Southcentral

Kodiak's projected deficit shrinks to about $94,000 at year end

Kodiak closed fiscal 2026 with a $94,000 general fund shortfall after a $1.14 million transfer from investment earnings reduced what had been a projected $3 million deficit.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Kodiak's two council members on the city investment committee are both leaving the council

Two departing Kodiak City Council members leave both seats open on the investment committee that oversees the city's $48.5 million portfolio, with the mayor to appoint replacements by Oct. 26.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Kodiak resident says city seeks 506% more tax from auto shop than Highmark Marine paid

A Kodiak resident told the council the city wants 506% more tax from a local auto shop than Highmark Marine paid. Her comparison couldn't be checked.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Mat-Su Assembly asks school board to start classes the day after Labor Day

Mat-Su kids would start school after Labor Day instead of mid-August if the school board agrees. It's only a request, and the vote may not even stand.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Follows: Mat-Su resolution would ask school board to start classes after Labor Day

Giessel says governor kept DNR commissioner from legislative hearing on AIDEA land transfers

Governor blocked the DNR commissioner from testifying at a legislative hearing on state land transfers to AIDEA, leaving lawmakers without answers on nearly 20,000 acres north of Houston.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read

Legislative attorneys say Houston land transfer to AIDEA may fail public-purpose test

Legislative attorneys say giving AIDEA 20,000 free acres near Houston may not pass the public-purpose test. AIDEA's director says state law already settles it.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read

Fairbanks has best chance for northern lights early Friday as G2 storm nears

Fairbanks has the best shot at northern lights early Friday morning. The storm's actual peak arrives after sunrise, because of course it does.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Federal managers close Central Gulf Pacific cod fishing to pot boats for the rest of 2026

High cod prices helped pull new boats into the Central Gulf pot fishery. Federal managers say the fleet's share is caught or about to be, so it's done for 2026.

by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Anchorage voters could update ballot signatures with the clerk under proposed ordinance

Anchorage voters could soon update the signature their ballot gets checked against, instead of waiting on the state. Fewer newspaper ads, too.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Anchorage weighs requiring candidates to gather voter signatures to get on the ballot

Anchorage candidates may soon need 50 to 250 voter signatures to get on the ballot. The clerk says it's the first city she's worked in without them.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Trawl groups ask fishery council to shrink Steller sea lion closures; conservation groups object

Trawlers want the North Pacific council to shrink Steller sea lion fishing closures, citing fuel and safety. Conservation groups and a tribal commission object.

by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

ASD Superintendent Jharrett Bryantt says he will leave for Virginia district

Anchorage School District Superintendent Jharrett Bryantt will leave for a Virginia superintendent job in early 2027, leaving Alaska's largest district to find new leadership during budget planning.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Trump schedules Wasilla rally before Alaska general election

Trump is due in Wasilla on Tuesday. Ahead of it he again endorsed Sullivan and Begich and said he hopes Alaskans repeal ranked-choice voting.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Bethel council holds hearing Tuesday on leasing six city lots to Alaska Directional

Bethel City Council holds a public hearing Tuesday on leasing six city lots to a Palmer fiber contractor for $16,800 a month without taking competitive bids.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Labor-backed committee pays $150,000 for Kreiss-Tomkins ticket ads

A labor-backed committee paid $150,000 for digital ads backing the Kreiss-Tomkins and Johnson gubernatorial ticket, with spending set to run through Election Day on Nov. 3.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Dyea Flats Road near Skagway faces two full closures for culvert work

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park will close Dyea Flats Road near Skagway twice between October and November to replace two culverts that reduce flood risk.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Wasilla man gets 20 years in federal prison for child sexual abuse material

Paul Greeno of Wasilla was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison Wednesday for possessing child sexual abuse material depicting infants and toddlers.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Anchorage Assembly members question plan to elect School Board by district

An Eagle River Assembly member wants most Anchorage School Board members elected by district. A board member pushed back. Voters could decide in April.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read

Appeals board chair says Anchorage cut most appealed values, expects more appeals

Anchorage cut values on most of a record 1,990 property appeals. The appeals board chair says few had good evidence and expects even more appeals next year.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read

Follows: Appeals board chair says Anchorage cut appealed property values but not neighbors'

Alaska Supreme Court hears Valdez redistricting fee dispute

Alaska Supreme Court heard arguments Thursday on whether Valdez and a resident can recover attorney's fees from their challenge to the state's 2021 redistricting plan.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Zoning board to decide Girdwood home's request to build inside stream setback

A Girdwood owner wants to build into a stream setback, with a foot bridge across the stream. Staff and most neighbors object; the board decides Thursday.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Appeals board chair says Anchorage cut appealed property values but not neighbors'

Anchorage owners who appealed saw values cut about $93,000 on average. Neighbors who didn't appeal got no such cut, the appeals board chair says.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Women's Commission leader plans resolution seeking data on who staffs city boards

An Anchorage Women's Commission leader wants the city to count who staffs its boards and commissions. She suspects it's mostly women, without extra pay.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Dense fog advisories issued for Copper and Susitna valleys, with black ice risk

Fog and freezing temps raised black ice risk along the Richardson and Parks highways this week. It's Winter Weather Preparedness Week, fittingly.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Truck crash closes left outbound lane of Glenn Highway near mile 26 Thursday morning

A truck crash closed the left outbound lane of Glenn Highway near mile 26 early Thursday, Oct. 8, with closure expected to end by noon.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

FAA keeps plowing roads to Alaska navigation beacons as it retires others

The FAA pays local crews to plow roads to Alaska's radio navigation beacons each winter, even as it retires more than a dozen others in favor of GPS.

by Melinda Communities.News1mo ago2 min read

Anchorage Assembly postpones missing middle housing vote to Nov. 4

Anchorage Assembly delayed a vote on Missing Middle Housing rules to Nov. 4 to review amendments that would allow duplexes and triplexes on about 28,000 residential parcels across the city.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Anchorage Assembly approves standard hiring rules for clerk and ombudsman

Anchorage Assembly voted 12-0 to set one hiring process for the municipal clerk and ombudsman, requiring a selection committee for both offices.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Boat owner suing Cordova over travel lift failure asks council to push mediation

A Cordova business owner suing the city over a 2023 travel lift failure asked the council to push for mediation. His business also owes the city money.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Cordova council waives protest of Moose Caboose liquor license despite doubts about its hours

Cordova's council won't fight the Moose Caboose's liquor license renewal, though members doubt it's open much. Proving that is the hard part.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Kenai awards $98,000 contract to move shallow water line on eroding bluff

Kenai awarded Peninsula Construction $98,000 to move a water line on the bluff before it freezes and ruptures this winter.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Follows: Kenai's council will award a bluff erosion contract the day after bids close

Kenai council waives road requirement quoted at $63,000

Kenai City Council waived a $63,000 road-building requirement for a property owner whose project started before the city's new road standard took effect.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Hilcorp seeks to fill Beluga wetlands for gas storage pad under emergency review

Hilcorp seeks emergency permit to fill 2.35 acres of Beluga wetlands for a natural gas storage pad, with public comment open through early November.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Anchorage Assembly approves $2.8M in state money and more winter shelter beds

Anchorage spent most of its state check on shelter beds, some of them from last winter. Without it, the health director said, shelters could have closed.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read

Soldotna commissioner asks about council rezoning vote that city records don't show

A Soldotna planning commissioner asked about a council rezoning vote he'd heard about. There wasn't one, but there is a staff plan to rezone Robin Place.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Mental Health Trust Land Office takes bids on 45 parcels through Nov. 16

Alaska Mental Health Trust Land Office is selling 45 parcels across the state, with sealed bids due Nov. 16. Revenue funds mental health and disability programs.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Anchorage police say missing 13-year-old Isaac Allbritton has been located

Anchorage police located missing 13-year-old Isaac Allbritton on Wednesday, ending a public search that began earlier that day.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Anchorage Assembly member Zachary Johnson amends disclosure to adopt APOC staff recommendations

Anchorage Assembly member Zac Johnson amended his 2025 financial disclosure on Oct. 7 to name the Wiest Trust and change his Wild Air Farm role from partner to power of attorney, adopting recommendations from an APOC staff report.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Wasilla man, 71, faces five counts of possessing child sexual abuse material

Task Force Dawnbreaker arrested Dale Weeg, 71, of Wasilla on Oct. 6 on five counts of possessing child sexual abuse material.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

State approves easement to rebuild Cordova's failing Eyak Lake weir, built in 1972

Cordova's 1972 Eyak Lake weir is leaking and leaning. The state just cleared the way to rebuild it, with construction slated to start this winter.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read