KMXT News

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday in a case challenging mail-in ballot deadlines. The state of Alaska is interested in oil exploration near the Yukon River, in the Interior. And Juneau has officially broken its snowfall record.Photo: The Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge is seen from the air on Sept. 1, 2006. (Photo provided by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: Gov. Mike Dunleavy is out with a new bill offering tax breaks for a planned natural gas pipeline from the North Slope to Southcentral Alaska. Lawmakers in Juneau are working on the final draft of a budget bill that would fund hundreds of millions of dollars worth of construction projects across the state. And Pink Martini is playing Southeast.Photo: Pink Martini playing in Juneau in 2015. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:School districts around the state are bracing for another year of deep cuts. Advocates rallied on the steps of the Alaska State Capitol asking lawmakers to pass bills that they say would save lives. And University of Alaska President Pat Pitney delivered her final State of the University address Thursday in Fairbanks.Photo: University of Alaska President Pat Pitney delivers her sixth and final State of the University address March 19, 2026, in Fairbanks, Alaska. She is set to retire in May. (Patrick Gilchrist/KUAC)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: Juneau has had a wild winter. An international ski competition returned to Haines last week for the first time in nearly a decade. And a group of kids in Fairbanks put their creativity to the test in an ice sculpture carving competition last week.Photo: A sculpture in the World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks. (TravelAlaska)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:Defending Iditarod champion Jessie Holmes has won the race again. Some current Fairbanks Assembly members want to rename their park "Alaskaland." And Nelson Lagoon is about to run out or water.Photo: Alaskaland sign. (KUAC)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: The head of a powerful state Senate committee is calling for stronger legislative oversight if a North Slope gas pipeline moves forward. Following a mistrial last year, 25-year-old Dustin Ruckman is once again facing homicide charges in an Anchorage court. And some veterans in Alaska will face a harder time receiving federal food assistance next year.Photo: Alaska's natural gas pipeline would largely follow the route of the existing trans-Alaska oil pipeline, pictured here, from the North Slope. Near Fairbanks, the gas line would split off toward Anchorage, while the oil pipeline continues to the Prince William Sound community of Valdez. (Photo by David Houseknecht/United States Geological Survey)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: The 2026 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race hit the Norton Sound coastline over the weekend and the race is heating up. In Juneau, youth from across the state presented films they made highlighting the impacts of climate change where they live. And the state budget is back up in the air.Photo: Jessie Holmes shoves piles of straw under his dog team at the Unalakleet checkpoint of the 2026 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. (Gabby Hiestand Selgado/KYUK)

On this week's episode with host Katherine Irving, we hear about the changes in administration across schools in the Kodiak Island Borough School District, the new superintendent's contract details have been released, our partners at Alaska Public Media report on the Alaska Senate passing its version of the state supplemental budget, Sen. Gary Stevens of Kodiak's civics education bill for high schoolers could pass into law this session, and an update on the 2026 Iditarod sled dog race as mushers have completed their 24-hour layovers.

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:Parker Kenick of Nome has won three gold medals in the Arctic Winter Games, so far. The Alaska State Board of Education is establishing an ad hoc committee for Mt. Edgecumbe High School. And Sitka's new octopus now has a name.Photo: Giant pacific octopus. (Sitka Sound Science Center)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:Alaska's Supreme Court is again considering whether the proposed Alaska gasline project violates the Constitutional rights of a group of young Alaskans. Two of Southcentral Alaska's biggest natural gas companies want to dramatically expand their storage capacity, and they're eyeing city-owned land in Kenai as the place to do it. A high-profile budget bill that would unlock hundreds of millions in government construction projects across Alaska took a substantial step forward. Photo: The Alaska State Capitol is seen on Monday, March 9, 2026. (James Brooks photo/Alaska Beacon)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: Front-of-the-pack Iditarod teams zipped through McGrath last night, roughly a third of the way into the thousand-mile race to Nome. In his annual address to the Alaska State Legislature, United States Rep. Nick Begich III spoke about topics ranging from the war in Iran, Alaska's mining potential, and the effects of ex-Typhoon Halong on Western Alaska. And the western Aleutians have seen increased seismic activity over the past week.Photo: Jessie Holmes Wins Alaska Air Transit Award in McGrath. (Photo: Siri Raitto)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: The Arctic Winter Games got underway on Sunday in Whitehorse. Alaska students could have a new graduation requirement in the not-too-distant-future. And kids are reading their way to the finish line in the Iditaread.Photo: The official lighting of the cauldron at the Arctic Winter Games. (TJ Dhir/CBC)

On this week's episode with host Davis Hovey, we hear about a deckhand of the Aleutian Lady who died at sea, Alaska Public Media reports that state lawmakers are considering a boost to the base student allocation funding, the Alaska Beacon reports on a potential waiver for the $100,000 visas for teachers, the Department of Transportation is accepting comments on a proposed lease for parking lot management at the Kodiak airport, KNBA gives a recap of the Alaska Outdoor Council's gubernatorial debate, and Kodiak's new kelp nursery finished its first season growing kelp in a shipping container.

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: A little over a half-foot of snow blanketed Anchorage for the Iditarod's ceremonial kickoff Saturday. In Nome, local and state groups are working together to make snowmachining safer – with free helmets for kids. And Animal Care and Control in Anchorage is buried in bunnies.Photo: Luke, Iditarod veteran Jessica Klejka's son, on a dog sled during the Iditarod ceremonial start in Anchorage on March 7, 2026. (Matt Faubion/Alaska Public Media)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:State lawmakers had some sharp questions for Alaska's Division of Elections about its decision to share the state's voter list with the Department of Justice. Residents are wondering why the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers pulled back its decision to design a lake tap that would put a stop to annual glacial outburst flooding in Juneau's Mendenhall Valley. And in the weeks since federal immigration officials detained and deported a mom and her kids from Soldotna, community members have come together at least three times to show their support for the family. Photo: Karen Martin Tichenor addresses attendees at a candelight vigil for Sonia Espinoza Arriaga and her kids on Sunday, Mar. 1, 2026 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:Pedestrian deaths have been on the rise around the nation, and Anchorage is no exception. The Arctic Winter Games begin Sunday in Whitehorse. And federal Immigration Customs Enforcement agents descended on a Soldotna home and arrested, detained and deported a mom and her children to Mexico. Photo: Sigrid Eller ties on traditional snowshoes at practice on Feb. 26, 2026,in preparation for the Arctic Winter Games. (Photo by Alix Soliman/KTOO).

On this week's episode with host Davis Hovey, we hear about an annual joint-military exercise in the Arctic with some training taking place in Kodiak this week, Alaska Aerospace Corporation receives federal funding to update its facilities at the Kodiak Island spaceport, KUCB reports on the Board of Fisheries recent decision on Area M salmon fishing, Alaska Public Media reports on the state House's version of the budget bill, and Port Lions is replacing its water system.

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: Juneau's city-owned airport was briefly at risk of an emergency closure as its fleet of Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting trucks faced maintenance issues. The love of winter in Alaska's Golden Heart City of Fairbanks is likely waning for many residents. And Skagway is mulling how to deal with contamination from ore.Photo: Downtown Fairbanks on a chilly February morning. (Casey Grove/Alaska Public Media)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: President Trump's pick for surgeon general, wellness influencer Casey Means, told U.S. senators yesterday that anti-vaccine rhetoric was never part of her message. The Alaska Permanent Fund beat its performance benchmarks last year and is approaching $90 billion. And school districts and community members are keeping local basketball teams going, even far from home.Photo: Dr. Casey Means, nominee for surgeon general, testifies during a confirmation hearing Wednesday before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: The Anchorage School Board has approved deep reductions to the district's budget. The Iron Dog snowmachine race wrapped up in Fairbanks over the weekend with a veteran team making race history. And Alaska senators moved forward a new version of Gov. Mike Dunleavy's tax bill last week.Photo: Tyler Aklestad and Nick Olstad embrace moments after crossing the finish line of the 2025 Iron Dog snowmachine race. (Ben Townsend/KNOM)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: A measure to repeal Alaska's nonpartisan primaries and ranked choice general elections will be on the ballot this year, but exactly how it is worded remains a hot dispute. The Alaska House approved a fast-tracked spending bill totaling nearly half a billion dollars yesterday. And The Yukon Quest is over.Photo: Jason Mackey, left, and his son Patrick Mackey, right, recount their experiences on the trail. The younger Mackey took home this year's Red Lantern. (Patrick Gilchrist/KUAC)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:Alaska saw its 8th hottest year on record last year, with temperatures coming in a degree and a half warmer than the last three decades on average. Some Alaska cyclists bike to work everyday. How? And the Alaska Federation of Natives have urged state lawmakers to fix Alaska's dual fish and wildlife management system.

On this week's episode with host Davis Hovey, we hear about high winds on Kodiak Island that caused several power outages and a roof to blow off a house, Alaska entities including Alaska Aerospace are tapped to receive Missile Defense Agency contracts, the sixth Coast Guard fast response cutter in Alaska is commissioned in Kodiak, Coast Alaska reports the summer ferry schedule is out for bookings, KUAC reports on a bill in the Legislature to continue allowing SNAP beneficiaries to use their benefits at farmers markets, and the Kodiak Harvest Food Co-op is closing for two weeks before moving into the marketplace downtown.

On this week's episode with host Davis Hovey, the KIBSD School Board decides to make cuts rather than close a school to balance the FY'2027 budget, KNBA reports on the Interior Department extending the public comment deadline on the Federal Subsistence Board, Pacific cod quota is updated mid-season for Kodiak area fishermen, the state is moving forward with a Rezanof Drive improvement project, and the City of Kodiak's new fire station is open for business.

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: State lawmakers questioned Mt. Edgecumbe High School leadership about conditions at the Sitka school this week. The 2026 Iron Dog is set to kick off this weekend. And U.S. Rep. Nick Begich voted for legislation that would tighten voter ID laws.Photo: Iron Dog racers in Big Lake on Feb. 17, 2024. (Tyler Bryan)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:The state Senate will consider a bill meant to increase educational options for Alaska students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The families of three more victims of last year's fatal Bering Air plane crash have sued the regional airline. And the Alaska Department of Transportation has faced intense scrutiny over its plan to build a new ferry terminal between Juneau and Haines.Photo: An aerial view of Berners Bay, where the state is proposing to build the Cascade Point ferry terminal. (Alix Soliman/KTOO)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:The Alaska Department of Transportation is giving away sections of a World War II era bridge near Delta Junction. Tribal leaders from across the country spoke out at a U.S. Senate hearing against possible changes within the Small Business Administration program that supports Native entities. The Gerstle River Bridge near Delta Junction is seen on July 26, 2023. (Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: Sen. Lisa Murkowski returned from a three-day trip to Greenland yesterday. Kipnuk residents are starting to vote on whether they want to rebuild their community, or relocate to higher ground. And how Alaskans can increase their chances of finding a date and falling in love.Photo: U.S. senators visited Pituffik Space Base on a three-day trip to Greenland that ended Feb. 9, 2026. From right: Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Angus King, I-Maine, Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. They met with U.S. Space Force Col. Shawn Lee, left, the base commander. (Matt Felling/U.S. Senate)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: Mushers and their dog teams are trekking across rugged Interior Alaska terrain and frigid temperatures as they compete in the Yukon Quest. A University of Alaska Fairbanks student has made his first court appearance after he ate a fellow student's AI-generated artwork in an act of protest. And Tuesday's hearing on a controversial proposal to reform the Federal Subsistence Board went for 6 hours and 33 minutes.Photo Graham Granger, University of Alaska Fairbanks student, stands outside of the Rabinowitz Courthouse in Fairbanks, Alaska after his arraignment on Jan. 20, 2026. ( Simeon Ramirez)

On this week's episode with host Davis Hovey, we hear about the IPHC passing a decision on daily halibut bag limits to the NPFMC, Alaska Public Media reports on a bill in the Alaska Legislature to update requirements for resident hunting and fishing licenses, Alaska Public Media also has details on a new way to bring groceries to rural Alaska, and the KIBSD Board of Education puts off a decision on its FY'2027 budget until next week.

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: The Porcupine theater in Homer is marking its first anniversary. The state's proposed Cascade Point Ferry Terminal has received hundreds of comments from Southeast residents who say they want to see the Ferry system work for travelers, not private mines. And a celebrated Fairbanks cross country skier is days away from competing in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Photo: The Porcupine Theater the night of its opening gala on Jan. 31, 2025. (Simon Lopez)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: Alaska's waters could open to seafloor mineral mining. Former Sitka state representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins entered the race for governor this week. And yesterday the U.S. Senate confirmed Aaron C. Peterson of Anchorage to be a federal District Court judge in Alaska.Photo: Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins is seen on Jan. 17, 2026, in Sitka, Alaska, in this photo provided by Kreiss-Tomkins.

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: A round of vetoes by Gov. Mike Dunleavy last summer have Alaska's construction industry on edge. The Yukon-Kuskokwim village of Kipnuk is at a crossroads. And The federal government has begun a scoping process that could lead to wide-ranging changes to federal subsistence management in Alaska.Photo: Debris sits in a pile in Kipnuk, Alaska on Oct. 19, 2025, a week after the remnants of Typhoon Halong brought catastrophic flooding and hurricane-force winds to the village.( Eric Stone/Alaska Public Media)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:The incumbents in Alaska's federal races have a lot of money to defend their seats. Hundreds of people in Soldotna stood in freezing temperatures to protest what they say is the overreach of federal immigration authorities. And Alaska has some of the highest school absentee rates in the nation.Photo: Marianna Macomber holds a sign at the intersection of the Sterling and Kenai Spur highways to protest federal immigration operations on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026 in Soldotna, Alaska. ( Ashlyn O'Hara/KDLL)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: Leaders of the North Slope village of Nuiqsut sued the U.S. Department of Interior last week for canceling a key subsistence protection for the Willow project. The Alaska House of Representatives passed a bill that would tighten residency requirements for Alaskans buying hunting or fishing licenses. Some storefront owners in Juneau are speaking out against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement by participating in the nationwide general strike on Friday. Alaska Robotics Gallery closed Jan. 30, 2026 as part of the nationwide general strike. (Photo by Alix Soliman/KTOO)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: The state House's ethics committee has launched an investigation into whether Homer Republican Rep. Sarah Vance illegally used state resources. A superior court judge ruled this week against a former Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly member who appealed an ethics violation that led to a $1 fine. And new murals are coming to downtown Juneau this spring.Photo: Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer, sits in the House chamber at the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau on Feb. 14, 2024. (Eric Stone/Alaska Public Media)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:ConocoPhillips says its plans to drill four new wells this winter on the North Slope will go forward despite Friday's accident involving a massive drilling rig. Scientists have confirmed that destructive landslides are happening more frequently across Alaska. And a Christmas tree forest in Nome. Photo: Nome National Forest. (NWS)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:Sen. Lisa Murkowski said on Tuesday that Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem should resign. The City of Kotzebue is getting sued over sewer and water infrastructure problems in 2024 that led raw sewage to flood some homes. And Anchorage voters will decide this spring whether to approve a one-time, roughly 12 million dollar tax increase to fund the local school district.Photo: Sen. Lisa Murkowski surrounded by reporters outside the U.S. Senate chamber last year. ( Liz Ruskin/Alaska Public Media)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:Gov. Mike Dunleavy introduced a series of bills on Friday and Monday that he says would stabilize the state's finances. The state will partner with the Municipality of Anchorage to better address public safety concerns in the state's largest city. And Sen. Lisa Murkowski says the bond between America and other NATO nations is weaker now, after President Trump's aggressive talk about acquiring Greenland and threats to impose tariffs.Denmark and Greenland are stepping up lobbying of U.S. lawmakers in an effort to head off President Trump's push to take control of Greenland. (Nichlas Pollier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

On this week's episode with host Davis Hovey, we hear about the Coast Guard rescuing two fishermen in Pasagshak Bay, the details of the Bycatch Reduction and Research Act in Congress, our colleagues at Alaska Public Media report on Gov. Dunleavy's plans for a seasonal sales tax, the Alaska Legislature started its latest session this week, and the Kodiak Island Borough School District is holding off on a FY'2027 budget decision until next month.

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:Alaska lawmakers have failed to override Gov. Mike Dunleavy's veto of a bill to modernize Alaska's corporate income tax system. Alaska Congressman Nick Begich has a new challenger. And the federal government is reviewing the business program that benefits Alaska Native corporations and tribes.Photo: Alaska U.S. House Rep. Nick Begich III has a new challenger, Bill Hill. (Bill Hill for Alaska campaign)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: Gov. Mike Dunleavy says he'll soon propose a statewide sales tax as part of his larger plan to stabilize the state's finances. Alaska school districts are suing the state over what they say is inadequate funding for public education. And Aniak's junior and senior high school has been suddenly closed due to structural concerns in the school's gymnasium.Photo: Gov. Mike Dunleavy gestures while speaking to reporters during a meeting of his 15 department commissioners on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (Eric Stone/Alaska Public Media)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:About 70 Sitkans formed a whistle choir Saturday (1-17-26) in an act of ICE resistance. The Alaska Legislature is back in session. And after more than a year of negotiations, the Anchorage School District and the local teachers' union have reached a tentative contract agreement.Photo: Nearly 70 Sitkans formed a whistle choir at the roundabout on Saturday in an act of ICE resistance. (KCAW/McKenney)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:An Alaska foster youth advocacy organization is suing the state Office of Children's Services for allegedly failing to provide food and necessities for older youth in their care. The Pentagon has ordered about 1,500 active duty soldiers from Alaska to be ready in case of a possible deployment to Minnesota. And a new pint-sized resident at the Sitka Sound Science Center aquarium will soon be gaining both a larger tank and a name.Photo: The orange-sized giant Pacific octopus in her tank on Jan. 16. (Maia Carter/Sitka Sound Science Center)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:Can Mary Peltola help the Democrats flip the Senate? The Alaska Legislature has a lot on its plate this session. And Skagway codifies how student athletes spend the night away from home. Photo: Mary Peltola at the U.S. Capitol in 2022, after she won a special election for a congressional seat. ( Liz Ruskin/Alaska Public Media)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:Health care workers and government officials are now working on a $1.3 billion program aimed at reimagining medical care across Alaska. The state Department of Natural Resources is planning to overhaul how it manages one of Alaska's three state forests. And the Alaska Court of Appeals on Thursday took up the case of a Whittier woman indicted in 2023 on felony charges of voter misconduct.Photo: The Baby Brown and Glacier Side timber areas, located in the Haines State Forest. (Derek Poinsette)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:Sen. Lisa Murkowski was among a bipartisan group of senators that met with the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland. Southeast Alaska's largest tribe has earned nearly $40 million from U.S. Navy contracts in Guantanamo Bay – money some tribal members are concerned comes from supporting immigrant detention. And Teens On Skis!Photo: Migrants detained in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown are led to a plane bound for Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:President Trump has denounced U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski and other Republicans who voted to check his use of military power in Venezuela. Avalanche risk rose over the weekend in Juneau as more snow and then rain pounded the capitol city. And natural gas use soared in Southcentral Alaska during the recent cold snap.Trump speaks at the Detroit Economic Club in Detroit, Michigan on Jan 13. (REUTERS)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:The United States Supreme Court has once again declined to take up challenges to a federal law that protects subsistence hunting and fishing in Alaska. The City of Saxman is on a water conservation notice due to low water levels in the city's holding tank. And the Homer High School theater is closed after an apparent theater rigging failure dropped equipment to the stage below.Photo: The Kuskokwim River is seen in this image captured by scientists working on NASA's Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment, or ABoVE. (Peter Griffith/NASA)

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:Democrat Mary Pelotola announced this morning that she's running for U.S. Senate. The start of Alaska's annual legislative session is just over a week away. And the last steam locomotive to pull trains on the Alaska Railroad is getting new life.Photo: Engine 557 sits on rails in front of its home shop in Wasilla. The 557 Restoration Company fired up the old steam locomotive Nov. 8, 2025, for the first time since the 1950s. ( 557 Restoration Company)

In this week's episode with host Davis Hovey, we hear about the Christmas bird count in Kodiak, how the federal government shutdown caused a hiccup in the Pacific cod quota for this year's fishery around Kodiak Island, the Tustumena's last scheduled visit to Kodiak before annual maintenance, the latest direction the KIBSD Board of Education is considering to fill its multi-million-dollar budget gap and our colleagues at KNBA breakdown the Coast Guard's rescue of nine people after a fishing vessel ran aground on St. George Island.