Local organizations and topics
Numbers are stories in the last 30 days.
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Week of Jun 1
Alaska raises rural power subsidy floor, cutting support $3M
Alaska's Regulatory Commission proposed raising the Power Cost Equalization baseline rate nearly 10 percent, cutting rural electricity subsidies by about $3 million. • The subsidy shrinks when urban power costs rise because the baseline is tied to Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau rates. • Chugach Electric and Fairbanks power costs are climbing, driven partly by diesel dependence and higher gas prices.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago2 min read
Dunleavy warns of 45-cent power without gas-line tax deal
Governor Dunleavy warned that without a gas-line tax bill passed in three weeks, Alaska could face power costs of 35 to 45 cents per kilowatt hour within five to 10 years.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago3 min read
Fairbanks wealth manager files for lieutenant governor
Josh Church, a Fairbanks wealth manager and Marine Corps veteran, filed Thursday to run for lieutenant governor in 2026 as a Republican.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago1 min read
Mt. Edgecumbe names new academic, residential principals as applicant deadline nears
Big change ups at Mount Edgecumbe High School, also there's a deadline approaching quickly for students
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Man escapes Fairbanks facility; troopers seek public help
A man has escaped and they want him back
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
Alaska clarifies Medicaid psychotherapy billing rules for master's-level clinicians
Alaska's Division of Behavioral Health clarified that master's-level clinicians pursuing licensure can bill Medicaid for psychotherapy under supervision, letting clinics deploy new therapists immediately.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
Stapp draws same-party challenge in East Fairbanks House district
Republican Rep. Will Stapp faces a same-party challenge from Seth Church in House District 32, which covers East Fairbanks, Fort Wainwright and Badger. Stapp won the seat in 2024 with 67 percent of the vote.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Costello-Wells rematch puts Southwest Anchorage House seat back in play
Rep. Mia Costello, a Republican, faces a rematch against Democrat Denny Wells in Southwest Anchorage House District 15 after beating him by 529 votes in 2024.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
More from Fairbanks
Tanana Chiefs Conference names cancer center for Andy and Barbara Jimmy
Tanana Chiefs Conference named its Fairbanks cancer center for Andy and Barbara Jimmy, honoring the former Minto chief and his wife for decades of leadership and advocacy in Alaska Native health.
by Maggie AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
Labor department hosts Fairbanks skills event Wednesday
Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development hosts a skills and employment event Wednesday, June 3, in Fairbanks through its Job Center Network.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
Two Alaska clinics become the first under a new federal behavioral health funding model
Two Alaska clinics won federal certification for a four-year program that replaces per-visit Medicaid payments with predictable funding to stabilize behavioral health services.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Alaska Energy Authority lifts ban on consecutive chair terms
Alaska Energy Authority board voted January 31 to allow its chair and vice chair to serve consecutive terms, removing a two-year rotation rule to maintain leadership continuity during a $206.5 million Cook Inlet submarine cable project.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
Week of May 25
Troopers arrest three for DUI across Alaska
Seward man fled troopers at 100 mph on Seward Highway, charged with felony eluding and DUI. • Fairbanks driver arrested after REDDI hotline report of drunk driving on Richardson Highway. • Soldotna man stopped for equipment violation, refused breath test, blood drawn by warrant.
by Alaska News5mo ago1 min read
F-15 aborts takeoff at Eielson during Red Flag exercise
An F-15 aborted takeoff at Eielson Air Force Base on May 29 during Red Flag-Alaska exercises with no injuries or community threat, and an investigation is underway.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
Alaska certifies first two behavioral health clinics under federal demonstration program
Alaska certified its first two behavioral health clinics under a federal program guaranteeing Medicaid funding for 24-hour crisis services and mental health treatment.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Alaska House examines $4 billion LNG equity option, Fairbanks spur-line tax break
Alaska House Finance Committee examined a plan letting the state buy 5 to 25 percent equity stakes in Alaska LNG for up to $4 billion total, while conditioning a tax break for the pipeline on building a 30-mile spur line to Fairbanks.
by Bill AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Coming up
Friendsgiving Cookie Decorating Class with Catelyn's Confections
Northern Made Co., 505 Illinois Street, Unit 4, Fairbanks, AK 99701
Class
Orion Levine Comedy Show at Pakalolo Coffeeshop
Performance
Orion Levine Comedy Show
Performance
Stoney Sunday Comedy Brunch with Orion Levine
Performance
Lost Girl by Kimberly Belflower
Performance
About Fairbanks
Fairbanks is a city in Alaska's Interior, on the Chena River within the Fairbanks North Star Borough. Known locally as the Golden Heart City, it is home to the University of Alaska Fairbanks and sits near Fort Wainwright and Eielson Air Force Base.
The city and borough decide questions of zoning, flood maps, trails and large industrial uses such as data centers. Winter conditions shape daily life, from dense fog and freezing rain to air pollution rules, power supply from the Golden Valley electric utility and crashes on the highways that meet there.
Fairbanks serves as a hub for the Interior and a gateway for travel to the Arctic, and it draws visitors for aurora tourism and ice art events. Nearby communities include North Pole, Ester, Fox and Salcha.
More from Fairbanks
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
Four new gold mining operations proposed near Central and Chicken
Four mining companies applied for permits to operate placer mines on Crooked Creek and Ptarmigan Creek near Central and Chicken, continuing gold extraction in a region that has supported Interior Alaska communities since the early 1900s.
by Bill AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
UAF glaciology program returns to McCarthy for eighth summer
UAF Tom Sawyered 28 young folks who will now be spending 11 days out on a glacier.
by Maggie AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
UAF scientist leads $36K Antarctic sea ice study amid record lows
UAF sea ice scientist Andrew Mahoney will lead a year-long study of Antarctic Ross Sea ice decline funded by the National Science Foundation with $36,000, running through March 2027.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Week of May 18
Fairbanks gathering honors victims of unsolved homicides
Fairbanks Native Association, Doyon Limited, and city and borough partners held a remembrance gathering May 5 at Golden Heart Plaza to honor victims of unsolved homicides and call for justice.
by Maggie AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
Fitch upgrades Tanana Chiefs Conference bond rating to AA-
Fitch upgraded Tanana Chiefs Conference bond rating to AA-, lowering borrowing costs for healthcare and infrastructure. • Karen Sitton named new CFO after 30-year finance career. • TCC opposes federal land transfer in Dalton Utility Corridor, citing threats to ancestral hunting grounds. • Morris Thompson Center hiring youth ages 14 to 21 for summer jobs.
by Maggie AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
UAF scientist gets $300K to unlock permafrost's carbon time bomb
UAF scientist gets $300K to study which microbes activate when permafrost thaws and release carbon, a key step to understanding how much greenhouse gas could escape from Alaska's frozen soils.
by Maggie AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Alaska seniors lost $8M to scams as programs expand to meet growing population needs
Alaska seniors lost 8.17 million dollars to scams in 2024, led by tech support fraud. • Senior population grew 78 percent since 2010 and now makes up 22 percent of the state. • State launched a mobile app to help seniors apply for eight public assistance programs. • Community programs are expanding volunteer services and elder abuse awareness.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Alaska LNG Project Shifts Focus to In-State Gas, Delays Export Phase
Alaska LNG delays exports, focuses first on supplying in-state gas from North Slope to Cook Inlet. • Lawmakers debate tying tax breaks to a required gas line serving Fairbanks. • Company warns narrow financial window and limited pipeline capacity pose challenges. • Governor says tax breaks are needed to compete with cheaper energy projects elsewhere.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago3 min read
King Salmon Fishing Closed Across Tanana Drainage Due to Yukon Forecast
Alaska closed all king salmon sport fishing in the Tanana River drainage on May 21 due to a below-average Yukon River forecast, affecting the Chena, Goodpaster, and Salcha Rivers.
by Bill AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Senate Republicans link Cook Inlet gas decline to rural power costs
Senate Republicans warn Cook Inlet gas decline will raise rural power costs through state subsidy program. • Caucus calls energy shortage an existential crisis and pushes Legislature to build gasline instead of importing liquefied gas. • Three priorities set for special session: cut energy costs, create jobs from pipeline, manage resources for public benefit.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Alaska DOT imposes four-tier weight limits on Northern Region roads
Alaska DOT limits truck weights on Northern Region roads starting May 21 due to spring thaw. • Restrictions range from 50 to 100 percent of legal axle load depending on road condition. • Major highways like Parks Highway stay at full weight, while rural roads drop to 50 percent. • Elliot and Dalton highways exempt from seasonal limits.
by Bill AlaskaNews5mo ago3 min readAlaska's Off-Grid Communities Face Rising Diesel Costs as Governor Promotes Solar Alternative
Alaska Governor Dunleavy urged the state's 220-plus off-grid communities to adopt solar power paired with batteries and diesel backup to cut fuel costs as diesel prices rise for winter orders.
by Maggie AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
National Lab, University of Alaska Fairbanks sign energy partnership
National Renewable Energy Laboratory and University of Alaska Fairbanks expanded their partnership Wednesday to focus on critical minerals, energy infrastructure, and workforce development for Alaska's energy sector.
by Melinda Communities.News5mo ago2 min read
Alaska LNG project secures financing proposals, targets 2027 construction start
Alaska LNG secured private financing to build 800-mile pipeline from North Slope to Cook Inlet, targeting 2027 construction start and 2029 gas delivery. • Needs tax stabilization law and utility regulator approval to proceed. • Export facility would sell 20 million tonnes of LNG yearly, mostly to Asia. • Project addresses Cook Inlet gas shortage and aims to lower Alaska energy costs.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Alaska House passes tobacco age increase, vape tax, cigar lounge exemption
Alaska House passed bill raising tobacco and vape purchase age from 19 to 21, matching federal law. • New statewide tax on vaping products will fund smoking education programs. • Bill includes exemption for premium cigar lounges meeting strict requirements. • Penalties for underage possession lowered to $100 with no court appearance required.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago4 min read
Alaska Senate panel hears gas line bill with $900M annual tax break
Alaska Senate reviewed gas pipeline bill cutting annual taxes from $1 billion to $74 million. • Developer could earn $5 billion yearly while consumers face gas prices more than double current rates. • Bill includes $50 million construction fund and requires Fairbanks spur line. • Senators questioned if impact funds adequately address community needs.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago3 min read
Alaska House Passes Baby Box Bill 35-5
Alaska House passed SB 9 on May 19 with a 35-to-5 vote, authorizing baby boxes at hospitals and fire stations where parents can anonymously surrender infants 21 days or younger without legal penalty.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min readHouse panel hears bill to restore PFDs for wrongfully convicted Alaskans
A House panel heard testimony on a bill allowing wrongfully convicted Alaskans to reclaim Permanent Fund dividends lost during incarceration, affecting roughly five known cases worth about $107,852.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago3 min read
Alaska deploys $272M rural health program through regional meetings
Alaska is holding regional planning meetings to decide how to spend a $272 million federal rural health program, with sessions scheduled in Mat-Su Valley on June 4 and Anchorage on Sept. 22.
by Maggie AlaskaNews5mo ago3 min readAlaska Legislature Passes Bill Requiring Itemized Student Fee Statements
Alaska Senate passed a bill requiring the University of Alaska to send students itemized fee statements showing exactly what they pay for, heading to the governor.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago3 min readDeadhorse Airport fence project reaches 3,500 feet of installation
Crews installed 3,500 feet of fence at Deadhorse Airport. • Work continues on 24 Northern Region road and bridge projects. • Travelers should check 511 for ongoing construction delays.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago4 min readKing Salmon Fishing Banned Across Tanana Drainage Due to Yukon Forecast
Alaska banned all king salmon sport fishing in the Tanana River drainage, including catch-and-release, due to a forecast for below-average Yukon River king salmon returns this year.
by Bill AlaskaNews5mo ago4 min readOne Spot Left in Denali Wildfire and Wildlife Workshop for Educators
Alaska Department of Fish and Game has one opening left in a June 1-3 wildfire and wildlife workshop for educators in Denali National Park.
by Bill AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read