Big win for Murkowski: Public lands bill passes Senate
The U.S. Senate today passed a massive public lands bill, and to the delight of its sponsor, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, the vote was overwhelming.
Alaska Native issues feature prominently at hearing on Arctic Refuge oil leasing
At the Anchorage hearing on oil leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska Native voices provided passionate testimony on both sides of the issue.
Update: Knopp votes against Republican Talerico for speaker as House stalemate continues
After holding out for a bipartisan majority for nearly a month, Kenai Republican Rep. Gary Knopp says he’s “not at all optimistic, but we’ve got to move forward at this point.”
Dunleavy outlines approach ahead of big budget rollout
Gov. Michael Dunleavy has not proposed a public vote on spending cuts, and he says there isn’t time to do that with this budget.
Drilling foes in House launch bill to close ANWR
Opponents of development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge filed a U.S. House bill Monday that would end the possibility of drilling in the refuge. The bill's prospects are dim in the Senate, but sponsors say they will press on.
Hearing concludes regarding French’s fate at head of state oil and gas watchdog agency
A three-day public hearing ended Friday regarding Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s bid to remove Hollis French from his position as chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.
Don’t count on oil to bail out Alaska’s budget soon, says unpublished state tax memo
The National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska is a hot area for oil development right now. But don’t count on new production there to bail out the state budget any time soon. That’s the takeaway from a previously unpublished, two-month-old analysis drafted by former independent Gov. Bill Walker’s administration.
State privatizes API management with no-bid contract
The State of Alaska is privatizing the management of Alaska's only psychiatric hospital via a no-bid contract with Wellpath Recovery Solutions, an international corporation that manages state mental facilities and prison health care programs.
Alaska GOP Gov. Dunleavy seeks to oust Democratic chair of oil and gas watchdog agency
A two-page letter from Dunleavy last month charges French with “neglect of duty and misconduct,” and levies five charges to justify the governor’s bid to remove French from chairmainship of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.
Anchorage and Mat-Su school districts report millions in post-quake repair costs, with millions more to come
The two school districts affected by last November's magnitude 7.0 earthquake are reporting they've spent millions of dollars on repairs to schools.
Interior: No 3-D Seismic exploration in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge this winter
An Interior official has confirmed there will be no 3-D seismic exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge this winter.
As the Bering Sea warms, this skipper is chasing pollock to new places
“Across the board, everybody has a story about something that they haven’t seen before,” said Dan Martin, a 53-year-old captain of a Bering Sea pollock trawler. We took a fishing trip with Martin to find out what he’s experiencing as the Bering Sea heats up.
Education commissioner says it’s time to review school funding formula
State Education Commissioner Michael Johnson also told lawmakers Wednesday that he didn’t consult with school districts before the Dunleavy administration proposed a $20 million cut to education funding.
State of the Union gets warm reception from Alaska delegation
Alaska’s all-Republican delegation to Congress praised President Trump for delivering a positive message in his State of the Union address Tuesday night.
US House dems push climate change into spotlight
The House hasn't paid much attention to climate change in nearly a decade. That streak came to an end Wednesday with two simultaneous hearings. Democrats are showing that things are different now that they hold the gavels.
Dunleavy’s Fish and Game nominee vows tough stance against federal agencies
The governor’s pick to lead the Alaska Department of Fish and Game told lawmakers he’d push back against federal agencies that interfere with Alaskans’ right to hunt and fish.
After a peak, APD says car thefts in Anchorage are declining
Officials say the steep increase in the number of cars stolen is largely attributable to drugs, and that the decrease is being driven by an expanded police force and collaboration among law enforcement agencies.
House members talk about sharing power as speaker nomination fails
While no action occurred in the House, the Senate Finance subcommittees began meeting in preparation for the budget.
Credit rating agencies watch as Alaska pivots toward a new budget
Right now, there’s a plan in place that kept the state’s credit outlook stable. But there a new governor, and his administration has a new plan for the state’s budget.
Interior Dept. kicks off new round of meetings on drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Some people at the meeting expressed concern about the process. Lisa Baraff with the Northern Alaska Environmental Center said that the timeline BLM has been using for their environmental review is too short.