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by Jacob Resneck, CoastAlaska A ferry reform bill passed the Alaska House of Representatives 37-0 on Wednesday, with no objections from the floor. But Gov. Mike Dunleavy believes the bill violates the separation of powers clause in the Alaska Constitution. House Bill 63 would create an Alaska Marine Highway Operations Board, which would craft short- and …

The Alaska Marine Highway System is at a critical crossroads, as the first round of hearings on restructuring the ferry system gets underway this Wednesday. A nine-member working group is reviewing a $250,000 study commissioned by the Dunleavy administration, one that’s already ruled out privatizing the state ferry fleet, because it doesn’t pencil out. Now …

For the first time, money from ticket sales and revenue coming in from passengers using the Alaska Marine Highway System, known as toll credits, will fund ferry and marine highway projects across the state. That’s in part due to recent eligibility changes within a Federal Highway Administration program. Last week on April 4, the Alaska …

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott speaks with NPR's Michel Martin about how the city has been working to reduce violent crime, now at historic lows, according to city data.

The M/V Tustumena docked in Kodiak. It’s the smaller of two ferries that service Kodiak Island. (Photo by Kavitha George/KMXT) Listen to this story; The M/V Tustumena had been in service for less than two weeks when it docked in Homer on July 26. According to an Alaska Department of Transportation press release, the Alaska …

It’s official; the Tustumena is finally being replaced. The over-$200 million project was announced by Governor Dunleavy during a Saturday visit to Kodiak. “We’re going to be directing the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities to move forward with replacing the Tustumena that has served Alaska and has been homeport here in Kodiak since 1964,” Dunleavy …

February 10, 2021 by Jacob Resneck, CoastAlaska The ferry LeConte docks at Juneau’s Auke Bay terminal. (Photo by Ed Schoenfeld/CoastAlaska News) An Alaska ferry in Juneau was evacuated early Wednesday after a man drove aboard the vessel claiming he had a bomb. The LeConte was loading around 6:30 a.m. at the Auke Bay terminal for a round-trip …

Governor Walker and Heidi Drygas visit crab fest. Photo courtesy of the Walker-Drygas campaign. Listen to this story; Editor’s Note: KMXT will interview gubernatorial candidates when they campaign in Kodiak. You can find more information about the August special election, primaries and candidates for all races here. Election season is underway for Alaska’s race for …

Two of three of Governor Mike Dunleavy’s appointments to a new ferry oversight board are from Kodiak Island. Gov. Dunleavy’s office announced Friday that former Kodiak lawmaker Alan Austerman and Old Harbor village corporation executive Cynthia Berns would have seats on the Alaska Marine Highway Operations Board created this year by the legislature. Austerman is …

March 11, 2021 by Jacob Resneck, CoastAlaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has proposed a new bill to boost independent oversight and planning for the Alaska Marine Highway System. In a statement Wednesday, the governor said the legislation would improve the reliability and efficiency of the fleet. “As we continue efforts to restructure and modernize the Alaska Marine Highway System, it is imperative …