KTOO News Update

KTOO News Update

The day’s local and state news in about 10 minutes.


Newscast – Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019

President Trump addressed troops at Alaska's Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on his way back from a summit with Kim Jong Un. Alaska's oil production could see a bump as new fields come on line on the North Slope. The City and Borough of Juneau wants to explore expanding port infrastructure to allow more cruise ships to connect to the city's electric grid. Sitka Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins says that residents fearful over the governor's proposed budget should focus their advocacy efforts on Republican senators, who will have the power to override the governor's vetoes come May. Juneau's Ernestine Saankalaxt' Hayes will remain Alaska's writer laureate a little longer than expected while the State Council on the Arts chooses the next writer to hold the title.

Read More »

Newscast – Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019

In this newscast: The Alaska Legislature's top budget analyst says it's unrealistic for lawmakers to vet and make decisions on Gov. Dunleavy's budget proposal during the regular session.How Alaskans feel about the governor's proposed budget has a lot to do with how they make their living and their views on the size of government. The U.S. House voted to cancel President Trump's declaration of emergency to fund construction of a wall along the southern border. The Senate still must vote on the issue. There's still no plan to remove the abandoned tugboat sitting in Juneau's Gastineau Channel, but the city is sending a crew out this week to remove water from the boat so it stays afloat.

Read More »

Newscast – Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019

In this newscast: Congress today passed a massive public lands bill sponsored by Sen. Lisa Murkowski. It includes a provision to help Alaska Native veterans of the Vietnam era by allowing them to select up to 160 acres of land, but critics predict a land grab. Gov. Dunleavy wants to sell the Mt. Edgecumbe High School Aquatics Center -- before the brand new $26M facility has even opened to the public. Ketchikan, Petersburg and Wrangell's sources of hydropower are at extremely low levels. The communities will gradually dip into their lake reserves when needed.

Read More »

Newscast – Monday, Feb. 25, 2019

State senators are pushing back against Gov. Dunleavy's plan to eliminate a fund that's intended to equalize the cost of supplying power to rural Alaska. A legislative attorney says language in Gov. Dunleavy's budget proposal giving his budget office discretion to transfer money within departments raises legal and constitutional questions. Gov. Dunleavy rescinded seven administrative orders last week enacted by his predecessor, Bill Walker. They include an order that halted state spending on six infrastructure projects. Clean up work is underway this week, nearly two months after a landslide closed a road near Thorne Bay on Prince of Wales Island. High school students from around Alaska came to Juneau this month to see for themselves how state government works. A bill pending before the Alaska Legislature would allow the state's ski areas to serve alcohol.

Read More »

Newscast – Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019

In this newscast: The Alaska Marine Highway System has stopped selling tickets beyond the end of September in response to Gov. Dunleavy’s proposed budget, the governor’s administration has also directed the Department of Transportation to look into closing or selling state-owned airports, U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan says President Donald Trump’s emergency declaration to direct money…

Read More »
Site notifications
Update notification options
Subscribe to notifications