Nearly every Alaska will get $1,606 dividend

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Nearly every Alaska resident will be $1,606 richer next week when they get their share of the state’s oil wealth.

The Alaska Department of Revenue announced the amount of this year’s check in a release Friday. It said nearly 631,000 Alaskans will receive the check, starting with disbursements Thursday. The total amount of the payout is just over $1 billion.

The announcement used to come with great fanfare, with the governor and revenue commissioner announcing the amount of the check — written on a giant fake check — during a news conference broadcast live across the st...