Public safety briefs for March 2, 2019

Public safety briefs for March 2, 2019

Information for this report was taken from publicly available law enforcement and public safety records and include arrest and citation information. Anyone listed in this… Continue reading

Public safety briefs for March 2, 2019
Court reports for March 2, 2019

Court reports for March 2, 2019

The following judgments were recently handed down in Kenai District Court: Samuel Buoy, 37, of Kenai, pleaded guilty to an amended charge of second-degree harassment,… Continue reading

Court reports for March 2, 2019
Defending champion Joar Lefseth Ulsom runs his team down Fourth Ave during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Saturday in Anchorage. (AP Photo/Michael Dinneen)

Big crowds cheer kick off of Alaska’s famed Iditarod race

ANCHORAGE — Big crowds converged on Alaska’s largest city Saturday as hundreds of dogs and their humans kicked off the 47th running of the Iditarod… Continue reading

  • Mar 3, 2019
  • By RACHEL D’ORO Associated Press
Defending champion Joar Lefseth Ulsom runs his team down Fourth Ave during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Saturday in Anchorage. (AP Photo/Michael Dinneen)

Alaska mayor vetoes LGBTQ anti-discrimination protections

FAIRBANKS (AP) — The mayor of Alaska’s second-largest city vetoed a new local law Friday that gave sweeping equal rights protections to the LGBTQ community… Continue reading

  • Mar 3, 2019
October flooding on Assembly agenda

October flooding on Assembly agenda

Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly will introduce a resolution authorizing the borough to seek assistance from the state to fund flood damage repairs in Seward. After… Continue reading

October flooding on Assembly agenda
Initiative would move Legislature’s meetings to Anchorage
Initiative would move Legislature’s meetings to Anchorage

Top lawmakers don’t see support for Dunleavy tax shift

JUNEAU — Alaska legislative leaders signaled concern on Friday with two provisions of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s budget that critics see as shifting financial burdens onto… Continue reading

  • Mar 3, 2019
  • By BECKY BOHRER Associated Press
Schools briefs for the week of March 4, 2019

Schools briefs for the week of March 4, 2019

What’s happening this week

Schools briefs for the week of March 4, 2019
Laura Stats of Juneau testifies against Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s payback dividend bills, Senate Bills 23 and 24, during a Senate State Affairs Committee meeting, Thursday night. Stats said these bills would cause “chaos” in Alaska, because of the services that must be cut to fund these Senate Bills. (Kevin Baird ι Juneau Empire).

Alaskans weigh-in on ‘super-sized’ PFD

Most would prefer to fund education, other services

Laura Stats of Juneau testifies against Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s payback dividend bills, Senate Bills 23 and 24, during a Senate State Affairs Committee meeting, Thursday night. Stats said these bills would cause “chaos” in Alaska, because of the services that must be cut to fund these Senate Bills. (Kevin Baird ι Juneau Empire).
Kenai Peninsula College’s Kenai River Campus in the snow, on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Borough to ask state to support local college

Borough to ask state to support local college

Kenai Peninsula College’s Kenai River Campus in the snow, on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Defending champion Joar Leifseth Ulsom is greeted by local fan Ole Andersson during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Saturday in Anchorage. (AP Photo/Michael Dinneen)                                Defending champion Joar Leifseth Ulsom is greeted by local fan Ole Andersson during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Saturday, March 2, 2019 in Anchorage, Alaska. (AP Photo/Michael Dinneen)

Defending Iditarod champ remains self-proclaimed ‘goofball’

WILLOW — Joar Leifseth Ulsom may not be flashy or brash, but he has sled cred. The quiet, unassuming 32-year-old defending champion of the Iditarod… Continue reading

  • Mar 3, 2019
  • By MARK THIESSEN Associated Press
Defending champion Joar Leifseth Ulsom is greeted by local fan Ole Andersson during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Saturday in Anchorage. (AP Photo/Michael Dinneen)                                Defending champion Joar Leifseth Ulsom is greeted by local fan Ole Andersson during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Saturday, March 2, 2019 in Anchorage, Alaska. (AP Photo/Michael Dinneen)
Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks with his cabinet members at the Capitol on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Borough introduces resolution asking for state to modify oil and gas property tax bills

Revenues from oil and gas properties provide the borough with an estimated $15 million per year

Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks with his cabinet members at the Capitol on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
House Majority: Tax increase off the table, Foster questions cuts
House Majority: Tax increase off the table, Foster questions cuts
Public safety briefs for February 28, 2019

Public safety briefs for February 28, 2019

Information for this report was taken from publicly available law enforcement and public safety records and include arrest and citation information. Anyone listed in this… Continue reading

Public safety briefs for February 28, 2019
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, delivers her annual speech to a Joint Session of the Alaska Legislature on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Murkowski, 3 other senators push resolution to halt Trump’s border emergency

The proposal is identical to the one-sentence measure the Democratic-controlled House approved.

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, delivers her annual speech to a Joint Session of the Alaska Legislature on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Legality of city giving money to faith-based addiction treatment program questioned

Legality of city giving money to faith-based addiction treatment program questioned

After lengthy debate, the Homer City Council seems to have settled on an agreement for how to help fund construction of a residential treatment center… Continue reading

Legality of city giving money to faith-based addiction treatment program questioned
President Donald Trump speaks to service members at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Thursday, in Anchorage, during a refueling stop as he returns from Hanoi. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Trump makes stop, speech at Alaska military base

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON — President Donald Trump showered praised on troops and touted the opening of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling when… Continue reading

  • Feb 28, 2019
  • The Associated Press
President Donald Trump speaks to service members at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Thursday, in Anchorage, during a refueling stop as he returns from Hanoi. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Senator hopes for agreement to fund ferries through mid-2020

JUNEAU — A co-chairman of the Senate Finance Committee said Thursday he wants to reach a budget agreement that would fund the state’s ferry system… Continue reading

  • Feb 28, 2019
  • By BECKY BOHRER Associated Press
Dr. Kristin Mitchell presenting to students at Kaliedoscope School of Arts and Sciences. (Photos courtesy of Debbie Boyle/Kaleidoscope School of Arts and Sciences)

Kaleidoscope School flag hitches ride to Antarctica

The flag was created in September as part of the school’s Lens Time

Dr. Kristin Mitchell presenting to students at Kaliedoscope School of Arts and Sciences. (Photos courtesy of Debbie Boyle/Kaleidoscope School of Arts and Sciences)
Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, speaks during a rally of state union workers in front of the Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Senate Democrats express disapproval over Dunleavy’s budget

‘You can’t break the economy in one portion of the state and expect everybody else to be OK.’

Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, speaks during a rally of state union workers in front of the Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)