Environmentalists say Tongass plan doesn’t act fast enough
A federal proposal to make Southeast Alaska’s logging industry sustainable while preserving old growth in the Tongass National Forest does too little, too slowly--according to one conservation group. The Oregon-based Geos Institute says the Tongass National Forest draft plan is out of step with a global agreement to reduce climate change.
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Alaska Census counting comes to an early end, with a stark divide in rural and urban response rates
The state has a 99.9% enumeration rate, according to the Census Bureau.
Cod, Mackerel Restrictions Aim to Protect Steller Sea Lions
Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage
Pacific cod and Atka mackerel fisheries in the western Aleutian Islands area will be restricted starting January first. The...
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
Pilot Program Helps Bethel Farm Ship Produce to Cordova Schools
Meyers Farm in Bethel recently shipped about 500 pounds of vegetables to the Cordova School District. The order was made possible through a program that reimburses Alaska school districts that buy food grown in state.
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Alaska Groups Give Passing Grade To Reworked HealthCare.gov
Groups in Alaska working to sign people up for health insurance on the federal marketplace say the website is working much better. The Obama Administration re-launched an improved healthcare.gov marketplace yesterday. Now insurance agents and navigators have three weeks to help Alaskans enroll in insurance plans that start offering coverage January 1st.
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As winds subside, Mat-Su residents take stock of devastation
Finding food and supplies is still challenging for residents, many who have been without power for days.
Masking and capacity restrictions slowed the Delta variant in Juneau, expert says
In late July, Juneau brought its mask mandate back, and in early August it limited capacity at bars and restaurants among other restrictions. King says what happened next looks like a data confirmation that those mitigation mandates work.
Dipnetters Try Their Luck On The Kenai River
The state's largest personal use fishery is happening on the Kenai river. Dipnetters from across the state are crowding onto the north and south beaches at the mouth of the river hoping to fill coolers with sockeye salmon.
An appraiser told Anchorage its property was worth $3M. The city sold it to the former mayor for $2M.
The municipal board that approved the sale — and a below-market lease — includes two members with ties to former mayor and former U.S. Sen. Mark Begich.
Corps to reconsider permit rejection for proposed Pebble mine
It's a partial win for Pebble on appeal, but mine developers also have an EPA veto to contend with.
Avalanches are a leading cause of death for Southeast Alaska’s mountain goats
New research from the University of Alaska Southeast shows the scale of mountain goat mortality from avalanches for the first time.
Anchorage officials report a second building collapse this weekend with no injuries
This is the second reported roof collapse in Anchorage in two days.
Walking through the Port of Alaska’s modernization plans
https://youtu.be/U7W2I6lrVs8
The Port of Alaska escaped the devastating 1964 earthquake relatively unscathed, which left it poised to take up much of the state’s cargo traffic...
U.S. House Democrats promoting their own energy plan
The back-and-forth over energy continues on Capitol Hill. Today Democratic House leaders announced their plan to lower gas prices and increase renewable energy. They're...
Tensions over PFD fuel talks of a new constitutional convention. Alaskans will vote on whether that time has come.
Next year, Alaska voters will decide whether to hold a new constitutional convention. They’ve rejected similar questions over the past 50 years. But anger over the permanent fund dividend is fueling talk of overhauling the Alaska Constitution.
Indian Affairs promised to reform tribal jails. NPR found death, neglect and disrepair
At least 19 men and women have died since 2016 in tribal detention centers overseen by the Interior Department's Bureau of Indian Affairs, including...
State’s DEC Taking Over Some Federal Clean Water Act Powers
Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage
The Federal Environmental Protection Agency is turning over some of its Clean Water Act authority to the state Department...
Card Street Fire Grows To 1,500 Acres
The Card Street Fire near Sterling on the Kenai Peninsula doubled in size overnight. Now at more than 1,200 acres, the fire has destroyed at least six structures.
Alaska records nearly 2,800 new COVID cases over the weekend, 4 deaths
State health leaders say they’re hopeful the worst is over, but this week’s data will better reveal whether that’s true.