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9/22/14 - Alaska unemployment up slightly to 6.3% in August

Alaska unemployment higher than national rate in August

Unemployment in  Alaska inched upwards in August, from 6.1% in July to 6.3% in August. The state's highest unemployment rate was 12.4% in Southwest Alaska. Unemployment in Anchorage and the Mat-Su region was 5.4% in August. The jobless rate nationwide was 6.1% in August.

High costs closing Bethel Senior Center

ONC, the Bethel tribe, is closing the long-running Bethel Senior Center.  The city provides the tribe the building rent-free. But the cost of heating and other expenses is too high, so the Center is closing Sept. 30. The tribe plans to look at other options. As Charles Enoch reports, Elders say they will miss the companionship, games, and hot lunches at the Center.

USDA grants go to renewable energy projects in rural Alaska

The USDA Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP, has awarded $143,000 to Alaska businesses for energy efficiency improvements such as wind, solar, biomass, and hydroelectric power. Recipients are based in Fairbanks, Talkeetna, Glenallen, Valdez, and Cordova.