KTOO News Update
The day’s local and state news in about 10 minutes.
Newscast – Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025
In this newscast: A former Juneau chiropractor accused of sexual assault now has a public defender; Juneau is mulling over how to prepare for next year's glacial outburst flood; It's been over three years since one of Juneau's elementary schools had a functioning library, but it was able to build and open one this year; Funding has lapsed for the federal government, so a shutdown began Wednesday
Read More »Newscast – Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025
In this newscast: A high-profile lawsuit challenging a key part of Alaska's homeschool system moved ahead this week after an Anchorage judge denied a motion to dismiss the case; The Juneau Assembly is considering offering a portion of the future Telephone Hill redevelopment to house U.S. Coast Guard families moving to Juneau,; Tuesday was Orange Shirt Day, a day of remembrance for Indigenous children who were separated from their language, families and culture and sent to residential schools across North America from the late 1800s well into the 20th Century; At Southeast Alaska's annual economic conference in mid-September, fishing industry leaders talked about the importance of modernizing the industry to ensure economic resilience and sustainability
Read More »Newscast – Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025
In this newscast: Chief of Police Derek Bos says the Juneau Police Department is taking action to reform its policies after an officer was filmed slamming a man to the ground during an arrest in July; The City and Borough of Juneau has pushed back the eviction deadline for renters living in the historic Telephone Hill neighborhood in downtown Juneau; Goldbelt Incorporated leadership says the Alaska Native corporation has big plans for its proposed $500 million cruise ship port on Juneau's Douglas Island; Most of the staff running three Alaska newspapers on the Kenai Peninsula and Juneau resigned in protest Monday.
Read More »Newscast – Monday, Sept. 29, 2025
In this newscast: Another glacial outburst flood is underway on the Taku River south of Juneau today; Tomorrow is Orange Shirt Day, a day of remembrance for Indigenous children who were separated from their families and sent to residential schools across North America; The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska's plan to open a casino-like gambling hall on Douglas Island may be in jeopardy; When Juneau's homeless shelter limited day services this summer, a group of churches mobilized to fill the gap by distributing hot means in a food truck downtown; President Donald Trump announced plans to increase the cost of some types of work visas earlier this month, and it could have consequences for Alaska's schools and businesses
Read More »Newscast – Friday, Sept. 26, 2025
In this newscast: Bartlett Regional Hospital is taking over ownership of an independently owned pediatric clinic in downtown Juneau; A proposition on Juneau's local ballot this year asks voters whether to lower the cap on the local property tax rate, also known as the mill rate; The state of Alaska imagines a future when the already growing shellfish farming industry takes off; For years, a national database that tracks and maps landslides has had an Alaska-shaped hole, but that's about to change
Read More »Newscast – Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025
In this newscast: Hurricane-force winds are expected to hit central and southern Southeast Alaska late tonight and into Friday; Construction to get Eaglecrest Ski Area's controversial gondola up and running is finally underway; Juneau School Board President Deedie Sorensen was set to finish her term this year, but she is adding her name to this year's school board race; Renters living on Juneau's historic Telephone Hill have a week to pack up their belongings and vacate their homes before the city's Oct. 1 eviction date
Read More »Newscast – Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025
In this newscast: Researchers at the University of Alaska Anchorage are looking for community problems to solve using artificial intelligence; The Juneau Assembly approved funding to get started on a new playground at the Dzantik'i Heeni campus in Lemon Creek, but the decision brought up budget concerns as voters consider reducing taxes in the municipal election; Unless Congress steps in with a solution, thousands of Alaskans will lose health insurance subsidies at the end of December and see the cost of their premiums shoot up; Alaska viewers of this year's Super Bowl may recognize the Crimson Bears, Juneau's high school football team, in the coverage leading up to the big game. An NBC camera crew flew in to catch a very rainy game Saturday
Read More »Newscast – Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025
In this newscast: Juneau is getting a new City Hall location after all. On Monday, the Juneau Assembly greenlit the purchase of two floors of the Michael J. Burns building, which houses the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation downtown. It will become Juneau’s new City Hall location after renovations; Dozens of residents attended the Juneau Assembly meeting on Monday to protest the city’s plans to evict all residents of the historic downtown Telephone Hill neighborhood in less than two weeks; In August of 2015, a man died in Lemon Creek Correctional Center after staff denied him medical care. Now, a decade later, his widow wonders if the state made any changes to prison protocol that would prevent a death like her husband’s from happening again; State prosecutors will retry the sexual assault case against a former Juneau chiropractor facing 13 charges. They stated their intention to move forward at a hearing Tuesday; Democrats and independents in the Alaska state Legislature are urging Congress to preserve federal funding for science and research. In a letter sent Friday, 14 lawmakers urged the state’s all-Republican congressional delegation to oppose cuts that President Trump proposed in his 2026 budget.
Read More »Newscast – Monday, Sept. 22, 2025
In this newscast: It’s officially autumn, and with the season comes more stormy weather. The National Weather Service issued a high wind warning and flood watch for Juneau today; Raising $1 million can be a difficult task. But one family in Juneau is trying it anyway because it could mean accessing lifesaving treatment for their child. With the help of local businesses and individuals, they have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars so far. And the number continues to climb; More than a million cruise ship passengers visit Juneau each summer. The city may adopt a seasonal sales tax to make the most of their spending. Some residents are wary of the idea. But other towns in Southeast have had success with similar systems; Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium is yet again expanding its services in Juneau. This time, a spokesperson says the Alaska Native-run health care organization is renovating the former Planned Parenthood building in Lemon Creek into a new specialty care clinic.
Read More »Newscast – Friday, Sept. 19, 2025
In this newscast: Ballots are on their way from Washington state to registered voters in Juneau for this year's local election; This year's Permanent Fund Dividend will be exactly $1000; A jury has declared a Juneau artist not guilty of terroristic threatening, Mitchell Watley was accused of threatening the public in 2023, when he distributed printed notes around town that referenced school shootings; Juneau's 2025 municipal election is just around the corner. There are three propositions. KTOO's Clarise Larson breaks down what they are and why they matter for voters this election
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