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One of the Discovery Channel's most successful of many forays into the Alaskan way of life has been the polarizing Alaskan Bush People, which chronicles the Brown family's desire to live off the grid. The show has a huge following and scored big ratings for the cable network. The family has drawn its share of controversy over its run on TV also. Now, after news surfaced a couple years ago that some family members were indicted on fraud charges when applying for Alaska's oil fund payments, two of the Browns face some jail time. The oil wealth fund, established in...

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz arrived Jan. 4 at the first stop on a six-day tour of Iowa. The Republican presidential candidate was set to visit 28 counties by bus. (Photo by Patrick Svitek) WASHINGTON — In the more than 200 events he's held since launching his campaign for the White House 10 months ago, Ted Cruz has tested out an unorthodox strategy, one that could rewrite the rules of Republican presidential politics.Since the Texas senator declared his candidacy in March, 40 percent of his public events have taken place in Iowa, according to a Texas Tribune analysis of his travel schedule as of Saturday. But...

A tsunami generated by a massive earthquake off Alaska could cause major damage to California's economy and force 750,000 people to evacuate, a report published Wednesday warned. One third of all boats in California's marinas could be damaged or sunk, costing some $700 million in losses, while major ports would struggle to get huge cargo vessels out to sea in time to avoid being buffeted by tsunamis. Experts from the US Geological Survey (USGS) based their damage assessment on the scenario of a 9.1 magnitude quake off Alaska's Pacific Coast, which it said was "hypothetical but plausible." "In this scenario...

A wall of water up to 55 yards high crashing into the Atlantic seaboard of the United States, flattening everything in its path -- not a Hollywood movie but a dire prophecy by some British and U.S. academics. As the international community struggles to aid victims of last month's devastating tsunami in southern Asia, scientists warn an eruption of a volcano in Spain's Canary Islands could unleash a "mega-tsunami" larger than any in recorded history. Hammocks almost buried at the beach of Pajara district in Fuerteventura island (Canary Island), southern Spain. Countries all around the Atlantic rim could be hit...

Researchers plot course of ancient American tsunami Researchers have calculated the scale of a giant wave that devastated the north west coast of America 1,100 years ago. Japanese scientists used computer modelling to recreate the devastation from the ancient tsunami. The team from the Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institution in Kobe say the work will help planners minimise the impact of any future wave. The researchers took clues from silt deposits found in the Puget Sound, a Pacific inlet above earthquake fault lines in the Seattle area. Experts say the tsunami could have reached up to seven metres in...

Scattered across the world’s oceans are a handful of rare geological time-bombs. Once unleashed they create an extraordinary phenomenon, a gigantic tidal wave, far bigger than any normal tsunami, able to cross oceans and ravage countries on the other side of the world. Only recently have scientists realised the next episode is likely to begin at the Canary Islands, off North Africa, where a wall of water will one day be created which will race across the entire Atlantic ocean at the speed of a jet airliner to devastate the east coast of the United States. America will have been...

The shipwrecks, and parts of other ships, that were found are most likely the remains of 33 ships trapped by pack ice close to the Alaskan Arctic shore in September 1871... The ships were destroyed in a matter of weeks, leaving more than 1,200 whalers stranded at the top of the world until they could be rescued by seven ships of the fleet standing by about 80 miles to the south in open water off Icy Cape. No one died in the incident but it is cited as one of the major causes of the demise of commercial whaling in...

After the British victory at the Battle of the Second El Alamein in November of 1942, Winston Churchill spoke to the British people. Churchill eloquently stated, “Now, this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” Perhaps, the same can be said of the opening salvos of the 2016 Presidential Election. We have watched numerous debates on both sides, filled with candidates grandiose and not very grandiose. Gradually, the field is being thinned and on February 1, 2016, the games truly begin at the Iowa Caucuses....

A powerful winter cyclone — the same storm that lead to two tornado outbreaks in the United States and disastrous river flooding — has driven the North Pole to the freezing point this week, 50 degrees above average for this time of year.

Tina Fey once again trotted out her Palin impression on Saturday Night Live this weekend, but now, Palin’s turning the tables with an impression of her own. The Independent Journal created a fake trailer for season 1 of 31 Rock, starring Palin as Lynn Melon, a small-town TV writer struggling to have it all in the big city. Fey may be the better impressionist — okay, Fey is definitely the better impressionist — but Palin does nail the delivery on “NERDS!”

Bloody salmon cooked over a fire and tea made with glacier ice were on the menu for President Obama during his appearance on NBC's "Running Wild with Bear Grylls" on Thursday night. But the president also made time to talk about climate change policy as he and Grylls hiked along the Exit Glacier and through the Alaskan wilderness during the hour-long show. Obama taped the episode during a trip to the state in September. The pair discussed wildlife and the wilderness, and they swapped personal stories about their backgrounds, families and Obama's life in the White House. Grylls also...

Las Vegas (CNN) - Sarah Palin isn't shy about her least-favorite candidates in the 2016 field. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio? "Robotic." New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie? "Embraced Obama." Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush? "George." Hillary Clinton? "Nyquil." And President Barack Obama himself? "Warned ya." Palin delivered the answers to CNN's Jake Tapper as the two played a word-association game Monday night at a "Politics on Tap" event at the Double Barrel Roadhouse in Las Vegas. It came the night before the fifth GOP presidential debate of the 2016 campaign. Palin's comments reflect what much of the GOP's conservative base think...

Former US vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin has said she has a 'political crush' on Marion Marechal-Le Pen of France's National Front. Ms. Palin, writing for the conservative news website Breitbart, described the Frenchwoman as a 'clear voice of courage and common sense in a country and continent in need of both'. The young far-right candidate reminded her of Joan of Arc, she said. The FN failed to win control of any of France's regions in Sunday's elections....... Ms. Palin.......highlighted the acheivements of both Ms. Marechal-Le Pen and her aunt, FN leader Marine Le Pen. She praised the younger French politician...

'He said it was one of the best days of his presidency': Bear Grylls reveals how Obama ate raw salmon and discussed drinking urine while 50 Secret Service agents watched, ahead of Alaska premiere They shared tea brewed from berries, ate bear-gnawed bloody salmon, talked about drinking urine and discussed climate change - all while snipers kept watch from the mountains and the official food taster looked on nervously. **SNIP** Obama, 54, threw himself into the once-in-a-lifetime experience with considerable gusto, shrugging off the food taster, sharing Gryll's water bottle, lighting fires and eating catkin berries. The TV host revealed...

Things aren’t going very well in Juneau these days and unlike the more nuanced arguments taking place in other states, Alaska is dealing with a problem which can be summed up in one word: money. The state spent a long time riding high on sustained, high oil prices which greatly impact their budget, but the sunset of the oil boom has led to a long term collapse in those revenues and Alaska needs to come up with some more cash. Their part time legislature will be returning to session next month and they will be facing a wide ranging proposal...

Adele says Sarah Palin is directly responsible for her career as a singer. Well, kind of. Adele recounted on a BBC special Friday how the former Alaska governor and GOP candidate for vice president made an appearance on "Saturday Night Live" in October, 2008 during the height of the presidential campaign when Adele, then still relatively unknown, was the show's musical guest. That was the episode where Palin and Tina Fey, playing Sarah Palin, famously acknowledged one another during the show's cold opening. "It was one of the most watched SNLs ever and then it was two weeks before the...

JUNEAU -- Newly elected Mayor Greg Fisk died of natural causes Monday, and facial injuries that sparked rumors of an assault actually came from a fall, Juneau police said Wednesday. "The first assumption was someone had done something to him," said Bryce Johnson, Juneau police chief. An autopsy was conducted by the State Medical Examiner Office in Anchorage, Johnson told reporters at a press conference in Juneau Wednesday afternoon. Two Juneau detectives in Anchorage on other business attended the autopsy, he said. The cause of death has not been specified, but Fisk had a history of heart issues, Johnson said

NEW YORK -- Two presidential campaigns ago, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin became a conservative superstar. Seven years later, the self-proclaimed "Mamma Grizzly" is calling 2015 one of the toughest years of her life. "Some things happened that I haven't talked about publicly, things like getting canned from a job I really liked, sort of out of the blue, because I called somebody out," she said. Palin was let go from her job as a Fox News political analyst in June.  "Next morning I got word, 'Oh, we no longer need you anymore,'" she recalled. "Yeah, it was a shock,...

Injuries found on Juneau mayor’s body; police await autopsy results Chris Klint| December 1, 2015 Share on email Email Print Juneau’s mayor had suffered injuries when his son found him dead Monday afternoon, investigators say. Stephen “Greg” Fisk, 70, was found dead inside his residence in downtown Juneau, according to Ian Fisk, who police say called dispatchers at 3:34 p.m. Monday. Juneau police spokeswoman Erann Kalwara said Tuesday that she couldn’t describe the injuries found on Fisk’s body due to the ongoing investigation. “The injuries could be characterized as signs of trauma,” Kalwara said. “He’s being sent for an autopsy,...

Something doesn't pass the "smell test" here: From the article: "Fisk had handily defeated incumbent Merrill Sanford in the October election to become mayor." /then/ "Mayor Mary Becker was named acting mayor, the newspaper reported."