A Fairbanks playwright and theater director is hosting a public reading of a new play for one night only, tonight (Thursday) to celebrate Juneteenth. The play will be read at 7:00 p.m. at 514 2nd Avenue in Fairbanks.

Firefighters scrambled Wednesday to attack several new lightning-sparked wildfires burning around the eastern Interior. // A state official is concerned that Alaska may fail to meet grant-match requirements and lose $600 million in federal funds for transportation projects. // A Fairbanks playwright and theater director is hosting a public reading of a new play tonight (Thursday) to celebrate Juneteenth.

At the root of the matter is a question about where the state should pull the money from to fulfill the match obligations.

Tuesday’s dry-lightning thunderstorms sparked dozens of wildfires around the Interior, including two fires in the Fairbanks area. // Teachers in Fairbanks held a rally Tuesday to protest Governor Mike Dunleavy’s veto last week of a bill that would’ve boosted funding for education. //The field of candidates for Alaska governor grew to four last week, after Matanuska-Susitna Borough Mayor Edna DeVries filed a letter of intent saying she’s considering a run.

This year’s fire season started slowly due to cool and rainy weather, but it roared to life last week with near-record heat and Red Flag warnings in effect around the Interior and elsewhere in the state.

Teachers in Fairbanks held a rally at the community library on Tuesday, to protest Governor Mike Dunleavy’s veto of education money last week.

The National Weather Service says Delta Junction and Tok will see the worst smoke over the next week.

Temperatures climbed into the mid-80s over the weekend, where they’re likely to remain until the end of the week.

This year’s fire season heated up last week with near-record temperatures and Red Flag warnings in effect around the Interior. // The National Weather Service issued its first-ever heat advisory for Alaska last week when temperatures climbed into the mid-80s in the Interior. // Heavy wildfire smoke from Canada drifted into eastern Alaska over the weekend, impacting communities from the Interior to Southeast. //The Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly voted down an ordinance last week that would've required voters to mail their ballots in time to arrive by Election Day.

Had it passed, the measure would have set an election-day deadline for the receipt of the mailed ballots.