Newscast – Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025

In this newscast:

Juneau Democratic Representative Sara Hannan introduced a bill that would impose a statewide tax on e-cigarette or vape products and raise the minimum purchasing age in Alaska. Versions of this bill have come before lawmakers multiple times in the past few years and public testimony was divided.
Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order to eliminate federally funded programs that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. That order could affect a wide range of programs in Alaska, from climate research to summer camps.
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race will now start in Fairbanks due to a lack of snow, race officials announced yesterday. The last-minute change follows alarms raised by some mushers over the weekend who said stretches of the trail were not safe for their teams.