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.

Gov. Walker signs SLAM bill for Kashevaroff, Foster

Gov. Bill Walker signed a bill this morning officially naming the new State Libraries, Archives and Museum Building after Father Andrew P. Kashevaroff. The signing took place in the historical library in Juneau’s State Office Building.

Mat Su Assembly Struggles To Hold Mill Rate Steady

Few people turned out for a Matanuska Susitna Borough public hearing on the FY 2016 budget on Monday evening. But a divide is brewing between those who want to hold the mill rate steady, and those who say more services will require a nudge in property taxes.

Byron Mallott: B.C. officials ‘sincere’ about safe mining

Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott says British Columbia officials seem “sincere” about protecting transboundary rivers near provincial mines.

Seattle Mayor: Port Needs New Permit For Arctic Oil Fleet

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray says the Port of Seattle can't host Royal Dutch Shell's offshore Arctic oil-drilling fleet unless it gets a new land-use permit.

Tlingit-Haida Pushes For Larger Tribal Role In U.N.

Alaska’s largest tribal government has joined an international effort to boost Native influence in the United Nations. The Juneau-based Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska wants a larger forum to address its concerns.

Denali Opens For Climbers

Hundreds of climbers are expected to attempt North America's tallest peak this season, and National Park Service rangers are ready to live on the mountain for the next three months to help with rescues.

Troopers Investigate Shooting Death Of Fox Man

Alaska State Troopers are investigating the shooting death of 69-year-old Jimmy Gojdics, an outdoorsman and character on National Geographic's reality show "Ultimate Survival."

Woman Dies in ATV Crash in Upper Kalskag

State troopers say a woman died when her 4-wheeler flipped twice and threw her from the vehicle. 34-year-old Merna Spein was driving down main street in Upper Kalskag Saturday afternoon when she lost control.

Anchorage School Board amends budget, moves charter school facility money to save teaching jobs

The Anchorage School Board amended their budget to account for proposed legislative funding cuts.

As Early Voting Breaks Records, Uncertainty Prevails in the Mayor’s Race

High early voting returns after low turnout last month adds more uncertainty to a mayor's race with few numbers available.

Anchorage Adopts Budget After Battle Over Utility Funds, Public Safety Jobs

The $483.6 million budget came after vetoes coming from the mayor's office and a last minute deal over money connected to a utility the Administration has proposed privatizing. Download Audio:

Feds to Manage 2015 Kuskokwim King Run

Federal staff will again manage king salmon on the lower Kuskokwim River after requests from tribes. Earlier this year, a handful of tribal governments asked the federal subsistence board to implement federal management. The Federal Subsistence Board deferred last month, but at a Friday meeting of the Kuskokwim River Salmon Management Working Group, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service leaders announced a plan for federal management.  Download Audio:

Juneau Novelist Previews His Sixth Book

“In those days Harry didn’t recognize that the price of admission to the life he wanted was surrendering the tickets to all the other lives he might have had.” That’s the opening line of Juneau resident Stuart Cohen's new novel “This Is How it Really Sounds.” This is Cohen’s sixth book and it's hitting bookstores now. While the opening line hints at the novel’s theme, Cohen says the book revolves around three main characters. Download Audio:

Rural Sanitation Series: Innovating Beyond the Honey Bucket

What if you didn't have piped water and sewer, and the government wasn't picking up the tab to get you some. How would you find a low-cost system that you could keep running through the winter? In the fourth segment of "Kick the Bucket," find out how experts are looking for answers to rural sanitation issues in Alaska. Download Audio:

Cruise Ship Season Comes to Port

The first big cruise ship of the 2015 tourist season arrived in Ketchikan on Friday. In its inaugural visit to Alaska’s First City, the Ruby Princess brought more than 3,000 passengers and about 1,200 crew members. Download Audio:

Southeast Ferry Service Stalled by Engine Overhaul

Sitka and Juneau will lose a week of fast ferry sailings this month. The Chenega will return to Southeast service May 14th, a week later than scheduled. Download Audio:

Building A Community, One Story At A Time

Think about being sixteen, in high school, and standing in front of a group of friends and strangers telling a story. Your story. That's what a new Anchorage organization called StoryWorks is teaching local students to do--and helping them build community at the same time. Download Audio:

Alaska News Nightly: May 4, 2015

City Budget Passes After A Whirlwind of Compromise; Feds to Manage 2015 Kuskokwim King Run; Rural Sanitation Series: Innovating Beyond the Honey Bucket; Cruise Ship Season Comes to Port; Southeast Ferry Service Stalled by Vessel Overhaul; Juneau Novelist Publishes His Sixth Book; Students Build A Community, One Story At A Time; Family Farm Brings Heritage Pigs to the Kenai Download Audio:

Kick the Bucket: Experts Seek Alternatives To Costly, Ineffective Sanitation Systems

What if you didn’t have piped water and sewer, and the government wasn’t picking up the tab to get you some? How would you find a low-cost system that you could keep running through the winter? In this segment of “Kick the Bucket,” find out how experts are looking for answers to rural sanitation issues in Alaska.

Weather Service Ends Manual Readings Of Mendenhall River Level

The National Weather Service is changing the way it forecasts the water level in Juneau’s Mendenhall River. The agency said Friday that it has stopped taking manual readings of the river level at the Mendenhall Loop Bridge. Instead, river level observations and flood forecasts will be based on an automated gauge located in Mendenhall Lake.