Austin Baird
Alaska's News Source
Anchorage, AK, United States
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Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
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Past articles by Austin:
Anchorage hospitals see significant increase in newborns suffering from opioid withdrawal
The rising number of Alaskans using and abusing narcotic painkillers has financial and human impacts far beyond those grappling with addiction. → Read More
Governor Walker joins Trump delegation to pitch LNG mega-project
Alaska Gov. Bill Walker will travel to China with President Donald Trump to pitch the state's liquefied natural gas line. → Read More
State sues company that produces OxyContin
The State of Alaska is suing the producer of the opioid painkiller OxyContin, saying it violated Alaska's consumer protection laws. → Read More
Beached whale draws a crowd in Anchorage as scientists seek clues in carcass
When a whale beaches, a crowd gathers. → Read More
Governor announces details of tax plan ahead of yet another special session
If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again... → Read More
East Anchorage residents wary of bus depot move meant to make way for Midtown development
Buses rambling forward and beeping in reverse, diesel fume clouds stretching from exhaust pipes, and a long yellow line of traffic: these are things residents of a Muldoon neighborhood fear they will put up with all the time if a city development plan moves forward. → Read More
Judge approves ADN sale in bankruptcy court
Alaska's largest newspaper was set to run out of cash and end operations this Friday, but a federal judge on Monday approved a deal that will keep the presses running. → Read More
Alaska students failing at an alarming rate. What now?
Alaska students, at an alarming rate, fail to become proficient in math, science, English, and language arts, according to statewide test results released last Friday by the Education Department. → Read More
Mark Begich sounds like he wants to run for governor, but no firm decision yet
Mark Begich in an interview with Channel 2 News sounded like he is gearing up to run for governor, but the former U.S. senator said he is in no hurry to make a firm decision. → Read More
Why are Kodiak bears letting salmon slip away?
As Kodiak summers get warmer, the island's massive brown bears are increasingly walking away from streams that are bright red with sockeye salmon to instead graze on elderberries, a delicacy that is even brighter red which had always ripened in fall. → Read More
Walker-Mallott to run as independents again in 2018
On Monday in Juneau, the governor and lieutenant governor officially filed for re-election and announced they will seek a similar path to the one they followed in 2014 to keep their jobs for another term. → Read More
Anchorage police chief was secretly suspended in 2015, court documents reveal
The Anchorage Police Department suspended a former police chief without pay more than two years ago, but residents never would have known if not for a fluke disclosure in a civil lawsuit. → Read More
Here's why two Alaska soldiers are suing the government they serve
One thousand foreign-born military recruits face potential deportation because of a shift in policy on a program designed to attract non-citizens with language skills or health certifications into military service in exchange for a fast track to U.S. citizenship. → Read More
House passes budget, gavels out of special session
The Alaska State House passed capital, operating and mental health budgets late Thursday night and gaveled out of the special session. If the Senate doesn't approve them as-is, a government shutdown is more likely. → Read More
Alaska policymakers agree on Permanent Fund restructure, not much else
Democratic and Republican lawmakers with sway in the Alaska Capitol say they are unwilling to adjourn this year without passing a law that taps into Permanent Fund earnings to help close the $2.7 billion budget gap. → Read More
Senate passes budget, but Wasilla Republican breaks away from caucus
The Alaska Senate on Thursday voted convincingly to approve a government spending plan, but not before a member of the Republican majority decided to leave the caucus. → Read More
Alaska senate approves bill to legalize ride-sharing services
Ride-sharing services like Lyft, SideCar, and Uber took a step toward to becoming legal in Alaska, as the Senate voted 14-5 on Thursday to approve Senate Bill 14. → Read More
Legislature's approach to conflicts of interest on full display as budget passes House
A proposed end to state government's collection and processing of dues for labor unions revealed, the Legislature's current approach to conflicts of interest was on full display. → Read More
House-approved budget bill would create uncertainty when new fiscal year arrives
On Monday, the House of Representatives passed an operating budget bill, 22-17, with all members voting along caucus lines. → Read More
Alaska Senate approves bill to cap the PFD at $1,000 for the next three years
A steady stream of state government revenue instead of relying exclusively on volatile oil markets, and $1,000 dividends for Alaskans: that's what a bill approved Wednesday by the Alaska Senate would guarantee. → Read More