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Good afternoon. It’s Saturday, March 12.

Did you feel the 5.1 earthquake this morning in Southcentral Alaska? It jolted homes and businesses throughout the region (including my house in Anchorage, where the kitchen table shook as I was writing this email).

(USGS website screengrab)

The quake was centered across Cook Inlet from Nikiski and other communities on the Kenai Peninsula. No tsunami is expected.

🌥️

Anchorage weather

It's a partly sunny day in Anchorage with a 20% chance of snow this afternoon. Looking ahead, we can expect sunshine over the next few days with highs in the mid-20s to low 30s before a chance of snow returns to the forecast Wednesday.

Here's a look at the latest Alaska news and other highlights.

— Vicky Ho, vho@adn.com

Alaska’s next big North Slope oil project is mired in a feud with ConocoPhillips, and reportedly for sale

Oil Search, the company advancing the $3 billion Pikka development, says the project is being held hostage by Conoco’s demand for tens of millions of dollars a year for road access through Conoco’s state leases.

A Russian seafood ban will drive up prices, but it’s too soon to say if Alaska fishermen will benefit

Some in Alaska are welcoming President Biden’s announcement of a ban on Russian seafood imports as long overdue. But scarce crab, high fuel prices and other factors mean it’s unclear how much fishermen — and the state — will benefit.

Alaska legislators, governor support plan to suspend state’s gas tax amid rising pump prices

Gov. Dunleavy and Alaska state senators said Friday that they support legislation to suspend the state’s tax on motor fuels for one year, an attempt to reduce the impact of rising fuel prices on Alaskans.

Brent Sass commands the pack as Iditarod mushers hit the Yukon

The musher from Eureka is leading the way toward the Norton Sound coast after coming off an 8-hour rest in the Kaltag checkpoint.

Weekend reads

From childhood friends to champions: These East High seniors are chasing Alaska basketball history as ‘a brotherhood’

The Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School boys basketball team is on the brink of setting a state record for most consecutive wins against Alaska opponents and is in pursuit of a second straight state championship.

More than 2 dozen Alaska places will get new names to erase derogatory word for Native women

The U.S. Interior Department is moving ahead with the process of changing hundreds of federally listed place names that contain the derogatory term “squaw,” including more than two dozen in Alaska.

More news from the ADN

Anchorage man arrested after shooting another man during altercation, police say

Russia strikes near Ukraine’s capital; mosque reported hit

Alaska on Friday reports 621 cases of COVID-19 over 2 days

Alaska man lit mother’s home on fire in Northern California, then died, deputies say

Inconsistent offense sinks UAA women’s basketball team in NCAA tournament opening round

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