Pablo Arauz Peña, KTOO

In this newscast:

• The U.S. Forest Service announced Wednesday that its new and improved Lena Beach Recreation Area in Juneau will reopen on July 1.
• The Sitka Chamber of Commerce this week invited the Sitka Health Summit to present information on its “Safe Stores, Safe Shoppers and Safe Workers” initiative.
• For one young couple in Petersburg, they’ve decided to invest in some baby miniature goats as a way to become more self-sufficient in this time of uncertainty.

In this newscast:

• Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced yesterday that all Alaska businesses can open at full capacity starting Friday.
• Fourth of July festivities won’t be happening in Douglas this year.
• Details on a potential tragedy that was avoided in Kwethluk Saturday.
• The first positive case of COVID-19 in Kotzebue on Tuesday.

The City and Borough of Juneau approved next year’s budget for the district on Monday. 

But while city leaders ultimately voted to put more local funding into the school district than they did last year, it’s still getting less money overall. 

“The story of education funding in the state of Alaska over the last few years has been one of kicking the can down the road and playing hot potato with the economic bottom line,” said Chris Cairns. He’s an IT specialist with the school district and is also President of the Juneau Education Support Staff Union.

Cairns asked the assembly to approve the district’s request for funding above the state cap; he said the district needs the money.  

“Make no mistake that without these additional above the cap dispensations cuts, jobs will be cut and students will suffer,” he said.

That state cap on local funding is nearly $27 million. The borough assembly voted to fund to that level and then add just over $ 2 million more for things like food service, student transportation, community schools and student activities.

Assembly member Wade Bryson tried to trim from the district’s transportation budget. 

He says the crosstown busing service for students attending high schools outside their neighborhood is a  “financially irresponsible” expense.

“The cuts that have happened over the last 10 years will be the good old days because the cuts that come in the future are going to be much more severe. We already know the state’s in way worse shape and no savings,” said Bryson.

Bryson’s amendment failed — and the assembly ultimately approved an $88 million dollars budget for the school district — that includes funding from several different sources, not just the City and Borough of Juneau. 

In this newscast:

• The Juneau School District is looking to tough times ahead on top of ongoing challenges following several years of budget cuts.
• Juneau voters will likely be casting their ballots on local issues in October by mail.
• Sixteen of Juneau’s 30 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been traced to Lemon Creek Correctional Center.
• The state’s prosecutor in Sitka has been charged with assault and will face trial in September.

In this newscast:

• The Alaska Legislature reconvened today to work through Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s plan for spending federal CARES Act funds.
• The U.S. Census is back after being put on hold for the coronavirus.
• New positive cases of coronavirus in Alaska include a seafood industry worker and the 11th staff member at Juneau’s Lemon Creek Correctional Center.
• Two bald eagle eggs are expected to hatch on the Kenai Eagle Cam between May 28 and June 2.

In this newscast:

• The Alaska Legislature is planning to reconvene on Monday to formally appropriate federal COVID-19 relief.
• Alaska Seaplanes says it wants to buy PenAir and save the Southwest Alaska airline’s operating certificate.
• In Juneau, a fire department employee just retired. That will likely leave his former supervisor to do all the work — alone.
• Alaska Public Media’s Tegan Hanlon has stories from three couples who say they won’t let the coronavirus stop them from saying their vows.