COVID money boosted Alaska federal funds by a third, study finds
CARES Act money to Alaska rivaled what the state gets from Medicaid
Citing economic concerns, cities will weigh in on lawsuit over Cook Inlet commercial fishing closure
Kenai and Homer both are submitting amicus briefs to a suit from the United Cook Inlet Drift Association that attempts to stop the closure before it goes into effect next summer. The cities say the ramifications of the decision on their local economies could be intense.
Bethel OCS worker charged with sexual assault of an adult
A state employee for the Office of Children’s Services in Bethel has been charged with sexual assault. Several local non-profit organizations that he is a board member of are evaluating whether to remove him.
Biden announces free tests and defends the White House response as COVID cases surge
The federal government plans to buy a half-billion at-home COVID test kits and mail them to people who want them, with deliveries beginning in January.
5.9 earthquake shakes Kenai and Southcentral
A 5.9-magnitude earthquake centered in Lake Clark National Park shook the Kenai Peninsula and Southcentral Alaska Tuesday at aboout 1:40 p.m.
Fishing council ties bycatch limits on Bering Sea trawlers to halibut abundance
The council that manages fishing in federal waters voted this week to link groundfish trawl fishing in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands to halibut abundance. The action caps — at least for now — a six-year debate about curbing halibut bycatch in Alaska.
State’s top epidemiologist has tips for Alaskans heading into the holidays as omicron surge looms
Dr. Joe McLaughlin says it's alright to gather for the holidays this year, but he recommends having guests take rapid COVID tests, which some communities are giving away for free.
The Alaska Legislature’s Capitol complex in Juneau has grown to a fifth city block
The Juneau Community Foundation recently gifted a 24,000 square-foot building that sits kitty-corner from the Capitol to the legislature. Not everyone is happy.
Profits eluded Sealaska for decades. Now it’s ditching timber and plastics, and investing in kelp.
An investment in Barnacle Foods, while small, is a potent symbol of the corporation’s new vision. Other corporations are taking similar steps.
Anchorage school board extends mandatory masking after teacher pushback
Last week, the district announced it would end universal masking on January 3 and switch to optional, “parent-informed” masking. At last night's school board meeting, several teachers testified against optional masking.
Anchorage retailers hope for spending rebound fueled by higher wages and ‘revenge shopping’
At Anchorage’s Dimond Mall, some retailers are reporting that sales have surpassed pre-pandemic levels thanks to pent-up demand and supply chain shortages that are vexing online shoppers.
Moderna says its COVID booster increases protection against omicron
Moderna said Monday that preliminary data showed that its COVID-19 booster shot is effective against the omicron variant of the coronavirus currently surging in the U.S. and around the world.
‘We’re not interested in documenting this pandemic’: Changes coming to Alaska’s COVID-19 dashboard
The state is considering ending daily case reporting and switching to weekly reports. Chief Medical Officer Anne Zink says weekly reports can still provide important information about COVID trends, while not overburdening local health departments.
In Petersburg, home health care nurses are crucial to keep people out of hospitals
A team of 8 home health nurses has been visiting households around the Southeast Alaska community, delivering supplies and caring for COVID patients. Their work has helped keep the town's hospitals from overcrowding during the worst surge of the pandemic.
Valdez school district gives $1,500 to each teacher and staff member as thank you during difficult pandemic
The money comes from federal COVID-19 relief funds, and the district hopes sharing the money directly with its employees will help retain and recruit staff as the pandemic continues.
COVID is again raging across the U.S. just as Americans gather for the holidays
The jump in cases in recent days is being blamed, in part, on the omicron variant. It's expected to become the dominant strain in the U.S. in the coming weeks.
Retreating glaciers will open up salmon streams in Alaska, study says
A new study shows retreating glaciers are likely to open up thousands of miles of salmon spawning habitat by the year 2100. While that may sound like the distant future, it’s the blink of an eye in geologic time.
Alaska’s first Miss America calls response to her historic win overwhelming and heartwarming
“Before I knew it, they were putting a crown on my head and I was just so overwhelmed with emotion," Broyles said the day after she was crowned. "Being the first Miss Alaska to be crowned Miss America means so much.”
Details remain scarce about Anchorage mayor briefly turning off fluoride in city’s water
In the days after the Bronson administration announced that the mayor had ordered the fluoride temporarily turned off — after initially denying it — details remain scarce. The Bronson administration has answered few questions and the Alaska Occupational Safety and Health Section says it has no recent records of worker complaints from the Eklutna water treatment plant.
Alaska detectives turning to genetic genealogy to catch cold case killers
Cold case detectives like Investigator Randel McPherron with the Alaska Department of Public Safety are finding more and more success with genetic genealogy.