Newscast – Thursday, May 8, 2025

In this newscast:

The Alaska Senate approved its version of the state budget on Wednesday. It includes a $1,000 Permanent Fund dividend. And, for now, a slight surplus.
But senators say they expect that surplus to evaporate. And they’re warning of tough times in the years ahead.
Reporters on the Alaska Desk recently asked people all over the state some open-ended questions about how they’re feeling after President Donald Trump’s first 100 days. From the Aleutians to Southeast and the Interior, there are never-Trumpers and MAGA diehards – and some Alaskans having changes of heart. Here’s what some of them had to say.
Anchorage officials are preparing to roll out funding dedicated to improving the city’s child care sector. The move comes two years after Anchorage residents voted to dedicate the roughly 5 to 6 million dollars the city receives annually in marijuana taxes to funding child care initiatives.