Wesley Early, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage
Wesley Early covers Anchorage life and city politics for Alaska Public Media. Reach him at wearly@alaskapublic.org and follow him on X at @wesley_early. Read more about Wesley here.
49 Voices: Katie Irwin of Anchorage
This week we're hearing from Katie Irwin in Anchorage. On Sunday, Irwin will be the University of Alaska Anchorage's first deaf commencement speaker. She spoke through a sign language interpreter.
ASD accepts resignation of teacher who ‘shoved and grabbed’ a student in May
The Anchorage School District announced that a teacher the district says "shoved and grabbed a student" at Ptarmigan Elementary School has officially resigned from the district.
Anchorage teachers union approves new contract
The agreement includes health benefit increases and 2 percent salary raises in the second and third years. It also contains language allowing for more input from teachers in lesson plans and scheduling.
Anchorage schools resume classes post-earthquake, with some students relocated
Anchorage School District classes resumed today after being closed for more than a week following last month's magnitude 7.0 earthquake. While most of the students are in the schools they've attended all year, two schools had to relocate because of significant damage.
Chugiak High prepares to receive 600 new Gruening middle schoolers
Gruening Middle School students will move to Chugiak High School next week to continue their classes after last week's magnitude 7.0 earthquake forced the Anchorage School District to close their school for the rest of the school year.
49 Voices: Paul Brown III of Noorvik
This week we're hearing from Paul Brown III in Noorvik. Brown is the Village Police Officer for the community.
Gruening Middle School teachers pack up their classrooms for quake-induced move to Chugiak High
Teachers at Gruening Middle School in Eagle River began the process today of relocating to their new classrooms at Chugiak High School.
After Friday’s quake, UAA classes resume in under a week
The University of Alaska Anchorage reopened to students Wedneday after being closed due to Friday's earthquake. The university had no structural damage or gas leaks, but there was still a lot of cleaning up to do.
Gruening Middle School closed for the rest of the school year due to earthquake damage
The Anchorage School District announced that Gruening Middle School will be closed for the remainder of the school year due to damage sustained during Friday's earthquake.
Eagle River Elementary, damaged by quake, will remain closed through school year
The Anchorage School District announced that after taking severe damage from Friday's earthquake, Eagle River Elementary School will be offline for the remainder of the school year.
Houston Middle School likely closed for remainder of school year following quake
Most schools in the Mat-Su School District will be able to resume classes by Thursday, December 6.
Bettye Davis, trailblazing lawmaker and education activist, passes at the age of 80
Former state lawmaker Bettye Davis has passed away at the age of 80.
Anchorage classes cancelled through the week as clean-up continues
The tentative first day back for students is Monday, Dec. 10.
In wake of Anchorage quake, teachers thankful for regular disaster drills
Right now, all Anchorage School District facilities are closed through Tuesday, and it's unknown when classes will start back up, and when students and staff will be able to gather the belongings they left behind.
49 Voices: Clare Baldwin of Anchorage
This week we're hearing from Claire Baldwin in Anchorage. Bladwin currently serves as the Student Body Vice President at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Listen now
As teacher contract dispute continues, Anchorage School District and teachers union schedule third round of mediation
After two days of contract negotiations, the Anchorage School district and the Anchorage Education Association have agreed to a third round of mediation. Listen now
Hundreds of frustrated Anchorage teachers stage walkout during school board meeting
Unhappy teachers staged a demonstration at Monday's Anchorage School Board meeting, upset about curriculum changes and wages, among other things. Listen now
49 Voices: Quinn Bennett of Anchorage
This week we're hearing from Quinn Bennett in Anchorage. Bennett is a lifelong Alaskan who's done everything from outdoor guiding to teaching. He moved to Anchorage from Soldotna at the age of ten. Listen now
An unusually high number of black Alaskans are running for the Legislature — and most are Republicans
As long as Alaska has been a state, its legislature has always been overwhelmingly white. Even in the most diverse areas of the state, white Alaskans have almost always been elected to serve in Juneau. However, this year's general election has an unusually high number of black Alaskans on the ballot, and most of them are running as Republicans. Listen now
Anchorage community gathers to celebrate Bettye Davis’s political legacy
Former lawmaker Bettye Davis retired from the Anchorage School Board at the end of September after more than 35 years in public service. In her tenure on the board and in the state legislature, Davis fought for education reform and helped break barriers for Black Alaskans and women in government. Listen now