Alaska News Nightly: Thursday, June 4, 2020
Alaskans respond to a political dust up between Senator Murkowski and President Trump. And, one of the first Alaskans to contract COVID-19 describes his experience. Plus, mountain-bike enthusiasts in Sitka enjoy a new trail.
11 workers at Whittier seafood plant test positive for COVID
The infected individuals were taken to Anchorage, where they are under a monitored quarantine.
Is Alaska getting its “fair share” of oil revenue? Ballot measure one seeks to change how oil production is taxed.
Alaska’s economy is built on oil, and a measure going to the ballet box on November 3rd could have a huge impact on the future of oil in the state.
State reports the largest daily spike in nonresident COVID cases, with 18 positives
A dozen of the 18 nonresident cases were reported in seafood industry workers in the Kenai Peninsula Borough, though it's currently unclear whether they were all at one facility.
From Kotzebue to Ketchikan, Alaskans protested the killing of George Floyd, calling for justice
Here is a collection of our stories about the demonstrations from our reporters across the state.
Trump vows to campaign for any Murkowski challenger with ‘a pulse’ after she echoes general’s denouncement
Alaska's senior U.S. senator today endorsed a blistering denouncement of President Trump, praised political courage and yet suggested she might still support Trump.
State revises travel mandate, offering testing as alternative to quarantine starting Saturday
The state says that even for travelers who receive a test at the airport, they should take a second test a week to 14 days later.
Judge weighs fate of Tongass logging plan on Prince of Wales
The judge rejected what would have been the largest Tongass timber sale in decades, but stopped short of ordering the project null and void.
Census undercount may lead to less funding for Tlingit and Haida
Tlingit and Haida President Richard Chalyee Éesh Peterson said at last count, a little over 40 percent of tribal citizens have reported in the census.
After trawler outbreak, American Seafoods tests crews for COVID-19 as ‘precautionary measure’
After 85 people on an American Seafoods vessel tested positive, the company said it would test crew on its other vessels.
Seafood industry workers test positive for COVID-19, marking first confirmed cases in Unalaska
The City of Unalaska has confirmed its first local cases of COVID-19. Two seafood industry workers tested positive for the virus on Wednesday.
Dunleavy calls George Floyd’s death “horrific,” thanks Alaskans for peaceful protests
“I’m proud of Alaskans who may not go to the get togethers are still in support of our free speech.”
Alaska News Nightly: Wednesday, June 3, 2020
Some Fairbanks businesses face backlash after anti-racism rallies. And, the city of Palmer suspends its police chief after inflammatory social media posts resurface. Plus, residents in Bethel host a rally for George Floyd.
LISTEN: To require masks or not? Food service workers criticized from both sides.
In following Alaska's health guidelines for preventing the spread of coronavirus, service industry workers are sometimes caught between customers who think a business's rules around things like wearing masks are too strict, and those who think the rules are not strict enough.
18 more Alaskans, another nonresident seafood worker test positive for coronavirus, state says
The coronavirus cases include an outbreak at a transitional care center in Anchorage and a cluster of cases at the Nikiski Fire Service Area.
Palmer police chief suspended after ‘inappropriate’ 2018 posts surface, city says
In Facebook posts that were widely shared over the weekend, the Palmer Police Chief called the Black Lives Matter movement a "hate group" and seemed to question the legitimacy of reports by victims of sexual assault.
After pandemic, advocates say Anchorage’s approach to homelessness won’t ever be the same
Simple changes like having service providers outside the shelters and allowing people to leave their belongings over night have made a huge difference in housing rates and in the humanity of treating homelessness.
Iditarod champ’s long-awaited journey home included old cargo plane, engine trouble and a collision with a deer
Waerner won the race March 18th. But he couldn't get back to Norway because of coronavirus-related, international travel restrictions related to flying his dogs. So he ended up staying with friends near Fairbanks in Ester.
Samaritan’s Purse delivers 30-bed field hospital to Bristol Bay Borough
An evangelical Christian organization delivered a field hospital to the Bristol Bay Borough Monday. It’s a measure the state requested in case of an outbreak of COVID-19 in the community ahead of the fishing season.
Your questions about the travel quarantine and testing for travelers, answered
The state health mandate that requires a 14-day quarantine for people who arrive from out-of-state is set to expire Friday. After that, visitors and Alaskans returning to the state will be asked to take a test within 72 hours of boarding an Alaska-bound flight.