Alaska

Tatlanika Fire, allowed to burn since June, now fought at 31,421 acres

Nineteen firefighters are cutting fuel breaks around a Native allotment as the Tatlanika Fire grows to 31,421 acres, with crews now protecting structures on the fire's south end.

by Maggie AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago2 min read

Alaska will build software to help inspect its bridges

Alaska's transportation department won a $126,917 federal grant to build computer vision tools that read bridge photos and flag defects for inspectors.

by Melinda Communities.News3mo ago1 min read

Koniag subsidiary lands State Department writer work, up to $1.6 million

Koniag Professional Services won a State Department contract worth up to $1.6 million to staff a writer and editor position, though the job is based in Virginia, not Alaska.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read

Ouzinkie village corporation wins courthouse contracts in Florida

A village corporation from a 110-person Alutiiq island is fixing courthouse restrooms in Florida. One of the five awards bought only a new contract number.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min read

Prince William Sound seiners get 12 hours Sunday across six districts

Twelve hours, six districts, 8 am to 8 pm Sunday. Escapement finally looks good enough that Fish and Game is talking about every-other-day openings.

by Bill AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min read

Mayor LaFrance faces a campaign-finance hearing over her 2024 expenditure reports

Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance faces an APOC hearing Wednesday over how her 2024 campaign reported spending. A resident alleges 89 flawed reports.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read

Bradley Lake expansion has carried three price tags in four months as the comment window closes

The Bradley Lake expansion has been priced at $400 million, $420 million and $435.9 million since April. Alaskans have until Aug. 28 to weigh in.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago2 min read

1,900 Alaskans flagged as 'inactive non-citizen' can still vote Tuesday

About 1,900 Alaska voters remain flagged as inactive non-citizens heading into Tuesday's primary, and the state will not clear those flags before the election.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min read

HUD awards $85,520 to Anchorage disability housing provider

HUD awarded Anchorage disability housing provider AASC Housing II Inc. $85,520 to subsidize rent for very-low-income residents with disabilities.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read

$1.54 million in federal rent aid for Kotzebue's four subsidized elder apartments

HUD awarded $1.54 million to Tupqich Elder Apartments in Kotzebue to cover operating costs for very-low-income seniors, who pay 30 percent of their income toward rent.

by Maggie AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read

Skagway ferry port closed indefinitely; state gives no repair timeline

Skagway's ferry dock is broken and the port is closed indefinitely. The state's entire public explanation fits in one undated website alert.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read

Coal seam fire northeast of Healy grows to 71 acres with no crew assigned

A coal seam fire near Healy has grown to about 71 acres and can't be fought directly — the seam has burned underground for years, and no crew is assigned.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min read

Hoonah and Ketchikan dock projects renew marine mammal permits without breaking ground

Two Southeast dock projects keep renewing federal permits to make noise underwater. The permits keep expiring. The water remains undisturbed.

by Maggie AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min read

Heat advisory covers Noatak, Kobuk and Seward Peninsula zones until 8 p.m. Saturday

Oh, it's gonna be hot… Best of luck with the bugs. Hopefully there's wind.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read

Trucks keep hitting the Tudor Road overpass. The rebuild is years out

Federal Highway Administration added $912,130 to rebuild the Seward Highway and Tudor Road interchange, one of Anchorage's busiest, with construction now targeted for 2029 or 2030.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min read

A pro-Republican group discloses small ad debts for two House candidates, listing the creditor at its treasurer's address

A pro-Republican group's pre-primary filing disclosed $728 in ad debts for two House candidates, listing the creditor at its treasurer's own address.

by Lucas Brown3mo ago2 min read

Dalton corridor suit is not over: groups appeal, and 700,000 acres remain in dispute

Alaska is set to gain Dalton Highway land promised at statehood, but conservation groups fight it on appeal, and tribes warn it strips subsistence rights.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min read

Trump takes aim at Alaska's U.S. Senate Primary Election

Trump waded into Alaska's Senate primary, telling voters which of two similarly named Dan Sullivans to pick — flexing GOP-base clout in a state he carried.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago3 min read

An FAA cleanup contract for Gustavus, most of it at Metlakatla

A small new FAA contract targets Gustavus, where PFAS 'forever chemicals' from firefighting foam have kept residents on hauled-in water since 2018.

by Melinda Communities.News3mo ago1 min read

A Chamber endorsement for Begich, labor's backing for Hill

Nick Begich's campaign says he's won the U.S. Chamber's endorsement, days after Speaker Johnson visited; challenger Bill Hill has the state AFL-CIO's backing.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min readFrom Aug 10

Alaska takes a first step toward new air permits for Hilcorp's Nikaitchuq oil field

Alaska took a first step toward new air permits for Hilcorp's Nikaitchuq oil field, as North Slope officials push for air monitoring in nearby villages.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min readFrom Aug 9

An Anchorage firm will repair the State Department's headquarters

An Anchorage Alaska Native-owned firm won a federal order for emergency repairs to the State Department's headquarters — one of three out-of-state jobs.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read

Seward Museum gets $10,000 to make World War II exhibit accessible

A $10,000 federal grant will add reader rails, videos and a mural to Seward Museum's WWII exhibit — including Fort McGilvray, whose guns never fired.

by Melinda Communities.News3mo ago1 min read

Crews dug out Alaska's remote seasonal highways for summer, meeting in the middle of the Denali

Alaska cleared its remote seasonal highways for summer, with crews meeting in the middle of the 135-mile Denali Highway. A $1.25M federal grant paid for it.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read

Valdez lost its fight not to be lumped in with Mat-Su. All that's left is an $11,000 bill.

Valdez lost its fight not to be grouped with Mat-Su in one House district. All that's left is an $11,000 cost bill it's appealing to the state Supreme Court.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read

Juneau lifts its Suicide Basin flood evacuation

Juneau's Suicide Basin flood threat is over — the command reopened evacuated areas after the Mendenhall River crested at 14.7 feet, below the forecast.

by Melinda Communities.News3mo ago1 min read

Anchorage tore down the Big Timber, a downtown blight a decade in the making

Anchorage tore down the Big Timber Motel last week, ending a decade-plus saga over a vacant downtown building that drew first responders for years.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min readFrom Aug 11

Homer's library wants a remodel, starting with a $75,000 study

Homer's library wants a remodel, a teen room, a bigger meeting room, a covered outdoor space and more storage, starting with a $75,000 study to price it out.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read

A Sitka nonprofit seeks to bend the rules to build more housing

A Sitka housing nonprofit is asking the city to waive parking and allow smaller lots so it can fit more homes on a lot on Halibut Point Road.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read

Homer man arrested on eight counts in Anchor Point home burglary

James Longero of Homer faces eight counts including burglary and vehicle theft after troopers say he took multiple vehicles and nearly all contents from an Anchor Point home in August.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago1 min read

A Fairbanks company owned by four Interior villages won a federal contract to replace a heat pump — in Boston

A Fairbanks firm owned by four remote Koyukuk River villages won a $30,780 federal contract to replace a heat pump, and the heat pump is in Boston.

by Melinda Communities.News3mo ago1 min read

UAF will study the landslides thawing under Alaska's pipeline

A UAF researcher will study why landslides start deep in thawing permafrost, aiming to protect Alaska's infrastructure — including the Trans-Alaska Pipeline.

by Melinda Communities.News3mo ago2 min read

Judicial council urges no vote on two Kenai judges in November

Alaska Judicial Council recommends voters reject two Kenai judges on November ballot. • Judge Kelly Lawson failed temperament and integrity standards; lacked patience with court staff. • Judge Martin Fallon failed integrity and diligence standards; signed false affidavits about late decisions.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago2 min read

Dunleavy says he is ending gas line special session, blames legislative leaders

Gov. Dunleavy signaled an end to his gas line special session, blaming legislative leaders, as Southcentral faces a projected winter gas shortfall.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago3 min read

Dunleavy declares state disaster after Juneau's fourth straight glacial flood

Governor Dunleavy declared a state disaster for Juneau. This unlocks state funds for flood repairs and speeds up emergency permits.

by Melinda Communities.News3mo ago1 min read

Feds move to fast-track a Juneau flood-control fix by cutting permitting and paperwork

Days after another Juneau outburst flood forced evacuations, federal agencies are fast-tracking a flood-control fix for the valley by cutting the red tape.

by Melinda Communities.News3mo ago2 min read

Three anglers cited for over-limit sockeye on the Middle Kenai River

Three anglers were cited Aug. 1 on the Middle Kenai River for keeping more sockeye salmon than the limit allowed; the excess fish were seized and donated.

by Bill AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago1 min read

Nearly four years on, Alaska has been paid 15 percent of Merbok's $90.9 million

Nearly four years after Typhoon Merbok, only about 15% of the FEMA rebuild money has been paid out — and the deadline to finish the work is seven weeks away.

by Lucas Brown3mo ago3 min read

State says Kodiak landfill is out of compliance on bears and borough could be fined

Alaska says Kodiak's landfill violates wildlife rules because bears keep reaching trash, and the borough could face fines for negligently feeding them. A $250,000 fence won't solve it alone.

by Bill AlaskaNews3mo ago3 min read

Follows: Bears are still raiding the Kodiak dump, weeks after a state plan to keep them out

Bethel-area electric bills would rise about 30% on everything but fuel

Bethel-area electric customers would see the non-fuel part of their bill rise about 30%, with AVEC blaming higher costs for materials, labor and freight.

by Maggie AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min readFrom Aug 11

Follows: Electric bills would rise in Bethel, Yakutat and 50-plus rural communities