Trump’s pick for Interior secretary has worked for Alaska and energy industry
President Trump has nominated David Bernhardt to be the next secretary of Interior, to replace Ryan Zinke.
Calls for ‘vigilance’ on Russian military buildup in Arctic
Russia's Arctic ambitions worry regional experts. So do the lack of ambitions on the part of the United States.
Governor’s mid-year budget bill cuts VPSO recruitment funds
Governor Mike Dunleavy has proposed pulling back $3 million in unspent money for the VPSO program to help pay for larger Permanent Fund Dividends, among other items.
Search suspended for missing plane near Kake
A search has been suspended for the medevac plane that vanished over Southeast Alaska with three crew members on board.
Trump Administration approves money for earthquake recovery
The move will potentially unlock funds to reimburse for repairs to damaged public infrastructure, schools, as well as individual homeowners.
Murkowski reintroduces bill to prevent violence against Indigenous women and girls
Sen. Lisa Murkowski has reintroduced Savanna’s Act, which would improve data collection on missing and murdered Native women and require federal agencies to consult with tribes.
Dunleavy proposes constitutional amendments to enshrine PFDs, require public support for taxes, cap spending
The proposed amendments may face a difficult reception in the Alaska Legislature. One Republican senator described Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s proposals as “a horrible idea.”
Pebble boosts spending to lobby feds
Washington, D.C. firms report Pebble paid them $1.2 million to lobby Congress and the executive branch in 2018.
Search continues for missing medevac plane near Kake
The U.S. Coast Guard and others are searching for a medevac aircraft that went missing Tuesday night on a flight from Anchorage to Kake.
Death of Coast Guard member sparks investigation in Unalaska
In Unalaska, the U.S. Coast Guard is investigating the death of a crew member of the Cutter Douglas Munro.
Study finds poor air quality aboard cruise ships
A covert study undertaken by a public health researcher found air quality on cruise ships to be on par with the world’s dirtiest cities.
Schools push back on proposed midyear budget cut
While school districts may have already spent money they counted on the state sending them later, the state’s new budget director says they shouldn’t have.
‘Uber for icebreakers’ idea gains traction
Money for a new polar icebreaker is caught up in the fight over whether to build a wall at the southern border. But there’s more than one way to break ice.
Updated budget requests would fund earthquake relief, cut school funds
One request includes cutting $20 million for public schools that lawmakers agreed to as part of the budget deal last spring.
Budget cuts loom as governor, lawmakers eye full PFDs
Gov. Mike Dunleavy has said Alaskans should receive permanent fund dividends of roughly $3,000 this year. But it won’t be easy for state lawmakers to agree on the dividend’s size.
Defense Dept. says climate change is a threat to bases around the country
The report looks at 79 major military installations around the country, assessing both the current and future risks of flooding, drought, wildfires, desertification, and thawing permafrost.
ERA now, Murkowski says
Sen. Murkowski is pushing for the Equal Rights Amendment. Yes, she knows that sounds like 1972 is calling and asking for its protest sign back.
After struggling for years to clean up its air, Fairbanks still faces contentious wood smoke problem
For years, Fairbanks and neighboring city North Pole have had some of the worst air quality in the United States. The area has been failing to meet a federal air quality standard since 2009 — now it's reached the deadline.
Port project cost estimate doubles to nearly $2B
According to the latest estimate, overdue repairs will be twice as expensive as originally forecasted, leaving city officials are dismayed.
Critics say shutdown will doom Arctic projects in court
The Trump administration continued work on some Alaska oil development projects, despite the partial shutdown. Critics say that could invalidate the government's ultimate decisions to approve them.