Politics & Government

A grower denied renewal in June is still listed as active, owing $664,440

An Anchorage marijuana grower owes $664,440 in unpaid excise taxes and still appears active on state records months after the Marijuana Control Board denied its license renewal in December.

by Alaska Newsadded 2mo ago2 min read

Trooper fires at armed man outside his Wasilla home after false report

A trooper fired at an armed man outside a Wasilla home Sunday after responding to a false 911 assault report, striking no one. The caller was intoxicated and had not been assaulted.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Unalaska keeps awarding more grant money than its formula produces

Unalaska's grant program keeps awarding more than its funding formula produces. The council eased the audit rules and left the formula alone.

by Melinda Communities.Newsadded 2mo ago2 min read

Begich endorses Wilson for governor, calls on other Republicans to drop out

Rep. Nick Begich endorsed Bernadette Wilson for governor and asked the other Republicans to drop out. Dave Bronson had already said he is staying.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Auditors found no central list of Anchorage's state agreements

Anchorage has taken on $17.2 million in state work over five years without a central list of the agreements, its internal auditors found.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Anchorage weighs $470,000 no-bid sale of Government Hill lot

Anchorage would sell Chugach a Government Hill lot for $470,000 without taking bids, about $49,000 under what a broker valued it at in June.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Anchorage fills a watershed commission seat before its sunset date

Mayor LaFrance appointed wetland delineator Kara Dunham to Anchorage's Watershed Commission, with Assembly confirmation set for Sept. 1.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Anchorage Assembly to vote Tuesday on $6.7 million wastewater bleach contract with lone bidder

Anchorage Assembly votes Tuesday on a $6.7 million bleach contract with the only bidder, raising the price from $7.96 to $9.96 per gallon for wastewater disinfection.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago2 min read

Mental Health Trust weighs a below-market lease for a youth treatment provider

The Mental Health Trust may lease an Anchorage office to a youth behavioral health nonprofit for $3,266 a year, against market rent near $327,000.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago2 min read

Bear mauls dog walker in Haines, animal not located

A bear attacked a dog walker in Haines early Saturday, striking from behind, but the animal remains unfound despite search efforts by troopers and police.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Jai Mahtani is running for the Ketchikan council seat he resigned after a state settlement

Jai Mahtani quit the Ketchikan council two weeks after settling a state case over jewelry sold as Alaskan. He filed on the last day to win the seat back.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Anchorage weighs a fiscal summit as property taxes carry the city

In 1982 the state covered 42 percent of Anchorage's operating costs. By 2024 it covered half a percent, and property taxes carried most of the rest.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Anchorage homeowners wanted every big assessment rechecked. They got a narrower fix

Anchorage homeowners who saw assessments jump as much as 40% asked for a do-over. Three Assembly members proposed one. The Assembly passed something smaller.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Follows: Anchorage holds more property-appeal hearings, as hundreds of over-assessed homes get lower valuations

Troopers arrest Sutton man, 19, on DUI charge after car hits tree

Alaska State Troopers arrested a 19-year-old Sutton man on a DUI charge after his vehicle hit a tree and overturned on E Jonesville Mine Road early Saturday morning.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Anchorage wants $202,468 back from the owner of the Big Timber Motel it demolished

Anchorage spent $202,468 tearing down the Big Timber Motel after 14 years of code violations. Now it is trying to get the money back from the owner.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

State note says AMCO wrongly made Metlakatla gather a liquor petition

State regulators made Metlakatla gather a public-support petition it did not need, an error staff blamed on a database and left noted in the file.

by Maggie AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago1 min read

Wasilla golf course seeks state license to serve beer and wine on the course

Sleepy Hollow Golf Course in Wasilla wants to pour beer and wine across its grounds, range and deck. The state alcohol board takes it up Tuesday.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago1 min read

Tom Begich withdraws his campaign and endorses Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins

Tom announced he's withdrawing from the race for Governor and endorses JKT.

by Cale Green2mo ago3 min read

Anchorage wetlands commission faces Oct. 14 sunset unless Assembly reauthorizes it

Anchorage's wetlands commission disappears Oct. 14 unless the Assembly votes to keep it, just as its own recommended wetlands plan update moves forward.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Follows: Anchorage moves to clarify its wetlands permitting, though some say it doesn't go far enough

Kenai council to hear public testimony Sept. 2 on $75,000 home tax exemption ballot question

Kenai City Council hears public testimony Sept. 2 on a ballot measure that would exempt the first $75,000 of assessed home value from city property tax, effective Jan. 1, 2027.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Four signatures clear a liquor store at a remote Alaska fishing lodge

A remote fly-in fishing lodge off Prince of Wales Island wants a guest-only liquor store, and its public approval came from the four people who live nearby.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Alaska Supreme Court upholds rule requiring rent on expired oil leases during appeals

The Alaska Supreme Court upheld a rule requiring oil companies to keep paying rent on expired leases while appealing, ending five North Slope leases.

by Alaska News2mo ago2 min read

Alaska court: guardian, not child's lawyer, waives therapy privilege

Alaska Supreme Court ruled a child's guardian can waive therapy confidentiality in state custody cases, letting a tribe access a 10-year-old's psychiatric records over his lawyer's objection.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Alaska Supreme Court upholds termination of Valdez mother's parental rights

Alaska Supreme Court upheld termination of a Valdez mother's parental rights after she failed to complete reunification steps and missed most visits over two and a half years.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago3 min read

A Nome jury convicted a 78-year-old man on 28 counts of sexual abuse of a minor

A Nome jury convicted Isaac Ozenna Sr., 78, on 28 counts of sexual abuse of a minor involving nine children abused in Nome between 1984 and 2014.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago2 min read

Anchorage Assembly set to waive protest on six marijuana license renewals

Anchorage Assembly will waive objections to six marijuana license renewals for four businesses, clearing the way for state approval by September and October deadlines.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Anchorage Assembly designates Sept. 20 as LGBTQ Veterans Day

Anchorage Assembly designated Sept. 20 as LGBTQ Veterans Day, marking the anniversary of the 2011 repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Planned Parenthood PAC registers for Fairbanks and Juneau municipal races

Planned Parenthood's Alaska political committee registered to spend in the Fairbanks and Juneau races. It named no candidates and reported no spending.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Alaska's marijuana board will decide whether to erase a violation against its chair's own store

The Marijuana Control Board chair's own store is on its September agenda, and the agency's director wants her $100 violation wiped off the record.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago2 min read

Juneau arts council refuses to sign FY27 grant over how $202,000 can be spent

Juneau Arts and Humanities Council rejected its $202,000 city grant over spending rules, wanting to shift money from pass-through grants to staff and youth programming instead.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Juneau would shift $4.5 million from barrier construction to repairs and debt

Juneau would move $4.5 million out of flood barrier construction into two reserves, one for riverbank repairs and one to start repaying the state loan.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Follows: Juneau moves to repair Mendenhall riverbank and protect flood-hit homes

Juneau Crime Count Falls Again as Assaults Rise a Third Year

Reported crime in Juneau fell for a second straight year. Aggravated assault rose for a third, driven by assaults with weapons other than knives.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago2 min read

Follows: Reported crime in Alaska rose 7.2% in 2025, driven by Anchorage increases

Sitka's Planning Office will be closed for a full week in September

Sitka Planning Office closes Sept. 8-11 for internal work on code updates and land management, with no walk-in, phone, or email service during those four days.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Troopers rule Akiak house fire non-criminal

A home burned in Akiak in July with no injuries reported. State investigators have closed the case, finding the cause undetermined but not criminal.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago1 min read

Alcohol board denies a second bar at a Wasilla wedding venue

A Wasilla wedding venue was denied a second plumbed bar because state law requires fixed counters in the same building. The owner plans a rolling bar.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Undercover investigation found some Craig and Klawock establishmentssold to underage buyers

Every bar and marijuana shop checked around Craig and Klawock sold to underage buyers, and the office running the checks is short three investigators.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

A Fairbanks man's fourth liquor license reaches the state board Tuesday, with no store attached

Michael Rasmussen applied to take over a Fairbanks package store liquor license, adding it to three other Alaska alcohol businesses he already owns.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago1 min read

Kodiak Island Borough clerk drafts ordinance to tighten Assembly vacancy rules

Kodiak Island Borough Clerk Nova Javier drafted an ordinance requiring Assembly vacancy applicants to certify voter registration, residency, and willingness to file financial disclosures upfront.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Unalaska paid for library internet for three years before the council approved it

Unalaska ran a library internet contract for three years without the council vote its code required. The council approved it this month, going back to 2023.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago2 min read

Mukluk Fire evacuation order shrinks to properties inside the burn near Tok

Residents outside the Mukluk Fire's burn near Tok can return home, but 44 destroyed homes and hazard trees keep the evacuation order in place for properties inside the fire's 7,333-acre footprint.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Follows: Tok fire's south end contained, but Midnight Sun stays evacuated about another week