Alex Bengel
Reporter/Anchor
Fairbanks, Alaska

Alex was born and raised in Oregon's Willamette Valley. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and History from the University of Oregon in Eugene in 2013, and moved to Fairbanks, Alaska in 2015. Since then, he spent a year working in Washington, D.C. before moving back to Fairbanks. He served with the AmeriCorps VISTA program for 3 years.
Education
Updated: 17 hours ago
|By Alex Bengel
The election was held in Two Rivers on Tuesday, November 21.
Updated: Nov. 27, 2023 at 5:35 PM AKST
|By Alex Bengel
The soup kitchen serves anyone who comes in looking for a meal, including those who spend their winter nights outside.
Updated: Nov. 22, 2023 at 6:42 PM AKST
|By Alex Bengel
This Thanksgiving, about 20 restaurants have indicated that their doors will be open for hungry visitors in the Fairbanks area.
Updated: Nov. 21, 2023 at 7:22 PM AKST
|By Alex Bengel
On the ballot was the dissolution of the Two Rivers Fire Service Area, which was voted into place in November 2022, in an election that caused contention in the community.
Updated: Nov. 21, 2023 at 9:26 AM AKST
|By Alex Bengel
Local non-profit organization Pleasant Valley/Two Rivers Fire Association has been working to prepare the community for its implementation.
Updated: Nov. 18, 2023 at 11:57 AM AKST
|By Alex Bengel
Election day is scheduled for Tuesday, November 21 at the Two Rivers Community Center, with polls open between 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Updated: Nov. 17, 2023 at 9:20 AM AKST
|By Alex Bengel
A total of 59 alternatives were presented, each recommending a specific action.
Updated: Nov. 16, 2023 at 9:13 AM AKST
|By Alex Bengel
Interior Alaska is home to four military bases: Fort Wainwright, Eielson Air Force Base, Fort Greely, and Clear Space Force Station.
Updated: Nov. 14, 2023 at 7:21 PM AKST
|By Alex Bengel
Tours are scheduled to start every half hour beginning at 10:00 a.m., with the last tour taking off at 5:00 p.m.
Updated: Nov. 14, 2023 at 9:05 AM AKST
|By Alex Bengel
Community members are invited to hear reports and ask questions.
Updated: Nov. 11, 2023 at 9:06 AM AKST
|By Alex Bengel
The Fairbanks North Star Borough’s Capital Improvement Program has been used to fund projects like the renovation of the Noel Wien Library and the John Weaver Memorial Skatepark.
Updated: Nov. 9, 2023 at 7:23 PM AKST
|By Alex Bengel
Kinross Gold Corporation has defended its right to operate and the safety measures being taken by the corporation.
Updated: Nov. 9, 2023 at 8:20 AM AKST
|By Alex Bengel
It is unclear when the ore hauls will begin, but are expected to pick up steam through 2024.
Updated: Nov. 4, 2023 at 12:15 PM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
Mayor Ward’s decision was formally announced at the October 26 reconvened assembly meeting.
Updated: Nov. 4, 2023 at 11:54 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
Two times a year, communities around the Fairbanks North Star Borough, can vote to decide what services they’ll receive.
Updated: Nov. 3, 2023 at 7:09 PM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
Kevin Pease, George Frese, and Eugene Vent reached the agreement with the Alaska Municipal League Joint Insurance Association, which insures the City of Fairbanks.
Updated: Nov. 1, 2023 at 2:57 PM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
In the borough, it is estimated that roughly 10,000 parcels of land, or 20 percent of the total, may have been illegally subdivided during their history of ownership.
Updated: Oct. 31, 2023 at 10:19 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
The Red and Blue lines will be running most of the length of the road, stopping at Bridgewater Drive, Carr Drive, Southern Avenue and Marika Road.
Updated: Oct. 31, 2023 at 10:09 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
While Saturday hours remain 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the facility will now open at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday through Friday, instead of noon.
Updated: Oct. 27, 2023 at 9:30 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
On Friday and Saturday, Oct. 27 and 28, a training facility at the North Pole Fire Station will serve as a house of scares, courtesy of students at North Pole High School.
Updated: Oct. 26, 2023 at 10:26 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
According to Kinross, mining operations began in mid-August after the project received its full permitting in May.
Updated: Oct. 21, 2023 at 11:57 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
The language of the ordinance argues that synchronizing local with state and national elections would make voting more convenient.
Updated: Oct. 21, 2023 at 11:40 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
On October 19 at 1:30PM, Bradley Carroll was taken into custody by Alaska State Troopers on two counts of Vehicle Theft in the First Degree.
Updated: Oct. 20, 2023 at 10:23 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
The play is a Sherlock Holmes mystery called “The Game’s Afoot, or Holmes for the Holidays.”
Updated: Oct. 19, 2023 at 10:14 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
According to the report, Alaska saw 247 fatal drug overdoses last year.
Updated: Oct. 19, 2023 at 9:48 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
At the meeting, the community heard from Superintendent Luke Meinert, who discussed various issues facing the district.
Updated: Oct. 18, 2023 at 8:51 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
These turbines are expected to have more than fourteen hundred kilowatt hours combined each day.
Updated: Oct. 17, 2023 at 9:32 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
Newscenter Fairbanks partnered with Madden Real Estate, United Way of the Tanana Valley, and Northern Laundry Services in the annual Coat Drive.
Updated: Oct. 14, 2023 at 12:26 PM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
Despite the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly and School Board officially being non-partisan bodies, each of the two major parties had encouraged their voters to support certain candidates.
Updated: Oct. 13, 2023 at 11:18 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
Since 2017 the borough has been working on the new Downtown Plan meant to replace an old one which was repealed.
Updated: Oct. 12, 2023 at 9:37 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
The Fairbanks North Star Borough found itself without a Code Enforcement Officer this summer.
Updated: Oct. 11, 2023 at 9:10 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
While candidate percentages of the vote shifted, no results were changed from Election Day as a result of the added ballots.
Updated: Oct. 9, 2023 at 6:23 PM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
The festivities included a fry bread fundraiser, fish skin sewing workshop and a demonstration of native games.
Updated: Oct. 7, 2023 at 11:18 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
The debris being burned was gathered over the last few years in an effort to reduce fuel for wildfires.
Updated: Oct. 7, 2023 at 11:08 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
According to FPD Chief Ron Dupee, limited response has been the department’s policy since November of last year.
Updated: Oct. 6, 2023 at 9:46 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
Borough transfer sites closing at night due to problems with littering, loitering, and other code violations.
Updated: Oct. 5, 2023 at 9:13 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
Up to 1,139 absentee ballots could be received by the borough, and 584 questioned ballots are being processed.
Updated: Oct. 3, 2023 at 8:28 PM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
The polls opened at 7:00 a.m. on Election Day, closing at 8:00 p.m.
Updated: Oct. 3, 2023 at 9:21 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
All candidates for borough assembly and Fairbanks City Council indicated they would vote in favor of both propositions.
Updated: Sep. 30, 2023 at 12:52 PM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
This week two Romanian men were arrested for allegedly perpetrating scams in Interior Alaska involving trading fake jewelry for cash. It is suspected more accomplices exist as Anchorage Police seek suspects.
Updated: Sep. 29, 2023 at 9:51 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
Maple and Matheson appear on the ballot for the October 3 municipal election.
Updated: Sep. 29, 2023 at 9:27 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
Last week, a dozen school districts in Alaska received hoax threats, many involving bombs in school buildings, leading to evacuations and school closures.
Updated: Sep. 28, 2023 at 9:41 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
Doran and Humphrey will appear on the ballot in the municipal elections on October 3.
Updated: Sep. 27, 2023 at 10:56 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
Burgess and Smith appear on the ballot for all borough residents in the Municipal Elections on October 3.
Updated: Sep. 27, 2023 at 9:15 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
A woman involved in two vehicle collisions with pedestrians claimed both times she did not see the pedestrians.
Updated: Sep. 26, 2023 at 2:56 PM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
The 2023 Interior Alaska Municipal Election is Tuesday, October 3.
Updated: Sep. 26, 2023 at 10:04 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
Glab, Williams and Terch appear on the municipal ballot for North Pole residents.
Updated: Sep. 23, 2023 at 12:02 PM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
Kun and Ringstad will both appear on the ballot for City of Fairbanks residents in the Municipal Election on October 3.
Updated: Sep. 22, 2023 at 9:30 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
MacDonald and Marney will appear on the ballot for City of Fairbanks residents in the Municipal Election on October 3.
Updated: Sep. 21, 2023 at 10:04 AM AKDT
|By Alex Bengel
Crass and Gibson will appear on the ballot in the municipal election on October 3.