Economy & Business

Bethel tells water customers to get their lines and tanks ready for freeze-up

Bethel told water customers to turn on their heat trace or glycol and keep hookups reachable. If a service line freezes anyway, the owner has to fix it.

by Bill AlaskaNews1w ago3 min read

Couple seeks five more years for their floathome in Camp Coogan Bay near Sitka

A couple wants five more years to keep their floathome moored on state tidelands in Camp Coogan Bay near Sitka. Comments to the state are due Nov. 18.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1w ago1 min read

Mat-Su picks Front Street site for Talkeetna water tank as some residents object

Mat-Su picked a wooded Front Street lot for Talkeetna's new water tank. Some neighbors want it at the old plant; the borough would rather own its land.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min read

Kenai parks commission backs dropping park status from Ahlstrom Park lot

Kenai's parks commission voted 5-0 to recommend dropping park status from a 2.32-acre lot that never became a park. Planners eyed a more central spot.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Follows: Kenai parks commission to weigh dropping park status from Ahlstrom Park lot

Kenai land plan would auction part of the sports complex parcel for housing

Kenai's parks commission backed a plan to auction a corner of the sports complex parcel for housing. The memo doesn't say if it overlaps protected acres.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

State energy agency says it never talked to firm that listed its power cable as a partner

A firm pitching an undersea AI data center in Cook Inlet called the state's planned power cable a "Strategic Partner." The state says they never talked.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min read

Follows: Kenai asks to join the federal review of a proposed undersea data center in Cook Inlet

Eight GCI technicians will vote on joining a union over the company's objection

Eight GCI technicians will vote by mail on joining the IBEW after a federal labor official ordered an election over GCI's objection. Ballots count Dec. 15.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Alaska oil falls from its highest price since 2008, trimming one windfall estimate

Alaska oil slid 6.6% in two days from its highest price since 2008. One budget group's windfall estimate fell about $400 million in a week. Still way above $75.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min read

Follows: Alaska oil nears its highest price since 2008, far above what the state budgeted

Mat-Su board approves Willow-area land split without requiring a mile-plus road

Mat-Su's Platting Board OK'd splitting 40 acres near Willow into two lots without building the 6,800-foot road borough rules would normally require.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1w ago1 min read

Follows: Willow-area owners ask Mat-Su to let them split 40 acres without building a mile-plus road

GCI says court ruling could disrupt subsidies behind nearly half its revenue

A court says the FCC illegally created the group that runs its telecom subsidy fund. GCI gets 47% of its revenue from it and can't say what that means yet.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min read

State energy board votes on nearly $5 million solar loan for Red Dog Mine

The state energy board votes Thursday on a nearly $5 million loan for solar at Red Dog Mine, sized to stay just under the line where the Legislature gets a say.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Wasilla council weighs $73,865 more to finish its first new growth plan since 2011

Wasilla's growth plan dates to 2011. The council Monday considers paying DOWL $73,865 more to finish the new one, which goes to the public in January.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Army has no date for a Fort Wainwright microreactor as experts flag permafrost

The Army still has no date for a microreactor at Fort Wainwright. Its Arctic workshop says testing how to set one on permafrost is a high near-term priority.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min read

Whittier harbor's new meters produced $7,000 bills and its new floats cracked

Whittier's harbor got new power meters and new concrete floats. Some meters spat out $7,000 bills, and the floats started cracking. Updates come Tuesday.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Alaska energy authority faces a $410 million gap for two Railbelt grid projects

Alaska's energy authority wants $142.3 million from lawmakers for a Cook Inlet power cable and still needs $268 million for a Healy line. That's $410 million.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Follows: A second power link to Kenai would run under Cook Inlet

Fairbanks borough mayor proposes capping whole-home short-term rentals

Fairbanks' borough mayor wants to cap whole-home short-term rentals and charge $250 a room to register them, saying they've shrunk the housing supply.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago4 min read

Free one-on-one computer help offered twice a week at the Mat-Su Job Center

Stuck on an online job application, a sketchy email or Excel? Free tutors at the Mat-Su Job Center in Wasilla will sit down with you twice a week.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min read

Mat-Su finishes Fern Street rebuild with new Cottonwood Creek fish culvert

Mat-Su finished part of its Fern Street rebuild, swapping culverts that blocked salmon from most of Cottonwood Creek. Walkers got a path; fish got a door.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1w ago3 min read

Comment closes on giving the energy authority state land at Bradley Lake at no cost

The state proposes giving land around Bradley Lake hydro to the Alaska Energy Authority at no cost. Comment closed Tuesday. It's tied to expansion financing.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min read

Kensington mine's gold output falls 21%, but high gold prices keep it profitable

Kensington mine near Juneau dug up a fifth less gold this summer than last year, at a higher cost per ounce. High gold prices still kept it in the black.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Matson expects modestly lower Alaska volume this year after a 4.8% quarterly drop

Matson had a stronger-than-expected quarter, mostly thanks to China. Its Alaska volume fell 4.8%, and it now expects a modestly lower year for Alaska.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min read

ConocoPhillips' Alaska earnings more than triple to $423 million on higher oil prices

ConocoPhillips made $423 million in Alaska last quarter, more than triple a year ago, mostly because oil got pricier, not because it pumped much more.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Federal contracting in Alaska: Mendenhall Glacier visitor center plan gets more design money in federal contracts

This week's federal work for Alaska firms: more design money for Mendenhall Glacier's visitor center plan, wildfire plane upkeep and a lot of office paper.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Wasilla council takes up $6 million state loan to expand its wastewater plant

Wasilla's wastewater plant treats septage in one digester from about 1989, and staff say the city has outgrown it. The council weighs a $6 million loan Monday.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Egan Drive's winter 45 mph speed limit is now in effect in Juneau through Jan. 31

Egan Drive's speed limit near Fred Meyer in Juneau is 45 mph through Jan. 31, down from 55 mph. The stretch sees heavy crashes in winter, and a permanent traffic signal fix isn't expected until 2027.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Fastwyre asks the state to let it end cable TV in Galena and Unalaska after 41 years

Fastwyre wants to unplug cable TV in Galena and Unalaska on New Year's Eve, saying new gear isn't worth it for 70 accounts. Customers get to keep the box.

by Melinda Communities.News1w ago3 min read

AIDEA board approves up to $10 million stake in Augustine volcano geothermal project

AIDEA's board OK'd up to $10 million for a stake in a company that wants to tap the heat under Augustine, an active volcano in Cook Inlet. The terms come later.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

State's draft plan would replace, not repair, Kodiak's Sargent Creek Bridge

Kodiak's cracked Sargent Creek Bridge was in line for a temporary fix. The state's draft road plan now calls for a $6.8 million replacement in 2029.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Anchorage Assembly delays Missing Middle housing vote again, this time to Dec. 1

The Anchorage Assembly scheduled its Missing Middle housing vote for a Friday at noon, then unscheduled it. It's now Dec. 1, the second delay in four weeks.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago4 min read

Follows: Planners say Missing Middle overlay fits Anchorage's comprehensive plan

Alcohol tax advocates ask Anchorage to put more into prevention and treatment

Groups behind Anchorage's alcohol tax say it put nothing into substance misuse treatment in 2025 or 2026, with none planned for 2027. They want a change.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min read

State proposes more riverbed for Alyeska to protect buried pipeline near Coldfoot

A river north of Coldfoot is wearing away toward the buried trans-Alaska pipeline. The state wants to give Alyeska more riverbed for a rock structure.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min read

NovaGold shareholders approve trading stock for Paulson's share of Donlin Gold

NovaGold shareholders voted to swap stock for Paulson's 40% of Donlin Gold, which would give one company the project. Building it waits on a 2027 study.

by Melinda Communities.News1w ago3 min read

Follows: NovaGold sets Nov. 3 vote on owning all of Donlin; filing details a dropped three-way deal

Kuukpik and SAExploration seek state permit for a winter seismic survey near Nuiqsut

Nuiqsut's village corporation and SAExploration want to run a winter seismic survey over 205 square miles, including ground Santos wants to develop.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Juneau pushes state to keep a second Douglas Island bridge in its road plan

Juneau told the state a second bridge to Douglas Island is "a must" for its next road plan. The state's draft has no money for it. DOT says it's still active.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Cordova council approves lease-to-own land deal that requires three new homes

Cordova voted to lease city land to a builder who must put up three 3-bedroom homes within five years. Do that, and he can buy it for about $102,500.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

State transportation department urges drivers to slow down as Alaska roads turn wintry

The state transportation department wants Alaskans to slow down as roads turn wintry, since speed limits assume good conditions. Also: stop tailgating the plow.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min read

Wasilla's first new growth plan since 2011 heads to public comment in January

Wasilla is rewriting the plan for how the city grows, its first since 2011. Residents get to weigh in on a draft in January. Density is still undecided.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Manh Choh partner expects the low end of its 2026 forecast after rain cut an ore run short

Contango says September rain cut short a run of Manh Choh ore at the Fort Knox mill. The gold mine near Tok is now headed for the low end of its 2026 forecast.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min readFrom Oct 28

Follows: Kinross's Alaska mine output falls 29% as less Manh Choh ore reaches the mill

GVEA video shows Interior members how to audit their own home energy use

A car plugged in all night can cost $50 to $150 a month, GVEA says in a new video walking Interior members through a do-it-yourself home energy audit.

by Bill AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Mountain Village's boil water notice nears a year as the state seeks engineers for upgrades

Mountain Village has been under a boil water notice for nearly a year because of low pressure. The state now wants engineers to design new pumps and mains.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read