(160) stories found containing 'Bert Stedman'
Sorted by date Results 76 - 100 of 160
Governor says Alaskans need cash; OK to take it from the Permanent Fund
As legislators meet in special session this week, Gov. Mike Dunleavy continues to push his plan for much larger Permanent Fund dividends, saying “cash is the ultimate program” to help Alaskans. “Cash in the form of the Permanent Fund dividend … is...
Federal legislation could help Alaska ferry system
The 2,700-page, trillion-dollar infrastructure bill that passed the U.S. Senate on Tuesday could provide tens of millions of dollars, maybe more, to help the ailing Alaska Marine Highway System. How t...
Regional, economic divides hinder compromise on state's fiscal future
Some of the key players in legislative efforts to reach a compromise on a long-term fiscal plan for the state — in addition to settling on an amount for this fall’s Permanent Fund dividend — say growing regional, political and economic diffe...
Legislature, governor in dispute over budget
A budget debate has brought the state to within a week of the start of the new fiscal year and the risk that state agencies could close on July 1 if the governor and legislators cannot settle the dispute. The battle between the governor and...
Better legislative year for ferries, pending governor's decisions
Coastal lawmakers say they made progress this year toward at least halting the deterioration of the state ferry system, with the intent of maintaining reliable service in the years ahead. Their hopes, however, will have to wait on the governor’s d...
Borough waits on state to share federal pandemic relief funds
The borough estimates its revenue loss due to the pandemic and its hit to economic activity in town could total almost $2.2 million by June 30, 2022. That total for lost revenue at the marine service center, port and harbors, utilities, the Nolan...
Editorial: No secret that governor's math fails
Gov. Mike Dunleavy must have learned how to manage state finances from the same people who guard the world’s biggest secret recipes: Col. Sanders’ fried chicken, Coca-Cola, Big Mac’s special sauce, Twinkies and Dr. Pepper. Keeping secrets from custo...
Letters to the Editor
Ortiz supports cautious draw on Permanent Fund The state budget is currently being negotiated in a House-Senate conference committee, with its final passage through both the House and Senate hopefully occurring this week. When the Alaska Legislature...
Legislature hung up on dividend amid budget negotiations
Setting the amount of this year's Permanent Fund dividend - and deciding on how to pay the cost - continues to hold up agreement on a state spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1. The...
Former legislator, Sealaska president Albert Kookesh dies at 72
A former co-chair of the Alaska Federation of Natives, former board president of the Sealaska Corp. and a retired Democratic state legislator died last Friday at his home in Angoon. Albert Kookesh was 72. Kookesh was fighting prostate cancer. Alaska...
Legislators struggling to decide state budget, dividend
Alaska legislators are in the second week of a special session to finish work on the state budget for the fiscal year that starts in just five weeks, while also deciding the amount of this year's...
Governor, lawmakers agree to use federal aid to boost ferry system
Nearly $77 million in federal pandemic relief funds would be used to cover the state contribution to the Alaska Marine Highway System operating budget through Dec. 31, 2022, bringing more certainty...
House approves early school funding; Senate action uncertain
The Alaska House of Representatives has passed a bill intended to prevent teacher layoffs the next two years with early appropriation of state funding to local school operating budgets. Though helpful in its intent to provide funding certainty to...
Federal aid helps Southeast second time in 25 years
A quarter-century ago, Congress appropriated $110 million explicitly to help Southeast communities get through the loss of the timber industry, the region's big economic driver. This year, federal...
'What if' budget scenario could add to winter ferry service
A state Senate subcommittee had asked the Department of Transportation what it could do if it had more money to cover some of the gaps in the Alaska Marine Highway schedule. Part of the answer would...
State budget problem worse than it looks, legislative analyst says
Federal pandemic relief aid, one-time funding sources - some of doubtful legal authority - and other salves to ease the state budget pain in the fiscal year that starts July 1 only mask the underlying...
Legislature looks at size of PFDs and new revenues
The state is not going to fill its billion-dollar fiscal pothole with additional deep budget cuts, said two veteran legislative finance committee members. The hole is too deep, and years of cuts to...
Absentee ballots counted for District 36
As of last Wednesday, Nov. 18, all absentee and early ballots have been counted for District 36. According to unofficial results for the Nov. 3 election, there were 3,748 absentee ballots cast this...
Election update
The following are unofficial results for how Wrangell voted in the 2020 election, as of 3 p.m. on Nov. 4. 732 ballots were cast on election day. As of Friday afternoon, Nov. 6, these numbers have... Full story
Division of Elections to begin counting absentee ballots
The Alaska Division of Elections, in a Nov. 9 press release, announced a schedule for conducting absentee ballot counts. Moving forward, they announced that the public could expect updated counts to...
Guest Editorial
Last week, the Alaska Marine Highway Reshaping Group released a report it had been working on for several months throughout the pandemic. Even though this group has finished it’s task, I will continue to work to find ways to increase ferry service a...
Little winter ferry service currently planned for Wrangell
Disruptions to ferry service have become a relatively common occurrence in recent history. The Alaska Marine Highway System has faced tight budgets, a strike, and an aging fleet in need of upgrades. With winter drawing near Wrangell will not see any...
Wet summer overflows Swan Lake
During Southeast Alaska's record breaking rainfall this summer, the Swan Lake hydroelectric facility reached its full capacity for the first time since the project was upgraded three years ago, accord...
Primary election results released, 15 percent turnout in Wrangell
The official results for the Aug. 18 primary election have been released on the Alaska Division of Elections website. The primary election gives voters the opportunity to narrow down which candidates they would like to consider in the upcoming...
Guest Commentary: Protecting the Permanent Fund
At a time when the fiscal future of many states looks uncertain, Alaska made the smart choice to protect the state's future income for our children and grandchildren. On June 30, $4.9 billion was tran... Full story