Zachariah Hughes, Alaska Public Media
Zachariah Hughes reports on city & state politics, arts & culture, drugs, and military affairs in Anchorage and South Central Alaska.
@ZachHughesAK About Zachariah
@ZachHughesAK About Zachariah
What end to military’s glass ceiling means in Alaska
The decision by Secretary of Defense Ash Carter ends gender prohibitions on about 10 percent of all military jobs may have a big impact on the Army in Alaska
Centennial celebration gets audit for ‘financial mismanagement’
The Anchorage Assembly is requesting an official audit after a review surfaced alleging financial mismanagement in the city's Centennial celebration.
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Assembly migrates toward mail-in elections
A unanimous Assembly vote green-lighted the municipal clerk’s office to increase education and outreach on mail-in elections.
UAA, Providence ‘disappointed’ in U-Med road decision
Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz has withdrawn the city's support for the $20 million dollar Northern Access Project, also called the U-Med District Road. The Department of Transportation says without the municipality's backing, work on the controversial project that links Elmore and Bragaw will stop.
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Berkowitz kills controversial road project
Mayor's letter asks state Transportation commissioner to take money for the Elmore Extension and put it towards Port Modernization Project.
Anchorage aims to re-brand troubled transit center
The early plan offers a preliminary vision of a revitalized downtown, but few specifics about what happens to many of the people there now.
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Weighing enforcement and black market, city introduces marijuana tax
The Anchorage Assembly is introducing a measure to tax marijuana at five percent when sales become legal in the year ahead. The proposal hinges, however, on voter approval in April.
State report finds potent cannabinoids in Spice
A new report from the state health department confirms alarming facts about synthetic drugs that have overwhelmed emergency responders in Anchorage.
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Conservative talk show host aims to repeal Anchorage LGBTQ law
If deemed legal, citizen-led initiative needs nearly 6,000 signatures by Jan. 11 to qualify for April ballot.
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In Unalakleet, auction unifies community in low times
A charity auction in Unalakleet Thanksgiving weekend raised nearly $20,000. The community of just over 700 is pulling together amid half a dozen recent deaths.
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Anchorage sees property tax hike as 2016 budget sails through
During its Tuesday night meeting, the Anchorage Assembly approved the city's 2016 budget, which totals just under $481 million dollars.
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Budget and birth control before Anchorage Assembly
After two rounds of public testimony and Assembly amendments, The Berkowitz Administration's $481 million budget goes up for a vote.
Alaska may be first state to allow marijuana cafes
In it's Friday meeting, the state's Marijuana Control Board adopted an amendment creating a permit option that will allow for on-site consumption. The measure opens the door for commercial marijuana retailers to set up areas where patrons can use marijuana products.
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Combating heroin in Alaska
State and federal officials as well as community groups spread all over Alaska have expressed alarm over rising rates of use and abuse. Juneau in particular has been the subject has gotten attention lately for a spate of heroin and opiate related overdoses.
KSKA: Fri., Nov. 20, at 2:00 p.m. & Sat., Nov. 21, at 6:00 p.m. KAKM: Fri., Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m. & Sat., Nov. 21, at 6:00 p.m.
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Pot board convenes to finalize regs
The state is set to finalize commercial marijuana regulations. But several controversial sticking points have yet to be settled, including rules for on-site consumption.
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AFD overruns budget, points to 7% uptick in calls
The Anchorage Fire Department is expecting a substantial budget shortfall.
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Diversity recruitment falters as APD struggles drawing applicants
As city leaders work to increase the size of the Anchorage Police Department, they're also beginning efforts to boost diversity within the force. But it's off to a lukewarm start, bumping up to a familiar problem: Enticing enough new recruits to fill an Academy.
Walker sacks DOC commissioner after scathing report
An investigation into the state's Department of Corrections finds numerous problems that have contributed to dozens of recent deaths within Alaska's prisons and jails.
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Reporters’ roundtable: the Alaska LNG project
The Alaska LNG special session came to a close last week. It was the third special session held this year. Zachariah Hughes hosts a reporter's roundtable diving into the complex issues surround the LNG project. What decisions came out of this session? And what exactly does this mean for Alaska?
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Alaska vets by the numbers
As you may have heard, Alaska has the highest rate of veterans in the nation. Not the most vets -- our 70,000 is a drop in the bucket compared to bigger states with more retirees, like California and Florida.
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