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Southeast Conference panel optimistic about region’s transportation outlook

An infusion of federal transportation dollars into the state ferry system is helping Southeast Alaska regional administrators see better times ahead.

Palmer library supporters rally around bond measure to fund new building

City of Palmer voters will decide Tuesday whether to approve a $10 million general obligation bond to fund a replacement for the Palmer Public Library.
two students

Revitalizing Iñupiaq culture, one phrase at a time

Gail Smithhisler's Facebook page, Iñupiaq Word of the Day, features daily videos describing and pronouncing words and phrases from the language.
a whale

Humpback found dead near Kodiak gets Alaska’s first 2023 whale necropsy

Investigators say the whale, a female sub-adult found Sept. 25, had been attacked by predators and may have been struck by a boat.
A son and a mother posed for a portrait outside.

A new app is helping Alaskans with disabilities and memory loss become more independent

For lots of families in Alaska, MapHabit could become indispensable. The state has a shortage of care workers and many families are stretched thin.

National News

the capitol building

Congress passes spending stopgap, averting a shutdown hours before midnight deadline

The Senate voted 88-9 to approve a short-term spending bill to fund the government through Nov. 17. President Biden signed the bill into law shortly afterward.
a family

She received chemo in two states. Why did it cost so much more in Alaska?

A breast cancer patient who received similar treatments in Seattle and Juneau saw significant differences in cost.
a man in a suit

House GOP hardliners block spending stopgap with shutdown looming

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy rejected a bipartisan Senate proposal to keep agencies funded through Nov. 17 and instead moved a GOP bill that linked another month of spending with border security.

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How to increase in-state food production | Alaska Insight

The disruption of the pandemic focused even more attention on a perennial concern for Alaska, our distance from major food suppliers. The future economic health of our state depends in part on having a more robust, local supply of food to reduce reliance on outside producers. In this episode of Alaska Insight, host Lori Townsend is joined by Glenna Gannon, an assistant professor of sustainable food systems with the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and Tikaan Galbreath, technical assistance network director with the Intertribal Agriculture Council, to discuss creating sustainable food systems in Alaska.
A man and a woman sit at a desk in professional clothing, speaking to each other.

The Port of Alaska’s modernization | Alaska Insight

Nearly 60 years ago, Anchorage became the main point of entry for building materials, consumer goods and military support after Seward’s port was destroyed by the tsunami triggered by the 1964 earthquake. There are many advantages to having the main port in the state’s largest city, but there are also challenges. In this episode of Alaska Insight, host Lori Townsend speaks with Port Director Steve Ribuffo about the plans to keep the port viable for years to come.
Two men sit at a desk, speaking with a woman sitting at the end.

Alaska’s Affordable Housing Crisis | Alaska Insight

Across Alaska, it’s a challenge to find affordable housing. Home building and vacancy rates are down, while rent, mortgage rates and home prices are up. The lack of affordable housing drives people into overcrowded homes and homelessness, or out of state. Some officials have begun referring to it as a housing crisis. On this episode of Alaska Insight, host Lori Townsend is joined by Anchorage Assembly Member Dr. Daniel Volland, and Nolan Klouda, Executive Director of the University of Alaska Center for Economic Development, to discuss the causes, and possible solutions, of Alaska's housing crunch.
Above: 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 as other communities rebuilt.
Sixty years later, nearly 90 percent of all goods entering the state move through the port. Now it’s undergoing a massive modernization project to keep it protected from natural disasters, erosion, and heavy use. To fully grasp the scope of this project, Lori Townsend toured the port with director Steve Ribuffo.

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