Northwest Arctic
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Week of Jun 1
Nome cuts school funding by $500K, forcing layoffs and larger classes
Nome Common Council cut school funding by $500,000 to $2.7 million for fiscal 2027, forcing the district to eliminate positions including teachers, counselors, and a school psychologist while class sizes grow.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
Week of May 25
DNR advances Graphite One drilling permit near Nome
Graphite One, one step closer
by Bill AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
DEED seeks Interior, Northwest parents for migrant education council
Alaska's education department seeks two parents from Interior and Northwest regions by May 31 to join the council that guides the migrant education program for students whose families move for seasonal work.
by Alaska News5mo ago2 min read
Alaska closes cow caribou hunting in Western Arctic as the herd hits 121,000
Alaska bans cow caribou hunting across northwest regions. Western Arctic Herd fell to 121,000 animals, lowest in decades. Bull hunting remains allowed at 15 per resident through June 2027.
by Bill AlaskaNews5mo ago2 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
Alaska Energy Planners Design 50-Year Systems Using 2008 Weather Data
Alaska's power planners design 50-to-100-year systems using 2008 weather data that no longer matches current storm patterns, leaving utilities like AVEC to absorb emergency costs like the $100,000 helicopter rental after Typhoon Halong hit in 2025.
by Bill AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Alaska'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
Week of May 11
DNR receives 24 placer mining applications for Interior Alaska gold districts
Alaska's Department of Natural Resources is reviewing 24 placer mining applications for Interior gold districts, part of the typical 100 to 200 statewide applications the agency processes each year.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readMore from Northwest Arctic
Nome subsistence salmon fishers face new weekly schedule, 25-fish limits
Alaska Fish and Game set a Wednesday-to-Monday subsistence fishing schedule and 25-fish household limits for Norton Sound salmon in 2026, citing conservation concerns across the region.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min readBering Strait School District holds second budget meeting in nine days
Bering Strait School District holds its second budget meeting in nine days on May 13, with no public agenda posted and decisions that could affect 1,800 students across 15 rural schools.
by Alaska News6mo ago1 min readWeek of May 4
Navy eyes return to Adak amid Arctic security concerns
The Navy is assessing whether to reestablish operations on Adak Island as China and Russia increase military activity near Alaska, with no formal decision yet made.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Douglas man to share journey building traditional Inupiaq qayaq
Douglas resident Lou Logan presents his year-long project building a traditional Inupiaq qayaq at the Alaska State Museum on Saturday, May 16, at 1 p.m., free admission.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readRural Alaska faces fuel crisis as prices surge, shortages loom
Rural Alaska fuel prices could double this year, with gas hitting $17.50 per gallon in some villages and diesel potentially reaching $6 per gallon, threatening heating and power during winter.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readFrom Alaska residential schools seek doubled stipends to cover rising costs
Senate Bill 257 would double state funding for Alaska residential schools to cover rising costs. The bill aims to fix a funding gap that has remained stagnant since 2014.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Week of Apr 27
Senate adds $156M to capital budget, prioritizes deferred maintenance
Alaska Senate added $156 million to the capital budget for deferred maintenance at schools, universities, and state facilities after oil prices rose beyond the governor's projections.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago5 min read
Alaska Senate panel hears proposal for immigrant integration office
Alaska Senate panel heard testimony on a bill to create a Welcoming Alaska Office to help immigrants and foreign-born teachers settle in state communities and schools.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Coming up
Alaska Board of Game Special Meeting on the Ambler Road
Online only: web conference with live video on the Board of Game website, and live audio at +1 253 215 8782 (meeting ID 828 6058 9035)
Meeting
Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly Meeting
Meeting
Alaska Board of Game written comment deadline: Ambler Road hunting and trapping closure (GMUs 23, 24)
Public notice
Northwest Arctic Borough RFP No. FY27-02 Proposal Deadline
Public notice
Northwest Arctic Borough RFP No. FY27-02 Proposal Opening
Public notice
About Northwest Arctic
The Northwest Arctic Borough is a borough in northwest Alaska centered on Kotzebue Sound. Its hub, Kotzebue, anchors a region of Inupiaq villages that rely on subsistence hunting and fishing. The region is also known for Kobuk Valley National Park and the Red Dog Mine.
Mining shapes much of the region's economy and debate, from the Red Dog zinc mine and its port to the proposed copper mines of the Ambler Mining District and the road that would reach them. Recurring questions include the high cost of fuel and power in its villages, storms on the Chukchi Sea coast, caribou and wildlife management, and access to courts and public services across a roadless region.
State agencies such as AIDEA play a large part in decisions on the Ambler road and other infrastructure. The region also borders the Bering Strait communities to its south and the North Slope to its north.
More from Northwest Arctic
Alaska Senate Panel Advances Youth Suicide Prevention Bill
Alaska Senate panel advanced a bill to fund voluntary firearm safe storage devices for families and create school guidelines for notifying parents of suicidal thoughts or bullying.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago5 min read
Rural Alaska fuel prices could hit $25/gallon, lawmaker warns
Rural Alaska fuel prices could reach $20 to $25 per gallon this year, potentially costing western Alaska up to $500 million in additional costs, state Sen. Lyman Hoffman warned Friday.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
AG Nominee Cox Defends 110+ Amicus Briefs, Faces Questions on Alaska Priorities
Attorney General-designee Stephen Cox defended his rapid pace of joining national legal briefs as senators questioned his focus on Alaska priorities.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Senate Passes $2.47B Capital Budget Focused on School Repairs
Alaska Senate passed a $2.47 billion capital budget Tuesday that directs $88.7 million to fix deteriorating K-12 schools, including a fire suppression system waiting 20 years for repair.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Federal Subsistence Board adopts 52 wildlife proposals for Alaska
The Federal Subsistence Board approved 52 new hunting rules for federal lands. • Rules take effect July 1 and govern subsistence access through June 2028. • Changes include a new Kodiak brown bear hunt and tighter limits in Southeast.
by Melinda Communities.Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Alaska's tribal school compact bill navigates sovereignty and public education law
Senate Bill 66 would authorize up to five Alaska tribes to operate public schools under compact agreements, with a seven-year pilot costing $19.2 million in the first year.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Week of Apr 20
Alaska lawmakers hear warnings of rural fuel crisis, weigh loan program expansion
Rural Alaska diesel prices hit $17 per gallon and could jump 30 to 50 percent higher this year due to Middle East supply disruptions. • Lawmakers heard the state's $20 to $22 million bulk fuel loan program may need to double its funding to help communities cope. • A Jones Act waiver expiring in May and a compressed fuel delivery window in June or July add urgency to the crisis.
by Alaska News6mo ago5 min readFrom 
