Alaska looks to reform its solitary confinement practices
The Department of Corrections and the ACLU are working together to reform the department’s solitary confinement practices. They brought in a team of experts from New York University to tour facilities and their segregation units this week and develop suggestions that will improve conditions for both inmates and staff. Listen now
Agency overseeing BP-Hilcorp deal will hold public hearing, denying companies’ request
The Regulatory Commission of Alaska, which is overseeing Hilcorp's purchase of BP's stake in the trans-Alaska pipeline, plans to hold a six-hour public hearing on the deal next month.
Most Alaska high school grads unprepared for UA math and English
A new University of Alaska report finds that the majority of Alaska high school graduates attending UA schools are not prepared for entry-level courses in math and English. Listen now
LISTEN: How can we get more Alaskans teaching in their home communities?
The highest rates of teacher turnover in Alaska are with teachers who are trained outside the state. So how are educators and lawmakers working to get more Alaskans trained to teach in their home communities?
The real Sitka journey of Steinbeck’s ‘Doc Ricketts’
A new collection of essays about one of the most iconic figures in American literature has been published, shedding new light on his connections to Alaska. "Ed Ricketts, from Cannery Row to Sitka, Alaska" explores the relationship between the noted biologist of the title, and John Steinbeck, the Nobel-prize winning author who immortalized him.
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Passengers from China will land in Anchorage Tuesday night, undergo coronavirus screen in closed north terminal, state says
Around 200 passengers are scheduled to briefly land at Ted Stevens International in Anchorage to refuel, clear customs, and undergo health screenings.
Legislature Reconsiders How to Distribute Public School Funding
The state’s Legislative Budget and Audit Committee is examining how education funding is distributed. A new study doesn’t look at how much money districts should get. Instead, it asks if all the districts are being treated fairly.
Tsunami castaways go on display at Oregon coast aquarium
Fishing buoys, fuel drums and even a derelict squid boat were among the tons of debris that floated into Alaska waters after Japan’s 2011 devastating earthquake and tsunami. An Oregon aquarium is about to open a display of the disaster’s living legacy on March 11.
Juneau Assembly member Kiehl, labor leader Etheridge run for state Senate seat
Two more candidates have joined the race for the state Senate seat representing Juneau and other northern Southeast communities: Juneau Assembly member Jesse Kiehl and longtime labor leader Don Etheridge. Listen now
Questions over seal stranding and deaths in Bering Sea set the scene for NOAA research cruise
With hundreds of ice seal strandings last year in the Bering Sea, researchers from NOAA Fisheries plan to set sail this April to find out more information about how ice seals are doing with less sea ice, and what might be causing so many to become sick or die
Sam Kito III Named As New Juneau Representative
Governor Sean Parnell on Friday morning named Sam Kito III as the new District 32 representative to the Legislature for downtown Juneau and Douglas.
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Policy expert says Alaska will be ‘nation’s vanguard’ in a thawing Arctic
A national expert on Arctic policy told state lawmakers on Thursday that Alaska will be at the front line of global competition over Arctic Ocean resources.
Fairbanks Clean-Air Advocates: Slow Regulatory Startup Encourages Opponents
Clean air advocates say they’re disappointing that local and state regulators haven’t made more progress in getting the Fairbanks North Star Borough’s air-quality program up and going. Citizens for Clean Air members are worried the slow-moving process could jeopardize the local program, because opponents are already working to get an initiative before voters in the fall.
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Donald Trump Jr. is headed to Juneau for a hunting trip. The cost to join him: $150,000.
Donald Trump Jr. and his son will be embarking on a weeklong hunt for Sitka black-tailed deer and ducks in Southeast Alaska — and a spot to join them was auctioned off to the highest bidder.
Outdoor rec area at Goose Creek might violate constitutional rights
In many correctional facilities in Alaska, an enclosed room with an opening that lets in fresh air is considered outdoor space. For inmates held in protective custody at Goose Creek Correctional Center in Wasilla, that’s their only access to outdoor recreation, which could be a violation of their constitutional rights. Listen Now
Supreme Court says bearded seal still threatened, despite legal battle
The Alaska Oil and Gas Association and the American Petroleum Institute challenged the Endangered Species Act listing decision. Listen now
Alaska Airlines union workers picket for better wages
In Juneau, clerical workers, ramp staff and customer service agents sported neon green t-shirts that said “Show us the money!” as they waved signs on the plaza across from the airport’s drop off area. Listen now
Officials ban trailers for carrying dogs in Iditarod
Citing safety concerns, the Iditarod Board of Directors have ruled that Iditarod mushers will no longer be able to carry dogs in trailers behind their sleds. Listen Now
Tlingit Language To Be Officially Recognized In Federal Maps Database
For the first time, a Tlingit name for a peak in Juneau will be included in the Geographic Names Information System or GNIS. This makes it possible for that name to be printed on federal maps and publications. Getting the indigenous name for a Juneau peak officially recognized actually began as an attempt to give the point a Western moniker.
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Mold, water damage plague Wrangell’s city services building, with no solution in sight
In Wrangell, the local police department, fire department, courthouse, DMV and U.S. customs — are sheltered under one roof. And that roof is — literally — falling apart. The city is working to patch together a solution before it’s too late.