KTOO News Department

In this newscast: Black bears are emerging from hibernation and roaming around Juneau in search of food; The Alaska Senate passed a bill today that would substantially boost long-term funding for public schools; Juneau’s firefighter union sent out a statement Thursday warning residents that emergency response times may be delayed due to major staffing concerns; The Juneau School District and its largest union are more than two months into contract negotiations; The U.S. Interior Department says it’s going to fast-track permits for oil, gas and mining, cutting a process that normally takes years down to no more than 28 days; Alaska residents have less than a week to apply to get on a rental assistance program waitlist with the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation

In this newscast: A cruise line representative dodged questions form the Juneau Assembly this afternoon about the company’s plans to develop a new cruise ship port on the backside of Douglas Island; The Alaska Senate is planning to vote soon on a new education funding bill, even as Gov. Mike Dunleavy says he opposes it; A $38 million federal grant meant to help Alaskans lower their energy bills and planet-warming emissions has been in limbo for months; New cases of HIV in Alaska over the past five years were highly preventable, according to a recent bulletin from the state’s section of epidemiology; Small businesses in Alaska are already feeling the impacts of President Trump’s sweeping tariff polices

In this newscast: Juneau’s public transportation system is ramping up its services for the summer tourism season this week; Juneau School District Board of Education member Will Muldoon stepped down from his position on Monday; The City and Borough of Juneau is starting the three-year-long process of updating its comprehensive plan; Alaska has the longest coastline and the highest rates of drowning in the country. One way to reduce that risk is through swim lessons, and in Juneau, babies can start learning as young as six months; Tongass Voices: Author Tessa Hulls on feeding her family’s ghosts

In this newscast: The City and Borough of Juneau clerk’s office has certified a ballot petition that would put harder limits on cruise ship tourism in Juneau; A change o Alaska’s corporate income tax structure is expected to add as much as $65 million per year by diverting money from other states, the Alaska Beacon reports; The trial for a former Juneau chiropractor accused of assaulting more than a dozen patients has once again been delayed; Some federal workers in Juneau were fired again this month after the Supreme Court declined to reverse the Trump administration’s efforts to shrink the federal workforce

In this newscast: Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed a closely-watched education bill yesterday that would have boosted basic per-student funding by $1,000; Southeast Alaska’s largest tribal government approved a rule change that greatly reduces the number of representatives from communities outside the region; High school students in Juneau wrote four plays earlier this year centered on deeply personal topics, and a performance of them this week included a forum with teachers, mental health professionals, and policy-makers; International students in Alaska on education visas are among those nationwide facing removal as the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown continues

In this newscast: Alaska organizations that provide weather and environmental information to mariners and subsistence hunters are bracing for reduced funding. The University of Alaska Southeast is retaining services and federal funding for now as the Trump administration continues to threated and investigate universities. Juneau’s city-run emergency warming center closed for the season this morning and some clients say they have nowhere else to go. Arctic research has not been spared as President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk seek to slash what they see as unnecessary government spending.