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How ranked choice voting is bringing Alaska politics back to the center
At the beginning of Alaska’s legislative session, many veteran lawmakers worried about the infusion of untested legislators. Yet in a sharp departure from recent sessions, both sides of the aisle were patting themselves on the back for what they had accomplished after adjourning. With 20 new legislators, or one-third of the Senate and House, the […] The post How ranked choice voting is bringing Alaska politics back to the center appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Alaska Gov. Dunleavy will be asked to pick fourth state Supreme Court justice
A wave of retirements on the Alaska Supreme Court is nearing its end. On Friday, the Alaska Judicial Council announced that it is accepting applications from attorneys and judges interested in replacing Justice Peter Maassen, who will turn 70 — the age limit for Supreme Court justices — early next year. When Gov. Mike Dunleavy […] The post Alaska Gov. Dunleavy will be asked to pick fourth state Supreme Court justice appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Alaska ranked choice repeal measure wins first round of legal challenge, but trial awaits
An Anchorage Superior Court judge has ruled in favor of a proposed ballot measure that seeks to roll back the state’s elections system to what it was before 2020. In an order published Friday, Judge Christina Rankin sided generally with the state and rollback supporters, saying elections officials acted appropriately by allowing petitioners to fix […] The post Alaska ranked choice repeal measure wins first round of legal challenge, but trial awaits appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Bipartisan U.S. House caucus planning for post-war Middle East
WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of U.S. House lawmakers has launched an effort to spur planning for what the Gaza Strip will look like the “day after” the Israel-Hamas war, even as agreement over a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal remains elusive. Democratic Reps. Brad Schneider of Illinois and David Trone of Maryland, along with Republicans Ann […] The post Bipartisan U.S. House caucus planning for post-war Middle East appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Scientists and Indigenous leaders team up to conserve seals and an ancestral way of life in Yakutat
Five hundred years ago, in a mountain-rimmed ocean fjord in southeast Alaska, Tlingit hunters armed with bone-tipped harpoons eased their canoes through chunks of floating ice, stalking seals near Sít Tlein (Hubbard) glacier. They must have glanced nervously up at the glacier’s looming, fractured face, aware that cascades of ice could thunder down and imperil […] The post Scientists and Indigenous leaders team up to conserve seals and an ancestral way of life in Yakutat appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Alaska’s Lake Clark National Park considers easements that could spur mining
The National Park Service said Monday it will evaluate two proposed easements across a portion of Lake Clark National Park that an Alaska Native corporation has requested as step toward converting an exploratory mineral prospect into an operating mine. The Park Service’s evaluation is the latest event in what has been a decades-long effort by […] The post Alaska’s Lake Clark National Park considers easements that could spur mining appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Walkable communities could help Alaska tackle its health problems
One national ranking shows the state of Alaska is 39th in quality of public health and 48th in healthcare access. The first step to address these issues could be increasing the state’s healthcare budget and investing in facilities. Equally significant is improving public infrastructure, which will incentivize us to choose healthier and nature-friendly options as […] The post Walkable communities could help Alaska tackle its health problems appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Trump says he’ll work ‘side by side’ with group that wants abortion ‘eradicated’
Former President Donald Trump said Monday that if reelected he plans to work “side by side” with a newly formed religious organization that says abortion is the “greatest atrocity facing” the United States and should be “eradicated entirely.” During two-minute recorded remarks played at The Danbury Institute’s inaugural Life & Liberty Forum in Indianapolis, Trump […] The post Trump says he’ll work ‘side by side’ with group that wants abortion ‘eradicated’ appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Election workers worry that federal threats task force isn’t enough to keep them safe
Aiming to send a message, the Biden administration recently spotlighted its indictments and convictions in cases involving threats to election officials or workers. But with no letup in reports of attacks, some elections professionals say federal law enforcement still isn’t doing enough to deter bad actors and ensure that those on the front lines of […] The post Election workers worry that federal threats task force isn’t enough to keep them safe appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Climate change disruptions to Alaska marine fisheries scrutinized at Kodiak workshop
In the marine waters off Alaska’s coast, climate change is triggering disruptions that can be dramatic and sudden. For fishery officials, that presents a quandary: How can that be suitably addressed by a fishery management system that is legally required to be cautious and deliberate and for which policy changes can take several years to […] The post Climate change disruptions to Alaska marine fisheries scrutinized at Kodiak workshop appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Alleged theft from tribal bingo parlor results in federal felony charge
Federal prosecutors have accused a Fairbanks woman for stealing from an Alaska Native tribe after she allegedly took money from a tribally owned bingo parlor while working there. Mesepa Tagovailoa has agreed to plead guilty, according to documents filed Wednesday with the U.S. District Court for Alaska. According to prosecutors, Tagovailoa improperly took more than […] The post Alleged theft from tribal bingo parlor results in federal felony charge appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
With bills and budget boost, Alaska lawmakers use state-run corporation to tackle housing shortage
Before adjourning for the year, the Alaska Legislature confirmed plans to spend millions of dollars on housing projects statewide, an attempt to answer residents’ complaints about an ongoing housing shortage. Lawmakers also passed several housing-related bills that are intended to increase home ownership. Those bills have yet to be sent to Gov. Mike Dunleavy for […] The post With bills and budget boost, Alaska lawmakers use state-run corporation to tackle housing shortage appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Prodded by fed up parents, some in Congress try to curb kids’ use of social media
WASHINGTON — Attempts to get kids off of their phones are ramping up in Congress, despite intense lobbying by social media giants and pushback by those worried about violations of First Amendment speech rights. Lawmakers are seeking to set a minimum age to access social media and put more of the onus on social media […] The post Prodded by fed up parents, some in Congress try to curb kids’ use of social media appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
U.S. Senate panel divided over climate as cause of rising insurance premiums
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate Budget Committee debated the cause of the insurance crisis plaguing homeowners around the country at a Wednesday hearing, with Democrats identifying climate change as the ultimate driving force of rising premiums and Republicans pointing to high government spending and inflation. Homeowners insurance premiums have skyrocketed in recent years, following billions in […] The post U.S. Senate panel divided over climate as cause of rising insurance premiums appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
EPA threatens to step in if Alaska does not update its water pollution limit
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is prodding the state of Alaska over its failure to update water pollution rules. On Thursday, the EPA issued a formal determination that the state should update pollution limits that are based in part on the amount of fish consumed by state residents. Under federal law, those limits are supposed […] The post EPA threatens to step in if Alaska does not update its water pollution limit appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Alaska’s Medicaid backlog triggers lawsuit
On a life-flight from Fairbanks to Anchorage, Sierra Ott’s newborn son Liam would not stop bleeding from a routine needle prick. Doctors in the Anchorage neonatal intensive care unit diagnosed him with a blood clotting disorder. Without medication, he is at risk of extreme joint pain and even bleeding out from what would not normally […] The post Alaska’s Medicaid backlog triggers lawsuit appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Lawmaker-approved Alaska Long Trail projects, all in Anchorage, await governor’s verdict
Alaska lawmakers approved $3.7 million in funding for nine projects that are part of an integrated trail system that proponents hope will rival the Appalachian Trail on the East Coast and the Pacific Crest Trail on the West Coast. Currently called the Alaska Long Trail — though it may be renamed in the future — […] The post Lawmaker-approved Alaska Long Trail projects, all in Anchorage, await governor’s verdict appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
On 80th anniversary of D-Day invasion, Biden and Macron honor WWII veterans at Normandy
WASHINGTON — “They were brave, they were resolute, they were ready,” President Joe Biden said Thursday at the Normandy American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach, one of five along France’s northern coast where Allied troops invaded in 1944 and turned the tide in World War II. Biden and dozens of U.S. lawmakers traveled to Normandy to […] The post On 80th anniversary of D-Day invasion, Biden and Macron honor WWII veterans at Normandy appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
U.S. Senate GOP prevents contraception access bill from moving ahead
WASHINGTON — An attempt to reinforce Americans’ access to contraception failed Wednesday when U.S. Senate Republicans blocked a bill from advancing toward final passage. The 51-39 procedural vote required at least 60 senators to move forward, but fell short after GOP lawmakers said the measure was too broad as well as unnecessary. Alaska Sen. Lisa […] The post U.S. Senate GOP prevents contraception access bill from moving ahead appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
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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.
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