Alaska News Nightly: Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Summary

Alaska News Nightly – January 21, 2026

Host: Casey Grove | Podcast: Alaska Public Media

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Episode Overview

This episode of Alaska News Nightly delivers a comprehensive snapshot of major developments across Alaska, from statewide fiscal plans and education funding lawsuits to community-level stories about road safety, childcare, and a unique jigsaw puzzle competition. The show leans on robust local reporting to illuminate how policy decisions, funding battles, and community initiatives shape life from Anchorage to Petersburg.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Governor Dunleavy's Fiscal Plan & Proposed Seasonal Sales Tax

[01:29–02:58]

• Governor Dunleavy is set to propose a temporary, seasonal sales tax as part of a larger fiscal stabilization plan.
• The plan aims to raise approximately $1.6 billion in new annual revenues starting 2027.
• Key components:
  • Limit on government spending
  • Changes to oil taxes
  • New formula for the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD)
• The sales tax and other measures are presented as a “five-year bridge” until anticipated state revenues rebound.

Notable Quotes:

• Governor Dunleavy [01:37]: “There will be a temporary seasonal sales tax concept put forth for discussion with the Legislature.”
• Governor Dunleavy [02:45]: “It’s a roadmap to inject stability, especially over the next five years…”

Context:

• Political support in the Legislature remains uncertain.
• Lawmakers have previously resisted such tax measures.

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2. Lawsuit for Adequate Public Education Funding

[04:27–07:54]

• Fairbanks North Star Borough School District and Cuspuk School have filed suit against Alaska, asserting the state is neglecting its constitutional obligation to properly fund public education.
• Advocates seek:
  • An “evidence-based adequacy study”
  • An annual inflation adjustment for education funding
  • Judicial recognition of the funding shortfall
• The case is not about damages but seeks policy change.

Notable Quotes:

• Caroline Storm (Coalition for Education Equity) [04:27]:
  “If the advocacy that we’ve done for a decade has not moved the needle, then we were left with pulling the other lever, so to speak…”
• Caroline Storm [05:09]:
  “I just don’t feel like they’re listening… we only got 39% of what was needed…”
• Caroline Storm [05:56]:
  “The education clause promises that Alaska school age children have the right to a sound basic education…”

State Response:

• The Department of Law says legislation, not litigation, is the proper channel; asserts the constitution delegates funding decisions to lawmakers.

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3. 11th Airborne Division on Standby Amid Minnesota Unrest

[08:42–11:03]
Reported by Tim Ellis

• Alaska-based 11th Airborne Division (1,500 soldiers) may be deployed to Minnesota due to unrest over a federal immigration enforcement operation.
• Concerns raised over the use of active-duty troops for domestic law enforcement.
• The White House and military have not provided detailed information.

Notable Quotes:

• Sen. Scott Kawasaki [09:24]:
  “We want to know… how long they’re going to be gone away from their families and for what purpose.”
• Suzanne Fleet Green [09:46]:
  “It’s sort of a shocking use of force and a shocking use of our armed services.”

Legislative Concerns:

• Sen. Lisa Murkowski emphasizes the need to be “strategic” with military resources, especially in light of Arctic security concerns.

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4. Anchorage Road Safety Funding Restored

[11:49–14:16]

• After previously cancelling nearly $20 million for transportation safety projects, the state restored—and increased—the amount to over $30 million.
• Driven by high rates of pedestrian deaths and public outcry.
• Projects include:
  • Increased lighting on Gamble Street
  • Fewer lanes and wider sidewalks on Northern Lights Boulevard
  • Lower speed limits

Notable Quotes:

• Suzanne Fleet Green (Anchorage Mayor’s Chief of Staff) [12:10]:
  “If you look at the numbers in terms of where vehicle crashes happen and where pedestrian injuries happen, they’re in Anchorage.”
• Shannon McCarthy (DOT) [12:32]:
  “Sometimes when you receive criticism and feedback from your partners, it’s an opportunity…”

Impact:

• Funding strategy: Advance-using anticipated federal funds to fast-track urgently needed safety projects.

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5. Juneau School District Childcare Program Debate

[14:06–15:36]

• The school board postponed decisions on reallocating $1 million for childcare programs.
• Debate centers on:
  • The current privately-run (Auk Lake Preschool) program’s state licensing status
  • Whether to consider YMCA Alaska as a future provider
• Auk Lake Preschool’s current aftercare program is running but awaits licensing.
• YMCA Alaska evaluating expansion feasibility; earliest new program could launch is 2026–27 school year.

Notable Quote:

• Nate Root (YMCA Alaska CEO) [14:59]:
  “…the soonest we would open a program would be the beginning of the 26-27 school year.”

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6. Structural Crisis at Antioch Junior & Senior High School

[16:11–19:08]
Reported by Evan Erickson

• Sudden building closure after severe structural cracks emerged in the gymnasium’s ceiling—risk of collapse threatens adjoining elementary school.
• Superintendent working to continue education in alternate spaces; gym demolition recommended, but funding remains unclear.

Notable Quotes:

• Madeline Aguilard (Superintendent) [16:27]:
  “…they start hearing these really loud cracks and then eventually someone looked up and was like, oh well, there’s also a giant crack in the ceiling.”
• Aguilard [16:53]:
  “…it’s about 6 inches. It appears that most of the gymnasium roof joists have already broken.”
• Aguilard [18:52]:
  “I mean, heck, even a funeral—like we, we were that space… for emergency response.”

Emotional Impact:

• Loss of essential space for schooling and community events; historic and social consequences.

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7. Anchorage Spring Election: Candidate Filing Opens

[19:23–20:35]

• Key municipal elections approaching:
  • Six assembly seats
  • Two school board seats
• Several incumbents are term-limited; voters must register by March 8, with the election held April 7.

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8. Wrangell School Board Creates K–12 Media Literacy Librarian Post

[20:35–22:38]
Reported by Colette Czarnicki

• The new librarian position will manage libraries and teach media literacy, with a focus on research skills and the impact of artificial intelligence.
• Some educators argue district should prioritize filling other understaffed roles (e.g., intervention specialists).
• Supervision assures current staffing is sufficient for interventions; board approves the new role at ~$73K total cost.

Notable Quotes:

• Joshua Garrett (Superintendent) [20:45]:
  “The goal is to inflame the love of reading in our students across the entire district.”
• Ali Howell (Teacher) [21:15]:
  “Essential roles are being temporarily filled by volunteers… while some remain unmet entirely.”

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9. Petersburg’s First-Ever Competitive Jigsaw Puzzle Event

[22:38–26:23]
Reported by Taylor Heckard

• The Petersburg Public Library hosted its first “speed puzzling” contest; seven teams competed to solve a 500-piece puzzle.
• The event brought out competitive spirit and community camaraderie, with teams refining their puzzle-solving strategies.

Notable Quotes:

• Participant Abby Hardy [23:19]:
  “I even like YouTube people who are like jigsaw contest puzzlers. I did not realize how big of a thing it is.”
• Winner Matt Powak [25:55]:
  “I mean, I hitched my wagon to a pretty good puzzler here, so I knew we had a pretty good chance.”
• Winner Lydia Martin [26:11]:
  “…it depends on the print and they picked such a good one. It’s a bunch of different feathers with different patterns and had this foil coating on it.”

Memorable Moment:

• The winning team finished in under an hour, well ahead of second place.

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Notable Quotes and Timestamps

| Speaker & Quote | Timestamp | |---|---| | Governor Dunleavy: “There will be a temporary seasonal sales tax concept put forth for discussion with the Legislature.” | 01:37 | | Caroline Storm: “If the advocacy that we’ve done… has not moved the needle, then we were left with pulling the other lever…” | 04:27 | | Suzanne Fleet Green: “If you look at the numbers in terms of where vehicle crashes happen and where pedestrian injuries happen, they’re in Anchorage.” | 12:10 | | Sen. Scott Kawasaki: “We want to know… how long they’re going to be gone away from their families and for what purpose.” | 09:24 | | Madeline Aguilard: “I mean, heck, even a funeral—like we, we were that space… for emergency response.” | 18:52 | | Abby Hardy: “I even like YouTube people who are like jigsaw contest puzzlers. I did not realize how big of a thing it is.” | 23:19 |

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Segment Timestamps (MM:SS)

• 01:29 – Governor’s long-term fiscal plan & sales tax proposal
• 04:27 – Public education funding lawsuit discussion
• 08:42 – 11th Airborne Division possible deployment
• 11:49 – Anchorage road safety funding restored
• 14:06 – Juneau after-school childcare program debate
• 16:11 – Antioch school building emergency closure
• 19:23 – Anchorage spring election candidate filing
• 20:35 – Wrangell K–12 librarian/media literacy job debate
• 22:38 – Petersburg competitive puzzle contest

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Conclusion

This episode delivers a rich mix of urgent policy issues and human-interest stories, capturing the pulse of Alaska’s statewide concerns. Listeners are drawn from legislative halls and courtrooms to gymnasiums and libraries, experiencing the interplay of political decisions, legal actions, and vibrant community life across the Last Frontier.

Transcript

[Casey Grove]

Support for Alaska Public Media on Demand comes from Siri, an Alaska Native corporation with operations and investments spanning five continents, 45 states and two US territories. It's a roadmap to inject stability, especially.

[Governor Mike Dunleavy]

Over the next five years.

[Casey Grove]

Governor Dunleavy begins to reveal details of his ideas for Alaska's long term fiscal plan from Alaska Public Media. This is statewide news on Alaska News nightly for Wednesday, January 21st. Good evening. I'm Casey Grove. Also tonight, the state reverses course after canceling millions of dollars in funding for Anchorage transportation projects.

[Taylor Heckard]

Sometimes when you receive criticism and feedback.

[Suzanne Fleet Green]

From your partners, it's an opportunity.

[Casey Grove]

Those stories and more tonight on Alaska News Nightly.

[Shelby Herbert]

I'm Shelby Herbert, a reporter with the Alaska Desk. That's a joint reporting effort from Alaska Public Media and kuac, where I work in Fairbanks and other public radio stations in Anchorage Haines and the Allusions. It allows us to connect to the issues happening in communities all across the state. You can hear our stories during the Morning News Alaska News Nightly or [e-mail] the Alaska Desk is only possible with the support of grants and listeners like you. Thank you.

[Casey Grove]

Governor Mike Dunleavy says he'll soon propose a statewide sales tax as part of his larger plan to stabilize the state's finances.

[Governor Mike Dunleavy]

There will be a temporary seasonal sales tax concept put forth for discussion with the Legislature.

[Casey Grove]

Dunleavy made the comments during a cabinet meeting live streamed on his Facebook page today. At the meeting, Dunleavy and the state's 15 department commissioners outlined their accomplishments over the past seven years. Dunleavy says a fiscal plan, along with moves to advance a natural gas pipeline from the North Slope are his two top priorities for the legislative session that began Tuesday. Dunleavy has been tight lipped about the specifics of his plan. The political news site the Alaska Landmine reported Tuesday that the plan would include a seasonal sales tax, a limit on government spending and changes to oil taxes, and a new formula for the permanent fund dividend. During the meeting, Dunleavy said he planned to start rolling out his fiscal plan next week. A required 10 year plan released alongside his budget in December identified some $1.6 billion in unspecified new annual revenues starting in July 2027. Dunleavy says he expects the plan to raise revenues, quote, pretty close to that mark.

[Governor Mike Dunleavy]

The proposal and the fiscal plan has multiple components and basically what it is. It's a roadmap to inject stability, especially over the next five years when.

[Casey Grove]

Revenue.

[Governor Mike Dunleavy]

Is not quite what it will be.

[Casey Grove]

On the years out, Dunleavy emphasized that Most of the measures he'd propose would serve as a temporary half decade bridge. After five years, Dunleavy expects state revenues to rebound thanks to increased oil production, growth in the Permanent Fund and the possible natural gas pipeline. Lawmakers have said they'll consider Dunleavy's proposals, but it's unclear if a sales tax and other components of Dunleavy's plan will have enough support to pass the state House and Senate. Dunleavy privately told lawmakers in 2023 he planned to introduce a sales tax, but he ultimately did not. 2 Alaska school districts are suing the state over what they say is inadequate funding for public education. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday on the first day of the legislative session by the Fairbanks North Starborough School District and the Cuspuk School, seeks to compel the state to conduct a study on the adequacy of school funding and develop an annual inflation adjustment for the funding. It comes after lawmakers passed a long sought increase to the state's per student funding formula, and getting that increase required the Legislature to override a veto from governor Mike Dunleavy. But it still wasn't enough. According to the Coalition for Education Equity, an advocacy group helping fund the lawsuit, Executive Director Caroline Storm says the state has failed in its constitutional obligation to provide Alaska children with an education it's.

[Caroline Storm]

Just very difficult for districts to feel like they're meeting the needs of kids and the state is really failing young Alaskans. If the advocacy that we've done for a decade has not moved the needle, then we were left with pulling the other lever, so to speak, to put additional pressure on the Legislature and the state to recognize the need for additional funding.

[Casey Grove]

The state, in response to this lawsuit, has essentially said legislation, not litigation. So why not, I guess, continue to just advocate for increases in education funding through legislation?

[Caroline Storm]

I just don't feel like they're listening. The amount of momentum and pressure on the Legislature last year, and we only got 39% of what was needed to meet the obligation for costs for two years ago. I don't know what else we can do. And if they're not going to listen to advocates, if they're not going to listen to the experts, then we need to use another mechanism.

[Casey Grove]

And then I feel like people, when they hear lawsuits, they think of one party suing another and trying to get some kind of money out of that, some damages. And that's not the case with this lawsuit, is my understanding. What are you hoping to accomplish?

[Caroline Storm]

Well, it's a constitutional case. The education clause promises that Alaska school age children have the right to a sound basic education and a meaningful opportunity to learn. We are asking for a few things. We're asking for an evidence based adequacy study to be done. These have been done in other states and it is just so we all have an idea of what an adequately resourced education system looks like when we're talking about every school in Alaska. Because right now it appears that the state funds education based on what they can afford, not what it actually costs. And then ideally a ruling from a judge that would indicate that they're recognizing that the state has failed to adequately fund a sound basic education.

[Casey Grove]

I'm talking to you from Juneau. You're in Juneau, I'm in Anchorage. The lawsuit was just filed. What have you been hearing from legislators about the lawsuit?

[Caroline Storm]

Extremely mixed. Some people, some legislators feel like it is going to give them the backing they need to push for new revenue or the backing they need to really address the cost of providing public education in the state. And obviously there are some legislators who think that somehow districts are awash in money and they don't need any more money. And so the lawsuit is frivolous or they will use it as an excuse to really not address anything and try and put a hold on any progress because now the state is being litigated.

[Casey Grove]

That was Caroline Storm, executive director of the Coalition for Education Equity, which is backing a lawsuit against the state over education funding. The state Department of Education and Early Development did not respond to a request for an interview, but a spokesperson for the Department of Law sent a written statement saying that the responsible path is legislation, not litigation that the Alaska Constitution does not set a dollar amount for education funding and to the contrary, gives the power to make funding decisions to the legislature and governor. Two infantry battalions with the Army's Alaska based 11th Airborne Division are on standby for a possible deployment to Minnesota, according npr. That's amid the unrest there over a massive federal immigration enforcement operation in the state. KUAC's Tim Ellis has more.

[Tim Ellis]

The 11th Airborne specializes in arctic conditions and mountainous terrain, according to the division's website. An 11th Airborne spokesperson in the division's headquarters at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, declined to respond Tuesday to KUAC's queries and referred all questions to the White House press office. But the press office didn't pick up the phone after multiple calls on Tuesday, and they didn't respond to queries emailed Monday and Tuesday. Democratic State Senator Scott Kawasaki of Fairbanks co chairs the Legislature's joint House Senate Armed Services Committee, and he has questions about the possible deployment.

[Suzanne Fleet Green]

We want to know, I think we deserve to know if these 1500 soldiers that are stationed here in Alaska, how long they're going to be gone away from their families and for what purpose.

[Tim Ellis]

Kawasaki said in a phone interview Tuesday that the committee usually deals with issues involving the Alaska National Guard, but he says the prospect of this deployment is troubling.

[Suzanne Fleet Green]

It's sort of a shocking use of force and a shocking use of our armed services.

[Tim Ellis]

Npr reports that the Prepare to deploy orders came days after Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection act to suppress ongoing protests over the immigration enforcement surge in Minneapolis. That rarely used law would allow him to employ active duty troops like the 11th Airborne to support the law enforcement operation. Joe Plesha is an aide to Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, and he said in a statement texted to KUEC on Tuesday that their office is seeking additional information on the apparent orders but had not received any as of Tuesday afternoon. Plesha added that given the importance of Arctic security, including threats from Russia, Senator Murkowski believes we need to be strategic in how we task the 11th Airborne. Senator Dan Sullivan said in a Sunday interview with Alaska news outlet your Alaska Link that he's hoping that the temperature in Minnesota can be lowered among both sides so the president doesn't have to use this option, unquote. In Delta Junction, I'm Tim Ellis.

[Casey Grove]

Still to come on Alaska News Nightly, competitive Petersburg puzzlers have a new place to perfect their performance.

[Taylor Heckard]

I'm really grateful that Petersburg wanted to throw one for like, people like me who go crazy for puzzles.

[Casey Grove]

Those puzzles are coming up. Stay with us.

[Shelby Herbert]

I'm Shelby Herbert, a reporter with the Alaska Desk. That's a joint reporting effort from Alaska Public Media and kuac, where I work in and other public radio stations in Anchorage, Haines and the illusions it allows us to connect to the issues happening in communities all across the state. You can hear our stories during the Morning News, Alaska News Nightly or [e-mail] the Alaska Desk is only possible with the support of grants and listeners like you. Thank you.

[Casey Grove]

Anchorage is set to receive more than $30 million for road safety projects after the state reversed course on a funding decision that drew widespread criticism last month. Suzanne Fleet Green is chief of staff to the Anchorage mayor. She says the money provides a huge opportunity to improve safety in the city, which has seen a record number of pedestrian deaths in recent years.

[Suzanne Fleet Green]

If you look at the numbers in terms of where vehicle crashes happen and where pedestrian injuries happen, they're in Anchorage.

[Casey Grove]

The city and State Department of Transportation announced the funding. In a joint statement yesterday, DOT spokesperson Shannon McCarthy said the pushback from lawmakers and officials motivated the department to find a way to move the projects forward.

[Suzanne Fleet Green]

Sometimes when you receive criticism and feedback from your partners, it's an opportunity. It's an opportunity to take a look and see, you know, what can you do? Can we put pressure on ourselves to deliver something faster?

[Casey Grove]

Last month, the state pulled nearly $20 million in safety projects in Anchorage. McCarthy said it was because there wasn't enough federal funding to go around. Now the department is essentially spotting itself the money using funding it knows it'll get in the future to pay for projects now. And McCarthy says once it decided to use that funding method, it found a few more safety projects it wanted to greenlight. That's why the total jumped from nearly 20 million to more than $30 million. The now funded projects include increased lighting on Gamble street and fewer lanes on a street. Plus, Northern Lights Boulevard will see wider sidewalks, fewer lanes and a lower speed limit. The Juneau School Board held off on returning about $1 million in funding earmarked for child care to the city and borough of Juneau amid questions about the current privately run program and the possibility of an additional operator in the future. Board Vice President Elizabeth Siddon said at a meeting last week she still has questions around how things are going with Auk Lake Preschool, like the status of its state licensing. Auklake Preschool started running an after school program at the beginning of this school year after the district stopped operating its own.

[Shelby Herbert]

I just think we're not ready, especially in a final reading, to make this decision. We don't have all the information about the programs and what options we have for kids at all of our sites.

[Casey Grove]

Siddon says there is also a possibility for YMCA Alaska to expand its child care program to Juneau and that the city funding might be able to be used for that. Nate Root is the CEO of YMCA Alaska. The organization currently runs after school childcare in Anchorage, the Mat Su Borough and Kodiak. In an interview with ktoo, Root said YMCA is looking into how feasible it would be to expand its after school childcare program to Juneau. He toured three schools last year and says the organization is working on surveys to see how many families are interested in the program. He says running a program depends on how financially sustainable it will be and will still take a while to get licensed by the state if they move forward with starting a program in Juneau.

[Suzanne Fleet Green]

To be completely transparent, it would look like the soonest we would open a program would be the beginning of the 2627 school year.

[Casey Grove]

Derek Swanson is the co owner of Auk Lake Preschool, which runs the current after school childcare program out of three schools in the district. He said in an interview Friday that the program is still currently unlicensed. Swanson says staffing issues have delayed the process, but with those now resolved, he plans to keep working on getting licensed.

[Suzanne Fleet Green]

It's been pretty successful overall. It was kind of a rush to get the program started and up and running, but now it seems to be running fairly smoothly.

[Casey Grove]

Swanson was unaware of the potential for YMCA to expand to Juneau, but says child care providers in the city generally work together to meet the high demand. The school board unanimously agreed to discuss the state of the after school child care program and the remaining city funding at its facilities committee meeting on February 3rd. Well, Antioch's junior and senior high school has been suddenly closed due to structural concerns in the school's gymnasium. As KYUK's Evan Erickson reports, the district is considering a controlled demolition of the school to preserve an attached elementary school.

[Governor Mike Dunleavy]

Cuspuk School District Superintendent Madeline Aguilard says the district has long been aware of structural concerns at the aging junior and senior high school in Antioch. But during the recent winter break, she said she was shocked at what one of the school's basketball coaches observed in the gymnasium during practice.

[Suzanne Fleet Green]

And all of a sudden they start hearing like these really loud cracks and then eventually someone looked up and was like, oh well, there's also a giant crack in the ceiling.

[Governor Mike Dunleavy]

Aguilart says the gym has been closed for more than two weeks. On Monday, the district abruptly closed the whole school and instructed students in grades six through 12 to report to the attached, recently constructed elementary school. She says the gym has become too unsafe.

[Suzanne Fleet Green]

You know, those cracks started off to be about 2 inches there on the ridgeline. It went the whole ridgeline of the gym and now they're about it's about 6 inches. It appears that most of the gymnasium roof joists have already broken. The structural engineer is estimating there may be about a quarter of them left.

[Governor Mike Dunleavy]

If the gymnasium were to collapse, she says, it would be catastrophic for the adjoining elementary school as well.

[Suzanne Fleet Green]

If that high school side goes down on its own, it's taking every single system down with it and we absolutely will not be able to have school in that building for the rest of this year for sure.

[Governor Mike Dunleavy]

Aguilar says the district is working to continue holding classes for displaced middle and high school students in the district office and other spaces in the community. She says the structural engineer recommended staying away from the junior and senior high school building altogether.

[Suzanne Fleet Green]

They strongly recommended the gym be demolished immediately and that no one be allowed near it until demolition or collapse is complete.

[Governor Mike Dunleavy]

Aguilard says she doesn't know where funding for a demolition would come from. She said she's trying to convince the state Education Department that the two adjoining buildings are separate schools eligible for separate levels of funding. The district is one of 19 in Alaska that rely nearly entirely on state funds due to an inability to collect significant local taxes, according to reporting by the Anchorage Daily News. Aguilard has worked for the district for seven years, the last four as superintendent. She says she's not sure how Antioch's schools ended up being connected. It was before her time.

[Suzanne Fleet Green]

I assume it's it's unlikely that a whole lot of places build a brand new building onto a 40 year old building, and I don't know how that went through any sort of approval process.

[Governor Mike Dunleavy]

Aguilart says a school demolition would represent more than the loss of a cherished space. For generations of Antioch residents who have passed through the school's halls, there's nowhere else to go.

[Suzanne Fleet Green]

Play an actual game of basketball. I mean, heck, even a funeral like we, we were that space and we are that, you know, space for a birthday party. We are that, that space for emergency response.

[Governor Mike Dunleavy]

Aguilar says the news has hit her like a ton of bricks. Now, she says, the district is rushing to meet with its insurer and take the next steps toward potentially leveling Antiox junior in Senior high School in Bethel. I'm Evan Erickson.

[Casey Grove]

Candidates are now able to file to run in Anchorage's spring election. That's as of Friday this year, voters in Alaska's largest city will decide six seats on the Anchorage assembly and two seats on the school board. Each of the city's six assembly districts has one seat up for election, and the school board seats are at large, meaning all of Anchorage voters will weigh in. Several incumbents are term limited this year. Assembly members Chris Conston of North Anchorage and Midtown's Felix Rivera cannot run again. Neither can school board members Andy Holloman and Dave Donnelly. Candidates have until 5pm on January 30th to file with the municipal clerk's office. The deadline for locals to register to vote in the city election is March 8. Ballots will be mailed March 17 and the election will be held on April 7. The Rangel school board voted unanimously Monday to open a new K12 certified librarian position that also focuses on media and literacy instruction. But some say the district should adjust existing roles instead of creating a new one. KSDK's Colette Czarnicki has more rangel.

[Colette Czarnicki]

Superintendent Joshua Garrett says the new librarian position would manage both school libraries and teach media literacy and research at the secondary level.

[Casey Grove]

The goal is to inflame the love of reading in our students across the entire district.

[Colette Czarnicki]

Garrett says the role would also help students navigate artificial intelligence and what it means for education.

[Casey Grove]

Not necessarily accepting, you know, whatever artificial intelligence means for us, but to be thinking about it, to be preparing for it. Because life is, life is here now.

[Colette Czarnicki]

But not everyone supports this new position. Second grade teacher Ali Howell told the board the districts should address other staffing needs first.

[Shelby Herbert]

Essential roles are being temporarily filled by volunteers, community members, while some remain unmet entirely.

[Colette Czarnicki]

Howell says those gaps include crossing guards, the loss of homework club and a lack of certified intervention specialists. She asked the board to consider retitling the position as an intervention specialist or expanding the job description to ensure the most vulnerable students are supported.

[Shelby Herbert]

Temporary solutions cannot replace stable, appropriately credentialed staffing.

[Colette Czarnicki]

Superintendent Garrett responded that the new role is not intended to be an intervention position and said the district already has the staff needed to provide those services. He noted the district employs five certified Alaska Reed specialists that could fill that need and said addressing learning challenges is a matter of using existing staff. More precisely, Alaska reed specialists support the lowest performing 25% of students in kindergarten through third grade. Those students receive extra intensive assistance every day through the program. The board ultimately voted unanimously to approve the new position. The position will cost the district roughly $73,000 this school year, with 41,000 going towards salary in rangel. I'm Colette Czarnicki.

[Casey Grove]

For some people, putting together a jigsaw puzzle is a leisurely afternoon activity. But for seven teams in Petersburg this month, the competitive, puzzling competition was anything but slow. KFSK's Taylor Heckard visited the event and saw some of the action.

[Taylor Heckard]

A group of people mill around waiting for their spot at the Petersburg Public Library's first ever jigsaw puzzle competition. Teams showed up early to make sure they could compete. Some teams talk strategy at the last minute, like Sue Flint and her partner.

[Casey Grove]

We've never worked on a puzzle together before, but we did have a two.

[Colette Czarnicki]

Minute conversation and we both do the.

[Taylor Heckard]

Outside borders first and then sort colors on another team. Abby Hardy says she did her research ahead of time. She has a similar plan. I even like YouTube people who are like jigsaw contest puzzlers. I did not realize how big of a thing it is. And I'm really grateful that Petersburg wanted to throw one for like people like me who go crazy for puzzles. Hardy's team is just one piece of a big group of puzzle lovers in Petersburg. But puzzling isn't something unique to the town. Across the US There are state and national jigsaw puzzle competitions where puzzlers prove their stuff. Patty Steele runs the local puzzle group, the Petersburg Puzzlers. The group wasn't affiliated with this event, but sometimes host their own competitions. Steel showed up to the library to.

[Casey Grove]

Compete and we get together usually once a month and do a puzzle for just general pop. And then we have usually two puzzle groups that are competition.

[Taylor Heckard]

There were more teams than puzzles by the start of the competition. Only seven teams made it into the conference room for the main event. Tables are spaced out across the room, each with the same puzzle on top. The puzzles are hidden behind wrapping paper so nobody can peek ahead of time. When I say go, you can open it and start. Kari Peterson, the library's program coordinator, explains the rules. Teams have two hours to finish a 500 piece puzzle. The first team done wins.

[Colette Czarnicki]

On your mark, get set, go.

[Taylor Heckard]

Today's challenge is a design of more than 50 different colored feathers on a white background. The room becomes a flurry of activity while teams scramble to sort pieces. Peterson, with the library, says she learned about speed puzzling from a patron. And it sounded like a lot of fun, so I put this together based on that idea, she says. People have loved the idea. Plus, she says, puzzling is a great way to cope with the winter blues. It's satisfying every time you find the right piece. Back at the competition, things have quieted down while the teams are hard at work. That is until.

[Shelby Herbert]

Okay, we have a winner.

[Taylor Heckard]

Just under an hour in, Matt Powak and his niece Lydia Martin finish their puzzle. The second place team would need 20 more minutes. Some teams wouldn't finish at all. Powick says his strategy was his teammate.

[Casey Grove]

I mean, I hitched my wagon to a pretty good puzzler here, so I knew we had a good, had a pretty good chance.

[Taylor Heckard]

Martin says she's only been puzzling for two years, but she's done a lot of puzzles in that time. And it's not always the number of pieces that make a puzzle hard.

[Caroline Storm]

I think it depends on the print and they picked such a good one. It's a bunch of different feathers with different patterns and had like this foil coating on it.

[Casey Grove]

That puzzle was definitely conducive to speed solving.

[Taylor Heckard]

The winners each received a gift card to the local toy store. But all of the participants got to keep a prize of their own, the puzzle they were working on in Petersburg. I'm Taylor Hec.

[Casey Grove]

And that's all for this edition of Alaska News Nightly. If you missed any of our stories tonight, we're [e-mail] and wherever you get your podcasts. We had reports tonight from Eric Stone and Jamie Deep in Juneau, Tim Ellis in Delta Junction, Hannah Flor and Wesley early in Anchorage, Evan Erickson in Bethel, Colette Czarnicki in Wrangel, and Taylor Heckert in Petersburg with those puzzles. Our audio engineer is Crystal Hyde. Madeline Rose is our producer. And I'm Casey Grove. Good night. This is statewide news on Alaska Public Media.