At the mouth of the Kuskokwim, a pioneering wind system
In rural Alaska, one problem thwarts a thousand good ideas: the high cost of energy. From generating electricity to heating homes to fueling boats and snow machines, energy expenses eat into budgets, are a barrier to business and add to the prohibitive cost of water and sewer systems.
Without ferry service, a Southeast village considers $18 gallon of milk
Three Southeast villages endured the longest ferry drought in recent memory. The LeConte didn’t arrive for more than a month, leaving communities such as Angoon to depend more on subsistence or the only grocery store in town. As lawmakers consider even deeper cuts to ferry services, some locals are already getting a taste of what that reality could be like.
Video: Gastineau Apartments demolished
City officials plan to file a complaint in court this week as a first step toward getting a lien on the newly cleared Gastineau Apartments property in downtown Juneau.
Fur Rondy gets off to a slushy start in Anchorage
Anchorage’s warm weather and terrible snow conditions severely hampered the sled dog sprint races that have been a cornerstone of Fur Rondy celebrations since 1946.
Murkowski urges construction of multiple icebreakers
In another effort to increase presence in the Arctic, Murkowski encouraged homeporting a National Security Cutter in Alaska. The closest cutter right now is near San Francisco.
A Big Night For ‘Spotlight,’ DiCaprio And Earned Discomfort
Sunday night’s Oscars gave best picture to Spotlight, best actor to Leonardo DiCaprio and a lot of opportunities to host Chris Rock.
Japanese community discusses JBER internment camp
New historical evidence is shedding light on the internment of Japanese people in Alaska during World War II. A small ceremony held recently at Joint-Base Elmendorf-Richardson was one of the first of its kind, according to officials present.
Toksook Bay basketball player to star in ESPN’s ‘I am Yup’ik’
A short film starring Toksook Bay high school student Byron Nicholai will air on ESPN’s SportsCenter next month.
Public assistance to drop for 5,348 low-income seniors
Thousands of low-income seniors will see a drop in their state benefits starting March 1. Officials say they have tried to mitigate the negative impacts on beneficiaries, which stem from last year’s budget cuts.
House subcommittees cut state operating budget deeper
Health and Social Services was the department that received the deepest cuts. They include eliminating $5.18 million in cash assistance to seniors, and $3 million in behavioral health grants.
So far, no more ferry system cuts
The Alaska Marine Highway System made it through one step in the legislative budget process without further cuts. But those could come later.
Aging Southeast: Bunking with the family in Petersburg
Some Southeast Alaska families have stayed with the tradition of helping loved ones age in place. Elders live at home, with children and grandchildren, instead of an institution.
4 Dead, 20 More Hurt In Shooting At Kansas Manufacturing Plant
Officers responded Thursday afternoon to the report of an active shooter at Excel Industries. The suspected shooter has been killed, Harvey County Sheriff T. Walton said.
Aging Southeast: Older residents impact region’s economy
Many of Southeast’s seniors get breaks on property and sales taxes. But they also bring money into the economy, often without tying up jobs.
Some concerned about ‘takeover’ as SEARHC seeks to collaborate with Sitka hospital
Sitka’s tale of two hospitals stretches back to World War II. Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital was built in the 1940s while the city opened Sitka Community Hospital in 1956. And between the two facilities, Sitka has two emergency rooms, two obstetrics facilities and two physical therapy centers, among other duplicate services.
Former tugboat owners eulogize Challenger: ‘She lived up to her name’
For the Miles family, living aboard Challenger was a lifestyle. Tim Miles sometimes still thinks of the boat as a living, breathing entity.
UAF makes effort to combat failures in sexual assault cases
It’s been more than four months since the University of Alaska Fairbanks announced it failed to follow its own procedures in disciplining students accused of sexual assault. At the time, an independent review of the UA system was ordered.
Subcommittee looks for $35 million cut to University of Alaska
Combined with Gov. Bill Walker’s proposed $15 million cut, the university would lose one in seven dollars in state funding.
Yukon-Kuskokwim tribes demand special convention on regional self-governance
The demand comes after Association of Village Council Presidents regional delegates unanimously passed a motion at last fall’s annual convention to hold a special gathering Feb. 16 on regional determination, but the event failed to occur.
Marine mammal biologists visit Saint Lawrence Island
A team of biologists traveled to Saint Lawrence Island Wednesday to consult with local walrus hunters in Savoonga and Gambell.