News

All news stories, regardless of topic (local, statewide + national news stories, as well as Talk of Alaska, Alaska News Nightly, Alaska Insight, Alaska Economic Report). Some news stories may also have other categories marked, which will also put them on a subpage. Not all news stories will fall into a subpage.

Kodiak police focusing on better training following Pletnikoff incident

The Kodiak Police Department is working to improve its staff’s sensitivity towards people with special needs. That includes new approaches to identifying members of the community affected by autism.

Bon Voyage, Susitna

Mat Su's unused ferry is heading South.

Budget defers 5 jets, but Air Force general ‘excited’ for F-35s in Alaska

President Obama’s 2017 Air Force budget would slow the pace of buying F-35s, the new fighter jet slated for Eielson Air Force Base. But the Air Force chief of staff still speaks highly of the plan to keep them at the Fairbanks base.

AK court system planning more budget cuts

Alaska Supreme Court Chief Justice Craig Stowers says the court system has taken steps to cut costs. In the annual State of the Judiciary address to a joint session of the legislatureon Wednesday, he said the courts plan on more cuts. Download Audio

Sen. Olson joins majority caucus

The Senate’s already large majority grew even bigger today. Senator Donny Olson joined the majority caucus. The move by the Golovin Democrat means that sixteen of the twenty senators are in the majority. Olson says he’s honored to join the majority and will lend a strong voice for rural Alaskans. Download Audio

Presidential race heads to Alaska in March

Alaska’s major parties will pick their candidates on different days. The Republicans will choose theirs on March 1st, also known as Super Tuesday. That’s because it’s the day that the largest number of delegates will be picked this year. Download Audio

Young: FAA privatization bill harms Alaska air travel

A U.S. House bill would turn air traffic controllers into employees of a non-profit corporation. Surprisingly, the air traffic controllers’ union supports it. Alaska Congressman Don Young says the bill would also undermine Essential Air Service. Download Audio

Rep. Nageak’s nephew killed in police shooting

There was an officer involved in a fatal shooting in Barrow early Wednesday morning. According to the North Slope Borough Mayor’s office, the incident happened around 4:00 a.m. A North Slope Borough Police Officer was responding to a call for assistance when the shooting took place. The Mayor’s office identified the victim as Vincent Nageak III, the nephew of State Representative Ben Nageak (D-Barrow).Download Audio

Sitka settles with tasered student

Sitka has settled out of court with a high school student who was tasered in the city’s jail in 2014. Franklin Hoogendorn will be paid $350,000 by Sitka’s insurance carrier. Download Audio

Pletnikoff family takes city to court

The Pletnikoff family on Tuesday filed suit in Kodiak Superior Court against the city, the police department and two of the three officers involved. Download Audio

Salard sentenced to 20 years in prison

Former Wrangell doctor Greg Salard was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years in prison for receipt and distribution of child pornography. Salard, 54, will also have a lifetime of supervised release after prison and a $25,000 fine. He was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Juneau. Download Audio

The nitty-gritty rules that will shape Anchorage’s cannabis industry

Assembly members in Anchorage have passed a bundle of rules that will shape the business landscape for the state’s largest commercial cannabis market in the months ahead. Download Audio

Alaska News Nightly: Wednesday, Feb. 10 2016

State courts planning more cuts; Olson joins senate majority; Presidential race turns to AK in March; House bill shifts FAA workers to non-profit; Pletnikoff family takes city to court; Wrangell doctor sentenced on porn charges; pot groups getting on same regs page; Sass first to Dawson City; turning ideas about race into art. Download Audio

Turning ideas about racial equity into art

Anchorage graffiti artist Bisco transformed ideas about racial equity into art during a two-day summit.

Report: Trees in Kodiak borough parcel likely to die

An assessment into the damage from the August 2015 Twin Creeks fire on land owned by the Kodiak Island Borough has determined that many of the area's trees will likely die.

Ahtna announces purchase of sand, gravel, asphalt company

An Alaska Native regional corporation says it has acquired a sand and gravel company in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

Sass leads Yukon Quest mushers into Dawson

Brent Sass covered the 150-mile distance from Eagle to Dawson in two runs. He said his team was feeling better in Eagle after starting the race with some stomach issues.

Dozens turnout to testify against Homer pot prohibition ordinance

It was standing room only at the start of Monday evening’s Homer City Council meeting where dozens of people showed up to testify about an ordinance that would ban all commercial cannabis activity in Homer. Most who testified were against the ordinance introduced by Homer City Council Members Heath Smith and Gus Van Dyke.

Bethel man sentenced to 20 years for murder of Leann Berlin

A Bethel judge sentenced 28-year-old Mark Charlie Jr. of Bethel to serve 20 years for the murder of Leann Berlin, a 26-year-old originally from Kasigluk.
2017 budget

Obama budget reveals Alaska flashes

President Obama delivered his final budget to Congress this morning. It has a picture of Denali on the cover, and several big-ticket Alaska items among its pages. Download Audio