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Sunday, May 3
Alaska Senate panel hears proposal for immigrant integration office
Alaska Senate panel heard testimony on a bill to create a Welcoming Alaska Office to help immigrants and foreign-born teachers settle in state communities and schools.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Anchorage Park Foundation opens $300,000 challenge grant program
Anchorage Park Foundation is offering up to $300,000 in matching grants for community park and trail projects, with dollar-for-dollar matches from the Rasmuson Foundation and applications open now.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
Assembly considers smart taxi meters, $6 fare cap for Anchorage cabs
The Anchorage Assembly is considering a mandate for smart taxi meters and a fare cap increase to 6 dollars per tenth mile.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Saturday, May 2
Board Sets Fish Wheel Rules, Recovery Goals for Yukon Salmon
Alaska's Board of Fisheries set fish wheel standards and recovery goals for depleted Yukon River salmon, requiring five consecutive years of meeting escapement targets before stocks can be delisted.
by Alaska News6mo ago5 min read
Friday, May 1
AG Nominee Cox Defends 110+ Amicus Briefs, Faces Questions on Alaska Priorities
Attorney General-designee Stephen Cox defended his rapid pace of joining national legal briefs as senators questioned his focus on Alaska priorities.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Veterans sentencing bill advances despite concerns over court authority
House Bill 299 would let judges override prosecutors to place veterans in misdemeanor treatment courts, but prosecutors and court officials warned of separation of powers litigation.
by Alaska News6mo ago5 min read
Alaska Senate Panel Advances Social Media Ban for Minors Under 16
Alaska Senate panel advanced a bill banning social media for under-16s despite court challenges blocking similar laws nationwide.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Anchor Point Man Arrested After Assault, Vehicle Theft
Alaska State Troopers arrested a 45-year-old Anchor Point man April 28 after he allegedly assaulted someone and stole their vehicle on the Kenai Peninsula.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min readMore from Southcentral
Housing agency buys 600+ acres statewide to spur development
Alaska Housing Finance Corporation bought 600+ acres statewide with $12.5 million to spur single-family housing development, with developer proposals due in June and construction expected summer 2027.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Thursday, Apr 30
Board Chair Survives Ethics Challenge Over Village Corporation Ties
The Board of Fisheries voted 6-0 to let Chair Marit Carlson-Van Dort vote on Area M proposals despite questions about her corporate ties.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Platting Board approves Lake Otis access for senior living site
Anchorage Platting Board removed restrictions blocking Lake Otis access for a senior living project at Lake Otis and O'Malley Road, though any actual driveway still needs traffic department approval.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Big Lake Man Arrested Twice for DUI in Three Days
A Big Lake man was arrested for DUI twice in three days, first in Wasilla on April 27 and again in Big Lake on April 29, both times refusing chemical testing.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readAlaska House panel advances penny rounding bill amid federal mint halt
Alaska House panel advanced a bill Thursday requiring businesses to round cash transactions to the nearest nickel, responding to the federal government's halt of penny production in 2025.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
House Finance hears divided testimony on $95M West Susitna road allocation
House Finance heard divided testimony on a 95 million dollar West Susitna road project. • Opponents cited habitat risks while supporters argued for economic growth. • The committee also reviewed funding for homeless programs and the Arctic Winter Games.
by Alaska News6mo ago5 min read
House Finance Hears Sharp Divide Over $95M for West Susitna Road
House Finance heard sharp debate Wednesday on a $95 million appropriation for the West Susitna Access Road, with opponents calling it a mining subsidy and supporters touting economic development.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Fish and Game closes Malina Bay herring fishery for season
Alaska Fish and Game closed Malina Bay herring fishing Wednesday evening after the section hit its 100-ton spring quota, shutting down sac roe harvest near Kodiak for the rest of the season.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readAbout 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
Eagle Crest faces $1.68M subsidy request or severe cuts
Eagle Crest is asking Anchorage for $1.68 million to operate next year, warning that the city's historical $930,000 subsidy would force cuts so severe the ski area might not survive.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Anchorage to transfer Nordstrom building to development authority
Anchorage is transferring the vacant Nordstrom building to a development authority to redevelop it as mixed-use housing and commercial space downtown, with a public hearing set for March 24.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
Zoning Board Approves Variances Despite Municipal Errors on Canyon Road Property
Anchorage Zoning Board approved setback variances for a Canyon Road property after the city admitted a 12-year-old zoning determination it issued contained errors the owners had relied on.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Anchorage Urban Design Commission to sunset after May meeting
Anchorage Assembly voted to eliminate the Urban Design Commission, which will hold its final meeting in May before design reviews shift to the Planning and Zoning Commission.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Airport firefighting trucks fail, leaving Juneau one flat tire from losing all flights
Juneau's airport nearly lost all commercial flights this month when two firefighting trucks failed simultaneously, leaving it dependent on a borrowed truck from Gustavus that must return by May 1.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Platting Board Denies Shawn Street Vacation Amid Gaming Hall Concerns
Anchorage Platting Board denied a request to vacate Shawn Street in Birchwood, preserving access to undeveloped lots despite neighbors' concerns about gaming hall traffic.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Board of Fisheries Opens Statewide Meeting With Stock Concern Action Plans
The Alaska Board of Fisheries met March 17 to weigh management plans for struggling Western Alaska salmon stocks.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago6 min read
Mat-Su Parks Recruiting Summer Trail Crew, Campground Workers
Mat-Su Borough Parks is hiring seasonal trail crew and campground workers for summer 2025, with positions offering training in sustainable trail building and facility management.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago1 min read
Urban Design Commission votes to recommend its own dissolution
Anchorage Urban Design Commission voted to recommend its own dissolution, merging its duties into the Planning and Zoning Commission to save $28,000 annually and fill board vacancies.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Wasilla Man Arrested on Domestic Violence Assault Charge
Alaska State Troopers arrested a 33-year-old Wasilla man on domestic violence assault charges after a disturbance on April 28, with a child under 16 present in the home.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readHouse committee advances insurance coverage for PANDAS/PANS treatment
Alaska House committee advanced a bill requiring insurers to cover expensive treatments for PANDAS and PANS, pediatric brain disorders triggered by infections.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago5 min read
House advances bill requiring 30-day state payments after heated debate
Alaska House advanced a bill requiring the state to pay contractors and nonprofits within 30 days, adopting a one-year phase-in after removing language that risked federal Rural Health funds.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Senate panel advances gas pipeline tax overhaul with $610M revenue target
Alaska Senate panel voted to replace property tax on gas pipelines with a volumetric tax projected to generate $610 million annually once Alaska LNG reaches full capacity.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Senate Passes $2.47B Capital Budget Focused on School Repairs
Alaska Senate passed a $2.47 billion capital budget Tuesday that directs $88.7 million to fix deteriorating K-12 schools, including a fire suppression system waiting 20 years for repair.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
House Passes Polystyrene Ban for Restaurants Despite Business Concerns
Alaska House passed a statewide ban on polystyrene foam food containers in restaurants, taking effect in over two years, despite business groups warning of higher costs.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Alaska House panel advances ban on heavy fuel oil for cruise ships
Alaska House panel advanced a ban on heavy fuel oil for large cruise ships in state waters, with an effective date of January 1, 2027.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago5 min read
Fairbanks father's testimony drives push for faster body cam release
The House State Affairs Committee advanced a bill requiring police to release body camera footage within 30 days of serious incidents.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago5 min read
Federal Subsistence Board adopts 52 wildlife proposals for Alaska
The Federal Subsistence Board approved 52 new hunting rules for federal lands. • Rules take effect July 1 and govern subsistence access through June 2028. • Changes include a new Kodiak brown bear hunt and tighter limits in Southeast.
by Melinda Communities.Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Senate panel advances 10 health board nominees to full Legislature
Alaska Senate committee advanced 10 health board nominees to the full Legislature for confirmation, including reappointments to nursing, pharmacy, and optometry boards.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Alaska House panel hears bill to overhaul school funding timelines
House Bill 261 would let Alaska school districts budget using enrollment numbers from July instead of October, letting them offer teacher contracts months earlier when more candidates are available.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Wednesday, Apr 29
House passes bill requiring transparency at psychiatric hospitals for minors
The House passed a bill requiring psychiatric hospitals to conduct surprise inspections and allow minors weekly private calls with parents.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Mat-Su Emergency Services Certifies 25 Responders in Trench Rescue
Twenty-five Mat-Su emergency responders earned trench rescue certification this week, spreading specialized rescue skills across the borough where collapses happen regularly.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
House panel hears bill to let small Alaska fishermen process, sell catch directly
House Bill 356 would let small Alaska fishermen process and sell catch directly without industrial processor rules, if they harvest under 10,000 pounds annually.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Oil industry opposes tax provisions in Alaska gas pipeline bill
Alaska's oil and gas industry opposes tax provisions in SB 280, warning they could make some wells uneconomic and create antitrust risks, even if the gas pipeline project never happens.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
