Alaska Economic Report

Demand from the state’s most populated region could outpace supply as soon as this winter.

Dive fisherman are seeing the impact of sea otters up close.

There are a lot of vacant storefronts on Fireweed Lane. But experts say the area is ripe for redevelopment.

The Alaska State Fair predates statehood by more than two decades. It hasn’t always been in Palmer, either.

The region's largest firewood supplier is closing, leaving thousands of customers scrambling before winter.

ipnetting on the Kenai River is worth a lot to Southcentral residents – several hundred dollars more to a household than what they actually spend on it each season.

Alaska school leaders and public librarians are concerned about a potential cut at a time when districts are already struggling with budget deficits.

The number of cruise ship guests coming to Kodiak is expected to increase by more than 25% this summer.

If all goes to plan, the landfill will be running off a combination of solar, batteries and diesel by fall.

Alaska has one of the highest concentrations of federal workers in the country, and economists have been working to understand the magnitude of the federal job reductions in the state.

Along with worker shortages and rising costs, another factor is likely at play locally – Anchorage's aging population.

Many villages only get one or two fuel deliveries by barge each year, so high spring prices due to the war with Iran are mostly locked in, even after a tentative peace deal brought some relief to global oil markets.

At Celebration in Juneau, some attendees saved up for years to buy earrings for themselves and loved ones.

From fishermen to water taxi operators, high fuel prices are making waves ahead of a short summer season.

Jared Reynolds has an extensive background in the field, most recently as the executive director for the UA Center for Economic Development.

In the works at Ward Cove is a zipline adventure park, set to open this summer, and a combination brewery, distillery and winery.

There are several economic hurdles that make it tough to attract young producers, but a few farmers in Alaska are dedicated to recruiting the next generation.

Crystal and Tyler Howie say the lessons they learned and the customer base they built will make it easier to weather the current tough economy.

Jet fuel prices have soared since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran on February 28, causing airlines to cut routes and hike fares.

The average price of a gallon in the state costs about a dollar more today than it did a year ago, according to AAA.

School lunches are known more for soggy fries and pizza than salad and wild caught fish. But in Petersburg, students are eating fresh ingredients every day.

The COVID pandemic, when oil prices went negative for a day, is the only time in the index’s nearly 20-year history when prices were more volatile than they are right now.

Alaska’s newest kelp hatchery recently finished its first growing season in a mobile shipping container in Kodiak. The hatchery aims to help kelp farmers on Kodiak Island boost how much they can grow.

Geopolitical tensions last year caused some international travelers to cancel their vacations to the United States, and locally, Alaska tourism operators were navigating a puzzle of uncertainty.

The ruling is in, but uncertainty isn’t over.

Alaska already has some of the most expensive coffee in the nation.

A group of businesses that call the pristine wilderness home is mobilizing against the mine, with the goal of keeping the coast wild.

Lawmakers are scheduled to take public comment on the tax portion of Dunleavy’s plan Thursday evening.

The new storage projects may provide extra months of supply and help during tight periods, but it doesn't solve the problem of a looming shortfall of natural gas.

The company’s loyalty program was rebranded to Atmos Rewards last August, but the change brings more than a new name.

Alaska's largest pollock processors are abandoning a foreign worker visa program that once supplied up to half their workforce, citing rising costs and uncertainty under stricter immigration policies.

Using a menu from the American Farm Bureau, economist Mike Jones found the difference was more than $100.

The Trilogy contract is part of a raft of deals the Trump administration made this fall, becoming a direct equity investor in mining companies, U.S. Steel and chipmaker Intel.

The shop is a beloved community hub but owners say sales have dropped significantly.

Reports say the statistic dates back to the 1970's, but nobody knows the original source.

Getting voters to approve the tax may require addressing what UAA economist Kevin Berry calls “the Anchorage disconnect.”

The terminal would complicate travel for residents trying to access the hub-community for healthcare and air travel.

Even though soldiers are still getting paid, nonprofit groups that serve military members around the state say they’re seeing increased need for essentials and assistance with bills.

Teens make up almost 4% of the state’s workforce, the highest share since 2008.

As of Oct. 1, a change in the Essential Air Service program means the city of over 400 people have no regularly scheduled commercial flights.

Outside of Bethel, there’s only one official restaurant in the entire Y-K Delta, and hikes in bypass mail are making it tougher to break even.

University of Alaska economist Brett Watson analyzed the buying power of this year’s $1,000 dividend — and found it’s worth less than ever when compared to housing, gas, and other essentials.

Juneau voters will decide in this year’s municipal election whether the city should implement a new seasonal sales tax system.

The study showed heat pumps could extend Cook Inlet gas supplies. But they cost Anchorage residents an average of $2,300 more annually than natural gas heating.

Some elements don’t take effect for a while, but an economist says that doesn’t necessarily minimize the bill’s impacts.

Access to tannery services is just one of many barriers facing sea otter hunters.

At Elim’s ANICA grocery store, a 10-pound bag of sugar already costs $29.65, over three times as much as the same bag in Anchorage.

Mary Daly is the President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, which represents Alaska.

The commissary won a national award in June. Customers say the significant savings the store offers are especially appreciated in an expensive state like Alaska.

Trump signed an executive order earlier this month to extend the 90-day “reciprocal” tariff deadline to August 1.