Politics & Government

Juneau weighs taxing nonprofit sales to help close its budget gap

Juneau is weighing whether nonprofits should pay sales tax like small businesses — a move that could raise $3.3 million but squeeze groups like the symphony.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Kodiak's school board has met four times over something it will not name

Kodiak's school board has met four times in 18 days on a personnel matter identified only as "KAP," entirely in closed session, with no minutes published.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Troopers search by air and ground for missing hunter near Halibut Cove

Alaska State Troopers are searching by air and ground near Halibut Cove for a solo hunter who stopped communicating with his wife Monday evening and has not been found.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Juneau's new flood evacuation maps were in use within a month

Juneau updated its Mendenhall Valley evacuation maps in July. By mid-August residents were being told to leave, as the river hit major flood stage again.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min readFrom Jul 8

Bethel council to take up a holiday rescheduling rule, in a code section that does not set meeting dates

Bethel's city council could reschedule meetings that fall on holidays under an ordinance introduced Tuesday, Sept. 8.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Wasilla man arrested at Anchorage courthouse on sexual abuse warrant

A 59-year-old Wasilla man was arrested Sept. 1 on an outstanding warrant and faces multiple counts of second- and third-degree sexual abuse of a minor.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

More than 200 turn out in Fairbanks to question Alaska's governor candidates

More than 200 people turned out in Fairbanks to grill Alaska's governor candidates at a nonpartisan Native Vote mixer ahead of the primary vote.

by Maggie AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago1 min read

Unalaska raises the audit threshold for its nonprofit grant recipients

Unalaska has raised the audit threshold for nonprofit grantees to $40,000, after one grantee said audit costs ate roughly 13 percent of its city award.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago2 min read

Mat-Su explores building the troopers a new home and leasing it back

Mat-Su is exploring building troopers a $13 million facility and leasing it back. Troopers now work from six buildings never designed for police work.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Motorcyclist critically injured in Kalifornsky Beach Road crash near Kasilof

A motorcyclist struck a turning pickup truck on Kalifornsky Beach Road near Kasilof on Monday and was flown to Seattle with life-threatening injuries.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Kodiak Assembly takes up its vacancy rewrite Thursday, with the public hearing Sept. 17

Kodiak Island Borough Assembly will introduce Thursday an ordinance that would start the clock for filling vacant seats the day a resignation is accepted and allow electronic applications.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Districts learned about $115 million after school had already started

Alaska school districts learned they were getting $115 million the day after school started, because the money depended on oil revenue counted Aug. 31.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago2 min read

Anchorage school district proposes splitting $32 million in one-time state money

Anchorage schools will split $32 million in one-time state money, spending more than half this year and saving the rest to shrink a $40 million deficit expected next summer.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Follows: Anchorage schools will open a new listening effort with a $42 million shortfall

Fifteen Anchorage Assembly members will have their spending accounts examined in a 9-2 vote

Fifteen Anchorage Assembly members will have their $24,000 spending accounts examined. Nobody will be required to answer the findings in writing.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Two candidates file on the last day for Kenai Peninsula Borough offices

Two more candidates filed on the last day for Kenai Peninsula Borough offices, including one seeking an Assembly seat that has been sitting vacant.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Anchorage's surplus school buildings could bring in money, the district says

Anchorage school officials say surplus buildings could generate revenue, among them Campbell STEM, closed in February and the subject of a dismissed lawsuit.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Dunleavy vetoed a faculty seat on the board that governs the University of Alaska

Dunleavy vetoed a faculty seat on the University of Alaska's governing board, citing conflicts of interest. The board already seats a student.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago2 min read

Alaska child care providers must file rates under categories the state has not adopted

Child care providers accepting state subsidies must report all rates in Alaska's AKCCIS portal by Sept. 30 or lose their program standing.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

An Anchorage man will serve 20 years for abusing a 4-year-old relative

Judge Peterson sentenced Jose Dominguez Ballesteros to 20 years in prison Monday for sexually abusing a family member starting at age 4, with lifetime sex offender registration required.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

In 1997 Anchorage voters rejected automated camera enforcement. Its new surveillance system needed no vote.

Anchorage voters banned traffic cameras in 1997. A far more powerful police surveillance system just arrived with no vote — and the debate has been telling.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago4 min read

Alaska's governor race upended in a day: a disqualification, a last-minute filing, and a lone Democrat

Alaska's governor race flipped in a day: Treg Taylor was disqualified, his wife filed at the deadline, and it's now three Republicans versus one Democrat.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago3 min read

Alaska's midwifery board calls two work group meetings in September

Alaska's midwifery board has scheduled two work group meetings for September. The public notices do not say what the group intends to discuss.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Anchorage had no ALS ambulance available about 70 times last year

Anchorage had no advanced life support ambulance available about 70 times in 2024, and no basic life support unit more than 315 times.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Anchorage Assembly takes up a $599,000 crime center purchase and surveillance limits

A $599,000 video wall for Anchorage's crime center returns to the Assembly Tuesday, alongside an ordinance that would write surveillance limits into city code.

by Alaska News2mo ago2 min read

Kenai Peninsula planning commission to hear Cohoe road vacation Sept. 14

Kenai Peninsula planning commission will hear a petition Sept. 14 to vacate Keyros Avenue in Cohoe, with the borough assembly retaining veto power over any approval.

by Alaska News2mo ago1 min read

Juneau Assembly votes 6-3 to sell old City Hall to Sealaska Heritage Institute

Juneau took Sealaska Heritage Institute's $1.5 million for its old City Hall instead of seeking bids at $2.5 million. Nobody has appraised the building.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min readFrom Aug 17

Assembly candidate Berga discloses North Slope job, Kenai Fish stake

Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly candidate Nathan Berga disclosed North Slope oilfield income and ownership of a Soldotna fishing business in a financial filing Monday.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Mat-Su Assembly rejects lowering its property tax cap to 7 mills

Mat-Su's Assembly rejected lowering its tax cap to 7 mills after the borough warned it would force $22 million in cuts — schools and ambulances included.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago1 min read

Follows: A proposed cap would limit how high Mat-Su can set its property tax rate

Mat-Su sets aside Zero Lake Road land for a future shooting range

Mat-Su set aside land for a shooting range over a year of neighbor objections. One cabin owner's structure sits about 1,000 feet downrange.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago1 min read

Dahlstrom will not certify Treg Taylor's nomination for governor

Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom will not certify Treg Taylor's nomination for governor, after APOC found his financial disclosure was not timely.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Alaska has drawn $15.7 billion in federal money this year

Alaska drew $15.72 billion in federal awards through August, ranking 45th among states and territories, with about $21,000 per resident so far this fiscal year.

by Melinda Communities.News2mo ago1 min read

Anchorage tax appeal hearings continue into September, past the board's stated season

Anchorage property owners appealing their 2026 assessments face a backlog that could stretch to mid-November, with the Board of Equalization handling a record 1,953 appeals.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Follows: Anchorage's assessment appeal surge reaches hearings next week

Anchorage's rewritten emergency plan adds six annexes, voids all earlier versions

Mayor LaFrance signed a rewritten emergency operations plan that replaces all earlier versions and meets national standards. The Assembly reviews it Tuesday.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Free one-hour EMS session Sept. 2 on Alaska's new fingerprint rules

Alaska EMS clinicians must switch to fingerprint background checks starting Sept. 20 under a new multistate compact, with the state briefing providers on Sept. 2.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

An Anchorage firm maintains nine Florida federal buildings on a $25 million GSA deal

An Anchorage contractor won a $23,553 federal contract to fix a rusted floor and fire alarm at a Jacksonville courthouse, part of a nationwide backlog of $8.3 billion in delinquent repairs.

by Alaska News2mo ago1 min read

AlaskaCare retiree town halls went from twelve a year to four. The last of 2026 is Oct. 15.

AlaskaCare retiree town hall calls drop from monthly to four times a year starting in 2026, with the next call Oct. 15.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Circle man arrested on first-degree murder charge in shotgun death

Alaska State Troopers arrested a Circle man on a first-degree murder charge after a fatal shotgun shooting at a residence Friday evening.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago1 min read

Man shot and killed in East Anchorage, the third death investigation there since July

A man was shot and killed late Saturday in East Anchorage, the third death investigation in the area since July. Police say no one is being sought.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Sitka man to be paid $419,840 to put boats under Coast Guard helicopters

A Sitka man will collect $419,840 to park boats under Coast Guard helicopters so crews can practice hoisting people off the water. Only one company bid.

by Melinda Communities.News2mo ago1 min read

Marijuana board chair's own store violation goes before the board they chair Sept. 2

Marijuana board chair Bailey Stuart faces a violation notice on their own retail store at the meeting they chair Wednesday, raising questions about whether they will step aside.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read