Alaska

BLM planning rule would cut Alaska governor's review of federal land plans to 30 days

BLM would cut Alaska governor's review of federal land plans from 60 to 30 days, ending director appeals entirely. Comment periods would also shrink and paper protest filings would end.

by Maggie AlaskaNews6h ago3 min readFrom Nov 10

Kodiak ordinance would make tax-exempt landowners report private users to assessor

Kodiak's Assembly weighs making the Coast Guard, the state and other tax-exempt landowners report who uses their land, to help the borough tax those users.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

University of Alaska regents adopt per-program tuition and seek $49 million more from state

UA regents approved one tuition rate per program starting fall 2027 and asked the state for $413 million, $49 million more than this year.

by Walter AlaskaNews7h ago4 min readFrom Nov 6

Soldotna council takes up $961,000 grant to plan K-Beach Road signal and crossing

Soldotna is using a $961,000 federal grant to plan a traffic signal and pedestrian crossing at Arena Avenue and K-Beach Road, something the city has wanted for years.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Juneau Assembly members move to undo a tax on agents' commissions they helped pass

Juneau started taxing the cut agents keep for selling other people's goods on Oct. 1. Two Assembly members who backed it now want it gone by Jan. 1.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Federal forecasters expect Alaska oil production to climb 13% next year

Alaska's oil production is growing instead of shrinking. Federal forecasters expect a 13% jump next year, to the most oil the state has pumped since 2014.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Illinois man arrested on DUI and weapons charges after Fairbanks rollover

Alaska State Troopers arrested a 24-year-old Illinois man on DUI and weapons charges after a single-vehicle rollover in Fairbanks Thursday evening. He was booked into Fairbanks Correctional Center.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1d ago1 min read

Ketchikan draft budget would raise summer sales tax to 6% and utility rates 8% a year

Ketchikan's draft 2027 budget raises summer sales tax from 5.5% to 6% and electric, water, sewer and harbor rates 8% a year. • Staff also say council should weigh a property tax hike for police and fire. • Council reviews it Nov. 17 and must adopt a final budget by Dec. 29.

by Walter AlaskaNews10h ago3 min readFrom Nov 2

Anchorage's viral "jellyfish UFO" was filmed in June, and it may be a kite

Anchorage's viral "jellyfish UFO" was filmed in June in East Anchorage, looking past a park popular with kite fliers. Online, they suspect an octopus kite.

by Cale Green1d ago3 min read

Ketchikan's Homestead road service area overspent as a new plow contract begins

Ketchikan's borough will pay up to $25,000 to plow Homestead roads this winter. Last year, the road service area spent more than twice its budget.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago3 min read

Kodiak mayor breaks council tie to advance sale of city lot for shops and apartments

Kodiak's council split 3-3 on selling a city lot for six shops and six apartments, so the mayor broke the tie. A final vote is still to come.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Follows: Kodiak weighs selling a vacant city lot for a building with six apartments over six shops

State email problems delay paperwork deadline in North Slope oil lease sales

State email problems bought bidders extra days to finish paperwork on their North Slope oil lease bids. The public still sees the bids Wednesday morning.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Follows: Alaska opens Arctic oil lease bidding after its best sale in a decade

Alaska school leaders tell education task force to raise funding and fix buildings

School leaders praised the education funding task force's draft, then asked for $254.6 million, pensions and roofs. Comments run until Dec. 8.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago3 min read

Homeschool parents object to a task force line on correspondence programs

A legislative task force floated folding homeschool correspondence programs into "a broader brick-and-mortar framework." Homeschool parents lined up to say no.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago3 min read

Calista pays to extend local Typhoon Halong recovery jobs after state funding runs out

Calista's board is paying to keep Typhoon Halong recovery jobs going after state funding ran out, employing nearly 100 locals in storm-hit villages.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Elfin Cove's state power credit set at 51.67 cents per kilowatt-hour

Elfin Cove's state power credit is now 51.67 cents per kWh, figured on $6.70-a-gallon fuel. The utility's records show more power sold than made.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago1 min read

Regulators raise Golovin's power credit 17 cents a kilowatt-hour as fuel costs climb

Regulators raised Golovin's state power credit from 28 to 45 cents a kilowatt-hour after fuel costs climbed. Households now pay about 22 cents on covered power.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Three apply for the Homer City Council seat Shelly Erickson left to become mayor

Shelly Erickson's move to mayor leaves a Homer council seat open. Three applicants interview Monday, and the council could fill it that night.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Fairbanks economic panel could recommend changing its role in sister city ties

Fairbanks' economic development commission could recommend changing its role in the borough's sister city ties Nov. 20. UAF will also talk workforce needs.

by Melinda Communities.News1d ago2 min read

Alaska domestic violence network gets $3.5 million federal grant for 24 providers

Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault got a $3.5 million federal grant for 24 providers through 2030. It funds safety planning, emergency housing and advocate training statewide.

by Walter AlaskaNews13h ago2 min read

State crews will pull and toss leftover campaign signs along Fairbanks-area highways

The election was Nov. 3. Some campaign signs are still standing along Fairbanks-area highways. State crews will now pull them and throw them out.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

New Nov. 12 results put Kreiss-Tomkins just over 50% in Alaska governor's race

New results released Thursday, Nov. 12, put Kreiss-Tomkins over 50% for governor by 125 votes out of 252,140. Peltola's Senate lead grew to 5,800.

by Alaska News1d ago2 min read

Cordova council members back 10% facility fee for youth nonprofits, down from 25%

Cordova's Little League and swim team would pay 10% of city rental rates, not the proposed 25%. The police chief offered $13,000 he'd double-budgeted to help.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Follows: Cordova council members back 25% nonprofit fee for city pool and ball fields

Cordova council approves no-bid contract to replace Public Safety Building boiler

Cordova is skipping the usual bidding to replace the boiler that serves its jail, police and dispatch. A new one could take 16 weeks to arrive.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Houston's data center moratorium can't reach land the state gave AIDEA, officials say

Houston's data center pause stops at city limits. The 6,800 acres the state is giving AIDEA start about half a mile past them, the deputy mayor says.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Seward's Mount Marathon hydro plant is making power again after a rehab

Seward's little hydro plant at the foot of the Mount Marathon trail is making power again after a rehab. The city's throwing it a grand opening Wednesday.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Kodiak father asks borough assembly to take up suicide prevention every month

A Kodiak father whose son died by suicide asked the borough assembly to take up suicide prevention every month. One member said it broke his heart.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Kodiak residents split over code change that could seat assembly winner Jeremy Williamson

Kodiak residents split over rewriting code to seat election winner Jeremy Williamson, blocked by a borough contract conflict. His window to resolve it ends Saturday, or the seat could be vacated.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Follows: Kodiak makes public why election winner Jeremy Williamson hasn't been sworn in

Kenai kings fell short again as a local panel starts reviewing plan changes

Kenai kings hit their recovery goal in 2025, then missed it again this year. A Soldotna panel starts reviewing fish board proposals, 30-plus on that plan.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1d ago3 min read

Nome power bills face a bigger fuel surcharge as utility board presses for overdue audits

Nome's power bill fuel surcharge is likely to roughly double after the utility's biggest fuel bond yet. Its board, meanwhile, still wants a budget and audits.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago3 min read

Alaska DPS gets $87,079 federal grant for one upgrade to its new sex offender registry

Alaska got an $87,079 federal grant to upgrade its new sex offender registry, likely funding just one of two planned fixes.

by Walter AlaskaNews16h ago2 min readFrom Oct 16

Ketchikan gets $3 million Justice Department grant to replace its radio system

DOJ gave Ketchikan $3 million, no local match, to replace its aging emergency radio system.

by Maggie AlaskaNews16h ago2 min readFrom Sep 25

Kenai Airport Commission recommends council adopt updated plan for 376 city parcels

Kenai Airport Commission backed the city's updated 2026 Land Management Plan covering 376 city parcels, many tied to the airport fund. City Council has final say.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Anchorage plans to use landfill gas to evaporate the liquid that seeps from its trash

Anchorage wants to burn gas from its rotting trash to evaporate the liquid that seeps out of it. The Assembly is asked to pay $98,010 for design advice.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago3 min read

Alaska Court System gets $1.2 million federal grant for therapeutic court screening

Alaska Court System got a $1.2 million federal grant to hire an intake coordinator and case manager for therapeutic courts in Anchorage and Palmer.

by Walter AlaskaNews16h ago2 min readFrom Oct 22

Kodiak Assembly revisits a state funding list where most requests are for villages

Kodiak's Assembly took up its state funding list again. Most requests are for villages, including a Karluk water tank that stalled $894,993 short.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago3 min read

Alaska DPS gets $1 million federal grant to standardize addresses in the unorganized borough

DOJ gave Alaska Public Safety $1 million to create standard addresses across the unorganized borough, home to over 74,000 people with no local government.

by Walter AlaskaNews17h ago2 min readFrom Oct 16

Justice Department awards Valdez $5.5 million to replace its public safety radio system

Justice Department gave Valdez $5.5 million to replace its outdated public safety radio system by 2027. Troopers and Alyeska Pipeline security also rely on it as backup.

by Walter AlaskaNews17h ago2 min readFrom Sep 30

Kodiak asks state for $10 million to replace hospital's half-century-old boilers

Kodiak Island Borough asks the state for $10 million to replace aging hospital boilers and sterilizers before one fails. Frequent breakdowns already limit operating room use.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read