Southcentral

Formerly homeless man tells Anchorage commission hospitals left frostbite patients outside

Jamie Lopez told an Anchorage commission that Alaska Regional and Providence hospitals discharged frostbite patients onto the street.

by Walter AlaskaNews37m ago2 min read

Kenai Senior Center canopy repair runs about $220,000 against a $50,000 budget

Rotted joists blew Kenai Senior Center's canopy repair budget from $50,000 to about $220,000. The city council approved extra funds twice, covered by the general fund.

by Walter AlaskaNews42m ago2 min read

Copper River Brewing asks state to move its Cordova licenses to 516 First Street

Alaska's ABC Board meets Nov. 17 to consider moving Copper River Brewing's two state licenses to 516 First St. in Cordova.

by Walter AlaskaNews48m ago2 min read

Auditors say marijuana tax debt grew to $5.5 million as board oversight fell

Alaska marijuana growers owed $5.5 million in back taxes, auditors found. Since 2024 the board has checked only at renewal, and renewals are underway.

by Walter AlaskaNews1h ago3 min readFrom Nov 9

AMATS committee kept Seward Highway project in draft plan after staff asked to remove it

AMATS committee voted to keep the Seward Highway project in Anchorage's draft 2052 transportation plan, against staff's wishes. Public comment on the draft runs through Dec. 3.

by Walter AlaskaNews1h ago2 min read

AMATS committee to vote on $250,000 safety plan update focused on fatal, serious crashes

AMATS votes Thursday on a $250,000 traffic safety plan update. Anchorage saw 66 percent of state severe crashes involving vulnerable road users from 2020 to 2024.

by Walter AlaskaNews1h ago2 min read

AMATS Policy Committee to vote on releasing Anchorage road funding changes for comment

AMATS Policy Committee votes Thursday on releasing Anchorage's 2027-2030 road funding changes for public comment. • Pavement and bridge funding would jump to nearly $140 million. • Ingra and Gambell street lane work funding would more than quadruple to $14.35 million.

by Walter AlaskaNews1h ago3 min read

AMATS committee to vote again on Anchorage planning boundary after two stalled approvals

AMATS votes Thursday on a new Anchorage area transportation planning boundary, its third try after two stalled approvals. A Dec. 29 federal deadline looms.

by Walter AlaskaNews2h ago2 min read

Follows: Anchorage planners take up a redrawn transportation map as federal deadline nears

Kodiak ordinance would make tax-exempt landowners report private users to assessor

Kodiak Assembly takes up an ordinance Nov. 19 making tax-exempt landowners report private users of their land to the assessor yearly.

by Walter AlaskaNews5h ago2 min read

Soldotna council takes up $961,000 grant to plan K-Beach Road signal and crossing

Soldotna council holds a Nov. 12 hearing on a $961,000 federal grant to plan a signal and crosswalk at Arena Ave and K-Beach Road.

by Walter AlaskaNews6h ago2 min read

Anchorage's viral "jellyfish UFO" was filmed in June, and it may be a kite

Anchorage's viral "jellyfish UFO" was filmed in June in East Anchorage, looking past a park popular with kite fliers. Online, they suspect an octopus kite.

by Cale Green9h ago3 min read

Kodiak mayor breaks 3-3 council tie to advance $200,000 city lot sale

Kodiak Mayor Terry Haines broke a tie to advance a $200,000 city lot sale for shops and apartments near the airport.

by Walter AlaskaNews9h ago2 min read

Follows: Kodiak weighs selling a vacant city lot for a building with six apartments over six shops

Three apply for the Homer City Council seat Shelly Erickson left to become mayor

Shelly Erickson's move to mayor leaves a Homer council seat open. Three applicants interview Monday, and the council could fill it that night.

by Walter AlaskaNews11h ago2 min read

Cordova council members back 10% facility fee for youth nonprofits, down from 25%

Cordova's Little League and swim team would pay 10% of city rental rates, not the proposed 25%. The police chief offered $13,000 he'd double-budgeted to help.

by Walter AlaskaNews13h ago2 min read

Follows: Cordova council members back 25% nonprofit fee for city pool and ball fields

Cordova council approves no-bid contract to replace Public Safety Building boiler

Cordova is skipping the usual bidding to replace the boiler that serves its jail, police and dispatch. A new one could take 16 weeks to arrive.

by Walter AlaskaNews13h ago2 min read

Houston's data center moratorium can't reach land the state gave AIDEA, officials say

Houston's data center pause stops at city limits. The 6,800 acres the state is giving AIDEA start about half a mile past them, the deputy mayor says.

by Walter AlaskaNews13h ago2 min read

Seward's Mount Marathon hydro plant is making power again after a rehab

Seward's little hydro plant at the foot of the Mount Marathon trail is making power again after a rehab. The city's throwing it a grand opening Wednesday.

by Walter AlaskaNews13h ago2 min read

Kodiak father asks borough assembly to take up suicide prevention every month

A Kodiak father whose son died by suicide asked the borough assembly to take up suicide prevention every month. One member said it broke his heart.

by Walter AlaskaNews14h ago2 min read

Kodiak residents split over code change that could seat assembly winner Jeremy Williamson

Kodiak residents split over rewriting code to seat election winner Jeremy Williamson, blocked by a borough contract conflict. His window to resolve it ends Saturday, or the seat could be vacated.

by Walter AlaskaNews14h ago2 min read

Follows: Kodiak makes public why election winner Jeremy Williamson hasn't been sworn in

Kenai kings fell short again as a local panel starts reviewing plan changes

Kenai kings hit their recovery goal in 2025, then missed it again this year. A Soldotna panel starts reviewing fish board proposals, 30-plus on that plan.

by Maggie AlaskaNews14h ago3 min read

Kenai Airport Commission recommends council adopt updated plan for 376 city parcels

Kenai Airport Commission backed the city's updated 2026 Land Management Plan covering 376 city parcels, many tied to the airport fund. City Council has final say.

by Walter AlaskaNews15h ago2 min read

Anchorage plans to use landfill gas to evaporate the liquid that seeps from its trash

Anchorage wants to burn gas from its rotting trash to evaporate the liquid that seeps out of it. The Assembly is asked to pay $98,010 for design advice.

by Walter AlaskaNews15h ago3 min read

Kodiak Assembly revisits a state funding list where most requests are for villages

Kodiak's Assembly took up its state funding list again. Most requests are for villages, including a Karluk water tank that stalled $894,993 short.

by Walter AlaskaNews15h ago3 min read

Kodiak asks state for $10 million to replace hospital's half-century-old boilers

Kodiak Island Borough asks the state for $10 million to replace aging hospital boilers and sterilizers before one fails. Frequent breakdowns already limit operating room use.

by Walter AlaskaNews15h ago2 min read

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 AlaskaNews15h 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 AlaskaNews15h 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 AlaskaNews17h 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 AlaskaNews17h 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 AlaskaNews18h 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 AlaskaNews18h ago3 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 AlaskaNews19h 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 AlaskaNews22h 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 AlaskaNews22h ago2 min read

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 AlaskaNews23h ago2 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 AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Anchorage marijuana retailer seeks repeal of ad warning rule the state is already reviewing

An Anchorage pot retailer petitioned to repeal the state's five mandatory health warnings in marijuana ads, calling it unequal to alcohol rules.

by Walter AlaskaNews32m ago2 min readFrom Oct 30

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 AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

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 AlaskaNews1d ago1 min read

Seward fish and chips restaurant seeks the city's first seasonal tourism liquor license

A Seward fish and chips spot wants a tourism license to pour beer and wine. Cruise traffic dropped 36%, but the math still rounds up to one license.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Nov. 11 results trim Peltola's Senate lead to 3,975 as Mat-Su ballots come in

New Alaska results posted Wednesday, Nov. 11, were mostly Mat-Su absentee ballots, so Sullivan gained a little. Peltola still leads the Senate race by 3,975.

by Alaska News1d ago2 min read