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Alaska state judge considers fine against backers of ranked choice repeal measure
An Anchorage Superior Court judge will decide by the end of the month whether to uphold a significant fine levied by Alaska’s campaign finance regulators against backers of a petition seeking to roll back the state’s election laws. The Alaska Public Offices Commission, the state agency involved in campaign finance regulation, fined petition supporters more […] The post Alaska state judge considers fine against backers of ranked choice repeal measure appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
New correspondence school regulations will not come until July — if at all, Alaska officials say
Regulations intended to stabilize Alaska’s correspondence school program are not coming soon, state officials said at a Board of Education and Early Development meeting on Wednesday. Lawmakers directed the state’s Board of Education and Early Development to adopt regulations that preserve the learning plans that the mostly homeschooled students use to stay on track with […] The post New correspondence school regulations will not come until July — if at all, Alaska officials say appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
This primary election season, recognize that secure elections require public trust
A major presidential candidate convicted of 34 felonies uses the verdict to bolster his campaign. Accusations of “bullying” over candidate debates. Intra-party battles between moderate and extreme wings of the party. Sitting governors booed and physical altercations at state and national party conventions. It must be primary election season in America. In many states, voters […] The post This primary election season, recognize that secure elections require public trust appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Awash in tourists, Juneau prepares to turn some cruise ships away
Alaska’s state capital is set to become the first city in Alaska and one of only a handful in the United States to limit the number of daily cruise ship tourists. Under the terms of a voluntary agreement announced Monday and effective in 2026, the nation’s four largest cruise lines will schedule ships containing no […] The post Awash in tourists, Juneau prepares to turn some cruise ships away appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Universities try 3-year degrees to save students time, money
With college costs rising and some students and families questioning the return on investment of a four-year degree, a few pioneering state universities are exploring programs that would grant certain bachelor’s degrees in three years. The programs, which also are being tried at some private schools, would require 90 credits instead of the traditional 120 […] The post Universities try 3-year degrees to save students time, money appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
An Alaska wildlife refuge is changing its wildfire strategy to limit carbon emissions
Baked with the around-the-clock summer sunlight and regularly peppered with lightning strikes, the Yukon Flats region in eastern Interior Alaska is regularly set ablaze with fires that are considered part of the natural forest cycle. Standard practice is to let them burn out on their own, unless they threaten people, their homes or other economically […] The post An Alaska wildlife refuge is changing its wildfire strategy to limit carbon emissions appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Report: Half of vessels in federally managed Alaska fisheries had observer coverage in 2023
On fishing vessels harvesting seafood from federal waters off Alaska, key information about performance and rule compliance comes from employees who observe the catches or from electronic equipment that monitors the amount and types of marine life that are brought aboard. Because of concerns about salmon bycatch and the fishery-related deaths of marine mammals, there […] The post Report: Half of vessels in federally managed Alaska fisheries had observer coverage in 2023 appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Bird flu’s spread from poultry to cattle to humans provokes worry among feds, states
Dairy farmers throughout the country are on guard and the federal government is mobilizing after an outbreak among cattle herds of highly pathogenic avian influenza — once thought to be confined to poultry flocks. What’s more, the virus, also known as H5N1 or bird flu, was diagnosed in a third dairy farmworker last week, marking […] The post Bird flu’s spread from poultry to cattle to humans provokes worry among feds, states appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Greater focus on crime sparks another wave of juvenile justice bills
For decades, state legislators and criminal justice advocates have worked to change the juvenile legal system, striving to expand access to rehabilitation and keep young people from returning to crime. During this year’s legislative session, nearly every state has considered some form of juvenile justice legislation, according to a National Conference of State Legislatures database. […] The post Greater focus on crime sparks another wave of juvenile justice bills appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Familiar names return in many Alaska legislative races, with 42 of 50 seats challenged in 2024
Alaska’s legislative election season officially opened at 5 p.m. Saturday, the deadline for candidates to enter this year’s races. Fifty of the Legislature’s 60 seats are on the ballot this year, and at stake is control of the state House and Senate. The candidate fields could change slightly before the Aug. 20 statewide primary; candidates […] The post Familiar names return in many Alaska legislative races, with 42 of 50 seats challenged in 2024 appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
The clock is ticking on sacred lands protection
There’s a sense of urgency in presidential election years. Organizations, governments, and voters all have their eyes on the clock as the days of an administration that meets their needs potentially wind down. This is especially true for tribes and Native organizations looking to protect and steward their ancestral homelands. Tribal co-management of public lands […] The post The clock is ticking on sacred lands protection appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
At candidate filing deadline, seven Alaska legislators decline to seek re-election
Longtime Republican Sen. Click Bishop of Fairbanks will not seek re-election this year and has indicated he is considering a run for governor in 2026. Bishop’s decision highlights a wave of legislative retirements that will reshape the look of the state House and Senate and could decide who controls each part of the Legislature. Included […] The post At candidate filing deadline, seven Alaska legislators decline to seek re-election appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
States are already collecting more abortion data. And HIPAA won’t always keep it private.
Years before the Dobbs decision, providers like Dr. Kylie Cooper were already uncomfortable with some of the reporting requirements for abortion procedures in states where they practiced. Cooper was a maternal-fetal medicine specialist for several years in Idaho before she reluctantly left the state in 2023 because of the near-total abortion ban that is now […] The post States are already collecting more abortion data. And HIPAA won’t always keep it private. appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Zombie fires in the Arctic smolder underground and refuse to die – what’s causing them?
So-called “zombie fires” in the peatlands of Alaska, Canada and Siberia disappear from the Earth’s surface and smoulder underground during the winter before coming back to life the following spring. These fires puzzle scientists because they appear in early May, way ahead of the usual fire season in the far north, and can reignite for […] The post Zombie fires in the Arctic smolder underground and refuse to die – what’s causing them? appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Alaska Permanent Fund leaders vote to hire law firm to investigate leaker and themselves
The board in charge of Alaska’s $80 billion trust fund has voted to hire a third-party law firm to investigate who leaked internal emails that indicated board member Gabrielle Rubenstein may have engaged in self-dealing. The law firm, whose hiring was approved in a unanimous 6-0 vote on Thursday, will also review six years’ worth […] The post Alaska Permanent Fund leaders vote to hire law firm to investigate leaker and themselves appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Some providers will offer low-cost internet even as federal program ends, White House says
WASHINGTON — With Friday marking the official last day of the pandemic-era Affordable Connectivity Program, the Biden administration is spotlighting commitments from over a dozen internet service providers to offer plans at $30 or less to low-income households through 2024. This comes as Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said the short-term program had to […] The post Some providers will offer low-cost internet even as federal program ends, White House says appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
An angry Trump pledges to appeal ‘this scam’ conviction as Republicans vow resistance
WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump, now a convicted felon, vowed to launch an appeal based “on many things” he considered unfair during his New York trial, he said Friday in the lobby of Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan. Meanwhile Friday, legal and political analysts predicted he will spend little if any time in jail […] The post An angry Trump pledges to appeal ‘this scam’ conviction as Republicans vow resistance appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Permanent Fund bosses vote to defy Alaska Legislature, keep Anchorage office
The Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. will keep its Anchorage office, ignoring state lawmakers’ instructions to shut it down. The corporation’s Board of Trustees voted 4-2 on Thursday to continue operating the office, though board members acknowledged that the decision is likely to intensify legislative dissatisfaction with the corporation. The corporation, which manages Alaska’s $80 billion […] The post Permanent Fund bosses vote to defy Alaska Legislature, keep Anchorage office appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Free direct filing of federal taxes may be offered soon throughout the U.S.
WASHINGTON — Taxpayers across the United States could be guaranteed a free public option to file federal tax returns online as the Internal Revenue Service announced plans Thursday to make its Direct File program permanent. The pilot program offered in 12 states from March to April drew roughly 140,000 accepted returns this filing season and […] The post Free direct filing of federal taxes may be offered soon throughout the U.S. appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Environmental groups file new challenge to yet-unbuilt Alaska LNG export project
Two environmental groups filed a new legal challenge to the Biden administration’s approval of a yet-to-be-built project that would send the Alaska North Slope’s vast reserves of natural gas to markets. In a petition filed with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Sierra Club argued that federal […] The post Environmental groups file new challenge to yet-unbuilt Alaska LNG export project 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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