Newscasts

In this newscast: The estate of a man who died after he was struck by a City and Borough of Juneau-owned truck has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city and the employee driving the vehicle; Former Gov. Bill Walker is considering another run for the state’s top elected office. Walker filed a letter of intent with Alaska campaign regulators this morning; A Juneau lawmaker’s bill that seeks to increase state funding for free legal aid to vulnerable Alaskans passed into law without the governor’s signature last weekA federally funded program aims to install thousands of heat pumps across southern Alaska by late 2029. ; But the program’s first year has been slow. As Avery Ellfeldt reports for the Alaska Desk, the groups managing the effort are ramping up advertising in hopes of boosting interest, and reducing energy bills; As the Arctic takes on greater geopolitical significance, Alaska has assets of interest to the U.S. military. 

In this newscast: Juneau Representative Andi Story says she will seek reelection for a fifth term in the Alaska Legislature this fall; An 82-year-old Juneau man has been charged with attempted murder for allegedly stabbing his brother; State lawmakers voted to increase state unemployment benefits for the first time since 2009 during the state Legislature’s race to the finish last week; Several proposed mines in British Columbia are located along transboundary rivers that wind through Southeast Alaska. Residents on the Alaska side of the border say there’s a lack of tribal consultation and some worry about pollution in salmon-bearing streams vital to the region’s fisheries; State lawmakers passed two bills on the last day of the legislative session aimed at fulfilling requirements of a federal health care expansion effort.

In this newscast: University of Alaska officials are calling for a systemwide strategy to address challenges and opportunities ushered in by generative AI; A beloved Lingit leader and fishing rights advocate in Juneau died last month at the age of 77; With years of collective experience, Juneau Mountain Rescue volunteers sometimes deal with worst-case scenarios; A tribal college on the North Slope bought a piece of land last month to build a new campus

In this newscast: The popular Goldbelt Tram in downtown Juneau will remain closed as it undergoes repairs and inspections; More than 300 high school seniors are expected to graduate in Juneau this Sunday,
Alaska Airlines might add a flight from Juneau to Portland, without stopping in Seattle; Douglas Island Pink and Chum celebrates its 50th anniversary this year; Hundreds of people gathered in Hoonah last weekend to unveil a new totem pole arch and honor wall dedicated to Hoonah veterans and their families

In this newscast: The Juneau Assembly may have found a path out of the red for its budget last night, but it wasn’t easy; A U.S. Forest Service plan to revamp the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center to accommodate more tourists will remain in place, with some additional paperwork; A bill that would change the scope of an Alaska sexual assault law passed the Alaska Legislature Wednesday as part of a 10-bill package. It alters a law that criminalizes sexual assault by a medical provider; The Alaska Legislature kicked off a special session Thursday to continue working on a key priority of Gov. Mike Dunleavy that didn’t pass in the 121-day regular session: tax cuts for the Alaska LNG project

In this newscast: Juneau residents say the city’s sole electric provider’s proposal to raise bills by 20% is not affordable; It’s National Safe Boating Week and the U.S. Coast Guard search and rescue teams in Juneau are asking residents to help prevent false alerts; Alaska Native Vietnam War veteran, George Lindoff from Hoonah, got a proper homecoming decades after his service; The Alaska Legislature is likely headed for a special session focused on tax cuts for the Alaska LNG project immediately after lawmakers adjourn today