In this newscast: The City and Borough of Juneau is trying to decide where to put its cold weather shelter, but the people staying there have been mostly absent from the conversation; There are a lot of downsides to the kind of heavy, prolonged rainfall in Southeast Alaska this summer but it did have some silver linings; Juneau emergency management officials say they’re considering escalating the community’s risk status following a new cluster of COVID-19 cases.
Pablo Arauz Peña, KTOO
Newscast – Monday, September 7, 2020
In this newscast: There’s a torrent of viral misinformation undermining the COVID-19 pandemic response; Winter is coming and competition over a popular trail in Juneau has pit winter sports enthusiasts against each other; Alaska has reached a settlement with an advocacy group in a dispute over involuntary commitments of people suffering mental health crises; Jack Little figures a $500 tip can give some waiters a boost during tough times; Gov. Mike Dunleavy says he currently does not need to fill the state House seat left vacant by the death of Rep. Gary Knopp.
On refurbished ambulance, Tlingit formline design represents community and healing
Both sides of the newly revamped ambulance feature Tlingit formline design symbolizing the human power of healing.
Newscast – Friday, September 4, 2020
In this newscast: The declining price of oil and the COVID-19 pandemic has some oyster farmers worried about the future; Capital City Fire and Rescue recently refurbished one of its ambulances and the ambulance serves a second purpose as a piece of public art; Alaska’s Supreme Court has blocked the state’s plan to borrow money to pay off hundreds of millions in debt to oil and gas companies; A federal judge has denied a request seeking to have Alaska election officials send absentee ballot applications to all registered voters in the state; The U.S. Forest Service has issued a deadline to the operator of an Alaska island boat shop to tear down the historic complex and leave but the owner says the agency’s demands are unrealistic.
Newscast – Thursday, September 3, 2020
In this newscast: A group that wants to save a neglected site where the Alaska territorial flag was designed, sewn and first flown sued this week; Alaska’s job losses weren’t as steep as the national average but the state’s recovery is lagging behind nearly every other state; For many Alaska communities, the early end of the 2020 census means committees have to work harder to count everyone; Some University of Alaska students have called for the resignation of the student regent following a lengthy email; Juneau’s belated Pride celebration wasn’t complete with its annual Glitz drag show which was held outdoors for the first time.
With ‘cheerful honking’ Juneau celebrates Pride with outdoor drive-in drag show
Juneau’s Pride celebration wasn’t complete without the annual Glitz drag show. This year, the show was held outdoors for the first time to maintain social distancing.
Newscast – Wednesday, September 2, 2020
In this newscast: Civil rights groups are asking Alaska’s lieutenant governor not to enforce the requirement that voters get a witness to sign the envelope of their mail-in ballots; Seafood companies bring thousands of seasonal workers to Alaska’s fishing towns every year, but this year’s summer workers were largely unseen; A company operating one of the world’s largest zinc mines in Alaska says thawing permafrost linked to global warming has forced an expenditure of $20 million; Documents provided to The Associated Press show the Trump administration is seeking to fast-track environmental reviews of dozens of major energy and infrastructure projects.
Newscast – Tuesday, September 1, 2020
In this newscast: Juneau School District officials say they have about 10 percent fewer students than they forecast in the spring; Since the pandemic hit, the number of people choosing to fly has tanked, but in Alaska that’s often not an option; Some Southeast Alaska towns are setting rain records this summer; The Anchorage Assembly says it will reopen meetings for in-person participation by members of the public.
Newscast – Monday, August 31, 2020
In this newscast: Construction on a new bike track in Juneau’s Cope Park will begin as soon as the weather allows; When a child needed to be medevaced to Anchorage, residents in the Southwest Alaska village of Igiugig came together to light the airport’s runway; Juneau’s Augustus Brown Pool in downtown reopens on September 8 with limited capacity; Restaurants and bars in Anchorage reopen today for dine-in service with multiple restrictions; Administrators say student athletes at UA Fairbanks are in quarantine after players on the hockey team tested positive for COVID-19.
Newscast – Friday, August 28, 2020
In this newscast: After the first week of school in Juneau, families are reporting highs and lows with the all-distance learning start of the year; People in Juneau — and around the country — say they’re getting mysterious packages in the mail from overseas; The Bering Sea pollock fishing fleet was going about its business Wednesday afternoon when it encountered a flotilla of Russian military ships.