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Walker puts the brakes on issuing bonds to pay pensions
Andrew Kitchenman, KTOO – Juneau
The state of Alaska won’t issue bonds to pay for public worker pensions – for now. Gov. Bill Walker pressed pause on the sale Tuesday of up to $3.3 billion dollars of pension obligation bonds after meeting with members of the Senate Finance Committee.
For the first time, Pick.Click.Give. donations take a dip
Rashah McChesney, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Juneau
It has been a difficult year for nonprofits. The state’s budget is shrinking. Alaskans’ wallets are emptying. And, for the first time since its inception in 2009, the Alaska Community Foundation’s Pick.Click.Give program saw a drop in donations. The program allows Alaskans to donate a portion of their annual oil-wealth payments to hundreds of nonprofits statewide.
More than a decade later, one man’s discrimination case is still in limbo
Lakeidra Chavis, KTOO – Juneau
Nearly two decades ago, a Chugiak man filed a discrimination complaint against the Anchorage airport. The investigation into the complaint took five years. Unhappy with its findings, he asked the state’s ombudsman to take a second look. He’s still waiting for an answer. On average, an investigation into a discrimination case in Alaska may take a year or two, according to the agencies that handle them.
Fairbanks campus rape case draws scrutiny
Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks
The University of Alaska Fairbanks is under fire for its response to a campus rape case. A UAF student accuses the university of failing to adequately support and protect her. The criticism follows efforts by the university to improve its sexual assault response process.
Alaskan investment mogul David Rubenstein launches prime-time TV talk show
Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media – Washington D.C.
If you like to watch billionaires on TV, you don’t have to wait for Donald Trump to launch his own media network. The husband of Alaska Dispatch News owner Alice Rogoff now has his own prime-time television talk show.
Federal grant to bolster Alaska’s aviation, health care apprenticeships
Josh Edge, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage
A newly-awarded U.S. Department of Labor grant aims to bolster Alaska’s health care and aviation industries. The grant will increase the use of apprenticeships, which the state hopes will increase the chances of companies hiring locally.
LEDs will light up Homer Harbor next year
Shahla Farzan, KBBI – Homer
Homer will soon join the list of U.S. cities making the switch to LED lights.
