Congress poised to approve $15M for village relocation in Alaska
The spending bill would double the budget of the Denali Commission, which funds infrastructure in rural Alaska. The commission says virtually all the new money will go to relocating the eroding village of Newtok. Listen now
What’s in it for Alaska? Here are 6 things in the federal spending bill
The $1.3 trillion bill has many items of Alaska interest. But two things not in this bill are also of note. Listen now
At confirmation hearing, Fisher says he supports diversifying state revenue
Sheldon Fisher didn’t champion any individual tax during his confirmatin hearing. Afterward, he said the biggest source of new revenue should be a draw on Alaska Permanent Fund earnings. Listen now
In thwarted home invasion, Alakanuk shooter stopped by daughter’s boyfriend
In a violent attempted home invasion last weekend, an Alakanuk man allegedly tried to shoot his daughter and infant granddaughter with a semi-automatic rifle. He was stopped in the arctic entryway by his daughter’s boyfriend, who armed himself, tackled the shooter and held him down until State Troopers arrived. Listen now
Boom: Gun tax sends $33M to Alaska
Americans have spent a lot of money on guns and ammunition in recent years, and that has sent revenues pouring into Alaska's budget for wildlife conservation. This year's allocation is more than double what it was in 2012. Listen now
State wants to stop billing homeowners for tech support after spills
On average, getting technical support from employees in the state’s Division of Spill Prevention and Response can cost between $100-$150 an hour. Listen now
Feds to drop new habitat rules, ending state’s legal challenge
The Trump administration has agreed to rewrite rules that would have made it easier for the government to designate areas as "critical habitat" for endangered species. Listen now
The Cost of Cold: When the only option is diesel
There are a lot of heating options. Electricity, natural gas, wood, coal... even french fry oil. But in much of rural Alaska, and even some cities, the primary heating source is diesel. Listen now
State puts out list of companies that got $75 million in cashable tax credits last year
These cash-for-credits recipients used to be kept confidential, but a law passed in 2016 now requires that the state report them. Listen now
Oil revenue is up in state’s spring forecast
Lawmakers from the two majorities in the Legislature had different responses to the news. Listen now
Iñupiat leadership organizations contemplate a “unified voice”
“I definitely think it’s possible to have a unified voice but it’s never going to be truly unified unless all entities that were invited to the table take advantage of it,” Utqiaġvik Mayor Fannie Suvlu said. Listen now
Senators propose spending limit to curb future sprees
The amount allowed under the constitutional limit has grown so much that the state is nowhere near it. Listen now
Riled: Young keeps true to form
At the U.S. Capitol, Rep. Don Young has a reputation for having a short fuse. He did nothing to dispel that notoriety at a hearing Thursday, where he seemed to let Democrats get under his skin. Listen now
Walker hopeful plan to pay off oil tax credit debt with bonds will pass this session
What the state owes in tax credit payouts varies wildly from year to year. By paying off the tax credit debt with bonds, the repayment rate would theoretically become predictable. Listen now
Juneau students take part in national student walkout protesting gun violence
Juneau high school students took part in Wednesday’s national walkout calling for action on gun violence. More than a hundred Juneau-Douglas students marched to the state Capitol while dozens of students at Thunder Mountain gathered outside their school. Listen now
The trans-Alaska pipeline fights off 22 million cyber attacks. Daily.
Energy infrastructure is a tempting target for hackers, and the trans-Alaska pipeline is no exception. Alyeska, which operates the pipeline, now ranks cyberattacks as one of its top three risks. Listen now
Proposed constitutional amendment would protect dividends, sort of
Concern over the dividend’s future led House members to propose a constitutional amendment, House Joint Resolution 23. Listen now
New Norwegian champ, Joar Ulsom wins 2018 Iditarod
The 31-year-old Norwegian is the first musher to disrupt the Seavey dynasty, in a grueling race that has dragged on longer than recent years. Listen now
Even in corridors of power, the Iditarod intrigues
As the mushers race to Nome, their progress is tracked in the halls of the U.S. Senate. One hallway, to be specific. Here's the scene from just outside Sen. Lisa Murkowski's door in the Hart Office Building. Listen now
Trump tariffs could jack up boat prices
The general manager of Bay Weld Boats in Homer says he’s seen in some cases 50 to 60 percent increases the purchasing prices of aluminum as aluminum users stocked up ahead of the tariff announcement. Listen now