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[ad_1] Alaska Airlines has agreed to purchase Hawaiian Airlines as part of a $1.9 billion deal announced in April 2022. The acquisition is significant, as both airlines have committed to maintaining current neighbor island service. The combined company will retain both brands, a departure from the typical industry acquisitions that have led to a few major airlines dominating the U.S. market. Alaska Airlines will pay $18 in cash for each share of Hawaiian, with an additional $900 million in Hawaiian debt included in the deal. The joint company will be based in Seattle, with Alaska’s CEO, Ben Minicucci, at the helm. The acquisition is expected to add to profits within two years of the deal closing, which is anticipated to occur within 12 to 18 months. The combined airline will become par...

[ad_1] Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines announced on Sunday that they plan to combine forces, joining a growing trend of U.S. airlines seeking to expand through mergers. Under the agreement, Alaska Airlines will acquire Hawaiian for $1.9 billion, or $18 per share, which includes $900 million in debt. The merger is expected to help both carriers compete more effectively across the U.S. and globally, while expanding destinations for travelers and establishing the combined carrier's presence on the West Coast. The airlines stated that they would continue to operate under their respective brands and maintain a single loyalty program. The goal is to achieve run-rate synergies of approximately $235 million through the merger. The combined entity would be based in Alaska Airlines' headqu...

[ad_1] The Yakutat Block: An Active Seismic Region On December 2, 2023, at 21:36:58 AKST (December 3, 2023, 06:36:58 UTC), an earthquake with a magnitude of 2.0 struck 32 miles east of Cape Yakataga. At a depth of 8.4 miles, the earthquake's epicenter was located at 60.1609°N 141.5288°W. This event has not yet been reviewed by a seismologist. The Yakutat microplate, located in southern Alaska, is a region with a long history of seismic activity. The microplate was transported northward along transform faults before encountering the continental margin of southern Alaska. This collision has resulted in complex seismotectonic interactions and has created a highly active seismic belt in the region. Notable historical seismic events in the Yakutat Bay area include the 1899 M8.1 and M8.2 ea...

[ad_1] Archpriest Michael Oleksa, a prominent figure in the Orthodox Church in America and advocate for cross-cultural communication in Alaska, has passed away at the age of 76. Born in Pennsylvania in 1947, Oleksa arrived in Alaska in 1970 and dedicated his life to bridging the gap between Alaska's white and Native communities, as well as fostering understanding between different age groups. Oleksa's approach to communication and understanding among cultures was shaped by his interactions with the Native people of Alaska. He listened and learned from the elders, recognizing and valuing their wisdom and unique cultural practices. This approach, founded on the principle of recognizing and accepting the value of other cultures, made Oleksa a disarming communicator and a champion for cross...

[ad_1] The photograph shows Mason Villarma, the interim manager of the City and Borough of Wrangell, who was present during the deadly landslide that occurred in November 20, 2023. This was his first day on the job. The article discusses various news topics from Alaska including the aftermath of the landslide in Wrangell, clashes between Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson and the Assembly over budget vetoes, and the debut of the hit musical Frozen in Ketchikan. The reports are made by journalists from Anchorage, Fairbanks, Ketchikan, Washington D.C., and Wrangell. The article also features an author box for Tim Rockey, the producer of Alaska News Nightly and an education reporter for Alaska Public Media. It provides a brief bio of Tim Rockey and his contact information. Overall, the arti...

[ad_1] Alaska Invests $1M in Animal Grain Reserve with Farmers Cooperative The Alaska Department of Natural Resources has announced a $1 million investment in partnership with the Alaska Farmers’ Cooperative to create an animal grain reserve. The reserve will store and sell feed grain, primarily barley, grown in the state to address the recent grain shortage and improve food security. State leaders, including Governor Mike Dunleavy, have recognized the need for increased agriculture infrastructure in the state. Governor Dunleavy stated that the partnership with the cooperative and others in the agriculture industry will support reliable locally grown livestock feed, ensuring that Alaska families have access to a consistent source of healthy, local food. The grain shortage in 2021 and ...

[ad_1] The recent ruling by an Alaska Superior Court judge has reinstated the ban on personal watercraft, including jet skis, in Kachemak Bay after a two-year-long lawsuit. The ban, which had been in place for nearly two decades, was repealed by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in 2020. The ban extended through the Kachemak Bay and Fox River Flats Critical Habitat Areas, covering almost 230,000 acres of important fish and wildlife habitat. Fish and Game Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang argued that the department had the authority to repeal the ban due to changes in jet ski technology since 2001, making them less damaging than other watercraft allowed in the bay. However, environmental organizations filed a lawsuit against the department in 2021 to reinstate the ban, citing concerns ...

[ad_1] The Wilderness Society Supports Formation of New Alaska Native Corporations The Wilderness Society, a conservation group, has announced a change in its position regarding the creation of new Alaska Native corporations in Southeast Alaska. The organization historically opposed the formation of these new corporations, but it now supports Senate Bill 1889 and House Bill 4748, known as the Unrecognized Southeast Alaska Native Communities Recognition and Compensation Act. These bills aim to create for-profit Native corporations for five Native communities that were left out of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971. The act, which transferred almost a billion dollars and title to 44 million acres to Native corporations, aims to rectify the historical wrong and ensure the cul...