Southeast
RSSSoutheast region news
Places
Local organizations and topics
Numbers are stories in the last 30 days.
Have a story from Southeast? Send a tip
Week of May 11
Wrangell Assembly adds mystery item to May 12 agenda at last minute
Wrangell Assembly added an unexplained agenda item with less than 24 hours notice before its May 12 meeting, giving residents little time to prepare comment.
by Alaska News6mo ago1 min readWeek of May 4
Navy eyes return to Adak amid Arctic security concerns
The Navy is assessing whether to reestablish operations on Adak Island as China and Russia increase military activity near Alaska, with no formal decision yet made.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
New rockfish rules require Yakutat anglers keep fish intact longer
Yakutat sport fishers must keep rockfish, lingcod, and king salmon identifiable with skin attached until they dock or leave the fishing spot, under new rules that took effect May 7.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readHalibut Landings Lag 80% Behind Quota as Prices Hit $7/lb
Halibut landings lag at 18 percent of quota by early May as dock prices hold strong at $6 to $7 per pound, while sablefish catches outpace expectations.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min readSenate panel advances Ketchikan mariculture manager to Board of Fisheries
Senate panel advanced Paul Cyr, a Ketchikan mariculture manager, to the Alaska Board of Fisheries, restoring Southeast Alaska's representation on the board that sets statewide fishing rules.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
State Defends Transboundary Mining Oversight as Stakeholders Demand Stronger Protections
Alaska says water monitoring shows no mining damage from B.C. projects upstream of Southeast Alaska salmon rivers. • Fisheries groups and tribes say the state isn't doing enough to stop pollution threats or comment on new mine permits.
by Alaska News6mo ago5 min read
Alaska bill would penalize state for late payments to contractors
Alaska bill would charge the state 10.5 percent interest on late payments to nonprofits, municipalities, and tribal organizations, extending a rule that has applied to private contractors since 1990.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Douglas man to share journey building traditional Inupiaq qayaq
Douglas resident Lou Logan presents his year-long project building a traditional Inupiaq qayaq at the Alaska State Museum on Saturday, May 16, at 1 p.m., free admission.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readMore from Southeast
Legislature advances $347M fire station grant program
Alaska House Finance Committee advanced a bill creating a $347 million matching grant program to help communities rebuild aging fire stations that no longer meet modern safety standards.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readAlaska House bill would tighten hunting, fishing residency to 180 days
House Bill 93 would require hunters and fishers to spend 180 days in-state to claim resident status. It takes effect January 2028.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Senate panel advances compromise on fish processor sick leave
Senate panel advanced a compromise limiting paid sick leave for seasonal fish processors to 48 hours per year, with a 30-day waiting period, modifying voter-approved requirements.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Alaska House panel hears bill to hold contractors liable for unpaid wages
Alaska House panel heard testimony on a bill making project owners and general contractors liable for unpaid wages when subcontractors fail to pay workers.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Recent High School Graduate Appointed to Alaska State Medical Board
A 19-year-old high school graduate with no medical background was appointed to Alaska's State Medical Board, which licenses physicians.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
19-year-old homeschool graduate appointed to State Medical Board
Alaska Senate committee questioned 19-year-old Hannah Milkey's qualifications to serve on the State Medical Board, noting she has no medical training, CPR certification, or investigative experience.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
House Finance Advances Education Funding Bill Despite Fiscal Concerns
The House Finance Committee advanced a school funding bill costing $130 million annually to stabilize district budgets.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Alaska bill would require human operators in autonomous freight trucks
Alaska bill would require a human operator in commercial freight trucks over 10,000 pounds, effectively blocking fully driverless rigs from the state.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Coming up
Alaska State Parks Southeast Region Citizen Advisory Board Meeting
Online only: Microsoft Teams (Meeting ID 252 102 001 646 565 7, passcode Xq3o7kf3) or phone +1 907-202-7104, conference ID 521 494 427#
Meeting
Energy in the North: Robert Venables on Southeast Conference Economic Development
Class
Alaska Mental Health Trust Land Office Sealed Bid Deadline
Public notice
Southeast Alaska Geoduck Fishery Closure (Holiday Period 1)
Public notice
Directed Lingcod Fishery Season End
Public notice
About Southeast
Southeast Alaska is the panhandle region along the state's southern coast, an archipelago of islands and fjords that includes Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan. Its towns, among them Petersburg, Wrangell, Haines, Skagway and Hoonah, are linked by the Alaska Marine Highway ferry system.
Its economy rests on commercial fishing, cruise tourism and the Tongass National Forest. Fish and Game manages dive fisheries for sea cucumbers and geoducks, salmon seine and gillnet fisheries, and rockfish openings across its inside and outer waters. Cruise docks, the decisions of city and borough assemblies, land use rules and heavy coastal weather are recurring local questions.
Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian communities are part of the region's life, and institutions such as Tlingit & Haida and Huna Totem run programs and businesses across it. Huna Totem ventures have built or sought to run cruise docks in Juneau and Haines.
More from Southeast
Board of Fish Nominees Face Questions on Public Process Erosion
Three Board of Fisheries nominees pledged Tuesday to restore public trust after the board made an out-of-cycle Cook Inlet salmon gear decision despite 280 opposing comments.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readAlaska House panel considers doubling bulk fuel loan cap amid price crisis
Alaska House panel is considering doubling the maximum bulk fuel loan for rural communities to $1.5 million as fuel prices surge up to 100 percent and western Alaska faces potential supply shortages.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Dunleavy says Alaska gas pipeline depends on property tax overhaul
Governor Dunleavy demands the legislature pass a property tax overhaul within three weeks to make a $44 billion to $50 billion North Slope gas pipeline financially viable.
by Alaska News6mo ago5 min read
Attorney General Cox Defends 'Counter-China Initiative' Amid Jurisdiction Questions
Attorney General Cox defended a counter-China initiative at his confirmation hearing, but lawmakers questioned whether it strays into federal territory.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Senate panel advances resolution urging federal reclassification of 911 dispatchers
Alaska Senate panel unanimously backed a resolution urging Congress to reclassify 911 dispatchers as protective service workers, giving them access to federal training and wellness benefits.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readAnchorage budget crisis mirrors national school funding squeeze
Anchorage School District approved closing three elementary schools and cutting over 500 staff positions to address a $90 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2027.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Week of Apr 27
Juneau schools seek $10M bond for roofs, HVAC after state funding dries up
Juneau School District is seeking $10 million in bonds to fix leaking roofs, upgrade heating systems, and install security cameras after state funding for school maintenance dried up.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Alaska House Weighs $113M Education Funding Overhaul
House committee heard testimony on a $113 million bill to give school districts budget certainty by July 1, but members questioned whether the state can accurately model the long-term cost.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Generations Southeast brings CDL simulator training to Juneau, Prince of Wales
Generations Southeast installed virtual driving simulators in Juneau and Klawock so residents can train for commercial driver licenses without leaving Southeast Alaska.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Alaska marks 50 years of regional education attendance areas
Alaska marked 50 years of Regional Education Attendance Areas, the system that brought local control to rural schools serving 15 percent of students across more than half the state.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Hundreds pack Juneau Assembly meeting to oppose recreation facility cuts
Hundreds of Juneau residents opposed closing recreation facilities to help close a $10 million to $12 million budget gap, warning the cuts would force families to leave town.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Alaska 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
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
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
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
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
Fish and Game Opens Two-Week King Salmon Fishery at Gunnuk Creek
Fish and Game opens Gunnuk Creek to king salmon fishing June 1-14, allowing residents two fish per day from hatchery surplus while most Southeast Alaska waters stay closed.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readAlaska Board Rejects 25% Hatchery Production Cut After Heated Debate
Alaska Board of Fisheries rejected a 25% hatchery production cut, voting 6-1 against the measure after debate over wild salmon impacts and coastal fishing jobs.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Tlingit & Haida building two education campuses on Prince of Wales
Tlingit & Haida is building two early education campuses on Prince of Wales Island, opening summer 2026, to expand Head Start and childcare access with Tlingit and Haida language immersion.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
Juneau committee weighs limiting short-term rentals to one per owner
Juneau's housing committee is reviewing a draft rule to cap short-term rentals at one per owner starting January 2027, but members disagree on whether rentals actually worsen housing shortages.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
Alaska LNG Consultant Flags Potential 50% Return for Developers vs. $1B State Revenue
A consultant warned lawmakers that Alaska LNG developers could net $8 billion annually by 2050. He cautioned his preliminary model may contain errors that require further review.
by Alaska News6mo ago5 min read
Alaska's tribal school compact bill navigates sovereignty and public education law
Senate Bill 66 would authorize up to five Alaska tribes to operate public schools under compact agreements, with a seven-year pilot costing $19.2 million in the first year.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
House Finance considers multi-year school funding averaging bill
House Bill 261 would let Alaska school districts know enrollment by July 1 instead of October, using three-year averaging to give them budget certainty and time to hire teachers earlier.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
