KTOO News Department

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.

Listen here:

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.”

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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.

Listen here:

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.