Low Income Sitkans Fall Through Medicaid ‘Donut Hole’
The Affordable Care Act is a big law with plenty of ripple effects, but at its heart is a pretty simple premise: Americans who lack health insurance should be able to go online and pick a plan, and if their income falls beneath a certain threshold, then the federal government will cover part of the cost. That is, unless you live in Alaska, or one of the other states that has opted out of the federal Medicaid expansion. Then, you can actually make too little money to qualify for help. This is what some are calling the “Medicaid donut hole.” And falling into the donut hole can be a frustrating experience.
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YK Delta Halibut Quotas Halved
The statewide halibut and black cod season opened last Saturday. When YK Delta fishermen participate in the Community Development Quota allocations this summer, they will see their halibut quota cut nearly in half.
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Fairbanks Resolution Endorses Fukushima Radiation Monitoring
The Fairbanks city council passed a resolution Monday in support of state, federal and international monitoring for radiation from the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan.
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Shakespeare Is Alive In The Capitol City, 24 Hours A Day
If he were alive today, William Shakespeare would be 450 years old in April. In honor of the event, the capitol city is celebrating with its first Bard-A-Thon, 24 hours of Shakespeare readings for eight consecutive days. The non-stop Shakespeare kicked off on Saturday.
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Alaska Senate Committee Supports Native American Veterans Memorial
The Alaska Legislature could join the chorus of voices calling for an American Indian Veterans Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. An Alaska Senate committee on Tuesday passed a resolution supporting the project.
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Alaska News Nightly: March 12, 2014
Without Necessary Votes, Senate Leadership Pulls Controversial Education Amendment; Arctic is Top Priority for Homeland Security – But One of Many; Program Helping Medical Professionals In Under-Served Communities Pay Back Student Loans Comes Under Fire; Low Income Sitkans Fall Through Medicaid ‘Donut Hole’; Fairbanks Resolution Endorses Fukushima Radiation Monitoring; YK Delta Halibut Quotas Halved; Alaska Senate Committee Supports Native American Veterans Memorial; Shakespeare Is Alive In The Capitol City, 24 Hours A Day
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Iditarod 42 Most Certainly One Of The Toughest
This year’s Iditarod is not only record-breaking, it may have broken some mushers as well. The 42 annual race will not soon be forgotten. It’s being called on of the toughest in the race’s history.
Not Guilty Plea For Fall Diving Death Near Ketchikan
A fisherman pleaded not guilty Monday in Ketchikan Superior Court to manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. The two charges against 32-year-old Joshua Wodyga stem from a crew member’s death last fall while diving for sea cucumbers near Ketchikan.
Ketchikan-POW Ferry Aids Seafood, Retail, Tourism
A small southern Southeast Alaska ferry line is of large value to the region’s economy. That’s according to a new report studying the Inter-Island Ferry Authority.
Second Fat Tire Bike Race is Held in Talkeetna
This past weekend, the second annual Mike Sterling Memorial Bike Race was held in Talkeetna. Unlike summer events like the Clean Air Challenge or the Big Wild Ride, this race featured a type of bike specially built for ice and snow.
Two Men Sentenced In Shooting At Sitka’s Pioneer Bar
Sitka’s District Court has sentenced two men linked to a September shooting at Sitka’s Pioneer Bar.
Small Victories, Big Problems for Buccaneer In Alaska
Since Buccaneer Energy arrived on the scene in Alaska in the summer of 2011, it has seen a few victories and a host of unexpected problems.
North Pacific Seafoods Fined $205,000 for Ammonia Dumping
A Kodiak seafood processor has been fined over $200,000 after pleading guilty to illegally dumping 40 pounds of ammonia into the city’s sewer system in 2011.
Labor Language Reinserted In Gasline Bill
The new version of the bill will include provisions encouraging Alaska hire and addressing “project labor agreements.”
High Winds Battering Iditarod Mushers During Final Stretch To Nome
The 42nd annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race proved to be one of the most dramatic from start to finish. Dog teams were lost, ganglines were broken, mushers were injured – some severely. The trail from Anchorage to Nome threw everything possible at mushers from rocks to tree stumps to hurricane force winds.
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House Committee Discusses State Of Alaska Native Law And Order
Tuesday, the State House Community and Regional Affairs Committee heard from several people about the sorry state of law and order for Alaska Natives. Legislators asked them why they think the state is the source of the problem, but the person in the best position to answer that question couldn’t make it to the hearing. The Attorney General had a scheduling conflict.
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Permitting Bill To Only Be Considered By Resources
Senate Resources is expected to be the only Senate committee to consider a sweeping bill that proposes changes to Alaska’s permitting system.
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For Self-Employed Sitkans, Health Act Makes A Difference
New figures from the Obama administration show more than 6500 Alaskans have enrolled in insurance plans on healthcare.gov. The deadline to sign up is March 31st. And that has prompted many Alaskans to bite the bullet and figure out what the Affordable Care Act means for them. For some commercial fishermen and others who are self-employed, what they’ve found has been a pleasant surprise.
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Anchorage’s National Archives Office Closing
The government’s top archivist, David Ferriero announced today the Anchorage branch of the National Archives will close this year.
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Herron Asks Legislature To Support Izembek Road Campaign
Alaska’s legislature is still searching for ways to connect King Cove and Cold Bay by building a road through a federal wildlife refuge.
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