Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s latest COVID-19 press conference is scheduled for 5 p.m. today. The governor, Alaska Department of Health and Social Services Commissioner Adam Crum, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink, Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Joe McLaughlin and DHSS Public Health Director Heidi Hedberg are scheduled to appear. In previous conferences, they have shared updates…
Government
Health care providers, municipalities call for Dunleavy to extend disaster declaration
It doesn’t appear that any state has intentionally ended its emergency orders.
Trump administration approves Conoco’s Willow project in National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska
The Willow project would be the North Slope’s westernmost oil field, and the Department of the Interior says the project could produce up to 160,000 barrels of oil a day, over 30 years.
As coronavirus infections surge across the state, Alaska finds itself at ‘a tipping point’
By Tuesday, the state was reporting more than 7,500 known active coronavirus cases, and nearly every region in Alaska was in a “high-alert level,” meaning there’s widespread community transmission “with many undetected cases and frequent discrete outbreaks.”
A torrent of Democratic absentee ballots could reverse Alaska’s Election Night vote counts
This year, experts warn that Alaskans should gird themselves for more widespread uncertainty for at least a week after Election Night, since the state won’t even start counting absentee ballots before then.
Trump administration will eliminate roadless protections for Alaska’s Tongass forest
Wednesday’s announcement, in a preliminary version of a government publication called the Federal Register, was broadly expected.
Lawsuit aims to block wolf trapping on Prince of Wales Island
Under a proposal by the Department of Fish and Game, rural residents eligible for federal subsistence will be able to hunt wolves from Oct. 31 until the end of November. The state’s hunt for non-rural residents wouldn’t open.
Juneau officials: COVID-19 cases locally and statewide are straining contact tracing
Juneau officials want the public to take more proactive steps to help health workers trace contacts, which is critical to limit the disease’s spread.
Application period opens in Juneau for up to $2,000 in COVID-relief housing grants
Sabrina Bracher was laid off in April. She cashed out her retirement savings after pandemic-related unemployment payments ended and says she’s going to jump on the new housing assistance program.
Will full PFDs spell problems for Permanent Fund’s future?
Legislative races near Fairbanks and in Anchorage show what’s at stake as Alaskans vote for legislative candidates with contrasting views on dividends and the Alaska Permanent Fund.