Alaska Excursions

Alaska Excursions

Wide range of glorious day trips throughout Southcentral Alaska.

Iditarod 38

Photos and stories from the last great race.

Anchorage: 50°/62°/Partly sunny

Fairbanks: 39°/64°/Intermittent clouds

Juneau: 47°/55°/Cloudy

More weather

Alaska's 8.8% unemployment rate is highest since 1992

Related Links

PDF: Alaska December unemployment statistics

More from Alaska

New slides, washouts close northern part of Taylor Highway

New rock slides have closed the northern part of the Taylor Highway in Interior Alaska again, the state Department of Transportation said today.

Sarah Palin still a tourist draw for her hometown and Alaska

A year after Sarah Palin's abrupt resignation from the governor's office, interest in her and the small Alaska city she put on the map hasn't gone away.

Bear attacks bicyclist on Anchorage trail

An Anchorage cyclist riding to work was attacked by a brown bear near the notorious Rover's Run trail Tuesday, authorities said. Sean Berkey, 45, played dead and was not severely injured.

Brown bears boogie to Bach

King salmon fishing restricted on Anchor River, state says

Cruise ship makes first of nine Anchorage calls

Animal Planet's 'River Monsters' visits Illiamna Lake

Wolf population down in Denali, Yukon-Charley preserve

Alaska Airlines adjusts fees, rules for ticket payment

Alaska's first IMAX theater to open Friday

The Associated Press

JUNEAU -- Alaska's unemployment rate hit 8.8 percent last month, its highest level since September 1992. The rate was 6.8 percent in December 2008.

The state Labor Department cites several factors for the increase over the year, including job losses in the oil, construction, hospitality and leisure industries. It also attributes the rise in part to the growth in job seekers from other states coming to Alaska to find work.

The department says the state stayed below the national unemployment rate for 12 months, something it says hasn't happened since the early '80s, when the U.S. was going through a recession and Alaska was enjoying a boom.

The national unemployment rate in December was 10 percent.