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A $2.5 million geothermal training grant for Unalaska sits 3 percent spent
Unalaska abandoned its Makushin geothermal project in May 2025, but a $2.5 million federal training grant tied to it remains open and largely unspent with only $75,000 spent so far.

A gale warning hits Bristol Bay and Aleutian waters Wednesday, with a second storm right behind
A gale warning hits Bristol Bay and Aleutian waters Wednesday, with winds topping 34 knots and seas to 11 feet, and a second storm is right behind it.

Judge vacates 490-acre Izembek land swap, reopening the fight over the King Cove road
A judge voided the land deal behind the King Cove road, reopening a decades-old fight. Crews stage construction as the court weighs a halt by Aug. 31.

NWS forecast calls for 1 to 2 more inches of rain in Southwest Alaska
A Bering Sea storm will drop 1 to 2 more inches of rain across Southwest Alaska through Tuesday, with sustained winds pushing water levels up to 1 foot above normal along the Bristol Bay coast.

Winter ferry bookings open on the system that's the only road many Alaska towns have
Winter ferry bookings are open on the Alaska Marine Highway — the federally funded "road" for the four-in-five Alaska towns with no highway — even as some communities say this winter's schedule is still too thin.

Strong escapement at one weir is driving long Alaska Peninsula openings
One weir at Orzinski counts salmon for the whole South Alaska Peninsula. It's running above average, and the openings have gotten long to match.

Murkowski targets federal conditions on Southeast's hydropower licenses
Southeast's power comes from dams on Tongass land. Murkowski's bill would limit what the Forest Service can demand as those licenses come up for renewal.

Glacial outburst flood destroys 100 feet of Fish Creek bear platform near Hyder
A glacial outburst flood destroyed over 100 feet of the Fish Creek Wildlife Observation Site platform near Hyder, forcing the Forest Service to close the bear and salmon viewing facility.

Seth Whiteman, 22, dead after going overboard near Egegik Bay
Seth Whiteman, 22, of Eagle River went overboard near Egegik Bay on June 29 and was not wearing a life jacket. His body was recovered from a nearby beach on July 11.

Five muskoxen are stuck on a 15-acre island, so Alaska is opening a hunt
Five muskoxen wandered onto a 15-acre island with no water and no way off. Alaska can't afford to move them, so it's opening a hunt instead.

Unimak Island caribou hunt RC205 opens August 1 with three-animal limit
Unimak Island caribou hunt RC205 opens August 1 with three-animal limit per hunter, permits required and available now at King Salmon ADF&G office or online.

State opens bids for Chenega Bay airport maintenance contract
Alaska is seeking a new maintenance contractor for Chenega Bay Rural Airport in Prince William Sound, with bids due July 16 and award expected by July 28.

Nelson Island residents put out tundra fire before state crews could arrive
Nelson Island residents near Toksook Bay extinguished a lightning-caused tundra fire on June 24 before state crews could arrive, the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection reported.

Smokejumpers were called to a fire near a Kuskokwim homestead — then couldn't jump
A fire near a Kuskokwim homestead hit 50 acres, so Alaska scrambled its smokejumpers — who found the terrain too dangerous to jump. Back to plan B.

Federal fishery disaster relief of $99M headed to Alaska after years of waiting
Alaska took four of every five dollars in the nation's fishery-disaster aid — and none of it has reached anyone yet, with 13 more disasters still in line.

ADF&G opens youth-only fishing events across Southcentral, Southwest Alaska
ADF&G is reserving specific Southcentral and Southwest salmon waters for youth anglers this summer. • Kids 15 and under can fish without a license during these designated event windows. • Events run from June through August at locations like Ship Creek and Homer Spit.

Judge allows state to resume helicopter bear kills during lawsuit
Judge Adolf Zeman denied a request to stop Alaska's helicopter bear control program across 40,000 square miles of southwest Alaska, allowing the state to resume spring killings while a lawsuit challenging the program's legality continues in court.

ADF&G to issue 10 mountain goat permits in Seldovia on June 10
ADF&G will 10 mountain goat hunting permits for Seldovia, first-come first-served to Alaska residents only.

Craig, Klawock Anglers Face New Ban on Filleting Fish at Sea
Alaska Department of Fish and Game has banned marine anglers from filleting or de-heading lingcod, nonpelagic rockfish, and king or coho salmon at sea when returning to Craig and Klawock ports, requiring fish to remain whole for creel sampling.
Alaska News Roundup: Gas pipeline tax fight, Point Thomson trade-off, and McNeil River access debate
This episode covers the week's major Alaska stories: a gas pipeline tax bill that added oil tax increases, the Point Thomson condensate trade-off for pipeline gas, Mount Edgecumbe enrollment crisis, and McNeil River bear sanctuary access proposals.

Mount Kupreanof shows signs of magma intrusion 50 miles from Sand Point
Mount Kupreanof volcano on the Alaska Peninsula has been raised to YELLOW alert status after showing signs of magmatic intrusion for the first time in over 10,000 years, with potential impacts to Sand Point 50 miles away.
McNeil River bear viewing access dispute revealed in survey results
Alaska Department of Fish and Game posted results from a McNeil River stakeholder survey that drew 741 responses, revealing access disputes that will keep operations status quo while the agency reviews feedback on transportation methods and bear viewing access.
Chignik King Salmon Meets Escapement Goal After Six-Year Drought
Chignik River king salmon reached the biological escapement goal in 2025 for the first time since 2019, raising questions about whether aggressive conservation measures should continue.

Alaska Fishery Debates Reflect Broader Tensions Over Mixed-Stock Management
Alaska Peninsula fishery discussions mirror national struggles to balance commercial harvest with conservation in mixed-stock corridors where multiple salmon populations overlap.

Board Restricts Fishing Gear to Protect Chinook in Chignik, Area M
The Alaska Board of Fisheries approved multiple gear restrictions to conserve Chinook salmon stocks in the Chignik Management Area and South Alaska Peninsula, including reduced seine net depth and area closures.
