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Sunday, May 24
Assembly hears call for tower rules as residents warn of land-use impact
Assembly delayed vote on cell tower rules as residents warned towers will rise without zoning limits. Planning Commission proposes overlay directing towers to borough and Forest Service land away from homes. Two companies seeking Petersburg sites. Mayor aims to introduce ordinance at next meeting if attorney approves.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
Cordova Council approves $181,000 school funding increase, defers payment decision
Cordova Council approved $181,000 school funding increase, half the district's request. • Council delays payment decision until May 20, debating mill-rate increase. • District needs to split 36-student seventh grade class and hire math teacher. • Cordova High School ranked Alaska's top high school two consecutive years.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
TCLL graduates first 8th grade class after years of Tlingit immersion
Juneau's Tlingit immersion program graduated 8th graders who delivered speeches in Tlingit after years of fluency growth. • Students moved from reluctant speakers to confident communicators in the language. • Program is free for all students and partners with Sealaska Heritage Institute. • Graduates received traditional headbands and advance to high school.
by Melinda Communities.Newsadded 5mo ago3 min read
Sullivan-backed federal work drives Alaska shipyard training deal
AIDEA, JAG Marine Group, and Generations Southeast signed a workforce training agreement January 13 to prepare Alaskans for shipyard jobs tied to federal icebreaker and Coast Guard maintenance work Senator Dan Sullivan has promoted.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min readPetersburg proposes area-wide property tax to balance FY27 budget
Petersburg adds 1.71 mills to property taxes to cover 5% budget increase. • Health insurance costs rise $90,000, plus vehicle replacement and wage raises. • Marine passenger fee increases from $5 to $8 per head starting January 2027. • Final budget vote scheduled for June 1.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
Petersburg sees early revenue gains after senior sales tax exemption removal
Petersburg gained 26000 dollars in January and 22000 dollars in February sales tax revenue after removing a senior exemption. • The borough removed the exemption to balance its budget without drawing reserves. • The assembly will consider raising the 1200 dollar sales tax cap in May, the lowest in Southeast Alaska. • Voters must approve any cap increase. Final budget approval is June 1.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
Kenai proposes $1.55 million for street work, pay raises in 2027 budget
Kenai budgets $1.55 million for street work and 2 percent pay raises for all staff. • Paramedic and police certification pay increases to match neighboring departments. • City allocates $300,000 for public safety building design ahead of November 2027 bond vote. • Water and sewer rates rise 4 percent to cover inflation and future plant upgrades.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
Kenai proposes 4% water/sewer rate hike to fund aging infrastructure
Kenai proposes 4% water and sewer rate hike starting July 2026 to fund wastewater plant overhaul planned for 2029. • City losing 340,000 dollars annual revenue and facing higher chemical and staffing costs. • Rates remain among Alaska's lowest. Last increase was in fiscal year 2025. • Council will hold public hearing before final budget vote in May.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
More from Alaska
TCC offers disaster relief to tribal members hit by fire, flooding
Tanana Chiefs Conference offers one-time disaster payments to enrolled tribal members whose homes or possessions are damaged by fire, flooding, or high winds, covering appliances, food loss, and winter gear with no income requirement.
by Maggie AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago1 min read
Tanana Chiefs warns Dalton corridor transfer threatens subsistence lands
Interior Alaska tribes warn a 1.4 million-acre Dalton corridor land transfer to state control could threaten subsistence rights, as state management rules differ from federal protections.
by Maggie AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
Fairbanks gathering honors victims of unsolved homicides
Fairbanks Native Association, Doyon Limited, and city and borough partners held a remembrance gathering May 5 at Golden Heart Plaza to honor victims of unsolved homicides and call for justice.
by Maggie AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
Fitch upgrades Tanana Chiefs Conference bond rating to AA-
Fitch upgraded Tanana Chiefs Conference bond rating to AA-, lowering borrowing costs for healthcare and infrastructure. • Karen Sitton named new CFO after 30-year finance career. • TCC opposes federal land transfer in Dalton Utility Corridor, citing threats to ancestral hunting grounds. • Morris Thompson Center hiring youth ages 14 to 21 for summer jobs.
by Maggie AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
Petersburg voters to decide on sales tax cap increase in October
Petersburg Assembly voted 6-1 Monday to put a sales tax cap increase on the October 6 ballot, raising the single-purchase limit from $1,200 to $5,000 and the maximum tax owed from $72 to $300.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
Petersburg sewer rates to rise 20% as EPA bans mixing zone
Petersburg Assembly approved 20% sewer rate hike starting July 2026, adding $12 monthly to residential bills. • EPA banned mixing zones for wastewater, requiring $12-15 million in new treatment equipment. • Borough got $8 million federal funding but faces additional 10% annual increases through 2030. • Nine Alaska cities including Anchorage face similar EPA mandates.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago1 min read
Assembly advances cell tower ordinance requiring conditional use permits
Assembly votes to require Planning Commission approval for new cell towers in Petersburg. Companies must first try mounting antennas on existing structures before building new towers. Public hearing set for June 1 with comment deadline May 25. Ordinance needs two more readings before final adoption.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago1 min read
Petersburg Medical Center receives state approval for MRI service
Petersburg Medical Center won state approval to offer MRI scans and plans to install the machine within 30 to 45 days in its new Work Building.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago1 min read
Coming up
Interior Department and Marine Minerals Administration Regional Tribal Meeting
Alaska
Meeting
Alaska LNG ROW Lease Conversion Public Hearing (Virtual)
Hearing
2027 Statewide Summer Reading Program Registration Deadline
Public notice
GMU 2 Wolf Trapping Season Opens
Public notice
Alaska Mental Health Trust Land Office Sealed Bid Deadline
Public notice
About Alaska
Alaska is a United States state spanning Arctic, subarctic and coastal regions. Its communities range from Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau to Kodiak, the North Slope and villages such as McGrath and Adak that sit off the road system.
The Legislature, the governor's office and state agencies set policy on oil and gas, fisheries, transportation and public lands, and state boards such as the Board of Fisheries and the AIDEA board decide on catch rules, loans and investments. Cities and boroughs keep their own budgets, taxes, liquor licenses and planning decisions.
Questions that recur across the state include local budgets and tax rates, fishery catch limits, air service and ports for remote communities, and decisions on state land. Federal agencies and courts also shape life in Alaska, from air service contracts for rural towns to the certification of statewide election results.
More from Alaska
Planning Commission maps cell tower sites to guide wireless companies
Petersburg Planning Commission identified cell tower sites on public and private land to guide wireless companies away from homes. Overlay zone ordinance would let companies build towers by right at approved spots, up to 200 feet tall. Commission drafting legal descriptions and ordinance language for June meeting before assembly vote.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
Ketchikan Council approves pursuit of $23M federal grant for electric grid upgrades
Ketchikan Council votes to apply for $23M federal grant to upgrade electric grid and enable shore power for cruise ships. • Project replaces aging transmission lines, increasing capacity from 20 to 35 megawatts over four years. • Department of Energy covers $17M, city matches roughly $6M with possible state funding. • Application deadline is May 17.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago1 min read
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 5mo ago1 min read
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 5mo ago1 min read
Kenai unveils 20-year parks master plan with sports complex overhaul
Kenai approved a 20-year parks plan to consolidate ball fields into one expanded sports complex. • Downtown green spaces become seasonal campground and event venue. • City spends 1.3 million yearly on parks but recovers only 17 percent through fees. • Near-term priorities include new playgrounds and ice rink upgrades.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min readFrom 
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 5mo ago2 min read
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 5mo ago2 min read
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 5mo ago2 min read
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 5mo ago1 min read
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 5mo ago1 min read
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 5mo ago2 min read
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 5mo ago2 min read
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 5mo ago2 min read
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 5mo ago1 min read
Saturday, May 23
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 AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
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 5mo ago1 min read
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 5mo ago1 min read
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 5mo ago2 min read
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 5mo ago2 min read
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 5mo ago1 min read
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 5mo ago2 min read
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 5mo ago2 min read
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 5mo ago2 min read
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 5mo ago2 min read
