AK Rundown March 31 & April 1, 2007

“Mystery, Alaska”

Host: Rebecca Sheir

AK UFOs. In the 1980s, the three-man crew of a cargo flight to Anchorage reported seeing strange lights following their Boeing 747.   The crew -- all veterans with impeccable records -- maintained radio contact with FAA officials throughout the encounter.  AK’s Ellen Lockyer. Pkg. 5:45 (6:37 with intro)

Mystery by Day… & Night. Alaska's Writer Laureate John Straley has penned six murder mysteries set in Alaska, all featuring a hardscrabble, small-time private investigator with a big heart -- a perfect fit for Straley, who daylights as a criminal investigator. Melissa Marconi Wentzel. Pkg. 5:12 (5:35 with intro)

Break #1: “Secret Agent Man” played by Los Coronas from Surfin'tenochtillan

Mysteries of the Deep. The Arctic Ocean is among the most mysterious oceans in the world, and for good reason. Collecting data on a frozen ice sheet isn't easy, as two Navy graduate students recently discovered when they set up a research project 200 miles north of Prudhoe Bay. AK’s Annie Feidt. Pkg. 3:46 (4:08 with intro)

Whoddunit? An unusual disease appears to be killing sea otters in Southcentral Alaska. The disease was first discovered near Homer about five years ago, and scientists are still unraveling the mystery. Ashley Gross (orig. aired on AK April 2006). 4:22 (4:54 with intro)

Button: “Otter” by Nick the Music Man from Rockin' & a Boppin'

Rags to Riches. Alaska has its share of mysterious and quirky characters, including Fairbanks resident Hulda Ford, who's been described as a bag lady, a street person, and a nutty old woman. But when she died, city records showed that she was actually worth about 1.5 million dollars. AK’s Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock. Pkg. 4:19 (4:47 with intro)

300 Villages: Nome and Soldotna.

Calendar of Events: “Mystery Train / Tiger Man” by Elvis Presley from Karaoke Hits: The King Vol. 22

Break #2: “Mystery Train / Tiger Man” by Elvis Presley from Karaoke Hits: The King Vol. 22

Mystery Shopping. Want to go shopping and get paid for it, too? Find out how – and why Alaska’s the most challenging mystery shopping spot in the US. Rebecca Sheir. Host pkg. 4:50

Button: “Shop Around” by Captain & Tennille from Captain & Tennille’s Greatest Hits

BoucherCon 2007. In September, Anchorage will host an annual conference for mystery writers and readers from across the world. Rebecca Sheir speaks about it with Kimberley Gray and Dee Ford. Host 2-way. 2:34 (3:06 with intro)

Button: “Murder She Wrote TV Theme” by John Addison II from The 100 Greatest TV Themes

White Sky, Black Ice. Title Wave Books brings us a review of the first installment in the Nathan Active mystery series by Stan Jones. Katie Hecker. Review. 2:02 (2:16 with intro)

Button: “Get Smart TV Theme” by Irving Szathmary from All-Time Top 100 TV Themes

Wherefore Art Thou, Whittier? The town of Whittier is somewhat of a mystery in itself. Most residents live in a single building, and its main connection to the outside world is an old train tunnel that’s open just a few hours a day. CoastAlaska’s Ed Schoenfeld. Pkg. 5:44 (6:05 with intro)

Close: “Pink Panther” by Plas Johnson from Ultra-Lounge, Vol. 16: Mondo Hollywood