OneWeb has restarted ground station activities at Microcom’s Talkeetna Alaska Teleport. This marks the beginning of many critical steps necessary to initiate beta testing of the OneWeb system. Although this constellation will provide worldwide broadband service, terminal beta testing and beta testing with customers throughout the state will soon follow. Pacific Dataport and OneWeb are working together to deliver broadband to 100 percent of Alaska communities starting in 2021. Pacific Dataport’s founder, Microcom, has invested millions and built the Talkeetna Alaska Teleport for OneWeb’s regional connection to the internet.
alaskateleport.com | oneweb.world

Arctic Slope Telephone Association Cooperative turned up three new 4G LTE sites recently, making it the first telecommunications company to bring wireless coverage to the northern reaches of the Dalton Highway where no other coverage had existed previously. These sites will improve safety and connectivity along the remote, 414-mile critical Alaska corridor for both ASTAC and AT&T wireless customers. ASTAC has plans to turn up three additional sites on the Dalton Highway in 2021.
astac.net

Governor Mike Dunleavy has directed the Alaska Department of Law to draft an executive order reorganizing the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services into two distinct executive branch departments: the Alaska Department of Health and the Alaska Department of Family and Community Services. This reorganization will streamline and improve the delivery of critical programs and services while creating more flexibility and responsiveness in both departments resulting in improved outcomes.
dhss.alaska.gov

Travel Juneau launched Juneau Cares, a program designed to align Juneau visitor businesses in reopening Juneau’s visitor economy responsibly. “We recognize the need to grow confidence among locals and guests while fulfilling our mission to market Juneau responsibly to independent travelers and meeting planners,” says Travel Juneau’s President and CEO Liz Perry, who also notes the important role that the City and Borough of Juneau played in providing CARES Act funding.
traveljuneau.com

Alaska Airlines has reached an agreement in principle with Boeing to restructure the airline in preparation of receipt of a total of sixty-eight Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft with options for an additional fifty-two planes. Alaska is scheduled to receive thirteen planes in 2021; thirty in 2022; thirteen in 2023; and twelve in 2024. The delivery schedule will largely replace Alaska’s Airbus fleet and moves the airline substantially toward a single, mainline fleet that’s more efficient, profitable, and environmentally friendly, while enhancing guest experience and supporting company growth.
alaskaair.com

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has sent 1,300 learning kits to middle school students in six communities enrolled in its Opening the Box: STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) education program. The boxes, known as “Maker Kits,” were delivered to middle schools in Angoon, Sitka, Hoonah, Wrangell, Klawock, and Juneau. They are meant to help children learn basic fundamentals of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math in a hands-on, engaging way that incorporates Indigenous stories, Northwest Coast art, cultures, and languages.
sealaskaheritage.org

Harvest Alaska completed its acquisition of BP Pipelines (Alaska) Inc.’s midstream ownership interests on December 18, following approval by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska on December 14. Harvest immediately acquired BP’s approximately 49 percent interest in the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) and 49 percent of Alyeska Service Company and other Alaska midstream interests. Alyeska will continue to operate the pipeline as it has for decades.
harvestmidstream.com