Gov. Walker Signs Fuels Tax Increase
Alaska Governor Bill Walker has officially signed off on the state's first tax increase in a decade.
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What the Supreme Court’s Redistricting Decision Means For Alaska
The U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed the right of citizens to make changes to the congressional redistricting process through initiatives. With one congressional district for the whole state, it’s impossible to gerrymander Alaska when it comes to national representation. But the decision could draw more attention to how political lines for the Legislature are drawn.
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Kachemak Residents Buck A Hatchery Proposal in Tutka Bay
The Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association is a salmon advocacy center fighting for an opportunity to temporarily move 80 million artificially bred pink salmon fry into Tutka Bay every year.
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Bristol Bay Salmon Camp: ‘Can We Eat The Fin?’
Every summer BBEDC holds salmon camps for middle school and high school kids from CDQ communities. It’s a mix of a little fun and little education on the region’s number one renewable resource, salmon. The junior camp kids paid a visit to the counting tower station on the Wood River.
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Spending Bill Includes Contract Support Costs
A spending bill advancing in the US Senate includes full funding for Alaska Native health care providers’ contract support costs. That’s an area of native health care that’s been underfunded even though the supreme court has repeatedly ruled in favor of tribes.
Sen. Murkowski Pushes For Tweaks To Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act has special provisions for American Indians and Alaska Natives. They’re exempt from the individual mandate requiring Americans to purchase health insurance, since they’re already entitled to health care through the Indian Health Service.
ACLU-Alaska Applauds SCOTUS Marriage Decision
In a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court today declared same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states. That means the status quo will continue in Alaska, where same-sex marriage was legalized in October.
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Efforts Underway to Recover Victims of Fatal Plane Crash
Recovery efforts were under way early Friday afternoon for nine people killed on Thursday when a floatplane crashed into the side of a steep mountain in Misty Fiords National Monument outside of Ketchikan.
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Budget Cuts Sideline 3 of Alaska’s 11 Ferries
The Alaska Marine Highway System plans to lay up three of its 11 ferries for most of the next budget year. A draft schedule released Friday shows the Taku out for all of fiscal year 2016, which begins in July. The fast ferries Chenega and Fairweather will be tied up starting in the early fall.
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Senator Calls On Governor To Expand Medicaid
A prominent Democrat in the state Senate is calling on Governor Bill Walker to expand Medicaid in Alaska without approval from the legislature. Anchorage Senator Bill Wielechowski says now that the Supreme Court has upheld insurance subsidies in Alaska there is no reason not to expand Medicaid.
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How David Holthouse Decided to Name the ‘Bogeyman’
A high profile case about an alleged child rape from 1978 is at an impasse because of Alaska’s old statute of limitations.
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Juneau soccer camp grooms players for the international field
As the U.S. team heads to the Women’s World Cup quarterfinals this weekend, a Juneau soccer camp is teaching kids all about the global sport.
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Indonesian Company Buys Alaska-Based Icicle Seafoods
Icicle Seafoods, one of Alaska’s largest seafood processors is being sold to Indonesian companies Convergence Holdings and Dominion Catchers owned by the wealthy Soetantyo family. The deal isn’t expected to close until August but private investment firm, Paine and Partners says they and Icicle Holdings, Inc. have entered into agreements to sell the company.
9 Killed in Flightseeing Crash Near Ketchikan
Nine people died Thursday afternoon when the DeHavilland Otter floatplane they were traveling in went down near Ella Lake in Misty Fiords National Monument near Ketchikan.
‘Northern Edge’ Marred By Communication Problems
For the last week and a half, the military has been conducting Northern Edge, the largest training exercise regularly held in Alaska.
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State Applauds Supreme Court Ruling On Subsidies
More than 16,000 Alaskans will keep their health insurance subsidies under a ruling issued Thursday by the United States Supreme Court. The Court ruled 6 to 3 in favor of the argument that the Affordable Care Act allows residents in states like Alaska to access federal subsidies on healthcare.gov.
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Partial Evacuations Underway in Aniak and Chuathbaluk
The latest figures show 21 new fires were logged in Alaska yesterday. That brings the total to nearly 300, which are burning almost 945 square miles. Fires are growing quickly in the middle Kuskokwim.
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Sled Dogs Safe, But Musher Stays To Protect Fire-Threatened Homestead
Yukon Quest champion Brent Sass remains at his wildfire-threatened compound in Eureka, but his dogs are safe in Fairbanks.
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E. Coli Detected in Haines’ Water Supply
Haines residents are being told to boil their drinking water after E. coli was found in the municipal water system.
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$1B Icebreaker Isn’t In the Coast Guard’s Stars… Yet
Congress does not appear close to finding $1 billion to fund a new Coast Guard icebreaker, but Thursday, the Senate Commerce Committee approved a bill authorizing $14 million to plan for one.