Blog: Dermot Cole
Report blasts oil risk assessment
Published October 21, 2009, 12:31 p.m.
•When the state hired a contractor for a two-year risk assessment of oil and gas facilities in Alaska, it took more than a year to develop the methodology.
That left less than a year to do any risk assessing.
But now, an independent review of the methodology said it probably not have been useful in detecting such threats as the corrosion problem that prompted this entire effort.
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Ramras hopes to establish new role for lieutenant governor
Published October 20, 2009, 8:40 a.m.
•Fairbanks Rep. Jay Ramras hopes to turn the post of lieutenant governor into one of "rainmaker, ambassador, connector, and facilitator."
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Draft energy plan supports utility merger
Published October 19, 2009, 11:28 a.m.
•A draft legislative report on energy policy suggests again that merging the six Railbelt utilities is a good idea.
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Defining educational success
Published October 18, 2009, 11:22 p.m.
•On a math test given to a sample of students across the country, 38 percent of the Alaska students in fourth grade were judged "proficient."
But on the math test given to Alaska students and scored on a yardstick developed in Alaska, about three-quarters of fourth graders were deemed "proficient" in math.
Something doesn't add up.
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Murkowski on 'cap and trade'
Published October 18, 2009, 4:19 p.m.
•If the final climate change bill promotes the expansion of nuclear power and oil exploration in the U.S., Sen. Lisa Murkowski might support it.
"Count me as one of those who will keep my mind open as we move forward," Murkowski said in a C-SPAN interview Sunday.
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Fired up over propane
Published October 16, 2009, 3:41 p.m.
•A second Alaska "gas authority" has offered a competing plan to truck fuel made from natural gas down the Dalton Highway, in this case propane.
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Young campaign fund drops
Published October 15, 2009, 9:52 a.m.
•Rep. Don Young had $1.4 million in his campaign fund two at this time during the last election season. Now he has $129,263, Politico.com reports.
Young has spent more than $1.2 million on legal fees in the past couple of years.
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Palin plans new group, reports say
Published October 15, 2009, 8:57 a.m.
•Former Gov. Sarah Palin is planning to launch a new political group along with her book. The group will be called "Stand up for Our Nation," the New York Post says. 6 comments
Reviewers take aim at Alaska State Troopers' TV show
Published October 14, 2009, 10:00 a.m.
•The early reviews of the Alaska State Troopers TV show make much of how many drunks appear on the screen.
•A state agency reaffirmed its support of the plan to have the Fred Meyer West store and other lots annexed into the city.
•Alaska is one of 40 states where students taking the National Assessment of Educational Progress in fourth and eighth grade showed no progress in 2009, compared to 2007, a new report says.
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Disabled Alaskans may have chance to get appliance rebates
Published October 13, 2009, 4:36 p.m.
•The state has $658,000 available in federal money for the clunker appliance changeout program.
Details are expected to be announced Wednesday on a plan to limit the rebate program in Alaska to the disabled, which sounds reasonable.
•Student enrollment in the Fairbanks public schools is up by about 275 from a year ago.
•The federal office of the Director of National Intelligence and UAF are hosting a two-day conference on national intelligence issues Wednesday and Thursday at UAF.
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