Tim Ellis

Local, state and military officials will meet jointly tonight to talk about a new series of federally mandated air-pollution control measures that will be established in the near future around the Fairbanks area.

Recent exploration around the Pogo Mine near Delta Junction has shown promising evidence of more rich deposits of gold nearby. A Pogo geologist told a group of miners and industry officials Friday that more exploration will be needed before company officials can decide whether to expand the operation and develop the resources. But the officials are excited about the potential.

A senior official with the Alaska Economic Development and Export Authority says the proposed road to the Ambler Mining District in Northwest Alaska will be built only if the state gets firm financial commitments from companies that’ve expressed interest in the area. The AIDEA official told a group Wednesday at the Alaska Mining Association biennial conference that the state also would use that public-private partnership to improve the road, if more mining companies find additional deposits to develop in the area.

Fairbanks North Star Borough officials announced Monday they’re planning to close the Mary Siah Recreation Center and demolish the 67-year-old structure this summer. It’s the first of several projects borough officials will be announcing in the coming weeks in an effort to catch up on an estimated $400 million backlog of deferred maintenance on more than 200 borough facilities.

State air-quality regulators are inviting people who live in and around the borough’s air-pollution-plagued Nonattainment Area to take a look at a series of draft documents that outline the problem and proposed solutions. A local air-quality advocate says it’s important residents read the documents, to understand more about what’s being proposed to help clean up the area’s air -- and to participate in finding solutions to the problem.

The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District Board of Education on Wednesday narrowly approved the administration’s recommended $232 million budget for next school year. That’s 3.3 percent or about $8 million lower than this year’s budget, mainly due to anticipated cuts in both borough and state funding and a slight drop in enrollment. It would require the district to increase class sizes and cut nearly 50 jobs, and sharply cut back on sports and other activities – unless the Assembly and Legislature come through with more funding.

Owners of local marijuana businesses told the Fairbanks City Council Monday that the free market should decide how many retail pot shops the city should allow. The owners and other advocates told council members a proposed ordinance that would limit the number of shops and impose other regulations on the industry could stifle the economic benefits it’s generating.

Governor Bill Walker is inviting businesspersons from around the state who are interested in boosting trade with Alaska’s largest international trading partner to come along on a China trade mission to be launched in May.  A member of the Walker administration says the governor is especially interested in bringing along representatives of the mining and tourism industries.

Updated: A Fairbanks grand jury has indicted 13 Fairbanks Correctional Center inmates on charges of rioting and criminal mischief related to an August 17th riot at the jail. The inmates took over a part of the jail for about an hour and a half before surrendering after they were tear-gassed by members of two tactical police units that were called in.