Anchorage goes back to school. Plus, a peek at this week's Alaska State Fair kickoff

Alaska budget surplus shrinks with falling oil prices Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( [Anchorage Daily News]( Today's sponsor: [Today's sponsor: Alaska Navigator]( Support independent reporting on what Alaskans care about most. [Subscribe today.]( Good afternoon. It’s Friday, August 19. In today's newsletter: - Students made their way back to school this week across Anchorage — on bikes, tumbling out of minivans and some on buses — with many families still navigating school bus service disruptions. - As oil prices fall, Alaska's projected budget surplus is shrinking and legislators will face a deficit if the price of oil averages less than $87 per barrel over the current fiscal year. - In Mat-Su, transportation chaos that started early in the week continued as the school district announced bus service for sports and activities would stop for a month. Some news from us: We're launching a new ADN Politics podcast as a way to help Alaskans navigate the wild world of Alaska politics. You can expect to hear weekly episodes rooted in our reporting and analysis, and it's available on most major podcast platforms. Our newest episode breaks down what happened in this week's statewide elections — give it a listen [here](. 🎧 🌧️ Anchorage weather It's rainy again today with a high of 53 degrees. It'll stay cool and rainy through the weekend and into next week. Sunday will get a bit of a break — it starts out with a chance of rain but then will be mostly cloudy with a chance for sun. Temperatures will range from the low to mid 60s. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com [Students head back to school in Anchorage on a first day that felt ‘more normal’]( [Students head back to school in Anchorage on a first day that felt ‘more normal’]( For many, the first day back wasn’t without its hiccups, as thousands of families grapple with disruptions to school bus service in the Anchorage School District. But for others, it felt a little more normal than years past. [Read More]( [Alaska budget surplus shrinks with falling oil prices]( [Alaska budget surplus shrinks with falling oil prices]( As oil prices fall, the state’s projected budget surplus is shrinking and legislators will face a deficit if the price of oil averages less than $87 per barrel over the current fiscal year. Falling prices have been attributed to an increase in global oil supply, an economic slowdown in China and fears of a global recession. [Read More]( [This weekend: Alaska State Fair opens, plus Chugach Fest and Greek Festival in Anchorage]( [This weekend: Alaska State Fair opens, plus Chugach Fest and Greek Festival in Anchorage]( The Alaska State Fair opens today in Palmer, with three weekends of entertainment extending until Sept. 5. And in Anchorage, the popular and long-running Greek Festival also opens today. [Read More]( [Mat-Su school transportation crisis prompts cancellation of sports buses]( [Mat-Su school transportation crisis prompts cancellation of sports buses]( School transportation woes continued in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough as schools informed families that no busing will be available for students' high school sports or activities for a month starting next week. The move follows [a chaotic start]( to the school year including missed bus stops and misplaced students. [Read More]( [Alaska job numbers for July up from year earlier]( [Alaska job numbers for July up from year earlier]( Alaska had about 9,900 more jobs last month than it did in July 2021, as the state experiences a more typical tourism season following two pandemic-stunted years. [Read More]( More from the ADN [Wasilla elementary school closes suddenly Friday due to staff shortages]( [Wasilla elementary school closes suddenly Friday due to staff shortages]( [Read More]( [Where to get a monkeypox vaccine in Anchorage this week]( [Where to get a monkeypox vaccine in Anchorage this week]( [Read More]( [Driver killed in head-on collision with RV on Parks Highway ]( [Driver killed in head-on collision with RV on Parks Highway]( [Read More]( [Murder, arson charges dismissed in fatal Bethel apartment complex fire]( [Murder, arson charges dismissed in fatal Bethel apartment complex fire]( (Via KYUK) [Read More]( [Savory pancakes and fritters make the most of your garden and farmers market produce]( [Savory pancakes and fritters make the most of your garden and farmers market produce]( [Read More]( [Biden administration tells airline CEO’s that flight disruption levels are ‘unacceptable’]( [Biden administration tells airline CEO’s that flight disruption levels are ‘unacceptable’]( [Read More]( [West High tennis continues to thrive under an Alaska coaching pioneer]( [West High tennis continues to thrive under an Alaska coaching pioneer]( [Read More]( [Get digital access to the ADN for as low as $1.99 for the first month]( and help us cover the news that matters most here in Alaska. 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