KFSK Midday Magazine

Today is Alaska's general election, and voters can cast ballots for the midterms until 8:00 tonight; a contractor is preparing for construction of a controversial ferry terminal near Juneau; and the state's mainline ferry Columbia is delayed in Ketchikan after breaking down on Sunday.

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy orders an investigation into whether efforts to recruit spoiler candidates violated state law; a Coast Guard cutter is once again a haunted ship this year; a new theater group will perform scenes from six different plays this weekend.

Alaskans react to a New York Times report that Democrat Mary Peltola's campaign recruited spoiler candidates; Ketchikan's tribe received $5 million for an addiction healing center; and high school swimmers across Southeast will meet in Juneau this week for the regional competition.

The State of Alaska is asking a judge to immediately dismiss a Department of Justice lawsuit to block election results; residents across Wrangell, Petersburg, and Ketchikan had their morning disrupted by a power outage last week; and a coalition of Petersburg organizations is proposing a new graduation cord option for local high school students.

A new study reveals more people across the state are struggling to make ends meet; Sitka's planning commission recommends prohibiting data centers in the community; and senate candidate Dan J. Sullivan of Petersburg says he accidentally changed his party affiliation to "undeclared."

The Trump administration filed a lawsuit to block the state from certifying next week's election results if Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan narrowly loses; Ketchikan's Borough Assembly voted to remove a planning commissioner for making racist remarks at a meeting; and the recent moose hunt in central Southeast had another record high harvest this fall.

A pet dog was reunited with its family after being lost in a recent avalanche near Anchorage; Kodiak's electric utility is running diesel generators while compensating for strained hydropower; and the Petersburg Borough's computer network experienced a cyber security attack this summer, prompting an investigation.

Some hatchery operators are split over a proposed pink and chum egg moratorium; Governor Mike Dunleavy issued a disaster declaration after a landslide damaged infrastructure near Ketchikan; and the Petersburg Borough's website was one of many across the country that went temporarily offline due to critical security upgrades yesterday.

A Chinook salmon run in Kodiak tests whether hatcheries can help save wild salmon populations; a comment period is open for a large old-growth logging project on Prince of Wales Island; and Petersburg high schoolers learned how to help save a victim from a car.

Ketchikan has issued a disaster declaration after a landslide damaged an electric substation; Wrangell's Borough Assembly wants to temporarily waive a tax on heating fuel; and newly elected Petersburg Borough Assembly members will be sworn in tonight.

Early voting for the Nov. 3 election is officially underway; a fire damaged a Petersburg apartment last Friday; and power went out in Petersburg this morning.

A Haines resident is trying to prevent conflicts between humans and bears; a hidden workforce in a Juneau prison keeps the state's ferry system afloat; and Petersburg's Borough Assembly approved two different date-center related measures this week.

Winter snow predictions across Alaska aren't looking good; Petersburg's Borough Assembly supports managing invasive green crabs; and a Petersburg student is receiving care at the local hospital after a collision with a car this morning.

Ketchikan updated its code to make it possible to remove an appointed official from office; catch limits for Bristol Bay red king crab and Tanner crab in the Bering Sea increased for the season that opens tomorrow; and Petersburg canvassed the official tally of votes for its municipal election.

Southeast Alaska had significant job growth last year, but the working population is still declining; abundant political text messages are testing Alaskans' patience; and a conversation with Lt. Gov. candidate Zac Johnson during his recent visit in Petersburg.

A rare printing press has been revived in Southeast Alaska; three gubernatorial candidates say they'll make Juneau home if elected; and Petersburg's hospital will be offering free case management services to seniors in Petersburg and Wrangell.

Public comments closed Tuesday on a federal proposal to repeal the roadless rule; the Sitka Assembly is pursuing another solution to address the housing crisis; and Petersburg's cross country girls are division III state champions.

Wildlife attorneys oppose the Trump Administration relaxing protections for endangered species; some Southeast Alaska lawmakers participated in a forum at Southeast Conference last week; and preliminary results are in for yesterday's municipal election in Petersburg and other Southeast communities.

Police in Haines are investigating a group that advertised free gifts for municipal voters; researchers are trying to detect toxic algal blooms sooner with warmer seas predicted this winter; and Petersburg's Borough Assembly approved a subdivision appeal — and two data center-related proposals — yesterday.

Petersburg's power went out twice yesterday; the local tribe interred the remains of three Tlingit ancestors in Petersburg's cemetery last weekend; and a look into three ballot propositions in Petersburg's municipal election next Tuesday.

Hunters in Central Southeast have harvested 55 legal bull moose so far this fall; three candidates for governor appealed to Southeast Alaskans for support at a forum in Ketchikan; and every girl and one boy on Petersburg's high school cross country team is heading to state.

Juneau's School District grapples with lower than expected student enrollment; Fat Bear Week has a new weighty winner; and Southeast Alaska's upcoming red king crab fishery will be managed with knowledge from last season.

El Ninos may offer some benefits to the Gulf of Alaska; two Sitka businesses are competing for one restaurant beer and wine license; and Petersburg's Borough Assembly approved paying for two wastewater studies.

Subsistence users in Southeast are concerned about the rollback of the Roadless Rule; Southeast yacht captains are facing foreign competition; and Petersburg's Borough Assembly did not pursue a temporary data center moratorium.

Locals in Haines test a new protected climbing route; Wrangell high schoolers study the changes of a nearby glacier; and last month the Neets Bay Hatchery had a commercial opening for the first time.