Talk of Alaska

Childcare workers interact with infants at Gold Creek Child Development Center in Juneau in May, 2018. (Jeremy Hsieh/KTOO) Reliable and affordable child care continues to be a challenge for many families. The upcoming school year may help some, but before- and after-school care is limited. With a new surge in COVID cases, how are child care providers balancing the need for safety with parents’ nee...

A sign for a COVID-19 vaccine clinic adminstered by Visit Healthcare at Tikahtnu Commons in Anchorage on Aug. 2, 2021 (Lex Treinen/Alaska Public Media) The delta variant of COVID-19 is more contagious, is spreading rapidly among unvaccinated people, and breakthrough cases in vaccinated Alaskans are also adding fuel to a rise in positive testing rates. Mask wearing indoors is again recommended for...

Members of the Alaska House of Representatives prepare for a floor session on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire via AP, Pool) The state’s fiscal situation is growing more precarious every year, but partisan gridlock hasn’t allowed much progress. In August, legislators will meet yet again in Juneau to discuss lingering questions about this year’s permanent fund dividends and o...

President Bush signs the Americans with Disabilities Act on the South Lawn of the White House. (Photo courtesy of George Bush Presidential Library and Museum) It’s been 31 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed, and today accommodations for people with cognitive and physical disabilities are a normal part of life. To mark the anniversary of the ADA, July is Disability Pride mon...