Columbus
Alaska Beacon
USDA penalizes Alaska $12 million for overpaying food stamp benefits
Alaska’s Department of Health owes the federal government $11.9 million because it overpaid food stamp benefits last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has informed the state. In a Friday letter to Department of Health Commissioner Heidi Hedberg, USDA Acting Under Secretary Kumar Chandran said the state’s payment error rate has been too high for […] The post USDA penalizes Alaska $12 million for overpaying food stamp benefits appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Dunleavy signs bill to make Juneteenth a state holiday in Alaska
On Thursday, Gov. Mike Dunleavy signed a bill to make Juneteenth a legal holiday in the state. “Juneteenth is a day to celebrate a milestone in our country’s history as it has become a more perfect union,” said Dunleavy in a written statement on Facebook. Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson sponsored the legislation, Senate Bill 22. “Like […] The post Dunleavy signs bill to make Juneteenth a state holiday in Alaska appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
Biden administration makes final decision rejecting Ambler Access Project in Alaska
The Biden administration on Friday took the final step needed to reject a proposed and controversial 211-mile industrial road through the Brooks Range foothills that would enable commercial mining in a remote Arctic area in Northwest Alaska. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management issued a document that formalized its decision, announced in April, to deny […] The post Biden administration makes final decision rejecting Ambler Access Project in Alaska appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
U.S. Supreme Court flips precedent that empowered federal agencies
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down a precedent Friday that had for decades limited judicial power to strike executive branch regulations, in a decision immediately criticized for potentially undermining decisions by scientists and agency experts. The 6-3 and 6-2 decisions in two cases brought by fishing operators in New Jersey and Rhode Island challenged a […] The post U.S. Supreme Court flips precedent that empowered federal agencies appeared first on Alaska Beacon.
U.S. Supreme Court sides with Oregon city, allows ban on homeless people sleeping outdoors
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court Friday sided with a local ordinance in Oregon that bans homeless people from sleeping outdoors, and local governments will be allowed to enforce those laws. In a 6-3 decision, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in the opinion that the enforcement of those local laws that regulate camping on public property […] The post U.S. Supreme Court sides with Oregon city, allows ban on homeless people sleeping outdoors appeared first on 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.