Author: Nicole Thompson

A federal judge has mandated action to resolve Alaska’s SNAP delays due to chronic food assistance application processing backlogs. Judge Sharon Gleason of the U.S. District Court issued a preliminary injunction on Tuesday, mandating that the state submit monthly status updates beginning in February 2025. These updates will describe the attempts to process Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applications within the 30-day nationally required period. The injunction follows a lawsuit filed two years ago by the Northern Justice Project, an Alaska civil rights firm. The backlog peaked in 2023, leaving 15,000 Alaskans without timely food benefits. Although the state made…

Alaska’s child care task force report, released on December 27th, presented a solution to child care shortages affecting families and providers statewide. Governor Mike Dunleavy’s task force’s recommendations outline strategies to improve affordability, accessibility, and workforce conditions in this critical sector. The task force established last year identified 56 actionable recommendations, including geographic cost of living adjustments to help rural families afford care. “Removing barriers, especially in rural areas, and supporting the child care workforce, are other areas we expect to see long-lasting improvements, as a result of this important work,” stated Heidi Hedberg, Health commissioner. A study by McKinley…

Anchorage Police launched an intense search in Eagle River after gunfire erupted near Old Glenn Highway and North Juanita Loop. Reports of shots fired drew multiple officers to the business district, sparking a significant response for the Eagle River Shooting Investigation on Tuesday afternoon.  The Anchorage Police Department said gunshots appeared to come from a wooded area near Planet Fitness, prompting an immediate investigation. Officers initially believed the suspect fled to a room at Microtel Inn & Suites but found no one during their search. Authorities quickly redirected efforts to the woods behind the hotel using drones to scan for…

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management will open bids for Arctic National Wildlife Refuge oil lease rights on January 10th, 2025. Federal offices will close on January 8th to honor the late President Jimmy Carter, prompting the one-day delay. The Lease sale follows a federal mandate from 2017 legislation requiring two sales within the refuge’s coastal plain, each offering 400,000 acres. The Biden administration added stricter environmental safeguards, which drew criticism from development advocates. Furthermore, the first sale in 2021, led by the Trump administration, attracted bids mainly from the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, with no significant oil…

Alaska’s Department of Health unveiled the final Governor’s task force report on child care, offering solutions to widespread accessibility issues. The two-year study revealed Alaska’s childcare crisis, with over 10% of licensed providers closing since 2020. This has fueled severe childcare deserts, leaving families without essential resources. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, these shortages cost Alaska’s economy $165 million annually. The report proposed 56 recommendations for affordability, accessibility, workforce sustainability, and quality improvements. Governor Mike Dunleavy praised the task force’s work, stating that addressing the childcare shortages aligns with his vision to make Alaska more family-friendly. Dunleavy’s…

Alaskans joined the world in mourning after former President Jimmy Carter passed away Sunday at 100 years old. President Joe Biden has ordered a National Day of Mourning. Furthermore, he scheduled an official state funeral in Washington, D.C., on January 9th.  Carter served as president from 1977 to 1982 and spent his post-presidential years advancing humanitarian efforts worldwide. Although political differences existed, Alaska leaders reflected on Jimmy Carter’s impact on Alaska. Governor Mike Dunleavy offered his condolences, focusing on Carter’s dedication to democracy and human rights as an inspiration to millions. He wrote on social media that “His 100 years…

Fairbanks police arrested a local man Thursday evening after discovering methamphetamine sewn into three stuffed toys. The meth-filled stuffed toys discovery followed a federal search warrant executed on December 23rd. Authorities intercepted the package containing approximately five pounds of meth and traced its shipment from San Bernardino, California. It was addressed to a woman residing at a drug rehabilitation center in Fairbanks. To investigate the meth-filled stuff toys case, investigators planted a tracking device and UV reactive substance called clue spray inside the package before delivering. By noon Thursday, officials had delivered the package to the recipient’s apartment. When the…

An Anchorage Officer got hurt in a crash after a vehicle sideswiped the officer’s cruiser on Friday morning. The rollover incident occurred around 9 a.m. near Eklutna, forcing authorities to close the Glenn Highway and redirect traffic.  Anchorage police directed vehicles over the Eklutna overpass, managing the flow after the crash halted traffic on the busy highway. While assisting with traffic control, an Anchorage officer parked a police cruiser near the scene, which was later struck by a passing vehicle. The collision injured the officer but caused no severe harm, according to an Anchorage Police Department report. A second parked…

The new Fairbanks Hopelink Warming Center has officially opened its doors in a larger space previously occupied by Goldie’s. Replacing its former location at the Hannah Solomon Building on Wendell Avenue, the center now offers enhanced services to support Fairbanks’ unhoused population during harsh winters. Opening on December 9, the warming center operates nightly from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. through April, an hour earlier than last year. Program manager Keyda Lampkin explained that the earlier start accommodates increasingly cold evening temperatures. “Every year, it gets colder earlier,” Lampkin said, emphasizing the importance of adapting to meet community needs. As…

Early Christmas morning, a Juneau Police officer fatally shot a woman armed with a hatchet outside a convenience store. According to Deputy Police Chief Krag Campbell, the Juneau Police shooting occurred after the department responded at 5:25 a.m. to a report about a woman threatening people with a hammer. The 30-year-old woman allegedly threatened the caller before advancing towards officers with a hatchet. Police arrived on the scene and encountered the woman in the parking lot. Despite repeated commands to drop the weapon, she continued walking towards them, holding the hatchet. Officers deployed a Taser, which struck the woman but…

ConocoPhillips’s massive Willow oil project on Alaska’s North Slope has prompted a groundbreaking environmental deal with local Iñupiat leaders. The US Bureau of Land Management recently signed a right-of-way agreement with Nuiqsut Trilateral Inc., a partnership combining Nuiqsut’s city and city governments with Kuukpik Corp., the village’s Native corporation. The agreement ensures habitat protections for wildlife around Teshekpuk Lake, the North Slope’s largest lake and home to the Teshekpuk Caribou Herd. The partnership oversees nearly one million acres encircling the lake. The agreement prohibits new leasing surface or subsurface exploration and mining during the Willow oil project lifespan. Officials designed…

President-elect Donald Trump reignited the debate over renaming Denali during a speech in Phoenix on Sunday. He proposed renaming Denali to its former name, Mount McKinley, to honor the 25th president of the United States, William McKinley. Trump described McKinley’s economic contributions, particularly in generating wealth. President Theodore Roosevelt later used it for significant projects like the Panama Canal. Alaskan Republican senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan instantly opposed the suggestion due to their strong support for Denali’s indigenous name.  Denali, meaning high or tall in Koyukon, reflects the heritage of the Native Alaskan people who have called it this…