KTOO News Update

In this newscast: Juneau's recycling center is closed again in order to repair damaged critical equipment. And it could be quite a while before the center opens back up again; New public art is coming to downtown Juneau this spring. Murals will soon adorn the Marine View building parking garage near the cruise ship docks. It's part of a project years in the making that teaches artists about the legal and creative sides of murals; The City and Borough of Juneau tip-toed toward a federal buyout program for homeowners on View Drive this week, a street that's been hit the hardest by annual glacial outburst flooding. And the city's asking those residents if they'll help pay for their own buyout; More than 200 people gathered in the capital city on Thursday to speak out against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, following recent killings of two citizens in Minneapolis.

In this newscast: Scientists have confirmed that destructive landslides are happening more frequently across Alaska — especially in Southeast — using news articles dating back more than a century. It's because climate change is making atmospheric rivers more extreme; John Bressette is the city's avalanche advisor, tracking weather and avalanche risk in Juneau's urban paths. He joined CBJ just before record snowfall -- followed by rain and flooding -- pushed the city to declare a disaster and issue evacuation advisories downtown. He spoke with KTOO's Mike Lane about the job; Gov. Mike Dunleavy introduced a series of bills on Friday and Monday that he says would stabilize the state's finances

In this newscast: The Juneau Assembly has stalled on deciding whether to disempower the Eaglecrest Ski Area's board of directors until March; Students are speaking out about how unresolved union negotiations are affecting them in the classroom; Students in Skagway are calling on their school district to adopt a policy that would let them take part in subsistence activities without it potentially counting against them; With almost 700 participants, Juneau's annual board game convention sold out for a second year.

In this newscast: More than 200 Juneau residents gathered downtown at Overstreet Park last night for a candlelight vigil. They were there to honor a man who was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during protests against ongoing ICE operations; Juneau teens and residents are calling on the Alaska Legislature and Governor Mike Dunleavy to call off the state's longtime push for a natural gas pipeline in Alaska; The State Board of Education unanimously approved a school psychology masters program at the University of Alaska Anchorage aimed to address the state's shortage of school psychologists. The approval took place during the board's special virtual meeting on Thursday; KTOO Morning Host Mike Lane checks in with Representative Andi Story; Former Alaska Revenue Commissioner Adam Crum deviated from state policy and failed to perform the necessary due diligence before committing millions in state savings to a private equity fund. That's the conclusion of an outside review ordered by Gov. Mike Dunleavy's administration after Crum's decision came to light last summer

In this newscast: More than 200 Juneau residents gathered downtown at Overstreet Park last night for a candlelight vigil. They were there to honor a man who was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during protests against ongoing ICE operations; Juneau teens and residents are calling on the Alaska Legislature and Governor Mike Dunleavy to call off the state's longtime push for a natural gas pipeline in Alaska; The State Board of Education unanimously approved a school psychology masters program at the University of Alaska Anchorage aimed to address the state's shortage of school psychologists. The approval took place during the board's special virtual meeting on Thursday; KTOO Morning Host Mike Lane checks in with Representative Andi Story; Former Alaska Revenue Commissioner Adam Crum deviated from state policy and failed to perform the necessary due diligence before committing millions in state savings to a private equity fund. That's the conclusion of an outside review ordered by Gov. Mike Dunleavy's administration after Crum's decision came to light last summer

In this newscast:  Eaglecrest Ski Area's board of directors is pushing back against the mayor's proposal to remove most of the board's decision-making authority; Former Alaska Congresswoman Mary Peltola will be in Juneau today at the Crystal Saloon bar downtown to celebrate her campaign launch for U.S. Senate; A new bill aims to bring stability to Alaska school districts' budgeting process; Gov. Mike Dunleavy outlined his agenda for his final year in office in his annual State of the State address on Thursday; Alaska Congressman Nick Begich has a new challenger; Two Alaska School districts are suing the state over what they say is inadequate funding for public education

In this newscast: 19-year-old Kake resident Jade Williams was killed at a party in 2017. On Wednesday, more than eight years later, the main suspect in the case was sentenced for causing her death; The City and Borough of Juneau is seeking feedback about how the community wants the Assembly to prioritize city funds as it faces a recurring multi-million-dollar budget deficit beginning July 1st; Young commercial fishermen from all over the state gathered in Juneau this week to absorb industry knowledge of previous generations; The federal government is reviewing the business program that benefits Alaska Native corporations and tribes

In this newscast: 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; Governor Mike Dunleavy says he'll soon propose a statewide sales tax as part of his larger plan to stabilize the state's finances; KTOO's Alix Soliman speaks with Alaska's acting regional forester Jerry Ingersoll about changes the United States Forest Service staff in Alaska are going through; Alaska is launching pilot programs in Anchorage and Juneau to offer addiction treatment in mobile care units.

In this newscast: After more than a year of negotiations, the Anchorage School District and the local teachers' union have come to a tentative contract agreement; The Alaska Legislature is back in session; With the second regular session of the 34th Alaska Legislature underway, KTOO is checking in with members of Juneau's delegation to talk priorities and plans for the session.

In this newscast: The Juneau School Board held off returning about $1 million in funding earmarked for childcare to the City and Borough of Juneau amid questions about the current privately-run program; Alaska's capital city will soon have a new fire chief; A local master Chilkat and Ravenstail weaver has been awarded a national fellowship that bolsters culture and tradition across the United States; Martin Luther King Jr. Day is coming up on Monday, and there are two events honoring the day in Juneau; Hundreds of health care workers and government officials descended on Anchorage this week for the kickoff of a five-year, $1.3 billion program aimed at reimagining medical care across Alaska

In this newscast: The Juneau School District Board of Education agreed to approve the $180,000 in funding to help pay for a new playground at the Dzantik'i Heeni campus in Lemon Creek; Southeast Alaska's largest tribe has earned nearly $40 million from U.S. Navy contracts in Guantanamo Bay; KTOO is checking in with members of Juneau's legislative delegation to talk priorities, predictions, and plans for the session. Up first, Sen. Jesse Kiehl

In this newscast: Residents living in avalanche-prone downtown neighborhoods got the all-clear to return home today after the city lifted its last remaining evacuation advisory this morning; Avalanche risk rose over the weekend, as more snow and then rain pounded Juneau. Meanwhile, staff at the city's emergency warming shelter for unhoused residents relocated operations three times in two days; A Juneau-born athlete is headed to Italy next month to represent Team USA's biathlon team in the 2026 Olympic Winter Games; A small population of grizzly bears makes its home above the Arctic Circle, but not much is known about them, or how they find enough food to survive the extreme winters

In this newscast: An evacuation advisory remains in effect for Juneau's Behrends avalanche path downtown for a fifth day, but now the City & Borough of Juneau's evacuation alert is using more urgent language; The cost to move Juneau's City Hall is coming in millions of dollars higher than expected; A 10-year-old Bethel cold case murder spotlights faults in Alaska justice system; 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

In this newscast: An atmospheric river struck Juneau over the weekend, after previous back-to-back storms buried the city in several feet of snow; The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska recently launched a new foundation; For the first time, Juneau is using a radar detection system to track avalanches that rumble down the mountain, thanks to state money freed up by the city and tribe's disaster declaration last week; Democrat Mary Peltola announced this morning that she's running for U.S. Senate, taking on Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan; Alaska Public Media's Eric Stone takes a look at the first wave of new bills for the coming legislative session

In this newscast:  The City and Borough of Juneau issued an avalanche evacuation advisory for all residents in slide zones this morning. The advisory comes as an atmospheric river slams Juneau, after previous storms dumped several feet of snow; As snow turned to rain in Juneau today, the city is warning residents that roads are beginning to flood, and the snow on roofs is getting heavier; The City and Borough of Juneau has largely wrapped up shoveling on Sít' Eetí Shaanáx - Glacier Valley Elementary School and began work on Mendenhall River Community School today; The general manager of Juneau's Eaglecrest Ski Area has resigned and the chair of its board of directors has stepped down; Several caribou herds in Alaska's Arctic are on a decline, including now the Porcupine herd, which is currently the biggest

In this newscast: The City of Hoonah declared a local emergency earlier this week following heavy snowstorms in the region; As the state of Alaska responds to Juneau's disaster declaration, the capital city is bracing for heavy rain and potential flooding from an atmospheric river expected to hit Southeast late Thursday night; Students and staff at Mendenhall River Community School were evacuated from the elementary school Thursday morning due to growing concern about the snow load on the gym roof; The public comment period for the controversial Cascade Point Ferry Terminal in Juneau closes tomorrow; The City of Ketchikan is once again looking for its new manager. Keith Morey had been selected by the city for the job but withdrew his name from consideration yesterday afternoon, just hours before the city council planned to finalize his employment contract.

In this newscast: Schools in Juneau were closed again today (TUES) as the capital city continues to dig out from successive snowstorms; The roof of the Bill Ray Center, an empty building on F Street in downtown Juneau, collapsed today after back-to-back snowstorms; Boxes of food, mail and late Christmas presents arrived by plane to the small Southeast Alaska fishing town of Pelican on New Year's Day. The goods came after the isolated town went more than a month without access to outside services,; Haines and Skagway have suffered through weeks of bitterly cold temperatures and feet of snow. Snowfall in Haines has been so heavy that residents are worried about roof loads. Community members are caring for each other in these extreme conditions with shovels and the Internet; Some Alaska Airlines passengers were hit with surprising bills for checked baggage that used to fly for free within the state. The company says it is working quickly to reverse an issue with its Club 49 program that has affected a baggage benefit that is valuable for many rural residents; Ski patrollers at Alyeska Ski Resort in Girdwood rescued a dog from a deep ravine last week that had been missing for 13 days.

In this newscast: The City and Borough of Juneau issued an avalanche alert via text this afternoon, telling residents in the Mount Juneau slide path to be prepared; Residents of Juneau are living in a snow globe. Another winter storm began last night, dropping more snow on top of the four feet that fell just after Christmas; Amid record-breaking snowfalls and unusually low temperatures, some residents in a mobile home park in Juneau have been without enough water to take a shower for more than two weeks; Flu cases are spiking in Alaska. The state is also seeing a surge in hospitalizations related to the flu; The state ferry Lituya went aground Tuesday at about 3 p.m. near Annette Bay; U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski struck a note of skepticism in her reaction to Saturday's military operation ousting Venezuelan leader Nicholas Maduro

In this newscast: It's a new year, but Juneau residents are still digging out from four feet of snow that fell earlier this week; Thane Road is now open after being closed for two days due to avalanche risk; Two Juneau artists spent this snowy Friday framing and mounting 18 block prints that correlate with myths — ones they wrote themselves; In 2025 Alaskans experienced record-breaking heat on the North Slope, over 7 inches of rain in a single day in Ketchikan, and other extreme weather in recent weeks; Pelican has been without seaplane and ferry access since November

In this newscast: The City and Borough of Juneau is warning residents about urban avalanches a bit differently this year; After Juneau residents helped raise more than $1 million this fall, a local boy with a rare genetic disease will be able to receive a potentially life-changing gene therapy in the New Year; Alaska will get $272 million from the federal government next year to upgrade its rural health system; For Alaskans, the New Year means it's time to apply for the Permanent Fund dividend; In a special feature highlighting some of KTOO's favorite stories from this year, the KTOO newsroom revisits a story about the city's short term rental task force

In this newscast: The city issued an alert this afternoon to residents living in downtown Juneau that avalanche conditions are elevated in the areas above Behrends Avenue and Thane Road; City and state facilities remain closed again today after record-breaking snowfall in Juneau; Chief Rich Etheridge is retiring from Capital City Fire/Rescue and his last day is tomorrow; In a special feature highlighting some of KTOO's favorite stories from this year, the KTOO newsroom revisits a story about a school field trip in Juneau

In this newscast: A winter storm dumped more than two feet of snow and freezing rain on the capital city this holiday weekend. As of Monday, residents were still trying to dig out as more snow fell; For decades, Alaska officials have dreamed of a pipeline that would ferry natural gas hundreds of miles from the North Slope to an export terminal in Cook Inlet. Over the years, the state has pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into designing and permitting for the project, which is estimated to cost tens of billions of dollars to construct. While President Trump has framed the pipeline as a centerpiece to his plans for unleashing the country's energy, there are many questions surrounding the mega project, including whether there's a large enough market for the gas it would carry and what kind of environmental impact it could have; The City of Bethel has agreed to pay a combined settlement of $10 million to two people accusing Bethel police officers of using excessive force. 

In this newscast: Heavy snow is forecast to hit Juneau and other parts of Alaska's panhandle this weekend, following days of record-breaking frigid temperatures; When it snows, crews fan out with plows, graders, blowers and more to clear the streets in Juneau. Morning Edition host Mike Lane recently sat down with CBJ Streets & Fleet Superintendent Scott Gray to learn more about local snow removal operations; As 2025 comes to a close, the reporters at KTOO are taking a moment to reflect on the year in stories. In this special feature, we're highlighting some of our colleagues' favorite pieces throughout the year, and sharing what made these stories stand out.

In this newscast: This week marks six months since 42-year-old Juneau resident Benjamin Stepetin was last seen in downtown Juneau; The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development found that the Juneau School District did not provide occupational therapy services to some students that were supposed to receive them last school year; The next legislative session is less than a month away, and lawmakers are preparing to return to Juneau; In a special feature highlighting some of KTOO's favorite stories from this year, the KTOO newsroom revisits a story about a refugee family in Juneau split in half by an email from the Trump administration.

In this newscast: Juneau saw two destructive residential fires in a mobile home park in the course of just three days, and one fire resulted in a fatality; A federal grand jury has indicted two Alaska State Troopers shown on body-camera video beating, tasing and pepper-spraying a Kenai man in a case of mistaken identity; Juneau residents celebrated the winter solstice with a "light the night" Nordic ski club gathering at the Mendenhall Campground; After more than 16 years as a staple at Juneau's State Office Building, a local musical has played his last theater organ concert.

In this newscast:  A civil lawsuit aimed at preserving a historic neighborhood in Juneau is set for trial next summer. Juneau's city government, meanwhile, plans to demolish the neighborhood before then; KTOO spoke with Juneau Fire Chief Rich Etheridge about a recent incident of someone falling through the ice, what to do if it happens, and other safety precautions when venturing out on frozen bodies of water; Over a dozen Southeast Alaska tribal governments have banded together to form a new partnership; Federal funding for libraries and museums has been reinstated nine months after the Trump administration sought to eliminate the agency that provides the money; A 37-year old Kodiak man, who has been held at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Washington state for months, had a toe amputated after advocates say he was denied medical care while in ICE custody 

In this newscast: Juneau's homeless shelter is once again offering daytime meals and other services after stopping them in August due to safety concerns; Officials say to be prepared as Juneau is expected to see frigid temperatures starting this weekend and stretching into the next couple of weeks; A U.S. Forest Service plan to revamp the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center to accommodate more tourists could be upended by a lawsuit brought by a nearby homeowner; Two finalists in the running for fire chief at Capital City Fire/Rescue got a chance to share their vision for the department during public presentations earlier this week;A Juneau musician is giving his final organ performance in the State Office Building this Friday; A United States Coast Guard and Sitka Search and Rescue is searching for two overdue mariners near Sitka today

In this newscast:  Juneau Animal Rescue has finally secured a location for its proposed new animal shelter; The state of Alaska is considering opening up a new ferry terminal in Southeast Alaska that would connect Alaska's ferries to the Lower 48 road system without going through Canada; What could be Alaska's first official hybrid electric fishing boat is one step closer to hitting the water

In this newscast: The Juneau School Board took another step toward finding a new superintendent; Eaglecrest Ski Area's gondola cabins are headed to Colorado next month for repair and paint job; An Alaska Airlines flight headed from Juneau to Sika this morning was struck by lightning just before landing; Congress approved critical funding for rural schools last week with the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act; Gov. Mike Dunleavy is  dropping a longtime priority ahead of next year's legislative session.

In this newscast: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has landed on a solution to put an end to glacial outburst floods that have grown more destructive in Juneau's Mendenhall Valley neighborhoods over the past few summers; Juneau Animal Rescue might soon have a location in the Mendenhall Valley for its proposed new animal shelter; A group of 14 student athletes from Angoon finally returned home from Juneau Friday morning after a cancelled ferry left them stuck in the capital city for four extra days; Gov. Mike Dunleavy released his proposed budget, setting the stage for months of debate in his final legislative session as governor. His proposal leans on drawing more than a billion dollars from savings to fund a budget that includes paying Alaskans a $3,600 Permanent Fund dividend; Both of Alaska's U.S senators crossed the aisle Thursday to support a Democratic bill that would've extended health insurance subsidies for three years. The Alaskans and two others were the only Republicans to back the plan, so it failed to get the 60 votes needed

In this newscast: Juneau's Eaglecrest Ski Area is slated to open at a limited capacity on Saturday and Sunday after an influx of snow earlier this week; The Rasmuson Foundation announced their list of Individual Artist awardees, and eight Juneau projects made the list. The 50 awards go to artists across the state, who will receive $10,000 each toward a project they have planned; Gov. Mike Dunleavy plans to roll out a new plan to stabilize Alaska's tumultuous state finances ahead of next month's legislative session; Skagway School is known for having the highest test scores in the state. But a newer class offering is teaching students more than just academics

In this newscast: Three months after a trial against a former Juneau chiropractor accused of sexual assault ended in mistrial, the new defense team is asking for more time to review the case before a second trial; This weekend, hundreds of Juneau residents braved the heavy snowfall and icy roads to make their way to a fight night downtown; The federal government's official name for North America's tallest peak is Mount McKinley. At a U.S. Senate hearing Tuesday Alaska's senior senator argued that it shouldn't be; The songs that got Alaska lawmakers through 2025, from Charli XCX to the Eagles

In this newscast: Artists have an opportunity to have their bear-themed art work depicted on trash cans in Juneau built to keep the animals out – and win a ten thousand dollar award; Thunder Mountain Middle School has recently joined the growing number of schools in Juneau composting food waste. Before rolling out the program, students led their peers through sorting out their trash and seeing how much of it can avoid the landfill; Capital City Fire/Rescue is leading an initiative to make cardiac arrest response times faster, and it involves the help of Juneau community members and an app called PulsePoint; Alaska sees the largest seasonal employment swing of any state, according to new data from the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development

In this newscast: A magnitude 7 earthquake shook Juneau and other towns in Alaska's northern and central panhandle late Saturday morning; Juneau saw a snowfall record during a winter storm over the weekend, and now, freezing temperatures and clear skies are expected to stretch through most of this week; After more than a century, a Lingít clan will once again be the legal owners of a Raven helmet worn during the Battle of Sitka in 1804. Non-native organizations have claimed ownership of the helmet for more than a 100 years, and kept it, in a museum in Sitka; The National Marine Fisheries Service has reopened public comment on President Donald Trump's executive order on “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness"; Looking for the perfect Christmas tree? A state forester helped Alaska Desk reporter Alena Naiden harvest hers in the Matanuska Valley last week, and shared how you can, too

In this newscast: The University of Alaska will host listening sessions in Juneau, Fairbanks, and Anchorage next week as it ramps up its search for a new president; Teacher and principal turnover rates in Alaska have increased overall, beyond levels preceding the COVID-19 pandemic; The state approved a contract on Monday, agreeing to pay Juneau's new hydroelectric utility $1.3 million to power the controversial Cascade Point Ferry Terminal, a project that has yet to be finalized; In Anchorage, Rage City Vintage is closing its doors after a significant drop in sales; A federal lab devoted to renewable energy development for a half century has had the word "renewable" stripped from its name

In this newscast: Juneau's Eaglecrest Ski Area will not open to skiers this weekend after all; Downtown Juneau's annual Gallery Walk event is tomorrow from 4 to 8 p.m.; Alumni and former staff members at Mt. Edgecumbe High School are raising serious concerns about safety and student support at the state-run boarding school in Sitka; The Chilkat Valley is home to one of the world's largest gathering of bald eagles, and this year, the highest number of raptors were recorded in more than two decades

In this newscast:  Next week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will hold a closed-door, three-day meeting in Juneau to discuss long-term solution options for glacial outburst floods in the Mendenhall Valley. Federal agencies, local officials and researchers will participate; The City and Borough of Juneau is seeking ideas from Juneau residents about how to spend the fees paid by cruise ship passengers this coming year. More than $20 million is expected to be available for tourism-related projects; The Sitka Tribe of Alaska's CEO is stepping down; Ten years ago the state of Alaska signed an agreement with British Columbia that sought to give Alaskans a say  in the development of mines upstream of Southeast Alaska. But environmental advocates say Gov. Mike Dunleavy's administration has walked away from key pillars of that agreement; Tongass Voices: Svitlana Bell on quilting for Ukrainian pride and independence

In this newscast: With major cruise tourism developments on the horizon in the capital city, the City and Borough of Juneau is resurrecting a task force to look at whether its current approach to managing tourism is working; Eaglecrest Ski Area is slated to open for its 50th season this Saturday, and KTOO's Mike Lane sat down with Craig Cimmons, the general manager of the city-owned ski area, to talk about the season ahead; A portion of the lucrative Bristol Bay red king crab harvest nearly went to waste this season. A catcher processor that was set to take the crab was forced to shut down, leaving a good chunk of the catch to spoil in fishermen's tanks. But  the City of Unalaska stepped in to take those crab deliveries; An entangled whale was found dead near Kodiak earlier this month. Scientists believe it was caught in some kind of old fishing gear. It's at least the 13th dead humpback reported around the archipelago this year. 

In this newscast: The comment period for the first phase of construction of a new ferry terminal north of Juneau has been extended to January 9, 2026; A Superior Court judge is allowing the City and Borough of Juneau to refile eviction cases against the tenants who are refusing to vacate the historic Telephone Hill neighborhood in downtown Juneau; Alaska's Office of Children's Services pushed back last week on the findings of an audit required by a law meant to reform the state's foster care system; Juneau Public Markey ramped up the holiday shopping season in Alaska's capital city with hundreds of people buying handmade art, jewelry, clothes, and other goods; Juneau's Parks and Recreation department began hosting pick-up pickleball three days a week at the Floyd Dryden gymnasium this fall. In the last decade, new players across the country — especially seniors — have been picking up the sport. 

In this newscast: The comment period for the first phase of construction of a new ferry terminal north of Juneau ends this Friday; For the first time, Juneau's famous Mendenhall Glacier is not touching Mendenhall Lake; As Thanksgiving approaches, some Southeast residents are already putting up Christmas decorations, including a Christmas tree that can be harvested in the Tongass National Forest and Juneau city land; Lingít and Dena'ina writer and playwright Vera Starbard recently clinched her fourth Emmy nomination for the PBS show, "Molly of Denali."

In this newscast: Sitka city officials look into what to do about the ability for uninsured boats to use the marine haulout at the Gary Paxton Industrial Park; Marc Wheeler talks about potential changes to Juneau Parks and Recreation services; S'eitlin Jamiann Hasselquist talks about community soup nights where she makes soup from traditional Lingít foods.

In this newscast: Alaska's state government is increasingly failing to keep up with requirements in state and federal law, according to the state's nonpartisan auditor; Thousands of Alaskans who rely on the federal marketplace for health insurance are experiencing sticker shock as they apply for coverage for the coming year; Earlier this month, the Juneau School District unilaterally announced it was entering arbitration with its teacher's union after more than nine months of contract negotiations; An Alaska Marine Lines barge that was taking on water off the coast of British Columbia has continued its journey south to Seattle.

In this newscast: Maggie McMillan is the new Juneau Arts and Humanities Council Executive Director. The JAHC announced the hire Friday, more than six months after the former director stepped down in May; A District Court judge has dismissed the eviction cases against three tenants refusing to vacate their rentals in the historic Telephone Hill neighborhood in downtown Juneau; Juneau's sole electricity provider, Alaska Electric Light & Power, is appealing the Regulatory Commission of Alaska's decision to approve a new public utility. This month, the Superior Court of Alaska consolidated two separate cases involving disputes between the hydroelectric companies; A lawsuit from Alaska's only Native reservation will proceed over the objections of other Southeast tribes. That's after a federal judge declined a request from a coalition of tribes, including the largest in Southeast, to throw out Metlakatla Indian Community's lawsuit challenging the state's authority to regulate its fishermen; The Trump administration has a new offshore drilling proposal to offer nearly all of the oceans off Alaska to potential leasing.

In this newscast: Earlier this week, the Juneau Assembly approved spending more than $320,000 -- made up of mostly grant funding from the FAA -- to purchase an amphibious wetland rescue vehicle for the Juneau International Airport; Starting today, Juneau residents won't have to pay local sales tax on essential food and residential utilities. Voters in Juneau approved exempting them during this fall's recent municipal election; A lawsuit from Alaska's only Native reservation will proceed over the objections of other Southeast tribes. That's after a federal judge declined a request from a coalition of tribes, including the largest in Southeast, to throw out Metlakatla Indian Community's lawsuit challenging the state's authority to regulate its fishermen; Researchers and community members gathered in Yakutat late last month, in northern Southeast Alaska, to discuss local geohazards, like landslide-induced tsunamis, and how they can be addressed; Congress has nullified the Biden administration's resource plan for the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska

In this newscast: Last night, the Juneau Assembly officially killed a proposal to locally implement ranked choice voting. The body unanimously voted to table the ordinance to adopt a ranked-choice voting system for municipal elections beginning next year; The man who was slammed to the ground by a former Juneau police officer this summer is suing the City and Borough of Juneau and the officer in civil superior court; A controversial mineral exploration project near Haines is changing hands again – just one year after the last shakeup. Vizsla Copper Corporation is the new owner. The company says one of its key priorities is earning local support. But at least for one local tribe, that's not in the cards; Researchers say vessel strikes are a major threat for whales -- including in the waters off Alaska. But a new technology is aiming to change that, by using AI, thermal imagining and marine observers

In this newscast: The Juneau School District Board of Education is considering giving more than $1 million dollars earmarked for child care back to the city at its regular meeting tomorrow; The longest government shutdown in U.S. history came to an end last week. That paved the way for federal employees to return to their posts, including many in Alaska's capital city. But as KTOO's Alix Soliman reports, reopening isn't necessarily a smooth process and some agency workers are frustrated,; Two landslides took out Juneau's popular Auke Lake Trail in September, causing the city to close it to the public. Now, as trail workers repair it with chainsaws and gravel, they say it's an example of climate impacts on trails they've been seeing more frequently in recent years; Earlier this year, a killer whale totem pole was raised in Angoon. It's a part of a long legacy of kootéeyaa that have stood next to a clan house. The clan house leader shared the history of those poles and the people who helped raise and lower them over the years at a lecture in Juneau on Wednesday. It was part of a Sealaska Heritage Institute series celebrating Native American Heritage Month.

In this newscast: The Juneau Assembly is slated to decide on Monday night whether Juneau should adopt a ranked choice voting system for municipal elections beginning next year; The City and Borough of Juneau demolished an encampment of unhoused people in the Mendenhall Valley again this morning; Palmer Republican Sen. Shelley Hughes resigned from the Alaska Senate today to pursue her gubernatorial candidacy; Juneau high school students are getting real-world building experience while creating much-needed affordable homes in the community.

In this newscast: University of Alaska President Pat Pitney will retire this spring; After a decade of serving Juneau a range of fresh food and diverse flavors, a beloved local restaurant is closing its doors later this month. Zerelda's Bistro was started by a couple who love food almost as much as they love each other; Powerful solar storms brought a dazzling light show to the skies above the Northern Hemisphere this week. As the Alaska Desk's Shelby Herbert reports, even scientists who have observed the aurora for decades say this storm is something special; A derelict vessel is no longer drifting unmanned in the waters of the Wrangell Narrows, near Petersburg; Nine puppies found seemingly abandoned in a crate at the Fox transfer site in Fairbanks last week were all adopted by new families in a single day

In this newscast: The number of Democrats running for governor of Alaska grew to two on Monday as Anchorage state Sen. Matt Claman entered the race; More than a dozen people without permanent housing have been camping out on Teal Street in the Mendenhall Valley. It's Juneau's largest unhoused encampment and the city plans to force people and their belongings out of the area on Friday, ahead of the season's first expected snowfall; One Fairbanks woman is especially grateful to be home with her family for the holidays. That's after she spent a month in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Washington State. The Alaska Desk's Shelby Herbert caught up with Atcharee Buntow about her ordeal, and her hopes for maintaining her residency in the United States

In this newscast: Tomorrow is Veterans Day and there are several ceremonies honoring veterans in Juneau; Juneau's avalanche forecasters are gearing up for winter; The state of Alaska is limiting payments to SNAP recipients this week in response to federal guidance; Dozens of elders and youth from around Alaska learned how to process a seal at a workshop last month

In this newscast:  The delay in SNAP benefit payments has driven Juneau residents to worry that their next meal isn't guaranteed, and local organizations are stepping up their efforts to fill the gaps; The University of Alaska Board of Regents approved increasing tuition across the board by 4% next year; Fishing jobs in Alaska are down for the fifth year in a row, according to new economic data from the state Department of Labor for the year 2024; Cruise ships are relatively new to Prince of Wales Island, and not all residents are happy to have them