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.
Lawmakers quiz state regulators on $5.6B Hilcorp, BP deal
House and Senate Resources committee members asked about everything from layoffs to whether Hilcorp has the financial resources to manage the assets it wants to take over.
Court training aims to improve outcomes in child welfare cases
Dozens of people flew into Juneau in early December for a training program aimed at getting everyone involved in child welfare cases on the same page.
Southeast Alaska fisherman pleads guilty to illegally harvesting $35,000 worth of sea cucumbers
A Southeast Alaska commercial fisherman has been convicted for his role in illegally harvesting nearly 7,500 pounds of sea cucumbers near Prince of Wales Island.
In Tlingit land-rights loss, a Native American rights attorney lays out injustice and hope for the future
In a lecture at the Sealaska Heritage Institute, Walter Echo-Hawk laid out the factors leading to the Supreme Court’s 1955 Tee-Hit-Ton Tlingit land rights decision.
Facing a $16M repair bill, state to pull Malaspina ferry out of service
The 56-year-old Alaska Marine Highway System vessel will be stored in Ketchikan this January, according to the Department of Transportation.
Environmental group wants SEC to investigate Pebble Mine developer for insider trading
An environmental group is warning federal regulators about a series of stock trades and communication centered around the company attempting to develop the Pebble Mine.
Industry, legislators and signature gatherers ready for another big oil tax fight
The Fair Share Act would raise the minimum tax and eliminate oil tax credits for the state’s largest legacy fields — Prudhoe Bay, Kuparuk and Alpine.
Alaskans see opportunities for success and failure as Permanent Fund Corporation invests in-state
The Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation is putting approximately $200 million toward a new in-state investment program.
Attack in Saudi Arabia highlights Alaska’s diminishing role on the global oil stage
This year, for the first time in at least a dozen years, the state of Alaska will change the way it forecasts the price of its oil.
State files felony charges against Baker Hughes after Kenai Peninsula workers were sickened
The charges against the company and its subsidiaries stem from an alleged 2014 incident involving workers from UIC Construction
Updated: Coast Guard suspends some Allen Marine tour boats in Juneau and Sitka
Violations ranging from “material condition to crew familiarity” need to be corrected before the boats can sail again, according to the Coast Guard.
Tuckerman Babcock retires from Dunleavy administration
Tuckerman Babcock's resignation letter went out late Friday along with a media release with a statement from Dunleavy thanking Babcock for his service.
Rural Alaskans brace for impact as Power Cost Equalization funds disappear
As legislative gridlock continues over funds included in an annual sweep into state savings, rural Alaskans soon could see more expensive electricity bills.
Thousands of Alaska university students notified that millions in scholarships and grants are currently in limbo
More than $350 million in Alaska's Higher Education Investment Fund is set to be swept into state savings.
From permafrost to polar bears, draft report evaluates Alaska gasline’s environmental impact
The report concludes the $43 billion export project could have significant impacts on the environment — but would be a boost for state and local economies
In rural Alaska, school districts deal with a legacy of unaddressed contamination
Typically, when a contaminated site is discovered it’s up to the landowner — or the person responsible for making the mess — to clean it up. But there are dozens of sites where this process has broken down.
As the Alaska Legislature fights over the budget, a decades-old accounting quirk takes on new importance
At Alaska’s state Capitol this week, there’s a lot of talk about something called “the sweep.” What is it, and why is it such a big deal this year?
BP and ExxonMobil commit up to $20 million to Alaska LNG
It’s the first time in years that private industry in the state has pitched in money to move the gasline project forward
49 Voices: Robert Fowler of Tuntutuliak
This week we're hearing from Robert Fowler in Tuntutuliak. Fowler has lived in Alaska for seven years, having moved up from Oregon. He's the principal of the school in the village.
Senate passes budget that ignores most of Dunleavy’s cuts
On a 19-1 vote, the Alaska Senate approved a budget with a $3,000 dividend — and a $1.2 billion gap between what it spends and what it makes.