Local organizations and topics
Numbers are stories in the last 30 days.
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Saturday, May 30
Alaska Marijuana Control Board denies Anchorage cultivation license renewal over $633,000 tax debt
Alaska Marijuana Control Board revoked Anchorage cultivator Alaskasense's license Wednesday over $633,000 in unpaid excise taxes.
by Grant Robinsonadded 5mo ago1 min read
Anchorage Assembly recognizes Gun Violence Awareness Day after contentious debate over statistics
Anchorage Assembly voted 9-3 to recognize June 5-7 as Gun Violence Awareness Weekend, rejecting an attempt to remove language about gun deaths and economic costs from the resolution.
by Cale Greenadded 5mo ago1 min read
Friday, May 29
Lesil McGuire filing adds ranked-choice Republican voice to crowded Alaska governor race
Former state Sen. Lesil McGuire filed to run for governor Friday, joining a crowded 2026 race shaped by Alaska's open primary and ranked choice voting system that she defended in 2024.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Alaska Mental Health Trust schedules June listening sessions on behavioral health gaps
Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority will hold two public listening sessions in June to gather feedback on gaps in behavioral health services the state funds.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Alaska districts must submit fiscal 2027 plans by May 15. Many don't yet know what the state will give them.
Alaska school districts must submit improvement plans and budgets by May 15 while facing massive shortfalls and uncertain state funding, with Kenai Peninsula weighing four school closures and Anchorage facing a $90 million gap.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago2 min readAIDEA board approves $11 million dividend to state general fund
AIDEA board approved an $11 million dividend to the state general fund for fiscal year 2025, down $6 million from the prior year as the authority declared 42 percent of statutory net income instead of the maximum 50 percent.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min readFrom 
Thursday, May 28
Walker filing, running-mate picks turn Alaska governor race toward June deadline
Former Gov. Bill Walker filed to run for Alaska governor Thursday, four days before the June 1 deadline, reshaping a race where three other candidates also announced running mates this week.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago3 min read
Alaska House passes bill requiring human operators in commercial autonomous vehicles
Alaska House passed HB 217 requiring a human operator in certain commercial autonomous vehicles, sending the bill to Senate State Affairs Committee despite opposition from industry groups and the state transportation department.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min readMore from Anchorage
Eagle River king salmon fishing closed; Campbell Creek youth fishery catch-and-release only
Eagle River king salmon fishing is closed entirely and Campbell Creek's youth fishery will be catch-and-release only this June under emergency conservation orders for weak Southcentral Alaska runs.
by Bill AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Alaska residents applying for a green card will, in most cases, now have to leave the country to complete the process.
Most Alaska green card applicants must now complete the process at a U.S. consulate abroad instead of in-country, a federal policy shift announced May 22 that will require travel, longer separations, and higher costs for families and employers.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Alaska children on Medicaid face triple the rate of severe childhood trauma
Alaska Medicaid-enrolled 3-year-olds experienced four or more adverse childhood experiences at five times the rate of non-enrolled peers, 15% versus 3%, according to a December 2023 state health report.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min readFrom 
ANWR lease sale will test whether Alaska oil appetite reaches the Arctic Refuge
After eight years, two underwhelming sales, and one federal lawsuit, ANWR gets another go on June 5 — and the oil industry finally has to bid or stop being coy.
by Cale Green5mo ago4 min read
Anchorage airport noise study to present mitigation alternatives by summer
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is studying aircraft noise impacts and will present mitigation options at public meetings by mid-summer 2026.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago1 min readCold-injury hospitalizations rose among Alaska's unhoused over the past decade, state finds
Nearly one in four Alaskans hospitalized for cold injuries between 2012 and 2021 were unhoused, a rate that climbed steadily over the decade while housed residents stayed flat.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min readFrom 
Huna Totem signs Juneau tideland lease for Oak Landing cruise dock
Huna Totem Corporation signed a tideland lease with Juneau in April for Oak Landing, a fifth downtown cruise dock expected to open in 2028 and reduce the 95 ships currently forced to anchor each summer.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min readWednesday, May 27
Mat-Su Assembly passes resolution affirming residents' right to use leaf blowers
Mat-Su Assembly says 'blow away' in direct contrast to the Anchorage Municipalities position on leaf blowers
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Coming up
Second Saturday Art Exhibit
Denali Graphics & Frame, 700 W. International Airport Rd, Anchorage, Alaska
Exhibition
Legally Blonde, JR: The Musical
Performance
JCC Bunco and Potluck
Community event
Awakening of Winter 7 – Dude, Where's the Snow?!
Community event
AIGA Alaska The BIG One Awards Reception
Community event
About Anchorage
Anchorage (Dgheyay Kaq') is the largest city in Alaska, set in Southcentral Alaska between the Chugach Mountains and Cook Inlet. The Municipality of Anchorage takes in neighborhoods and communities from downtown, Midtown and Spenard to Eagle River and Girdwood.
The Anchorage Assembly passes ordinances, approves municipal contracts and reviews liquor license renewals, and the mayor appoints members of city boards and commissions. Local questions return to housing density and building in earthquake hazard zones, police funding and surveillance rules, parks and public facilities, and the condition and staffing of its schools.
Anchorage holds the Port of Alaska and sits beside Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, so military needs such as helicopter landing sites come before city government. It shares Southcentral Alaska with the Mat-Su Valley, the Kenai Peninsula and the other communities around Cook Inlet.
More from Anchorage
Begich selects Julia Hnilicka as running mate in Alaska governor's race
Begich picks Hnilicka as running mate.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
Anchorage School District to receive $37 million from state education funding increase
Alaska Legislature approved a $144 million education funding increase, sending $37 million to Anchorage schools to help cover budget shortfalls from inflation and rising costs, plus a 4 percent annual cap on required local contributions.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Anchorage secures $25M for Port of Alaska in state capital budget
Anchorage won $25 million in state funding for Port of Alaska, with $15 million guaranteed and $10 million conditional on oil prices staying above $80 per barrel through mid-2026.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
Tick found after Flattop hike shows Alaska's changing tick reality
A tick found on a pet after a Flattop hike near Anchorage has prompted veterinarians to remind residents that non-native ticks are arriving in Alaska and pet owners should check for them after outdoor activity.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago3 min read
AIDEA attacks environmental group before report release
AIDEA issued a press release April 9 attacking environmental group SalmonState's credibility before SalmonState published any report, calling the group funded by left-wing donors to oppose resource development.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago1 min readFrom Alaska warns residents about BG Wealth cryptocurrency scheme flagged by eight other jurisdictions
Don't send your money to scammers...They're out to get you, and they're getting better at it.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
State confirms narrow lanes, pilot-car delays on Seward Highway through summer
Alaska Department of Transportation is narrowing lanes and running pilot-car escorts on the Seward Highway between milepost 25.5 and 36 through summer to rehabilitate a 10.5-mile segment near Kenai Lake and Moose Pass.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
Tuesday, May 26
Anchorage Police Publish 2026 Missing Persons, Homicide Solve Rates
Anchorage Police Department published 2026 missing persons investigation and homicide solve rate data on a new web page focused on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons, providing accountability metrics for cases that disproportionately affect Alaska Native communities.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
Pedestrian dies after being struck by two vans on Glenn Highway near Boniface
A pedestrian died Tuesday morning after being struck by two vans on the Glenn Highway near Boniface Parkway, according to an Anchorage Police Department statement.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
Three killed in Seward Highway crash near Mile 80
Three people died Monday afternoon in a collision between a motorcycle and a Subaru on the Seward Highway near Mile 80 in Anchorage. Police ask witnesses or anyone with dash camera footage to contact investigator Casey Johnson.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
Anchorage resident takes Assembly removal case to U.S. Supreme Court
Anchorage resident Dustin Darden asked the U.S. Supreme Court to block his removal from an Assembly meeting after he used public comment time to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and discuss his Christian faith instead of the streetlight ordinance being debated.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min readAlaska Auto-IRA Bill Lets Workers Save PFD for Retirement
Alaska passed auto-IRA bill letting workers save Permanent Fund Dividend checks for retirement. • Program auto-enrolls private workers with paycheck deductions, costs employers nothing. • Targets half of Alaska workers without employer retirement plans. • Addresses senior poverty as Social Security falls short of Alaska living costs.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
Eagle River king salmon fishery closed for 2026 season
Alaska closed all king salmon sport fishing in Eagle River through July 13, 2026 due to weak fish populations and unmet escapement goals.
by Bill AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min readFrom 
Glenn Highway bridge closure forces Birchwood detour through June 2
Glenn Highway northbound bridge closed April 18 for 45 days. All traffic uses southbound span with 11-foot lanes and 45 MPH limit through June 2. • Birchwood Loop on-ramp closed. Detour via Old Glenn Highway to next entrance. • 20 to 30 million dollar project covers bridge deck repair. Completion August 2026. • Lane configuration shifts daily by time to manage peak commuter flows.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago1 min read
Monday, May 25
Rookie Anchorage officer among three who fired in fatal shooting
Three Anchorage officers, including rookie Justin Miller, fired on armed 33-year-old Emil McCord near Bragaw and Reka Drive after midnight May 19. McCord died at a hospital. State prosecutors will review whether the use of force was justified.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
Sunday, May 24
Chugach Electric wins easement for power line at Community Park Loop
Chugach Electric won an easement from the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority to realign a power line at Community Park Loop in Anchorage.
by Alaska News5mo ago1 min read
Anchorage sees 28% drop in unsheltered homelessness as shelters reach capacity
Anchorage officials say there are fewer people sleeping unsheltered in Anchorage, but it was pretty cold all winter.
by Cale Green5mo ago3 min read
Anchorage proposes second round of child care licensing code changes
Anchorage Assembly votes May 26 on second round of child care licensing cuts to remove rules that duplicate state standards. Changes include dropping annual physicals for children, eliminating nutrition rules already covered by state and USDA, and allowing more online training. City oversees 92 licensed homes and 98 centers with no new revenue impact expected.
by Cale Green5mo ago2 min read
Anchorage faces $31M deficit across internal service funds
Anchorage has $31 million in deficits across internal service funds. • Whoops!
by Cale Green5mo 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
Saturday, May 23
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
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
East High students organize benefit concert to save band program
East High students host benefit concert Saturday to save band program facing elimination due to budget cuts. • School plans to cut band director position, affecting 100 students across five classes. • Concert runs 2 to 5 p.m. at Club Nyt Lyt with $15 suggested donation, all proceeds to band account. • Anchorage schools cutting programs after state education funding remained flat.
by Alaska News5mo ago2 min read
Anchorage faces $1.3 billion stormwater infrastructure deficit
Anchorage has 400 miles of failing storm pipes creating a $1.3 billion repair deficit with no dedicated funding. • Current emergency bonds cannot keep pace with deterioration causing sinkholes and flooding. • Replacing 4,000 feet of pipe on one street costs $25 to $50 million. • City exploring dedicated stormwater utility for long-term funding.
by Cale Green5mo ago2 min read
