Check out previous news summaries here. For the latest, follow @uaswhalesong on Instagram.

• The Juneau Assembly is expected to introduce a draft tidelands lease for Huna Totem’s Aak’w Landing on March 11. The proposed project would add a fifth cruise ship dock, retail space, and an Alaska Native arts and culture center to the downtown waterfront. After being introduced, the proposal will go back to Assembly committees for amendments that would address the community’s concerns, such as channel navigability and overtourism, as well as impact on the potential homeporting of the icebreaker Storis in downtown Juneau. A final vote is expected by April 7.
• Planned Parenthood has opened a virtual center in Juneau offering telehealth appointments. The center comes three months after Planned Parenthood closed its Juneau clinic due to the expense of building repairs and the “challenges facing sexual and reproductive health care today,” according to an email sent by the organization shortly after the closure. Planned Parenthood will mail medications to online patients, and also refer them to Juneau medical clinics for services not available virtually. 
• The Juneau Assembly plans to move City Hall into the Michael J. Burns building on 10th Street downtown, near the federal building. The Juneau Assembly voted 8 to 1 on Feb. 24 to negotiate a purchasing agreement with the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation, which owns the building. The corporation is asking $12 million for the space, $3 million more than CBJ’s appraisal. The city has set aside $14 million for the move, with an estimated $5.2 million of that to convert the floors to a more usable space. Assembly member Ella Adkinson, who was the only one who voted against the proposal, said parking is also a concern, with the Burns building having limited spaces.
• More federal firings have hit Alaska, this time at NOAA, which will likely affect salmon conservation efforts, development of a community warning system for landslides and glacial outburst floods, and National Weather Service reports. Agency staff could not confirm how many Alaskan employees had been fired, but according to internal sources, at least four were fired in Juneau. More layoffs are expected soon. According to union estimates, there are 1,378 probationary federal employees in the state. 
• The Alaska House of Representatives plans to vote on a key education bill to increase the base student allocation. Proponents of HB 69 argue that the state’s formula hasn’t kept up with inflation, while opponents say increasing funding doesn’t guarantee better outcomes for students. As it stands, Gov. Mike Dunleavy opposes the bill, but it has yet to be amended. Legislators have been in closed-door talks with the administration regarding possible changes to the bill.

• Alaska legislators are considering a state-cabinet-level Department of Agriculture following a January executive order by Gov. Mike Dunleavy. House and Senate committees expressed support for the idea during legislative hearings last week. The order was driven by fears of food shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, agriculture is housed within the Alaska Department of Natural Resources.
• Mass federal firings hit Alaska this week, with 30 U.S. Forest Service workers and 30 National Park service workers fired on Feb 13. These firings follow an order from the Trump administration to lay off almost all probationary employees that don’t yet have civil service protections.  Roughly 1,200 Alaskans are in their first probationary year of federal employment. 
• Alaska’s Emergency Operations Center has canceled an annual test of the state’s tsunami warning system. The National Tsunami Warning Center tests the system that alerts agencies like the Coast Guard monthly and also tests the annual alerts sent to Alaskans’ cell phones. The system previously malfunctioned and did not send alerts to some affected areas but alerted other places that were not in danger. The Tsunami Warning Center and National Weather service have agreed that the testing isn’t necessary this year, with warnings of overtesting the system desensitizing Alaskans to the alarm.
• Alaskans will be allowed to work in restaurants at age 16 and serve alcohol at 18 if Senate Bill 15 advances. It would not allow minors to work at bars or package stores. The bill would also require that signs warning consumers about the potential health risks of drinking be posted in establishments that sell alcohol. SB15 passed the state Senate on Feb. 10 and is now awaiting hearings in the House.
• A Fairbanks representative has proposed the Nanuqsaurus, discovered in the North Slope Borough, be made Alaska’s state dinosaur. Rep. Will Stapp (R-Fairbanks) introduced House Bill 82 to highlight UAF’s research acumen. Nineteen other states have named state dinosaurs. No hearing has been set for this bill.

• The wreckage of a small plane, which matched the description of the missing Bering Air Flight 445, was found on Friday, Feb. 7, about 34 miles southeast of Nome.  All 10 people aboard were confirmed dead. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the plane disappeared about 10 minutes before it was scheduled to land in Nome on Thursday. Radar analysis showed the Cessna 208 Caravan lost altitude and speed rapidly. 
• The Alaska Volcano Observatory has predicted a 50-50 chance of a volcanic eruption near Anchorage in the near future. Mount Spurr has been showing signs of eruption for months. According to observatory scientists, earthquakes have been more frequent near the base, snow at the top is melting, and the ground has bulged around the mountain. Mount Spurr is about 75 miles west of Anchorage, 
• Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy introduced a bill to impose new limits on Alaskan’s ability to record conversations, requiring both parties involved to consent. Senate Bill 85, introduced Feb. 5, would make Alaska a ‘two-party consent’ state. Under SB85, police officers would be exempt from this requirement and would not have to seek permission to record members of the public during an investigation. The public, however, would not be able to record police officers without their consent. No hearings have been scheduled yet for the bill. 
• The Alaska Senate has urged President Donald Trump to retain the name Denali for North America’s tallest mountain. Last week, the Senate passed a resolution opposing the name change to Mt. McKinley, for William McKinley, the 25th U.S. president, who was from Ohio and never visited Alaska. The name originated from an 1897 New York Sun article written by William Dickey, a gold prospector who called the mountain “McKinley” for his support of the gold standard. The name was changed to Denali in 2015 under President Barack Obama. Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 20 to rename the mountain. The state Senate resolution, introduced by Rep. Maxine Dibert, D-Fairbanks, does not need the governor’s approval and will be sent to federal officials.
• Juneau city officials have proposed a $10-$20 million wastewater bond package to offset planned utility rate hikes in July. The Assembly will consider it for the October ballot. Residential water rates are set to increase about 10% annually for the next 4 years, while sewer rates will rise by 13%. The bond would fund repairs for the aging infrastructure. If approved, this would be the second wastewater bond measure in two years.

• Coeur Alaska, Inc, owner of Juneau’s Kensington gold mine, has donated $30,000 for scholarships to UAS students enrolled in the Environmental Science, Marine Biology, or Environmental Resources programs. The funds will provide a minimum award of $3,000, with preference given to full-time Juneau or Southeast residents who maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• University of Alaska Anchorage Chancellor Sean Parnell will retire this summer after four years in the role. Parnell, 62, also served as Alaska governor and lieutenant governor and represented Anchorage in the state Senate. In a message to the UAA community, he said he was retiring to pursue research and writing and spend more time with his family. UA President Pat Pitney says his replacement will be chosen in the coming months.
• Denali, the tallest mountain in America, has been renamed Mt. McKinley, at least on paper. The official action came from the Department of the Interior on Jan. 25, four days after President Trump signed an executive order that also changed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. The change will not be immediate on some documents and websites. In a recent Alaska Survey Research poll of 1,816 Alaska adults, 54% opposed the change, 26% supported the change, and 20% had no opinion.
• The 34th Alaska State Legislature gaveled in on Jan. 21 in Juneau. Energy and education are the Senate majority caucus’s top goals for the session. On Monday, the House Education Committee will take up HB 69, permanently increasing the Base Student Allocation to school districts. The committee will take testimony on HB 69 on Wednesday. Sitka Nonaffiliated Rep. Rebecca Himschoot introduced the bill. 
• The Aleut Community of St. Paul Island has signed an agreement with the federal government to jointly manage the water surrounding the island. John Melovidov, Tribal Council President, said the National Marine Fisheries Service partnership is a step toward environmental stewardship in a dynamically changing marine ecosystem that acknowledges the Unangax̂ people’s connection to the region.

• The 34th Alaska State Legislature goes into session on Tuesday with 81 pre-filed bills, including four authored by Juneau legislators. HB21, introduced by Rep. Andi Story, would allow voter pre-registration for minors. Story’s HB28 would give Alaska postsecondary graduates up to $8,000 a year toward their student loans if they remain in-state for employment. Sen. Jesse Kiehl’s SB27 would provide more pension options for state workers. Another Kiehl bill, SB31, would allow law enforcement officers and domestic violence victims to keep their addresses confidential. Additional pre-filed bills from other legislators include a ban on cellphones in schools, abortion rights, oil royalties, elimination of Daylight Savings Time, banning styrofoam food containers, and mandating civics education in schools. 
• Shoppers were willing to pay a premium for produce with an “Alaska Grown” label, according to a 2024 study led by former UAA professor Qiujie Zheng. On average, consumers were willing to pay $1.90 extra for locally grown lettuce, and $3.31 if locally grown products’ environmental and health benefits were stated on the package. 
• UAS Alaska Native Languages Professor X’unei Lance Twitchell has been nominated for an Emmy Award. Dr. Twtichell’s animated program, Molly of Denali, features the first Alaska Native lead character in a nationally distributed children’s TV show. The award ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on March 15. 
• Huna Totem Corporation and the City and Borough of Juneau will hold two open-house meetings on a proposed tidelands lease to develop a cruise-ship dock and mixed-use area near Juneau’s U.S. Coast Guard station on Egan Drive. The development, Aak’w Landing, would include a culture and science center, underground parking, and retail space. Huna Totem acquired the land in 2022 from Norwegian Cruise Lines. Meetings are from 4 to 7 p.m. on Jan. 22, and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan. 23 in Juneau City Hall Assembly Chambers.
• All U.S. flags on state property will fly at full staff on Monday, Jan. 20, for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. Last week, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced the break in the 30-day observance period of mourning President Jimmy Carter’s death.  Multiple other governors have issued similar measures.
• The Juneau School District says student information was likely compromised in a nationwide data breach.  PowerSchool, software used by schools across the U.S. for grades and homework, was hacked last week. The program can store personal information like medical conditions, addresses, or social security numbers. District officials say they do not collect social security, credit card information, or driver’s license numbers in PowerSchool. 
• The U.S. Forest Service plans to raise five new totem poles, or kootéeyaa, at the Mendenhall Glacier.  Called the Kootéeyaa Project, the plan would commission local artists to carve four totem poles representing local A’akw Kwaan clans (L’eeneidí, Wooshkeetaan, L’uknax.adi, and Gaanaxádí). The fifth would represent the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. At a Jan. 15 open house, several tribal members expressed frustration about their lack of involvement in the plan. Forest Service officials stressed that no official decision has been made.
• The City and Borough of Juneau issued an alert Jan. 17 about the first confirmed case of measles in Alaska since 2019. The affected person is an unvaccinated Kenai resident who flew from Seattle to Anchorage. According to the alert, measles spreads through the air and respiratory secretions, with symptoms starting as fever, runny nose, cough, and red eyes, followed by a facial rash that can spread to the arms and trunk. 

• Alaska’s Ranked Choice Voting and open primary system will remain in place, now that all ballots have been tallied. The Nov. 20 final count showed the RCV repeal failing by 664 votes.  
• Nick Begich III, of Anchorage, will take Alaska’s sole U.S. House of Representatives seat, according to the Nov. 20 unofficial results. After the third round of ranked-choice tabulation, Begich, a Republican, received 51.31% of the vote, compared to Mary Peltola’s 48.69%. The Bethel Democrat served out the late Rep. Don Young’s term, and was then elected to a full term in 2022. She was the first Alaska Native to be elected to the U.S. House. The Division of Elections will certify the general election results on Nov. 30. 
• For the first time in Alaska’s history, the state House of Representatives will be majority female. The 21 women serving in the upcoming Alaska Legislature will be among seven state legislative chambers in the country, with a majority of women or gender parity. Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, also intends to form a “Women of the Alaska Legislature” caucus this coming session. The state legislature convenes in Juneau on Jan. 21. 
• The future of a copper and zinc mine near Klukwan and Haines is uncertain. DOWA Metals & Mining Co., a major Japanese smelting company, pulled out of the project on Nov. 18. American Pacific Mining Corp., a Canadian company with no current operating mines, will take over the Palmer Mine. The Palmer project has raised environmental concerns over the years due to its proximity to the Chilkat River. 
• A team of biologists from various Anchorage institutions are studying the remains of a 47-foot juvenile female fin whale that washed ashore near downtown Anchorage. Samples are being sent to the Lower 48 for testing. According to NOAA biologist Barbara Mahoney, the test results will determine the whale’s health status and cause of death, if possible.
• Anchorage 8th grader Emily Brubaker won the first ever National Civics Bee in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 12. Brubaker has been involved on Capitol Hill since age 6, advocating for the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act (ELSA). She was born with a condition called hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, which means she will need extensive dental work in the next few years. Currently, insurance does not cover these procedures, a practice that ELSA seeks to change. 
• Tidal Echoes, the UAS literary and art journal featuring Southeast Alaska writers and artists, is accepting submissions until Dec. 1. To submit an original piece of poetry, prose, or artwork of any medium, follow the link below: https://uas.alaska.edu/arts_sciences/humanities/english/tidal-echoes/submission-guidelines.html

• For the first time in Alaska’s history, the state Supreme Court could have a female majority. The Alaska Judicial Council has selected three nominees to fill an upcoming Alaska Supreme Court vacancy: Alaska Department of Law Senior Assistant Attorney General Kate Demarest , Anchorage Superior Court Judge Josie Garton, and Doyon Utilities lead attorney Aimee Oravec. Gov. Mike Dunleavy will make a decision within 45 days.
• Officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will host a public meeting Nov. 12 and an open house Nov. 14 to address questions about Juneau’s glacial outburst flood mitigation efforts. Unlike previous meetings, these events will focus on individual prevention measures such as sandbagging rather than the controversial proposed levee along Mendenhall River. On Tuesday, flood experts will present on mitigation tactics and host a Q&A session. On Thursday, residents can drop in and ask questions about individual flood prevention planning. Both meetings will be hosted at Thunder Mountain Middle School, with Tuesday’s event running 6-8 p.m. and Thursday’s event running 4-6 p.m.
• An independent third-party audit of the Juneau School District’s fiscal year 2024 conducted by Juneau-based accounting firm Elgee Rehfeld showed a positive balance sheet. This comes after numerous accounting issues and deficits led to school closures and consolidations earlier this year. This is the first time JSD is operating in the black in several years, according to the audit.
• The U.S. Forest Service officially permitted the Hecla Greens Creek Mine to expand its operations on Admiralty Island on Nov. 7. Greens Creek, the nation’s largest silver mine and one of Juneau’s most prominent employers, will build new tailings (leftover material from separating valuable minerals) storage facilities. The project, which could extend mine operations for another 18 years, comes with environmental stipulations to limit heavy metal contamination via fugitive dust.
• A clerical error in the Alaska Division of Elections unofficial results showed Eric Hafner, a convicted felon serving prison time in New York state, leading the U.S. House race in Pelican-Elfin Cove. Federal law allows candidates to run for office in states they do not currently reside in, but they must move to the state once elected. Hafner has also been on the ballot in Oregon and Hawaii. According to Director Carol Beecher, the tallies were entered mistakenly, and the issue was corrected by Nov. 7.
• An Alaska fisher who attempted to kill an endangered sperm whale could spend six months in prison and be fined $25,000, according to federal prosecutors sentencing recommendations released Nov. 5. After the whale damaged Dugan Paul Daniels’ fishing equipment in March of 2020, he ordered a crew member to shoot it, tried to ram it with his boat, and tried to reel it in using a fishing line. The whale’s status is unknown.

• A Kenai grand jury indicted Alaska State Troopers Jason Woodruff and Joseph Miller on Oct. 31 on first degree assault charges. Miller and Woodruff severely injured a Kenai man they had misidentified as someone with an active arrest warrant. They are scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 12. 
• Alaska Education Commissioner Deena Bishop used generative AI to create a policy about cellphone use in Alaska schools. Bishop said the initial proposal, which contained citations of nonexistent academic articles, was a first draft posted by mistake. Mistaken references were also found in the final version voted on by the Alaska Board of Education. 
• The United States Postal Services advises voters to get absentee ballots mailed no later than Tuesday, Nov. 5. Alaska’s absentee ballots can arrive 10-15 days after Election Day if postmarked on or before Nov. 5. Mail is automatically postmarked in Anchorage and Juneau, but mail from elsewhere in the state might not get postmarked for several days. 
• Over $40 million has been spent on the Alaska U.S. House of Representatives race between Nick Begich and Mary Peltola. The Begich and Peltola campaigns brought in a total of $13 million, with Peltola, the incumbent, raising five times more than Begich. Nearly $28 million of the total came from Super PACs and other outside groups. This figure puts Alaska at the fourth most expensive race in the nation for this election cycle, according to OpenSecrets research director Sarah Bryner. OpenSecrets is a nonprofit group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks campaign finance activities. 
• Nearly 150 years after the U.S. Navy bombarded the community of Angoon, the Navy has apologized for the incident. On Oct. 26, 1882, the U.S. Navy bombed the Lingít village on Admiralty Island and destroyed clan houses, food caches, and 40 canoes. The attack came after the tribe demanded compensation of 200 blankets from a whaling company when a Lingit shaman was killed in a whaling accident. The company refused, and U.S. government accounts claim two prisoners were taken from the whaling company, which Lingit accounts deny. U.S. government officials attempted to fine the tribe 400 blankets, and when they came up short ahead of the winter season, the Navy attacked. 
• The Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) has praised President Biden’s Oct. 25 apology for the treatment of indigenous children in boarding schools, but is calling for more tangible action, according to a statement from AFN President Ben Mallot.  Earlier in October, AFN delegates passed a resolution to support legislation to create a Truth and Healing Commission within the Federal Indian Boarding School Policies Act and return the remains of Alaska Native children who died at the boarding schools to their families. 

• The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development should develop policies to restrict cell phone use during school hours, according to the state education board. Currently, only school districts set cellphone limits, and schools implementing such policies say students are more engaged in learning. Palmer High School Principal David Booth even reports fewer instances of cyberbullying.
• The Juneau Assembly has approved $2 million for semi-permanent barriers along the Mendenhall River. The levee would cover 4 miles of riverbank. Some riverfront residents are hesitant to install the barriers on their property, citing ambiguities in the project plan. City Manager Katie Koester said the installation would cost the city an estimated $5-10 million, and the source of those funds is not yet clear. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is giving the barriers to the city. 
• Tourism cost the City of Ketchikan about $8 million in 2023, or about $5.43 per visitor, according to a recent study by the McKinley Group. The research factors include overhead—the cost of cruise passengers using city services such as overtime for emergency personnel, and marginal costs—those that wouldn’t exist without cruise passengers. The McKinley study indicates Ketchikan also made $16 million in revenue related to tourism in 2023. Some residents say the study is unconvincing, with Ketchikan City Council member Mark Flora pointing out that port funding comes from city residents’ taxes and isn’t sustainable. 
• Figures from the Alaska Division of Elections show a quick start to early voting, with 9,822 Alaska residents voting in person on Oct. 21 and 22. If it continues at this rate, Alaska will set a record for early voting turnout, according to state Elections Director Carol Beecher. 
• The Canadian federal government is set to inject $15 million into a British Columbia mining project above the Stikine River, a major salmon-bearing waterway that flows into Southeast Alaska. The Canadian funds would be used to build a 27-mile road along Galore Creek. Environmentalists are concerned about downstream pollution affecting Alaska fisheries, especially after a Canadian mine spilled cyanide in the Yukon River over the summer. 
• President Biden highlighted Rosita Worl’s life story during an Oct. 25 formal apology for the abuse of Native children at U.S. boarding schools. An anthropologist and president of Sealaska Heritage Institute, Worl was kidnapped and forced into the Haines House boarding school at age 6. She recently received the National Medal of Arts for her work as a leading anthropologist and advocate.

• Four UAS students have won the NOAA Ernest F. Hollings scholarship. Belladonna Darby, Markayla Katchatag, Hunter (Brett) Kaufman, and Ruby Kresge will each receive $19,000 in academic assistance and a 10-week paid internship. Additionally, UAS Marine Biology students Kyle Abbott, Halle Crawford, and Logan Johnson have completed the Inclusive NOAA Fisheries Internship Program (IN FISH) as part of a 33-person cohort. IN FISH allows undergraduates to explore different career paths through a paid internship.
• Alaska Lt. Gov Nancy Dalhstrom has approved a 2026 ballot measure to impose campaign finance limits. Currently, Alaska has no limits. Voters would be asked to limit personal candidate donations to $2,000 per election cycle, gubernatorial donations to $4,000, and personal political party donations to $5,000. Parties would be allowed to give $4,000 to candidates and $5,000 to other parties or political groups with allowances for inflation. 
• UAS Egan librarians Jennifer Ward, Jonas Lamb, David Cox, and Kaia Henrickson have received a $150,000 grant from the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The two-year planning grant will focus on expanding education options for Alaska’s library workforce by investigating current practices and piloting new curriculums, emphasizing small and rural library management. 
• Goldbelt Incorporated and the Royal Caribbean group have announced plans to build a new Juneau cruise ship dock on the backside of Douglas Island by mid-2027.  However, Juneau officials reported feeling “blindsided” by the Oct. 16 news release, saying they did not know about the plans. The city would have to approve the dock and all other waterfront construction.
• Juneau residents affected by August’s glacial outburst flood can collect up to 200 empty sandbags from the Mendenhall Public Library with proof of address. Fill stations are located at Melvin Park and Diamond Park. 
• Juneau’s Suicide Basin has released a second time, according to the National Weather Service. Mendenhall Lake reached peak levels of 10.77 feet and moderate flood stage at approximately 1 a.m. on Oct. 21. Residents are advised to avoid the Mendenhall River and its banks.
• The Alaska State Capitol may begin screening visitors in 2025, according to a public notice published on Oct. 2. The Legislative Affairs Agency is seeking a private security firm to set up an airport-style checkpoint. The joint House-Senate Legislative Council will meet on Dec. 12 to discuss the checkpoint plan.
• According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the Bering Sea snow crab harvest officially resumed on Oct. 17 after a two-year closure due to poor stocks. The current allowable harvest is significantly lower than average at 4.72 million pounds. This is the smallest quota in the fishery’s 47-year history.  
• New Federal Subsistence Board rules will add three representatives nominated by Alaska Native tribes. The board currently manages all subsistence harvests in Alaska. The rule comes out of consultations with tribes in 2022, according to a Federal Register notice to be published by the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

• Grazer is the winner of Alaska’s Fat Bear Contest. The National Park Service and Explore.org host the annual contest to celebrate the resiliency of the brown bears living in the Katmai National Park and Preserve. Grazer’s cub was killed by the other finalist, Chunk, shortly before voting began, according to the National Park Service. Brackets and winners can be viewed at https://explore.org/fat-bear-week.
• Alaska’s seafood industry lost a net $1.8 billion from 2022-2023, according to a recent NOAA report. Environmental and economic factors were to blame, the report said, including trade difficulties, large Russian harvests, processing plant closures, high labor and fuel costs, and successive marine heatwaves impacting commercially important fish stocks. A state legislative task force formed to address the fishery crisis is due to make policy proposals by mid-January.
• Anchorage Daily News (ADN) staff voted Oct. 8 on whether or not to unionize. The union would be called the Anchorage News Guild, a branch of NewsGuild. Sixteen of twenty non-management staff members signed union authorization cards in September. Organizers said wage negotiations were the driving force behind unionization. Results are expected in November. If the motion passes, ADN would become Alaska’s only unionized newsroom. ADN is the state’s most widely read newspaper.
• Pacific Spaceport Complex-Alaska in Kodiak will sign an agreement to support other spaceports worldwide. Alaska Aerospace Corporation intends to ship portable range safety and telemetry systems (RSTS) across the globe. These systems are used to monitor space flights for potential hazards. The venture will provide new revenue streams after a failed launch damaged one of ABL Space Systems’ rockets beyond repair, delaying future launches. 
• An 11-year-old Amur tiger arrived at the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage on Oct. 8. Natasha will fill Alaska Zoo’s 7-month tiger vacancy. Zookeepers say she is adjusting well to her new habitat. Natasha came from the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.
• The Northern Justice Project has filed a class action lawsuit against the Alaska Department of Health to ensure Alaskans receive their food benefits on time. Earlier this year, food stamp application backlogs reached crisis proportions. According to attorney Nick Feronti, state data shows the crisis continues, with 63% of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program applications processed on time in September.

• Juneau’s unofficial 2024 municipal election results have been released. According to the Oct 4 count, Ship-Free Saturdays and Board of Education recall measures are failing, and both public safety bonds are passing. Voter turnout surpassed previous years, at 34%.
• The Alaska State Legislature has banned large signs in the capitol building. Under the new Legislative Affairs Agency rules, all signs must be held by hand and no larger than 11×17 inches. The change follows protests of Gov. Dunleavy’s education funding veto in March. 
• The Juneau Police Department is seeking information about an individual suspected of vandalizing multiple locations in the Mendenhall Valley with swastikas. Anonymous tips can be made to the Juneau Crime Line at http://juneaucrimeline.com/sitemenu.aspx?ID=697&.
• The likelihood of another Suicide Basin release this fall is low, says National Weather Serivce hydrologist Aaron Jacobs. At an Oct 3rd Assembly meeting, he said that with current fill rates, it’s possible the basin would release in May or June of next year. Meanwhile, the Assembly is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to construct temporary barriers along the Mendenhall River. 
• The Access to Alaska Native Collections grant by Museum Alaska, a nonprofit run by the Alaska Historical Society,  seeks to improve museum access for Alaska Native artists and culture bearers. The program is financed by the Cook Inlet Region, Inc. and has funded the travel of 17 artists since its inception.
• Conoco Philips announced its intention to buy Kuparuk and Prudhoe Bay oil fields from Chevron on Oct 3. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year, and follows a trend of large companies withdrawing from the North Slope.
• Dr. X̱’unei Lance Twitchell, Professor of Alaska Native Languages at UAS, has received the 2024 Governor’s Award for the Arts and Humanities. The grant honors contributions to Alaska arts and humanities in multiple categories. One of nine recipients, Dr. Twitchell is dedicated to preserving Alaska Native languages, and recently published a book of Lingít-English poetry.

• The Yukon River chum salmon numbers in Canada showed the third lowest season on record, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Sept. 25 update.  However, late season information showed marginal signs of improvement over expectations, giving hope for future seasons. 
• Two of Alaska’s largest tribal groups, the Association of Village Council Presidents and the Tanana Chiefs Conference, have filed a lawsuit against federal managers of ground trawl fisheries.  The plaintiffs claim the federal government failed to adjust ground trawling rules in accordance with the ongoing salmon crisis. The case has the potential to set new standards for ground trawling in Alaskan waters. The tribal groups presented oral arguments on Sept. 26. 
• Alaskan Mike Sfraga has been confirmed as the first U.S. Arctic ambassador-at-large. A former UAF faculty member and geographer, Sfraga is charged with advancing U.S. policy in the north, engaging with counterparts in other nations, and working with domestic stakeholders. 
• Alaska Native tribes have received almost $14 million in federal grants to address domestic violence and sexual assault. The U.S. Justice Department grants came through the Violence Against Women Act, and will be used to support survivors. 
• Despite neighborhood opposition, the Juneau Planning Commission has approved a roundabout for  Mendenhall Loop Road at the Valley Road/Mendenhall Boulevard intersection. There is already a stoplight and residents say a roundabout is unnecessary. The roundabout would be the third on Mendenhall Loop. The Assembly has until Oct. 24 to modify or reject the proposal. The Alaska Department of Transportation has scheduled construction for mid-2025. 

National and Election:

• The vice presidential debate between Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) and Ohio Sen.  JD Vance (R) is scheduled for Oct 1. The 90-minute televised event will be hosted by CBS, and will also air on most other networks at 5 p.m. Alaska time.

• Six-hundred Juneau voters might have received more than one ballot for the upcoming municipal election. The Juneau Municipal Clerk’s Office said the excess ballots resulted from a miscommunication with K&H Printers. Those receiving more than one ballot are advised to vote on one and destroy the other. Officials assured residents that protocols are in place to prevent people from voting multiple times. 
• Juneau Mayor Beth Weldon, City Manager Katie Koester, and representatives from Tlingit and Haida will travel to Washington, D.C. this week to advocate for funding for a flood mitigation plan by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

• The 2024 Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) will be $1,702, according to the Alaska Department of Revenue. The sum includes $1,403.83 from Permanent Fund earnings and $298.17 in one-time energy relief funds. This amount is higher than initial projections due to a lower-than-projected number of recipients. Direct deposit is scheduled Oct. 3. Paper checks will be mailed later in the month.
• Alaska’s Bristol Bay sockeye salmon harvest exceeded the pre-season forecast by more than 33%. A Sept. 17 report from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game counted 51.6 million fish in 2024, 7% higher than previous averages. However, average fish sizes were the smallest on record at 4.53 pounds. 
• The Fish and Game report also showed other Bristol Bay salmon runs were lower than average. Chinook, chum, and coho runs came in well below 20-year averages. Fisher profits are up from last year, but still trending  34% below the average. 
• An Anchorage resident was arrested Sept. 18  for repeated threats against multiple U. S. Supreme Court justices. Panos Anastasiou, 76, was charged in a 22-count indictment and pleaded not guilty on all charges.
• The Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has fined Hilcorp $50,000 for failure to test oil well temperatures on time. Regular temperature surveys are required to assess the integrity of a well and to check for leaks. The Sept. 19 penalty is Hicorp’s fifth this year.  

National and Election:

• Early presidential voting centers opened in Minnesota, South Dakota, and Virginia on Sept. 20. Polls will open in 12 other states by mid-October.

State and Local Headlines (Source: Juneau Empire, KTOO, Anchorage Daily News):

• By-mail voting in Juneau’s municipal election has begun, and in-person voting will be held on October 1st. Juneau mayor, two Assembly seats, three Juneau Board of Education seats, and public safety and wastewater bonds are on this year’s ballot. The Ship-Free Saturday proposition, aimed at restricting Saturday cruise ship tourism, is also included. Click here for more information about the candidates and ballot measures.
• Juneau’s Suicide Basin is refilling. The basin’s August release flooded about 300 homes in the Mendenhall Valley. National Weather Service meteorologist Nicole Ferrin said it’s normal for the basin to release more than once a season, but this year’s fall levels are higher than average. Juneau city officials are working on flood mitigation plans. Meanwhile, valley residents are advised to stay alert. 
• Alaska’s Office of Special Prosecutions has cleared law enforcement of any wrongdoing in the shooting of Steven Kissack. According to the state’s review, Kissack made multiple threats, ignored orders to drop his knife, and ran toward officers after non-lethal rounds were fired. His death resulted in a widespread public discussion on the availability of mental health resources for Juneau’s unhoused residents. Multiple protests and vigils were held in his name. 

• Many University of Alaska faculty, mostly graduate students, did not receive a paycheck for the 8/11-8/24 pay period due to paperwork issues. At the recent Board of Regents meeting at UAS, UA President Pat Pitney said the problem has been resolved. Most employees were paid on time, with a few being paid on the 9th or 10th this week. President Pitney also apologized and promised to address the root cause of the late paychecks. 
• Staff at the Anchorage Daily News (ADN), Alaska’s most widely read paper, are attempting to unionize. Eighty percent of the newsroom’s eligible employees have signed union authorization cards, a key first step to organizing a union. As of Tuesday, September 10th, ADN refused to acknowledge the union. This halts all negotiations pending a formal vote. 
• National park tourism in Alaska has rebounded from pre-pandemic levels. The parks also created about $2.3 billion in economic value in 2023. The data, compiled by the National Park Service, showed the 3.3 million park visitors led to marked growth in job numbers, labor income, and economic output. 
• Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy vetoed House Bill 17 on September 4th. The bill would have required insurance companies to cover the dispensing of 12 months’ worth of contraceptives at a time, instead of in 1-3 month increments.

National Elections: (Source: The Associated Press, Pew Research):

• A September 9th Pew Research poll shows Vice President Harris and former President Trump are tied. Both candidates have 49% of registered voters’ support. Harris leads on some social issues and traits, while Trump’s main advantage is economic policy.

Sources:

Alaska Beacon

Alaska Public Media

Anchorage Daily News

KTOO

Juneau Empire