Taylor Heckart

Alaska lawmakers override Dunleavy’s education funding veto The vote was the second successful veto override after lawmakers convened Saturday for a special session called by Dunleavy.

Alaska lawmakers voted today to overrode Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s veto of some $51 million in state funding for public schools.

Petersburg police chief settles lawsuit against borough for $70K James Kerr said borough officials retaliated against him after he testified as a private citizen against enforcing a masking mandate at a 2021 Assembly meeting.

Petersburg’s police chief and his employer, the Petersburg Borough, have officially resolved a lawsuit over his statements during the COVID-19 pandemic with a $70,000 out-of-court settlement.

Senate approves cuts to NPR, PBS and foreign aid programs The Senate voted to approve a $9 billion rescission package aimed at clawing back money already allocated for public radio and television.

The Senate voted to approve a $9 billion rescission package aimed at clawing back money already allocated for public radio and television — a major step toward winding down nearly six decades of federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. https://n.pr/44QnXjT

Update: The Weather Service has lifted its tsunami advisory. No major waves were reported in any community.

Update: The Weather Service has downgraded its warning to an advisory.

Tsunami warning issued after M7.3 earthquake near Sand Point The warning includes the southern end of the Alaska Peninsula, along the coast, and up to both sides of Cook Inlet.

Breaking: The National Weather Service has issued a tsunami warning for communities on the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island after a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck about 50 miles south of Sand Point.

Preliminary 7.3 magnitude earthquake triggers tsunami warning for Southwest Alaska communities A tsunami warning was issued for several coastal communities after the earthquake struck south of Sand Point.

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.3 struck off of Alaska’s Aleutian chain on Wednesday, triggering a tsunami warning for coastal areas of the state.

In Kodiak, the largest community currently under a tsunami, warning, KMXT public radio is the most valuable source for information about what’s happening in the community and for emergency information relayed by city officials. #Alaska

While the U.S. Senate is voting to defund public broadcasting ... my colleagues at rural Alaska public radio stations are scrambling to help coastal residents understand the tsunami danger from a 6.6 mag earthquake that struck minutes ago in Sand Point/Aleutians East.

In words and photos, Galena residents reflect on their village’s sustainable practices These Alaska villagers want to curb their reliance on expensive, imported diesel that when burned is one of the largest contributors of planet-warming emissions.

The Yukon River village of Galena is in the midst of a clean energy transformation that locals say will boost savings, build resilience and provide jobs.

After Supreme Court ruling, some Alaskans could be denied or lose U.S. citizenship The court is allowing Trump's new definition of citizenship to advance in states that have not challenged it legally.

The new Supreme Court decision has significant implications for Alaska in particular, because it is not among the states that have legal challenges against Trump’s executive order.

(From @alaskabeacon.com)

The Alaska DMV would like you to know that those texts you’ve been getting demanding payment are, as you may have suspected, a scam.

One of my stories from Petersburg!

Plastic fish food bags litter the water between Sitka and Juneau A shipping container full of empty hatchery feed bags fell off a barge near Admiralty Island.

Dozens of the plastic bags have washed up near Juneau over the past week after a shipping container full of empty industrial-sized fish food bags fell off a barge heading from Baranof Island to the landfill in Petersburg.
www.ktoo.org/2025/06/13/p...

Dunleavy cuts Legislature’s education funding increase by $200 per student The reduction in education funding is one of more than $100 million in budget reductions Dunleavy made using his line-item veto power.

Dunleavy cut $50.6 million from formula funding for public schools, equivalent to $200 in basic per-student funding, known as the base student allocation, trimming back a $700 increase lawmakers approved last month. #akleg

That's one of several cuts -- read more:

alaskapublic.org/news/educati...

And I'm required to add this image.

Alaska bypass mail rates set to rise by over 9% in July The program subsidizes groceries and bulk goods shipped across rural Alaska.

The U.S. Postal Service is set to increase rates next month for Alaska’s bypass mail program, which ships groceries and bulk goods across rural Alaska.

Although everyone has moved, Newtok's relocation is far from over They waited decades for safe, healthy housing, but for many who have made the move from Newtok to Mertarvik, that dream still hasn't become reality.

The village that people know as Newtok is basically a ghost town today, after the final residents left last fall.

The next challenge is building enough housing at its new townsite, Mertarvik.

Federal cuts could end key library services for rural Alaskans The programs allowed rural residents to access books and other materials that smaller libraries don't have the budget or space for.

Interlibrary loans give rural Alaskans access to books that smaller libraries can't stock, sent from the Lower 48 if needed.

But the service could be eliminated if federal funding isn't approved by the end of June, under Trump administration budget cuts.

“I Have Lost Everything”: The Toll of Cities’ Homeless Sweeps Cities often take belongings — including important documents and irreplaceable mementos — when they conduct sweeps of homeless encampments. ProPublica gave notecards to people across the country so…

We asked people who lived in homeless encampments that were cleared out in city “sweeps” to write about what object was the hardest for them to lose.

“They took my baby pictures and my moms obituaries,” a 29-year-old in California wrote.

By my count, I spent at least 40 nights in Newtok & Mertarvik over 2 yrs, interviewed over 70 people & hired an inspector to look at 7 homes built by 3 contractors. A dozen are less than 3 years old & moldy. 1 federal agency knew of problems in 2022. Another toured homes in 2023. Zero repairs made.

Reasonably long term climate sites with record high May precipitation include Ketchikan (25.58"), Petersburg (18.38"), Craig (14.77", 1 day missing), Annette (19.83"), Little Port Walter (37.81"), Elfin Cove (13.19") and Haines (7.90"). Juneau Airport (6.46") fourth highest May total. 2/2 #akwx

Whoa. G3-G4 conditions are now forecast. For Alaska, there's too much daylight/twilight for all locations north of Juneau to see anything. For areas from Juneau southward to Ketchikan, it looks to be mostly to completely overcast. 😭😭😭

How soul-crushing has this Spring’s weather been in Juneau?
71 days with measurable rain, most of any spring (at the Airport). One day with a high in the 60s: also one day in Spring 2012 & 1952. Highest temp 63F. Spring 2012, 2001 & 1952 had a high of 62F. #akwx #Climate @libbybakalar.bsky.social

Not sure who needs to see this, but the ECWMF global model has Alaska much cooler than normal from now thru the first half of July. You're welcome.

Newtok, Alaska, Was Supposed to Be a Model for Climate Relocation. Here’s How It Went Wrong. The project’s challenges highlight how ill-prepared the U.S. is to respond to the way climate change is making some places uninhabitable.

Since fall, 2022, I've been trying to figure out why Newtok's relocation is riddled with problems - the same kind this move was supposed to solve. Newtok’s residents are Americans - not a “they,” but an “us,” and that’s why I chased this story for so long. www.propublica.org/article/newt...

Americans are warned as latest DMV phishing scam targets phones Your state DMV probably won't text you about unpaid fees — but scammers will.

Your state DMV probably won't text you about unpaid fees — but scammers will.

Anchorage animal shelter is significantly over capacity after dozens of dogs are seized from a single home The Anchorage Police Department described the situation as “one of the most severe neglect cases we’ve encountered.”

Anchorage’s animal shelter is significantly over capacity after the seizure of more than 70 dogs from an Anchorage residence this week, in what the city’s animal control agency referred to as a hoarding case.

A 700% APR Lending Business Tied to Dr. Phil’s Son Is Dividing an Alaska Tribe Tribal lender Minto Money has boosted the economy of its Alaska town. But some tribal members are appalled by the millions it’s made off desperate borrowers — much of which, lawsuits allege, has gone…

Two lawsuits allege that Jay McGraw, son of Dr. Phil, is the “principal beneficiary” of tribal lender Minto Money.

CreditServe, a company that McGraw plays a key role in, controls the operation while “the Tribe is merely a front,” the suits said.

After a three days of driving the Alcan and a little less than a day on the ferry, I’ve finally made it to Petersburg! I’m so excited to say that starting next week, I’ll officially be a reporter with KFSK 📻 🎉