Alaska News Digest – October 6, 2025

📰 Statewide / Top Headlines

• Winter weather advisory issued: Up to 9 inches of snow expected in parts of Interior Alaska (White Mountains, along Steese/Elliott highways) and south of the Yukon River. Travelers should be cautious. Weather.gov
• Mild weather holds for now: Most of Alaska will see mild, wet conditions into the second week of October. 
• DOT planning long-range vision: The Alaska Department of Transportation is developing its next Long Range Transportation Plan, projecting to 2055 to evaluate future infrastructure and mobility needs. Alaska Long-Range Transportation Plan 2050
• Southwest to serve Anchorage in 2026: Southwest Airlines announced it will add Anchorage to its flight network starting in mid-2026. Southwest Airlines
• PFD payments begin ($1,000): Alaska residents are receiving the 2025 Permanent Fund Dividend, which this year is $1,000. State of Alaska Dept. of Revenue – Permanent Fund Division
• Bear “Chunk” wins Fat Bear Week: A 1,200-lb brown bear with a broken jaw named “Chunk” won this year’s Fat Bear Week contest. Fat Bear Week 2025

---

📍 Southcentral (Anchorage / Mat-Su / Kenai Peninsula)

• APD Public Notice: Homicide Investigation at 2850 C St. Anchorage Police say they are investigating the death of 49-year-old Jason Ayojiak as a homicide after he was found unresponsive and injured outside 2850 C Street around 9:52 p.m. on July 7, 2025. Medics transported him to a hospital, where he died three days later from his injuries. Police said the case was not initially classified as a death investigation but was later updated, and detectives have been working it since July. No arrests have been made, and APD is asking anyone with information or surveillance footage to contact dispatch at 3-1-1 or submit anonymous tips through Anchorage Crime Stoppers.
• Ongoing investigation at Davis Park: The Anchorage Police Department continues to investigate the double homicide of Carl Nielson Jr., 44, and Sara Cummings, 34, who were found dead from apparent gunshot wounds on September 9, 2025, near the snow dump area across from Davis Park in Anchorage’s Mountain View neighborhood. APD’s Crime Scene Team processed the scene, and as of the latest update, no arrests have been made and the investigation remains ongoing. The department has not released additional details but asks anyone with information to contact APD or submit anonymous tips through Anchorage Crime Stoppers.

---

🌲 Southeast Alaska (Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan, the Panhandle)

• Wind & rain risks earlier system: Rain across Southeast Alaska through early in the week. Yakutat may have periods of heavy rain through today (Monday). Rain diminishes throughout the day on Tuesday with Wednesday being drier with some clearing. A quick moving system will bring rain chances for late in the week. Weather.gov
• Annual Water Line Flushing Underway in Juneau’s Mendenhall Valley: The City & Borough of Juneau Water Utility Division has begun its annual water line flushing throughout the Mendenhall Valley, from Lemon Creek to the Auke Bay Roundabout, scheduled to run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, through October 10, 2025. During this routine maintenance, residents may experience temporary water discoloration or minor service interruptions; to clear the water, run a cold-water tap (preferably in the bathtub) for 2–5 minutes after crews leave the area. Motorists and pedestrians are advised to watch for crews, exercise caution, and obey traffic controls. For more information, contact CBJ Utilities Administration at (907) 586‑0393 or for after-hours emergencies call (907) 586‑2165.
• Eaglecrest Board Finance Committee to Meet Virtually on October 8
• The Eaglecrest Board Finance Committee will hold a virtual meeting on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at noon via Zoom. Participants can join using the Zoom link https://juneau.zoom.us/j/88555371873 with Meeting ID 885 5537 1873 or by calling +1 253 215 8782. For the full City and Borough of Juneau public meetings calendar, visit juneau.org/calendar.

---

❄ Interior Alaska (Fairbanks region, central corridor)

• Advisories for winter weather: Expect a wet start to the week in Fairbanks and the Interior, with scattered showers today and a high near 48, shifting from a light northeast wind to southeast in the afternoon. Tonight will remain rainy with lows around 36 and southwest winds picking up to 10–15 mph. Tuesday brings more scattered showers and a high near 47, followed by a soggy Tuesday night with rain, fog, and an 80% chance of precipitation. Wednesday continues with showers and morning fog, highs around 51, and a 90% chance of rain, tapering to likely showers Wednesday night. Thursday stays cloudy with highs near 43 and showers likely into the evening. By Friday, scattered rain and snow showers move in, highs near 37 and lows around 28, with Saturday offering a brief break of partly sunny skies and highs near 38 before isolated showers return Saturday night. Sunday closes the week with scattered rain and snow showers and a high near 40. Weather.gov
• Troopers’ dispatches: Fairbanks and North Pole saw several arrests: Charles Yingst for theft by deception totaling $48,360, James Collins for minor operating under the influence and weapons misconduct, Raheim Rashid for criminal mischief, Jeffrey Hill and Wesley Summers for DUI, and Janell Williams for a warrant and probation violation. In Tok, Justin West was arrested on multiple charges including assault and terroristic threatening. Troopers remind the public that all charges are accusations, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Daily Dispatch

---

🌊 Western Alaska (Nome, Bethel, Norton Sound, Bering Sea region)

• Western Alaska Weather Forecast: Rain, Snow, and Wind Through the Week Western Alaska will see mostly cloudy skies today with a high near 43 and light northwest winds around 5 mph. Tonight, rain is likely after 4 AM with a low near 37 and southeast winds around 15 mph. Tuesday brings rain with areas of fog mid-morning, highs near 46, and east winds 20–25 mph, gusting up to 35 mph; Tuesday night will remain rainy with south winds around 35 mph and gusts up to 50 mph. Wednesday continues with rain likely and highs near 42, with west winds 30–35 mph gusting to 45 mph, tapering to a 50% chance of rain Wednesday night. From Thursday through Sunday, the region can expect cloudy skies with chances of rain or mixed rain and snow, highs in the upper 30s to around 40, and lows in the low-to-mid 30s, making for a wet and blustery week across Western Alaska.
• Local governance & subsistence alerts: Alaska Native tribal councils and borough governments are actively engaged in community meetings, marine safety initiatives, and subsistence resource management. For instance, the Western Interior Alaska Subsistence Regional Advisory Council held a meeting in McGrath on October 7–8, 2025, to discuss subsistence issues U.S. Department of the Interior. Similarly, the Alaska Nannut Co-Management Council, representing tribes reliant on polar bears for subsistence, collaborates with federal agencies to manage marine mammal resources firstnations.org. The North Slope Borough’s comprehensive plan highlights vulnerabilities in subsistence resources and users, emphasizing the need for sustainable management North Slope. Additionally, the Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council, involving the North Slope Borough, co-manages migratory bird subsistence hunts, ensuring the protection of Iñupiat subsistence rights.
• For the latest updates and notices, individuals are encouraged to check local Alaska Native and borough websites, such as the North Slope Borough’s official site North Slope, the Alaska Nannut Co-Management Council’s page firstnations.org, and the Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council’s site. 

---

🏔 North Slope (Utqiagvik, Deadhorse, Arctic region)

• North Slope Weather Forecast: Snow and Mixed Precipitation This Week According to Weather.gov, the North Slope can expect a mix of snow and rain through the week. Today will see a slight chance of snow before 1 PM, then a slight chance of rain and snow after 4 PM, with a high near 34 and east winds around 15 mph. Tonight, clouds continue with a low near 29 and a 30% chance of snow. Tuesday brings similar conditions with a high around 35, and Tuesday night may bring 1–2 inches of new snow as snow becomes likely with southeast winds of 15–20 mph. Wednesday is expected to bring rain and snow likely, turning to all rain after 1 PM, with a high near 38 and less than half an inch of new snow. The rest of the week stays cloudy with chances of rain and snow each day, highs ranging from the low 30s to upper 30s, and lows dropping into the mid-20s by Thursday and the weekend. Overall, residents and travelers should anticipate mixed precipitation, occasional snow accumulations, and consistently cloudy skies through Sunday.

---