COVID testing at Alaska airports to end after Jan. 31
The service is currently available at airports across the state. Earlier on in the pandemic, the state mandated testing for people coming to Alaska from out of state. At the end of April, testing became optional.
Sullivan still seeking a ‘bridge’ ship to fill the icebreaker gap
The Coast Guard is set to receive a new icebreaker 2025. Sen. Dan Sullivan says the country can’t wait that long.
‘Tidal Network’, Tlingit & Haida’s new broadband internet service, coming to Wrangell
Southeast Alaska’s regional Tribal government will pilot its new broadband internet program in Wrangell, which it says will, eventually, be available to everyone on the island.
Half a dozen dogs and one person were accidentally caught in traps or snares last year, Alaska wildlife group says
Several submissions described close encounters with traps or snares near trails and roadways, and one man said he was pulled off his motorbike after a snare caught his foot on a trail in the Mat-Su.
Omicron will cause more infections but lower hospital rates, analysis shows
The analysis projects the omicron wave will infect more than 400,000 people a day in the U.S. when it crests in about six weeks. That's far more than the 250,000 people who caught the virus every day at the peak of last winter's surge.
COVID money boosted Alaska federal funds by a third, study finds
CARES Act money to Alaska rivaled what the state gets from Medicaid
Citing economic concerns, cities will weigh in on lawsuit over Cook Inlet commercial fishing closure
Kenai and Homer both are submitting amicus briefs to a suit from the United Cook Inlet Drift Association that attempts to stop the closure before it goes into effect next summer. The cities say the ramifications of the decision on their local economies could be intense.
Bethel OCS worker charged with sexual assault of an adult
A state employee for the Office of Children’s Services in Bethel has been charged with sexual assault. Several local non-profit organizations that he is a board member of are evaluating whether to remove him.
Biden announces free tests and defends the White House response as COVID cases surge
The federal government plans to buy a half-billion at-home COVID test kits and mail them to people who want them, with deliveries beginning in January.
5.9 earthquake shakes Kenai and Southcentral
A 5.9-magnitude earthquake centered in Lake Clark National Park shook the Kenai Peninsula and Southcentral Alaska Tuesday at aboout 1:40 p.m.
Fishing council ties bycatch limits on Bering Sea trawlers to halibut abundance
The council that manages fishing in federal waters voted this week to link groundfish trawl fishing in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands to halibut abundance. The action caps — at least for now — a six-year debate about curbing halibut bycatch in Alaska.
State’s top epidemiologist has tips for Alaskans heading into the holidays as omicron surge looms
Dr. Joe McLaughlin says it's alright to gather for the holidays this year, but he recommends having guests take rapid COVID tests, which some communities are giving away for free.
The Alaska Legislature’s Capitol complex in Juneau has grown to a fifth city block
The Juneau Community Foundation recently gifted a 24,000 square-foot building that sits kitty-corner from the Capitol to the legislature. Not everyone is happy.
Profits eluded Sealaska for decades. Now it’s ditching timber and plastics, and investing in kelp.
An investment in Barnacle Foods, while small, is a potent symbol of the corporation’s new vision. Other corporations are taking similar steps.
Anchorage school board extends mandatory masking after teacher pushback
Last week, the district announced it would end universal masking on January 3 and switch to optional, “parent-informed” masking. At last night's school board meeting, several teachers testified against optional masking.
Anchorage retailers hope for spending rebound fueled by higher wages and ‘revenge shopping’
At Anchorage’s Dimond Mall, some retailers are reporting that sales have surpassed pre-pandemic levels thanks to pent-up demand and supply chain shortages that are vexing online shoppers.
Moderna says its COVID booster increases protection against omicron
Moderna said Monday that preliminary data showed that its COVID-19 booster shot is effective against the omicron variant of the coronavirus currently surging in the U.S. and around the world.
‘We’re not interested in documenting this pandemic’: Changes coming to Alaska’s COVID-19 dashboard
The state is considering ending daily case reporting and switching to weekly reports. Chief Medical Officer Anne Zink says weekly reports can still provide important information about COVID trends, while not overburdening local health departments.
In Petersburg, home health care nurses are crucial to keep people out of hospitals
A team of 8 home health nurses has been visiting households around the Southeast Alaska community, delivering supplies and caring for COVID patients. Their work has helped keep the town's hospitals from overcrowding during the worst surge of the pandemic.
Valdez school district gives $1,500 to each teacher and staff member as thank you during difficult pandemic
The money comes from federal COVID-19 relief funds, and the district hopes sharing the money directly with its employees will help retain and recruit staff as the pandemic continues.