Good morning, Anchorage.

The Anchorage Health Department opened 40 new homeless shelter beds Tuesday at the East 56th Avenue shelter and Linda’s Place, filling up quickly as colder weather nears.

City officials said they will add another 40 beds later this month to help residents stay sheltered.

A fire burned at a Whittier dock for over 12 hours on Monday and is now under investigation by the Coast Guard to determine its cause and any pollution impact from damage to 70% of the new cruise ship terminal (no injuries were reported).

BlueCrest Energy Inc. secured funding to drill a new well in Cook Inlet, which is expected to add 25 million cubic feet of natural gas per day by next year.

The project (prompted by a state warning letter demanding proof of funding within 30 days) follows a $30 million grant.

Alaska Pacific University will launch its new Bachelor of Arts in Indigenous Studies this fall, offering a focused curriculum on Alaska Native cultures, languages, and histories.

The program provides on-campus and synchronous online courses to prepare students for careers in tribal government, education and environmental stewardship.

The University of Alaska is reviewing a draft AI policy that requires each campus to have an AI plan for students, faculty and staff.

The plan — emphasizing data security — will be refined with fall feedback before a final draft is presented at the November regents meeting.

On Oct. 1, Alaska’s Department of Natural Resources will launch a new online system that sets a three-month advance reservation window for public cabins — except in the Wood-Tikchik Region and Kodiak’s Afognak and Shuyak Islands — while residents cannot change reservations from Sept. 28 through Sept. 30 due to the transition.

After a fire damaged a new Whittier cruise dock on Sept.

14, organizers moved the Oct. 3 USS Ted Stevens commissioning to the Holland America Princess terminal while keeping the reception at the unaffected Glacier Gateway terminal. A celebration is planned for Sept. 30 on the Delaney Park Strip.

The Alaska Food Policy Council has launched the AK Food Vote campaign to help Anchorage voters learn how the November election will shape food systems + from grocery supply chains to nutrition programs; the resource offers candidate survey responses, voting deadlines, and ranked-choice voting information.

Anchorage Fire Department records show that opioid overdose dispatches have increased dramatically over the past five years.

Emergency crews are now on the front lines, prompting a major shift in the city's public health approach.