Southcentral

FAA hires Calista-owned firm for next round of decades-old Cold Bay fuel cleanup

The FAA has been cleaning up leaked fuel at its Cold Bay station since the '90s. A Calista-owned Anchorage firm just got $471,000 for the next chapter.

by Alaska News1mo ago3 min read

Houston commission recommends giving Holding District H landowners until March for fee-free zone changes

Houston landowners in the zoning holding district may get until the end of March to pick a new zone for free. The City Council still has to sign off.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Big Lake's trail groomers are asking the state for a snowmachine

The volunteers who groom 40 miles of Big Lake trail want a new snowmachine. Last time they asked the state for $35,000 and got about a third.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Police are searching for two missing teenagers in Anchorage and Wasilla

Anchorage police are searching for two missing teenagers: Sparrow Kowatch, 16, missing since Sept. 19, and Jay Moriwaki, 13, last seen Wednesday night.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

State's draft road plan puts about $551 million into Kenai Peninsula projects; comments due Oct. 29

The state's draft road plan pours over half a billion dollars into Kenai Peninsula roads, mostly the Sterling Highway. Speak now: comments close Oct. 29.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago4 min readFrom Sep 14

Follows: Alaska's $7.74 billion transportation plan is open for public comment

MEA lays out how rolling outages would work if Southcentral runs short of gas this winter

MEA's plan if the gas runs short: nine groups, 30 to 45 minutes dark apiece, turns every few hours. Step six of six, and the co-op hopes to never get there.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read

State boundary commission revisits a rule that could stop Eaglexit before a full review

A state commission will revisit a rule that could stop Eaglexit early. One commissioner can't take part, and two would sit out the petition itself.

by Cale Green1mo ago3 min read

The Kenai's coho limit stays at two through November

The Kenai's coho limit stays at two instead of stepping up to three. The state is being careful, though the river is still producing limits.

by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Prince William Sound faces a winter without ferry service as the Aurora is overhauled

Prince William Sound faces a winter with little or no ferry service while the 1977-built Aurora is overhauled. New docks are the fix, and they're years away.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Lawmakers press state on Safer Seward Highway project's size and funding as DOT reopens comment

Lawmakers pressed DOT on the Safer Seward Highway's size and funding. DOT pointed to open houses, new data online and 30 more days of public comment.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read

Bering River moose hunt closes after hunters reach 15-bull cap

The Bering River moose hunt closes Friday at its 15-bull cap. The herd behind it is estimated at 213 animals, against an objective of 300 to 350.

by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Anchorage's police union endorsed Kreiss-Tomkins and Johnson for governor

Anchorage's police union endorsed Kreiss-Tomkins and Johnson for governor, citing Johnson's trooper years. The other three tickets are Republican.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Alaska released 310 acres near Slana to the university over its own agencies' objections

The state released 310 acres near Slana for the university over objections from DOT, two of its own land sections and every commenter. DNR's reply: thanks.

by Alaska News1mo ago2 min read

Follows: Alaska DNR issues four land decisions for University of Alaska land grants

New independent expenditure group registers for Juneau and Sitka municipal elections

A new outside spending group signed up for Juneau and Sitka's Oct. 6 elections. It hasn't said who it's backing, only that it favors economic opportunity.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Labor-funded committee backs Republican Ruby Jones and opposes both her rivals in Eagle River House race

A labor-funded group picked a Republican in Eagle River's House race and is buying ads against the other two candidates, one Republican and one Democrat.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Kenai voters decide Nov. 3 whether to ratify a $75,000 home tax exemption

Kenai voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to exempt the first $75,000 of home value from city property taxes, saving qualifying homeowners up to $326 a year.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Anchorage proposes trading the Tozier Track to the state housing agency for downtown parking lots, with housing required

Anchorage wants to trade the old dog track where the first Iditarod started for downtown parking lots. No bidding needed, and a neighbor objects.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read

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

Merrill Field is planning its next 20 years, noise study included. The open house is Oct. 15, and it gathers input rather than setting priorities.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Unalaska's council cleared the mayor to accept a Trident-hosted trip to a Navy commissioning

Unalaska's council cleared the mayor to take tickets, lodging and a ride from Trident Seafoods for a Navy commissioning. No undue influence, it found.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Anchorage's Board of Ethics couldn't meet Wednesday, leaving a March complaint pending

Anchorage's Board of Ethics couldn't get three of five members on a call Wednesday. The complaint on its agenda has been waiting since March.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

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

Kenai's council votes Sept. 30 on an erosion contract with blanks where the contractor and the price go. Bids do not close until the day before.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Ten rural Alaska communities can now vote in person on Election Day

Ten villages with no polling place can now vote in person on Election Day itself. In August, 75 ballots from the region arrived too late to count.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Kodiak's salmon fishery opens for 54 hours starting Thursday at noon

Kodiak gets 54 hours of salmon fishing starting Thursday at noon. The Karluk River saw 93 kings reach spawning grounds against a goal of 3,000.

by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Public comment is open on Cook Inlet subsea data-center plan

Comments close Nov. 2 on a proposed tidal-powered subsea data center off Nikiski. The permit would authorize study, not construction.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Mat-Su Ballot Ties Home Tax Break to New 1% Sales Tax

Mat-Su voters get one box to check on a homeowner tax break and the borough's first areawide sales tax. It's a package deal, like cable used to be.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom Aug 4

Coast Guard awards nearly $5 million to fix moisture damage in Cordova family housing

The Coast Guard is spending nearly $5 million to fix moisture damage in its Cordova duplexes. In fairness to the duplexes, they do live in Cordova.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Federal grant of $310,307 funds condition survey of Alaska's ferry fleet

Alaska is paying $310,000 to survey a ferry fleet whose flagship turns 62 this year. The bid to replace it came in $49 million over budget.

by Melinda Communities.News1mo ago1 min read

CBP awards Teya Diversified $23.3 million for border port repairs

Anchorage-based Teya Diversified won three CBP contracts worth $23.3 million for repairs at northern border ports, though records do not confirm whether any work occurs in Alaska.

by Melinda Communities.News1mo ago1 min read

Hemp plant proposal asks Houston council for land and permitting help

A foundation wants a hemp processing plant near Houston to serve Alaska fiber growers. The state's hemp registry currently lists only retailers.

by Melinda Communities.News1mo ago2 min read

Ken Lancaster, Soldotna's mayor through the 1990s and later a state representative, has died at 83

Ken Lancaster moved to Soldotna at 19, ran the city through most of the 1990s, and then went to Juneau to represent the area. He died at 83.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Soldotna weighs letting rural lots hold two homes instead of one

Soldotna may let rural residential lots hold two homes instead of one, partly because people east of the highway are already building without permits.

by Melinda Communities.News1mo ago2 min read

Governor candidates split over how to close Southcentral gas gap

All four candidates want more Cook Inlet gas. They differ over lease enforcement, production incentives, tax stability and power diversification.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago4 min read

Follows: Southcentral is 3 Bcf short this winter, and producers told lawmakers the gas runs out in 2029

Homer asks FCC to keep internet discount that covers most of the public library's bill

Homer's library gets $11,970 a year from a federal internet discount the FCC is reviewing. The City Council would like it left alone, please.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom Sep 14

Follows: Alaska superintendents ask FCC not to cut school internet subsidy

Halibut commission staff propose letting AI read half of the fish earbones behind catch limits

The halibut commission wants a neural network to read half its fish earbones. It's cheaper by a factor of ten, and it thinks old fish are young.

by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

A medical board appeal stalls over a $750 bond

Someone is appealing an Alaska medical board decision without a lawyer, the first such appeal since 2023. It stalls until a $750 bond is paid.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

People Mover puts up its first artwork bus stop sign on Muldoon Road

Anchorage bus stops are getting artwork and metal signs to replace paper schedules, starting at Muldoon Road and Northern Lights Boulevard.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Kenai Peninsula voters decide on school board term limits

Kenai Peninsula voters decide on school board term limits that would not keep anyone off a ballot until 2032. The assembly sent it to them 9-0.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom Sep 1

Fishery managers will meet on trawl seafloor contact, with no power to recommend

The Board of Fisheries took 51 seconds on three trawl proposals. Its follow-up meeting can't recommend anything and won't take testimony by phone.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min readFrom Mar 20

Follows: Board of Fish Defers Trawl Gear Restrictions, Opts for Federal Coordination

Troopers arrest Nikiski man on felony DUI charge after rollover on Nikiski Avenue

Alaska State Troopers arrested a Nikiski man on felony DUI after his pickup rolled on Nikiski Avenue and he fled, tracking him via electronic monitoring for pending domestic violence charges.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Alaska recorded 22 COVID-19 deaths last season, including one child

Twenty-two Alaskans died with COVID-19 listed on the death certificate last season. One was a child. The summary says nothing more about that.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read