The Taku River is flooding, and this year could be a big one.

Today

ART, EVENTS & PERFORMANCE

ANCHORAGE – Two Democrats made moves Wednesday to become Alaska’s governor in 2010 and occupy the office Republican Gov. Sarah Palin is giving up Sunday.

KENAI – A local bike repairman brought a new lifestyle idea to the Homer Farmers’ Market recently: Why not use bike pedal power to blend a smoothie instead of electricity? Here’s a food blender with strawberries and juice. Here’s a bike and here’s an inverter box for the electricity. Curious crowds drew in for a closer look.

ANCHORAGE – The Bethel City Council voted to ban plastic bags and foam plastic takeout containers to reduce windblown trash on the tundra.

FAIRBANKS – Fairbanks is expecting to be in the national spotlight Sunday when Gov. Sarah Palin formally steps down and Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell swears in to take her place.

Ruth Danner lost her first fight against tall towers going up in the Mendenhall Valley, but she said the experience prepared her for a second one.

Juneau is one of six Alaska school districts awarded state grants to pilot preschool programs for the upcoming school year, state Education Commissioner Larry LeDoux announced Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the 17th Coast Guard District held the Buoy Tender Olympics at Coast Guard station in Juneau during its annual week-long Buoy Tender Roundup, which began Monday. The roundup brings seven U.S. Coast Guard buoy tenders from Alaska, Oregon and Canada together for five days of specialized training in areas such as engine repair, buoy maintenance, first aid and more.