Kenai Peninsula: Chiefs emphasize unity in proposed EMS expansion

Residents of a large section of the Western Kenai Peninsula will have Ballot Measure 1 before them during next month’s municipal election. If approved, it would create a new emergency services area to encompass Anchor Point, Ninilchik and all points in between. The proposition was the topic on Wednesday morning’s Coffee Table with Kathleen Gustafson on KBBI. The push to create a combined “Western Emergency Service Area” came when the Ninilchik Volunteer Fire Department, a private non-profit organization, experienced staffing and volunteer issues. Needless to say, there are plenty of questions, such as these from listener Christine in Anchor Point. “Well, I'm kind of wondering since they're going to be merging the two areas, how much of the administration will be merged and therefore money made available by cutting certain administrative positions. Like we won't need to fire chiefs, obviously. We won't need two service boards, obviously.
KBBI-AM 890 Homer Alaska

Tracking COVID-19 in Alaska: 52 new cases, no new deaths reported Wednesday

Alaska reported 52 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, according to the Department of Health and Social Services COVID-19 dashboard. The state announced no new deaths Tuesday. In total, 44 Alaskans with COVID-19 have died since the pandemic began here in March. The state’s death rate is among the lowest in the country. In Anchorage, health officials said that cases of COVID-19 among people in homeless shelters had swelled to 193 by Wednesday, including nine people who have been hospitalized and one who died. Also on Wednesday, the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corp. announced evidence of community spread of COVID-19 in Nunapitchuk, which is northwest of Bethel. The announcement from YKHC, the Native Village of Nunapitchuk and the City of Nunapitchuk said that the determination was made after a recent case of COVID-19 couldn’t be tied to travel.
Anchorage Daily News