Andrew Kitchenman
State Government Reporter, Alaska Public Media & KTOO
State government plays an outsized role in the life of Alaskans. As the state continues to go through the painful process of deciding what its priorities are, I bring Alaskans to the scene of a government in transition.
KTOO’s midday newscast for 24, August, 2017:
Juneau’s state representatives said the Legislature accompished some good this year, but the lack of a long-term plan to balance the state’s budget was a major disappointment;
A Utah man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to first-degree murder in the July death of his wife in an Alaska cruise ship;
One of two residents of a downtown Juneau house raided this month pleaded not guilty to a drug conspiracy charge; and
It’s rained enough in Ketchikan the past couple of days that fish are swimming across the road.
Southeast Alaska lawmakers spent time during the legislative session working to protect regional interests, including the ferry system.
Alaska Gov. Bill Walker said being unaffiliated has helped him and Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott work on issues without concern about party politics.
One initiative would require insurers to cover people with pre-existing conditions. It also would allow parents to cover their children until they turn 26.
Police are looking for a 28-year-old Juneau woman, Alexis Ashley Ehlers, who vanished on Aug. 13;
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski is criticizing President Trump for his comments following the neo-Nazi march on Charlottesville;
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says hundreds of Pacific walruses have begun coming ashore along Alaska’s northwest coast; and
Alaska Gov. Bill Walker sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions asking the Department of Justice to maintain a hands-off approach to marijuana enforcement.
If you live anywhere in the country with a sales tax, the online retailer Amazon collects it – except in Alaska. Some in Alaska want to see changes that would affect Amazon and other online sellers.
