The future of ANWR
Opening the 10-02 area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge or ANWR has been a dream of Alaska's congressional delegation and the oil industry for decades, but for Gwitch'in people and environmentalists, the idea is a nightmare.
Hearing concludes regarding French’s fate at head of state oil and gas watchdog agency
A three-day public hearing ended Friday regarding Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s bid to remove Hollis French from his position as chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.
With spring whaling around the corner, sinew thread makers are hard at work
“Everything just falls into place,” says Nancy Leavitt of the hard work involved in sinew thread making. “The problems, the stress, the thoughts you have. Most of them just disappear.”
Y-K Delta tribes appeal Donlin state permits
Thirteen tribes are appealing two key state permits for the proposed Donlin gold mine.
Don’t count on oil to bail out Alaska’s budget soon, says unpublished state tax memo
The National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska is a hot area for oil development right now. But don’t count on new production there to bail out the state budget any time soon. That’s the takeaway from a previously unpublished, two-month-old analysis drafted by former independent Gov. Bill Walker’s administration.
After years of loss, job growth expected in Anchorage in 2019
The biggest takeaway from the AEDC's forecast for the coming year: this recession that's been dragging on since 2015 -- it's probably going to end.
Alaska’s latest climate policy is still offline. So these students made a delivery to the governor.
Shortly after Gov. Michael Dunleavy was sworn into office, the website with the state’s latest plan to address climate change went down. It was created with months of planning by a team appointed by former Gov. Bill Walker.
State privatizes API management with no-bid contract
The State of Alaska is privatizing the management of Alaska's only psychiatric hospital via a no-bid contract with Wellpath Recovery Solutions, an international corporation that manages state mental facilities and prison health care programs.
New trail and viewing platform proposed in Katmai National Park & Preserve
The park proposes to build a new 150-foot long trail to a 12 by 20-foot viewing platform. The public comment period for the project’s Draft Environmental Assessment is open until Feb. 18.
New Stuyahok on boil water notice since December
The community must collect five samples for testing at a certified lab. But since December, older water lines in the village have been breaking, forcing New Stuyahok to fix those breaks before collecting the necessary samples.
How Alaska schools can help students dealing with trauma
In January, the state put out a new resource designed to help schools support students who have experienced trauma. It contains 11 chapters full of stories and best practices, created with input from over 200 teachers, counselors and community members across the state.
Alaska GOP Gov. Dunleavy seeks to oust Democratic chair of oil and gas watchdog agency
A two-page letter from Dunleavy last month charges French with “neglect of duty and misconduct,” and levies five charges to justify the governor’s bid to remove French from chairmainship of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.
Former Ketchikan teacher pleads guilty to sexual abuse of minor; gets six years
A former Ketchikan High School teacher pleaded guilty Wednesday to sexual abuse of a minor through a plea agreement that calls for him to serve six years in jail.
Anchorage and Mat-Su school districts report millions in post-quake repair costs, with millions more to come
The two school districts affected by last November's magnitude 7.0 earthquake are reporting they've spent millions of dollars on repairs to schools.
Lawsuit spotlights alleged minimum wage violations at Anchorage restaurants
An Anchorage mother and daughter have filed suit against the owners of both Hula Hands and West Berlin, seeking approximately $150,000 back wages and statutory penalties for alleged wage violations between 2016-2018.
Interior: No 3-D Seismic exploration in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge this winter
An Interior official has confirmed there will be no 3-D seismic exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge this winter.
Transforming perspectives on trauma through paintings of hope
Traumatic childhood experiences can lead to problems later in life, but this doesn't define a person. Stories that start with trauma can end with hope. A new set of murals illustrates the transformation of seven Alaskans, and the process of creating them transformed the artists themselves.
As the Bering Sea warms, this skipper is chasing pollock to new places
“Across the board, everybody has a story about something that they haven’t seen before,” said Dan Martin, a 53-year-old captain of a Bering Sea pollock trawler. We took a fishing trip with Martin to find out what he’s experiencing as the Bering Sea heats up.
Education commissioner says it’s time to review school funding formula
State Education Commissioner Michael Johnson also told lawmakers Wednesday that he didn’t consult with school districts before the Dunleavy administration proposed a $20 million cut to education funding.
State of the Union gets warm reception from Alaska delegation
Alaska’s all-Republican delegation to Congress praised President Trump for delivering a positive message in his State of the Union address Tuesday night.