Newscasts

In this newscast: One of Alaska’s most prolific climate communicators could lose his job if the Trump administration’s proposed cuts to NOAA go through; Yesterday, the City and Borough of Juneau’s clerk’s office certified three ballot petitions aimed at lowering local taxes; Millions of dollars slated for child care funding were among the many budget cuts Alaska state Senators made last week, but advocates on the Capitol steps said those funds are vital to support families across the state; While the loss of hundreds of federal jobs in Alaska is hitting home for some Alaskans now, it’ll be months before we can quantify that impact

In this newscast: Black bears are emerging from hibernation and roaming around Juneau in search of food; The Alaska Senate passed a bill today that would substantially boost long-term funding for public schools; Juneau’s firefighter union sent out a statement Thursday warning residents that emergency response times may be delayed due to major staffing concerns; The Juneau School District and its largest union are more than two months into contract negotiations; The U.S. Interior Department says it’s going to fast-track permits for oil, gas and mining, cutting a process that normally takes years down to no more than 28 days; Alaska residents have less than a week to apply to get on a rental assistance program waitlist with the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation

In this newscast: There have been more than a dozen political protests at the Alaska State Capitol since President Donald Trump took office in January. But members of an anti-abortion group called Alaskans for Life who gathered on Thursday said they didn’t have specific demands for legislators; Alaska could lose several research institutions and a pipeline into science for budding researchers in the state – that’s if the Trump administration’s proposed cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s budget become a reality; The Trump administration is planning an Alaska summit with leaders from Japan and South Korea in early June; A state legislator from Palmer is proposing to enshrine Alaska’s giant cabbages in state law as the official state vegetable.

In this newscast: A cruise line representative dodged questions form the Juneau Assembly this afternoon about the company’s plans to develop a new cruise ship port on the backside of Douglas Island; The Alaska Senate is planning to vote soon on a new education funding bill, even as Gov. Mike Dunleavy says he opposes it; A $38 million federal grant meant to help Alaskans lower their energy bills and planet-warming emissions has been in limbo for months; New cases of HIV in Alaska over the past five years were highly preventable, according to a recent bulletin from the state’s section of epidemiology; Small businesses in Alaska are already feeling the impacts of President Trump’s sweeping tariff polices

In this newscast: The Juneau Assembly and cruise line agencies will hold a joint meeting Thursday afternoon to discuss the cruise ship tourism season ahead; Alaska lawmakers failed to override Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s veto of a bill that would have provided a $1,000 boost to basic per-student funding for public schools; A lot has changed at the University of Alaska since President Trump’s inauguration. After executive orders, the University of Alaska Board of Regents directed its university leadership to remove mentions of diversity, equity and inclusion to protect its federal funding. But the Trump administration still froze or canceled millions of dollars in federal funding; The ocean off Utqiagvik is covered with ragged sea ice ridges in early April. Iñupiat whalers build trails across the blue and white terrain to access hunting sites along the lead edge. It’s hard to imagine a better spot for studying sea ice. And that’s why a group of  Indigenous knowledge holders and Western scientists gathered there earlier this month; Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin was in a second trial this week for her libel case against the New York Times. And for the second time, a jury found that she was not libeled by the publication. 

In this newscast: Juneau’s public transportation system is ramping up its services for the summer tourism season this week; Juneau School District Board of Education member Will Muldoon stepped down from his position on Monday; The City and Borough of Juneau is starting the three-year-long process of updating its comprehensive plan; Alaska has the longest coastline and the highest rates of drowning in the country. One way to reduce that risk is through swim lessons, and in Juneau, babies can start learning as young as six months; Tongass Voices: Author Tessa Hulls on feeding her family’s ghosts