"Health and Social Services Commissioner Valerie Davidson"

The largest tribal government in Southeast Alaska now has authority over foster care and other services for Native children facing abuse or neglect.

As lawmakers look to trim the state’s budget shortfall, their attention is focused on one of the biggest areas of the budget.

After promising to expand the state’s Medicaid program on the campaign trail, Gov. Bill Walker announced Thursday he will sidestep the legislature to make that happen.