Daysha Eaton, KMXT - Kodiak
Powerful Storm System Moving Into Southcentral
A powerful storm is moving into Southcentral Alaska this evening, continuing into early tomorrow morning. The strongest winds are expected to hit Anchorage’s Upper Hillside and Eagle River Valley. Strong winds are also expected to sweep through the Lower Hillside and the lower elevations of East Anchorage.
Dems Appoint Rollison to HD 13 After Gazaway Withdraws
The Democratic Party announced that the person who won Anchorage's Democratic House District 13 primary has withdrawn and that they have appointed someone new. The party announced that Kay Rollison will replace Hal Gazaway in the Muldoon neighborhood Thursday.
APD Arrests Stabbing Suspect
Anchorage Police have arrested a suspect in a stabbing that killed an Anchorage man this past weekend. Officers used a cell phone to identify the suspect and an electronic monitoring device the man was wearing to build their case.
Davis Talks Money with Absentee Ballots Yet to be Counted
The Alaska primary election Tuesday saw the defeat of both ballot measures and a couple of very close races between Democrats in Anchorage. In House District Seventeen in Airport Heights, Democrat Geran Tarr came out about a hundred votes ahead of Cal Williams. And in Senate District M, in East Anchorage, including the military base and Eagle River, there are still hundreds of absentee ballots to count, and Bettye Davis holds a slim lead.
UPDATED STORY: Near Riot Goes Unreported, to be Discussed at Community Forum
UPDATE: Anchorage Police Chief Mark Mew now says that additional police reports have surfaced regarding the fight and what he characterized as a near riot that took place at Lyons Park in the Mountainview neighborhood on July 28.
Landfield Challenges Senator McGuire in South Anchorage Primary
Jeff Landfield is challenging Senator Lesil McGuire in District K - mid-town, and south Anchorage west of the Seward Highway. The Republican's rallying cry has a Tea Party tone. He says he's running to, "rein in wasteful government spending and bring true conservative values to the Alaska State Senate.”
Senator McGuire Campaigns to Keep Seat
During this past Legislative session, Senator Lesil McGuire has honed in on creating policies that support natural resource and renewable energy development. McGuire has served a dozen years and she is currently the youngest Senator in Juneau. She's being challenged by fellow Republican Jeff Landfield in the primary.
Harry Crawford Challenges Senator Bettye Davis
Former state representative Harry Crawford is running for State Senate in District M against Senator Bettye Davis, who has served for more than a decade. Crawford says he better represents the new District M, which was reformed during redistricting, and he's going door-to-door in hope of winning the seat in the upcoming primary election.
Senator Davis Campaigns to Keep Her Seat
Senator Bettye Davis is best known for her support of the Denali Kidcare Program, a state program that provides health insurance for children. She has served East Anchorage for more than a decade. Now she's being challenged in Senate District M by fellow democrat and former state representative Harry Crawford, who is campaigning hard. But Davis says she won't give up her seat without a fight.
Renewable Energy Fair Saturday in Anchorage
Biodiesel, composting and saving on your electric bill - they're all topics covered in workshops at the 8th Annual Renewable Energy Alaska Project, or REAP, fair is taking place Saturday in Anchorage. This year they'll be 19 presenters from around the state.
EPA Holding Meetings on Bristol Bay Mine in Anchorage
Scientists are gathered at the Dena'ina Center in Anchorage this week for a three-day meeting on the Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment, which reviews possible mining impacts on Salmon in Bristol Bay. The 12 scientists nominated to the panel faced a crowd of stakeholders Monday in the Tikahtnu Ballroom.
Anchorage Still Cleaning Up Election Mess
The Election Commission will hold the final public canvass session to count ballots from the troubled municipal election in Anchorage Thursday. The ballots were found uncounted in a closet in city hall in July. After nearly four months, Anchorage officials say they hope the canvass will begin to shut the door on a messy chapter in the city's election history. The canvass will be followed by final certification of the election, later this month.
Anchorage Powers Up Methane Power Plant
Officials fired up the state's first methane power plant at the Anchorage Regional Landfill Tuesday. Doyon Utilities built the $26 million plant this summer. It uses methane gas created by decomposing garbage to create electricity. Doyon Utilities, The Municipality of Anchorage and Joint-Base Elmendorf Richardson partnered on the project.
Executive Order Stops Deportation Of Many Young Immigrants
In June, President Barack Obama issued an executive order that stops deportation of many young immigrants who are in the United States without documents. It's meant to address the issue of children being brought into the U.S. by their parents at a very young age without documentation.
Listen for the full interview with Alaska Immigration Justice Project Executive Director Robin Bronen in English or Spanish.
Blood Bank of Alaska Begins Work on New Site
Soon workers will begin clearing trees across the street from Alaska Regional Hospital in the Airport Heights Neighborhood of Anchorage. They're making space for a new building for the Blood Bank of Alaska. Officials say the facility will streamline their work and help ensure the Blood Bank is more prepared for a big emergency.
Fire Island Getting Ready to Power Up
Anchorage's new wind farm is set to go online by the end of September. When completed, the project, which is being developed by the Cook Inlet Region Incorporated, will provide enough electricity to power 4,000 homes along the rail belt. The transmission line that runs across the inlet is almost done. And this week crews are hoisting the first of 11 wind turbines into place.
Anchorage Shootings Topic of Town Hall Meeting
A town hall meeting to discuss recent police shootings in Anchorage is set for Thursday. Officials, including the Police Chief and the Mayor, plan to attend. Community organizers say it is step in the right direction.
Family Calls on Public for Help Finding Sifsof
The family of a woman who disappeared from a campground just south of Girdwood say they believe she may have been abducted. They say they've searched for Valerie Sifsof for more than a week. Sifsof was last seen at the Granite Creek Campground on the evening of July 7. Searchers have found no trace of her. Victor Sifsof is Valerie's father. He says he wants people across the state to be on the lookout for his daughter.
Anchorage Baptist Church Fined Back Taxes
Anchorage Baptist Temple will be receiving bills totally around $60,000 this week. The bills are from the Municipality, for back taxes. The Municipality's Chief Financial Officer, Lucinda Mahoney, says the Assessor investigated 14 homes claimed as exempt by the church.
141 More Ballots Found in Closet at Anchorage City Hall
Just when everyone thought the messiest chapter in recent Anchorage voting history was closed, Municipal Leaders confirm that they have found more than 100 uncounted ballots leftover from the flawed April 3 Municipal election.