People & Culture
RSSPeople & Culture in Alaska is a topic covering the institutions and programs that shape health, education and community life. It takes in schools, public health, Medicaid and EMS policy, rural hospitals, and tribal organizations serving Alaska Native communities.
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Week of Oct 19
Federal money would put portable X-ray units in Northwest Arctic village clinics
Maniilaq Association is set to get $218,964 to put portable X-ray units in Northwest Arctic village clinics, aiming to cut patient flights out for imaging.
by Alaska News3w ago3 min read
Alaska, last in medical residency slots, plans $6.4 million for doctor training
Alaska ranks last among states in slots for training new doctors. The state is steering about $6.4 million in federal rural health money to residencies.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read
Mat-Su school board denies community bid to reopen Meadow Lakes Elementary as a charter
Mat-Su's school board formally turned down a community plan to reopen closed Meadow Lakes Elementary as an outdoor charter school. The group can appeal.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read
Mat-Su parent asks school board to protect the school nurses her son relies on
A Mat-Su mom told the school board her first-grader needs trained care every two hours and asked it to keep school nurses. A committee is weighing options.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read
Alaska summer meal sponsors will apply on a new state platform in 2027
Summer meal sponsors will switch to a new state system for applications and claims in 2027. Last summer the program served 1.3 million meals to Alaska kids.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago1 min readFrom 
Willow Commons stays full in its first six months, health department says
Willow Commons' 32 units have stayed full since March, and 27 of 58 residents finished treatment. The city's startup money for the operator ran out in July.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago3 min read
Alaska districts have until Nov. 15 to recertify more than 15,000 migratory children
Alaska counted more than 15,000 children as migratory last year, a program built largely on fishing for food. Districts must recertify them by Nov. 15.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read
Anchorage School Board will pick interim superintendent from within ASD, vote in November
Want to be Anchorage's interim superintendent? You'd better already work for ASD. The board is taking internal applicants only, through Oct. 30.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min readFrom 
More from People & Culture
Central Peninsula Hospital gets OK for an ear, nose and throat clinic in Soldotna
Central Peninsula Hospital plans an ear, nose and throat clinic, likely in 2027. A doctor warned that once the area's ENT retires, it's Anchorage or bust.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min readFrom 
Alaska faces $45 million SNAP bill unless error rate drops below 6%, commissioner says
Alaska's health commissioner says the state has until year's end to cut its SNAP error rate from 20% to under 6%, or the next governor gets a $45 million bill.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read
Six of seven Alaska air service routes draw one bid each, all seeking more federal money
Six of seven roadless Alaska towns up for federally subsidized flights got exactly one bid, from the airline already there. All of them want a raise.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago3 min read
State seeks help preventing falls that killed 74 older Alaskans in 2025
Falls led to 74 deaths among older Alaskans last year, the state says. It's now recruiting seniors, caregivers and clinics into a free prevention group.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read
Chugachmiut offers Native Youth Olympics travel and coaching aid in seven communities
Chugachmiut will help cover Native Youth Olympics travel, coaching and event costs for students in seven Chugach region communities through 2030.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago1 min read
Week of Oct 12
Iḷisaġvik College wins approval for distance-learning Unangax̂ Studies certificate
Students on St. Paul Island and in other remote towns can now earn an accredited certificate in Unangam Tunuu, the Unangan language, without leaving home.
by Maggie AlaskaNews3w ago2 min readFrom 
Alaska asks for free civics lessons as a new graduation requirement approaches
Alaska students starting high school in fall 2027 will need to pass civics to graduate. The state is asking for free lessons to post, not writing its own.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago3 min read
Diabetes program funding 22 Alaska tribal health groups faces a Dec. 31 deadline
A federal diabetes program pays for prevention and treatment at 22 Alaska tribal health organizations. Its authorization ends Dec. 31 unless Congress acts.
by Maggie AlaskaNews3w ago2 min readFrom 
About People & Culture
People and Culture in Alaska takes in schools, health care, social services and community life across the state. It covers the public institutions people rely on day to day, from school boards and clinics to water systems and food assistance.
Schools are a large part of it: school boards decide budgets, charter schools and building closures, and building schools in rural villages carries high construction costs. Public health agencies deal with drinking water safety, tuberculosis and overdose response, while the state manages Medicaid billing and SNAP administration.
Tribal health and service organizations, such as Maniilaq Association and Tanana Chiefs Conference, deliver care and aid in rural regions. Alaska Native language programs, from reading screeners to college certificates, and arts and cultural projects round out the subject.
More from People & Culture
Whooping cough shots cut young kids’ odds of getting sick by 96%, state says
During Alaska's record whooping cough outbreak, young kids with at least three shots were about 96% less likely to get a confirmed case, a state study found.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago3 min read
Alaska seeks contractor for ethics and budget course new law requires of school boards
Alaska school board members starting a term must take an ethics and budget course within 30 days. The state just started shopping for someone to write it.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read
Soldotna Elementary parents and staff seek to convert their school to a charter
Soldotna Elementary parents and teachers want to turn their neighborhood school into a charter. A district committee picks the plan back up Monday.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read
Mt. Edgecumbe review ends with 22 recommendations to the state board
A state review of Mt. Edgecumbe ends with 22 recommendations, from dorm rules to calling parents. Enrollment at the school is still below capacity.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago3 min read
Alaska sets final rules for $75 million in rural health grants, due Oct. 28
Alaska has $75 million in rural health grants to hand out this fall. Last round, applicants asked for about nine times what was available. Due Oct. 28.
by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago1 min read
Alaska school boards to weigh tax-credit scholarships, immigration enforcement near schools
Alaska's school boards vote Nov. 8 on 14 proposed positions, from tax-credit scholarships to immigration enforcement near schools. Sitka sent half of them.
by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago3 min read
Draft study backs regional co-ops for rural Alaska tank farms, comments due Friday
A draft study says rural Alaska tank farms should team up in regional co-ops to save money. Comments are due Friday, so speak now or hold your diesel.
by Maggie AlaskaNews4w ago3 min read
Denali Borough fire chiefs to meet every other week on Cantwell winter coverage
Denali Borough fire chiefs will huddle every other week to keep Cantwell's fire and EMS going this winter while the borough chases federal rural health money.
by Maggie AlaskaNews4w ago1 min read
AlaskaCare retirees can ask the state about dental, vision coverage Thursday
AlaskaCare retirees get a call with the state Thursday on their dental, vision and hearing plan. They pay the full premium, and it went up in January.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read
Kenai parks director hopes to bring mural costs and artist options in January
Kenai wants murals on its blank walls. Step one: get the artist to call back. The parks director hopes to have costs and options by January.
by Alaska News1mo ago2 min read
Valdez school board asks city for $15.1 million, a 29% increase over this year
Valdez's taxable value jumped 56%, and the school board wants its share: $15.1 million from the city, up nearly 29% from this year. The council decides.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read
Alaska pre-K programs will no longer need mental health consultation to get state funding
Alaska pre-K programs no longer need mental health consultation or coaching to get state funding. The ban on expelling 4-year-olds stays put.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readFrom 
Premera would save Homer money over Moda next year but raise employees' copays
Homer can pay Moda about $197,000 more in 2027 or switch to cheaper Premera plans with higher copays. Its broker says Premera may be "buying the business."
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read
Alaska has $27 million to get PFAS and other contaminants out of drinking water
Alaska has $27 million in federal money to get PFAS out of drinking water. Most of the projects lined up for it are about a different problem: manganese.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read
Alaska leads the nation in TB, and its immunization system will stop tracking TB tests
VacTrAK will stop tracking TB tests in 2027. Alaska has the nation's highest TB rate, and most of last year's cases were in Southwest Alaska.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago5 min read
Week of Oct 5
Alaska House members ask FCC to preserve E-Rate school internet discounts
Twenty-one Alaska House members asked the FCC to preserve E-Rate, which discounts school internet. Alaska's own school broadband grant depends on it.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom 
State seeks consultant to design first formula for infant learning program money
Alaska is hiring a contractor to design its first structured formula for dividing Infant Learning Program grants among 15 regional programs, with a $200,000 contract and Oct. 28 proposal deadline.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom 
Alaskans get nine Medicare drug plans for 2027, priced $5.30 to $191.50 a month
Alaska has nine Medicare drug plans for 2027, from $5.30 to $191.50 a month. The cheapest premium isn't always the cheapest plan once your prescriptions count.
by Alaska News1mo ago2 min read
Proposed rules would let Alaska schools bill Medicaid for any eligible student
Alaska schools could bill Medicaid for therapy and behavioral health care for any eligible student, not just kids with disabilities. Comments due Nov. 6.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom 
Alaska's fall round of rural health transformation money will be smaller and exclude renovations, Hedberg says
Alaska's next round of federal rural health money will be smaller and won't cover renovations. Applications are due Oct. 28. Double-check the time.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read
Alaska State Museum sketching series returns Saturday with guest artist Alec Dye
Juneau artist Alec Dye leads the Alaska State Museum's sketching series Saturday, Oct. 10, from 1:30 to 3:30 pm, free for members and donation-based for others.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read
Alzheimer's Association offers $50,000 grants for Tribal health programs' dementia work
Tribal health programs in Alaska can apply for $50,000 from the Alzheimer's Association to dedicate a staff member to dementia work. Applications close Nov. 10.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read
University of Oregon seeks proposals for reading screeners in two more Alaska Native languages
Two more Alaska Native languages could get reading screeners for students learning to read in them. The University of Oregon wants proposals by Oct. 30.
by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read
FCC clears SpaceX to send satellite service straight to phones in Alaska and the rest of the U.S.
The FCC cleared SpaceX to beam service from 15,000 planned satellites straight to phones, Alaska included, with no wireless carrier in the middle.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read
