The numbers are dire. Five thousand civilians who work for the Department of Defense in Alaska would be furloughed once a week.Food for the elderly would be cut, because the federal government would slash more than $180,000 from programs like Meals on Wheels.Federal work study students could lose their jobs. Head Start classes will be cut for hundreds.All this, reports the White House, could be avoided if Congress passes an alternative to the budget cuts set to begin Friday.This week we’ll be looking more closely at how the sequester could impact several areas of federal spending in Alaska, including national parks and education.Listen to the full storyDownload Audio