5,000 Alaska Department of Defense Workers Could Be Furloughed In Sequester

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.

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Lori Townsend, Alaska Public Media

Lori Townsend is the news director and senior host for Alaska Public Media. You can send her news tips and program ideas for Talk of Alaska and Alaska Insight at ltownsend@alaskapublic.org or call 907-550-8452.