The Juneau Assembly unanimously agreed to commit $3 million in city dollars to a possible U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study that would examine engineering solutions for long-term glacial outburst flood prevention. Members made the decision during a special meeting Monday afternoon. They also agreed to spend $100,000 from the city's general fund to cover the cost of creating more accurate and detailed inundation maps and models of the Mendenhall River. The city has already set aside $300,000 from an emergency appropriation and this year's capital improvement budget that can be put towards studying and mapping the flooding this winter. City Manager Katie Koester said these are just pieces of the puzzle as city leaders and the Assembly work with state, federal and tribal agencies to make both short- and long-term plans in anticipation of another flood.  

Several buildings were evacuated and streets blocked off in downtown Providence Wednesday afternoon after reports of an explosion. Anthony Knasas told 12 News he was taking a photo of a mural on Clemence Street when a manhole cover erupted just feet behind him, sending flames into the air. The moment was captured on surveillance footage. "I've never been so close to being blown up before," Knasas said, adding that he didn't realize the "flame ball" was right next to him. Rich Schiappa, a security worker in a nearby building, provided the footage to 12 News. "I thought a bus actually flew into the building or something because it was that crazy. Then I saw people outside just pointing at the sky, and I don't even know," Schiappa said.  

VIDEO: Uvalde police alongside other agencies are taking part in a nationally recognized training to enhance future responses to active shooter situations. The three-day training is a major component of Uvalde PD's ongoing Guardian Initiative to overall improve the department and rebuild trust with the community following the Robb Elementary shooting on May 24, 2022. "We want to make this the safest community in the nation and that's why we've come together. That's why we're doing this and that's why we're willing to share what we've learned, even some hard lessons, with others," said Mike Davis, assistant chief of police at Uvalde PD. The FEMA-funded training centralizes around active shooter incident management. The three-day course at the Uvalde Civic Center features 60 participants, including law enforcement, fire and EMS personnel and 911 dispatchers.  

PHOTOS: Fast-moving Hurricane Helene was advancing Thursday across the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida, threatening an "unsurvivable" storm surge in northwestern parts of the state as well as damaging winds, rains and flash floods hundreds of miles inland across much of the southeastern U.S., the National Weather Service in Tallahassee said. Helene is expected to be a major hurricane — meaning a Category 3 or higher — when it makes landfall on Florida's northwestern coast Thursday evening. As of early Thursday, hurricane warnings and flash flood warnings extended far beyond the coast up into south-central Georgia. The governors of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas have all declared emergencies in their states.  

Authorities were called to Owasso High School's East Campus on Monday morning after a student brought a "radioactive rock" to school, prompting a response from local law enforcement and hazardous materials teams. Around 10 a.m., Owasso police and fire departments arrived at the school after reports that multiple students had handled the rock. According to officials, the student who brought the rock appeared knowledgeable about radioactivity, though it was unlikely to pose a danger. Out of caution, officials evacuated the immediate area and requested assistance from the Tulsa Fire Department's HazMat unit. The team arrived within minutes and used specialized equipment to test the rock and surrounding area, determining that it was safe.