Alaska News Nightly: Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Summary

Alaska News Nightly: Tuesday, April 28, 2026 — Episode Summary

Overview

This episode of Alaska News Nightly (April 28, 2026) covers significant legislative, community, and infrastructure developments across Alaska. The main topics include the near-finalization of a new state worker pension system, updates on aviation safety enhancements, a new veterans’ justice bill, judicial misconduct charges, mining and land transfers, school closure controversies, major port and transportation funding wins, and continued advocacy for salmon conservation. The reporting features voices from lawmakers, advocates, experts, and community leaders, offering insights into decisions shaping Alaskan lives.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Alaska Senate Passes New Public Employee Pension System

• Main Point: The Senate passed a bill to reinstate a pension option for public workers, which is now close to the Governor’s desk.
• Context: The bill is a long-standing priority for bipartisan coalitions, aiming to address workforce retention and competitive compensation.
• Details:
  • Employees will be able to choose between a defined contribution plan (like a 401(k)) and a traditional defined benefit pension plan.
  • Estimated average annual cost: $89 million; supporters argue savings (such as reduced overtime) would offset costs.
  • Local government contributions have been reduced, with an option to opt out.
  • The Senate passed it 12-8; notable dissent centered on fiscal risk, notably from Senator Burt Stedman (R-Sitka), given past pension system failures.

"We ask our public employees to do difficult work, often in hardest conditions. The question is whether we will give them a reason to build a career here."
— Senator Kathy Giesel [00:06, 01:16]

"Retirement system makes no difference. It's salaries."
— Unnamed Republican Senator [02:39]

• Awaiting House concurrence and Governor Dunleavy’s decision; past statements indicate his skepticism.

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2. Legislative Push for Veterans Justice Program

• Main Point: Bills in the Alaska Legislature seek a statewide restorative justice program specifically for military veterans.
• Context: Alaska has the highest veteran population per capita in the U.S.
• Details:
  • Proposed treatments: deferred judgments, rehabilitation, therapeutic intervention, and probation.
  • Modeled on programs in states like California, Texas, and Minnesota; only Anchorage and Fairbanks currently have veteran specialty courts.
  • Advocates hope to expand and improve access for at-risk veterans.

"This bill is intended to use existing resources within the court system and to better and more efficiently cap federal resources from the Veterans Administration in a way that not only should not cost Alaska money, but could well in fact save Alaska money."
— Brock Hunter, Veterans Defense Project [04:08]

• The bill’s sponsor, Senator Lukie Tobin, points to increased PTSD and substance misuse among modern veterans, calling for adjusted sentencing tools [04:56].

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3. Aviation Weather Stations Expansion Uncertainty

• Main Point: Federal funding is bringing around 160 new weather stations to Alaska, but locations and maintenance remain unclear.
• Details:
  • FAA and partners are deciding priority locations (focus on rural, low-visibility, difficult access routes).
  • Air carriers and experts stress the need for timely site transparency.
  • Maintenance funding is insufficient—10–15% of weather stations are often not fully functional.

"It's building season pretty soon here. My hope is that the transparency will continue..."
— Dan Nesek, Grand Aviation [06:33]

"The focus of what we're seeing here recently is expansion of infrastructure and new infrastructure. Not necessarily how do we maintain what we currently have."
— Adam White, Alaska Airmen’s Association [09:14]

"It's going to make life a lot safer."
— Adam White [09:31]

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4. Judicial Misconduct: Judge Romano DiBenedetto

• Main Point: Former Superior Court Judge DiBenedetto faces new misconduct charges related to alleged social media connections with sex workers and misrepresentation during investigation.
• Details:
  • The complaint cites association via Facebook, possible misleading statements during inquiry, and prior appearances in sex trafficking investigations (no criminal charges).
  • The Commission finds behavior violated the Alaska Code of Judicial Conduct and calls for accountability.

"[By associating with individuals who appeared to be sex workers on a Facebook page that showed him as a judge and further misrepresenting his knowledge and intent to associate with those individuals throughout the judicial conduct investigation, Judge DiBenedetto intentionally deceived the Commission.]"
— Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct, read by Ben Townsend [11:20]

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5. Land Transfer for Mining Development Near Flat

• Main Point: Bureau of Land Management conveys 1,000+ acres to Doyon, an Alaska Native corporation, for mining exploration near Flat, close to the Donlin Gold project.
• Details:
  • Doyon has partnered with Canadian company Tectonic Metals.
  • Move is a legal obligation under ANCSA, not driven by new federal mining policies.
  • Environmental organizations urge transparency and public awareness about long-term implications.

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6. Juneau Gold Mine and Cascade Point Barge Dock Plans

• Main Point: Grand Portage Resources will move forward with a barge dock at Cascade Point, separate from the postponed ferry terminal.
• Details:
  • Ore will be trucked to the new dock for export, reducing in-town processing.
  • Up to 72 truck trips/day planned, with noise mitigations during busy local and tourist periods.

"It's completely separate from the Alaska Marine highway ferry terminal."
— Grand Portage spokesperson Graham Neal [14:36]

• Mining expected to provide ~270 jobs, 7-year mine lifespan projected.
• Conservation and tourism advocates call for thorough analysis of watershed and broader impacts.

"I see this as a critical necessity for Juneau to survive. This is a sustainability of Juneau project."
— Juneau resident Drew Green [16:41]

"Our concerns are, I mean, ultimately impacts to watersheds, salmon the cascading impacts that that has on related industries like tourism, like fisheries."
— Tyler Breen, Southeast Alaska Conservation Council [17:12]

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7. Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Tribal Salmon Advocacy Portal

• Main Point: The Arctic Yukon Kuskokwim Tribal Consortium launched a new website, salmonpeople.org, to centralize resources and advocacy for salmon conservation.
• Details:
  • The portal focuses on science-driven and indigenous knowledge-based policy advocacy, supporting restrictions on salmon fishing and promoting bycatch caps.
  • Site aims to educate and facilitate public involvement.

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8. Anchorage STEM School Closure Legal Challenge

• Main Point: Community group challenges alleged insufficient public notice before deciding to close Campbell STEM Elementary.
• Details:
  • Group argues five days’ notice was inadequate for community input.
  • They're seeking a restraining order to delay closure and demand detailed reasons for the decision.

"Five days is not sufficient time for appropriate preparation of opposition concerning an issue of this complexity and importance."
— Kevin Fitzgerald, attorney for Campbell STEM group [19:25]

• The district counters that the process met legal public input requirements.
• If closure proceeds, STEM accreditation may shift to another school via lottery.

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9. Skagway Wins $38.6 Million Federal Port Grant

• Main Point: Skagway receives major federal funds to build a new industrial dock, strengthening its role as an industrial port and transportation hub.
• Details:
  • The dock will support heavier loads and accommodate mining shipments, with a 1,000 lbs/sq. ft. capacity.

"We've applied for that grant four or five times and every year gotten really good feedback but were not awarded. And I think that this is a it's a huge moment for Skagway moving forward as an industrial port and as a transportation corridor."
— Mayor Orion Hanson [21:58]

"I would say we don't have much of an industrial dock at this point. When a firm or someone wants to come in, even if it's a bunch of cement or rail ties or bridge trusses or something like that, we can't offload them on the old dock. It won't be able to handle the weight."
— Skagway Borough Manager Emily Deitch [23:08]

• Other funded infrastructure projects: Alaska Railroad tunnel ($20 million), new floats for Homer ($11 million).

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Memorable Quotes

• "We ask our public employees to do difficult work, often in hardest conditions. The question is whether we will give them a reason to build a career here." — Senator Kathy Giesel [00:06, 01:16]
• "Retirement system makes no difference. It's salaries." — Unnamed Republican Senator [02:39]
• "This bill is intended to use existing resources within the court system and to better and more efficiently cap federal resources from the Veterans Administration..." — Brock Hunter [04:08]
• "It's building season pretty soon here. My hope is that the transparency will continue..." — Dan Nesek [06:33]
• "It's going to make life a lot safer." — Adam White [09:31]
• "[Judge DiBenedetto] intentionally deceived the Commission." — Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct [11:20]
• "It's completely separate from the Alaska Marine highway ferry terminal." — Grand Portage spokesperson [14:36]
• "I see this as a critical necessity for Juneau to survive." — Drew Green [16:41]
• "Five days is not sufficient time for appropriate preparation of opposition..." — Kevin Fitzgerald [19:25]
• "We've applied for that grant four or five times...this is a huge moment for Skagway..." — Mayor Orion Hanson [21:58]
• "We don't have much of an industrial dock at this point..." — Manager Emily Deitch [23:08]

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Notable Timestamps

• 00:06–02:41: New pension system for public employees — Senate vote, legislative context, arguments for/against
• 03:45–05:13: Veterans Justice Act discussed, program goals, and sponsor’s statement
• 05:57–09:46: Aviation weather station expansion, local industry perspectives, and challenges with funding/maintenance
• 10:14–12:36: Coverage of judicial misconduct charges against Judge DiBenedetto
• 12:36–14:12: BLM land conveyance to Doyon for mining, and environmental reactions
• 14:12–17:24: Update on Amalga gold mine, Cascade Point dock, community and environmental responses
• 17:37–19:25: Launch of salmonpeople.org and ongoing western Alaska salmon conservation efforts
• 19:25–20:32: Anchorage STEM school closure legal challenge and key court arguments
• 21:28–24:53: Skagway’s $38.6M port grant and infrastructure plans

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Conclusion

This episode showcases Alaska’s multifaceted challenges and achievements, from legislative reforms and legal conflicts, to advancements in rural infrastructure, environmental advocacy, and economic adaptation. The reporting highlights robust debates over public spending, justice, transparency, and the preservation of community and resources in a state navigating both tradition and transformation.

Transcript

[Senator Kathy Giesel]

We ask our public employees to do difficult work, often in hardest conditions. The question is whether we will give them a reason to build a career here.

[Casey Grove]

The Alaska Senate passes a new pension system for state workers From Alaska Public Media, this is statewide news on Alaska News nightly for Tuesday, April 28th. Good evening. I'm Casey Grove. Also tonight, the state is set to receive a slew of new aviation weather cameras.

[Reporter or Interviewee (various, possibly multiple reporters or local officials)]

They're needed in flight routes, mountain passes, smaller airports where there's no other weather information, that kind of thing.

[Casey Grove]

Those stories and more tonight on Alaska News Nightly. The Alaska Senate passed a bill this afternoon that would once again offer state and local government employees a pension, putting it on the verge of heading to Governor Mike Dunleavy's desk. The bill is a longtime priority for many members of the bipartisan coalitions controlling the House and Senate. The House passed it last year. Senator Kathy Giesel, an Anchorage Republican who spearheaded the effort in the Senate, says Alaska's public workforce has eroded in the last two decades since the state closed its pension system.

[Senator Kathy Giesel]

Every other state offers a pension for at least some of their public servants. We do not, and we are seeing the results. We ask our public employees to do difficult work, often in hardest conditions. The question is whether we will give them a reason to build a career here.

[Casey Grove]

House Bill 78 would allow current employees and new hires to choose between the existing defined contribution plan, which is like a 401k, and a new defined benefit pension plan. The change would cost the state an average of $89 million annually, according to the state's actuary, but backers say the potential savings on things like overtime are much larger. Amendments on the Senate floor reduced the amount that local governments would have to contribute to the pension plan, but left them the option to opt out. The vote in The Senate was 12 to 8, with two members of the bipartisan Senate majority, Republican Senator Burt Stedman and Democratic Senator Lyman Hoffman, joining the all Republican minority to oppose the bill. Stedman, a Sitka Republican, said he was concerned returning to a pension would risk the state's financial future. Alaska is still paying off billions of dollars linked to an actuarial error that doomed the prior pension system in the early 2000s. Steadman says there's a much more direct way to solve Alaska's issues with hiring and retaining government employees, and that's to pay them more.

[Reporter or Interviewee (various, possibly multiple reporters or local officials)]

The Washington average teacher makes 96,000. We're trying to get him up here

[Casey Grove]

for 81,000 with a higher cost of living. It's a difficult thing to do. Retirement system makes no difference. It's salaries. Legislators have tried dozens of times over the past 20 years to reinstate a pension system. Today's vote brings it closer than ever to becoming a reality. A House concurrence vote expected tomorrow would send it to the governor. Governor Mike Dunleavy's office won't say whether the governor plans to sign or veto the bill. He expressed skepticism of a pension plan in 2024 as the legislature considered a similar bill. Well, a pair of bills in the Alaska Legislature seek to create a statewide sentencing program specifically for military veterans. The Senate version of the bill has only had one hearing, and its supporters are doubtful it'll pass this year. Still, they're hoping to generate more conversation about how restorative justice programs could help Alaska veterans. The Veterans justice act would give state courts rehabilitative sentencing options like deferred judgments, treatment plans, therapeutic intervention and probation. Brock Hunter is the co founder of Veterans Defense Project, a Minnesota based nonprofit that provides legal defense for veterans in the justice system. In recent testimony to the Alaska House, he said this program is especially important in Alaska, which has the nation's highest population of veterans per capita.

[Attorney or Legal Expert (possibly Kevin Fitzgerald or Matthew Singer)]

This bill is intended to use existing resources within the court system and to better and more efficiently cap federal resources from the Veterans Administration in a way that not only should not cost Alaska money, but could well in fact save Alaska money.

[Casey Grove]

Similar laws exist in other states like California, Texas and Minnesota, and Alaska already has two local veteran courts, one in Anchorage and one in Fairbanks. But advocates of the bill say that's not enough and that some Alaska veterans are slipping through the cracks. Senator Lukie Tobin, who represents the district that contains Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, is the bill's sponsor in the Senate. She says the way wars are fought has changed in the last few decades and that's created new and lasting pressure on service members.

[Attorney or Legal Expert (possibly Kevin Fitzgerald or Matthew Singer)]

Consequences of military service have increased rates of PTSD and in substance misuse and in the need for us to really take into consideration the person's psyche and body and their ability to reason through situations.

[Casey Grove]

Senator Tobin says Alaska veterans deserve more support in the justice system and that the bill would give state courts more tools for treatment based sentencing options. But she says work in the Legislature will continue past the current session and she expects the bill will pass within the next couple years. Last year's federal budget reconciliation bill included billions of dollars for aviation improvements around the country, including many new weather stations in Alaska. But with construction season just around the corner, the Alaska Desk's Alena Nydin reports that it's still unclear where those new stations will be.

[Alena Nydin]

Last year, a new pot of federal funding promised to bring more than 160 weather stations to Alaska to make flying safer in a state that's long seen a high rate of deadly plane crashes. Aviation experts and air carriers say they expect to see some of the new weather stations come online this summer. But the Federal Aviation Administration has not said where those stations will be. Dan Nesek is the president of Grand Aviation. He says that information would help companies make sure they have all the approvals they will need to use the new stations.

[Attorney or Legal Expert (possibly Kevin Fitzgerald or Matthew Singer)]

It's building season pretty soon here. My hope is that the transparency will continue and that we will see a list of actual project sites for this year and the upcoming years as soon as possible so we can make sure that that we're ready for when those are in place.

[Alena Nydin]

Last July, the budget reconciliation bill, known as the Big Beautiful Bill, included more than 12 billion for aviation improvements across the country. Much of that money will pay for the new weather stations, ranging from weather cameras to more complex stations that include suites of sensors. In Alaska, the FAA partnered with air carriers and transportation experts to decide which communities most need the new weather stations. Michael Jones, an economist with the University of Alaska Anchorage, was a part of that work. He researched how gaps in weather reporting affect flights and food security in villages.

[Reporter or Interviewee (various, possibly multiple reporters or local officials)]

There are many places in Alaska that

[Casey Grove]

have well over two or three thousand pounds of freight and mail delivered per person annually, and so those end up being pretty high priority areas.

[Alena Nydin]

Jones says the working group also prioritized coastal villages that tend to have low visibility and place where medevac flights are more challenging. He says the group submitted those recommendations to the faa. Cole Pope manages weather camera program for the faa. He says the agency is not planning to release where they plan to install the new weather cameras because those sites

[Reporter or Interviewee (various, possibly multiple reporters or local officials)]

could change a little bit.

[Alena Nydin]

Bob says that the goal is to bring weather cameras to places like remote villages and flight routes where there are gaps in weather reporting.

[Reporter or Interviewee (various, possibly multiple reporters or local officials)]

So we're not putting cameras at Anchorage International Airport per se. They're not needed there, but they're needed in FL mountain passes, smaller airports where there's no other weather information, that kind of thing.

[Alena Nydin]

But there are clues about where some new weather stations will go. The Alaska Department of Public Transportation and Public Facilities has released public notices for new leases at several airports that mention installing or improving weather stations in the YK Delta, the Interior, the Aleutians and Kodiak. There is also one in Willow in south central Alaska. It is also unclear how the new weather stations will be maintained. Last summer, the FAA said the bill primarily funds new installations and upgrades, not maintenance. Weather experts have said that on any given day, 10 to 15% of Alaska's aviation weather stations are down or not fully working. Adam White with the Alaska Airmen's association says a lack of funding for weather station repairs has been a long time frustration.

[Attorney or Legal Expert (possibly Kevin Fitzgerald or Matthew Singer)]

The focus of what we're seeing here recently is expansion of infrastructure and new infrastructure. Not necessarily how do we maintain what we currently have.

[Alena Nydin]

But overall, White says that the aviation provisions in the bill are desperately needed across Alaska.

[Attorney or Legal Expert (possibly Kevin Fitzgerald or Matthew Singer)]

It's going to make life a lot safer.

[Alena Nydin]

The FIA plans to install about 64 weather cameras in many of the new weather stations by the end of the 2028. In Anchorage, I am Alena Knighton.

[Casey Grove]

Still to come on Alaska News Nightly, Skagway is set to receive tens of millions of dollars to construct a dock for industrial shipments.

[Reporter or Interviewee (various, possibly multiple reporters or local officials)]

It's replacing old wooden infrastructure that's definitely outdated and needed of replacement.

[Casey Grove]

That's ahead. Stay with us. A former Superior Court judge who was based in Nome faces new misconduct charges after investigators say he misrepresented his knowledge of contact with apparent sex workers. KOM's Ben Townsend has more.

[Ben Townsend]

Judge Romano DiBenedetto was on administrative leave in late March while the Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct investigated misconduct allegations when he announced his retirement. That investigation found DiBenedetto put personal matters over professional obligations and that he mocked Alaska Native accents, among other allegations. The commission issued a recommendation for a public reprimand in February. The latest charges center on a different 2023 complaint involving DiBenedetto's personal Facebook account. According to charges filed by the Commission, DiBenedetto's Facebook activity implied public friendships with apparent female sex workers. When questioned by commission staff in 2023 D, Benedetto expressed surprise about those apparent Facebook connections and denied knowing about them or how they could be connected to him. The commission said. DiBenedetto agreed to remove the posts. The commission now alleges DiBenedetto misrepresented his knowledge of why the posts appeared on his Facebook page. The complaint says the commission was contacted in February by the director of the Alaska Department of Law's Criminal Division. According to the complaint. The director shared that DiBenedetto's name appeared in two separate, now closed criminal investigations into sex trafficking from 2021 and 2023 D. Benedetto's phone number appeared once in each case, according to the complaint. Each call was to a different victim of an alleged sex trafficking operation and lasted about 20 seconds each. The commission did not accuse D. Benedetto of committing a crime, rather that he engaged in conduct that violated the Alaska Code of Judicial Conduct. The complaint signed by Commission Chair Amy Mead, says, quote, by associating with individuals who appeared to be sex workers on a Facebook page that showed him as a judge and further misrepresenting his knowledge and intent to associate with those individuals throughout the judicial conduct investigation, Judge DiBenedetto intentionally deceived the Commission, end quote. Under Commission rules, D. Benedetto has 20 days to file a response. In Nome. I'm Ben Townshend.

[Casey Grove]

The Bureau of Land Management says it will convey more than 1,000 acres of land to Doyon, an Alaska Native corporation that intends to mine it. The parcel is near Flat, a ghost town in western Alaska and lies just north of the proposed Donlin Gold project. Doyon spokesperson Shayena Kupluk said in an email that the corporation started exploring the land's mineral potential in the 1970s and is now working with Canadian mining company Tectonic Metals. The corporation plans to begin a large exploration drilling program this year. Environmental groups say they're monitoring the situation. In an emailed statement, Northern Alaska Environmental Center President Crystal Lapp encouraged transparency for such projects and said it was important for the public to understand how land ownership changes can shape long term decisions about development, conservation and subsistence resources. Federal officials say the land transfer was a legal obligation under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement act, which gave Alaska Native corporations the right to select millions of acres of federal land, and that it was not related to recent executive orders seeking to advance mining and oil development in Alaska. The company proposing the new Amalga gold mine in Juneau, announced Thursday that it plans to build its ORD barge dock at Cascade Point regardless of whether the state moves forward with its controversial ferry terminal at the same location. The company also provided more detailed mining plans, including how the operation could affect jobs and recreation in the area. KTOO's Alex Solomon reports.

[Alex Solomon]

There's still no timeline for when the new Amalga gold mine could open in Juneau, but Grand Portage Resources, the Canadian company proposing it, has released more information about how it plans to operate. Graham Neal is a spokesperson for Grand Portage. At a Juneau Chamber of Commerce luncheon, he told dozens of local business representatives that a barge dock for the new Amalgam mine won't depend on the state's proposed Cascade Point ferry terminal.

[Reporter or Interviewee (various, possibly multiple reporters or local officials)]

It's completely separate from the Alaska Marine highway ferry terminal.

[Alex Solomon]

The first phase of that ferry terminal project was originally slated for construction this summer, but was postponed when A federal agency asked the state to submit design plans for the second phase, too. The proposed terminal has drawn widespread opposition from community members who have said it would benefit mining companies and inconvenience ferry passengers. Neil says the only piece of shared infrastructure at the site would be an access road from the end of Glacier highway to the barge dock.

[Reporter or Interviewee (various, possibly multiple reporters or local officials)]

To access this facility, we would need a road. So if ultimately, you know, Department of Transportation Public Facilities doesn't build a road grant, Portage would look at doing it themselves.

[Alex Solomon]

According to its preliminary economic assessment published this month in Grand Portage, plans to haul truckloads of ore about 20 miles to the Cascade Point barge dock and ship it somewhere overseas for processing. Neil says that would allow the mine to restrict its footprint in Juneau. Since the material would be barged out, he says there wouldn't be processing facilities or tailing storage in town. The company expects to run about 72 trucks from the mine to the barge dock per day. Neil says the company would hold off on trucking during warm weather, weekends and holidays to limit traffic noise, especially in the summer.

[Reporter or Interviewee (various, possibly multiple reporters or local officials)]

On weekends, significant events, 4th of July, grad weekend, something like that, when there's going to be a lot of anticipated traffic on the road.

[Alex Solomon]

Mining operations would cut through forest and wetlands in a popular hiking area near the Herbert Glacier, Eagle Glacier and Windfall Lake trails. The company is seeking approval from the state to build a 1.3 mile long road between Herbert river and Eagle river this summer. Neil says this would be the first segment of road that would eventually intersect Herbert Glacier Trail, cross the Herbert river to a materials handling area and then extend to a portal with a tunnel to the mine site near the face of Herbert Glacier. Pending approval, Grand Portage is preparing to apply for fast federal permitting. Neil says the company estimates the mine will supply Juneau with more than 270 jobs. At the luncheon, Juneau resident Drew Green said he's involved in tourism and mining and that both are important for providing jobs and taxes that sustain the city's economy.

[Reporter or Interviewee (various, possibly multiple reporters or local officials)]

I see this as a critical necessity for Juneau to survive. This is a sustainability of Juneau project.

[Alex Solomon]

The preliminary economic assessment projects an initial mine lifespan of seven years, with a total of about a million ounces of gold. Neil says the company expects to turn a profit after about a year of production. Tyler Breen is an environmental policy analyst at Southeast Alaska Conservation Council. Following the luncheon, he says the development should get a hard look and that it's important to protect other economic drivers in the area.

[Reporter or Interviewee (various, possibly multiple reporters or local officials)]

Our concerns are, I mean, ultimately impacts to watersheds, salmon the cascading impacts that that has on related industries like tourism, like fisheries.

[Alex Solomon]

This year, Grand Portage plans to do more drilling to gather data for mine development, install meteorological and stream monitoring equipment, and conduct baseline environmental surveys to support its permit applications in Juno.

[Casey Grove]

I'm Alex Solomon Three tribal organizations from the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta have launched a new resource page for their ongoing salmon advocacy partnership. The association of Village Council Presidents, the Yukon River Inter Tribal Fish Commission and the Kuskokwim River Inter Tribal Fish Commission launched a partnership called the Arctic Yukon Kuskokwim Tribal Consortium, or AYKTC, in 2002. A press release from the organization says the goal is to protect the ways of life associated with salmon by focusing on policy and advocacy rooted in science and indigenous knowledge. The tribal organizations have shown public support for a state Board of Fisheries proposal that would reduce salmon fishing time in Area M and have advocated for bycatch caps and migratory corridor closures in the Bering Sea pollock trawl fishery. Its new website, salmonpeople.org serves as a center for testimonials and resources for salmon advocacy. It features a collection of news stories and accounts documenting the impact of western Alaska salmon crashes on the lives of the people who live in the region. It also aims to be a landing page where people can learn about current fisheries policies and engage in advocacy. An Anchorage group hoping to prevent the closure of a local elementary school that focuses on science, technology, engineering and math took its case to court Monday. At issue is whether the district gave enough notice when it decided to close Campbell STEM Elementary School to address the district's roug $90 million budget deficit. The Campbell STEM Preservation and Education Foundation, a nonprofit formed in support of the school community, brought the suit. The group's attorney, Kevin Fitzgerald, told Judge Oona Gondabir that the time period between when the school was recommended for closure and when the public could testify was too short.

[Attorney or Legal Expert (possibly Kevin Fitzgerald or Matthew Singer)]

Five days is not sufficient time for appropriate preparation of opposition concerning an issue of this complexity and importance. Further, such short notice lessens the likelihood of a fair hearing before the school board and of the school board reaching a reasoned administrative decision.

[Casey Grove]

The group is asking Gondabeer to put a temporary block on the closure and order the school district to present to the public a detailed reasoning for why it recommended closing the school within 30 days. Attorney Matthew Singer represents the school district and board. He told Judge Gondabir that a proposed 30 day timeline would cut into the district's May 15 deadline to issue layoff notices, and he said the 11 days between when the school was recommended for closure and when the school board voted to close, it was enough time for the public to weigh in.

[Attorney or Legal Expert (possibly Kevin Fitzgerald or Matthew Singer)]

The point of the public notice and the opportunity for a hearing is not to demonstrate reasoning by the school board. It's to make sure the public is let in and the public gets to provide input. So it's and that happened here.

[Casey Grove]

Gondabeer did not say when she planned to issue an order on the request for a preliminary injunction. If the school district's decision stands, officials say they plan on transferring the school's STEM accreditation to nearby Clatt elementary and allow a lottery to enroll former Campbell students in the program. Anchorage School District Superintendent Jarrett Bryant said at a recent school board meeting that he does not intend to introduce any school closure recommendations next year. Skagway received big news last week. The borough was awarded a federal grant of nearly $39 million to construct an industrial dock that will allow the transportation of heavy materials. It could also help restart ore shipping activity through the Skagway Port. KHNS's Melinda Munson has more.

[Melinda Munson]

Skagway has applied for a Port Infrastructure Development Program, or PIDP grant administered through the Maritime Administration several times. This time they were successful. Very successful. Skagway will receive $38.6 million for a new industrial dock with a roll on, roll off feature and fuel header. The money is part of a much larger bucket of funding that will go to ports across the state. Here's Skagway Mayor Orion Hanson.

[Reporter or Interviewee (various, possibly multiple reporters or local officials)]

We've applied for that grant four or five times and every year gotten really good feedback but were not awarded. And I think that this is a it's a huge moment for Skagway moving forward as an industrial port and as a transportation corridor.

[Melinda Munson]

Hansen says the new dock is necessary for transporting heavy loads, something that the port has struggled with.

[Reporter or Interviewee (various, possibly multiple reporters or local officials)]

The dock it'll have a 1,000 pound per square foot payload capacity, which is much stronger than any other dock that we currently have in Skagway or have ever had. And it's replacing old wooden infrastructure that's definitely outdated and needed of replacement.

[Melinda Munson]

Emily Deitch is Skagway's borough manager. Her team has been working on the grant applications. Recently, Skagway's port director and deputy manager visited Washington, D.C. to meet in person with the Department of Transportation about the grant, and Deach debriefed regularly with the department to learn how to tweak the application for the next award cycle. Deach says she's relieved there won't be a next time, although she and her staff were already gearing up for the next round of grant applications before they heard the news. Deach says it was important to secure funding for this pricey project.

[Skagway Borough Manager Emily Deitch]

I would say we don't have much of an industrial doc at this point. When a firm or someone wants to come in, even if it's a bunch of cement or rail ties or bridge trusses or something like that, we can't offload them on the ordock. It won't be able to handle the weight.

[Melinda Munson]

To be clear, the new dock is designed to handle more than construction materials. It is designed with mining in mind. The new dock will be located next to the port's dismantled ore loader. That loader was taken down in 2023 partly due to age and the recent construction of a dock used primarily for cruise ships called Ore Dock. At about the same time, the Minto mine in Canada shut down. Now that mining operation is owned by Silkirk Copper, Selkirk hopes to start shipping ore concentrate through the Skagway port as early as 2028. A previous arrangement for the Yukon government to chip in $17 million for a marine service platform in the Skagway port disappeared amid a change in administrations. Deej says there are a lot of reasons to invest in the Skagway port regardless of Canadian mining.

[Skagway Borough Manager Emily Deitch]

We're not just talking about materials going to and from just Canada. We're talking about materials going to and from interior Alaska, the Arctic, all sorts of places. So I think that we're strategically located regardless of who's benefiting from it.

[Melinda Munson]

The municipality pledged an almost $13 million match for the grant. Mayor Hanson says that money will come from the port fund. As for when construction will begin, Manager Deach says to be patient.

[Skagway Borough Manager Emily Deitch]

Just keep an eye out. This is going to likely be vetted further through ports and harbors. There's going to be more discussion as this develops.

[Melinda Munson]

Deach says that although the Skagway Borough assembly already approved a basic dock plan, it still needs to be finalized. A funding agreement needs to be signed, and the project needs to be put out for bid. A total of seven Alaskan projects were awarded PIDP funds. Also among the grantees is the Alaskan Railroad Corporation, which will get about $20 million to upgrade the tunnel that connects the Port of Whittier to the mainline track. And Homer was awarded around $11 million to replace its aging float system and Chicago. I'm Melinda Munson,

[Casey Grove]

and that's all for this edition of Alaska News Nightly. If you missed any of tonight's stories, we're [e-mail] and wherever you get your podcasts. We had reports tonight from Eric Stone and Alex Solomon in Juneau, Shelby Herbert in Fairbanks, Alyona Nydin and Wesley early in Anchorage, Ben Townsend in Nome, Samantha Watson in Bethel, and Melinda Munson in Skagway. If you want to send us a news tip, question or comment, email [e-mail] Our audio engineer is Crystal Hyde and I'm Casey Grove. Good night. This is statewide news on Alaska Public Media.