Banned from the Capitol, Alaska lobbyists contend with pandemic predicament
If you think Alaska lawmakers’ job is tough right now, consider, for a moment, the plight of the lobbyist. They’re paid for access to and intelligence on what’s happening in the Capitol — but for now, they’re banned from the building.
24 Alaskans die of COVID-19 as state’s vaccination rate tops nation
Only one of the deaths reported Wednesday was considered recent.
Biden hires more Arctic drilling opponents for Interior Department
Interior's new communication director and a BOEM advisor worked to block Arctic oil projects.
Gov. Dunleavy says he’s open to working with President Biden but will oppose blocking development
“Alaska’s viewed very differently by the rest of this country,” Dunleavy said in an interview. “And they don’t necessarily see this as a sovereign state. But they see it as a vision of a larger park. In 1959, that was not the vision.”
Inside this Anchorage classroom, students learn pandemic-style lessons on first day back
The district expected about 8,000 students to return to classrooms and it begins it's phased reopening plan after 10 months of closure and online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After Y-K Delta tribal police officer dies from COVID-19, flyover gives family final goodbye
David Aqvang Evon was to be buried in Kongiganak, a burial which his family in Akiachak couldn’t attend because of travel restrictions. That forced his family to come up with their own way to say goodbye.
Man who sent death threats to Anchorage Assembly members in custody
A man who sent death threats to members of the Anchorage Assembly was arrested on Wednesday. In text messages sent to South Anchorage Assemblyman John Weddleton, 39-year-old Richard Leemon Joe threatened to “come after” assembly members and anyone else who might be nearby with an AR-15 rifle, according to charging documents. Joe also referred to the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol earlier this month in his threat.
Pebble asks Army Corps to reconsider its mine plan in Southwest Alaska
Pebble Limited Partnership asks the Corps of Engineers to reverse its rejection of an open-pit gold mine upstream from Bristol Bay.
ExxonMobil drops sponsorship of Iditarod
The move came after ExxonMobil, which has been a race sponsor since 1978, received pressure from one its shareholders and the race’s biggest critic, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
Health officials consider prioritizing vaccines for teachers
Alaska health officials say that they’re considering moving teachers up on Alaska’s vaccine list as students head back to classrooms in large numbers.
Why Alaska has the highest COVID-19 vaccination rate of all 50 states
Part of the reason is that Alaska is getting more doses of the vaccine because of additional allotments for the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Indian Health Service.
‘Everybody’s worst nightmare’: Bering Sea fishermen on edge after COVID-19 closes second plant
The winter fishery for Bering Sea pollock, which goes into products like McDonald's fish sandwiches, officially opened Wednesday. But two of the region's largest processors are both shut down
Alaskan artists find inspiration in Amanda Gorman’s inaugural poem
Amanda Gorman inspired people around the world with her poem. In Alaska, these poets celebrated her accomplishment as a young writer and woman of color.
COVID-19 closes a third Aleutian plant, stranding Bering Sea fishermen at the dock
In the Aleutian port town of Unalaska, at least five local boats are stuck at the dock with nowhere to deliver their cod after the shutdown of the Alyeska Seafoods processing plant. One has a load of fish worth at least $10,000.
Man arrested in Seattle after allegedly threatening a Ketchikan-bound Alaska Airlines flight
Port of Seattle police arrested a man Saturday morning after authorities say he threatened a Ketchikan-bound Alaska Airlines flight. Police did not release the suspect’s identity.
Concerns raised about the future of Alaska’s foster care system under Dunleavy plan to split state health department
Tribal organizations, advocates for foster children and the largest state worker union are all voicing their concerns.
Forecast predicts another poor sockeye season for Cook Inlet
Fish and Game's area manager for UCI commercial fisheries says the projections aren’t surprising.
Sinkhole opens under Chefornak home, forcing family to evacuate
In Chefornak, a family was forced to evacuate their home because a sinkhole caused by thawing permafrost formed underneath it. That family had to move into a building intended to be a quarantine facility.
Fairbanks leaders plead for answers after string of unsolved missing persons cases
Eight individuals, including five Alaska Native people who've gone missing in the Fairbanks area since last May remain unaccounted for.
The COVID-19 testing crunch is over. But fewer Alaskans are getting tests — a trend officials want to change.
Supply shortages have relented. And a company built the state’s first commercial testing lab, with the ability to process 20,000 tests a day.
Now, there’s a new and different problem: Fewer Alaskans are getting tested.