Alaska News Nightly: Friday, February 13, 2026

Main Theme

This episode of Alaska News Nightly features statewide coverage of news impacting Alaska’s communities: new fishery bycatch caps to protect western salmon, severe budget cuts in the Anchorage School District, ongoing recovery efforts after Typhoon Halong, the upcoming Iron Dog race, and a remarkable 75-year marriage in Petersburg. The episode balances hard-hitting policy issues with personal stories, capturing the complexity of life across Alaska.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. State House Finance Committee Budget & Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD)

• Overview: The House Finance Committee adopted a new operating budget draft, which notably removes the PFD at this stage.
• Reasoning: Rep. Andy Josephson (Anchorage Democrat) explains this is for "honesty and transparency," noting the final dividend amount is undecided and the governor’s proposal is “unrealistic given the budget and oil prices.”
• Opposition View: Minority Leader Delaina Johnson (Palmer Republican) worries that dropping the PFD removes pressure to control spending.
• Economic Impact: Economists warn cutting the PFD is like a regressive tax, hitting low-income Alaskans hardest.
• Anticipated PFD: Many expect the final dividend to be similar to last year’s ($1,000).

Quote (Rep. Andy Josephson, 01:01):
"Perhaps it's counterintuitive, but sometimes starting at zero, because we are going to have a dividend, is the more honest place to start from."

2. Bering Sea Pollock Bycatch Limit & Community Impact

• Policy Change: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council sets new chum salmon bycatch limits in response to calls from Western Alaska communities suffering from salmon declines.
• CDQ Program: The Community Development Quota program allows 65 Alaska communities to benefit economically from the pollock fishery, funding vital infrastructure and services.
• Tension: There’s a direct conflict: the same fishery that sustains community development is also blamed (in part) for salmon declines, hurting subsistence cultures.
  • Yukon Kuskokwim Delta Representatives emphasized how crucial CDQ funds are, especially post-typhoon.
  • Others, like Unanga scholar Halihana Steppetson, advocate for a balance between economic benefit and sustainability of Indigenous lifeways.
• Moral & Financial Dilemma: Some testimony highlights the uneasy tradeoff between community funding and environmental/cultural preservation.

Quote (Louise Paul, 06:14):
"If the quota from the trawling industry... is lowered, this will definitely affect the people and... the efforts of our livelihood."

Quote (Halihana Steppetson, 07:02):
"Sustainability to me as an Indigenous person who lives here means that the lifeways that we have here now... remain, so that future generations... can continue to live off it."

Notable Segment:

• Bycatch and community funding conflict: 02:56 – 07:41

3. Anchorage School District Budget Crisis

• Scale of Cuts: Facing a $90 million funding gap, ASD proposes eliminating over 500 positions, including 300+ teachers, nurses, principals, counselors, gifted/talented and special education.
• Program Losses: Summer school, all middle-school, and several high-school sports programs may be axed.
• Backdrop: Despite a $700 per student increase in state funding, flat funding for a decade (and lost pandemic/as-needed funds) keeps the district far behind inflation.
• Broader Trend: Similar deficits and tough choices are seen in school districts across Alaska.
• Possible Relief: Anchorage voters will weigh a $12 million tax levy; it could preserve some staff and minimize class size increases.
• Next Steps: School board will discuss program cuts and possible school closures (including Fire Lake and Lake Otis elementaries); public can provide testimony before the vote on February 24.

Quote (Superintendent Jarrett Bryant, 09:06):
"Post the BSA increase, we’re still behind about $1,400 per student than where we were back in 2011."

Notable Segment:

• Anchorage schools in crisis, tough choices and statewide trends: 08:25 – 13:11

4. Typhoon Halong Recovery & Potential Village Relocation

• Community Spotlight: Quigillingok continues recovery work after October’s destructive typhoon; many homes and infrastructure were heavily damaged.
• Short-Term Focus: Local crews race against thawing tundra to restore homes to “livable” (if still basic) conditions.
• Long-Term Outlook: Rebuilding alone won’t solve persistent risks of storm-driven flooding.
• Relocation Discussions: Tribal leaders have begun talks about moving the community entirely to higher ground—a process that could take a decade.
• Federal/State Aid Limits: Current disaster funds focus on restoring pre-storm conditions, though exceptions for flood resistance are possible.

Quote (William Ivan, 18:50):
"We don’t want to see that anymore. We want to relocate."

Notable Segment:

• Village recovery and the push for relocation: 13:31 – 19:06

5. 2026 Iron Dog Snowmachine Race

• Event Size: 30 teams—the most since 2017; includes racers from across the country.
• Family Tradition: The Barber family, Iron Dog veterans, returns with two teams, including a rare father-daughter duo.
• Course Change: This year’s route ends in Fairbanks for the first time since 2019.
• Challenges: Last year’s race faced snowless stretches; organizers look to “spread the love” to new parts of Alaska.

Quote (Executive Director Rick Paquette, 19:42):
"We have... five past champions. We have really fast young guys... father-son teams... a father-daughter team. So no, it's going to be a really exciting race."

Notable Segment:

• Iron Dog excitement and race preview: 19:06 – 21:46

6. Enduring Love: 75-Year Marriage in Petersburg

• Personal Story: Florabell (96) and George (98) Rice share insights from their 76-year marriage.
• Keys to Longevity: Mutual respect, never fighting, having fun together, and staying away from alcohol.
• Generational Wisdom: Parents doubted they’d last a year; they soon proved everyone wrong.
• Advice for Others:
  • Florabell: “Don’t drink. Yes, because it’ll knock x number of years off your life. And George and I don’t drink.” (25:11)
  • George: “Listen to what your wife tells you to do.” (24:37)
  • "We've never had a discussion about, 'I wish I'd never married you,' or any of that... none of that." (24:43)

Notable Segment:

• Keys to a long, happy marriage: 22:04 – 25:45

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Rep. Andy Josephson on the PFD:
  "Sometimes starting at zero because we are going to have a dividend is the more honest place to start from." (01:01)
• Louise Paul on bycatch limits and community wellbeing:
  "Will definitely affect the people and the... efforts of our livelihood." (06:14)
• Superintendent Bryant on funding shortfall:
  "We’re still behind about $1,400 per student than where we were back in 2011." (09:06)
• William Ivan on Quigillingok’s future:
  "We want to relocate." (18:54)
• Florabell Rice on marriage longevity:
  "We’ve never had a fight. Never... Never."
• George Rice’s humorous marital advice:
  "Listen to what your wife tells you to do." (24:37)
• Florabell Rice’s health advice:
  "Don’t drink. Yes, because it’ll knock x number of years off your life." (25:10)

Segment Timestamps (MM:SS)

• 00:12 – 02:57 | State Budget & PFD Debate
• 02:57 – 07:41 | Bering Sea Bycatch Limits & CDQ Program Impact
• 08:25 – 13:11 | Anchorage School District Budget Crisis
• 13:31 – 19:06 | Typhoon Halong: Kwigillingok Repair & Relocation
• 19:06 – 21:46 | Iron Dog Race Preview
• 22:04 – 25:45 | 75-Year Marriage in Petersburg

Tone & Takeaways

The episode captures Alaska's hallmark blend of policy debates, community resilience, and wide-open adventure, all grounded in the voices of residents, experts, and everyday Alaskans. The factual reporting is balanced by personal anecdote, from the fiscal hardship facing schools to a lesson in marital bliss—making the news both deeply informative and warmly human.