News

Alaska still in future offshore lease sale schedule

ANCHORAGE — The Obama administration’s five-year offshore drilling plan announced Tuesday includes three future lease sales off Alaska and six areas in state waters that… Continue reading

Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, argues against passing the state's operating budget at the Capitol on Monday. Sen. Wielechowski says the budget is balanced on the backs of the state's poorest residents.

Senate passes budget version; attention turns to taxes

The Alaska Senate voted 16-4 on Monday to approve an $8.73 billion state operations budget that includes $571 million in cuts and sets up the… Continue reading

Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, argues against passing the state's operating budget at the Capitol on Monday. Sen. Wielechowski says the budget is balanced on the backs of the state's poorest residents.

Wasilla man accused of kidnapping woman faces new charges

ANCHORAGE — A Wasilla man who was out of jail on assault charges, fled the supervision of his court-appointed custodian and kidnapped a woman he… Continue reading

VA moves forward on Choice Program fixes

The Department of Veterans Affairs in Alaska is moving forward on a plan to fix bugs in the program set up by the Veterans Access,… Continue reading

Sarah Palin’s husband fractures ribs in snowmobile crash

ANCHORAGE — Sarah Palin’s husband suffered eight fractured ribs and other injuries in a snowmobile accident in Alaska, but he was expected to recover, his… Continue reading

Police identify man found shot, killed in Eagle River

ANCHORAG — Anchorage police have released the name of a 24-year-old man found shot to death last week outside an Eagle River home.Police say the… Continue reading

Gov. Bill Walker, left, hugs Kara Nelson, director of Haven House, as Rep Geran Tarr, D-Anchorage, right, contratulates Sen. Johnny Ellis, D-Anchorage, after the Governor signed Senate Bill 23 at the Capitol on Monday. The bill gives public access to the life-saving heroin antidote called Naxolone.

Photos: Narcan bill signing

… Continue reading

Gov. Bill Walker, left, hugs Kara Nelson, director of Haven House, as Rep Geran Tarr, D-Anchorage, right, contratulates Sen. Johnny Ellis, D-Anchorage, after the Governor signed Senate Bill 23 at the Capitol on Monday. The bill gives public access to the life-saving heroin antidote called Naxolone.

Anchorage police investigate Eagle River death as homicide

ANCHORAGE — Anchorage police are investigating the death of a man found in Eagle River as a homicide.Police say the man was found outside a… Continue reading

Troopers seek help in finding ‘dangerous’ Wasilla suspect

ANCHORAGE — Alaska State Troopers say they’re seeking a “dangerous” 23-year-old Wasilla man who left his court-appointed custodian.Troopers are seeking Jordan King, who has a… Continue reading

Legislature to take public testimony on oil tax credits

The Alaska House will take public testimony Monday on a proposal from Gov. Bill Walker to reform the credit system that rewards oil companies for… Continue reading

Earthquakes rock south-central Alaska, western Aleutians

ANCHORAGE — A magnitude 4.5 earthquake rocked south-central Alaska on Saturday and was felt in the state’s largest city, Anchorage.The National Tsunami Warning Center says… Continue reading

In this Feb. 16 photo, from right, Willow and Cabo, belonging to Lorraine Temple, demonstrate the rigging of an Alaskan dog sled while Amity Middle School's Mindy Wallace stands on the sled modeling a musher's protective clothing during Temple's presentation in Amity, Oregon.

Mush on, read on

AMITY, Ore. — Lorraine Temple pulled her van into the parking lot at Amity Middle School in Oregon. The Homer resident was greeted by Principal… Continue reading

In this Feb. 16 photo, from right, Willow and Cabo, belonging to Lorraine Temple, demonstrate the rigging of an Alaskan dog sled while Amity Middle School's Mindy Wallace stands on the sled modeling a musher's protective clothing during Temple's presentation in Amity, Oregon.

26-year-old man arrested in Iditarod crashes

ANCHORAGE — A man suspected of intentionally driving a snowmobile into teams of two mushers near the front of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race… Continue reading

Policy lets legislators decide on records releases

JUNEAU — Legislative policy leaves Alaska state lawmakers the discretion to decide whether they want to release information from their own records. That stands in… Continue reading

Researchers with the University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Fisheries and Ocean Science check a pop-up satellite tag on a chinook salmon. The University of Alaska system cuts proposed in the Legislature would largely come out of research funding, which could create a ripple effect that damages state and federal fisheries management.

University cuts could damage fisheries, Arctic research

ANCHORAGE — A state fiscal crisis looms, and some of the Legislature’s budget cuts could send ripples into Alaska’s largest private employer and international political… Continue reading

Researchers with the University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Fisheries and Ocean Science check a pop-up satellite tag on a chinook salmon. The University of Alaska system cuts proposed in the Legislature would largely come out of research funding, which could create a ripple effect that damages state and federal fisheries management.

GCI cell customers struggle with outages

BETHEL — Customers with Alaska telecommunications company General Communication, Inc. say they have experienced frequent outages all winter.Cellular service was spotty over the winter months… Continue reading

Wildlife biologists Rob Kaler of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Sarah Schoen of the U.S. Geological Survey examine body parts of a common murre during a necropsy on Friday in Anchorage.

Scientists researching seabird death mystery

ANCHORAGE — The common murre on Sarah Schoen’s examination table lived a short, hungry life.Measurements of its beak and leg indicated it hatched in June.… Continue reading

Wildlife biologists Rob Kaler of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Sarah Schoen of the U.S. Geological Survey examine body parts of a common murre during a necropsy on Friday in Anchorage.

Bethel officials consider vote-by-mail

BETHEL — The city of Bethel is looking into replacing going to the polls with voting by mail as a way to increase voter turnout,… Continue reading

Gold mill proposed for eastern Kenai Peninsula

KENAI — The private-owned Diamond Gold Corporation is proposing a gold extraction mill on the eastern Kenai Peninsula expected to add a boost to the… Continue reading

Senate passes bill to curb, contain Medicaid costs

JUNEAU — Legislation aimed at curbing and containing costs within the state Medicaid program has passed the Alaska Senate.Friday’s 19-0 vote sends the bill to… Continue reading