State foster care agencies take millions of dollars owed to children in their care
Roughly 10% of foster youth in the U.S. are entitled to Social Security benefits, either because their parents have died or because they have a physical or mental disability that would leave them in poverty without financial help. This money — typically more than $700 per month, though survivor benefits vary — is considered their property under federal law.
3-year-old girl medevaced after dog attack in Chevak
The girl’s mother is planning to press charges against the neighbors who she says own the dogs and is calling on the city to put down the animals.
LISTEN: In Alaska, relief and renewed calls for reform after guilty verdict in George Floyd’s murder
That was the case for Celeste Hodge Growden, president of the Alaska Black Caucus, who says there is still much more work to do on improving racial equity here and elsewhere, and not just in law enforcement.
Alaska House bill would fund schools ahead of time, prevent pink slips
House Bill 169 would fund education ahead of the rest of the state budget, to avoid teachers and other school staff receiving layoff notices next month. This happens when the Legislature goes deep into May without passing a budget, triggering notices required under teachers’ contracts.
For Kenai Peninsula pharmacist, COVID-19 vaccine fight tests friendships
Justin Ruffridge grew up in Soldotna and, as a conservative and a Christian, he's part of the same demographic as some of the COVID-19 vaccine’s biggest skeptics. He’s also a medical professional lends him a measure of credibility that elected officials and other government employees can lack.
Anchorage’s small international eateries, used to take-out, found a growing market in the pandemic
Smaller, family-owned eateries have done better than established fine-dining restaurants, adapting quickly to social media marketing and online ordering for take-out.
Anchorage School Board passes anti-racism and equity policies with overwhelming support
The policies stemmed from the murder of George Floyd in 2020 and have been hotly debated for weeks. The policies passed the same day a jury convicted the police officer who killed Floyd.
Alaska joins Florida in federal lawsuit over pandemic cruise ship rules
The lawsuit says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is overstepping its authority with the Conditional Sailing Order, which imposes strict COVID-19 safety precautions on the cruise industry.
Could Alaskan Seaweed Help Save the Planet? | INDIE ALASKA
https://youtu.be/LhbRCzxaqoE
Seaweed and kelp are a billion-dollar industry with the potential to help alleviate the pressures of climate change. Currently, the biggest players in the...
NTSB: Obstructed views, lack of alerts caused midair crash
Obstructed views of the sky and problems with a system that alerts pilots to nearby planes were factors in a mid-air crash of Southeast Alaska sightseeing planes that killed six people two years ago, the National Transportation Safety Board has determined.
A decade after Fukushima nuclear disaster, Alaska expands seafood monitoring
State environmental regulators announced Monday they’re expanding radiation testing of commercially harvested Alaska seafood, including crab, using a gamma radiation detector at a state laboratory in Anchorage.
Ask a Climatologist: Alaska’s spring weather whipsaw
National Weather Service climate researcher Brian Brettschneider, back for our Ask a Climatologist segment, says it's a remarkably quick switch.
Matanuska ferry crew members test positive for COVID-19
Two crew members aboard the Matanuska tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend after the state ferry left Bellingham for ports in Southeast Alaska, according to state officials.
Warm weather and plowing in Anchorage mean clear trails likely a week away
A month into a cold spring that followed a pandemic winter, temperatures in Anchorage are reaching into the 60’s this week and the city’s Parks and Recreation Department is hard at work, transforming the slushy remains of ski trails into clear paths for the bikes, strollers and roller blades of summer.
Alaska prisons to open for visitation after year-long COVID closure
The state Department of Corrections plans to open visitation on Wednesday between fully vaccinated Alaskans in its custody and public visitors like family members.
Senate votes to remove Reinbold as chair of Judiciary Committee
The Alaska Senate voted 17-1 to remove Republican Eagle River Sen. Lora Reinbold as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday.
Peninsula lawmakers introduce bill to block vaccination requirements
Alaska’s proposed bill would also block businesses and public entities from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination to access public areas, services or benefits. That includes public schools and University of Alaska campuses.
Portable, Sitka-built ‘mini homes’ could help with Southeast Alaska’s housing crunch
A new “mini-home” project is working to tackle a housing shortage in Yakutat by building the houses in Sitka where costs are lower and then shipping them. The construction company behind the project hopes its idea spreads.
Tribes and ANCs present grammar puzzle to Supreme Court, with $530 million at stake
The CARES Act case turns on a definition that specifically includes ANCs as tribes and then seemingly excludes them in the very same sentence.
SpaceX considers Alaska-based stations to improve worldwide internet satellite network
An aerospace and technology company is considering building key parts of a satellite network in Alaska — including Ketchikan, Nome and Fairbanks — that, according to the company, could help improve internet access across the globe.