State of Alaska

New Copper River Basin plan could put more state land up for sale

Alaska's new Copper River Basin land plan makes 200,000 more acres eligible for private ownership and closes 306,000 acres to new mining claims.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read

Troopers arrest Deering man after reports he assaulted multiple people in the village

Nome troopers arrested a Deering man Tuesday after reports he assaulted multiple people and damaged property in the village. The school sheltered in place.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read

Four Kodiak mountain goat hunts open Nov. 1; four stay closed after high hunter success

Four Kodiak Island mountain goat hunts open to Alaska residents Nov. 1. Four others stay shut because hunters already hit the harvest goal in the drawing hunts.

by Bill AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Nova Minerals says state approved its antimony mine and Port MacKenzie refinery plans

Nova Minerals says the state gave final approval to its antimony mine and Port MacKenzie refinery. The state hasn't posted the signed decision yet.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Follows: Antimony refinery developer Nova Minerals says its cash won't fund a year of plans

Missing child found unharmed on family's Sterling property after evening search

A child reported missing in Sterling on Monday was found unharmed on the family's own property after a search that included a thermal drone.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read

Geoduck divers get two more days near Ketchikan under a smaller Southeast harvest target

Geoduck divers get two more days near Ketchikan this week. Southeast's harvest target is about 40% below last year's, and two areas are still closed.

by Bill AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read

Alaskans won 81 pieces of state land, from $255,000 in Big Lake to a $7,500 cabin site

Alaskans won 81 pieces of state land. Top bid: $255,000 for 40 acres in Big Lake. Cheapest: $7,500 for a river cabin site reached by boat or snowmachine.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Fish board to weigh how Ninilchik River's kings are counted and caught

Six fish board proposals target Ninilchik kings. Some want anglers keeping more hatchery fish; one wants hatchery hens spawning and only big fish counted.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2w ago3 min read

Follows: Board of Fisheries to weigh closing Homer Spit waters to commercial fishing

Forest Service adds Kake hearing on how roadless repeal could affect subsistence

The Forest Service added a Nov. 4 hearing in Kake on how lifting the Roadless Rule's limits on roads and logging could affect subsistence in Alaska.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Alaska election officials ask judge to dismiss DOJ's Senate suit by Nov. 2

State of Alaska officials asked a judge to toss DOJ's Senate suit by Nov. 2. The U.S. can't step in, they argue, "much less" for a favored candidate.

by Alaska News2w ago2 min read

Follows: Judge fast-tracks Peltola campaign's bid to dismiss DOJ's Alaska Senate suit

DGA-backed group spends $601,000 in one day on Alaska's governor's race

A group backed by the Democratic Governors Association spent $601,000 in one day on Alaska's governor's race, half for Kreiss-Tomkins and half against Wilson.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Regulators won't decide Hilcorp's gas storage rates for Southcentral until late 2027

Hilcorp's own study found its gas storage rates bringing in 25% more than costs plus allowed profit. Regulators cut them for now and will decide by late 2027.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Follows: Regulators cut Hilcorp's Kenai gas storage rates up to 31% while they investigate

Alaska is in line for the third-largest share of federal grid money among states

Alaska is in line for $32.8 million more in federal grid money, third most of any state. Earlier rounds went to snow-sagged lines and sinking permafrost.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Troopers say they suspect no foul play in death of 75-year-old Saxman woman

Ann McEachern, 75, died Saturday at her Saxman home after medics could not revive her. Alaska State Troopers say they do not suspect foul play.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read

Housing agency has no set plans for proposed state land transfers, CEO tells senators

AHFC has no firm plans yet for over 400 acres of free state land DNR proposes giving it for housing. Legislature's lawyers say such giveaways are likely unconstitutional.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago3 min read

Petersburg spent $1,122 in public money promoting its sales tax cap proposition

Petersburg spent $1,122 in public money on ads for its own sales tax hike, which lost by 14 votes. State law sets a specific bar for that spending.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Conservation district applies for 885 Point MacKenzie acres DNR plans to give AIDEA

A Wasilla conservation district wants the 885 Point MacKenzie acres DNR proposes to give AIDEA free, to keep hayfields farmed and build a farm hub instead.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2w ago3 min read

DNR commissioner says governor's office worked 'very closely' on land transfers to AIDEA

DNR's commissioner says the governor's office worked "very closely" on land transfers, including 20,000 free acres for AIDEA, after sending redacted records.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2w ago3 min read

Fish and Game closes eastern Afognak elk hunt Wednesday as harvest nears objective

Hunters reported 15 elk on eastern Afognak against a harvest objective of 16, so Fish and Game is closing the late registration hunt there Wednesday night.

by Bill AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read

Troopers warn of difficult driving on the Parks Highway near Cantwell

Troopers warned of rough driving on the Parks Highway near Cantwell on Monday, after ice near Talkeetna, snow in Broad Pass and a 55 mph gust near Healy.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read

Troopers arrest Shungnak man after shooting puts the village on lockdown

Troopers arrested a Shungnak man, 23, on assault and weapons charges after a Sunday shooting put the village on lockdown. The injuries weren't life-threatening.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read

Anchorage administration tallies $31 million for shelter, outreach and crisis care

Anchorage's mayor tallies $31.26 million for shelter, outreach and crisis care next year. The Assembly chair says not all of that is homelessness spending.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago4 min read

Nearly 8 years after the quake, FEMA closes out repairs at two Mat-Su parks

FEMA closed out its 2018 quake project for roads and picnic shelters at two Mat-Su state parks. Eighty-five of the quake's 374 FEMA projects are still open.

by Melinda Communities.News2w ago1 min readFrom Oct 15

AFN honors a Kiana flying family, a Kotlik Yup'ik teacher and a new trooper

AFN gave its President's Awards to 10 people, from a Kiana flying family whose kids are all pilots to a Kotlik teacher who taught Yup'ik for decades.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2w ago3 min read

Troopers recover stolen snow machine, pickup and camper after Fairbanks burglary

Troopers recovered a stolen snow machine, pickup and camper worth $50,000 after a Fairbanks burglary Saturday. The case remains under investigation.

by Alaska News2w ago1 min read

Nova Minerals plans antimony refinery beside federally funded Port MacKenzie rail line

Nova Minerals will build a rail siding linking its antimony refinery to the federally funded Port MacKenzie rail extension.

by Melinda Communities.News2w ago3 min readFrom Oct 21

Fish and Game closes Kodiak's Ugak and Kiliuda herring waters a day before B season's end

Fish and Game shut Kodiak's Ugak and Kiliuda herring waters Saturday, a day before the B season's end, with about 30% of the season's harvest level caught.

by Bill AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read

DEC repeals rules for sanitation grants lawmakers stopped funding in 2017

Alaska DEC repealed the rules for a community sanitation grant program lawmakers stopped funding in 2017. The cut counts toward its rule-reduction goal.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min readFrom Oct 21

ENSTAR asks regulators to fast-track a deal to borrow MEA's gas for this winter

ENSTAR wants to borrow 1.2 billion cubic feet of MEA's gas for this winter and return it by 2028. Customers would pay the costs, minus a credit on return.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago3 min readFrom Oct 21

Alaska DEC proposes letting some construction start before air permits are issued

Alaska DEC proposed letting companies start building industrial sites before air permits are issued, aimed at short North Slope construction seasons. Public comments are due Dec. 11.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Fairbanks advisory committee to elect seven, with Ambler no-hunting corridor on agenda

Fairbanks' fish and game advisory committee elects seven members Nov. 11, then turns to the Ambler Road no-hunting corridor it already voted 13-0 against.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2w ago3 min read

Alaska may drop 58 education rules, including a 90-day charter school deadline

The state school board wants comment on scrapping 58 education rules, including a 90-day charter school deadline and how library grants are split up.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min readFrom Oct 14

Southeast charter halibut limit could shrink to 32 inches or less under 2027 options

Southeast charter anglers could keep halibut up to 34 inches this year. Regulators are now studying 32 or smaller for 2027. One operator calls 34 "rock bottom."

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago3 min read

Palmer Project companies ask the state to extend their exploration approval to 2033

Two companies want until 2033, not 2028, for the drilling and test pits the state approved at the Palmer copper prospect near Haines. Comments due Nov. 6.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Forecasters track four more storms headed for western Alaska through next week

Forecasters are tracking four more storms behind the one that flooded Hooper Bay's roads Friday. The state's emergency center is staying on alert.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Judge rules Dahlstrom couldn't override APOC on Tagle, a move she also made for Taylor

A judge ruled Lt. Gov. Dahlstrom couldn't override APOC's finding against Jose Tagle. She overrode its finding against Treg Taylor the very same day.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago3 min read

Alaskans can drop off unused prescription drugs Saturday at DEA take-back sites

DEA and Alaska troopers host a no questions asked prescription drug take back day Saturday 10am to 2pm at seven sites statewide.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read

Troopers arrest man, 52, after exhuming two stabbed dogs in Anchor Point

Troopers arrested a 52 year old Anchor Point man Friday after exhuming two buried dogs with stab wounds to the head and neck.

by Maggie AlaskaNews3w ago1 min read

State lets seismic survey near Beluga reach across the Castle Mountain Fault

The state let a Houston seismic company redraw its lines in the Susitna Flats refuge so one reaches across the Castle Mountain Fault. Nobody commented.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Follows: State takes comment on expanding Western Cook Inlet geophysical survey near Beluga

Rose, Holdmann say Southcentral gas imports look unavoidable and urge state policy

The founders of REAP and UAF's energy center say Southcentral probably can't avoid importing gas, and want a new governor to "knock heads" among utilities.

by Bill AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read