KTOO News Update
The day’s local and state news in about 10 minutes.
Newscast – Wednesday, August 20, 2025
In this newscast: The University of Alaska Southeast has received a grant to train school administrators at local school districts; A former Juneau chiropractor accused of assaulting a dozen women under the guise of medical care took the stand this week; The Juneau Assembly voted to kill a proposed ordinance on Monday that would have made it easer for police officers to arrest people who are camping in public spaces; The Alaska Department of Law has a new online portal for residents wanting to submit concerns over public welfare and institutions to an investigative grand jury. Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor talked through the program at a town hall meeting Monday in Soldotna
Read More »Newscast – Tuesday, August 19, 2025
In this newscast: The Alaska House and Senate met today in Juneau but adjourned in less than a minute; A temporary levee in Juneau's Mendenhall Valley mostly held back record-breaking floodwaters during the glacial outburst last Wednesday, but some homes still flooded where parts of the barrier leaked; The president of the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska returned from personal leave following accusations of misconduct that circulated widely online earlier this month; Alaska Marine Lines will no longer ship electric vehicles or plug-in hybrid vehicles to Alaska or Hawaii; Petersburg is updating its emergency plans for the first time in 15 years.
Read More »Newscast – Monday, August 18, 2025
In this newscast: Back Loop Bridge in Juneau remains closed due to a record-breaking glacial outburst flood; Former state senator Tom Begich is running for governor; A man seeking asylum in Anchorage last week was arrested and detained by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials; The Kenai River had a record-breaking sockeye salmon run this year.
Read More »Newscast – Friday, August 15, 2025
In this newscast: The Juneau Glacial Lake Outburst Flood Joint Information Center on Friday reported 50 homes in the Mendenhall Valley being flooded; Juneau residents mull over a federal buyout program to leave a street left unprotected from the flood; Two of the 16 felony sexual assault charges against former Juneau chiropractor Jeffrey Fultz were declared mistrial; Haines and Skagway residents have been dealing with weal or zero cell service for several days this week due to Juneau's glacial outburst flood; The Juneau School District opened its doors for the first day of school following a one day delay from the glacial outburst flood.
Read More »Newscast – Thursday, August 14, 2025
In this newscast: The Juneau Police Department has released the name of the officer who slammed a man to the ground last month during an arrest; Juneau officials are still assessing the damage from this year's glacial outburst flood; School districts across the state use summer school as a way to help students struggling to read to get ready for fourth grade; White supremacist activity in Alaska has dramatically increased this year, according to a group that tracks extremism
Read More »Newscast – Wednesday, August 13, 2025
In this newscast: Juneau schools will remain closed tomorrow following a record-breaking glacial outburst flood event; Former Revenue Commissioner Adam Crum is throwing his hat in the ring for the 2026 Alaska governor's race as a Republican; Floodwaters from Juneau's glacial outburst are receding and the temporary levee the city installed around the Mendenhall River this year protected hundreds of homes nearby, but water still leaked through some sections and flooded several streets; A massive tsunami ripped through a fjord popular with sightseers south of Juneau early Sunday morning
Read More »Newscast – Tuesday, August 12, 2025
In this newscast: Juneau's annual glacial lake outburst flood began today; Some Juneau homes are not protected by temporary levees for the glacial outburst flood, and have made preparations as the Mendenhall Valley floods; The U.S. Coast Guard officially added the first icebreaker to its fleet in over 25 years in Juneau, and it's looking to overcome its past after a tumultuous maiden voyage more than a decade ago.
Read More »Newscast – Monday, August 11, 2025
In this newscast: With school set to begin on Thursday, the Juneau School District announced that it plans to close all schools this week if any campuses are impacted by glacial outburst flooding; President Donald Trump says he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Alaska; The countdown has begun for Juneau's annual Glacial Lake Outburst Flood. Suicide Basin reached full capacity and began spilling over the top of the glacier last night; It's the second week of testimony in the trial of Jeffrey Fultz, a former Juneau chiropractor who is accused of assaulting more than a dozen women under the guise of medical care; Haines and Skagway are joining together for a local challenge that tracks and encourages residents to consume more locally sourced foods; A company that owns a controversial mining exploration effort outside Haines says work will continue at the site, despite plans to sell some or all of the project
Read More »Newscast – Friday, Aug. 8, 2025
In this newscast: The executive council of the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska is reviewing misconduct accusations made against its president, Chalyee Éesh Richard Peterson; Juneau city and tribal officials announced a preemptive disaster declaration today in anticipation of the glacial outburst flood expected to hit the Mendenhall Valley soon; Juneau’s homeless shelter is reducing its services due to what staff say is a deteriorating and unsafe environment in the neighborhood. The shelter has seen an increase in homeless people camping nearby compared to other years. Shelter officials say the closure may cut down on campers – and chaos; The community of Metlakatla sued the state of Alaska five years ago yesterday. Metlakatla Indian Community asserts the way the state manages commercial fishing infringes on the rights guaranteed to it by Congress. The tribe has notched some important wins, and a trial was scheduled for this summer. But that’s now on hold as other Southeast tribes are now asking the judge to throw out the case; The U.S. Geological Survey is expanding its landslide monitoring efforts in Southeast Alaska. The goal is to develop an emergency alert system down the line. Data from Juneau’s Mount Roberts went online last month.
Read More »Newscast – Thursday, August 7, 2025
In this newscast: A hydroelectric plant and salmon hatchery near Petersburg are working out how to keep the water they share safe for fish; The U.S. Coast Guard's new polar icebreaker Storis arrived in Auke Bay Wednesday; Ninilchik's annual Salmonfest includes workshops highlighting Alaska Native culture, such as one teaching attendees Yup'ik phrases; A recent tracking project on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta sought to shed light on birds' worldwide winter homes.
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