Juneau’s leaders discuss priorities heading into new legislative session
At the end of last year’s legislative session, Juneau found itself on the hook for more than $5 million in cost shifts from the state.
The state of Alaska sued itself. Was it worth it?
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.
Sitka Assembly considers makeover for dated city seal
Depicting a cannon aimed over Sitka Sound at something that looks like a Tlingit fort, the seal evokes a painful past for many in the community. Now, the Sitka Assembly is getting behind a proposal to redesign it.
It’s definitely winter in Alaska. Is it chill to go outside?
Juneau’s definition of “frigid” isn’t the same as Fairbanks’ or Kotzebue’s. But one thing unites many Alaskans on a crisp winter day: the burning desire to go outdoors.
Medevac crew rescued after plane crashes near Unalaska
A LifeMed medevac flight crashed into the water Thursday morning near Unalaska shortly after taking off from the island’s airport. No one was seriously hurt.
The prospect of a $12B natural gas terminal in Southeast Alaska draws skepticism
Community members might not be amenable to a new facility that would attract massive gas tankers to Southeast Alaska.
Don’t walk this way: Mendenhall Lake ice is dangerously thin
Only 500 feet from the shoreline, the ice thinned to just an inch and a half. Anything less than 4 inches is considered dangerous.
How one Anchorage business delivers 150 pizzas a week to the Alaska bush
From the Bering Sea to the North Slope, a take-and-bake pizza shop in Anchorage is flying pizzas hundreds of miles to the farthest corners of Alaska.
Cold weather freezes freight orders for small towns in Southeast Alaska
Below-average temperatures in Southeast Alaska have put a freeze on an important transportation link in the region.
Consultants hired by Dunleavy administration say privatizing Alaska ferries ‘not feasible’
The Dunleavy administration commissioned the report last spring and received it in the fall. But the state wouldn’t release it until Wednesday’s Marine Transportation Advisory Board meeting.
Record summer heat wiped out at least 100,000 fish in Bristol Bay, scientists say
July 2019 was the Bristol Bay region’s hottest month on record, and in some rivers, that heat was lethal.
New study links 2015 seabird die-off to food scarcity during the ‘Blob’
Alaskans may remember a few years ago, when huge numbers of common murres, a type of northern seabird, were washing up dead onshore.
High winds cause damage, closures across Juneau
The National Weather Service in Juneau reported gusts of more than 100 mph in downtown Thursday morning.
Hooper Bay School closed after a pipe burst, flooding the building
The Lower Yukon School District hopes to reopen the Hooper Bay School by the end of January.
Bipartisan bill aims to improve Alaska students’ reading skills
Alaska fourth graders had the lowest reading scores in the country in a national assessment last year.
For Alaska Native shareholders, criticism on social media during board elections can trigger state fines
State regulators will fine some Alaska Native corporation shareholders over their criticism on social media. That’s because free speech is not protected when it comes to corporate elections.
Winter cold snap brings added challenges for Juneau’s homeless population
Temperatures in Juneau have been well below the 24-degree average low for January. That makes it tough for the more than 200 homeless people in Juneau.
Bureau of Indian Affairs proposes rule to recognize new Alaska tribes
An attorney representing two Alaska Native tribes seeking federal recognition says he’s concerned a new rule would further slow the process down.
Reduced winter ferry schedule puts a squeeze on Southeast Alaska basketball programs
Budget cuts to Alaska’s state ferry system have made it harder for high school basketball teams to travel this season, school officials say.
Alaska oil tax initiative has enough signatures for ballot, its supporters say
The ballot initiative would raise the minimum tax and eliminate oil tax credits for Alaska’s largest legacy fields. It would also require oil companies to publicly report their revenues and costs from those fields.