State of the Union gets warm reception from Alaska delegation
Alaska’s all-Republican delegation to Congress praised President Trump for delivering a positive message in his State of the Union address Tuesday night.
US House dems push climate change into spotlight
The House hasn't paid much attention to climate change in nearly a decade. That streak came to an end Wednesday with two simultaneous hearings. Democrats are showing that things are different now that they hold the gavels.
Dunleavy’s Fish and Game nominee vows tough stance against federal agencies
The governor’s pick to lead the Alaska Department of Fish and Game told lawmakers he’d push back against federal agencies that interfere with Alaskans’ right to hunt and fish.
After a peak, APD says car thefts in Anchorage are declining
Officials say the steep increase in the number of cars stolen is largely attributable to drugs, and that the decrease is being driven by an expanded police force and collaboration among law enforcement agencies.
House members talk about sharing power as speaker nomination fails
While no action occurred in the House, the Senate Finance subcommittees began meeting in preparation for the budget.
Credit rating agencies watch as Alaska pivots toward a new budget
Right now, there’s a plan in place that kept the state’s credit outlook stable. But there a new governor, and his administration has a new plan for the state’s budget.
Interior Dept. kicks off new round of meetings on drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Some people at the meeting expressed concern about the process. Lisa Baraff with the Northern Alaska Environmental Center said that the timeline BLM has been using for their environmental review is too short.
Trump’s pick for Interior secretary has worked for Alaska and energy industry
President Trump has nominated David Bernhardt to be the next secretary of Interior, to replace Ryan Zinke.
Calls for ‘vigilance’ on Russian military buildup in Arctic
Russia's Arctic ambitions worry regional experts. So do the lack of ambitions on the part of the United States.
Governor’s mid-year budget bill cuts VPSO recruitment funds
Governor Mike Dunleavy has proposed pulling back $3 million in unspent money for the VPSO program to help pay for larger Permanent Fund Dividends, among other items.
Search suspended for missing plane near Kake
A search has been suspended for the medevac plane that vanished over Southeast Alaska with three crew members on board.
Trump Administration approves money for earthquake recovery
The move will potentially unlock funds to reimburse for repairs to damaged public infrastructure, schools, as well as individual homeowners.
Murkowski reintroduces bill to prevent violence against Indigenous women and girls
Sen. Lisa Murkowski has reintroduced Savanna’s Act, which would improve data collection on missing and murdered Native women and require federal agencies to consult with tribes.
Dunleavy proposes constitutional amendments to enshrine PFDs, require public support for taxes, cap spending
The proposed amendments may face a difficult reception in the Alaska Legislature. One Republican senator described Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s proposals as “a horrible idea.”
Pebble boosts spending to lobby feds
Washington, D.C. firms report Pebble paid them $1.2 million to lobby Congress and the executive branch in 2018.
Search continues for missing medevac plane near Kake
The U.S. Coast Guard and others are searching for a medevac aircraft that went missing Tuesday night on a flight from Anchorage to Kake.
Death of Coast Guard member sparks investigation in Unalaska
In Unalaska, the U.S. Coast Guard is investigating the death of a crew member of the Cutter Douglas Munro.
Study finds poor air quality aboard cruise ships
A covert study undertaken by a public health researcher found air quality on cruise ships to be on par with the world’s dirtiest cities.
Schools push back on proposed midyear budget cut
While school districts may have already spent money they counted on the state sending them later, the state’s new budget director says they shouldn’t have.
‘Uber for icebreakers’ idea gains traction
Money for a new polar icebreaker is caught up in the fight over whether to build a wall at the southern border. But there’s more than one way to break ice.