Alaska Senate passes bill to pay for essential and laid-off workers to attend college
May 18 By Andrew Kitchenman The state Senate passed a bill Monday that would pay university tuition for Alaskans who were employed as essential workers or were laid off when the federal COVID-19 emergency began. Senate Bill 10 would provide up to $10 million through…
Alaska parents can now schedule COVID-19 vaccine appointments for children 12 and up, officials say
May 17 By Annie Berman State public-health officials on Monday began allowing Alaska parents to sign up their children 12 and up for COVID-19 vaccine appointments, which will begin as early as Wednesday. That move is in response to a Monday decision by the U.S….
A Space Force Commander was fired after comments made on conservative podcasts about diversity and Marxism
May 17 By Alex Brandon A commander in the US Space Force was removed from his position following comments he made on podcasts promoting his new book that claims that Marxist ideologies are spreading in the US military. Lt Col. Matthew Lohmeier was a commander…
In letter, Alaska Democrats say Sullivan brought D.C. partisanship to Juneau
May 17 By Peter Segall A group of Democrats in the Alaska State Legislature sent a letter to Sen. Dan Sullivan this week expressing their disappointment for what they said was a deeply partisan speech on the floor of the Legislature earlier this month. “Today,…
Refugees Arriving in US Unlikely to Exceed Cap Set by Trump
May 16 By Julie Watson President Joe Biden, under political pressure, agreed to admit four times as many refugees this budget year as his predecessor did, but resettlement agencies concede the number actually allowed into the U.S. will be closer to the record-low cap of…
Alaska to end $300 per week unemployment payments
May 15 By Rashah McChesney Alaska will join at least a dozen other states in opting out of extra federal benefits for unemployed workers, citing workforce shortages. The withdrawal will end a $300 weekly payment that was added under the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program…
Merkel to Youth: Build Political Support for Climate Action
May 15 By Matthew Lee German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she understands young people’s frustration about the pace of efforts to combat climate change, but is stressing the need to build political majorities to support effective action. Merkel’s Cabinet on Wednesday approved an ambitious plan…
Alaska Gov. Dunleavy unveils new-look dividend plan with guaranteed payments but a substantial deficit remains
May 14 By James Brooks Gov. Mike Dunleavy and leading Alaska lawmakers unveiled a new proposal Wednesday to constitutionally guarantee an annual Permanent Fund dividend and permanently cap annual transfers from the Alaska Permanent Fund to the state treasury. Their proposal, a new constitutional amendment,…
Biden says that fuel is ‘beginning to flow,’ as administration struggles to limit political damage from gas shortage
May 14 By Sean Sullivan President Biden on Thursday urged anxious Americans not to panic and rush to stockpile gasoline, seeking to reassure the country that a severe fuel shortage that has gripped the Southeast will likely be resolved in coming days. “Gasoline supply is…
Former Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell named UAA chancellor
May 13 By Samantha Davenport Former Alaska Republican Gov. Sean Parnell has been selected as the next chancellor of the University of Alaska Anchorage. Parnell’s first day will be June 12, according to a letter from University of Alaska Interim President Pat Pitney to the…
U.S. condemns China and others for repressing religious freedom
May 13 By Dolly Smith The Biden administration on Wednesday took aim at China and a number of other countries for repressing religious freedom as it forges ahead with its aim of restoring human rights as a primary focus of American foreign policy. The condemnation…
House passes budget, leaving potential gap from federal relief rules
May 12 By Andrew Kitchenman The Alaska House of Representatives passed the state’s operating budget bill on Monday. The budget includes most of what Gov. Mike Dunleavy proposed for state agencies. But it doesn’t include funding for permanent fund dividends. Members of the mostly Democratic…