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Credit rating agency sees a ‘clear path,’ as Alaska tries to balance its budget
Rashah McChesney, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Juneau
Up until 2016, Alaska had the highest credit rating Moody’s Investment Service had to offer. Then, after the global price of oil crashed, it took Alaska’s budget down with it. And since then, the state’s credit rating has taken a nose dive too. But recently, Moody’s changed its outlook.
Alaska investigators nab 3 in botnet attacks, ‘click fraud’ scam
Casey Grove, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage
Three young men have pleaded guilty in Alaska to writing malicious computer software that infected and took control of hundreds of thousands of internet-connected devices, including common household routers.
ACA health insurance applications due Friday
Emily Russell, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage
Friday is the deadline to apply for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Premiums are down this year and that’s in part due to the Alaska Reinsurance Program.
Kenai sees return of tree-killing beetle
Associated Press
Kenai wildlife experts say the region is experiencing a resurgence of the spruce bark beetle, an insect with a history of causing tree deaths in south-central Alaska.
Warming in Utqiaġvik so fast, NOAA algorithm flags as mistake
Ravenna Koenig, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Fairbanks
“North Slope climate change just outran one of our tools to measure it.” That was the message from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration earlier this month, when an algorithm they use for quality control dismissed the data coming out of Utqiaġvik.
King Cove closer to goal of 100 percent renewable energy
Zoe Sobel, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Unalaska
Funding for renewable energy projects in Alaska has dried up, but that has not stopped the City of King Cove from pursuing green power.
Four Alaska firefighters dispatched to battle California blazes
Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks
Four Alaska wild fire professionals are working on blazes in southern California.
Two really, really big cruise ships headed to Alaska
Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska – Juneau
Cruise ships sailing to Alaska are getting bigger and bigger. One planned for 2019 is twice the size of many of the ships already sailing here.
Alaskans are aging in Alaska, so now what?
Anne Hillman, Alaska Public Media – Anchorage
In the 1970s and early 80s people flooded Alaska looking for work in the oil industry and other fields. Now, 40 years later, many are still here. Instead of fleeing to warmer weather, Alaskans are aging in Alaska. For the past seven years, we’ve had the fastest growing senior population in the country. With it comes wisdom, economic growth, and a different set of needs. Can our state handle it?
