Economy

All Alaska economy and business news, including the Alaska Economic Report.

a person holds up a tortilla

‘Taste of home’: New Latino- and Hispanic- owned restaurants serve up culture alongside cuisine

From mole enchiladas to mangonadas, the restaurants are not just bringing new foods to Anchorage — they're fostering community spaces for residents looking for a taste of home.
The sign for Alaska Pacific University stands in front of pine trees surrounded by snow.

Alaska Pacific University is offering a new scholarship with money from a student-managed investment fund

The fund grew from $200,000 to nearly $2 million since it started in 2001.
a cruise ship

Advocates call for a ban on cruise ship scrubbers, citing pollution concerns

Critics say scrubbers trade would-be air pollution for water pollution, and that regulators aren’t keeping Alaska waters clean.
fishing vessels

RurAL CAP connects small businesses — including fishing boats — with federal energy dollars

RurAL CAP staff can help small businesses navigate applying for REAP grants, which pay up to 50% of many energy upgrades' costs.
an orca

Orcas challenge the Bering Sea’s black cod industry

Orca depredation isn't just a costly headache for fishermen — it can be dangerous for orcas, too.
a drilling rig

Small Cook Inlet producers say they need state government help before drilling for new natural gas

One company says it needs more support after $7 million of its loans were forgiven. Another wants a royalty reduction to drill a well.

Anchorage leaders hope proposed parental leave and telework policies will bolster city workforce

“The level of vacancies that we find ourselves with now is historically very out of the norm and high,” said chief administrative officer Bill Falsey.
a heat pump

Heat pump incentive program aims to lower home heating bills in Gustavus

Gustavus was one of a dozen U.S. sites chosen for the National League of Cities' Advancing Economic Mobility Rapid Grant program.
Two stores side by side.

Bellwether trial in Kroger-Albertsons merger begins Monday

Most Alaskans live in a community where the companies’ Fred Meyer and Safeway or Carrs stores directly compete with each other.
A sign says AIDEA

Alaska’s embattled economic development agency signs contracts with 7 law firms

The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, or AIDEA, is pushing an array of controversial projects across the state.
dogs

A dog camp atop a Juneau glacier keeps mushing afloat during Alaska’s summer tourism season

Mushers say the sport has become more expensive. Many of them are turning to tourism to pay the bills.
a vessel

NOAA study links massive Bering Sea snow crab loss to climate change

The new study deepens the connection between human-caused climate change and the crabs' die-off in recent years.
lawmakers

Alaska delegation asks Biden to act on Canadian mining near transboundary rivers

U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Rep. Mary Peltola expressed concern over Canadian mining impacts on U.S. communities.
a building that says united states border inspection station on it has an american flag in front and two stop signs and signs instructing commercial trucks and buses to go in a specific lane.

Solar panels? A heat pump? Planners weigh how to make a remote Alaska border crossing more eco-friendly

The government is rebuilding its border crossing near Tok. Planners hope to reduce fossil fuel usage there by about 60%.
king salmon

9th Circuit lifts closure of Southeast Alaska king salmon troll fishery

A three-judge panel partially reversed a lower court ruling in a lawsuit brought by the Washington-based Wild Fish Conservancy.
Two stores side by side.

What the proposed Kroger/Albertsons merger could mean for Alaskans | Talk of Alaska

Albertsons, the owner of Safeway and Carrs, wants to sell to Kroger, the parent company of Fred Meyer. The deal would affect multiple stores in Alaska.
A couple holding an "Alaskan jalapeno popper"

For this local food stand, the Alaska State Fair is a whole lot of work and a massive opportunity

For many, the Alaska State Fair is a time to relax and have fun. But for this couple, it’s also a massive opportunity.
Power transmission lines on poles in the foreground, with mountains in the distance.

Power-line problem triggered brief but broad outage across Southcentral Alaska

About 65,000 Chugach Electric and MEA customers lost power Monday night after a transmission-line fault near Wasilla.
a meeting

Inside the ‘titanic’ legal case that will help determine Alaska’s energy future: an analysis

Written testimony and public hearings help explain how an Anchorage electric utility’s proposed rate hike could affect consumers.
a state ferry

Kodiak celebrates state ferry Tustumena’s 60 years of service

Kodiak held a block party to mark the "Trusty Tusty's" diamond anniversary, with officials sharing updates about her replacement.