A federal shutdown has arrived; here's what Alaskans can expect

A shutdown of the federal government is beginning Wednesday after Congress failed to find agreement late Tuesday to continue funding operations.

Essential services — including Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare and food-stamp benefits — won’t stop while airports will continue to operate.

But the impacts in Alaska, home to a large federal workforce, could be significant.

Alaska has been through federal shutdowns before, said Dave Owens, the representative in Alaska for the American Federation of Government Employees, in an interview on Tuesday.

But this one could be different, he said.

He said...