ships to use scrubbers to comply with its air pollution rules. But there's a growing push for that to change. Just this month, at an IMO subcommittee meeting in London, the agenda included consideration of more than a dozen scrubber related proposals from member states and other organizations. Here's Lehmans again during a recent webinar.
- [04:12]
Ilko Lehman
We believe that scrubbers do not provide the solutions that they were designed for because basically they transfer air pollution to water pollution.
- [04:24]
Avery Elfelt
In July, 16 European governments moved to prohibit scrubber discharge and internal waters and port areas and will consider extending the ban. Further offshore, the US has taken a less aggressive approach. The Environmental Protection Agency technically regulates scrubbers by way of a permit that sets limits for the pollutants in discharge. But at least in Alaska, the agency has rarely enforced those limits despite hundreds of violations in some years. State regulators say they can't enforce the limits themselves because it's not their permit. Keel didn't provide details about his legislation and says he's exploring a range of options. But he hinted at one potential pathway.
- [05:06]
Ilko Lehman
Probably the most popular choice that states have used has been to just address the type of fuel.
- [05:14]
Avery Elfelt
Most experts point to California. The state in 2008 adopted a rule that required ships to use cleaner, lower sulfur fuels within 24 miles of the coast. The goal was to reduce air pollution and cancer risk. The California rule predated the proliferation of scrubbers, meaning the state dodged the problem before it even existed. Meanwhile, in Washington state, the legislature is mulling a similar approach. A bill there would require cleaner fuels within three miles of shore. Democratic state Rep. Deborah Lakhanoff is the bill's sponsor. She's originally from Alaska Yakutat, to be specific. During a January hearing, she drew a connection between her two homes.
- [05:56]
Margaret Cloud
What's happening in my own backyard, where my Tlingit name hicks to sea comes from, is the very impact that happens upon the Salish sea.
- [06:03]
Avery Elfelt
The crews and shipping industries, for their part, have fiercely opposed efforts to require clean fuels or eliminate scrubbers. During the same hearing, industry representatives said a clean fuel requirement would be burdensome and is a roundabout attempt to address a water pollution problem by way of an air pollution regulation here in Alaska. Aaron Brakel, the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, says he doesn't expect any potential legislation would be signed into law this year.
- [06:32]
Ilko Lehman
What's really important, though, is, you know, getting a chance for the Legislature to start considering the issue, he says.
- [06:39]
Avery Elfelt
Kickstarting the conversation would be a huge step in the right direction. Reporting in Hanes, I'm Avery Elfeldt.
- [07:00]
Casey Grove
A 17th candidate has announced she's running for governor. Meeda DeWitt is a traditional healer, drawing on her Thlingit heritage. She teaches at the University of Alaska. She says she's running as an independent candidate unaffiliated with any party.
- [07:14]
Avery Elfelt
I care about our future and I care about the way that we steward our land and want to see a state that has a thriving ecosystem and healthy communities that can live in perpetuity.
- [07:29]
Casey Grove
In 2021, DeWitt chaired a campaign to recall Governor Mike Dunleavy. The petition gathered more than 60,000 signatures, but fell short of the number needed for a recall election. Her campaign website lists a wide array of priorities, from cost of living to health care to the state economy. DeWitt lives in Anchorage and has family roots in Wrangell and Yakutat, as well as relatives around the state. The Aug. 18 primary will feature a long list of gubernatorial candidates, most running with the Republican label. And in the primary, voters can choose just one. The top four candidates of any party will advance to the November ballot. General election voters will have the option of ranking up to four candidates. Still to come on Alaska News Nightly, a look ahead at one of the best chances for an Olympic medal from an Alaska athlete.
- [08:21]
Gus Schumacher
Everyone wants to be the guy to break the drought, right? And I for sure wanted to be that guy.
- [08:28]
Casey Grove
That's ahead. Stay with us.
- [08:30]
Avery Elfelt
Hi, I'm Avery Elfelt, a reporter with the Alaska Desk. That's a joint reporting effort from Alaska Public Media, KH and S, where I work in Hanes, and other public radio stations in Anchorage, Fairbanks and the Aleutians. It allows us to connect you with the issues happening in communities all across the state. You can hear our stories during the morning news on Alaska News nightly or online. Alaskapublic.org the Alaska Desk is only possible with the support of grants and listeners like you. Thank you.
- [09:00]
Casey Grove
A woman is dead after being struck by a vehicle in Anchorage's Fairview neighborhood this morning. Police say Officers responded around 6am to a report of a pedestrian hit near East 20th Avenue and Ingar Street. Police say the woman was declared dead at the scene. Her name has not yet been released as officers work to notify her family. Police say the driver is cooperating with the investigation. Police declined to answer questions today, saying they had no additional details to release, including information on whether the driver was still at the scene when officers arrived. This is the first confirmed fatal vehicle pedestrian collision in Anchorage this year. Last year, 15 pedestrians were killed by vehicles in Anchorage, the same number as in 2024. Both years marked the city's highest pedestrian death toll in more than a decade. A former Bethel police officer has been convicted of assault, providing false information and tampering with records after he beat a man in 2023. KYUK's Evan Erickson has more.
- [10:08]
Evan Erickson
The convictions stem from a December 2023 incident in which then Bethel police Officer Jonathan Murphy punched Bernard Mail repeatedly in the head and then attempted to cover up the incident. Last week, a Bethel jury found Murphy guilty of misdemeanor assault, providing false information and tampering with public records. All three carry maximum sentences of one year in jail. State Assistant Attorney General Aaron McCarthy, who prosecuted the case, said in closing arguments that Murphy intended to inflict harm on Mail.
- [10:38]
Avery Elfelt
From the outset, Jonathan Murphy was not looking for ways to avoid using force. He was looking for a reason. When can I use force, not when do I have to.
- [10:48]
Evan Erickson
According to charging documents, on December 23, 2023, Murphy responded to a traffic stop for a vehicle reported to be stolen that 44 year old male was driving. Body cam footage obtained by KYUK shows Murphy attempt to pull male from the vehicle and strike him with a closed fist. Murphy lets go of Mail, who drives away and leads officers in a pursuit through Bethel. At the time, Murphy radioed to say that Mail had hit him with the vehicle, an assertion he made multiple times in the events that followed.
- [11:17]
Avery Elfelt
There is no way around the fact that he lied about getting hit with a vehicle to his fellow officers on the scene at the hospital. Later, when reviewing the charging documents and when writing his report, he ignored the videos, he ignored the truth and he.
- [11:32]
Evan Erickson
Continued to lie while he was being chased. Mail drove the car off the road and became wedged against the snowbank during the second stop. Body cam footage shows Murphy tase pepper spray and beat male in the head as the man struggles to shield himself. Mail did not testify or appear in court during the six day trial. In his closing argument, defense attorney Joseph Miller argued that the charges against Murphy failed to consider the situation as a whole, including the claim that Mail did not comply with officers at any point during the incident.
- [12:01]
Ilko Lehman
You got to look at the totality of the circumstances. Can't cherry pick, look for little mistakes. Has to be the totality.
- [12:07]
Evan Erickson
Miller argued both that Murphy's use of force was justified and that he didn't have a motive to lie about the circumstances of Mail's arrest.
- [12:14]
Ilko Lehman
What the state is asking you to believe here with Officer Murphy is that in the middle of a split second, adrenaline soaked, rapidly evolving situation with a moving vehicle that he commonly calculated as false testimony, his false belonging allegation that in the middle of this he thought, oh, I'm gonna nail this guy.
- [12:39]
Evan Erickson
In a corresponding civil suit against the city of Bethel, Mayo claimed that the beating left him with permanent brain damage. In December 2025, the city reached a combined $10 million settlement in that suit and another police brutality suit involving Murphy. Murphy is scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday in Bethel Court. The court has allowed Murphy to attend the hearing remotely from his home state of Arkansas In Bethel, I'm Evan Erickson.
- [13:04]
Casey Grove
Prince of Wales island in southeast Alaska is home to just a few stores that sell pet food, and those that do often sell it at high costs, leaving some pet owners struggling to feed their furry companions. But as KRBD's Hunter Morrison reports, a program that recently expanded to the island is looking to fill the gap.
- [13:25]
Hunter Morrison
It's a sunny afternoon at Craig's Healing Heart totem Park, and 8 month old Brown lab mix Mokey is busy playing a game of fetch. He energetically runs alongside two picnic tables before darting back to owner Kelly Jenkins. She's reaching for the main attraction, a short wet stick.
- [13:46]
Nat Herz
Sit. Moki sit.
- [13:49]
Hunter Morrison
Jenkins and Moki are weekly recipients of the Ketchikan Community Cat Program's pet food pantry, which distributes pet food and supplies to those in need. Despite the name, it's for both cats and dogs. The pantry expanded to Prince of Wales island and Metlakahtla during the federal government shutdown last fall. Margaret Cloud leads the Community Cats program.
- [14:13]
Margaret Cloud
When they made the announcement that food stamps, the SNAP program, was going to be curtailed, I then realized that potentially we were going to have a number of people who have pets who were going to be really adversely affected, she says.
- [14:26]
Hunter Morrison
She was worried that some pet owners in southern Southeast's rural communities would have to surrender their furry friends because they could no longer pay for food and supplies. Only a handful of stores on Prince of Wales island and Metlakahtla carry pet food, and Cloud says it's often more expensive than it is in Ketchikan.
- [14:44]
Margaret Cloud
So I felt it was really pertinent that we be able to get some food over there to have available for people who were seriously struggling and really didn't know what they were going to do.
- [14:53]
Hunter Morrison
The Ketchikan Community Cats program started nearly a decade ago to help stray and feral cats in the area. It's since morphed to facilitate vaccinations and spay and neuter services for all pets. In addition to the formation of the pet food pantry, the nonprofit relies on a small army of volunteers to bring pet food and supplies from Ketchikan to Prince of Wales. Most of it comes by way of ferry, which is then dispersed across the island. Cloud estimates that roughly 40 pet owners on POW from Craig to Thorn Bay to Nocatee have received food from the pantry. Christina Wiesner is a volunteer in Craig. She's delivered dog and cat supplies to about 20 people in the area, sometimes driving to the ferry terminal in Hollis, 30 miles away, to pick up supplies. She says she got involved with the program because she was in need of help.
- [15:47]
Avery Elfelt
I know if I need help, there's a lot more people on this island who are going to need help, too.
- [15:51]
Hunter Morrison
Jenkins was one of those people who reached out to Wiesner for help in December. Jenkins lives a more subsistence lifestyle and often supplements Moki's diet with salmon. But she said she had a baby over the summer and her family didn't catch enough salmon to last through the winter. Jenkins says the food products she's received through the pantry are high quality. She's also accepted pet treats and medications, which she says is hard to come by on the island.
- [16:19]
Avery Elfelt
You know, winters are harsh. If you didn't get enough deer and.
- [16:24]
Gus Schumacher
Fish through the summer, you know, so it's a.
- [16:27]
Avery Elfelt
It's been a blessing this winter for our family.
- [16:30]
Hunter Morrison
And Jenkins appreciation for the program goes beyond the pet food pantry. She says Wiesner assisted in getting Moki neutered through the Ketchikan Humane Society's SNIP program, which helps cover the cost of spay and neuter services for pet owners in need. Jenkins says there's few spay and neuter options on the island, and Moki was brought to Ketchikan and fostered free of charge. Cloud, the community cats program coordinator, says There's a strong need for programs like these in rural Alaska, where veterinarian and pet food options are limited, and she hopes the program will grow both in pet supply, donations and volunteer force.
- [17:09]
Margaret Cloud
This is a win win for everybody. It saves money. It keeps pets in their homes. It helps reduce the overpopulation by getting those cats and dogs altered, gets them vaccinated so we have healthier pet communities. All of this is a win for our society, cloud says.
- [17:25]
Hunter Morrison
The pet food pantry accepts more than just dog and cat supplies. They've distributed everything from chicken feed to gerbil food. Reporting from Prince of Wales Island, I'm Hunter Morrison.
- [17:39]
Casey Grove
There's more time to speak out on the future of the federal Subsistence Board, which has authority over fishing and hunting on federal public lands. The U.S. interior Department has extended the deadline for public comment until March 30. The announcement came just ahead of the original Feb. 13 deadline to weigh in on the U.S. interior Department's review of its subsistence management program. A Safari Club International petition is at the heart of the debate. The national sport hunting and fishing group calls for changes which rural subsistence users say threaten their legal right to hunt, fish and provide for their families. Joe Nelson, co chair of the Alaska Federation of Natives, says the overflow crowd at a recent public hearing in Anchorage showed why more time is needed.
- [18:23]
Gus Schumacher
This is a big deal, you know.
- [18:25]
Avery Elfelt
It'S core to our identity as a.
- [18:27]
Casey Grove
People, our way of life, nelson says he is pleased with the decision to push back the deadline that it demonstrates the administration is listening and willing to listen more. Safari Club supporters say the proposals are not anti subsistence or anti rural priority, but focused on protecting wildlife and reining in what it calls federal overreach. John Sturgeon, a longtime Safari Club policy advocate, agrees that the extension was needed. He says the group's proposals have been misunderstood.
- [18:57]
Ilko Lehman
We are not trying to get rid of the federal subsistence board or trying to get rid of subsistence. So hopefully a little more time, maybe we can get the word out a little bit better.
- [19:05]
Casey Grove
The Interior Department says its review is in the fact finding stage. No changes will occur unless the secretaries for the Interior and Agriculture departments, after weighing public input, decide to set a rulemaking process in motion. Now there are an additional 45 days to comment. One of the best chances for an Olympic medal from Alaska athletes is coming up Wednesday, and Anchorage cross country skier Gus Schumacher is paired with Vermonter Ben Ogden in the team sprint, and the two Americans are expected to vie for a podium in Italy. Schumacher and Ogden are good friends, but they've had very different Olympics so far, with Ogden winning a silver medal and Schumacher struggling to reach his potential. Anchorage reporter Nat Herz is in Italy, and he's been following what's turned into an interesting story about team dynamics and managing expectations. Hi, Nat.
- [20:04]
Nat Herz
Hi, Casey.
- [20:05]
Casey Grove
So, Nat, maybe let's start by setting up this race very early Wednesday and why it's worth paying attention to.
- [20:12]
Nat Herz
Yeah, I mean, quite honestly, you know, there are a lot of reasons you can watch the Olympics, but I think one of the reasons people watch the Olympics is to see who wins the medals. And I think in this race, there's quite a decent shot that we see. One of Alaska's own, Anchorage raised, Gus Schumacher win a medal in cross country skiing. And Gus and his teammate of Ben Ogden, are both really strong. They kind of have sort of complimentary strengths. Ben has traditionally been sort of more of a faster sprinter type guy. Gus has been more of a longer distance type guy, but also shown some real speed recently. And paired together on what's expected to be like a really challenging course, they make a really solid team. This is, like, actually one of the most exciting events of the Olympics. I think it's. It's one where there are always surprises and dark horses and stars can be born and stuff like that. So really looking forward to this one.
- [21:07]
Casey Grove
Yeah. It does sound, though, like there have been some doubts about Schumacher, the star American skier from Anchorage, and whether he'd be there. Is that right?
- [21:15]
Evan Erickson
Yeah.
- [21:16]
Nat Herz
I don't actually know if there was consideration given to not putting Gus Schumacher on the team. The coaches hold their cards pretty close to the vest, but Schumacher looked really strong just before the Olympics. The last set of races against basically the same field, before the game started, he was on the podium. But then in his first two races here, it was a really rough go. He had a crash that took him out of contention. He didn't really perform well in the next race. And then meanwhile, this guy, Ben Ogden, who's from Vermont, but a longtime teammate and close friend of Schumacher's, had basically the best race of his life, and he won a silver medal in the individual sprint race. Not only that, but Ogden and Schumacher are rooming together, which you can imagine actually presents some pretty complicated emotional territory.
- [22:06]
Casey Grove
Yeah, complicated emotional territory. Tell me more about that.
- [22:10]
Nat Herz
Yeah, I mean, you think about it, it's like both of these guys are the same age, their peers, they're essentially chasing the same athletic goal their whole lives. One of you has the best day of your life, the other is watching, had a not great day performance wise, and has to see their teammate basically deliver on this goal that. That both of you had. I think kind of obvious stuff, but also I think kind of pretty sensitive and something you have to kind of reflect on to sort of realize how significant that dynamic is. You know, Gus had. Had definitely not been in, I think, the best mood coming through after the race to talk to reporters. I think very recently, reasonably, didn't seem like a great time right after these tough results to kind of plumb the depths of his psyche. So I waited a few days, asked if he wanted to talk, and kind of surprised me by saying yes. And so here's what he had to say about Ben Ogden winning a medal. When, you know, Gus Schumacher himself was having a tough day.
- [23:08]
Gus Schumacher
It's really cool and big for all of us, but everyone wants to be the guy to break the. To break the drought, right? And I for sure wanted to be that guy.
- [23:20]
Nat Herz
So, yeah, again, I mean, this is a guy talking really directly about hard emotions with his teammates, which is not stuff I think you normally hear honestly from athletes in this kind of context where everyone's just kind of trying to be pro and move past this. This kind of stuff. But it was really interesting to hear how these guys handled it. Ben Ogden, who won the individual sprint medal, he's actually known for just being beloved by everyone in the sport of cross country ski skiing. And here's how Schumacher described what happened later that day. Ogden won the medal. Once Ogden got back to the hotel.
- [23:52]
Gus Schumacher
I'd just been at home basically stewing about myself and about the whole situation. And the first thing he said, basically when he came in the room was like, I've been thinking about you. And that meant so much to me, like, that he would go through all of this and basically recognizing, yeah, I know how it feels to be on the other side.
- [24:14]
Nat Herz
So you can really hear the level of directness and honesty there from two teammates, which I think is actually pretty rare, at least to see it publicly. And it shows a lot about how much work goes into managing these intense expectations and pressures and relationships that all kind of swirl around an event as big as the Olympic Games.
- [24:33]
Casey Grove
Yeah, that. That is interesting. So, Nat, what happened next?
- [24:38]
Nat Herz
Well, I think Schumacher had a lot of work to do after those first couple races to move past them. But he did that work and spoke about how he thought those kind of challenges in the first races were probably related to problems with his skis and his ski wax. And then in this distance relay event we had a few days ago, Schumacher was pretty much back to his normal self. He was mixing it up with the very best in the sport. And now he's been chosen as one member of this really elite two person team to compete in this team sprint with Ogden, the medal winner.
- [25:08]
Casey Grove
Now, how good are their chances at meddling, really?
- [25:12]
Nat Herz
Yeah, it's a good question. Again, I'm glad I don't have to bet. I think Ogden and Schumacher are actually ranked second out of all 27 teams on the start list. And I think this event really does favor them pretty well. But Norway has two insanely strong skiers. Johannes Klebo, who's won gold in literally every event so far, and he's paired with this upstart guy, Einar Hedegaard. They're basically a lock to win unless there's a lightning strike or five crashes. And then there are a few other really strong teams. There's Italy and France and Switzerland. Italy's anchor is this legendary sprinter named Federico Pellegrino, who's not just fast, but he's also really fit and can hold this for kind of a long time. And then France's team has this guy, Mati Deloge, who's really young but has been absolutely on fire at the Olympics. He has three silver medals here already. So it's going to be a really tough battle. But I think Schumacher and Ogden will be in the mix. And yeah.
- [26:11]
Casey Grove
All right. That was Anchorage reporter Nat Herz. He's in Italy covering the Olympics and focusing on cross country skiing. Nat, thanks for being here.
- [26:18]
Nat Herz
We'll pour out a macchiato for you. Casey, thanks for having me.
- [26:32]
Casey Grove
And that's all for this edition of Alaska News Nightly. If you missed any of tonight's stories, we're online@alaskapublic.org and wherever you get your podcasts. We had reports tonight from Avery Elfelt and Haynes, Liz Ruskin, Wesley early and Rhonda McBride in Anchorage, Evan Erickson in Bethel, Hunter Morrison in Catchikan, and Nat Herz in Italy. If you want to send us a news tip, question or comment, email us at news@alaskapublic.org Our audio engineer is Crystal Hyde. Kirsten Dobroth is our producer. And I'm Casey Grove. Good night. This is statewide news on Alaska Public Media.