Southcentral

Anchorage officials propose asking voters to fund an ambulance and its crew

Anchorage wants voters to buy one more ambulance for $380,000, then pay about $1.5 million a year for the crew. City officials call it a test.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago4 min read

Soldotna Elementary parents and staff seek to convert their school to a charter

Soldotna Elementary parents and teachers want to turn their neighborhood school into a charter. A district committee picks the plan back up Monday.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Coast Guard's Seward shipyard job on the Sitka cutter Kukui reaches $3.3 million

The Coast Guard's tab for work on a Sitka buoy tender at a Seward shipyard went up 18 times this year, from about $2.2 million to about $3.3 million.

by Melinda Communities.News3w ago1 min read

State sets last two block grant workshops as Alaska towns eye Dec. 4 deadline

Alaska towns can chase up to $850,000 each in federal block grant money, now including housing. Two workshops left to learn how, and Dec. 4 won't move.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago1 min read

Cordova to show concepts for a future recreation and aquatic facility Oct. 20

Cordova's pool reopened after 16 months shut. On Tuesday, residents get a first look at concepts for a future rec and pool building, and a say in it.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago1 min read

Northrim takes $8.8 million hit on one customer days before vote on Oregon bank deal

One customer cost Northrim $8.8 million and a chunk of its third quarter, and the news landed days before shareholders vote on buying an Oregon bank.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Follows: Northrim shareholders vote Oct. 20 on buying Oregon bank, its first expansion outside Alaska

Mt. Edgecumbe review ends with 22 recommendations to the state board

A state review of Mt. Edgecumbe ends with 22 recommendations, from dorm rules to calling parents. Enrollment at the school is still below capacity.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago3 min read

Where Alaska LNG stands after Lutnick's 'federalized' remark

Permits: yes. Taiwan and Korea money, announced: yes. Closed financing, final sales contracts and a state tax deal: not yet. Here's where the gas line stands.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago8 min read

Water flows over Seward Highway near mile 13 north of Seward, Alaska 511 reports

Water is running across the Seward Highway near mile 13, north of Seward. The road's open, but drivers should slow down and not test the depth.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago1 min read

Kenai faces 29% jump in employee health premiums as council weighs Premera renewal

Kenai's employee health premiums are set to jump 29%, and that's after the broker negotiated Premera down from 36%. The council votes Wednesday.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

State office closure alerts switch systems Nov. 1, and subscribers must sign up again

State office closure alerts are switching systems Nov. 1, and your subscription isn't coming along. Five minutes and an email address fixes it.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago1 min read

Kodiak Assembly certifies election, swears in three as fourth winner waits

Kodiak certified its election and swore in three Assembly members. A fourth winner hasn't been seated yet, and two incumbents lost their seats.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

Follows: Unofficial Kodiak Island Borough election results posted, canvass set for Oct. 14

Kodiak Island Borough Assembly approves $4.2 million hospital chiller replacement

Kodiak Island Borough Assembly approved $4.2 million in contracts to replace the failing chiller at Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

Follows: Kodiak Island Borough Assembly to vote on $4.2 million hospital chiller contracts

Park Service final rule allows bear baiting again in Alaska national preserves

Bear baiting is back in Alaska's national preserves, the fourth switch in 11 years. The Park Service expects no more than 10 bears a year taken over bait.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago3 min read

A second power link to Kenai would run under Cook Inlet

Alaska wants a second power line between Kenai and Anchorage, under Cook Inlet's tides and ice. First it needs builders, and $142.5 million more.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Anchorage Assembly to weigh asking Congress to let disaster aid support relocation

A year after Typhoon Halong, an Anchorage Assembly resolution would urge Congress to let disaster aid help villages relocate, not only rebuild where they were.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

Alaska school boards to weigh tax-credit scholarships, immigration enforcement near schools

Alaska's school boards vote Nov. 8 on 14 proposed positions, from tax-credit scholarships to immigration enforcement near schools. Sitka sent half of them.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago3 min read

Soldotna police say Kodiak man fired gun in bar parking lot before fleeing

Soldotna police say a Kodiak man fired a gun in a bar parking lot and drove off in a Dodge Charger. He didn't get far, and he's being held without bail.

by Maggie AlaskaNews3w ago1 min read

Kenai Peninsula Borough and Soldotna man agree to end lawsuit over trespass ordinance

A Soldotna "First Amendment Auditor" and the Kenai borough agreed to walk away from his lawsuit. Each side pays its own lawyers, and the trespass law stays.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

Corps has no 2027 maintenance dredging money for Nome yet, port director says

The Corps hasn't budgeted 2027 maintenance dredging for Nome and several other Alaska ports. Anchorage got its money. Nome says "all is not lost."

by Bill AlaskaNews4w ago3 min read

Federal money would cover 96% of Wasilla's $20 million runway extension, staff says

Wasilla's runway extension would cost the city about 4% of $20 million, staff says. First come the surveys that have to wait for leaves on the trees.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago3 min read

Magnitude 5.6 earthquake near Lake Minchumina is felt in Fairbanks and Wasilla

A magnitude 5.6 quake hit near Lake Minchumina early Thursday and was felt from Fairbanks to Wasilla. USGS gives a magnitude 4 aftershock 7% odds within a week.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

Like Vance and Trump, Cruz will campaign for Sullivan in a Republican-leaning region

Vance hit Fairbanks, Trump hit the Mat-Su and Cruz heads to Kenai. All three picked parts of Alaska where Republicans did best in 2024. We ran the numbers.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago3 min read

Commission recommends naming Anchorage Assembly Chambers for Dick Traini, 3-2

Anchorage's naming commission voted 3-2 to recommend naming the Assembly Chambers for Dick Traini, despite a city rule to wait 36 months after a death.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago3 min read

Troopers arrest Kasilof resident on DUI, weapons charges near Clam Gulch

Troopers arrested a Kasilof man near Clam Gulch after finding his car in a ditch, him asleep inside. He faces DUI and weapons charges for a loaded firearm while impaired.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago1 min read

Mat-Su Platting Board approves six-lot subdivision near Engstrom Road

Six new lots near Engstrom Road got the OK. Neighbors worry about the Bogard-Engstrom intersection; the road meant to ease it is picked but not funded.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

Merrill Field planners propose King Air 200 as design aircraft for 20-year plan

Merrill Field's 20-year plan will be built around the King Air 200. Also learned: the first stop for many rural flyers landing there is Costco.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

Follows: Anchorage will take public comment on Merrill Field's next 20 years Oct. 15

Port of Alaska asks federal regulators to shrink Terminal 1 beluga shutdown zone

The Port of Alaska wants the beluga shutdown zone for Terminal 1 pile driving cut from 9,000 meters to 1,300. Federal fisheries regulators will decide.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

Anchorage Assembly to consider $1.2 million for two fire tenders replacing aging trucks

Two Anchorage fire tenders are past the 25-year mark. The Assembly considers $1.2 million for replacements Tuesday, with delivery about 20 months out.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

Anchorage Assembly takes up rewritten Chugach access board plan Tuesday

Who gets a say over Chugach park access money? The Assembly tries again Tuesday, now with two seats for road board veterans from neighborhoods next to the park.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago3 min read

Antimony refinery developer Nova Minerals says its cash won't fund a year of plans

The company building a military antimony refinery at Port MacKenzie says it lacks the cash for another year of plans, after losing $25.6 million last year.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago3 min readFrom Sep 30

Troopers arrest Houston man on assault charges after Big Lake firearm disturbance

Troopers arrested a 57-year-old Houston man Wednesday after a firearm disturbance near Big Lake. He faces third-degree assault and two counts of assault in the presence of a child.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago1 min read

Planners say Anchorage's capital budget isn't strongly tied to its growth plan

Anchorage planners say the city's capital budget isn't strongly tied to its growth plan. Since 2017, 1% of Bowl development landed where the plan wanted most.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

Anchorage's $725.7 million cash pool earned $4.4 million last quarter, report shows

Anchorage parks $725.7 million with three money managers until it needs it. Last quarter it earned $4.4 million; the managers cost about $1 million a year.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

Anchorage's 2027 budget leaves out money for downtown police foot patrols

Downtown Anchorage's police foot patrols ran on hotel-tax overtime money this year. The 2027 budget leaves that money out. One option floated: a special levy.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

Alaska's disabilities council seeks feedback after writing a plan to guide it through 2031

Alaska's disabilities council wants to know how it's doing. Its next five-year plan got 84 public comment responses. Staff call its wording intentionally broad.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

State ends maintenance on the Taylor and Top of the World highways and McCarthy Road until May

The state stops maintaining four remote roads Thursday, including the only road into McCarthy. Until May, the traffic is snowmachines and dog teams.

by Maggie AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

State renews Usibelli's Healy coal permit, raises cleanup bond to $7.7 million

Two Bull Ridge's coal pits near Healy are nearly done. The state renewed the permit for five years and bumped the cleanup bond 42%, to $7.7 million.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

Wasilla certifies Rubeo's record win and starts filling her council seat

Wasilla certified Rubeo's record 67.2%, Ledford ran her last meeting, and the council hopes to fill Rubeo's old seat before the holidays get going.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

Follows: Alina Rubeo wins Wasilla mayor's race with 67% of the vote, avoiding a runoff

Anchorage weighs Eklutna water deals after utilities decline to back its bid for a vote

Anchorage tied its Eklutna water deals to Chugach and MEA backing its bid for a hydro vote. They declined, and the mayor wants the deals approved without it.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read