Choose your location
Alaska Beacon
Federal departments announce about $280 million in funding for Alaska projects
Three departments of the U.S. government have announced they have awarded about $280 million in new funding for transportation and energy projects in Alaska, money made available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. In its announcement, the U.S. Department of Transportation said on Wednesday that […] The post Federal departments announce about $280 million in funding for Alaska projects appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Biden and Trump trade insults, accusations of lying in acrimonious presidential debate
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump pitched to undecided voters Thursday night during the first debate of the presidential campaign — trading insults over their policy differences, immigration and who represents a threat to democracy. During the debate from CNN’s headquarters in Atlanta, the two men argued over who would be better for […] The post Biden and Trump trade insults, accusations of lying in acrimonious presidential debate appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Alaska Supreme Court weighs whether correspondence education lawsuit wrongly targeted state
Alaska Supreme Court justices on Thursday weighed whether a lawsuit seeking to have the large portions of the state’s correspondence school program found unconstitutional wrongly focused on the state government. The justices heard arguments in the appeal of a Superior Court ruling that found a correspondence school program law to be unconstitutional. A central question […] The post Alaska Supreme Court weighs whether correspondence education lawsuit wrongly targeted state appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Federal regulators approve controversial Louisiana gas terminal project
A massive and contentious liquefied natural gas export project in coastal Louisiana and an associated pipeline got a key approval from federal regulators Thursday. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued an order granting permission for Venture Global to build and operate the CP2 terminal in Cameron Parish along the Gulf Coast and construct and operate […] The post Federal regulators approve controversial Louisiana gas terminal project appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Hilcorp announces plan to buy Eni’s oil fields on Alaska’s North Slope
Hilcorp Energy Co. said on Wednesday it has struck a deal to buy the Alaska assets of the Italian oil company Eni SpA. Eni’s Alaska assets, the Oooguruk and Nikaitchuq oil fields, together produce about 22,000 barrels per day. Hilcorp, a privately held independent producer that came to Alaska only a little over a decade […] The post Hilcorp announces plan to buy Eni’s oil fields on Alaska’s North Slope appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Elections officials investigate eligibility complaint against Southwest Alaska House candidate
The Alaska Division of Elections is investigating whether nonpartisan candidate Darren Deacon is eligible to run for office in House District 37, a large region covering parts of Southwest Alaska. Documents obtained from the division through a public records request show eligibility complaints were filed against three state House candidates during a legally allowed 10-day […] The post Elections officials investigate eligibility complaint against Southwest Alaska House candidate appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Federal judge says Alaska tribes may put land into trust, a step toward ‘Indian country’ here
A federal judge in Anchorage has ruled that the Department of the Interior may take land into trust on behalf of Alaska Native tribes, a decision that could allow tribes to create “Indian country,” which had been mostly eliminated here by the 53-year-old Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. In a 39-page summary judgment order, Judge […] The post Federal judge says Alaska tribes may put land into trust, a step toward ‘Indian country’ here appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
A shocking 79% of female scientists have negative experiences during polar field work
Every day, women are working on frontier science in Earth’s unforgiving polar environments. Our study, published today in PLOS Climate, investigated what their experiences are actually like. Fieldwork in the Arctic and Antarctica is a critical part of the scientific research that’s addressing the unprecedented challenges of global climate change. It ranges from day trips […] The post A shocking 79% of female scientists have negative experiences during polar field work appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Presidential election seen as climate turning point as CO2 hits record
WASHINGTON – Despite policies the Biden administration has championed to target climate change, recent findings show carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is at an all-time high, raising the stakes for November’s presidential election among advocates for aggressive climate action. Recent data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration indicate that carbon dioxide in the atmosphere […] The post Presidential election seen as climate turning point as CO2 hits record appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Biden to pardon vets discharged for same-sex relationships
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will pardon U.S. military veterans who were discharged or convicted under military law for consensual same-sex relations, the administration announced Wednesday. The White House could not provide an exact number of veterans who will be pardoned, but the administration estimates thousands were convicted over several decades and may be eligible. […] The post Biden to pardon vets discharged for same-sex relationships appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
What you need to know about Alaska’s contested homeschool allotments
On Thursday, the Alaska Supreme Court will hear a case centering on how families in the state spend what are known as student allotments. While both sides of the case say the outcome will be important for Alaska students, to truly understand what allotments are, it is useful to closely examine the long history of […] The post What you need to know about Alaska’s contested homeschool allotments appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Federal authorizations for Western Alaska’s Donlin Mine face legal scrutiny
A proposal to build one of the world’s largest gold mines along Alaska’s Kuskokwim River is facing what has now become a legal question: Did the federal government, when it awarded key approvals for the project in 2018, properly consider the environmental, cultural and health risks? That question is at the heart of a lawsuit […] The post Federal authorizations for Western Alaska’s Donlin Mine face legal scrutiny appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Undecided voters are the prize for both Biden and Trump in Thursday presidential debate
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will get a crucial opportunity to reach undecided voters and set the terms for the 2024 presidential campaign at Thursday night’s debate in Atlanta. Partisans on either side have already made up their minds about which candidate they’ll support. And with this year’s race serving as a […] The post Undecided voters are the prize for both Biden and Trump in Thursday presidential debate appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Ahead of withdrawal deadline, some Alaska legislative candidates call it quits
Saturday is the last day for registered candidates to quit Alaska’s legislative and U.S. House elections, and ahead of the deadline, some potential pols say they’ve decided against running for office after finding common ground with other candidates. Jason Avery, the lone Democratic candidate in the race to replace Sen. Click Bishop, R-Fairbanks, is withdrawing […] The post Ahead of withdrawal deadline, some Alaska legislative candidates call it quits appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Calm, conservative, confident: What GOP senators want in Trump’s vice presidential pick
WASHINGTON — Republican members of the U.S. Senate striving for a takeover of their chamber in the November elections have a wish list for what they’d like to see in Donald Trump’s running mate. A “little calmer” than Trump. Confident. Conservative. Military experience. Good relationships with senators. Ready to take over as chief executive if […] The post Calm, conservative, confident: What GOP senators want in Trump’s vice presidential pick appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
As salmon season kicks off, some Alaska fishermen fear for their futures
HOMER — On a brilliant spring morning, Buck Laukitis, a longtime fisherman from this Kenai Peninsula town, stood at the city dock watching his catch come ashore. Crew members aboard Laukitis’ boat, the Oracle, filled bags with dozens of halibut — some of the fatter ones worth $200 or more — which a crane would […] The post As salmon season kicks off, some Alaska fishermen fear for their futures appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
After email leak, some Alaska legislators say they’re skeptical of Permanent Fund’s direction
Members of the Alaska Legislature questioned the direction of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. on Monday in a hearing of the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee, the committee’s first since leaked internal emails indicated that board member Gabrielle Rubenstein may have engaged in conflicts of interest. The corporation controls the investments of Alaska’s $80 billion […] The post After email leak, some Alaska legislators say they’re skeptical of Permanent Fund’s direction appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Racist slurs and death threats: The dangerous life of a Georgia elections official
Editor’s note: This story contains profanities and racist slurs. DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. — When Milton Kidd leaves work at the end of the day, he slips out the back door of the domed Douglas County Courthouse, avoiding the public entrance where people might berate him or demand his home address. He never takes the same route home […] The post Racist slurs and death threats: The dangerous life of a Georgia elections official appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
After concussions and candy-cane streetlight costs, North Pole City Council removes mayor
The city council of North Pole voted unanimously on June 18 to remove Mayor Michael Welch, a Republican candidate for state House from office “until the next city election or until … the council determines the mayor is able to perform the duties of Mayor.” Welch himself joined the council in the unanimous vote. North […] The post After concussions and candy-cane streetlight costs, North Pole City Council removes mayor appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Alaska Beacon
2K+
Posts
8M+
Views
Alaska Beacon is an independent, nonpartisan news organization focused on connecting Alaskans to their state government. Alaska, like many states, has seen a decline in the coverage of state news. We aim to reverse that. Our name comes from the first verse of the Alaska Flag Song: “The great North Star with its steady light, O'er land and sea a beacon bright.” Our journalists report fairly and fearlessly on the people and interests that determine state policy. We do not serve any political party or private interest. We support the ability of all Alaskans to participate in the political process. We provide accurate, factual reporting. We promptly correct errors. If you see one, let us know. Beacon reporters explore how state policies affect specific areas like the economy and environment, education, health, and criminal and social justice. We aim to tell stories that aren’t being told, to bring fresh perspectives to state issues and to amplify the voices of Alaska communities that have been marginalized. Alaska Beacon provides a forum for commentary on state issues, with a goal of elevating policy conversations. These commentaries don’t come from our reporters and are labeled differently than our news reporting. Read our submission guidelines here. To do our jobs, we rely solely on the donations of those who value independent journalism. We welcome other news organizations to republish our work, and ask that they credit us. Alaska Beacon is an affiliate of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers. Our editorial decisions are made inside Alaska by Alaska journalists.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.