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Current Topics
How to prove Alaska is really a family-friendly state. ADN
Education is again being starved as Alaska’s state government engages in its annual dance around how little we can provide to public schools. The numbers and nuance may change year to year, but the overarching argument remains the same: Since Alaska’s schools are underperforming, should we continue to underfund them? It’s an obvious act of self-destruction, but people perpetuate it because it presents a lower price tag. And it’s not just K-12 schools; we also demand that Head Start and the university system function with insufficient funding every year, and then we act aghast when the results are lackluster.
Blue Market AK wins 2023 Alaska Grown $5 store challenge. Alaska Business
Innovation and creativity helped the two women who founded the Spenard Blue Market AK store in 2019 to win the Alaska Division of Agriculture’s 2023 Alaska Grown $5 Store Challenge
Group seeks new protections for rare Alaska flower found in mountains of Seward Peninsula. Alaska Beacon
An environmental group is seeking Endangered Species Act protections for a rare flower found only in a mountainous area of Alaska’s Bering Strait region where expanded mining is being planned.
The 9th-straight warmest month on record. Axios
(My comment - But not Alaska!)
Alaska's Arctic and boreal ecosystems see climate change-driven 'microbial awakening'. Alaska Public Media
Tiny organisms are making big moves in Alaska’s boreal and Arctic ecosystems, encouraged by climate change.
Education
'Teachers leaving faster than they can be replaced,' reports Alaska Dept. of Labor. Alaska's News Source
In the past three years, Aist said that the school district has turned over one-third of their teaching staff. ASD went over their turnover rates Tuesday at a school board work session. The district said it was down 400 staff this year, 140 of those teaching positions.
(My comment: How long will citizens put up with this? I’m trying to start the process of turning this around by providing teachers with the chance to have a good pension. SB 88 does that but the Republican Party hates it and vilifies Republicans who support a pension.)
It's time for a significant per-student increase in Alaska school funding. Alaska Beacon
Alaskans have advocated year after year through testimony, rallies, and letters to the editor; to increase the BSA and improve student outcomes through public education. Raise the BSA to invest in our youth and future workforce.
If we want to keep good teachers in Alaska, we need defined benefit retirement. ADN
In the 15 years since I joined this school that I love, we had hired roughly a dozen science educators who were young and full of energy and ideas. In that time, exactly zero of them had stayed for more than a few years.
Alaska legislators hear from school officials about the impacts of flat funding. ADN
The Legislature has been divided this year over how to address a substantial school funding shortfall. The bipartisan Senate majority has supported increasing the Base Student Allocation — the per-student funding formula. The Republican-led House majority has backed a contentious education package with provisions proposed by Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, but the measure has stalled without enough votes to pass.
Alaska school administrators urge action on 'crisis' in teaching hiring and turnover. Alaska Public Media
“We are struggling in the worst crisis Alaska has ever seen in terms of turnover. We can’t recruit teachers,” said Lisa Parady, who leads the Alaska Council of School Administrators. “Fundamentally, that’s very important to high-quality instruction.”
Lawmakers, educators spar over education funding at joint education meeting. Alaska's News Source
The comprehensive education package being supported by the mostly Republican House Majority increases the BSA by $300 and includes teacher retention and incentive bonuses. But many educators in attendance for Monday’s meeting said $300 is not enough.
Energy
Dunleavy executive order creating an energy board is likely unconstitutional, legislative lawyer says. ADN
“I don’t know if there’s many people who disagree with the idea of splitting it,” said Sen. Scott Kawasaki, a Fairbanks Democrat. “I think it’s just how the governor has done it.”
Gas leak triggers chain of power outages spanning from Anchorage to the Mat-Su. Alaska Public Media
A gas leak at a Southcentral Alaska power plant caused a brief but widespread power outage early Thursday across the Railbelt’s power grid, as much of Alaska remains in the grip of a continuing subzero cold snap.
ENSTAR warns of possible natural gas shortage issues by 2026. Alaska's News Source
With Anchorage in the midst of some of the coldest temperatures in years, ENSTAR Natural Gas Company President John Sims said on Thursday morning the company surpassed a record for the most energy use in their system.
Atomic power gets funding. Axios
Politics
Alaska Senate advances public-sector pension plan to address recruitment and retention crisis. ADN
Alaska Senate passes new pension program for state employees, but final approval is in question. Alaska Beacon
Senate passes legislation establishing a defined benefits retirement system for public employees and teachers. Local First Media Group
Senator Jesse Kiehl states SB 140 is a local takeover. Local First Media Group
Pension plan for state employees, teachers on the block in Alaska Legislature. Alaska's News Source
The passage in the Senate was seen by many members as a way to retain and attract teachers to the state, as well as employees in key agencies.
Alaska Senate passes bill to revise retirement system to attract, retain workforce. Your Alaska Link
Some Alaskans believe a bill passed by the state Senate could potentially make our state a better place to live, work, and play. It involves changes to our retirement system.
Bjorkman bill would close hunting and fishing license residency loophole. KBBI
Two bills filed in the Alaska Legislature this session are looking to tighten the requirements for an in-state hunting license, in hopes of preserving resources for residents.
Healthcare
'Ineffective and inefficient': Alaska gets another federal admonition as food stamp backlog drags on. ADN
Alaska’s continued food stamp backlog this week prompted a second sharply worded letter from the federal government cautioning that the state’s “ineffective and inefficient” handling of federal food aid could result in penalties without prompt action.
Alaska's federal food stamp funding at risk, USDA letter warns. Alaska Beacon
Alaska’s Department of Health risks losing federal funding for its food stamp program, warned a letter from the United States Department of Agriculture on Tuesday. It said the department is out of compliance with federal standards for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program due to what it described as “inefficient and ineffective administration.”
Help Alaska grandparents be with their grandkids. ADN
Currently, the Senior Benefits program assists more than 10,000 low-income seniors by providing modest monthly cash assistance based on the federal poverty guidelines for Alaska. As we heard from Alaskans statewide, recipients use the $76, $175 or $250 monthly payments to help pay for essential items necessary for maintaining healthy lifestyles, such as groceries, medication, transportation, rent, and utilities.
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