News at 6 - November 10, 2025

And breaking as we come on the air at six. Within the last half hour, the U.S. Senate passed legislation to reopen the government. That bill now moves to the House, which could vote as early as Wednesday. Let's get straight to the latest from our political reporter, Will Courtney, who spoke to Senator Lisa Murkowski just a short time ago, Will. Bill saying, quote, we're going to be opening up our country very quickly. But before it goes to the president, the bill heads to the House, which is gearing up for that Wednesday vote that you mentioned, Augusta, which will be watching the debates on closely. Now, until then, the government shutdown continues as Alaska's 15,000 federal employees still go without paychecks. 66,000 Alaskans face uncertainty with their snap benefits, and airfare delays persist. 10% of Ted Stevens Anchorage International's flights have been reduced. Now here's what Senator Lisa Murkowski told me this afternoon about the bill now headed to the House. So right now it looks like it could be it could be as early as tomorrow that the House is able to take this up. It may be Wednesday probably Wednesday is more realistic. My hope is that that once the House is able to pass this measure, that the President will promptly and immediately sign it. Now, since we talked to the senator a few hours ago, multiple of our national partners are also now reporting this vote. It's likely to happen on Wednesday. Tomorrow is Veterans Day, and many lawmakers headed back to D.C. or traveling in the middle of a government shutdown. Now, for my full conversation with Senator Lisa Murkowski, moments before she voted, including her thoughts on a deficit of trust in the Senate, catch the extra edition of Alaska's Political Pipeline podcast on our website, mobile app, or wherever you get your podcast. John Augusta. Well, Courtney, thank you very much. And now at six, we are learning more about a deadly shooting that happened at an Anchorage business over the weekend. Police say the killing happened in the parking lots of the Fox Hollow Golf Dome Saturday morning after a soccer practice. 36-year-old Luke Simonson told police he was driving out of the lot with his wife and four-year-old when he heard a woman shouting that he almost hit her child. That's when Simonson says 45-year-old Timothy Rodidier came to the front of the car, also yelling. Simonson says that he got out of his vehicle pointing his gun at Rodidier. He says that the two started arguing. Simonson felt threatened, so he shot Grosidier several times. Simonson says Grosidier did not have a gun. A witness told police Simonson did not give any warning just shot. Charging documents described dash cam video showing Simonson opening his door and shooting Rodidier immediately. Simonson has been arrested. He faces two counts of murder and an assault charge. Anchorage Police trying to figure out who broke into David Jewelers in Anchorage's to Cotinue area early this morning. Officers say it happened around 320. A store manager said that they closed today as they spoke to police and made repairs. She said things could have been a lot worse.

We keep our store pretty secured. We've got volts, so no clients merchandise were touched, no repairs, no custom projects, they're all secured. But very minimal pieces were left out, are of a lower dollar value. The criminal was caught on surveillance but covered most of their face. If you're able to recognize this individual, you're urged not to approach and call police. As the shutdown continues, several Veterans Day events that were originally scheduled for tomorrow have been canceled. However, the municipality of Anchorage will be going ahead with their event to be held at the 11th Air Force Americans' home from Siberia Memorial on Remembrance Circle at the Merrillfield Airport. It starts at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Mayor Suzanne LaFrance had this to say about the decision. Alaska has the highest number of veterans and retired military personnel per capita out of any other state. And so this is something really important for our community. Director of the Alaska State Office of Veterans Affairs, Verdi Bound, is expected to be a guest tomorrow. Just a reminder, that event is outside, so dress warm. All right, and a couple things tomorrow that veterans can enjoy. There is free admission at the Anchorage Museum from noon to six. The Alaska Zoo will have free admission from 10 a.m. to 4. Several restaurants, also great clips have deals, and we have a full list of all the events across the site or across the state on our website, Alaska's NewsSource.com. We've been seeing some of the coldest air this season, but will it be a similar scene for Veterans Day and through the week? And there's meteorologist Jackie Purcell joining us with the forecast, Jack. Well, you kind of mentioned what I was going to say, too. You've got to bundle up if you're going to any kind of ceremony in the morning. There's going to be a burr factor. Cold air is settling over the mainland and other areas of Alaska. We'll get some rough weather. from storms. Let's check it out. Here in the local area, we're seeing some of those lights of the city, so that fog, not an issue this evening, at least, not yet, but it still could be a... in some parts of South Central as we go into the overnight hours and tomorrow. You can definitely pick out that spin of low pressure. It's wet and windy weather, even wintry weather for parts of southeast Alaska where there's a winter weather advisory and a flood advisory. In South Central Alaska, you can see that storm system kind of... moving off to the south and east, but there's still that possibility of some snow showers. There did get some snow as that storm system blew across the Alaska Peninsula sandpoint, also seeing some snow there.

Across the south central region this hour, temperatures are right at 32 degrees and cooler, in fact, down to 15 degrees in Wasilla. Some of those areas in the valley could see some single-digit overnight lows. Fairbanks, a high of three degrees tomorrow. Sit 26 for the Anchorage area, and these two cities will see mostly sunny conditions provided there's not fog. And Juneau, wet and windy, a high of 46 in scattered snow showers out of the Bethel area and looking for a high of 20. I have more on the forecast coming up a little bit later right here on the newscast. All right, Jackie, thank you so much. And as people impacted by former Typhoon Hulong continue to navigate their next steps, there are several ways to seek help and find resources. Yeah, and here are a couple of them. The State of Alaska Individual Assistance Program for Financial Assistance for Property Damage. Also, the FEMA Federal Assistance Program. If you need immediate help, you can contact the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center. And, of course, organizations like the Red Cross, Salvation Army. If you'd like full details, they are on our website. Transitioning now in the run for governor or Democratic Senator Matt Klaman has announced his candidacy. That makes him the 14th candidate. Before entering the Alaska legislature in 2015, he served as acting mayor of Anchorage during the 2008-2009 financial crisis. Matt Klaman. And in Fairbanks, the borough mayor proposing that $1 million be spent to improve water meters, the mayor says a local utility company could not legally provide. water to some areas over the summer due to noncompliance with state regulations. The proposal would improve 13 water meters while six others would be closed either because they're not needed or can be served by other means. The Assembly is scheduled to hear that ordinance at their meeting on Thursday. So tonight our investigative team continues examining the impact of immigration policy in Alaska, including at Chena Hot Springs at the north or I should say the resort northeast of Fairbanks. It's both a local and a tourism favorite. 17 of the 100 staff members are Ukrainians who escape the war with Russia. They now live in Alaska under temporary humanitarian parole status. Gina Hot Springs' owner says that current immigration policy means their green cards are at risk. Told Augusta McDonnell that, well, when she was traveling there, that he's now working to establish a new path. And Augusta, I imagine he learned a lot traveling to Gina. Yeah, John, that's right. The Ukrainians who work in China have very much reestablished their lives at the resort. They live there, they work there, and now they've built a community that they hope to remain a part of. But the two-year temporary parole program that brought them to Alaska following the Russian invasion in 2022 was placed on hold earlier this year as part of the Trump administration's effort to review all humanitarian programs in the United States. People can reapply. Some applications are being approved, but it's slow. And now, again, as you... You were saying the proprietor of China is asking Alaska's congressional delegation and the governor's office to find a more permanent solution for his staff. Do you know what the options are on the table to create that pathway? We're talking long-term residency here.

Yes, they want a long-term solution, and there are several things that could happen here. We're in touch with Alaska's congressional leadership and the governor's office to learn more about the policy solutions that they think could work. Again, right now, there are 936 people from Ukraine working in Alaska under the wartime Uniting for Ukraine Humanitarian Program. Chena's proprietor, Bernie Carl, wants a carve-out option for Alaska's Ukrainians to get his staff and others, other working Ukrainians across the country. the state, a green card, which is a more permanent work visa than what they're on right now. He's saying he's supported and employed at least 17 Ukrainians now for years. They're a critical part of China's workforce, and he says they would be very difficult to replace if they were deported. Carl is asking Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, to support his proposal. We don't have answers just yet on what federal efforts are being made to respond to his ask. Of course, we're in touch with Alaska's federal delegation. They are in the middle of a bit of a shot. So we are preparing a story for Thursday where we're going to update our reporting on this topic. All right. And Augusta does incredible work. Our reporting does continue, as she said, Thursday. You can watch the story right now on our website, mobile app, and of course tonight on the late edition. Thanks for listening. Click subscribe so you can get the latest podcast from Alaska's news source automatically. And stay up to date with breaking news and in-depth reporting available for free 24-7 with the Alaska's new source app.