Politics & Government
RSSPolitics & Government in Alaska is the activity of state and local elections, lawmaking and public administration. It covers campaigns, ballot measures, ethics and campaign finance, legislative and executive action, and municipal and borough council decisions across Alaska communities.
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Sunday, Sep 13
Fairbanks ordinance would shift board appointments from Assembly to borough mayor
Mayor Hopkins would gain power to appoint most borough board members now split between the Assembly and Fairbanks and North Pole, under an ordinance the Assembly takes up Wednesday.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read
Unalaska raises nonprofit grant audit threshold to $300,000
Unalaska's small nonprofits no longer need a costly annual audit to keep their city grants — one group said audits ate about 13% of its award.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min readFrom 
Troopers seize 4.5 ounces of suspected heroin after Sterling traffic stop
Troopers say they found 4.5 ounces of suspected heroin and two guns in a truck near Sterling, charging the driver with six counts. He's presumed innocent.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read
Soldotna man arrested on DUI and weapons charges after Ninilchik traffic stop
A Soldotna man was arrested after Alaska State Troopers found his green SUV near Ninilchik following REDDI calls and watched it speeding and swerving on the Sterling Highway.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read
Cantwell's volunteer EMS model is straining, Denali Borough officials say
Cantwell's volunteer EMS model is straining as recruiting falters, and Denali Borough officials are weighing whether taxes could fund year-round coverage.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min readFrom 
The Permanent Fund's budget is up $5.3 million, and most of it goes to managers
The fund that pays for most of Alaska's government is raising its own budget $5.3 million. Most of that is fees to outside money managers.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min readFrom 
Craig council backs speed humps, ties removal to studded tire dates
Craig City Council voted to keep speed humps on Tanner Crab Court and Teenage Street, removing them each fall when the state lifts its studded tire ban.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min readFrom 
Kodiak council moves toward leasing historic Griffin building to two museums
Kodiak City Council rejected a church's bid to buy the historic Griffin building and will instead lease it to two museums for storage and exhibits, though lease terms remain unsigned.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min readFrom 
More from Politics & Government
A new Wasilla group spent $43,000 on six House candidates with D.C. money
A Wasilla group registered Sept. 1, took $250,000 from a national Republican committee Sept. 9, and spent $43,000 on six House candidates Sept. 10.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read
Alaska approves three land releases for University of Alaska
Alaska is transferring hundreds of thousands of acres to the University of Alaska under its federal land grant, led by a 220,000-acre Ray Mountains selection.
by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago3 min read
In Kodiak, Sullivan and Peltola agreed on the problems and fought over the fix
Sullivan and Peltola agreed on nearly every fisheries problem in Kodiak and split on what fixing one looks like: laws passed, or fish in the river.
by Alaska News2mo ago3 min read
The hockey association runs Anchorage's city rinks now, for $10 a year
The hockey association took over Anchorage's two city rinks in June for $10 a year. The old operator owed $360,000. The first big repair bill is Tuesday.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read
Saturday, Sep 12
An Anchorage officer killed a woman downtown, by the department's account
An Anchorage officer shot and killed a woman at a downtown apartment Aug. 18. The account comes almost entirely from the police chief.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min readFrom 
Alaska would swap dated national manuals for an undated state guidebook
Alaska hospitals would follow a state guidebook instead of two national manuals for data reporting. The guidebook has no edition date. The manuals do.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read
Troopers arrest Gakona woman on felony meth charges after Glennallen stop
Alaska State Troopers arrested Yahneenah Sinyon of Gakona on felony methamphetamine charges after a Glenn Highway stop on July 22 turned up roughly 73 grams of meth and over $1,000 in cash.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read
Anchorage's Assembly voted to review fewer contracts. August shows what that means
Anchorage's Assembly voted last year to stop reviewing most city contracts. August shows what that means: 24 awards, a $450,000 paving job among them, no votes.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read
About Politics & Government
Politics and government in Alaska takes in state and local elections, lawmaking and public administration. It covers campaigns, ballot measures, campaign finance, legislative and executive action, and decisions by municipal assemblies and borough and city councils.
Recurring questions include how campaigns are funded and who pays for outside spending and political messages, which candidates qualify for the ballot, and how state agencies write and repeal regulations. Local governments such as the Anchorage Assembly and the Ketchikan assembly weigh spending on roads, water systems and police programs.
The subject reaches across the Legislature, state agencies and municipal governments. Advisory boards and councils that take public comment on matters such as state parks and disability policy are part of it as well.
More from Politics & Government
Anchorage owns an aging arts center, and repairs keep outpacing the budget
A heating repair at Anchorage's city-owned performing arts center is running 71 percent over the budget the Assembly set for it back in May.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read
An inspector cited Anchorage's ice rinks for safety valves a decade old
Safety valves at Anchorage's two city ice rinks were due for replacement five years ago. An inspector noticed. The fix is inside a $936,000 repair bill.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read
Fairbanks weighs broader authority to take ownership of abused animals
Fairbanks animal control lacks a direct forfeiture process for abused or neglected animals. A proposed borough rule would add one.
by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read
Two oxygen tanks for the aircraft that fly search and rescue from Kodiak
The Coast Guard told competitors they had until Sept. 11 to weigh in on a Kodiak oxygen tank contract. It signed the deal with Airgas on Sept. 9.
by Melinda Communities.News2mo ago1 min read
The mayor wants two more members on a naming commission that cannot meet
Anchorage's naming commission has five members and needs five to meet, so it hasn't. The mayor wants two more confirmed before it expires next month.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read
Friday, Sep 11
Kenai weighs more money for the Senior Center canopy roof project
Kenai's council votes Wednesday on yet more money for the Senior Center canopy roof, a job that a 2024 plan had put at $50,000 on its own.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read
Air Guard crew rescues two pilots in separate crashes near Palmer and Skwentna
An Alaska Air National Guard helicopter crew rescued two pilots from separate crashes near Palmer and Skwentna on Thursday, flying both to an Anchorage hospital.
by Alaska News2mo ago1 min read
Wind topples two dozen trees onto Tok's power lines, stalling fire recovery
Winds knocked more than two dozen trees onto Tok's power lines Wednesday, some outside the burn scar, cutting power and stalling the Mukluk Fire recovery.
by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read
Alaska has reviewed 22 police shootings since 2024 and charged no one
Alaska prosecutors have reviewed at least 22 police shootings since 2024 and charged no officer. The record clears the officer every time.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago3 min readFrom 
Anchorage pays new ice rink operator $450,000 plus $10 a year
Anchorage Assembly voted unanimously to replace the operator of two city ice rinks after an audit found the previous manager owed $360,000 and missed financial reports.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min readFrom 
Troopers arrest Anchorage man after 85 mph pursuit ends in Wasilla crash
Alaska State Troopers arrested Luke Debaere, 23, after he fled a traffic stop on the Parks Highway and crashed into trees in Wasilla, reaching 85 mph through residential areas.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read
War-driven oil prices are filling Alaska's treasury while straining its households
The same oil price spike is filling Alaska's treasury and straining its households — and Trump's $2 gas promise would take more than the war ending.
by Alaska News2mo ago5 min read
Housing projects can compete for Alaska CDBG grants, with applications due Dec. 4
Alaska's Community Development Block Grant applications are due Friday, Dec. 4, with about $2.5 million available and a maximum of $850,000 per community. Any Alaska municipal government except Anchorage may apply.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read
Ninth Circuit says tribal law cannot shield employees from federal civil rights suits
A federal appeals court ruled tribal governments cannot shield their own employees from civil rights lawsuits by writing immunity into tribal code.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago3 min read
Alaska's federal obligations are down 1.7% this year, and September has barely started
Federal obligations in Alaska are down 1.7 percent through August. Federal spending drove more than half the state's GDP growth since 2015.
by Melinda Communities.News2mo ago1 min read
Alaska's labor board needs a public member, a job of 15 to 20 days a year
Alaska's labor relations board is accepting applications to fill one vacant public seat, requiring labor relations background and about two hours monthly.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read
Anchorage weighs a five-year road-sweeping contract for Eagle River
The Anchorage Assembly decides Tuesday whether to hire Big Bear to sweep road shoulders in the Eagle River area, at up to $2.97 million over five years.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read
Troopers arrest Wasilla driver on DUI, assault charges after rollover
Alaska State Troopers arrested a Wasilla driver on DUI and assault charges after a rollover crash on North Wasilla-Fishhook Road late Wednesday left two people with minor injuries.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read
Man arrested in Soldotna on felony sex offender registry charge
Troopers arrested a 74-year-old Soldotna man Thursday on a felony charge of failing to register as a sex offender, after a probation compliance check. The dispatch says he has two prior convictions for the same offense.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read
Resident accuses Kodiak Island Borough Assembly of illegal poll on remote-meeting rules
A Kodiak resident challenged the borough assembly's survey on remote-meeting rules as violating the Open Meetings Act, though the borough attorney cleared it as preparation for public discussion.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read
Alaska justices affirm commitment despite skipped consent inquiry
Alaska Supreme Court upheld forced commitment and medication for an Anchorage man despite the lower court skipping a required check for voluntary treatment.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read
Flooding closes state vocational rehabilitation office in downtown Fairbanks
Flooding closed the state Department of Labor office in downtown Fairbanks on Friday, Sept. 11, halting walk-in service for vocational rehabilitation and disability employment support.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read
Troopers identify two Savoonga men dead after capsizing near St. Lawrence Island
Two Savoonga men died when their boat capsized off St. Lawrence Island. A 15-year-old survived by clinging to the overturned hull until a search crew found him.
by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min readFrom 
Teller woman indicted in embezzling more than $88,000 from tribe
A former coordinator for a Teller-based tribe was indicted on allegations she took more than $88,000 from the tribe's accounts.
by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read
