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The Alaska Panhandle, sometimes referred to as Southeast Alaska, is the southeastern portion of the coast of the U.S. state of Alaska, which lies just west of the northern half of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The majority of the panhandle's area is part of the Tongass National Forest, the U.S.'s largest national forest. In many places, the international border runs along the crest of the Boundary Ranges of the Coast Mountains.The Alaska Panhandle is the northern terminus of the Inside Passage a protected waterway of convoluted passages between islands and fjords, beginning in Puget Sound in Washington state. This was an important travel corridor for native canoeists, as well as gold-rush steam ships, and in modern times is an important route for ferries and cruise ships. The Panhandle has a land area of 91,008.18 km2 (35,138.46 square miles), comprised of four entire boroughs and three census areas, in addition to the part of Yakutat Borough lying east of 141° West longitude. Although it has only 6.14 percent of Alaska's land area, it is larger than the state of Maine, and almost as large as the state of Indiana. The 2000 census population of the Panhandle was 72,954 inhabitants, about 42 percent of whom were concentrated in the city of Juneau.

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Local News from KTVF Fairbanks via Yahoo! News

Court orders review of Beaufort drilling plan

Nov 21, 2008 7:21 pm

A spokeswoman for Shell Oil says the company is disappointed by a federal appeals court ruling that regulators improperly granted the company permission for exploratory drilling in Alaska's Beaufort S...

Canadian company buys Brown Jug stores

Nov 21, 2008 7:21 pm

An Alaska liquor store chain is now owned by a Canadian firm.

Economist: recession could hurts tourism, mining

Nov 21, 2008 7:21 pm

An Anchorage economist says the downturn in the global economy is likely to touch Alaska in two sectors - mining and tourism.

Hospital suspends plans for trauma center

Nov 21, 2008 7:20 pm

The central Kenai Peninsula will have to wait for a trauma center.

Conservation groups hail ruling

Nov 21, 2008 12:50 am

Conservation groups are hailing an appeals court decision today.

Woman accused of multiple frauds

Nov 20, 2008 10:22 pm

Anchorage police are looking for a 30-year-old woman who is accused of passing stolen checks around southcentral Alaska.

Court orders review of Beaufort drilling plan

Nov 20, 2008 10:22 pm

A federal appeals court has ordered the Minerals Management Service to take another look at Shell Oil's offshore drilling plan for Alaska's Beaufort Sea.

Stevens gives last Senate speech as staffers weep

Nov 20, 2008 10:21 pm

Republican Senator Ted Stevens has spoken and yielded the floor for the last time.

Bar groups seek Stevens law license suspension

Nov 20, 2008 10:21 pm

Bar associations in Alaska, California and Washington, D.C., are seeking the law license suspension of U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens over his felony convictions.

Juneau hires avalanche forecaster

Nov 20, 2008 10:21 pm

Alaska's capital has hired a full-time avalanche forecaster.

Local News from Fairbanks Daily News-Miner via Yahoo! News

Palmer fire chief to retire after 39 years

Nov 21, 2008 7:14 pm

WASILLA -- The city of Palmer is seeking its first new fire chief after 39 years.

Economist: Recession could hurts Alaska tourism, mining

Nov 21, 2008 5:14 pm

ANCHORAGE -- The downturn in the global economy is likely to touch Alaska in two sectors, mining and tourism, according to an Anchorage economist.

Canadian company buys Alaska Brown Jug stores

Nov 21, 2008 5:14 pm

ANCHORAGE -- An Alaska liquor store chain is now owned by a Canadian firm.

Palin pardons one turkey while others slaughtered

Nov 21, 2008 3:44 pm

WASILLA -- Gov. Sarah Palin has granted the traditional Thanksgiving pardon to one lucky turkey, but the video that shocked some viewers captured what was happening in the background.

Alaska's Brooks Range shaken by minor earthquake

Nov 21, 2008 9:00 am

A small earthquake with a magnitude of 4.1 was detected in the Brooks Range early Thursday morning.

Interior Alaska residents named to state boards

Nov 21, 2008 9:00 am

A handful of Interior Alaska residents are included among recent appointees to state boards and commissions by Gov. Sarah Palin.

Borough Assembly gives seniors, disabled veterans a helping hand with tax deadline

Nov 21, 2008 8:59 am

The Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly cut a bit of red tape Thursday for seniors or disabled vets who, due to uncontrollable circumstances, need to apply late for a break on their annual property ...

Twenty-below temps hit Fairbanks almost on schedule

Nov 21, 2008 8:59 am

The temperature in Fairbanks hit 20 degrees below zero for the first time this winter on Wednesday, one day ahead of schedule.

Kenai hospital suspends plans for trauma center

Nov 21, 2008 1:15 am

KENAI -- The central Kenai Peninsula will have to wait for a trauma center.

First planes take off, land at new Sea-Tac runway

Nov 21, 2008 1:14 am

SEATAC, Wash. -- The new third runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is officially open. The first plane to take off was an Alaska Airlines flight and the first to land was a United jet.

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