Annie Berman

Joe Hickel has put countless hours into his yearly creations, which have brought holiday joy to downtown Anchorage since 1978.

A pattern of snow, freezing rain and rapidly changing temperatures could result in hazardous driving conditions over the next few days, especially during morning commutes.

The proposal will be sent to the Assembly next month for review, then to voters in the April municipal election.

The extra day of closure for O’Malley Elementary followed a series of unfortunate events: an apparently unread letter from the service area responsible for clearing the road to the school; a forgotten, decades-old agreement; and a delayed phone call.

Superintendent Jharrett Bryantt stood by his decision to close schools until the roads were deemed safe, and acknowledged remote learning is an imperfect alternative to closing schools.

All bus routes will be operating Friday, the Anchorage School District says. Superintendent Jharrett Bryantt said Thursday he was “disappointed” the city still had not plowed some residential roads.

As COVID-19 relief funds dry up, the district will need to account for an estimated $95 million in missing funds.

With the latest snowfall totals, Anchorage is already experiencing its fifth-snowiest November on record — with more than half the month to go.

The head of the union said he hoped the new contract would help the district attract and retain teachers as it faces a rise in vacancies and staff shortages.

Some Anchorage parents lamented the loss of unplanned days off for their children to play in the snow. Others said at-home schooling helps ensure students don’t fall behind.

Chronic absenteeism is a metric school districts follow closely because it’s linked to poor academic outcomes and other challenges for students.

Two people died and five others were taken to the hospital after a fire at an East Anchorage fourplex early Saturday, the fire department reported.

The Alaskan AIDS Assistance Association is promoting increased awareness of and access to pre-exposure prophylaxis, also known as PrEP.

Trick-or-treaters may not to have bundle up as much this year, but early-season ice skaters should exercise caution as temperatures rise.

Thousands who’ve recently applied or reapplied for federally funded food aid have had to wait for more than a month for assistance.