Author: Nicole Thompson

Patrick Moran, 34, of Anchorage, has been named the culprit in the Richardson Vista disturbance that forced the evacuation last night. The event took place in the area of Government Hill, in the 900 block of Richardson Vista Road. At around 11:14 p.m. on Saturday, police said they began receiving several reports of a guy damaging cars in a parking lot while reportedly brandishing a huge knife. This sparked the incident. According to eyewitnesses, Moran cut tires and vandalized cars before locking himself in an apartment. The Anchorage Police Department (APD) responded swiftly after Moran reportedly set fire to the…

On Friday night, more than 22,000 Chugach Electric customers experienced a power outage due to a major load-shedding event. A significant outage happens when a primary power generation source along the Railbelt fails, resulting in extensive disruption. At 7:35 p.m., Chugach Electric confirmed the outage to Alaska’s News Source, stating the necessity to shed some customers to avert a more comprehensive power loss. This approach ensures stability in the power grid by aligning the electric load with the available generation. After the event, Chugach Electric shared additional information about the situation in a Facebook post. The company indicated that the…

Additional information has emerged regarding the fatal shooting of 24-year-old James V. Afuvai, who an officer shot during the Anchorage Mountain View Shooting on September 29.  Afuvai allegedly lunged toward the responding officer, Sgt. James Dokken, brandishing a 14-inch knife before Dokken fired and killed him. According to the police, Afuvai allegedly made three muddled 911 calls, initially claiming that someone was in danger while refusing to provide additional details. After the call, Afuvai provided police with a false identity when reporting gunfire in his area to dispatch. Afuvai identified himself as the victim and requested updates on the last…

Alaska’s seafood industry plummeted, costing $1.8 billion and cutting profits in half. New NOAA research attributes this collapse to rising borrowing rates, labor, and energy expenses. The fall in Alaska’s core industry hurt local economies, cost roughly 38,000 jobs, and cut U.S. GDP by $4.3 billion. Overall, the situation highlights Alaska’s seafood industry’s significant challenges and broader implications for the national economy. Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California shed $191 million in state and local tax revenue. Director of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Robert Foy, emphasized the national ramifications, stating that Alaska’s seafood industry is critical to the U.S. seafood…

On Saturday night, a massive fire ripped through the town of Haines in the Southeast, destroying several stores and residences and incurring millions of dollars in damage. The Alaska State Troopers reported that the Haines Volunteer Fire Department and the Haines Borough Police Department responded to a fire at the intersection of Haines Highway and Mud Bay. In addition to the second-story apartments, the building had several businesses, such as Haines’ Quick Shop, Outfitter Liquor, Outfitter Sporting Goods, and Mike’s Bikes & Boards. Everyone safely evacuated the building, and fortunately, no one sustained injuries. The fire caused an estimated $3.5…

On Sunday evening, a landslide occurred in Ketchikan, which resulted in the closing of a two-lane road on the outskirts of the Southeast Alaska hamlet. The debris from the landslide in Ketchikan began to obstruct both lanes of Revilla Road at around eight o’clock in the evening, as the Ketchikan Gateway Borough reported. The obstruction happened after the Ward Lake exit but before the paintball fields were on the scene. In response, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities is currently waiting for a geologist from Juneau to assess the region before beginning to remove the debris particles. Eight…

Alaska State Troopers arrested 20-year-old Hooper Bay resident Shaquille Carawan four days after the horrific killings of two young ladies. Investigators discovered the bodies of 18-year-olds Novely Rivers and Abigail Olson at a home near Hooper Bay. However, upon learning of Carawan’s whereabouts, investigators quickly identified him as a suspect in the Hooper Bay murder case. Consequently, Carawan faced charges of first and second-degree murder, tampering with evidence, and furnishing alcohol to minors in a prohibited area. Furthermore, Alaska State Troopers classified the act as a violent murder, thereby highlighting the gravity of the circumstances. On Friday, the Native American…

Nearly 60% of Juneau voters oppose a ballot measure that seeks to prohibit large cruise ships from docking on Saturdays. If enacted, the legislation would ban cruise ships carrying 250 or more passengers from docking on Saturdays and the Fourth of July, beginning next year. Advocates for the “Ship-Free Saturdays” initiative, including retiree Karla Hart, express concerns about overcrowding and the adverse effects of tourism on the city, particularly the noise generated by helicopter tours. Those who are against the bill, such as Protect Juneau’s Future, say it would hurt the economy in the area by cutting jobs and tax…

The contractor NaphCare, charged with disclosing a health data breach involving Alaska inmates, now maintains that while the identities were authentic, the diagnoses were not. The ACLU of Alaska revealed on Tuesday that a serious privacy breach compromised the identities and private information of 74 prisoners. This breach included sensitive details such as prescription drugs, mental health diagnoses, and other personal data, which the electronic records contractor for the Department of Corrections made publicly available on a training website(DOC). Anyone with an internet connection could view the data. In rebuttal, the prison healthcare provider NaphCare in Alabama released a statement…

The aftermath of Hurricane Helene continues to affect the Southeastern United States, resulting in nearly 160 fatalities across six states. Hurricane Helene recovery efforts operations are intensifying. Numerous organizations, including the American Red Cross, have deployed personnel and volunteers nationwide to assist the thousands of displaced individuals. Two nurses from Alaska, including registered nurse Kimberly Gebert, are among Hurricane Helene’s recovery efforts. She traveled to Tallahassee to assist with the recovery effort. Gebert now works at a shelter in Citrus Springs, Florida, after swiftly moving south to assist in the hardest-hit areas. She worked with another nurse to tend to…

Officer Alexander Roman, who shot and killed 16-year-old Easter Leafa in Anchorage on August 13, will not face charges. The Alaska Department of Law concluded that Roman justified in using force to defend himself and others. Roman, a six-year Anchorage Police veteran, arrived after Leafa threatened her sister with a knife. The Easter Leafa shooting case has sparked protests and raised concerns about police procedures. Officers uncomfortable arrival at an East Anchorage apartment causes family members to become worried, as shown in body camera footage. They were afraid the situation would get worse if the cops showed up. In the clip,…

The Anchorage Police Department (APD) reported that a lone officer fatally shot a man in the upper torso during an Anchorage police shooting on Sunday night in Mountain View. The officer was responding to a 911 call when the incident occurred. Sean Case, the Chief of the Atlanta Police Department, gave further information on the event during a news conference. He stated that the suspect approached the police with a knife, creating a dangerous scenario as the officer waited for help. The officer investigated an injured person in the 500 block of North Park Street after receiving a complaint. The…