May 3, 2016
Legislators have 45 days to negotiate purchase of building at Minnesota and Benson
The Legislative Council voted Monday evening to spend $12.5 million to buy a mid-town Anchorage Wells
Fargo bank building for Legislative offices. Gov. Bill Walker had threatened to veto the $32 million the Council planned to use to buy the downtown Anchorage Legislative Office building. A judge had also overturned the state’s lease at that site, saying the council had violated competitive bidding laws.
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Suit over Medicaid Expansion adding contention to Legislative session
by Associated Press
The majority leader of the Alaska Senate says he has recommended that lawmakers drop their lawsuit challenging Gov. Bill Walker's authority to expand Medicaid on his own. Sen. John Coghill says the issue has gotten wrapped up in the politics surrounding Medicaid expansion. He says the issue adds to the contention as lawmakers try to reach agreements on the budget and other matters to end the extended legislative session.
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Mat-Su Superintendent chosen to head Anchorage School District
Associated Press
The Anchorage School Board has chosen the district’s new superintendent – Deena Paramo. She is currently the superintendent of the Mat-Su Borough School District but will take over ASD on July 1. Paramo has worked in education for 25 years. She was chosen over more than 80 other applicants in the nationwide search. She’ll earn $235,000 per year.
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State Republicans pick new chair
by the Associated Press
At the Republican party convention in Fairbanks last weekend, Tuckerman Babcock was elected chairman and Rick Whitbeck was elected vice chairman.
Babcock replaces Peter Goldberg, who did not seek re-election to the post. The party said that due to a rules change at the convention, Babcock begins in his role immediately rather than having to wait until early next year to take the helm.
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Five villages to get improved Internet access
by Tim Ellis, KUAC - Fairbanks
Anchorage-based Quintillion Networks has resumed work on a major fiber-optic cable project that’ll improve broadband internet service in five communities in northern Alaska. As KUAC’s Tim Ellis reports, Quintillion hopes to link the Alaska cable to a larger system that eventually will run from Japan to Europe.