Young: Transparency Makes Good Government ‘Impossible’
Alaska’s lone congressman says transparency is the problem with – and not the solution to – good government. Don Young took advantage of the congressional recess to visit Sitka and speak at the Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday. Besides sharing his nostalgia for the days before television cameras intruded into the capitol, the 40-year representative railed against younger Alaskan’s comfort with government largesse, and their lack of productivity.
ASD Hopes To Adopt ‘Common Core’ Standards
The Anchorage School District does not want to wait on the State of Alaska to overhaul its educational standards any longer. Administrators are recommending the School Board instead adopt national standards. They're called 'Common Core' Standards, and 45 states already have them.
Kotzebue musher lost in Interior Alaska gets assist from troopers
25-year-old musher James Foster showed signs of hypothermia when troopers located him at a remote location off of the Steese Highway, but he refused to leave with the helicopter.
Point Baker Considers Post Office Loss
What’s a post office mean to a small community? Just ask folks in Point Baker, a Southeast fishing town threatened with the loss of one of its few institutions.
Law Enforcement Community Rallies Around Hoonah
Casey Kelly, KTOO – Juneau
The tiny Southeast village of Hoonah has received condolences from around the world for the recent shooting deaths of...
Murkowski Pushes To Lift Crude Oil Exports Ban
A campaign by Senator Lisa Murkowski to lift the decades-old ban on crude oil exports got its first hearing in Washington today. It’s been 25 years since Congress has formally considered the ban it adopted during the Arab oil embargo, but the recent energy boom in the Lower 48 is triggering new debates.
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UAF Chancellor Addresses Retirement, University’s Budget Woes
Outgoing University of Alaska Fairbanks Chancellor Brian Rogers is dispelling rumors that illness forced his recent decision to retire this summer. Chancellor Rogers, who was also a candidate to become the new president of the University of Alaska system, spoke during a wide ranging campus forum Tuesday.
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BRHS students walk out of class to demand gun reform
On Wednesday afternoon, students walked out of class at Bethel Regional High School to raise awareness about school shootings and to demand stricter gun laws. Listen now
In Alaska’s first statewide by-mail vote, turnout was highest for a primary since 2014
Final preliminary results posted Tuesday night by the Alaska Division of Elections show 161,614 people voted in the special election for U.S. House, Alaska’s first statewide election by mail.
South and Central American students could be key to staffing Juneau’s Eaglecrest ski area this winter
In the first full week of September, Eaglecrest’s job postings had more than 7,000 views. But just six adults who applied met the qualifications.
Gov. Walker visits Sitka, meets with families of those presumed dead
Governor Bill Walker was in Sitka today to assess the damage from a series of landslides that hit the city after heavy rains Tuesday (August 18). He also met with the families of three people missing since Tuesday morning. Meanwhile, the search for the three men was proceeding slowly, hampered by fears of further landslides.
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Summer road construction produces jobs and delays
F Street Improvements, looking south from Town Square Park at F Street and 6th Avenue. Image from Destination Downtown photo gallery
Anchorage drivers better remember...
Bodies Found On Denali Highway Thought To Be Homicide
The Alaska State Troopers have identified the bodies of two people found near the Denali Highway on Sunday after what they believe to be a double homicide.
Alaska Native leader Trefon Angasan passes away from complications of COVID-19
Angasan was the chairman of the Alaska Peninsula Corporation. He was also a founding member, and he served on the board for more than 42 years.
Southeast Conference Leader To Focus on Infrastructure
The new president of the Southeast Conference says she will focus on improving the region’s energy and transportation infrastructure. Maxine Thompson became the...
Donlin Gold suspends drilling program, moves employees from work camp
This year was supposed to be Donlin's biggest drilling program in over a decade.
State calls off student testing
The state of Alaska has canceled standardized testing in schools this year. Upwards of 70,000 students were scheduled to take Alaska Measures of Progress (AMP) assessments across a five-week window, but in a press release issued on April 1, Alaska’s Department of Education & Early Development called the whole thing off. The reason? Ongoing problems connecting to an online server – in Kansas. Download Audio
Seward to try tidal heat
Seward's City Council has approved a plan aimed at using tidal energy to heat city buildings. If successful, the project could turn out to be the first ocean -sourced district heating system in the state.
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Alaska Natives not sharing in national cancer death rate reductions
A report out today says cancer death rates are dropping significantly in the U.S. but not for Alaska Natives and American Indians in the...
Democrats Ask About Fish-Game Job Relocating to Anchorage
Juneau lawmakers say they want a better explanation for relocating a high profile fish and game position to Anchorage. Sen. Dennis Egan and...