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Good afternoon. It’s Wednesday, Feb. 11.

In today's newsletter:

New reports show that Bering Air exceeded weight limits on flights prior to the crash of an overloaded plane near Nome last February that killed the pilot and all nine passengers.
As it looks for ways to close the district’s $90 million deficit, the Anchorage School Board has decided to return to the idea of closing schools this year.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski pushed back against recent efforts by the Trump administration to curb a federal contracting program, which she and bipartisan allies said was vital to the Indigenous communities they represent.

They go higher than any aerialist, faster than a downhill skier. Broadcast drones are making a buzz at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy, both literally and figuratively. Their increased use sends a strong signal about how the Games want to be seen, but what do the athletes think?

Anchorage weather

It's mostly cloudy today with a high around 34 degrees, with snow showers likely until late afternoon. The forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies on Thursday and mostly sunny skies on Friday, and daytime highs in the mid-20s for the next few days.

Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today.

— Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com

NTSB: Bering Air flew overloaded planes prior to crash near Nome that killed 10 →

The Cessna Caravan that crashed in February 2025 was nearly 1,000 pounds overweight for icy conditions. The new information was part of a massive federal docket opened today.

Anchorage School Board asks for new school closure recommendations to help fill $90M budget gap →

The school board has tasked the administration with proposing schools to close or consolidate by Feb. 14. Earlier this school year, the board voted against closing Fire Lake and Lake Otis elementary schools.

Majority lawmakers say Alaska schools need more money from state →

After years of flat funding from the state and declining enrollment, school districts across Alaska say they are still in dire straits. Senate Education Committee Chair Löki Tobin called the increase approved last year “woefully insufficient.”

After Trump administration attacks, Murkowski and others defend ‘transformative’ federal contracting program →

Murkowski and other speakers emphatically defended the program, which over decades has morphed into one of the primary mechanisms for Indian tribes and Alaska Native corporations to develop major businesses sustained through servicing federal contracts across a broad range of industries.

Updated Anchorage recreation plan fills in missing trail connections →

For Anchorage residents traversing the city on foot, by bike or on skis, breaks in the trail system can force people to navigate dangerous highway crossings. A long-range trails planning project underway may slowly help fill in these gaps.