Juneau seventh grader wins Alaska State Spelling Bee, will compete nationally this summer
After all the learning challenges this year brought on, Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School teacher calls the win a ‘glimmer of hope.’
Lawsuit challenging Indian Child Welfare Act remains a case to watch for Alaska legal experts, despite split decision in federal court
What is now Brackeen v. Haaland began in 2018 as a lawsuit in Texas that challenges ICWA. The lawsuit says the federal law discriminates against non-Native families looking to adopt.
18-year-old killed in goose hunting accident in Western Alaska
An 18-year-old died when he was shot while bird hunting with two other young people in Nightmute on April 26.
An Anchorage woman was organizing a vaccine clinic for the Hmong community. Then her sister got gravely ill.
Translator Yeng Tao says it’s getting more and more difficult to find Hmong Alaskans willing to get vaccinated.
Sitka Tribe of Alaska’s suit over state’s herring management is resolved
Sitka Tribe of Alaska filed suit against Fish and Game in 2018 over the department’s management of the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery.
Opponents present case against ballot questions that would limit Juneau cruise ship traffic
Three days after paperwork was filed to start a campaign for ballot questions limiting cruise ship traffic, another group of locals organized to oppose them.
Alaska House committee votes against $3,000 PFDs over concerns about future permanent fund earnings
Lawmakers must decide whether the state should follow the formula in a 1982 state law or follow a different law that limits how much can be drawn from permanent fund earnings.
Revenue returns to Juneau’s Bartlett Regional Hospital after a year of pandemic losses
Kevin Benson, Bartlett’s chief financial officer, said that even before the hospital started seeing revenue again, Bartlett was breaking even, thanks to federal relief money.
Juneau area residents experience area-wide internet outage, due to a problem with underwater cable
Later in the day, Alaska Communications said on Twitter that the issue was related to an underwater fiber optic cable. Service was restored early on Thursday morning.
There have been two attempts in Congress to save Alaska’s cruise season in the last week. They’ve both failed.
The U.S. Senate on Thursday blocked consideration of a waiver that would have allowed foreign-flagged cruise ships to visit Alaska ports this summer.
Tuluksak got a special water treatment system for the whole village, but the school was only using it for itself
Workers in Tuluksak installed a system with extra filtration to provide cleaner water intended for drinking. But up until mid-April, most people in Tuluksak didn’t get to drink the water from this second system.
Downtown Juneau sinkhole causes suspension of some bus service
A sinkhole at the intersection of Third and North Franklin streets likely will get repaired when there is a break in the rain next week.
State reports small number of ‘breakthrough’ COVID-19 cases in fully-vaccinated Alaskans
Alaska’s state health department reports that one-tenth of one percent of vaccinated Alaskans ended up testing positive for COVID-19 in February and March.
Dunleavy proposes opening part of Kachemak Bay to subsurface gas leasing
Legislation proposed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy would allow the state to sell subsurface gas-only leases in part of Kachemak Bay so companies could drill into undersea reservoirs from miles away.
Chilkoot Indian Association gets federal funds to help Haines homeowners fix disaster damage
The Chilkoot Indian Association Disaster has received relief funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to help Haines homeowners fix damage from the December 2020 floods and landslides.
Closed through the pandemic, Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center will partially reopen this summer
The Forest Service is reopening some of its facilities at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center in Juneau for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alaska lawmakers pass COVID-19 disaster declaration bill, with $8 million in federal food aid on the line
While the disaster declaration expired on Feb. 14, House Bill 76 would make the extension retroactive to that date.
Upcoming Native Youth Olympics events in Ketchikan postponed due to COVID-19
Organizer Sealaska Heritage Institute said Wednesday it hopes to reschedule the Ketchikan event next month. A firm date has not been set.
National divide on whether there’s a problem with voting security reflected in Alaska proposals
A Republican senator has proposed a bill he said would make elections more secure. But it’s raising concerns among advocates for making it easier to vote, who favor a bill proposed by a Democratic House member.
Sitka officials vote to accept $1M donation from Norwegian Cruise Line
City Administrator John Leach told the Sitka Assembly that Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. is offering the city $1 million to ease the economic effects of the ongoing cruise suspension in Alaska.