HB 281 mirrors legislation in other states due to shortage of pennies resulting from Trump administration’s halt in production

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The Transportation Security Administration has begun accepting Alaska Mobile ID’s at security checkpoints in the Anchorage and Juneau airports. The digital ID’s, which were introduced in the state about a year ago, are just starting to catch on, according to Lauren Whiteside, Division Operations Manager for the Alaskan DMV.

Whiteside said the Division has been working closely with partners for months to prepare Alaska’s Mobile IDs for use at TSA checkpoints in both airports.

“This is a really modernized movement that we are really excited to be a part of,” Whiteside said.

The IDs are obtained through an app that can be downloaded for free. The DMV website has links to the app stores as well as other information on how to obtain a mobile ID.

Whiteside said there are lots of advantages to having your state approved identification on your phone. At the airport, she said, it’s convenience.

“You know sometimes you have your kids with you, sometimes you are balancing carry-on luggage, and if you can do all of your check-ins just using your phone, that’s really appealing to people.”

But Whiteside said the main appeal is privacy. No information can be shared from a mobile ID without the user’s consent, and people can select how much information they wish to share depending on the circumstances.

“I can opt to send everything, which you would likely always want to do with law enforcement, but you have all these options on what you choose to send and what you don’t choose to send,” she said.

Whiteside said it’s important to remember that mobile IDs don’t replace physical IDs, instead, they’re considered a companion to a regular ID and people will need to carry both in case a physical ID is requested.

Although TSA acceptance is limited to just the Anchorage and Juneau airports, Whiteside said she fully expects the program will expand to other airports and other industries.

“As time goes on it’s going to become more and more common, so we recommend anyone who wants to have it- it is not a requirement -but anyone who wants it, we encourage you to go ahead and download,” she said.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – As the run-up to the 2026 Iditarod continues, two of Alaska’s most prestigious sled dog races saw their winners cross the finish lines Sunday.

The 2026 Knik 200 went to Eddie Burke Jr., who also won the race in 2023. The former Iditarod Rookie of the Year finished in 20 hours, 18 minutes and 51 seconds, nearly a full hour faster than his closest competition.

Meanwhile, out in western Alaska, 2019 Iditarod winner Pete Kaiser continued his dominance in the Kuskokwim 300 with his 10th career win at the event. The victory breaks a tie with Jeff King for the most Kuskokwim 300 wins in a career.

The two races do not normally fall on the same weekend, but the Knik 200 had been postponed three weeks due to poor trail conditions.

You can find full results for both the Knik 200 and Kuskokwim 300 here.

The 2026 running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race begins on March 8, one day after the ceremonial start.

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