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Education Funding and Capital Investments Dominate Ketchikan Legislative Forum

Education Funding and Capital Investments Dominate Ketchikan Legislative Forum

A legislative forum in Ketchikan, attended by five Southeast Alaska lawmakers, focused heavily on education funding and capital investments. The forum, part of the three-day Southeast Conference summit, saw legislators address questions from constituents regarding the state's base student allocation (BSA), the per-student funding formula, and how to inflation-proof it. Representative Jeremy Bynum, representing Ketchikan, Metlakatla, Wrangell, and parts of Prince of Wales Island, emphasized the need for capital investments in schools and infrastructure to ensure community progress. Representative Rebecca Himschoot, co-chair of the House Education Committee, discussed the risks associated with inflation-proofing and highlighted a task force formed by House Bill 57 to make funding and school facility recommendations by January. Lawmakers also discussed a one-time funding package for school districts' energy costs, set to begin next fiscal year, which could free up funds from the BSA. Other topics included the...
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Graphite One Establishes G1 Advanced Systems Division, Highlights Strategic Importance to U.S. Critical Mineral Security

Graphite One Establishes G1 Advanced Systems Division, Highlights Strategic Importance to U.S. Critical Mineral Security

Graphite One Establishes G1 Advanced Systems Division, Highlights Strategic Importance to U.S. Critical Mineral Security
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Scientists search for answers as baby whales wash up dead in Argentina

Scientists search for answers as baby whales wash up dead in Argentina

Scientists in Argentina are trying to find out why unusually high numbers of baby whales are washing up dead along the Patagonian coast
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Photographer James Barker, known as 'Qucillaq' or 'Crane Man,' Remembered for Documenting Yup'ik Life in Alaska

Photographer James Barker, known as 'Qucillaq' or 'Crane Man,' Remembered for Documenting Yup'ik Life in Alaska

James Barker, a Fairbanks photographer known to Yup'ik elders as 'Qucillaq' or the 'Crane Man,' is being remembered for his extensive work documenting the disappearing way of life of the Yup'ik people in Southwest Alaska. Barker passed away in March at the age of 89 after struggling with health issues, limited mobility, and memory loss. His wife, Robin, and son, Eric, are traveling to Bethel to scatter his ashes in the Kuskokwim River, fulfilling his final wishes. Barker moved to Bethel in 1973, where he spent nearly 15 years capturing the daily lives, traditions, and culture of the Yup'ik community, often working in black and white photography. His dedication resulted in the book 'Always Getting Ready: Upterrlainarluta,' which showcased how the Yup'ik people lived off the land and waters, a lifestyle that was already beginning to fade during his time there. Fellow photographer Charles Mason highlighted Barker's unique approach, noting that he immersed himself in the community rather than practicing 'parac...
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Tropical Orcas Make Rare Appearance Off Orange County Coast

Tropical Orcas Make Rare Appearance Off Orange County Coast

A pod of Eastern Tropical Pacific orcas, typically found in waters off Mexico, Costa Rica, and as far south as Peru, has been sighted off the coast of Orange County, California. The pod, consisting of 13 orcas including two calves, was first spotted near Dana Point and subsequently moved north towards Newport Beach and Huntington Beach. This marks a rare occurrence, as these orcas were last seen by local whale watching boats in January 2024. Whale watching charters in the area were actively looking for them after recent sightings off San Diego. Donna Kalez, manager of Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching, described the sighting as a "chance-of-a-lifetime." Captain Steve Burkhalter noted the orcas' steady movement up the coast, surfacing for breaths every 4 to 5 minutes. These Eastern Tropical Pacific orcas are known for their elusive nature and a generalist diet that includes dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, and other whales, distinguishing them from killer whale populations in colder waters. They also p...
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Tail-whipping shark thrills boaters on whale-watching excursion

Tail-whipping shark thrills boaters on whale-watching excursion

"One of the most incredible encounters you can have offshore!"
ReutersReuters
Explainer-What is Alaska LNG and why does the project face doubts?

Explainer-What is Alaska LNG and why does the project face doubts?

SINGAPORE, Sept 30 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump could unveil plans as soon as Wednesday to tap South Korea's pledged strategic investment package for about $54 billion to build a liquefied natural gas project in Alaska, as he rolls out a series of economic initiatives ahead of November's
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Light Snow and Rain Expected in Anchorage This Week

Light Snow and Rain Expected in Anchorage This Week

Anchorage, Alaska, is set to experience a mix of light snow, scattered clouds, and rain over the coming days. According to the source, light snow is forecasted for Thursday, October 1, 2026, with a high temperature of 2°C (36°F). Scattered clouds are expected on Friday, October 2, with a slight temperature increase to 4°C (39°F). Light rain is predicted for both Saturday, October 3, and Sunday, October 4, with temperatures reaching 5°C (41°F) and 6°C (43°F), respectively. The weather pattern suggests a gradual warming trend as the week progresses, transitioning from snow to rain.
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Juneau's Primary Fuel Dock to Undergo $15 Million Replacement by Petro Marine Services

Juneau's Primary Fuel Dock to Undergo $15 Million Replacement by Petro Marine Services

Petro Marine Services is slated to replace Juneau's primary fuel dock, located in the Rock Dump Industrial Area south of downtown, near the cruise ship docks. The project, estimated to cost $15 million or more, is scheduled to begin construction early next spring with a goal of completion by next summer. Matthew Lindsey, Chief Operating Officer at Petro Marine in Anchorage, stated that the existing dock is over 55 years old and has exceeded its useful lifespan. This facility is crucial for receiving all petroleum products for the city of Juneau, including aviation fuels, automobile gas, construction diesel, and marine diesel. Both Petro Marine and Delta Western utilize this dock to supply Juneau's fuel storage tanks. The reconstruction will involve removing and replacing the piles, dock, float structures, fuel lines, and shoreline retaining wall, as well as installing a new pump control building and storm drains. Much of the work will be conducted using a crane barge.
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New Research Traces New World Blackbird Migration Across Americas

New Research Traces New World Blackbird Migration Across Americas

New research by Dr. Axel Arango Garcia and Professor Chaitanya S. Gokhale from Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU) has reconstructed the evolutionary history of New World blackbirds, scientifically known as 'Icteridae'. This family comprises over 100 species of songbirds found from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. Their findings, published in the journal Frontiers of Biogeography, indicate that the ancestors of these blackbirds likely originated in North America and gradually spread southward over millions of years. The study combined distribution data and evolutionary trees for 104 of the 106 currently recognized species, utilizing statistical models to determine the timing and routes of their spread. This research challenges earlier hypotheses, such as ornithologist Ernst Mayr's 1946 proposal of a South American origin, and builds upon a 2015 study that suggested a North American origin but left the spread mechanism open. The current study provides a detailed timeline of this southward colonization.
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Scientists Discover Sharks Flee from Distant Low-Frequency Sounds, Challenging Previous Beliefs

Scientists Discover Sharks Flee from Distant Low-Frequency Sounds, Challenging Previous Beliefs

A recent study conducted off the coast of Florida has revealed that blacktip sharks react to low-frequency pulsed sounds from much farther away than previously thought, with some sharks detecting sounds up to 243 feet away. Researchers used an underwater speaker to emit low-frequency sounds and a high-frequency tone as a control. The sharks consistently reacted to the low-frequency sounds by making sharp turns and swimming away rapidly, while showing no reaction to the high-frequency tone. This behavior contradicts the common cinematic portrayal of sharks being attracted to sounds like splashing, and also challenges scientific assumptions about the range of shark hearing. The study observed wild blacktip sharks in shallow waters off Jupiter Beach, Palm Beach, and Pompano Beach, Florida, using drone cameras to capture their responses.