Economy & Business
RSSAlaska News covers state economic issues including cannabis banking, state dividends, and business development opportunities.
Delta Junction inventor wins design patent for sports bra with built-in neck guard
A woman in Delta Junction, population 918 at the last census, owns the look of a sports bra with a built-in neck guard for the next 15 years.
by Alaska News1w ago2 min readAI
Southcentral's gas storage is two-thirds full with winter coming
Southcentral's gas storage is two thirds full heading into winter, and one field shuts down for maintenance starting Monday.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
Skagway Ferry Terminal Set to Reopen After 26-Day Closure
Skagway's ferry terminal reopens today after a 26-day closure caused by cracked concrete and deteriorated anchor chains, forcing vehicle traffic through Canada during peak season.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min readAI
Wasilla weighs a plan to nearly double its airport runway
Wasilla wants to nearly double its airport runway in a $279 million, 20-year plan — a bid to serve bigger planes as the Mat-Su Valley keeps growing.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min readAI
Aleut Ventures opens Frosty Fuels crew and fueling facility at Cold Bay Airport
Aleut Ventures opened a crew facility at Cold Bay Airport this September, adding lodging and ground support as part of a $1.25 million investment in North Pacific aviation infrastructure.
by Bill AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
No license covers driving a concrete mixer, so this Alaska company teaches it
No license covers driving a concrete mixer, so a North Pole company supplying Fairbanks concrete since the 1950s teaches the whole craft in-house.
by Melinda Communities.Newsadded 1w ago2 min readAI
Alaska moves to cap what workers' comp pays for creams and patches
Alaska wants to cap what workers' comp pays for creams and patches — after minor formula tweaks were billed at hundreds or thousands of dollars.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
Three Alaska governor candidates agree on the problems, diverge on government's role
Three candidates for governor agreed Alaska faces serious problems but split on solutions at a Tuesday forum. The fourth, Bernadette Wilson, did not attend.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago7 min readAI
Kodiak's manager wants to sell lakeside land. Its planners say keep it.
Kodiak's borough manager applied to sell land near Beaver Lake. The borough's own planning staff recommend keeping it, calling the ground too wet to build.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
Cordova weighs an $870,000 electrified bear fence for its landfill
Cordova is spending as much as $870,000 to keep bears out of its landfill. A resident says the cattle guards in the design are made for cows.
by Bill AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
Ketchikan borough seeks proposals for Herring Cove neighborhood plan
Ketchikan borough voted to hire a planning firm for Herring Cove, where 55,000 to 60,000 annual visitors overwhelm a site with no sidewalks, restrooms, or bear-proof trash bins.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 1w ago2 min readAI
Homer transfers its ice house lease to Silver Bay Seafoods
The Homer City Council approved transferring the Fish Dock Road ice house lease from OBI Seafoods to Silver Bay Seafoods, catching up to an existing change.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 1w ago1 min readAI
Anchorage weighs paving and expanding the Basher Trailhead lot
Anchorage would pave and expand the 16-car Basher Trailhead lot to 52 spaces. Staff back it but warn it could draw more cars if parking isn't priced.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
Juneau board to hear flood update as barrier upkeep costs climb
Juneau's Utility Advisory Board gets an update Thursday on last month's glacial flood, which damaged 12 homes, as barrier upkeep costs climb.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min readAI
A Fairbanks entrance is closed while crews build a year-round bike path
An entrance to South University Avenue is closed through Monday while Fairbanks builds a 1.8-mile bike and pedestrian path designed for year-round use.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min readAI
Matanuska Electric posts its list of $451,000 in unclaimed capital credits
Matanuska Electric says more than $451,000 in capital credits sit unclaimed by current and former members, with one owed roughly $15,000.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 1w ago2 min readAI
The public dock at King Salmon Airport would stay open five more years
The public boat and floatplane dock at King Salmon Airport would stay open under the Bristol Bay Borough for another five years under a state extension.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min readAI
An Anchorage housing ordinance does more than its title says
Anchorage's shop-house ordinance would also shrink the minimum commercial lot to about 2,700 square feet. The city says it outgrew its own title.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
Alyeska wants the pipeline on state land until 2064
Alyeska asked the state to renew the pipeline lease through 2064, eight years early. Its own letter argues the commissioner is required to approve it.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
AT&T's parking lot at the Anchorage port could stay until 2041
AT&T's parking and storage yard at the Anchorage port could stay through 2041, though rent has only been set for the first five of those 15 years.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min readAI
Juneau harbor board weighs charter passenger fee of $7.50, up from $2.05
Juneau's port director wants to raise the charter passenger fee at Statter Harbor to $7.50 per person, up from $2.05, to help fund harbor expansion.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
A third of Anchorage's buses are past their federal life span
A third of Anchorage's full-size bus fleet is past its federal useful life. The Assembly votes Sept. 15 on replacing six of the 26 aging buses.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min readAI
Kodiak is replacing hospital power switches nobody makes parts for anymore
Kodiak is replacing four 27-year-old power switches at the hospital that no longer have available parts, spending $151,155 on design work before construction begins.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
A $2 fix could cut $49,944 a year off Bethel's fitness center energy bill
Two dollars. That is what Bethel would have to spend to cut nearly $50,000 a year off the fitness center energy bill, according to an audit.
by Maggie AlaskaNews1w ago1 min readAI
The roof went on wrong at Bethel's gym expansion and has to come off
The roof and walls went on wrong at Bethel's gym expansion. They come back off at no cost to the city, and nobody has set a new completion date.
by Maggie AlaskaNews1w ago1 min readAI
Anchorage weighs $2.8M state payment, most of it for winter shelter
Anchorage cut $1 million in contracted surge shelter beds when alcohol tax revenue fell short. State money would put them back ahead of winter.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 1w ago2 min readAI
Massachusetts firm seeks study permit for a 66-pod undersea data center in Cook Inlet
A Delaware company formed in January wants to put 66 data center pods and 350 tidal turbines on the floor of Cook Inlet. Comment closes Nov. 2.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
A Fox placer miner asked to move Treasure Creek. The state's public notice says equipment and an operator.
A miner near Fox wants to move part of Treasure Creek, but the state's public notice describes the request in eight words and never mentions the creek.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
Anchorage Assembly ordinance restores parking permit rule its planning commission voted 8-0 to cut
Anchorage's planning commission voted unanimously to drop a parking lot restriction. The Assembly sponsors put it back in and will take it up Oct. 20.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
Kenai beautification panel floats $700,000 tennis and pickleball court rebuild
Rebuilding Kenai High's tennis courts into two tennis and four pickleball courts would run about $700,000, the parks director told a commission.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min readAI
Cordova commission backs sealed proposals for Davis Avenue hillside lot
Cordova Planning Commission voted to recommend sealed bids for a 6,740-square-foot city lot above Davis Avenue, requiring 30 days of public notice if the City Council approves.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min readAI
Anchorage weighs who decides when cold-weather shelter opens
An Anchorage ordinance up Sept. 15 would let the health director decide when emergency shelter opens, replacing the current 45-degree trigger.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min readAI
Anchorage company wins patent for adjustable pipeline support
Two Anchorage inventors have patented a pipeline support you can raise or lower with a hand crank — a simple fix for supports that shift as permafrost thaws.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
State proposes 55-year Adak Airport lease, competing bids due Oct. 8
Alaska wants to lease airport land at Adak, a remote island now drawing military and space interest, for 55 years — one of the longest terms it allows.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
Anchorage could shrink its minimum lot size by two-thirds under a pending ordinance
Anchorage could cut its minimum single-family lot to a third of current size and let buildings cover 70 percent of it. The hearing is Sept. 15.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
Wells Fargo keeps shrinking in Alaska, where it's the only bank in six towns
Wells Fargo keeps closing Alaska branches — nine since 2019, the latest in Anchorage. In six Alaska towns it's the only bank, and could leave them with none.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 1w ago2 min readAI
Missing an unemployment filing could cost Alaska employers five times as much
Alaska employers behind on unemployment insurance paperwork could pay $2,927 per worker next year instead of $542. Third quarter reports are due Oct. 31.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min readAI
Unalaska wants $5 million to pave the road serving America's busiest fishing port
The country's largest fishing port by poundage is served by a gravel road. Paving it is now Unalaska's top request of Congress, at $5 million.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 1w ago2 min readAI
Unalaska makes its failing airport terminal a top funding priority
Unalaska made a failing airport terminal its top request for state money next year, moving it from last on the list to first.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 1w ago1 min readAI
Mat-Su moves to lease Port MacKenzie land to an antimony company
Mat-Su is moving to lease 42.78 acres of port land to an antimony company. The commission that recommended it published no minutes or vote count.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 1w ago3 min readAI
