Top Stories

News stories, radio and TV episodes that warrant one of six spots on our homepage. The homepage is in chronological order of publication date, so stories are moved off the homepage as more are categorized “top stories.”

a woman speaks to a crowd in a meeting room

Alaska Senate passes new pension program for state employees, but final approval is in question

The legislation could bring new benefits to as many as 37,000 Alaskans.
a person walking by a sign

Kensington Mine cuts 20% of pay for some hourly employees, citing financial woes

In a memo sent in early January, the mine’s general manager said the mine will struggle to remain viable if it does not find ways to reduce costs.

Southcentral Alaska gas utility says high demand is straining gas storage system

“This is the most strained I’ve seen the system,” ENSTAR President John Sims said at a press conference Thursday.
a screening

Petersburg actor L’xeis Diane Benson is in HBO’s ‘True Detective: Night Country’

Benson, who also appeared in ABC's "Alaska Daily," says she can't spoil the significance of her character Bee in the twist-laden HBO drama.
Power transmission lines on poles in the foreground, with mountains in the distance.

Gas leak triggers chain of power outages spanning from Anchorage to the Mat-Su

Utilities say a 25-minute outage early Thursday at the Eklutna Generation Station triggered outages across the Railbelt to prevent a blackout.
a drilling rig

Southcentral Alaska cold snap and surging natural gas demand put supply in question

Utilities might need to take measures to meet the demand, including that customers could be asked to turn down thermostats.
a roof collapse

2 Anchorage commercial roof collapses reported in 2 days

No injuries were reported in Tuesday's Raspberry Road collapse or Wednesday's on the Old Seward Highway, firefighters said.
an airliner

Boeing declines to give a financial outlook as it focuses on quality and safety

Boeing's CEO said the company is focused on improving production after a fuselage panel blew off an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 jet in midair.
a building

Juneau considers moving all city staff to Alaska Permanent Fund building

The city has been looking for new office space since this fall, when voters rejected the city’s request to fund a new City Hall through a $27 million bond.
tourists

Cruise ships dumped 90% less trash in Juneau last year

About 250,000 pounds of trash made its way from cruise ships to Juneau’s landfill last summer, down from over 3.3 million pounds in 2019.
babies

Homelessness and other stressors linked to Alaska’s continued surge in syphilis at birth

Ten 2023 congenital syphilis cases were reported in infants “born to women who experienced complex and substantial barriers to prenatal care.”

Gov. Dunleavy’s State of the State addresses resource development, education

Gov. Mike Dunleavy implored Alaskans and lawmakers to capitalize on the state’s natural resources in his annual State of the State address Tuesday. 

Alaska Legislature takes up bill to restore pensions for public employees

A proposal to revamp the retirement system for Alaska’s state and local government employees is scheduled for debate in the state Senate this week.

Protestors rally for school funding increase outside Alaska State Capitol

Hundreds of protestors gathered in front of the Alaska State Capitol on Monday to call for an increase in education funding. 
a collision

Anchorage’s C Street reopens in Midtown after vehicle fatally strikes pedestrian

Police say the man was crossing outside a crosswalk Tuesday when he was struck between West Fireweed Lane and West Northern Lights Boulevard.
a white raven

Anchorage’s white raven becomes a local legend as a tracked trickster

The rare leucistic bird has its own pararazzi in Alaska's largest city, with local photographers flocking to sightings reported online.
a fire

Chevak hardware store and corporation headquarters lost in fire

Residents who live in about a dozen homes were evacuated to the local school after the Monday blaze, which partially knocked out local power.
paratroopers

Alaska’s Army division to stage major training exercise near Fort Greely

The exercise, scheduled for Feb. 8 through Feb. 22, will send military convoys to and from Fort Greely on the Parks and Richardson highways.
the State Office Building

High job vacancies in Alaska state agencies can reduce services and lead to burnout

An average of about 14% of Alaska state jobs are unfilled.
A man carries a sled full of shovels in winter.

Alaskans see bitter cold, record-breaking snow and a winter defying El Niño predictions

Temperatures neared 60 degrees below zero in the Interior, Southeast saw record-breaking snowfall, and Anchorage has had a taste of it all.