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Friday, May 15
Alaska budget fight leaves $40M in senior, disability care hanging
A six-member legislative committee decides by May 20 whether to fund $40 million in senior and disability care that the House backs but the Senate opposes.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min readUrban Design Commission splits on apartment buffer variance
Anchorage commissioners denied a landscaping variance for a West Dimond apartment project to protect neighbors from drainage issues.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
House panel hears gas line tax bill with 15-cent volumetric fee
House panel heard a bill replacing property taxes on the Alaska LNG pipeline with a 15-cent volumetric tax, projected to generate $10 million for the state in 2029.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Alaska Legislature rejects governor's attorney general nominee
Alaska Legislature rejected Stephen Cox as Attorney General, 29-31, over his focus on national legal battles instead of Alaska interests.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min readAlaska pauses behavioral health grant overhaul after provider pushback
Alaska paused a behavioral health grant overhaul for two years after providers said they weren't ready, keeping current addiction and mental health funding in place through 2028.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readHouse rejects Galena school funding swap after dramatic rescind vote
The Alaska House rejected a plan to strip $5 million in school funding from Galena and redirect it to projects in Anchorage, the Mat-Su, and Fairbanks, voting 20-19 after a dramatic rescind sequence.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readAlaska Lawmakers Advance Electronic Pull-Tab Gaming Bill
Alaska House committee advanced a bill allowing pull-tab games on tablets, but capped manufacturer costs in ways the sponsor warns could give one company a market edge.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Stone Soup Group finale teaches families IEP advocacy for disabled youth
Stone Soup Group hosts a free workshop May 30 in Anchorage teaching families how to advocate for disabled students at IEP meetings and navigate state and federal policies.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readMore from Southcentral
Wasilla Senator's Mother Scammed, Sparks Crypto Kiosk Crackdown
Alaska Senate unanimously approved regulations for cryptocurrency kiosks, requiring licenses and fraud warnings, after scammers stole from seniors including a lawmaker's mother.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readHouse panel advances domestic violence protective order extensions
House panel advanced a bill letting judges extend domestic violence protective orders to five years instead of one, sparing victims from annual court renewals.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Kodiak artists face Sunday deadline for 26th Crab Fest Art Show
Kodiak artists have until Sunday, May 17 to submit original work for the 26th annual Crab Fest Art Show, running May 22-24 at Fisherman's Hall.
by Alaska News6mo ago1 min readAlaska launches new online system to report elder abuse, harm
Alaska launched a new online system to report elder abuse and harm to vulnerable adults, consolidating multiple forms into one portal. The old system stops working May 22, 2026.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readThursday, May 14
Alaska Marijuana Board schedules special session on Anchorage ordinance
Alaska Marijuana Control Board scheduled a special meeting for June 3, 2026, to address AO360, an Anchorage ordinance, though the notice did not specify what issues the board will tackle.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readInterior Secretary Burgum to address Alaska energy conference
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum will speak at the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference in Anchorage on May 19 alongside Governor Dunleavy, his second year attending the event.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Wednesday, May 13
Gas Line Developer Warns Tax Hike Would Delay Project, Jeopardize 2029 Deadline
The Alaska gas pipeline developer warned that a proposed 15-cent tax would delay the project's final investment decision and jeopardize the 2029 completion target.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Senate panel advances bill cutting sick leave for seafood workers
Alaska Senate panel advanced a bill cutting paid sick leave for seasonal seafood workers from 56 to 48 hours annually, citing end-of-season workforce shortages at processing plants.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
About Southcentral
Southcentral Alaska is the region of the state centered on Anchorage, its population center and transportation hub. It spans the Kenai Peninsula, the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, Prince William Sound and Cook Inlet, and reaches communities such as Kenai, Soldotna, Homer, Seward, Cordova, Palmer, Wasilla and Eagle River.
Much of the region's civic life runs through the Anchorage Assembly, the Kenai Peninsula and Matanuska-Susitna borough assemblies, and city councils. Questions of housing and zoning come up often, along with who pays to extend water and sewer lines to building sites. School budgets, road safety on its highways and oil and gas operations in Cook Inlet also return.
The Kenai River and Cook Inlet tie the region to fishing, and the Parks Highway and Seward Highway link its communities. Windstorms that cut power and trooper reports from the Matanuska-Susitna area are common subjects as well.
More from Southcentral
Railbelt power grid operator schedules three subcommittee meetings in two days
Railbelt Transmission Organization holds three subcommittee meetings May 13 and 14, with the full Governance Committee meeting May 15 in Anchorage.
by Alaska News6mo ago1 min readUpper Copper River king salmon fishery requires new permit in 2026
King salmon anglers in the Upper Copper River must get a free individual permit this season and report any fish 20 inches or longer by August 31.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readState to use fish pesticide in Sucker Lake to kill invasive pike
Alaska will treat two lobes of Sucker Lake with rotenone in August 2026 to kill invasive northern pike that threaten salmon and trout across Southcentral Alaska.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readState partners with Skagway startup to sell Alaska-made goods online
Alaska's Made in Alaska program launches a free online marketplace with Skagway startup Voyij on June 1, giving permit holders access to 10 million cruise and airline customers at no upfront cost.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readMcCarthy Road opens for season with difficult conditions, 35 mph advisory
McCarthy Road opened May 8 for the season with a 35 mph advisory due to soft shoulders, potholes, and rough conditions on the 60-mile gravel route to McCarthy and Kennicott.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readCordova Seeks Rock Extraction Deal to Fund New Public Safety Building
Cordova is seeking contractors to extract rock from city land and prepare it for a new Public Safety Building to replace the current facility in the tsunami zone. Proposals due June 8.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min readAlaska Gear Company wins 2024 Manufacturer of Year; 2025 nominations open
Alaska's Made in Alaska Program is accepting nominations through May 29, 2026 for its 2025 Manufacturer of the Year award, which recognizes Alaska-based manufacturers for growth and innovation.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min readSenate Panel Advances Bill Tying Hunting Rights to 180-Day Residency
Alaska Senate panel advanced a bill tying resident hunting licenses to a 180-day residency standard, matching Permanent Fund Dividend rules to stop non-residents from claiming cheaper resident tags.
by Alaska News6mo ago6 min read
Senate panel advances Whittier land transfer bill without objection
Alaska Senate committee unanimously advanced a bill to transfer railroad land to Whittier for harbor expansion, housing, and business development.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Alaska House panel advances penny-rounding bill to standardize cash transactions
Alaska House panel advanced a bill requiring retailers to round cash transactions symmetrically to the nearest five cents, standardizing rules as the U.S. stops making pennies.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readAssembly Approves $64.8M Bond Appropriation for Capital Projects
Anchorage Assembly unanimously approved $64.86 million in bond funds for roads, fire protection, parks, transit and other city projects on May 12.
by Alaska News6mo ago1 min read
Tuesday, May 12
Alaska Legislature Passes Bill Recognizing Gold, Silver as Legal Tender
Alaska Legislature passed a bill recognizing gold and silver as legal tender and exempting those transactions from local sales taxes, sending it to Governor Dunleavy for signature.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readAlaska Senate panel advances autonomous vehicle restrictions despite industry opposition
Alaska Senate panel advanced a bill requiring human operators in commercial autonomous vehicles, making Alaska the first state with such a restriction despite industry warnings.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Anchorage treatment facility debate exposes gaps in public process
Anchorage fast-tracked approval for a Fairview treatment center without notifying neighbors first, exposing gaps between federal procurement rules and community engagement.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Alaska Senate Passes Right to Repair Bill for Consumer Electronics
Alaska Senate passed a right to repair bill May 11 requiring manufacturers to provide parts and tools so consumers can fix electronics instead of replacing them.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readAlaska schools face May 15 deadline for improvement plans, funding
Alaska school districts must submit three-year improvement plans and budgets to the state by May 15, a deadline that comes as districts budget without knowing their actual state funding.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readAlaska opens second round of rural health webinars for $272M program
Alaska is hosting webinars May 13 through 15 to plan how to spend $272 million in federal rural health funding, the second-highest amount awarded to any state.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min readAlaska lawmakers debate farm tax break for horses, flowers
Alaska House committee narrowed a farm tax bill Tuesday, removing horses and flowers from eligibility and angering the bill's sponsor.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Planning commission postpones wetlands plan update over staffing gaps
Anchorage's Planning Commission postponed wetlands plan updates Monday after staff admitted no one on payroll can use the technical tools needed to manage wetlands permits.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Monday, May 11
House panel hears electronic pull-tab bill with 35% manufacturer cap
House panel heard testimony on a bill capping electronic pull-tab manufacturer fees at 35 percent, which operators say is too high compared to Minnesota's 20 percent.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Alaska House Passes Required Local Contribution Cap for Schools
Alaska House voted 24-16 to cap annual growth in required local school funding at 2%, shifting roughly $29 million in education costs from municipalities to the state.
by Alaska News6mo ago5 min read
Alaska House panel hears push to raise tobacco age to 21, tax vapes at 25%
The House Finance Committee is considering a bill to raise the tobacco age to 21 and add a 25 percent tax on vaping products.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min readAlaska Senate Passes Right-to-Repair Bill for Consumer Electronics
Alaska Senate passed a right-to-repair bill requiring manufacturers to provide parts and repair information for consumer electronics, advancing to the House with support from repair shops and Google.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Alaska House rejects optional school district healthcare pooling plan
Alaska House rejected a plan that would have let school districts join the state healthcare program, turning down potential savings of $31 million to $42 million annually for major districts.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
