Alaska aims to be first state receiving federal Medicaid funding as a block grant
Gov. Mike Dunleavy told President Donald Trump in a letter dated March 1 that top federal Medicaid official Seema Verma has urged Alaska to be the first state to receive Medicaid dollars as a block grant.
Aboard Alaska’s endangered ferries, passengers fear a “giant step back in time”
Step onboard the MV LeConte, where a single trip last week showed how Southeast Alaska residents have knit the state's ferries into their lives – and how they would adapt if the ships stopped running, and Gov. Mike Dunleavy is proposing.
Seeking hidden ‘pockets of oil’, BP takes on a massive project at Prudhoe Bay
The 3-D seismic survey is part of the effort to keep the oil field alive for decades to come.
EPA, Alaska seek to relax water pollution rules
The Trump administration is quietly reviving a long-stalled effort by state regulators to loosen pollution standards where fish spawn.
Anchorage keeps liberal-leaning Assembly, says no to alcohol tax in initial municipal results
In unofficial results for Tuesday’s Municipal election in Anchorage, two Anchorage Assembly members handily won reelection, while three new faces will join the local municipal body.
Lawsuit seeks to eliminate Medicaid application backlog
The Alaska Division of Public Assistance director says the backlog has been shrinking recently, including a large decrease in the past month.
Police: Man shot, killed after pointing BB gun at officers
This is the second officer-involved shooting in Anchorage so far this year.
UA President Johnsen recommends closing UAA College of Education, amid accreditation debacle
University of Alaska President Jim Johnsen recommends discontinuing the seven initial licensure programs for the University of Alaska Anchorage's education department, effective September of this year.
Judge blocks Trump administration move to undo Obama ban on Arctic oil leasing
U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason, in an opinion released late Friday, said President Donald Trump exceeded his authority by issuing an executive order in 2017 that reopened large parts of the Beaufort and Chukchi seas to offshore oil leasing. Former President Barack Obama had protected those areas from development in his second term.
Most Dunleavy budget cuts face legal, political obstacles
With most of the budget, if the Legislature decides to fund more than what the governor wants, he can use his line-item veto to remove the money. But not in the case of the school funds.
Will Alaska endorse climate science education?
Alaska could be joining dozens of other states by adopting the framework of Next Generation Science Standards. On Friday, the State Board of Education unanimously approved a draft slated for public comment.
Judge deals blow to King Cove road
U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason has thrown out the Interior Department's land exchange agreement for the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, a deal intended to allow for a road to connect King Cove to Cold Bay.
Alaska state senators say PFD formula could be changed
Splitting the draw from permanent fund earnings between government and dividends would make dividends more predictable.
Interior secretary nominee faces jabs over prior lobbying work
David Bernhardt has a lot of experience at the Interior Department. He has also represented the oil industry as a lawyer and lobbyist, and that drew a masked troll to his confirmation hearing Thursday.
Nome woman arrested after confronting Dunleavy at airport
During Governor Mike Dunleavy's visit to Nome yesterday, which was one of his scheduled “roadshow” stops around the state, he was greeted at the airport by Brenda Evak, who was ultimately taken away in handcuffs for alleged disorderly conduct.
Feds charge white supremacist gang members in Alaska
Recruiting for the gang occurred in and outside of prison, and when incarcerated members were released they were required to remain loyal to the gang, according to federal officials.
Alaska House subcommittees propose much smaller cuts than those in Dunleavy’s budget
The House Finance subcommittees have proposed a total of $47 million in reductions from the portion of the current budget the Legislature controls.
Dunleavy gives budget pitch as hundreds rally outside in Anchorage
As the governor made his case for drastic changes to the state's budget, a crowd outside railed against cuts to services like education, healthcare, and the ferry system.
Which Native voices? On Arctic Refuge, lawmakers practice selective listening
It's all about who you ignore. Rep. Don Young told his colleagues to disregard the anti-drilling Gwich'in witnesses while pro-development Inupiat witnesses accuse Democrats of erasing them from the land that's been their home for thousands of years.
US Supreme Court rules in favor of Sturgeon, limiting NPS jurisdiction of state-owned rivers
The U.S. Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that the state controls rivers running through Alaska’s federal conservation lands.