The five members of Alaska’s highest court heard arguments last Thursday in a long-running dispute between the operators of a Christian camp and the Fairbanks North Star Borough about whether or not the camp qualifies for an exemption from local property taxes. Though the dispute involves only a single camp in Fairbanks, the justices’ ruling […]
Posted inBlotter
Police Blotter June 8 – Oct. 18
Sunday, June 8 A welfare check was requested. An officer responded. Monday, June 9 A caller reported a boat on a trailer blocking the roadway in Fort Seward. An officer responded. Tuesday, June 10 A caller on View Point Road reported a suspicious call about their property being listed for sale. The caller said they […]
Posted inLocal News, Public Safety
Alaska declares disaster over federal food aid failure, diverts $10 million for temporary help
Following a request by state legislators and similar action by other states, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Monday declared a 30-day state of disaster that allows the state to temporarily fund federal food-aid programs used by tens of thousands of Alaskans. The state of Alaska will spend up to $10 million for direct financial assistance to Alaskans who use […]
Posted inCommentary
Carbon credits could be a winner for Haines State Forest
Carbon credits are a game changing tool for modern forestry in Alaska. They make money from what forests already do: accumulate carbon molecules in wood. They can offer a management strategy for generating revenue in areas where timber harvests could put high-value fish and wildlife habitat at risk. The coastal forests of Southeast Alaska are particularly […]
Posted inNews, Government & Elections
DHS Wants States to Hand Over Driver’s License Data for Citizenship Checks
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. This article is co-published with The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan local newsroom that informs and engages with Texans. Sign up for The Brief Weekly to get up to speed on their essential coverage of Texas issues. […]
Posted inNews
Native communities scramble to provide food with SNAP, WIC cutoffs looming
WASHINGTON — The near-certain freeze on key federal nutrition programs will put particular pressure on tribal communities, according to advocates and U.S. senators of both parties. American Indian and Alaska Native communities are scrambling to fill anticipated gaps in food security and assistance created by the lack of funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, […]
Posted inNews, Economy
Trump administration to pay about half of November SNAP benefits amid shutdown
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture will pay about half of November benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, though benefits could take months to flow to recipients, the department said Monday in a brief to a federal court in Rhode Island. A four-page report from the USDA answered U.S. District Chief Judge John […]
Posted inNews, Government & Elections
Anchorage business files suit against governor candidate’s company and others, alleging negligence
The owner of an Anchorage business destroyed during a building fire in March has filed suit against Denali Disposal, owned by Republican gubernatorial candidate Bernadette Wilson, and two other businesses that also used the destroyed building. The lawsuit, by auto repair firm 2nd II None LLC, accuses all three defendants of negligence that contributed to the fire […]
Posted inNews, Arts & Culture, Public Safety
Alaska typhoon victims’ losses of traditional foods go beyond dollar values
When natural disasters strike in the Lower 48, people affected are compensated for income lost from wage-earning jobs that have been interrupted, as well as lost assets with assigned financial value. For residents of the Yukon-Kuskokwim region who were displaced by Typhoon Halong, such losses are not so easily quantified. In the region’s affected villages, […]
Posted inNews, Events & Entertainment, Arts & Culture
‘Molly’ hits the road: New PBS miniseries takes viewers to five reservations
This story was originally published by ICT. Curious, adventurous and boisterous, 10-year-old Molly of Denali gets around this season, taking her Grandpa Nat on trips to five different reservations to learn about their life and culture where they end up on everything from a hand-carved dugout canoe to a hot air balloon. “Molly’s Epic Adventure” […]