Delta To Add Year-Round Competition In Juneau, Fairbanks
Delta Air Lines will fly year-round between Juneau and Seattle starting in May. This is a change from just offering flights during the summer, and could signal more Delta service coming to the state in the future.
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With New Regents, Walker Alters Geographic Makeup of University Board
With four members, Fairbanks now has the most representation on the 11-person board. A spokesperson for the governor says the governor desired “more regional representation.”
Aleutian Sanctuary Proposal Stalls Out
The federal government has turned down a request to create a vast marine reserve around the Aleutian Islands.
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Subsistence Community Allowed To Use Set Gillnets On Kenai, Kasilof Rivers
A new fishery approved by the Federal Subsistence Board last week will allow the use of set gill nets on the Kenai and Kasilof Rivers.
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Walker, Delegation Irked By President’s ANWR Proposal
President Obama is proposing the largest ever wilderness designation in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which would forever put the coastal plain off-limits to oil and gas development.
Fish Commissioner Names New Habitat Director
Biologist Tony DeGange takes over the position at a time when the division is reconsidering its habitat management process.
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Alaska Military Bases Could Lose 11,100 Troops Amid National Drawdown
Municipal Manager George Vakalis briefed members of the Anchorage Assembly on news that Army downsizing, and ongoing efforts to coordinate with stakeholders.
Walker Names Transportation Commissioner
There’s a new boss at the state agency overseeing, roads, airports and ferries. Gov. Bill Walker on Friday named Marc Luiken as his commissioner of the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.
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Walker Outlines Plans For Budget Cuts
With Alaska facing a multi-billion-dollar budget shortfall, Gov. Bill Walker is proposing 5 percent cuts to agency funding.
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Walker Names National Guard Special Investigator
Gov. Bill Walker has named a retired judge as his federal investigator into the Alaska National Guard. Patricia Collins, a former Superior Court judge for Juneau, will conduct the investigation into the Alaska National Guard.
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Sullivan Starts Committee Work With a Pile-up
Just this week, the U.S. Senate got started with committee work, with most panels holding their first hearings. All four of Sen. Dan Sullivan’s committees met Wednesday, colliding in a scheduling pile-up that’s typical in Congress. To get by -- and be effective -- requires skill in the art of Senate juggling.
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Bill Streur Hired As Medicaid Budget, Expansion Consultant
The Senate Finance Committee approved hiring former-health commissioner Bill Streur today as a consultant on the Medicaid budget and Medicaid expansion. Expanding the program as part of the Affordable Care Act is a priority of Governor Bill Walker, but many Republican lawmakers say the state can't afford any new spending.
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Healthcare.gov Navigators See Steady Enrollment As Deadline Approaches
Nearly 17,000 Alaskans have signed up for health insurance on healthcare.gov during this open enrollment period. That's already a substantial increase from last year. And Affordable Care Act navigators expect the next three weeks will be even busier as the February 15th enrollment deadline approaches.
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Scientists, Fishermen Test Strategies To Reduce Trawl Bycatch, Habitat Impact
Reducing bycatch has been a hot topic in the pollock trawl industry. Scientists are working with the commercial fishermen to find a solution to the problem. And, at the Alaska Marine Science Symposium this week in Anchorage, they say they are making progress.
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Kenai Peninsula Borough Takes on Cannabis Cultivation Outside City Limits
Kenai Peninsula residents overwhelmingly turned out in support of establishing cannabis agribusiness in the borough, or at least not restricting it too much this early in the game.
Board of Fisheries Chairman Resigns
Alaska Board of Fisheries Chairman Karl Johnstone resigned Tuesday after Gov. Bill Walker said he would not submit his name to the legislature for reappointment.
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Bering Sea Pollock Fishery Casts Off
The Bering Sea’s largest fishery opened up on Tuesday afternoon. Pollock crews are gearing up for a potential increase in their harvest -- while still keeping an open mind about what the winter has in store.
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Tongass Advisory Council Meeting In Juneau
The Tongass Advisory Committee is meeting for the fifth time in Juneau this week. The committee is tasked with hammering out how the Forest Service should handle the Obama Administration’s transition away from old-growth logging and to a new focus on younger trees. But, for some people the most important questions are the ones the committee isn’t supposed to address.
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Alaska’s 29th Legislature Gavels In
The state legislature began the 29th session this afternoon. House Speaker Mike Chenault gaveled in at 1 pm. The State Senate followed an hour later. Senate President Kevin Meyer is a Republican from Anchorage. He says the caucus has several priorities this year,-the gas line, education, Arctic policy and development and federal over-reach. But he says the state budget will - of course - need the most attention.
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Senate Finance Considering Bringing On Former Commissioners As Consultants
The Senate Finance Committee is considering hiring two former state commissioners to help lawmakers review state spending and address massive budget deficits.
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