Author: Nicole Thompson

Alaska’s congressional delegation is demanding better weather monitoring systems and air traffic management after a deadly commuter plane crash. During Tuesday’s US Department of Transportation news conference, lawmakers highlighted gaps in aviation technology following the Bering Air crash investigation, which has raised serious safety concerns.  Senator Dan Sullivan, Senator Lisa Murkowski, and Representative Nick Begich joined Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy in Washington, DC, to discuss aviation safety. They emphasized urgent improvements, due to Alaska’s challenging terrain, unpredictable weather, and airspace congestion. Murkowski highlighted the state’s severe weather monitoring issues, revealing that 51 of Alaska’s 150…

A proposed Anchorage weapon storage ordinance could make parents responsible if their child brings a deadly weapon to school. Anchorage Assembly member Karen Bronga introduced the measure, which will be discussed at Tuesday´s assembly meeting. The ordinance states that parents or guardians could face prosecution if their child possesses a weapon that initially belonged to them. It also applies if they authorized the child to have the gun or stored it in a criminally negligent way. The proposal does not regulate firearm storage beyond state laws or define criminally negligent storage. “My intention is we have this conversation,” Bronga said.…

Alaska’s flood insurance bill proposes a new state-run insurance program to address flood damages, including glacial outburst floods. Senate Bill 11 would establish the Alaska Flood Authority and an insurance fund, replacing the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Flood Insurance Program.  Senator Bert Stedman, who introduced the bill, argues that FEMA’s restrictions burden Alaskans and offer inadequate post-disaster compensation. The Senate Labor and Commerce Committee held the bill’s first on Monday. FEMA mandates flood insurance for financing buildings in designated flood zones, yet private insurers rarely cover such risks in Alaska. A 2022 state report showed 32 cities or boroughs…

Alaska’s industries increasingly relied on nonresident workers in 2023 as labor shortages and population declines intensified across the state. The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development reported 92,664 nonresident workers last year, accounting for 23.5% of the workforce, the highest rate since 1995. State economist Rob Kreiger analyzed the data, highlighting a growing dependence on Alaska’s nonresident workforce across nearly all industries. “I do think the workers shortage persisted in 2024, which could result in numbers similar to what we saw in 2023,” Kreiger said. Krieger’s findings appeared in the February edition of Alaska Economic Trends, a monthly publication…

Authorities have recovered and identified all Alaska plane crash victims from the Bering Air flight that went down off western Alaska’s coast. In a Facebook post, the Nome Volunteer Fire Department confirmed that recovery teams had returned all the victims home.  The small commuter aircraft carrying nine passengers and one pilot took off from Unalakleet on Thursday afternoon, bound for Nome. It disappeared during the flight, and search crews found the wreckage 34 miles southeast of Nome on Friday. Officials declared all 10 people dead. Alaska State Troopers identified the victims as Liane Ryan, who was 52, and Donnell Erickson,…

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy stated that he was deeply saddened by the Bering Air crash tragedy that killed ten people in Nome on Thursday, and he praised search crews for finding the crashed plane. He offered prayers for the families of the victims. Authorities discovered the wreckage southeast of Nome, where the commuter plane crashed while flying from Unalakleet. Rescue teams initially struggled due to difficult weather conditions but later confirmed all passengers had perished. Officials said poor visibility delayed the search, with emergency responders working tirelessly to locate the aircraft. Governor Dunleavy acknowledged concerns about recent air crashes and…

Authorities confirmed Friday that all 10 passengers aboard a regional airline flight died after their plane crashed near Nome, Alaska. The US Coast Guard located the Alaska plane crash wreckage about 34 miles southeast of Nome, which ended a frantic search.  Rescue swimmers discovered three bodies inside the shattered Cessna aircraft, while officials believe the remaining victims are trappers in the wreckage. Coast Guard Lt. Commander Mike Salerno stated that recovery efforts remain challenging due to the plane’s remote location and icy terrain. Among the victims, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium employees Rhone Baumgartner and Kameron Hartvigson had traveled to…

On Wednesday, over 100 Alaskans demonstrated against former President Donald Trump’s policies in front of the Alaska State Capitol. Participants held signs and chanted pro-democracy slogans to express their disapproval of government activities during Trump’s first month in office. As a component of the #50501 movement, the protestors sought to plan protests at each of the country’s 50 state capitols. Protestors criticized entrepreneur Elon Musk’s engagement in federal matters and denounced Trump’s treatment of transgender people and migrants.  Protestors carried banners with messages against deportations and policies affecting marginalized communities. Alberta Everson, alongside her family, held a sign stating “No…

Alaska officials have sued the Native Village of Eklutna, the US Department of the Interior, and the National Indian Gaming Commission. The Alaska gaming lawsuit filed Tuesday argues that Eklutna’s Chin’an Gaming Hall operates on land improperly classified as a Native allotment.  The legal action follows a Monday media tour of the gaming hall recently opened to the public. The state claims federal agencies wrongly granted Eklutna control over the land, violating long-standing legal interpretations. Attorney General Treg Taylor insists the case is about land jurisdiction, not gambling operations. The complaint states that for 30 years, the US Department of…

Federal agents have ramped up Alaska immigration raids, with FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration teams assisting US Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Anchorage. Over the past few days, officials have detained multiple individuals, marking a rare collaboration between these agencies in the state. The FBI’s Anchorage office shared images on X showing agents leading detainees in jail uniforms into the Department of Homeland Security’s local headquarters. Another image depicted a handcuffed individual in street clothes outside a residential area. The DEA’s Seattle office posted similar images, including one of a detainee in a yellow Anchorage jail jumpsuit being escorted into…

Alaska lawmakers must address a growing deficit. Declining oil revenue left a projected $200 million shortfall for the next fiscal year. The Legislative Finance Division warned that additional spending on firefighting and public services could push the deficit past $300 million. With limited options, legislators must decide whether to cut the Permanent Fund dividend or reduce school funding. Governor Mike Dunleavy proposed a budget with a full statutory PFD of approximately $3,900, requiring a $1.5 billion withdrawal from state savings. Lawmakers resisted, arguing that spending from the Constitutional Budget Reserve would strain financial stability. Bethel Democratic Senator Lyman Hoffman stated,…

Mat-Su Borough faces a funding shift for its bus system after losing a federal grant, potentially increasing local property taxes. The 2020 census classified the borough as an urbanized area, changing its eligibility for full federal transportation funding. As a result, the borough must now match 50% of transit costs through local funding, significantly altering financial planning. Assemblyman Tim Hale explained that the new designation requires a municipal planning organization to distribute federal and state transportation funds. Valley Transit, the non-profit managing Mat-Su´s transportation, will no longer receive federal funds and must compete for grants. The borough initially delayed the…