Friction over hearings exposes fissures in Alaska House

And: $5.6 billion Alaska transportation plan largely approved by feds after initial rejection ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( Good afternoon. It’s Thursday, March 28. In today's newsletter: - A new education package was presented in Juneau in an effort to revive talks of funding Alaska’s schools, but [a hearing on the bill was derailed]( when two members of the Republican-led House majority caucus engaged in a shouting match over a button. - Most of Alaska’s $5.6 billion, four-year transportation plan has been approved by the federal government, which will[allow construction projects across the state]( to be funded. - A doglike [robot is being tested to spook wildlife]( at Fairbanks International Airport while disguised as a coyote or fox, a state agency said. The start of the indoor gardening season in Alaska — April 1 — is fast approaching. On that date, the quality and amount of light through a south-facing window is sufficient to germinate seeds. Alaska garden writer, author and podcaster Jeff Lowenfels [tells you how to get growing]( now for a successful season later. Anchorage weather It's partly sunny today with a high near 39 degrees. There's a chance of snow on Friday that is likely to last through the weekend. A storm system moving into Southcentral Alaska is also expected to bring [strong winds to Anchorage]( and the Mat-Su. Daytime temperatures will hover in the low 40s over the weekend. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com [Alaska House education proposal reveals rifts and still-evolving policies →]( Wednesday’s friction during a hearing on a new education proposal reflected deep ideological and personal divides within the House majority. Meanwhile, hopes have been fading that an education bill can pass this year. ADVERTISEMENT [Alaska’s new robotic dog will be used to haze wildlife at the Fairbanks airport →]( The Alaska transportation department’s robotic dog, which the agency has called Aurora, will be used to discourage birds and other wildlife from settling near plane infields by imitating predator-like movements. The goal is to help prevent harmful encounters between planes and wildlife, particularly waterfowl. [$5.6 billion Alaska transportation plan largely approved by the feds →]( Labor and construction groups expressed relief that the summer road construction season could proceed. The state’s previous transportation plan was rejected by federal highway administrators after significant errors and problems were flagged. [Surprise cancellation of a legislative hearing on Alaska prison deaths exposes fissures in the House →]( After a last-minute procedural objection, the hearing on in-custody deaths was canceled on the spot, a departure from usual legislative decorum that left the lawmakers involved prickly and the ACLU fuming. [In Anchorage mayor’s race, Bronson closes fundraising gap, positioning campaign for runoff with large cash war chest →]( Mayor Dave Bronson has largely caught up to his chief campaign rival in terms of fundraising and is barreling toward a likely runoff election in the strongest financial position of the field. [2 school funding bonds worth $85 million could be headed to Mat-Su voters →]( One bond would provide up to $70 million for the construction or purchase of five charter school buildings, and the other would provide up to $15 million for maintenance projects. ADVERTISEMENT More from the ADN [Alaska’s Tongass National Forest will provide this year’s U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree →]( [Man fatally shot in West Anchorage apartment parking lot →]( [U.S. changes how it categorizes people by race and ethnicity, the first revision in 27 years →]( [Pickup involved in fatal Parks Highway collision had been reported for ‘dangerous driver,’ Wasilla police say →]( [U.S. clamps down on oil and gas firms releasing potent greenhouse gas →]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Click here to unsubscribe and manage your email subscriptions.]( Anchorage Daily News, 300 W 31st Ave, Anchorage, AK 99503, United States