Alaska

Kenai planners to weigh dropping park status from a lot that never became a park

Kenai's Ahlstrom Park has been a park on paper for over 20 years without ever becoming one. Planners vote Tuesday on whether to recommend dropping it.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Follows: Kenai parks commission to weigh dropping park status from Ahlstrom Park lot

Kenai planners weigh gravel pit dug below the water table off Beaver Loop Road

A gravel company wants to dig a pit off Kenai's Beaver Loop Road that could one day become a lake with room for houses. The commission takes it up Tuesday.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Kenai airport reopens its main runway, but its instrument landing system awaits FAA check

Kenai's main runway reopened Oct. 2 after rehab work, but its instrument landing system is still offline pending an FAA flight check. No timeline yet for that system's return.

by Walter AlaskaNews17h ago2 min readFrom Oct 8

Follows: Kenai's airport expects to reopen its main runway around Sept. 21

Federal money committed to Alaska hit a seven-year high of $19.7 billion

Washington committed $19.7 billion to Alaska last fiscal year, the most in at least seven years. A 22% drop this fall is mostly November not reported yet.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Alaska proposes new tools to decide who qualifies for two Medicaid disability waivers

Alaska proposed swapping the assessment tool used to decide eligibility for two Medicaid disability waivers. Public comment runs through 5 pm Dec. 21.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

State plans to replace worn-out docking structures at Auke Bay ferry terminal

The state wants to replace rotting, corroded docking structures at Juneau's Auke Bay ferry terminal. Red king crab habitat already moved its dump site.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Cape Blossom Road near Kotzebue is closed while crews install a temporary bridge

Cape Blossom Road near Kotzebue is closed while Brice Construction installs a temporary bridge, with no reopening date given.

by Alaska News1d ago2 min read

Fort Wainwright is extending free Wi-Fi to all of its permanent party barracks

Fort Wainwright is rolling free Wi-Fi out to all its permanent party barracks. In 2020, internet in a barracks room could run as much as $175 a month.

by Melinda Communities.News1d ago2 min read

Mountain goat hunt south of Tracy Arm closes early after hunters reach limit

Hunters have reached the mountain goat limit south of Tracy Arm, so the state shuts that hunt Friday night, 17 days early. The same thing happened last year.

by Bill AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Federal fishery council to vote on Alaska's 2027 groundfish catch limits in December

Federal fishery managers vote on Alaska's 2027 groundfish catch limits Dec. 4-9, this time with new stock assessments after last year's shutdown.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

State cuts next spring's Sitka Sound herring limit 17% as its forecast drops

Fish and Game cut the 2027 Sitka Sound herring harvest limit to 28,980 tons, 17% below 2026's. The agency admits its 2026 forecast overshot actual herring numbers by 14%.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Freezing rain advisory expands to Lower Matanuska and Southern Susitna valleys

Freezing rain advisory now covers Lower Mat-Su and Southern Susitna valleys until 5am Thursday, hitting the morning commute. • Anchorage, Eagle River and western Kenai advisories warn of possible power outages too. • Comes days after Tuesday icing caused 22 Anchorage crashes and a jackknifed semi on the Glenn Highway.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Anchorage Assembly members push back on draft social media rules

Read literally, draft rules would bar Anchorage Assembly members from touting their records on campaign pages. Members balked. The attorney: "Not the intent."

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago3 min read

Anchorage Assembly chair readies a plan to replace Zac Johnson if his ticket wins

The Anchorage Assembly is penciling in a December meeting to replace Zac Johnson in case he becomes lieutenant governor. The count so far leans his way.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago3 min read

Galena and Tanana tribes team up so neither takes a below-market BIA lease rate

Galena's Louden Tribe and the Native Village of Tanana will negotiate BIA building leases together so one village's low rate can't be used against the other.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1d ago3 min read

After 120 days at 40 below, Rampart's tribal council outfitted every household, chief says

After 120 straight days at 40 below, Rampart's tribal council bought chainsaws, freezers and more for every household, Chief Dawn Newman told a TCC summit.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

North Slope artists have until Monday to design the logo for Kivgiq 2027

The North Slope Borough wants a logo for Kivgiq 2027, the Iñupiat Messenger Feast revived in 1988. North Slope artists have until 5 pm Monday. No AI art.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Mat-Su residents and officials honor veterans at Wasilla memorial wall on Veterans Day

Mat-Su residents and officials gathered at the Wasilla Veterans Wall Memorial at 11:11 am Wednesday for Veterans Day. Gov. Mike Dunleavy proclaimed the day Veterans and Remembrance Day in Alaska.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Aging commission hears Ketchikan seniors Monday on next state senior plan

Alaska Commission on Aging hears from Ketchikan seniors Monday to help shape the state's next four year senior services plan.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Fish board opens comment on Cook Inlet drift gillnet rules it adopted in March

The Board of Fisheries wants comments on Cook Inlet drift fleet limits it passed in March, which never took effect. A second vote is likely in January.

by Bill AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read

Anchorage's water utility would cut its Eklutna hydro payments roughly in half

Anchorage's water utility would pay the Eklutna hydro owners about half as much under new deals, then could own water rights at the lake in 2055.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read

Alaska regulators plan to approve Northrim's merger with Oregon bank

Alaska's banking regulators plan to approve Northrim's merger with an Oregon bank, its first move outside Alaska. Public comments are due before Dec. 16.

by Alaska News2d ago1 min read

Follows: Shareholders sign off on Northrim's purchase of Oregon bank, its first move outside Alaska

GCI closes Quintillion purchase before Utqiagvik backup fiber line is finished

GCI now owns the Arctic coast's only fiber line. It closed the deal before the backup line to Utqiagvik was done, and the seller is chipping in to finish it.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago3 min read

Follows: GCI expects to close soon on its purchase of the Arctic coast's only fiber line

Fairbanks asks state to deny renewal of Great Alaskan Bud Company marijuana licenses

Fairbanks Council voted to ask the state to deny Great Alaskan Bud Company's marijuana license renewals over a disputed lease.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min readFrom Nov 4

Wasilla parks commission again takes up memo backing new Bumpus softball fields

Wasilla's Parks and Recreation Commission revisits a memo backing new Bumpus softball fields on Nov. 18, after already voting in September to support it.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read

Ketchikan's Loring Service Area Board weighs dock grants with $60,625 on hand

Engineers priced fixes for Loring's dock at $2.3 million to $63.5 million. The service area has about $60,600. Its board talks grants again Wednesday.

by Melinda Communities.News2d ago1 min read

Lyman Hoffman marks 40 years in the Legislature by citing rural Alaska's costs

Lyman Hoffman, leaving after 40 years in the Legislature, used an award speech to talk about $12 milk and $20 heating fuel in the rural Alaska he represents.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago3 min read

El Nino could become the strongest on record, pointing Alaska toward a warmer winter

The El Nino behind forecasts for a warm Alaska winter may become the strongest on record. Anchorage is still snowless, polar vortex buzz notwithstanding.

by Alaska News2d ago3 min read

Kodiak's East Elementary tells school board lunch duty costs 45 minutes a day

Kodiak's East Elementary has one cafeteria worker for 251 kids, so the principal, counselor or instructional coach spends 45 minutes a day serving lunch.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read

Alaska marijuana board drafts repeal of required health warnings in pot ads

Alaska's Marijuana Control Board is drafting a repeal of the health warnings required in pot ads. One Anchorage retailer wants them gone now.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min readFrom Oct 30

Denali Borough certifies election after questions about its voter rolls

Denali Borough certified its election after a former assembly member said the borough has hundreds more registered voters than residents who could vote.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read

USDA moves to end a SNAP policy Alaska believes is helping its error rate

USDA wants to end a SNAP eligibility policy Alaska adopted last year. A state official believes it's helping cut the error rate that could cost Alaska $45M.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2d ago3 min read

Anchorage Assembly to hear plan giving Girdwood street crews their own storage yard

Girdwood's street crews have parked their gear on the same lot for nearly two decades. The Assembly takes testimony Tuesday on handing them control of it.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read

St. Paul Island tribe gets $1.73 million in federal grants for addiction treatment

St. Paul Island's tribe has about $1.73 million in Justice Department grants for substance use treatment and prevention, through its court and family services.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1d ago2 min readFrom Oct 22

Fifteen Alaska tribal recipients get about $4.4 million for crime victim services

Fifteen Alaska tribes and Native-serving groups, from Utqiaġvik to Sitka, got about $4.4 million in federal money for crime victim services over five years.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1d ago2 min readFrom Oct 29

White House lists Alaska among five states with new VA health record sites

Alaska's VA switched to a new health record system in October. Nearly all prescription records moved over. Some mental health referrals didn't, the VA says.

by Alaska News2d ago2 min read

State runs new disability law mostly by hand, with a $790,000 estimate to fix its system

A new law nearly doubled PERS disability pay for workers hurt on the job. The state runs it mostly by hand, and the computer fix could cost up to $790,000.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min readFrom Oct 23

Speeding stop in Wasilla leads to felony DUI and gun charges, troopers say

A Knik-Goose Bay Road speeding stop turned into felony DUI and gun charges, troopers say: revoked license, no proof of insurance, two prior DUIs, three guns.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago1 min read

Northwest Arctic schools finish $1 million ahead as auditors flag bookkeeping

The Northwest Arctic school district planned to dip into savings last year and instead added $1 million, a draft audit says. Its bookkeeping got flagged.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read

Greens Creek operator Hecla will cash out its preferred stock and may sell new shares

Hecla, which runs the Greens Creek silver mine near Juneau, will cash out up to $7.6 million in preferred stock and may sell up to 50 million new shares.

by Melinda Communities.News2d ago1 min read