Alaska carbon plan: Boost state coffers without cutting oil
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy is calling for the state to build off its oil and gas expertise to tap into the developing industry of carbon storage as a way to generate new revenue without curtailing the extraction industries that underpin Alaskaโs economy.
Alaska drops eligibility requirements for COVID-19 vaccines
Alaska has dropped restrictions on who can get a COVID-19 vaccination, opening eligibility to anyone 16 or older who lives or works in the state in a move that Gov. The Republican, who highlighted his own bout with COVID-19 in making the announcement Tuesday, March 9, 2021, said Alaska is the first U.S. state to remove eligibility requirements. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)JUNEAU, Alaska โ Alaska has dropped restrictions on who can get a COVID-19 vaccination, opening eligibility to anyone 16 or older who lives or works in the state in a move that Gov. The Republican, who highlighted his own bout with COVID-19 in making the announcement Tuesday, said Alaska is the first U.S. state to remove eligibility requirements. Two of the vaccines are allowed for those 18 or older and one for those 16 or older, the CDC says.
The Latest: SKorea to give shots to elders in long-term care
AdHe also sanctioned a bill that makes the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines easier. However, the actual numbers of COVID-19 cases, like elsewhere in the world, are thought to be far higher, in part due to limited testing. Murphy, whoโs running for re-election this, said the stateโs COVID-19 trends are headed in the right direction, though theyโve been up a bit this week. ___SALT LAKE CITY โ Utahโs governor says all adults in the state will be eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines on April 1. Ad___PHOENIX โ Arizona on Wednesday reported 830 confirmed coronavirus cases and 78 deaths, following two days of no new deaths.
The Latest: Alaska opens vaccines to all 16 or older
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker shows Alaska leading states in the percentage of its population to have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Larry Hogan said Tuesday, citing improving COVID-19 health metrics and increasing vaccinations. It was unclear what authority state officials might be able to exert on federal facilities. โ County health officials in Wyoming have detected the coronavirus variant that originated in South Africa. Another 16 million doses are expected to be shipped by the end of the month.
The Latest: New Zealand opens 1st big vaccination clinic
New Zealand has opened its first large vaccination clinic as it scales up efforts to protect people from the coronavirus. (New Zealand Ministry of Health via AP)WELLINGTON, New Zealand โ New Zealand has opened its first large vaccination clinic as it scales up efforts to protect people from the coronavirus. Gordon cites Wyomingโs declining number of COVID-19 cases and its success in distributing vaccines as reasons to lift the restrictions. AdThe nation of 1.3 million has seen a rapidly increasing number of COVID-19 cases n the past few weeks. Italyโs total virus cases surpassed 3 million last week, with a new surge powered by the highly contagious variant that was first identified in Britain.
Some GOP state lawmakers help spread COVID-19 misinformation
Founder of a group called Let Them Play, McElvany questioned mask mandates and the science behind state COVID-19 data during a legislative hearing that didn't feature any witnesses from the other side. The committee chairman, Republican Rep. Steven Johnson, said the state health department was invited to testify but did not. In Tennessee, a Republican lawmaker is pushing legislation that would ban most government agencies from requiring anyone to get COVID-19 vaccines, which isn't a mandate anywhere. โSome call โmisinformationโ information they do not agree with or do not want to hear,โ Reinbold said by email. Several of those who are spreading bogus virus information in legislatures also have supported Trumpโs false claims that the 2020 election was stolen.
The Latest: Governor extends Oregon's state of emergency
Kate Brown on Thursday extended Oregonโs declaration of a state of emergency until May 2 as confirmed COVID-19 cases drop but hundreds of new cases continue to be reported daily. The Oregon Health Authority on Thursday reported 553 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the state total to 154,554. ___MISSOURI __ Missouri teachers and child care providers will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in mid-March, Gov. The nation of 10.7 million had almost 1.2 million cases with 19,835 deaths. AdLast week the Democratic governor announced that at least 10% of the stateโs vaccine supply would go to education workers.
The Latest: Kentucky urges Black citizens to get vaccinated
Jim Thurman counts himself among the converts who recognize the importance of taking a COVID-19 vaccine. AdHealth authorities say first-generation COVID-19 vaccines still protect against variants of the virus that are emerging in different parts of the world. AdIn a separate announcement, Moderna also said it plans to manufacture 700 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine globally this year, up from 600 million. Bosnia, a country of 3.3 million, expects 1.2 million vaccines through COVAX. On Wednesday, Ghana has become the first country to receive COVID-19 vaccines through COVAX.
US holds first oil lease sale for Alaska's Arctic refuge
Fish and Wildlife Service, caribou from the Porcupine caribou herd migrate onto the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in northeast Alaska. The U.S. government held its first-ever oil and gas lease sale Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021 for Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, an event critics labeled as a bust with major oil companies staying on the sidelines and a state corporation emerging as the main bidder. Fish and Wildlife Service via AP, File)JUNEAU, Alaska โ The U.S. government held its first-ever oil and gas lease sale Wednesday for Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, an event critics labeled as a bust with major oil companies staying on the sidelines and a state corporation emerging as the main bidder. Critics of the lease sale say the region is special, providing habitat for wildlife including caribou, polar bears, wolves and birds, and should be off limits to drilling. The land management agency has said under an โoptimistic, aggressive hypothetical scenario" exploration could begin within two years after a lease sale, with production eight years after a sale.
Trump defends Alaska governor amid recall push to oust him
JUNEAU, AK President Donald Trump on Wednesday voiced his opposition to a push in Alaska aimed at recalling Republican Gov. Trump tweeted that Democrats are treating Dunleavy unfairly and trying to recall him because of an agenda that Trump said includes jobs, energy and the economy. Claire Pywell, who manages the Recall Dunleavy campaign, said the effort is not partisan and the group is being mischaracterized. The Recall Dunleavy group said it collected 49,006 signatures as part of an initial phase, for which 28,501 signatures were needed. Trump's tweets included the internet address for the group set up to oppose the recall, Stand Tall with Mike.
EPA dropped salmon protection after Trump met with Alaska governor
The news came as a "total shock" to some top EPA scientists who were planning to oppose the project on environmental grounds, according to sources. EPA insiders tell CNN that the timing of the agency's internal announcement suggests Trump was personally involved in the decision. Dunleavy met with Trump aboard Air Force One on June 26, as the President's plane was on the tarmac in Alaska. A member of Dunleavy's administration used to work on the Pebble project in public relations. The company's CEO, Collier, also "expressly thanked Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy for his leadership in encouraging EPA to withdraw" its earlier decision.