An intrastate case raised grand legal questions about poor, rural Alaskans’ access to the justice system. Yet it was also an exercise in budgetary semantics with almost no practical effect — except for running up publicly funded legal bills.
Jeremy Hsieh, KTOO
Newscast – Friday, Jan. 10, 2020
In this newscast:
A Superior Court judge rules that the effort to recall Gov. Mike Dunleavy may proceed,
officials release 32 pieces of legislation state lawmakers have filed ahead of the legislative session,
the state Department of Corrections is behind schedule on moving inmates to private prisons in the Lower 48,
Ketchikan’s borough mayor wants to use cruise ship passenger fees to build a 40-acre park,
potential buyers kick around ideas for the site of a former sawmill in Wrangell that’s up for sale,
a juvenile justice worker sues the state seeking $19 million in a sexual harassment lawsuit,
city officials warn residents to take measures to keep their pipes from freezing, and
a small town in Michigan is buying an odor-detection device to crack down on the skunky smell of homegrown marijuana.
Newscast – Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020
In this newscast:
Lawyers for Gov. Mike Dunleavy and an effort to recall him from office prep for a court hearing,
organizers of a ballot initiative to fundamentally change how Alaska holds its elections turn in signatures,
the Army Corps of Engineers announce $611 million expansion plan for the Port of Nome,
a Coast Guard technician convicted of killing two co-workers in Kodiak in 2012 is sentenced to life in prison,
a working group shares nine recommendations they think will fix the Village Public Safety Officer program,
state analysts show Alaska’s population has fallen to the lowest level since 2012,
former Gov. Bill Walker is chosen for a Harvard fellowship, and
the National Weather Service changes its high wind watch for Juneau to a high wind warning.
Newscast – Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020
In this newscast:
Alaska’s U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski says she’s undecided on a war powers resolution that tells President Trump to cease military hostilities against Iran,
Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz asks state legislators to give part of the Alaska Permanent Fund to municipalities,
national climate experts say Alaska had its warmest year on record in 2019,
new documents show the Arctic Slope Regional Corp. got a big payout when Congress opened part of ANWR to drilling,
an Alaska nonprofit hosts a series of suicide prevention listening circles in Kotzebue aimed at young people,
law enforcement shoot and kill a man they were attempting to arrest near Delta Junction,
Washington state health officials confirm 19 deaths from the flu so far this season, and
the National Weather Service issues a high wind watch for the Juneau area.
Newscast – Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020
In this newscast:
The Public Defender Agency responds to a critical report from Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration,
fishing for six species of rockfish has been banned across Southeast Alaska for the entire year,
the Coast Guard suspends its search for a kayaker that went missing near Sitka,
residents and officials get together at a townhall meeting in Soldotna after an assault on an LGBTQ activist,
more than two dozen tribal groups oppose a federal land-use proposal that could open large areas of wilderness to mining,
2019 is now the warmest year on record in Bethel,
new laws limit how much alcohol people in Bethel can possess,
Shishaldin Volcano in near Cold Bay spews ash again,
Wasilla Republican Rep. Colleen Sullivan-Leonard says she won’t run for reelection.
Newscast – Monday, Jan. 6, 2020
In this newscast:
Someone found human remains in a shoe on the seawalk,
a fatal police shooting exposes deep divisions in Juneau,
Alaska’s U.S. senators weigh in on President Donald Trump’s authorization to assassinate an Iranian general,
Gov. Mike Dunleavy agrees to continue allowing refugees resettle in Alaska,
Alaska Supreme Court Justice Craig Stowers announces his retirement,
a judge orders the former owner of the North Pole Refinery to pay $22 million for polluting drinking water,
Alaskan firefighters are helping Australia during its worse ever wildfire season,
Washington state swears in its first Native American Supreme Court justice, and
the National Weather Service issues a winter storm warning.
Newscast – Friday, Jan. 3, 2020
In this newscast:
An Army spokesman says no additional Alaska troopers are set to be deployed abroad after U.S.-Iran hostilities,
the Coast Guard advises mariners to carry alternative communication devices while they work on restoring VHF relay services,
warnings continue near Haines after a fatal snowboarding avalanche,
the Douglas Indian Association is holding a tribal council election,
Sen. Donny Olson highlights how impractical getting REAL IDs is for rural Alaskans,
a volcano in the Aleutians sends an ash cloud up to 24,000 feet,
tariffs at the Port of Alaska are going up, and
an Iowa police officer organizes a gear drive for Savoonga’s police force.
Voting underway in Douglas Indian Association tribal council election
There are eight candidates seeking five at-large seats on the federally recognized tribe’s governing council.
Newscast – Thursday, Jan. 2, 2019
In this newscast:
The Coast Guard suspends its search for five people lost after their fishing boat sank near Kodiak Island,
state troopers offer new details in an Ketchikan arson case,
a mild earthquake on New Year’s Day gets Sitkans talking,
the ice jam flood in Willow is still hampering the Mat-Su Borough’s response,
the state of Alaska is trying to stop the Native village of Eklutna from opening an Indian gaming casino in Chugiak, and
Anchorage police get frustrated with high numbers of impaired driving arrests amid a campaign to stop it.
Juneau’s biggest stories of 2019
The stories that made our list include the city resolving its tax fight with the cruise industry, extraordinary weather, efforts at moving the Legislature out of the capital city, and the ongoing budget squeeze.