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Ketchikan fails to reach agreement with city manager candidate
Ketchikan City Council and selected city manager candidate Glen Adams failed to reach agreement on employment terms Friday, ending negotiations for the combined city manager and utilities general manager role.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago1 min readAI
Kenai Planning Commission recommends rural residential rezone, rejecting city's denser proposal
Kenai Planning Commission rejected the city's plan to rezone 81 acres for denser housing and instead recommended rural residential zoning with larger lots, citing neighbor concerns about infrastructure despite a housing shortage.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago1 min readAI
Assembly transfers nine riverfront parcels to state for erosion control
Alaska borough transfers nine riverfront parcels to the state to build erosion barriers before the Matanuska River threatens the highway.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago1 min readAI
Mat-Su Assembly blocks sales tax proposal before public hearing
Mat-Su Assembly blocked a 1.5% sales tax proposal before public hearing, voting 6-3 to remove it from the agenda. • Assemblymember Nowers wanted to pair the tax with a $75,000 property tax exemption for homeowners. • Opponents said it added taxes rather than replacing them. A different 6.5% sales tax proposal remains scheduled for June 16 hearing.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago2 min readAI
Kenai approves $30K more for gas storage lease consulting
Kenai City Council approved an extra $30,000 for consultants to evaluate two competing natural gas storage proposals at the municipal airport, bringing the total contract to $60,000.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago2 min readAI
Kenai Parks Commission approves master plan, sends to City Council
Kenai Parks Commission unanimously approved a 10-year Parks and Recreation Master Plan on May 7 and sent it to City Council, which will review it May 20 and vote in June.
by Alaska Newsadded 3mo ago2 min readAI
Planning commission approves variance for multifamily housing on corner lot
Kenai Planning Commission unanimously approved a variance allowing two multifamily buildings 10 feet from Cacnew Way instead of the standard 20 feet on a corner lot, citing safety improvements and housing demand.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago2 min readAI
Kenai garden tour set for Aug. 11, focus on Leif Hansen Park
Kenai Beautification Commission hosts a free garden tour August 11 at 5:30 p.m. to showcase landscaping at Leif Hansen Park and the visitor center.
by Alaska Newsadded 3mo ago1 min readAI
Kenai airport main runway closed May 14 through September; pilots use temporary runway
Kenai airport main runway closed May 14 for three month rebuild • Pilots use temporary runway with initial restrictions • FAA clearance documents needed before normal operations resume • Work finishes by end of September if weather allows
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago1 min readAI
Alutiiq Air ends Kenai service; airport eyes Fox Air contract
Alutiiq Air stopped flying to Kenai, leaving Grant Aviation as sole carrier. City pursuing Fox Air contract pending investigation of citizen complaint. Main runway closed three weeks for repairs, operations on temporary runway pending FAA approvals. Terminal cafe closing May 23, seeking new operator by July 1.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago2 min readAI
Mat-Su Planning Commission approves Deshka River watershed land classification
Mat-Su Planning Commission voted May 18 to classify borough-owned land along the Deshka River as watershed to protect cold-water salmon habitat, forwarding the resolution to the Assembly for final approval.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago2 min readAI
Anchorage Assembly considers new Public Safety Commission with community focus
Anchorage Assembly considers reviving a Public Safety Commission with nine voting community members and five non-voting agency reps. Commission would advise on police and fire policies, hold public hearings, and request records, but cannot investigate or discipline. Public hearing set for May 26.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago2 min readAI
Ketchikan seeks bids for City Hall heating, civic center floors, fuel supply
Ketchikan is seeking bids for a new City Hall heating system, Ted Ferry Civic Center flooring replacement, and fuel supply for city vehicles, with two bid deadlines already passed and fuel bids still open.
by Alaska Newsadded 3mo ago1 min readAI
Person dies after officer-involved shooting in Utqiaġvik
A person died Saturday after an officer-involved shooting in Utqiaġvik. Alaska State Troopers are investigating.
by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min readAI
Ketchikan Council selects Glenn Adams as new city manager
Ketchikan City Council voted 6–1 to hire Glenn Adams as city manager and utilities director. Adams has 26 years of military experience managing large facilities and previously led cities in Virginia and Texas.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago1 min readAI
Seven Western Alaska typhoon evacuees graduate from Anchorage schools
Seven students evacuated from Western Alaska villages after ex-Typhoon Halong in October 2025 graduated Monday from Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School after completing their senior year there.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago1 min readAI
Kodiak Assembly weighs $800,000 school funding compromise
Kodiak Assembly proposed $800,000 school funding using one-time earnings instead of raising property taxes. • School district faces rising costs while state funding has stalled since 2011. • District is depleting reserves and full funding would cut building repairs and hospital upgrades. • Assembly split on using temporary money for ongoing costs.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago2 min readAI
Kodiak residents defend auditorium position as school budget vote nears
Kodiak residents urged the assembly to fund the auditorium technical director or risk losing a key community facility. • The 700-seat auditorium hosts school shows and touring acts but has only one staff member. • Assembly members explored moving the position to the borough budget instead of school budget. • The school district is requesting $1.6 million more in local funding for fiscal year 2027.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago2 min readAI
Cordova Planning Commission approves temporary RV for construction site
Cordova Planning Commission unanimously approved a temporary travel trailer to house construction workers at an industrial park lot for up to four or five months, with the trailer connecting to city water and sewer.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago1 min readAI
Tour operator reports 10 guests fell from Berth 3 dock; harbor board urges safety barrier
Tour operator reports 10 guests fell from unprotected Berth 3 dock. Ports and Harbors Board voted to recommend city install safety barriers where passengers disembark. Operator also disputes electrical bill that jumped from $250 to $1,600 monthly after city changed billing method.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago2 min readAI
Juneau Assembly votes 8-1 to end gondola deal, repay Goldbelt $12.2M
Juneau Assembly votes 8-1 to end gondola deal with Goldbelt. • City must repay $12.2 million, including $10 million principal plus interest. • Rising costs made the project financially infeasible with public funds. • City can still explore future partnerships with Goldbelt or others.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago2 min readAI
Juneau Assembly faces budget crisis with projected negative fund balance
Juneau faces $1 million budget shortfall by 2027 after tax cuts reduced revenue. • Assembly must cut services, close facilities, or raise property taxes before June 15 vote. • Residents pushed back Monday against closing recreation facilities like Eagle Crest. • City approved $12.2 million repayment for failed gondola project.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago2 min readAI
Anchorage schools eliminate elementary health teachers, shift to integrated model
Anchorage cuts 27.5 health teacher jobs, embedding health into reading, PE, and social-emotional learning instead. • K-3 students learn health through reading curriculum, grades 4-5 use existing materials with teacher training. • Board member warns piecemeal approach may not meet district's own 2024 health education policy. • Main risk is finding time to train teachers in already packed school days.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago2 min readAI
Cordova Council debates mill rate hike as school funding deadline nears
Cordova Council must choose by June 3 between raising property taxes or using federal funds for a $181,000 school budget increase. City Manager Sam proposed raising the mill rate to 12.07, costing homeowners about $404 more yearly. Council has $436,000 to $486,000 in available federal funding but debates if one-time money can reliably fund ongoing school costs.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago2 min readAI
Commission approves subdivision, rezone for Native Village of Ouzinkie tsunami shelter
Kodiak Island Borough Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved a subdivision and rezone allowing the Native Village of Ouzinkie to take ownership of land holding a tsunami shelter.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago1 min readAI
Alaska seeks federal approval to regulate carbon storage wells
Alaska Oil and Gas Commission seeks EPA approval by May to regulate carbon storage wells in the state instead of federal oversight. Approval expected by late 2026 or early 2027. State completed 110-page regulations covering site selection, monitoring, and 50-year operator responsibility. Alaska's deep gas reservoirs offer storage space for carbon dioxide from LNG export and oil operations.
by Bill AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min readAI
Nenana pioneers Alaska's first biochar boiler for municipal heating
Nenana installed Alaska's first biochar boiler for municipal heating, burning wood chips and waste at 2,000 degrees, but a city official warned the system demands daily monitoring and every-other-day refills, not a hands-off solution like oil heat.
by Bill AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min readAI
Alaska Energy Planners Design 50-Year Systems Using 2008 Weather Data
Alaska's power planners design 50-to-100-year systems using 2008 weather data that no longer matches current storm patterns, leaving utilities like AVEC to absorb emergency costs like the $100,000 helicopter rental after Typhoon Halong hit in 2025.
by Bill AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min readAI
Alaska eyes $3B carbon revenue from 600,000 burned acres
Alaska plans to earn over $3 billion by replanting 600,000 burned acres as carbon offsets over 20 years. • Work requires 5,000 tree planters yearly plus nurseries and equipment, creating seasonal jobs. • Carbon market collapsed in 2024 but is recovering, with oversupply ending in 18 to 24 months.
by Bill AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min readAI
Alaska, Forest Service sign 20-year shared stewardship timber deal
Alaska and Forest Service signed a 20-year timber deal to jointly manage federal lands and boost restoration work. • State aims to harvest young growth forests in Southeast Alaska for 400 to 500 million board feet annually. • Current harvest is only 100 to 120 million board feet per year, down from nearly a billion three decades ago.
by Bill AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min readAI
Hopson 1 crew strikes Utqiaġvik's first whale of spring season
Hopson 1 crew struck Utqiaġvik's first bowhead whale of spring 2026 season Saturday, marking an important catch for the Alaska Native community after a late start.
by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min readAI
East High students organize benefit concert to save band program
East High students host benefit concert Saturday to save band program facing elimination due to budget cuts. • School plans to cut band director position, affecting 100 students across five classes. • Concert runs 2 to 5 p.m. at Club Nyt Lyt with $15 suggested donation, all proceeds to band account. • Anchorage schools cutting programs after state education funding remained flat.
by Alaska News3mo ago2 min readAI
Four nuclear startups race to bring microreactors to Alaska by 2029
Four nuclear firms racing to deploy microreactors in Alaska by 2029, starting 2027. • Radiant, Antares, Applied Atomics, NuCube targeting military bases and remote industrial sites. • Alaska cleared regulatory path in 2024. Air Force already signed contracts. • No US private microreactor yet operating or backed by commercial power deals.
by Bill AlaskaNews3mo ago3 min readAI
Kodiak drill conductor course trains mariners to lead safety drills
Alaska Marine Safety Education Association offers a two-day Fishing Vessel Drill Conductor Course in Kodiak on May 27-28 to train commercial fishermen as certified safety leaders who can lead emergency drills and meet U.S. Coast Guard requirements.
by Alaska News3mo ago1 min readAI
Anchorage airport says TSA wait times are back to seasonal normal
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport says TSA wait times are back to normal, but advises arriving two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international flights as summer travel picks up.
by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min readAI
UAF scientist gets $300K to unlock permafrost's carbon time bomb
UAF scientist gets $300K to study which microbes activate when permafrost thaws and release carbon, a key step to understanding how much greenhouse gas could escape from Alaska's frozen soils.
by Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min readAI
Alaska Proposes $4.4 Billion Synthetic Aviation Fuel Refinery Using Beetle-Killed Trees
Alaska plans $4.4 billion refinery to make 150 million gallons of jet fuel yearly from beetle-killed trees. • Fischer-Tropsch technology costs $4.85 per gallon, cheaper than cooking oil methods. • State imports most aviation fuel despite handling 700 cargo flights weekly through Anchorage. • Federal energy office offers $289 billion in lending authority for qualified projects.
by Bill AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago3 min readAI
Stack Energy Plans Multi-Gigawatt Data Center Near Prudhoe Bay
Stack Energy plans $20 billion data center south of Prudhoe Bay with 10,000 construction jobs starting 2026. • Off-grid facility uses local natural gas, targets operations by late 2028. • Waste heat could power large-scale Alaska greenhouses. • Company pays state taxes and partners with Alaska Native groups on workforce training.
by Bill AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago3 min readAI
Alaska seniors lost $8M to scams as programs expand to meet growing population needs
Alaska seniors lost 8.17 million dollars to scams in 2024, led by tech support fraud. • Senior population grew 78 percent since 2010 and now makes up 22 percent of the state. • State launched a mobile app to help seniors apply for eight public assistance programs. • Community programs are expanding volunteer services and elder abuse awareness.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min readAI
Alaska nursing home costs hit $364K/year, highest in U.S.
Alaska nursing home costs hit $364,453 per year, highest in U.S., as senior population doubles • Seniors face housing crisis: 8.4 percent live below poverty, 2,707 homeless in 2025 • Alzheimer's cases projected to rise 24 percent by 2030, unpaid caregiving valued at $887 million • Seniors lost $8.17 million to fraud in 2024, mostly tech support scams
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min readAI