KFSK Midday Magazine

Governor Mike Dunleavy is no longer pushing to reform the state's schools; what may be Alaska's first hybrid electric fishing boat is closer to hitting the water; and many communities in the panhandle have gotten significant snowfall this past week.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has landed on a solution to stop glacial outburst floods in Juneau's Mendenhall Valley; Congress approved critical funding for rural schools; and Petersburg has seen over 2 feet of snowfall since yesterday morning.

Governor Mike Dunleavy released his proposed budget yesterday; a look at a Sitka man's nutcracker collection; and Petersburg's high school wrestling team has seen big growth ahead of regions.

Governor Mike Dunleavy intends to roll out a new state fiscal plan; the state has launched a new telehealth service for Alaskans with disabilities; and Mitkof Island received more than fifteen inches of snow this week.

Juneau's new hydroelectric utility has a contract to power a controversial ferry terminal; a sacred item is being returned to a Lingit clan; and the Petersburg Borough Assembly approved a handful of changes to the budget.

Ketchikan's school district owes the Ketchikan Gateway Borough millions of dollars, according to the district's auditors; teacher and principal turnover rates have increased in Alaska; and a look at Skagway School's shop class.

State officials say a federal heating assistance program will continue uninterrupted; the City & Borough of Juneau seeks ideas from residents on how to spend revenue from cruise ship passenger fees; and the owners of a sailboat share about why Wrangell is part of its legacy, now.

Juneau's Mendenhall Glacier is no longer touching Mendenhall Lake; the Chilkat Valley has seen high eagle counts this year; and a new documentary will feature Petersburg's unique food and community.

Southeast Alaska tribes have filed a judicial review over British Columbia transboundary mining; Juneau has resurrected its tourism task force; and Covid shots are available at Petersburg Public Health.

The Skagway Traditional Council has documented the history of a native boarding school in Skagway; as Juneau's population ages, interest in pickleball is growing; and Petersburg's high school varsity volleyball season may have ended, but the players took away valuable lessons.

Thousands of Alaskans who rely on the federal marketplace for health insurance are experiencing sticker shock; a discussion with Independent Representative Rebecca Himschoot on the bipartisan education taskforce; and four seats are up for election in the Petersburg Indian Association tribal election.

Alaska's government is increasingly failing to keep up with state and federal law; Juneau's residents no longer have to pay sales tax on essential food and utilities; and Southeast Alaska's red king crab fishery is expected to generate 5 million dollars.

A regional tribe plans to build 3 communications towers in Petersburg; a look a debunking a popular statistic about Alaska's food imports; and the Sitka Conservation Society hosted a well-attended potluck last weekend.

A lawsuit from Alaska's only Native reservation will proceed over the objections of other Southeast tribes; Juneau high schoolers build homes and learn construction skills; and Petersburg's Mitkof Mummers theater group is performing two short plays this weekend.

Disaster assistance for crab fishermen is rolling out after years of waiting; Ketchikan high schoolers learn EMT skillsets; and Petersburg's high school wrestling team competed in Juneau earlier this month.

Federal workers in Juneau are frustrated with the reopening process following the federal government shutdown; Ketchikan's Totem Heritage Center gears up for an anniversary by restoring carved posts; and researchers and community members in Yakutat discuss local geohazards and how to address them.

A store in downtown Craig is helping those in need; Soldotna 6th graders ran a mock-assembly meeting to learn about local government; and Sen. Dan Sullivan is scheduled to present to the Petersburg Borough Assembly tonight.

Juneau's avalanche forecasters reinstalled tools to predict avalanche risks; Wrangell high schoolers learned how to process a seal; and Petersburg's Logan Tow brought home the gold after last weekend's state meet.

Invasive European green crab populations have exploded on an island in Southeast Alaska; a former staff member at Sitka's school district raised concerns about its travel accounts; and Petersburg's high school volleyball team is seeded second despite logistical challenges at the tournament in Craig.

Anchorage's state senator Matt Claman has entered the race for governor of Alaska; an interview with former state senator and gubernatorial candidate Tom Begich; and an audio postcard from yesterday's Veterans Day parade in Petersburg.

The state of Alaska is limiting payments to SNAP recipients this week in response to federal guidance; fishing jobs in Alaska are down for the fifth year in a row; and a derelict vessel is no longer drifting in the Wrangell Narrows near Petersburg.

Organizations in Ketchikan work to support the 1-in-7 residents reliant on SNAP benefits; Alaskans learned how to process a seal at a conference in Anchorage with Petersburg's Brandon Ware; and Petersburg's project to replace breakwaters at Banana Point is moving forward with additional funding and a bid award.

Juneau voters approved tax cuts that have left a large hole in the budget; thousands of federal workers in Alaska continue to be furloughed, and a Petersburg nonprofit anticipates giving out more food this month as federal funding is delayed.

Telephone Hill tenants are suing the city of Juneau to reverse their evictions; Wrangellites band together in response to SNAP benefit cut-offs, and every member of the Petersburg High School swim team is heading to the state championship.

Several people from Southeast Alaska testified about fisheries issues during a Pacific Salmon Commission meeting in Sitka last month; Petersburg's borough assembly filled its final open seat on Monday; and a look at the high school theater department's upcoming performance of Dracula.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued a disaster declaration allowing the state to refill SNAP benefit cards; UAA students in the school psychology master's program could face post-grad employment struggles due to licensing requirements; and the U.S. Coast Guard might not hear distress calls in Southeast Alaska for brief intervals this week.

Misinformation spread online about the M/V Columbia's recent voyage to Bellingham; Wrangell residents say a growing economy is the biggest benefit to tourism; and Petersburg started the Halloween celebration a week early with a trunk or treat.

The government shutdown is causing uncertainty for tribal organizations that administer federal programs; a coalition to reduce landslide risk in Southeast Alaska is working on a strategic plan; and a conversation with Petersburg's new German exchange student.

Wrangell is pausing work at a housing project after artifacts were found; Sitka's police department has body cameras, but doesn't have the money to implement them; and the first Southeast Alaska competitive commercial red king crab fishery in eight years will open on November 1.

Two men arrested in Petersburg this summer have pleaded guilty to federal theft charges; experts have given options for how to handle a rockslide that threatens Skagway's cruise dock; and over a hundred people in Petersburg gathered to watch a seal be released into the wild.

Firefighters in Sitka train up on pet CPR; young people in Juneau have a new way to find their voice; and hunters harvested a new high in the central Southeast Alaska moose hunt this year.

Several groups work to evacuate dogs from storm-damaged communities and reunite them with their owners; scientists in Southeast Alaska link mountain goat mortalities with avalanches; and a conversation with Petersburg wrestling head coach James Valentine about the season so far.

Alaskans will not receive food stamp benefits in November unless the federal shutdown ends; the federal shutdown has kept Skagway's tourists locked out of the town's many museums; and Petersburg High School swim coach Andy Carlisle says the team is preparing for regions.

Misinformation led to Wrangell's elementary school getting locked down last week; a look into how Skagway residents are sourcing their groceries; and Petersburg's borough assembly reversed its previous decision about an application to buy borough-owned land.

Alaska's US Senator Dan Sullivan discussed current events during a trip to Wrangell earlier this month; more than 400 Sitkans turned out for a protest that coincided with a historical anniversary; and volleyball head coach Jaime Cabral says the team had a powerful start to the season.

Sealaska Heritage Institute opened its new science education building last Monday; amid a regional housing crunch, a look into new affordable housing units near Ketchikan; and tonight, Petersburg's borough assembly will decide if two different land sales for housing development will move forward.

Residents left devastated villages in Western Alaska by military transport planes to Anchorage; a judge upheld the Sitka planning commission's decision to deny a permit for a cell tower; and the City of Kake plans to request federal assistance to remove a sunk vessel from its harbor.

Coast Guard first responders are evacuating residents of storm-battered Western Alaska communities; fewer Canadian tourists visited Haines this summer; and Petersburg's library hosted a special sleepover for stuffed animals.

Community groups and businesses statewide coordinate relief efforts for Western Alaska; some Southeast Alaskans say a proposed gold mine in Canada could harm Alaska's Taku River; and Petersburg's Jaime Cabral is Alaska's 2026 Assistant Principal of the year.

Search and rescue efforts are ongoing after a devastating storm slammed Western Alaska; Alaskans concerned about water pollution want large cruise ships to use cleaner fuel; and the final results of Petersburg's municipal election were certified last Friday.

The Alaska Board of Education backtracked on a proposed change to limit how much money local governments can give schools; Ketchikan's public transit system recently won a national award; and over a dozen Alaska libraries, including Petersburg's, will have access to a large news database.

U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan met with Wrangell city officials and discussed the town's economy; Sitkans bond over music in a community choir program; and a conversation with Petersburg High School's head volleyball coach about this year's team.

Out-of-state undergrad students at University of Alaska Southeast will see lower tuition rates starting next fall; a small plane emergency landed on Kupreanof Island and moth occupants are okay; and a conversation with Petersburg High School's head swim coach about last weekend's meet in Sitka.

The state of Alaska is studying what it would take to build a road to connect Juneau, Haines, and Skagway; One of Juneau's elementary schools finally has a functioning library after three years; and the Petersburg election results for mayor, assembly, and more.

Lawmakers say they're investigating why $50 million from the state's primary savings account was invested in an outside private equity fund; over 600 Petersburg residents have already voted in this year's municipal election; and Petersburg's high school cross country team brought home another state title.

In Juneau, a gathering to remember indigenous children sent to residential schools focused on healing and remembrance; Wrangell's chamber of commerce has seen high turnover rates; and former Anchorage mayor Dave Bronson is running for governor.

A lawsuit challenging a key part of Alaska's homeschool system moved ahead this week; a Pennsylvania man allegedly attempted to steal the PFD's of seven Alaskans; and Petersburg joined other Southeast communities in asking for stronger Sea Otter management.

The Fairbanks Assembly is pushing for the return of a woman held in a lower 48 immigration detention center; the new champion of fat bear week has been announced; and residents across the Panhandle are still cleaning up some damage after last week's storm.

Industry leaders talked about the importance of modernizing the fishing industry at Southeast's annual economic conference; plans for a casino-like gambling hall near Juneau may be in jeopardy; and Petersburg's high school cross country team has qualified for the state championship.

Southeast Alaska communities weathered a big wind storm last Friday; Inspired by the bears of Katmai National Park, Sitkans start "Fat Pothole Week"; and researchers studied an oyster farm in Juneau to understand the conditions for growing shellfish in Alaska.

Thousands of Alaskans will lose health insurance subsidies unless Congress steps in; hurricane-force winds are supposed to hit central and southern Southeast Alaska late tonight; and a conversation with high school swim coach Andy Carlisle about last weekend's home meet.

Power has been restored to part of Elfin Cove after it was hit by wind and landslides Monday; a Tlingit artist and filmmaker reflects on her 3-month journey of eating only Native Alaska foods; and a new federal grant will help support youth reading programs in Petersburg.

No injuries were reported after a landslide in Elfin Cove yesterday; the state filed criminal charges against a Chilkat Valley resident for animal cruelty; and researchers study the sounds of humpback whales at the Five Finger Lighthouse.

This year's Permanent Fund Dividend will be exactly $1,000; Sitka's new marine haulout is open for business; and the printing press at the Petersburg Pilot is one of the rare few operated by a woman — and it has been for decades.

Unusually warm temperatures attracted tuna to Sitka's waters; kids in Petersburg got a chance to see the town's big trucks up close; and a conversation with Petersburg Borough Assembly candidate Donna Marsh.

There are not enough young people in Southeast Alaska to fill its growing job market; the public can comment on the proposal rescinding of the Roadless Rule law, through tomorrow; and a conversation with Petersburg Borough Assembly candidate Jeff Meucci.

A digital safety expert is in Petersburg to promote internet-savvy advice; the state is overhauling plans for three state forests to boost revenue from carbon credits; and a conversation with Petersburg Borough Assembly candidate Raleigh Cook.

The Alaska Legislature is one step closer to suing Governor Mike Dunleavy over an executive order; scientists are studying the impact of heatwaves on killer whales; and a conversation with Petersburg Borough Assembly candidate Tony Vinson.

The commercial salmon season in Southeast Alaska is mostly done, and harvests were low for most species; Petersburg's borough assembly tonight will decide on changes to the budget; and a conversation with Petersburg Borough Assembly candidate, Bob Martin.

Southeast Alaska's commercial Dungeness crab fishery will have a full fall season; Juneau's school district is bringing back its free breakfast program; and the Petersburg High School swim season is off to a strong start.

Commercial trollers in Southeast Alaska have another chance to harvest king salmon this week; the Klondike Relay had its biggest year despite multiple obstacles; and Sitka's raptor center re-releases healed bald eagles into the wild after months of care.

Alaska students' test scores made small gains last year; one Ketchikan man has been getting locals to sing sea shanties for decades; and a session at Petersburg's Rainforest Festival taught attendees how to propagate local berries.

More gold deposits have been found at a mine north of Juneau; two community gardens in Sitka want to build food independence in their community; and the first competitive commercial red king crab fishery in eight years is opening in Southeast Alaska.

Contractors in Sitka broke ground on an affordable housing project; Wrangell officials and community members are debating where to put a new barge ramp; and Petersburg's Three Lakes trail system recently got an upgrade.

Researchers mapped where ship traffic overlaps with seabirds migrating through Alaska's waters to pinpoint collision risk; a local coalition is hosting a sober social event in Petersburg tonight; and after three decades at KFSK, Tom Abbott has retired.

A subset of cruise ships in Alaska have been violating federal pollution limits; a state agency wants a judge to throw out a lawsuit over Alaska's SNAP backlog, and a look at Petersburg's high school cross country season so far.

Logistical challenges are making it hard to replace the state's oldest ferry; the ferry LeConte broke down over the weekend; and a change in reading curriculum is boosting elementary reading scored in Petersburg.

One Petersburg business is helping school children in need afford new shoes; the Tongass roadless rule is on the chopping block again; and a conversation with Petersburg's new secondary special education teacher.

Wrangell's police department gained an intern over the summer; tanning sea otter hides has become more time consuming for Alaska Native craftspeople; and a conversation with Petersburg's newest elementary school counselor.

The state transportation department did a complex drone mission during Juneau's glacial outburst flood; Petersburg's school buildings and surrounding area were on lockdown yesterday afternoon due to a false report of a gunman, police say; a total of 24 people filed for candidacy in Petersburg's local election; and a conversation with incoming kindergarten teacher, Kacey Hammer.

A car crash late Friday night near Petersburg landed two people in the hospital with moderate injuries; the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee is touring Alaska; and a discussion with Petersburg's new secondary math teacher.

The Juneau School District has started the year with more than 90 open positions, a restoration project near Hope is bringing salmon back to a creek impacted by mining, prospective candidates for local office in Petersburg must file by tomorrow evening, and a conversation with an incoming 4th grade teacher in Petersburg.

The US Postal Service has increased bypass mail rates; scientists are gauging rockslide risks in Skagway; and Petersburg musical duo K1nfolk share their story and artistic influences.

The filing deadline for the Petersburg Borough is coming up, but some open seats remain; Juneau's Assembly killed an ordinance that would make it easier to arrest people camping in public places; and traveling medical specialists are helping bridge healthcare gaps in Petersburg.

The state House and Senate met yesterday, but adjourned in less than a minute; Alaska Marine Lines won't ship electric vehicles to the state anymore; and a dance troupe in Petersburg wants to buy its studio's building from the church that ended services last month.

A sheltering drill in Petersburg helps update the town's emergency plans; after this year's glacial outburst flooding, some Juneau residents are considering a federal buyout; and the Petersburg Borough must repair a broken wastewater line to comply with a federal permit.

A master carver in Haines is working on three new totem pole replicas; Sitka might ask the state for more beer and wine licenses later this year; and Petersburg's borough assembly tonight will weigh a few potential budget adjustments.

A Petersburg nonprofit is starting a new program to support families with children; communities in Southeast Alaska are calling for improved management of sea otter populations; and Prince of Wales Island hosted its first disc golf tournament last weekend at a new course in Coffman Cove.

Floodwaters from Juneau's glacial outburst are receding and the flood threat ended; Sitka's long-awaited marine haulout is one step closer to opening; and authorities identified a couple black bears to remove from Petersburg, but it's not a long-term solution.

Juneau's glacial outburst flood is now testing the city's protective barriers; a historic petroglyph on a Wrangell beach was destroyed by vandalism; and the biggest arts festival on Prince of Wales Island celebrated its 15th year last weekend.

Alaska has regained jobs lost during the pandemic, but the state's seafood industry has seen losses; the U.S. Coast Guard added the first icebreaker to its fleet in 25 years; and a massive tsunami ripped through a fjord south of Juneau last Sunday with no injuries reported.

Two small Southeast Alaska communities will soon be able to lease halibut quota through a new regional program; the countdown has begun for Juneau's annual Glacial Lake Outburst Flood; and hundreds of people gathered in Wrangell last month to help raise new totem poles.

Experts say changes to Medicaid coverage in Alaska will look different from other states; an unlikely discovery in a cave on Prince of Wales Island could inform us about the last Ice Age; and two Canadian kayakers stopped by Petersburg along their thousand-mile expedition.

State lawmakers overrode two of the governor's vetos on Saturday in a pair of dramatic votes; a new law gives commercial fishermen a way to lower insurance costs; and the hydroelectric plant and neighboring salmon hatchery near Petersburg are working on ways to keep their shared water safe for fish.

Federal engineers say it could be a decade before a permanent solution is in place to protect a residential area in a Juneau flood zone; Haines and Skagway residents are joining together for a locally-sourced food challenge; and Petersburg's school district won't have to spend down as much of its reserves thanks to lawmakers' education funding veto override.

Alaska lawmakers refused an executive order from Gov. Mike Dunleavy seeking to create a state agriculture department; the state is kickstarting a plan to build a new ferry terminal between Juneau and Haines, but communities in the area are concerned; and Petersburg middle schoolers mapped a creek on Kupreanof Island last week.

Lawmakers coming to Juneau for the special session are divided on if it'll be worth the travel costs; Petersburg has a new youth fast-pitch softball club; and nonresidents will be allowed to sport fish for wild king salmon in Southeast Alaska again, starting Monday.

New trade deals don't seem to provide relief for timber companies in Alaska impacted by tensions between China and the U.S.; a jury in Juneau found a Petersburg man guilty of sexual assault; and an otter and beaver skin sewing class came to Petersburg last weekend.

Alaska Congressman Nick Begich III wants to roll back parts of the Marine Mammal Protection Act; not all Juneau residents believe the city should adopt a new seasonal sales tax system; and hospitals in Petersburg, Cordova, and Homer are teaming up to create a rural health network through a federal grant.

Southeast Alaska's king salmon troll fishery will get a noncompetitive second opening; a group of scientists wrapped up a deep-sea expedition in the western Aleutians this summer; and the candidacy filing period for Petersburg's local election opens today.

State Sen. Shelley Hughes of Palmer is planning on running for governor; the Trump administration wants to eliminate the Denali Commission; and after freezing the funds last month, the federal government will give funding for migrant education, which a quarter of students in Petersburg qualify for.

What to expect when lawmakers gather in Juneau for a special legislative session Aug. 2; one of Alaska's iconic mountain races had its youngest-ever winner; and Petersburg teenagers returned from a weeklong kayak camping trip this week.

State officials are still assessing the impact of the budget reconciliation bill on Alaska's Medicaid program; some Alaska school districts and advocates are suing the Trump administration; and federal shakeups are making it harder for one Petersburg nonprofit to do its work.

An appeal by the state education department could cost Alaska $80 million; Petersburg will seek state funding for a harbor float replacement project; and a look from Petersburg's 11th annual Pedal-Paddle Battle fundraiser.

An Alaska civics group says Gov. Mike Dunleavy's latest appointment to the Judicial Council violates the state Constitution; many animals were left behind at a shut-down wildlife facility near Haines; and a group of volunteers looked for signs of European green crab on Mitkof Island last week.

The federal agriculture department ended a program that was supporting farmers in Alaska; thousands of Alaskan who've applied for benefits are still stuck in state backlogs; and a look at what Petersburg's borough assembly will consider at tonight's meeting.

James Parkin, a retired school teacher and principal from Angoon, has entered the race for state governor; youth in Sitka recently wrapped up a project testing local waters for ocean acidification; and subsistence sockeye fishing on the Stikine River is off to a slow start this summer.

Trollers caught more king salmon than expected in the first opener in Southeast Alaska; a group of students set up more cameras at Anan Wildlife Observatory near Wrangell; and a group of canoers from Kake stopped by Petersburg on the way Wrangell's first totem pole raising in almost four decades.

The Sitka Music Festival wrapped up its 54th summer season with a cello presentation; retired foot and ankle surgeon Matt Heilala has entered the race to be Alaska's next governor; and the years-long legal battle between Petersburg's police chief and the borough is officially settled.

Commercial salmon fishing in the south Alaska Peninsula (Area M) last month yielded the lowest harvest in decades; Skagway officials question the legality of reindeer from a shut down wildlife center in Haines; and Petersburg Medical Center CEO Phil Hofstetter speaks about how changes to Medicaid impact rural healthcare.