Jacob Resneck, CoastAlaska - Juneau
Jacob Resneck is CoastAlaska's regional news director in Juneau.
Lawmakers approve $66.7M appropriation to run Alaska ferries
The Legislature has approved a budget that lawmakers say should keep the Alaska Marine Highway System running year-round. In the past year, cost cutting, a summer labor strike and mechanical failures resulted in months-long service gaps, both planned and unplanned, for Alaska’s ferry system.
Record number of wolves taken on Prince of Wales Island in Southeast
Trappers reported taking almost as many wolves as had estimated to live on and around Prince of Wales Island. It’s a new record number of wolves — 165 taken in Unit 2 — which includes Prince of Wales and surrounding islands in Southeast Alaska.
US-Canada border restrictions on ‘non-essential’ travel begin Saturday, last for 30 days
A document drafted by Homeland Security’s acting general counsel defines “essential travel” as U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents returning to the U.S as well as travel for medical reasons, education, necessary work, emergency responses and legal cross-border trade. It also includes carve-outs for officials, military personnel and their families. Recreation and tourism are not considered essential.
Alaska Marine Highway to turn away passengers with flu-like symptoms
The Alaska Marine Highway System says it will begin turning away ferry passengers with coronavirus- or flu-like symptoms.
As Canada closes the border, unanswered questions from Alaskans pile up
Canada is closing its land borders to “non-essential travel” to slow the spread of coronavirus. And that’s leaving many Alaskans scrambling for answers.
Court upholds challenge to Prince of Wales Tongass timber sale
A federal judge has ruled in favor of green groups challenging the largest Tongass timber sale in decades.
Federal warnings against cruises rattle Alaska travel industry
“Don’t get on a cruise ship.” That was the advice of Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday....
Alaska lawmakers seek oversight over ferry fleet’s fate
A three-line piece of legislation would prohibit the state from selling, transferring or disposing of a state ferry without express approval by lawmakers.
Dunleavy names nine to ferries working group
A former Coast Guard admiral and pipeline executive will head Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s advisory group on the state ferry system.
Push begins in the Legislature to restore ferry service
House lawmakers have taken a first step to bolster funding to the Alaska Marine Highway System.
Governor seeks to replace independent Ocean Rangers cruise ship monitors with state-run inspections
Those independent monitors — called Ocean Rangers — are part of a program created by a 2006 ballot initiative that Alaska voters passed overwhelmingly.
From Ketchikan to Unalaska, a day of protests, anxiety and anger over a dysfunctional ferry system
Hundreds of people rallied around the state Tuesday to restore the Alaska Marine Highway System’s regional ferry service. The fleet has been largely idle since the last mainliner in service broke down last month.
Alaska Marine Highway shuts down regional service till March
Three ferries dock at the Ketchikan Shipyard for repairs and upgrades in 2012. All ships would tie up by early July if the Legislature does not reach a budget compromise. (Ed...
Dunleavy administration seeks $12.5 million for struggling ferries
The governor’s chief of staff Ben Stevens says the executive is asking the Legislature for extra money to continue work on Alaska Marine Highway System ferries currently out of service for upgrades and repairs.
State eyes private ferries for Angoon, Hoonah and Kake
The state is seeking to fill gaps in Southeast Alaska ferry service using a private charter company. It’s given potential operators less than 24 hours to answer its Monday call for interest.
Camped in staterooms, stranded ferry passengers are prisoners of the state’s hospitality
When the last of the Alaska Marine Highway System mainliners broke down in Juneau last weekend, the state chartered a pair of private catamarans to get most of the Matanuska’s passengers to their destinations. But more than two dozen people with cars and trucks remain stranded.
Shee Atiká offloads most of its land in $18.3 million deal
The federal government is finalizing the buyback of heavily logged forest lands on Admiralty Island from Shee Atiká, Sitka’s urban Native corporation.
Justices question restrictions on Alaska Native corporation shareholders’ free speech
The case was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska to test the limits of the state’s power to regulate free speech in corporate elections.
Coastal communities relate ferry woes to House lawmakers
They were invited by House lawmakers who held Tuesday’s hearing — the first day of the legislative session — to galvanize support for the Alaska Marine Highway System.
ACLU asks Alaska Supreme Court to extend free speech rights to shareholders in Native corporation board elections
The American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska says the state’s financial regulator is chilling voices critical of Native corporations. Now, the Alaska Supreme Court is set to hear a legal challenge that could decide how much power the state has to police shareholders’ speech.