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Monday, May 4

Anchorage budget crisis mirrors national school funding squeeze

Anchorage School District approved closing three elementary schools and cutting over 500 staff positions to address a $90 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2027.

Alaska Newsby Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Cover image for article: Anchorage budget crisis mirrors national school funding squeeze

Chignik King Salmon Meets Escapement Goal After Six-Year Drought

Chignik River king salmon hit the escapement goal in 2025 for the first time since 2019, but the state is still weighing whether to ease the fishing restrictions that helped the recovery.

Alaska Newsby Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago6 min read
Alaska
Cover image for article: Chignik King Salmon Meets Escapement Goal After Six-Year Drought

Sunday, May 3

Board restricts Cook Inlet drift gillnet fishery to protect coho salmon

Alaska's Board of Fisheries voted Friday to restrict Cook Inlet drift gillnet fishing to protect coho salmon, limiting the fleet to two 12-hour windows per week and a 2-mile buffer from shore.

Alaska Newsby Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Alaska
Cover image for article: Board restricts Cook Inlet drift gillnet fishery to protect coho salmon

Senate adds $156M to capital budget, prioritizes deferred maintenance

Alaska Senate added $156 million to the capital budget for deferred maintenance at schools, universities, and state facilities after oil prices rose beyond the governor's projections.

Alaska Newsby Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago5 min read
Cover image for article: Senate adds $156M to capital budget, prioritizes deferred maintenance

Juneau schools seek $10M bond for roofs, HVAC after state funding dries up

Juneau School District is seeking $10 million in bonds to fix leaking roofs, upgrade heating systems, and install security cameras after state funding for school maintenance dried up.

Alaska Newsby Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Cover image for article: Juneau schools seek $10M bond for roofs, HVAC after state funding dries up

Fairbanks Borough mails 2026 property assessment notices

Fairbanks Borough mailed 2026 property assessment notices in late January, and values may have risen even if your home hasn't changed, based on neighborhood sales and market conditions.

Alaska Newsby Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago1 min read
Fairbanks North Star Borough
Cover image for article: Fairbanks Borough mails 2026 property assessment notices

Anchorage faces mobile home park crisis as South Park Estates closes

South Park Estates mobile home park is closing due to unfixable water damage, leaving over 30 households with few options in Anchorage's tight affordable housing market.

Alaska Newsby Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Cover image for article: Anchorage faces mobile home park crisis as South Park Estates closes

Alaska Senate panel hears proposal for immigrant integration office

Alaska Senate panel heard testimony on a bill to create a Welcoming Alaska Office to help immigrants and foreign-born teachers settle in state communities and schools.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Juneau
Cover image for article: Alaska Senate panel hears proposal for immigrant integration office

More from Alaska

Anchorage Park Foundation opens $300,000 challenge grant program

Anchorage Park Foundation is offering up to $300,000 in matching grants for community park and trail projects, with dollar-for-dollar matches from the Rasmuson Foundation and applications open now.

Alaska Newsby Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
Cover image for article: Anchorage Park Foundation opens $300,000 challenge grant program

Assembly considers smart taxi meters, $6 fare cap for Anchorage cabs

The Anchorage Assembly is considering a mandate for smart taxi meters and a fare cap increase to 6 dollars per tenth mile.

Alaska Newsby Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Cover image for article: Assembly considers smart taxi meters, $6 fare cap for Anchorage cabs

Alaska House passes dementia training bill for nursing aides

Alaska House unanimously passed a bill requiring nursing aides to receive dementia and behavioral health training as the state's senior population grows rapidly.

Alaska Newsby Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
Cover image for article: Alaska House passes dementia training bill for nursing aides

Alaska Senate Panel Advances Youth Suicide Prevention Bill

Alaska Senate panel advanced a bill to fund voluntary firearm safe storage devices for families and create school guidelines for notifying parents of suicidal thoughts or bullying.

Alaska Newsby Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago5 min read
State Capitol, Juneau, Alaska
Cover image for article: Alaska Senate Panel Advances Youth Suicide Prevention Bill

Saturday, May 2

Alaska House Committee Advances Five Bills in Single Session

House Labor and Commerce Committee advanced a tax bill raising $500,000 annually and passed hemp regulation amendments protecting existing producers. • Committee set May 6 deadline for a resolution supporting visa programs that employ 183 teachers in Alaska schools. • Insurance bill for delivery drivers stalled over coverage gaps and cost concerns, while charitable gaming modernization continued without final action.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Cover image for article: Alaska House Committee Advances Five Bills in Single Session

Board Sets Fish Wheel Rules, Recovery Goals for Yukon Salmon

Alaska's Board of Fisheries set fish wheel standards and recovery goals for depleted Yukon River salmon, requiring five consecutive years of meeting escapement targets before stocks can be delisted.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago5 min read
Cover image for article: Board Sets Fish Wheel Rules, Recovery Goals for Yukon Salmon

Rural Alaska fuel prices could hit $25/gallon, lawmaker warns

Rural Alaska fuel prices could reach $20 to $25 per gallon this year, potentially costing western Alaska up to $500 million in additional costs, state Sen. Lyman Hoffman warned Friday.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Senate Floor Session
Cover image for article: Rural Alaska fuel prices could hit $25/gallon, lawmaker warns

Friday, May 1

House panel ties Alaska gas line tax breaks to Fairbanks spur line

House panel tied tax breaks for Alaska's LNG project to building a spur line delivering affordable gas to Fairbanks and military bases, shifting the debate over who pays for Interior access.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Cover image for article: House panel ties Alaska gas line tax breaks to Fairbanks spur line

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

Alaska House Weighs $113M Education Funding Overhaul

House committee heard testimony on a $113 million bill to give school districts budget certainty by July 1, but members questioned whether the state can accurately model the long-term cost.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
House Finance
Cover image for article: Alaska House Weighs $113M Education Funding Overhaul

AG Nominee Cox Defends 110+ Amicus Briefs, Faces Questions on Alaska Priorities

Attorney General-designee Stephen Cox defended his rapid pace of joining national legal briefs as senators questioned his focus on Alaska priorities.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Juneau, AK, USA
Cover image for article: AG Nominee Cox Defends 110+ Amicus Briefs, Faces Questions on Alaska Priorities

Veterans sentencing bill advances despite concerns over court authority

House Bill 299 would let judges override prosecutors to place veterans in misdemeanor treatment courts, but prosecutors and court officials warned of separation of powers litigation.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago5 min read
Juneau, AK, USA
Cover image for article: Veterans sentencing bill advances despite concerns over court authority

Alaska Senate Panel Advances Social Media Ban for Minors Under 16

Alaska Senate panel advanced a bill banning social media for under-16s despite court challenges blocking similar laws nationwide.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Thomas Stewart Senate Stewart Building, Juneau, Alaska
Cover image for article: Alaska Senate Panel Advances Social Media Ban for Minors Under 16

Generations Southeast brings CDL simulator training to Juneau, Prince of Wales

Generations Southeast installed virtual driving simulators in Juneau and Klawock so residents can train for commercial driver licenses without leaving Southeast Alaska.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Cover image for article: Generations Southeast brings CDL simulator training to Juneau, Prince of Wales

Alaska marks 50 years of regional education attendance areas

Alaska marked 50 years of Regional Education Attendance Areas, the system that brought local control to rural schools serving 15 percent of students across more than half the state.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
House
Cover image for article: Alaska marks 50 years of regional education attendance areas

House passes bill shifting prepaid legal plans from insurance to consumer protection

Alaska House passed a bill moving prepaid legal plans from insurance rules to consumer protection, aiming to expand affordable legal access for Alaskans who cannot afford traditional attorney fees.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Juneau
Cover image for article: House passes bill shifting prepaid legal plans from insurance to consumer protection

Anchor Point Man Arrested After Assault, Vehicle Theft

Alaska State Troopers arrested a 45-year-old Anchor Point man April 28 after he allegedly assaulted someone and stole their vehicle on the Kenai Peninsula.

Alaska Newsby Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read

Housing agency buys 600+ acres statewide to spur development

Alaska Housing Finance Corporation bought 600+ acres statewide with $12.5 million to spur single-family housing development, with developer proposals due in June and construction expected summer 2027.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Cover image for article: Housing agency buys 600+ acres statewide to spur development

Thursday, Apr 30

Board Chair Survives Ethics Challenge Over Village Corporation Ties

The Board of Fisheries voted 6-0 to let Chair Marit Carlson-Van Dort vote on Area M proposals despite questions about her corporate ties.

Alaska Newsby Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Alaska Peninsula / Aleutian Island / Chignik
Cover image for article: Board Chair Survives Ethics Challenge Over Village Corporation Ties

Platting Board approves Lake Otis access for senior living site

Anchorage Platting Board removed restrictions blocking Lake Otis access for a senior living project at Lake Otis and O'Malley Road, though any actual driveway still needs traffic department approval.

Alaska Newsby Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
municipality
Cover image for article: Platting Board approves Lake Otis access for senior living site

Hundreds pack Juneau Assembly meeting to oppose recreation facility cuts

Hundreds of Juneau residents opposed closing recreation facilities to help close a $10 million to $12 million budget gap, warning the cuts would force families to leave town.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Cover image for article: Hundreds pack Juneau Assembly meeting to oppose recreation facility cuts

Alaska Senate passes bill to ease classic car import registration

Alaska Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday letting collectors register legally imported classic cars 25 years or older, aligning state law with federal rules.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Juneau
Cover image for article: Alaska Senate passes bill to ease classic car import registration

Alaska Senate passes bill restoring defined benefit pensions for public workers

Alaska Senate passed a bill Wednesday allowing public workers to choose defined benefit pensions starting July 2027, the first such measure to clear both chambers in 20 years.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Cover image for article: Alaska Senate passes bill restoring defined benefit pensions for public workers

Big Lake Man Arrested Twice for DUI in Three Days

A Big Lake man was arrested for DUI twice in three days, first in Wasilla on April 27 and again in Big Lake on April 29, both times refusing chemical testing.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago2 min read

Alaska House panel advances penny rounding bill amid federal mint halt

Alaska House panel advanced a bill Thursday requiring businesses to round cash transactions to the nearest nickel, responding to the federal government's halt of penny production in 2025.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Cover image for article: Alaska House panel advances penny rounding bill amid federal mint halt

Senate panel advances health care compacts bill despite sovereignty concerns

Senate panel voted 3-2 to advance a bill expanding interstate health care compacts, adding genetic counselors and respiratory therapists to licensed professions despite sovereignty concerns.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Cover image for article: Senate panel advances health care compacts bill despite sovereignty concerns

House Finance hears divided testimony on $95M West Susitna road allocation

House Finance heard divided testimony on a 95 million dollar West Susitna road project. • Opponents cited habitat risks while supporters argued for economic growth. • The committee also reviewed funding for homeless programs and the Arctic Winter Games.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago5 min read
Alaska, USA
Cover image for article: House Finance hears divided testimony on $95M West Susitna road allocation

Fish and Game closes Malina Bay herring fishery for season

Alaska Fish and Game closed Malina Bay herring fishing Wednesday evening after the section hit its 100-ton spring quota, shutting down sac roe harvest near Kodiak for the rest of the season.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Malina Bay Section (WA20) of the North Afognak District

Senate Finance advances $2.8B operating budget to Rules Committee

Alaska Senate Finance advanced the $2.8 billion operating budget to the Rules Committee on Thursday, moving it closer to final passage after a contentious House debate marked by close votes.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Juneau, AK, USA
Cover image for article: Senate Finance advances $2.8B operating budget to Rules Committee

Eagle Crest faces $1.68M subsidy request or severe cuts

Eagle Crest is asking Anchorage for $1.68 million to operate next year, warning that the city's historical $930,000 subsidy would force cuts so severe the ski area might not survive.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Cover image for article: Eagle Crest faces $1.68M subsidy request or severe cuts

Alaska Fishery Debates Reflect Broader Tensions Over Mixed-Stock Management

Alaska fishery managers debated how to protect struggling salmon stocks when healthy and depleted fish migrate together, with proposals ranging from gear restrictions to area closures.

Alaska Newsby Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago6 min read
Alaska Peninsula / Aleutian Island / Chignik
Cover image for article: Alaska Fishery Debates Reflect Broader Tensions Over Mixed-Stock Management

Anchorage to transfer Nordstrom building to development authority

Anchorage is transferring the vacant Nordstrom building to a development authority to redevelop it as mixed-use housing and commercial space downtown, with a public hearing set for March 24.

Alaska Newsby Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
Cover image for article: Anchorage to transfer Nordstrom building to development authority

Zoning Board Approves Variances Despite Municipal Errors on Canyon Road Property

Anchorage Zoning Board approved setback variances for a Canyon Road property after the city admitted a 12-year-old zoning determination it issued contained errors the owners had relied on.

Alaska Newsby Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Municipality of Anchorage
Cover image for article: Zoning Board Approves Variances Despite Municipal Errors on Canyon Road Property