ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The University of Alaska Anchorage is investigating an allegation that its former hockey coach struck a player with a hockey stick, another black mark for the beleaguered program which suspended a search for a new coach after naming four finalists earlier this month.

Ex-player Mickey Spencer alleges in an email dated May 1 to university officials that former coach Dave Shyiak hit another player, Nick Haddad, with a hockey stick during an on-campus practice in 2011.

ANCHORAGE — It was the little gestures that put Navy Lt. Gary Ross at ease in the weeks after the repeal of the military’s ban on openly gay service members.

When he went to work, his boss asked him: “How’s Dan?” — a reference to Ross’ husband. And when it came time to select a coordinator for the arrival of his new ship at its home port in San Diego — a post traditionally held by a military spouse — officials asked Dan Ross.

The fears that repeal of the ban would be met with diminished morale were nowhere to be seen.

ANCHORAGE — Just days after the Alaska Legislature lowered taxes on the oil industry, ConocoPhillips announced plans to boost investment on North Slope fields.

ConocoPhillips is planning to bring an additional rig to the Kuparuk field this spring and working with co-owners to fund a new drill site on the Kuparuk River field, the company said in a Wednesday announcement.

It’s also beginning the regulatory and permitting stage and starting engineering for the Greater Moose’s Tooth unit in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.

ANCHORAGE — A best-selling mystery writer from Alaska wants to establish a residency retreat for female writers, hoping to offer women the same help she received more than two decades ago.

“It was Dana Stabenow 25 years ago, that’s who I want here,” said Stabenow, the author of 29 novels, including her best-known works, the Kate Shugak mystery series featuring an Aleut private investigator.