A consultant framed geographic bubbles as a possibility. You take a map, draw a line and seal a section of town off from the rest of the community. To get in or out, workers would need to go through the same precautions as cruise ship passengers — testing, temperature checks and so on.
Government
The Trump administration is moving to sell leases in ANWR, but will anyone show up for a sale?
The Trump administration is close to auctioning off drilling rights for the land in northeast Alaska — potentially just days before President-elect Joe Biden takes office in January. But to what degree will the industry participate?
Juneau Assembly approves more CARES funding for businesses and individuals impacted by COVID-19
On Monday night, the Assembly passed $2.3 million in CARES Act funding to create another grant program for businesses and another $2 million for grants to individuals impacted by the pandemic.
Heavily Republican incoming class of new Alaska legislators prepares for next session
Liz Snyder of Anchorage is the only Democrat, as well as the only woman of 13 new legislators.
Federal judge overrules Dunleavy administration’s objections to Kake’s COVID-19 hunt
In an order issued Wednesday, Judge Sharon L. Gleason wrote that federal officials had taken both conservation and public safety concerns into account when it approved Kake’s out-of-season hunt. She also noted that when federal officials reached out to state wildlife managers, they didn’t respond.
Sen. Murkowski calls on Trump administration to begin ‘full and formal transition’
“President Trump has had the opportunity to litigate his claims, and the courts have thus far found them without merit,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski said in a statement.
Alaska’s geography poses unique challenges for getting COVID-19 vaccines, treatments to rural areas
One of the leading vaccines has to be stored at minus 95 degrees Fahrenheit, and once it’s thawed, it lasts just five days in a refrigerator. That timeline could prove hard to meet for villages that are only accessible by air and can face weather-related delays.
Veteran lawmaker Jay Kerttula remembered as mentor, statesman and father
Alaska state flags were lowered to half mast Friday in honor of Jalmar “Jay” Kerttula, the only state legislator to serve as both senate president and speaker of the house.
After a summer of pandemic disruptions and poor salmon runs, Alaska fishermen await more federal relief money
Not only were fishermen catching fewer fish, in many cases they were getting paid less for them. Processors faced steep bills for implementing COVID mitigation strategies, and the value of sockeye was the lowest it’s been in more than 10 years.
Alaska agency says it’s neutral on Pebble Mine. Internal documents tell a different story.
Text messages and meeting notes show that behind the scenes, leaders of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources have been collaborating with Pebble to create the final piece of Pebble’s application.