Eric Stone

1 month ago | krbd.org | Eric Stone

Alaska’s state development agency says it’s in talks with the operator of the Ketchikan Shipyard to resolve a dispute that threatens the future of the key local employer. The announcement comes about two weeks after the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority told shipyard operator Vigor it would not renew its contract to run the multimillion-dollar state facility.

1 month ago | alaskapublic.org | Eric Stone

The Alaska House of Representatives narrowly approved a bill Wednesday that would substantially increase funding for public schools on a long-term basis for the first time in nearly a decade, passing the high-priority bill on a 24-16 vote. House Bill 69 would increase the basic input into the state’s public school funding formula, the base student allocation, by $1,000. Lawmakers estimate it will raise public education spending roughly $275 million next school year.

1 month ago | ktoo.org | Eric Stone

Alaska House lawmakers made a few changes to a high-priority education bill Monday and Tuesday ahead of a final House vote expected Wednesday. House Bill 69 would boost basic per-student funding in the state’s public school formula — the base student allocation — by $1,000. Teachers, parents and students have been pleading with lawmakers to boost school funding for years. They almost got it last year, when the Legislature passed a smaller long-term school funding boost, but Gov.

1 month ago | alaskapublic.org | Eric Stone

Alaska House lawmakers made a few changes to a high-priority education bill Monday and Tuesday ahead of a final House vote expected Wednesday. House Bill 69 would boost basic per-student funding in the state’s public school formula — the base student allocation — by $1,000. Teachers, parents and students have been pleading with lawmakers to boost school funding for years. They almost got it last year, when the Legislature passed a smaller long-term school funding boost, but Gov.

1 month ago | kyuk.org | Eric Stone

Resignations and firings have resulted in the loss of at least 23 National Weather Service employees across Alaska, according to a source affiliated with a union for National Weather Service employees. The person, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, noted the job losses came when the agency is already severely understaffed.