Southcentral AK snowstorm closes highways and schools, knocks out power

Also: A federal judge in Alaska has upheld the Biden administration's approval of the massive Willow oil project on the North Slope. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( Today's sponsor: Support independent reporting on what Alaskans care about most. [Subscribe today.]( Good afternoon. It’s Thursday, Nov. 9. In today's newsletter: - Heavy snow [walloped Anchorage and other Southcentral communities]( forcing school and highway closures and knocking out power to thousands of people across the region. - A federal judge in Alaska [has upheld]( the Biden administration's approval of ConocoPhillips' massive Willow oil project on the North Slope. - More Anchorage School District students [are frequently missing class]( now than before the pandemic, prompting concerns about impacts on student outcomes and other challenges. In Alaska, the winters are long — but our growing season doesn't have to be. In his latest column, gardening guru Jeff Lowenfels describes how indoor herb gardens, like the Aerogarden, have made it easier to get folks started with indoor light systems. If you're curious about all the options out there, you can check out his take on different indoor growing systems [here](. Anchorage weather Today's heavy snow is starting to taper off, with a chance for light flurries into the evening that could include a mix of rain. Looking ahead, the forecast is calling for a chance of more snow and a high of 31 Friday before skies start to clear over the weekend, when daytime temperatures will hover around the mid-20s. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Vicky Ho, vho@adn.com [Southcentral Alaska snowstorm causes school and highway closures, power outages →]( More than a foot of snow — in some areas more than 2 feet — has fallen across Southcentral Alaska as the storm continues this afternoon. Chugach Electric Association reported thousands of members were without power and should “prepare to be out of power for several hours, perhaps all day and into tomorrow.” Several thousand more were experiencing outages on the Kenai. • [Heavy snow leaves Seward Highway impassable in places south of Turnagain Pass]( • [Photos: Nov. 8-9 snowfall in Anchorage]( [Federal judge in Alaska upholds Biden administration’s approval of massive Willow oil project →]( U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason rejected calls made by a grassroots Iñupiat group and environmentalists to vacate the approval and dismissed their claims against the project, which has widespread political support in Alaska. ADVERTISEMENT [Fire in makeshift camp structure kills 1 occupant in Anchorage →]( Investigators believe the fire at a camp near Bancroft Park, not far from Brayton Drive south of Tudor Road, was “started by a small heat source inside the tent where the fire victim was sleeping,” the Anchorage Fire Department said. [Dunleavy selects Republican to succeed outgoing independent member of Alaska House →]( GOP Gov. Mike Dunleavy has selected Thomas Baker — a Republican from Kotzebue who is the son of a state lobbyist — to serve in the Alaska House and replace independent state Rep. Josiah Patkotak. [Post-pandemic, Anchorage schools are grappling with more students frequently missing class →]( Chronic absenteeism, which is linked to poor academic outcomes and other challenges for students, increased in the Anchorage School District during the pandemic and has stayed high, prompting concern. [SPONSORED: ‘The No. 1 thing you can do’: This Alaska clinic eases dental anxiety and improves lives →]( Presented by Alaska Premier Dental Group: Treating dental anxiety has profound effects that ripple far beyond a simple dentist visit, says the team at Alaska Premier Dental Group. ADVERTISEMENT More from the ADN [Top seeds in Alaska 4A volleyball have a common goal: to claim their first state title in over 20 years →]( [Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia says he won’t seek reelection →]( [‘High-end’ brothels in Virginia and Boston served politicians and executives, feds say after bust →]( [‘You’re just scum’: Haley-Ramaswamy feud stands out in Trump-less GOP presidential debate →]( [Lovers are leaving locks at the Grand Canyon. Rangers wish they’d stop. →]( The ADN relies on readers like you. [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. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Click here to unsubscribe and manage your email subscriptions.]( Anchorage Daily News, 300 W 31st Ave, Anchorage, AK 99503, United States