Newscasts

In this newscast: The final environmental impact statement is issued for the $40 billion Alaska LNG Project, Southeast Alaskans prepare for a potential drop in tourism traffic as the State Department and federal health officials advise against cruise ship travel, ferry service returns to Haines and Skagway as residents take advantage of the first ferry in almost two months and a Juneau team’s coach and organizers react to the cancellation of the biennial Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse, Yukon. 

In this newscast: 

Officials familiar with the state’s public health system say a funding injection to prepare for the COVID-19 virus cannot erase years of budget cuts, 
state officials clear the Juneau police officer’s fatal shooting in December of Kelly Michael Stephens as legally justified,
a transgender state employee wins her discrimination case against the state over who should pay for sexual reassignment surgery, 
an apparent miscommunication between officials from Sitka and the state Department of Transportation led to no charter ferry service for Sitka, 
Pacific cod loses its sustainability labeling, 
Rep. David Eastman loses committee assignment from his own caucus, 
the Alaska Board of Game begins a week long meeting covering hundreds of proposals, 
state lawmakers push ahead with a bill to improve the Railbelt’s electric utilities, and 
U.S. sailors who specialize in explosive ordinance disposal train in Gastineau Channel. 

In this newscast: 

The state officials leading Alaska’s coronavirus preparations brief state lawmakers to keep calm and keep informed, 
port towns wonder what safeguards and extraordinary measures officials can take to keep possible cruise ship-borne coronavirus out, 
House lawmakers turn their attention to permanent fund dividend checks, 
the Juneau Raptor Center cares for two eagles that turned up with neurological damage, 
a Kaktovik man gets sentenced for letting a polar bear he killed outside his house go to waste, 
deep snow along the Iditarod trail suggests this year’s racers will need a lot of patience, and 
the National Weather Service issues a high wind warning in effect until 6 a.m. Friday. 

In this newscast: Alaska House Majority leaders introduce a bill that would set permanent fund dividends at about $900, volunteers with the campaign to recall Gov. Mike Dunleavy kickoff signature gathering in Juneau  and four-time champion Jeff King won’t participate in this year’s Iditarod after undergoing an emergency operation on Monday. 

In this newscast: 

Vice President Mike Pence reassures governors they will be reimbursed for at least part of what they’ll spend fighting the coronavirus, 
the grandson of a major donor ends his controversial sole-source contract with the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, 
Wells Fargo joins says it won’t finance oil development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, 
election officials say a ballot initiative to raise oil taxes has enough valid signatures to go before voters, 
Rep. Louise Stutes shares critical findings from a fact-finding mission at the Alaska Marine Highway System headquarters, 
a bill to double state motor and marine fuel taxes  clears the Senate, 
new felony sexual offense data shows big increases around the state but declines in Southeast from 2017 to 2018, 
one caseworker for the state Office of Children’s Services is stretched thin across three disconnected Southeast communities, 
former state Sen. Anna MacKinnon gets hired as a special assistant to the Department of Revenue commissioner, and 
a 19 year-old Anchorage athlete becomes the first American man to win at the World Junior Championships of cross-country skiing. 

In this newscast:

Gov. Mike Dunleavy calls for at least $4 million for public health nurses to help test for coronavirus, 
Bartlett Regional Hospital’s infection preventionist debunks rumors that someone’s been in isolation there because of the virus, 
Juneau’s city manager confirms the cruise ship Westerdam is headed to Juneau early after canceling sailings in Asia, 
limited ferry service resumes in Southeast Alaska, 
signature gathering for the Recall Dunleavy campaign begins, 
Alaska Airlines drops its sponsorship of the Iditarod, 
families of some who have died trying to reach the “Into the Wild” bus propose a footbridge for one of the dangerous river crossings. 

In this newscast: 

The House Finance Committee sends the state operating budget bill to the full House, 
Alaska politicians and oil execs react to J.P. Morgan Chase announcing it will stop financing new oil and gas projects in the Arctic, 
Census workers assigned to Arctic communities flag administrative problems, 
state transportation officials plan Thane Road avalanche control for Saturday afternoon, 
U.S. Navy will be training for underwater explosives disposal in Gastineau Channel on Saturday, 
the population of a huge caribou herd in the western Arctic are stabilizing, 
authorities charge a former substitute teacher in Kivalina with child exploitation, 
a young cancer survivor from Florida gets his wish fulfilled to make a snowman in Alaska, and 
a winter storm watch is in effect for Juneau from Saturday evening to Sunday morning. 

In this newscast:

The Alaska Marine Highway System is chartering a private ferry to provide interim passenger service between several Southeast communities, 
the ferry LeConte gets slated for its first stop to Pelican since October, 
private barge services pick up a lot business for moving cars around with ferry service crippled, 
Gov. Mike Dunleavy pitches a bill to exchange permanent fund dividends for vouchers to buy state land worth twice the cash value, 
a rockslide takes out Tatsuda’s IGA in Ketchikan, 
a snowmachiner is killed by an avalanche in Unalaska, and
the Alaska Senate sends the House a bill that would let breweries and distilleries extend their hours and host some live-music events.

In this newscast: 

Legislative leaders and Permanent Fund Corp. managers talk strategy to protect the fund, 
a major Alaska public employees’ union alleges the state is improperly seeking to outsource IT jobs, 
locals flag a huge increase in trash going to Juneau’s  landfill from cruise ships last season,  
the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska organizes a food and supplies drive Southeast communities cutoff from ferry service, 
a bill in the Alaska Legislature would give lawmakers oversight of any sale, transfer or disposal of state ferries, 
the National Park Service says it intends to open the entire Denali Park Road by early June, and 
Donald Trump Jr. gets a permit to hunt a grizzly bear outside of Nome later this year. 

In this newscast: Juneau’s Foodland store was evacuated for a gas leak, warm ocean temperatures are coming faster than scientists thought, AK House Republicans have voted to confirm Rep. Tammie Wilson’s replacement, and Alaska’s geoduck clam fishery remains closed during coronavirus outbreak