Rashah McChesney, Alaska's Energy Desk - Juneau
Rashah McChesney is a photojournalist turned radio journalist who has been telling stories in Alaska since 2012. Before joining Alaska's Energy Desk , she worked at Kenai's Peninsula Clarion and the Juneau bureau of the Associated Press. She is a graduate of Iowa State University's Greenlee Journalism School and has worked in public television, newspapers and now radio, all in the quest to become the Swiss Army knife of storytellers.
Vaxxed, unmasked and ready to party: Juneau Drag brings hundreds out for live show
Over the weekend, Juneau Drag performers hosted their first live show in 15 months, which was maskless but required proof of vaccination to attend.
State safety inspectors tried to fine Copper River Seafoods $450,000. Their commissioner blocked it.
Department of Labor commissioner Tamika Ledbetter blocked nearly $450,000 in fines against a seafood plant her own inspectors said willfully violated COVID-19 workplace safety standards, according to internal documents.
Alaska lawmaker tests positive for COVID-19, meetings are cancelled
A member of Alaska’s House of Representatives has tested positive for COVID-19. House Speaker Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, cancelled all House meetings on Thursday.
More Haines residents prepared to evacuate as weather deteriorates
Haines’ high school gym has been converted into an evacuation center. It has enough cots for 50 people in it, but no one has moved in yet.
ConocoPhillips Alaska plans to restart drilling on the North Slope this year
Tor the first time since its fields were brought online, Prudhoe Bay, Kuparuk River and Alpine have no rigs running in them. But, the plan is to have rigs working on two of those fields by the end of 2021.
Former Gov. Walker leads effort to take over Alaska’s gas pipeline megaproject
For more than 40 years, the state has tried and failed to bring natural gas from Alaska’s North Slope to market. Now, a new private venture — formed by some familiar players — will make an attempt.
Yakutat sees first case of COVID-19
The person had recently traveled outside of the community.
Alaska reports 49 new COVID-19 cases and new case at Fairbanks prison
The state also reduced the number of inpatient beds available, which it says more accurately represents the number of inpatient beds that can be used for COVID-19 patients.
The race data Juneau police collect is flawed, but they’re open to changing it
Juneau says it used force in 38 people, most of whom were white men. But police say they don't know exactly how many of them were, since they don't ask people their race when they respond to calls.
COVID-19 spreading quickly in Alaska, with 46 new cases reported over the weekend
According to modeling the state is using, the rate that Alaskans are transmitting the virus is now the second highest in the nation.
Your questions about COVID-19 testing, answered
Dr. Elizabeth Bates does a run-through with a Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corp. employee at a COVID-19 drive-thru test site in Bethel on March 25, 2020. (Photo by Katie Basile/KYUK)
There’s a lot to keep track of...
With three-day deadline, lawmakers meet under new safety protocols to approve CARES Act funding
With a lawsuit threatening the distribution of the CARES Act funding, lawmakers have given themselves the bare minimum of time to get the bill passed. "It is the absolute fastest constitutionally it could be done," said one lawmaker .
As Alaska starts to reopen, it’s already too little, too late for some small businesses
For one Juneau camera shop, the pandemic shutdown was too much.
More Alaskans have recovered from COVID-19 than are currently sick with it, but what does that mean?
There are two different ways to measure when a patient is considered "recovered" from coronavirus.
With ban on non-urgent surgeries, Juneau hospital says it’s losing $250,000 a day
The hospital also said it spent $600,000 on supplies and labor in preparation for the coronavirus pandemic.
Staff member at Juneau’s Lemon Creek Correctional Center has COVID-19
Staff at the facility said they implemented "swift action" to protect inmates, but it's unclear exactly what that action was.
Why does a barrel of Alaska oil cost less than a pizza?
Economists at the state’s Department of Revenue were working to identify what drove the price down and what they could expect going forward.
Transgender state employee wins lawsuit over sexual reassignment surgery costs
A Juneau woman who sued the state of Alaska for sex discrimination won her case on Friday.
Some Thunder Mountain Mobile Park residents frustrated after more than a week of water issues
On Jan. 12, water pressure at Juneau’s Thunder Mountain mobile home park dropped to a trickle. It took days to get fixed, and now they have to boil the water to use it. Some residents say they’re frustrated with how the situation was handled.
Despite conflict with Iran, Alaska oil prices are mostly unchanged. Here’s why.
Alaska North Slope crude has settled at a lower price than it was before tensions boiled over.