Politics & Government

Skagway approves $6.5 million in RV park bonds; senior tax break passes by three votes

Skagway said yes to $6.5 million in bonds to turn its RV park into housing lots. A senior tax break passed by three votes after trailing on election night.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom Oct 6

Follows: Skagway votes Tuesday on $6.5 million in bonds to prepare its RV park for housing lots

Fairbanks commission may send Assembly a report on SS Nenana restoration

Fairbanks' preservation commission may report to the Assembly on the SS Nenana's restoration. Its chair has raised concerns the record doesn't spell out.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

AFN board won't endorse candidates this year after backing Peltola in 2022 and 2024

AFN's board won't endorse any candidates this year, after the group backed Mary Peltola in 2022 and 2024. Peltola is now running for U.S. Senate.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Kenai Peninsula mayor proposes raising volunteer firefighter and EMS tax break to $50,000

A Kenai Peninsula volunteer firefighter's tax break could get five times bigger. In areawide borough tax alone, that's $192.50 a year, up from $38.50.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom Oct 8

Troopers arrest Fairbanks man, 25, after reported robbery at Beaver Sports

Troopers arrested a 25 year old Fairbanks man Monday after a reported robbery at Beaver Sports. He faces first degree robbery, weapons and assault charges.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Anchorage Assembly chair proposes conditional protest of Circle K liquor license transfers

Anchorage Assembly Chair Anna Brawley proposes protesting Circle K's transfer of four package store liquor licenses. A public hearing is set for Oct. 20 at Loussac Library.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readFrom Oct 8

Outside groups report nearly $13 million in Alaska Senate spending in one week

Outside groups reported nearly $13 million in spending on Sullivan vs. Peltola last week, the most yet. Some still haven't had to say who's footing the bill.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read

Follows: Super PAC reports $815,000 more against Peltola as outside spending grows on both sides of Alaska Senate race

Petersburg asks the state for two more tsunami sirens and an updated inundation study

Petersburg wants two more tsunami sirens for its harbors and Papke's Landing. The state would supply them; the borough just pays shipping and upkeep.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom Oct 9

Both dirt bikes stolen in North Pole on Sunday recovered, troopers say

Two dirt bikes were stolen in North Pole early Sunday. Both are back, one found on the same street and one recovered by city police after a traffic stop.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

State to hold veteran career expo in Anchorage the day before Veterans Day

Alaska has more veterans per capita than any other state. The day before Veterans Day, the state labor department wants to help some of them land jobs.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Kenai commission weighs ending newspaper publication of land notices

Kenai's Planning and Zoning Commission meets Wednesday to weigh recommending an end to newspaper publication of zoning and land notices, shifting them to a city webpage instead.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Kodiak Assembly to weigh $300,000 for landfill fence after state says bears are getting in

Kodiak's landfill bear fence is no longer effective, state wildlife officials told the borough. The Assembly takes up $300,000 for a perimeter fence Thursday.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Follows: Kodiak waste board passes bear resolution after softening its wording

Anchorage Assembly takes up surveillance rules again as sponsors flag Axon contract data terms

Sponsors say the Axon contract lets the company keep police metadata indefinitely. The city attorney says Axon can't see plate data. Round two is Wednesday.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom Sep 25

Follows: Warrant rule for sharing police camera data splits Anchorage Assembly surveillance drafts

DEC plans to cut 20% of its discretionary rules by year's end under Dunleavy order

DEC plans to trim about 2,600 of its roughly 13,000 discretionary rules by year's end, including laser standards for a program it says it doesn't have.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Kenai library rules move out of city code Friday and into staff-approved policy

Kenai's library rules leave city code Friday, and the sleeping ban goes with them: seated "quiet rest" will be fine, but lying down still won't.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Homer council to hear ordinance letting residents live-trap feral rabbits

Homer may finally let residents trap the feral rabbits damaging their homes. The catch: the shelter mostly can't take them, and you can't let them go.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Alaska repeals its 1971 laser safety rules, which still listed asbestos as a beam stop

Alaska is scrapping its 1971 laser safety rules, including one that lists asbestos as a beam stop. Nobody sent in a comment. They're gone Nov. 8.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min readFrom Oct 7

Sullivan and Peltola trade Epstein donor attacks that outrun the record

Sullivan and Peltola each accuse the other of taking money from Epstein's associates. The records back parts of both attacks and undercut the rest.

by Cale Green1mo ago10 min read

Permanent Fund sends $3.8 billion to the state as it grows to $91.9 billion

The Permanent Fund grew to $91.9 billion and sent $3.8 billion to the state, about two-thirds of Alaska's unrestricted revenue. Not bad for a $734,000 start.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Alaska labor agency scraps its rules for religious objectors to public unions

Alaska's labor agency is scrapping its rules for religious objectors to unions, calling them moot after Janus. The law requiring the exemption stays.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom Oct 5

Federal judge moves to restrict filings by plaintiff who brought 71 lawsuits in a year

A federal judge says one plaintiff filed 71 lawsuits in a year and moved to make her get court approval before filing anything else in Alaska federal court.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read

Driver faces assault charges over threats to EMS after Anderson rollover

Gregory Ashley faces assault charges after threatening EMS workers and their families during treatment following a rollover crash in Anderson on Friday while under the influence of alcohol.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Soldotna man arrested on DUI and assault charges after rear-end crash, troopers say

Alaska State Troopers arrested a 35-year-old Soldotna man Friday night on assault, DUI, and three other charges after he rear-ended a stopped car near Ciechanski and tried to leave the scene.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Troopers find crashed Jeep abandoned on Chena Pump Road in Ester

Alaska State Troopers found a crashed Jeep abandoned on Chena Pump Road in Ester early Saturday, Oct. 10, with footprints leading away from the vehicle.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Air Guard helicopter flies critically injured worker to Anchorage hospital

An Alaska Air National Guard helicopter crew flew a critically injured worker from a remote site 75 miles northwest of Anchorage to Providence Alaska Medical Center on Wednesday, Oct. 7.

by Alaska News1mo ago1 min read

Legislature seeks bids for Mat-Su office space as Wasilla lease runs out of renewals

The Legislature is taking bids for a Mat-Su office for nine local lawmakers. The Wasilla lease runs out of renewals in 2027, and there's no set budget.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readFrom Oct 2

Trump claims permanent Greenland security control in Leif Erikson Day message

Trump says a security deal with Denmark and Greenland gives the U.S. permanent control over Greenland's defense, but Greenland says it retains approval rights over new U.S. military areas.

by Alaska News1mo ago1 min read

Troopers arrest Pitka's Point man, 27, on eight sexual abuse and assault counts

Alaska State Troopers arrested a 27-year-old Pitka's Point man Thursday on eight counts of sexual abuse of a minor and sexual assault following a report received Tuesday.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Mat-Su Assembly to revisit lake and river setback rules in a special meeting

Mat-Su Borough Assembly special meeting Oct. 20 on waterbody setbacks, the 75-foot rule for lakes and streams, after an earlier advisory board's recommendations.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Kodiak Island Borough tax payments due Thursday; mailed payments should be hand canceled

Mailing your Kodiak property tax payment? Get it hand canceled. Postmarks now show where mail is processed, not when you dropped it off. Due Thursday.

by Alaska News1mo ago1 min read

Federal judge strikes down DOJ voter-list program that took Alaska's full voter rolls

A federal judge struck down the Justice Department program that took every registered Alaska voter's personal data last December, ruling it broke federal law.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read

St. Paul schedules two open houses on harbor improvement plans

St. Paul received over $15 million in federal grants to renovate its aging harbor on St. Paul Island through summer 2030, improving safety and capacity at a key Pribilof maritime access point.

by Melinda Communities.News1mo ago2 min readFrom Sep 18

Eagle River man, 72, dies after falling overboard on Talkeetna River

Charles Kolb, 72, of Eagle River died Thursday after falling overboard on the Talkeetna River despite lifesaving efforts by another boater and emergency crews.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Alaska joins request for court approval of three generic drug price-fixing settlements

Alaska and 44 states asked a court to approve drug price-fixing settlements. Alaskans can file claims for a share by March 8, 2027.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Wildlife trooper rescues two Petersburg boaters stranded overnight on the Stikine River

Two Petersburg boaters spent a rainy night stuck on the Stikine River after their jet boat wouldn't go back in the water. A wildlife trooper brought them home.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Pincush leads Brazelton 55-32 in Whittier write-in race after remaining ballots counted

Whittier's last ballots are counted: write-in David Pincush leads Heather Brazelton 55-32 for seat E, unofficially. Six questioned ballots were rejected.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Seward canvass board counts 64 ballots in city council race

Seward's canvass board counted 64 ballots Friday from the Oct. 6 municipal election, with Robert Barnwell leading the five-candidate city council race at 33 votes.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Alaska launches online renewals for SNAP, Medicaid and four other programs

Alaskans can now renew SNAP, Medicaid and four other benefits online instead of filling out the paper form. Paper still works, just don't do both.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Anchorage police ask for help finding missing 14-year-old Luna Thompson

Anchorage police are asking for help finding 14-year-old Luna Thompson, last seen near the 7000 block of Linden Circle. Call 311, option 1, with tips.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Alaska Supreme Court rules early ICWA errors don't undo a later termination that followed the law

The Alaska Supreme Court held that ICWA errors in the early removal stage of a child welfare case don't undo a later termination that followed the law.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read