Latest Alaska Headlines

All the headlines from our Alaska Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Construction Firm Fined $560K after Worker’s Death in Alaska

Dec 11 2015 // A construction company will have to pay $560,000 in connection with the death of an employee who officials say was fatally injured when other workers tried to rescue him from a collapsed trench at a work site in Anchorage,...

USGS Says M4.6 Quake Struck Southern Alaska

Dec 3 2015 // A magnitude 4.6 earthquake has struck in southern Alaska. The U.S. Geological Survey says the earthquake hit just after 2 a.m. local time on Wednesday and was centered about 48 miles northwest of Valdez and 93 miles...

States Graded ‘A’ to ‘F’ for Extreme Weather Preparedness

Nov 20 2015 // Many states across the country are unprepared to face the risks posed extreme heat, drought, wildfires, inland flooding, coastal flooding and other extreme weather events, according to a new report card.Only a small number...

M6.2 Quake hits off Alaska’s Sparsely Populated Aleutians

Nov 10 2015 // A magnitude-6.2 earthquake has struck off Alaska’s sparsely populated Aleutian Islands. The U.S. Geological Survey says the temblor hit just after 7 a.m. Alaska time on Monday and was centered 58 miles southeast of...

Strong Quake Shakes Small Town in Central Alaska

Nov 2 2015 // The U.S. Geological Survey reports that a magnitude-4.8 earthquake hit central Alaska on over the weekend.The agency says the quake’s epicenter is about 60 miles west of the town of Talkeetna, which has an estimated...

Alaska City Considering $500 Ticket for Texting While Driving

Oct 26 2015 // Texting while driving in Anchorage, Alaska may land drivers a $500 traffic ticket under a proposal that shifts the violation from criminal to traffic court.The Alaska Dispatch News reported assembly members will discuss...

U.S. and Alaska Won’t Seek Another $92M From Exxon For Spill Decades Ago

Oct 15 2015 // U.S. and Alaska state officials announced on Wednesday they will no longer seek an additional $92 million from Exxon Mobil Corp. to pay for environmental cleanup and restoration stemming from the massive Exxon Valdez oil...

Hub Acquires Assets of Brown Agency in Alaska

Sep 9 2015 // Hub International Ltd. has acquired the assets of Brown Agency Inc. in Kenai, Alaska. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Brown is a multi-line agency providing commercial and personal insurance services, as well as...

Uber Settles with Alaska over Unpaid Workers’ Comp

Sep 8 2015 // The ridesharing service Uber has agreed to pay Alaska more than $77,900 in connection to unpaid workers’ compensation insurance for its drivers.In the Aug. 25 settlement, the company admitted no wrongdoing, but...

Second Largest Wildfire Year in History for Alaska

Aug 12 2015 // This summer’s fire season has officially become the second biggest on record in Alaska.More than 5,081,000 acres, or 7,940 square miles, have burned this year. That surpasses the nearly 5.05 million acres burned in...

Earthquake Shakes Alaska’s Aleutian Islands

Jul 29 2015 // The U.S. Geological Survey is reporting no damage from a strong earthquake that rocked Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.The quake struck at 8:49 p.m. Sunday and was centered 45 miles southwest of the village of Nikolski...

Alaska Wildfires Grow, Prompt Evacuations

Jun 24 2015 // Intensifying wildfires in Alaska have led to evacuations in several parts of the state, including a tiny village where residents fled on boats. A firefighter on one blaze also was treated for a bear bite after encountering...

Firefighters Battle Blazes in 4 Western States

Jun 24 2015 // Wildfires are sweeping through several dry Western states, including a massive blaze burning out of control in Northern California. A look at the latest hotspots and what crews are doing to control them:Northern California...

Another Alaska Wildfire Prompts More Evacuations

Jun 16 2015 // Firefighters are battling a second wildfire in Alaska and officials say hundreds of homes have been evacuated and six structures have burned.The fast-moving blaze erupted Monday on the Kenai Peninsula, roughly 100 miles...

Dry Conditions Have Alaska Wildfire Responders Keeping Eye Out

May 22 2015 // Interior Alaska and other parts of the state are experiencing conditions ripe for forest fires and natural resources officials are urging caution in outdoor activities heading into Memorial Day Weekend.Information officer...

Minor Quake Felt In Alaska Communities, No Reported Damage

May 20 2015 // A light earthquake was felt across a large part of southcentral Alaska on Monday, but there were no immediate reports of damage. The Alaska Earthquake Information Center says the magnitude 4.3 quake was recorded at 7:49...

Alaska Governor Declares Disaster From Fire In Interior Village

Apr 28 2015 // Alaska Gov. Bill Walker has declared a state disaster in response to a fire that crippled water service in the village of Alatna.The boiler fire April 15 damaged the community’s multi-purpose building and caused...

The West Not Yet Fully Won for Ridesharing

Apr 3 2015 // On the heels of last week’s cross-industry compromise on insurance requirements for ride-sharing drivers, and with some legislative sessions drawing to a close, it’s a good time to take a look at where...

USGS: M5.7 Earthquake Off Alaska Over Weekend Felt by Few

Mar 9 2015 // The U.S. Geological Survey says there was a magnitude-5.7 earthquake in the western Aleutian Islands but it wasn’t felt by any Alaska communities. The quake hit early Saturday at a depth of about 6 miles. The...

Alaska Becomes 3rd State to Legalize it

Feb 26 2015 // Alaska has become the third U.S. state to legalize marijuana. But the historic day passed with little public acknowledgement in a state with a savvy marijuana culture that has seen varying degrees of legal acceptance of...