James Brooks

Attorney General Craig Richards speaks to the media about his change of plans to speak to the House Judiciary Committee on Monday.

Secrecy rules create angry conflict in Legislature

A dispute over the amount of secrecy allowed to board members of the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation resulted in an unusual angry speech on the… Continue reading

Attorney General Craig Richards speaks to the media about his change of plans to speak to the House Judiciary Committee on Monday.
Barbara Huff Tuckness, a spokeswoman for Teamsters Union Local 959, speaks in favor of the TransCanada buyout proposal during public testimony in the House Finance Committee at the Capitol on Monday.

Legislature advances pipeline buyout

The state’s buyout of gas pipeline partner TransCanada advanced on Monday to the floor of the Alaska Senate en route to what seems to be… Continue reading

Barbara Huff Tuckness, a spokeswoman for Teamsters Union Local 959, speaks in favor of the TransCanada buyout proposal during public testimony in the House Finance Committee at the Capitol on Monday.
Speaker of the House Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski, talks with legislators at his desk during an "at ease" in the House of Representatives at the Capitol on Monday.

House minority objects to Arctic drilling complaint

Members of the Alaska House minority raised procedural objections Monday morning as the body prepared a formal complaint in response to the federal government’s cancellation… Continue reading

Speaker of the House Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski, talks with legislators at his desk during an "at ease" in the House of Representatives at the Capitol on Monday.

Lawmakers hear pipeline buyout timeline

Lawmakers considering a buyout of Canadian pipeline firm TransCanada are preparing to advance a plan that allows a buyout before an important Dec. 4 vote.On… Continue reading

Legislature readies complaint after Arctic drilling nixed

The Alaska Legislature is preparing an official complaint letter to President Barack Obama after the federal government canceled planned oil and gas lease sales in… Continue reading

Daylight saving compromise proposed in House

A Wasilla Republican has suggested a compromise that could assuage the fears of Alaskans concerned about the proposed elimination of daylight saving time in the… Continue reading

Legislator’s advisers also call for TransCanada buyout

The advisers hired by the Alaska Legislature to provide an independent view of the AKLNG natural gas project say they agree with the state in… Continue reading

Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, left, Sen. Mia Costello, R-Anchorage, and Rep. Liz Vazquez, R-Anchorage, listen to Steve Butt, senior project manager of the ExxonMobil Development Company and currently serving as the project manager for the Alaska LNG Project, as he testifies in front of the Senate Finance Committee at the Capitol on Friday.

AKLNG project head says it’s on course

The AKLNG natural gas project will be big enough to supply 5 percent of the world’s natural gas. It will carry enough gas to meet… Continue reading

Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, left, Sen. Mia Costello, R-Anchorage, and Rep. Liz Vazquez, R-Anchorage, listen to Steve Butt, senior project manager of the ExxonMobil Development Company and currently serving as the project manager for the Alaska LNG Project, as he testifies in front of the Senate Finance Committee at the Capitol on Friday.

‘Hard Rock Miners’ sculptor dies in Oregon

The sculptor behind Juneau’s iconic “Hard Rock Miners” sculpture has died.Edward Seth Way was curator of exhibits at the Alaska State Museum when he was… Continue reading

Rep. Les Gara, D-Anchorage, asks a question of Vincent Lee, director of Major Projects Development for TransCanada, about a proposed gasline buyout by the state to the House Finance Committee at the Capitol on Wednesday.

TransCanada exec: Company ready for buyout

The state’s partner in the AKLNG natural gas project says it’s ready to be bought out.Vincent Lee, director of major projects development for Canadian firm… Continue reading

Rep. Les Gara, D-Anchorage, asks a question of Vincent Lee, director of Major Projects Development for TransCanada, about a proposed gasline buyout by the state to the House Finance Committee at the Capitol on Wednesday.
Legislators listen to Attorney General Craig Richards announce on Wednesday a proposal by the Walker administration to redirect almost all of the state's oil revenue to the Permanent Fund. The briefing took place at Centennial Hall for legislators and their staffs.

Gov. Walker rolls out proposal to turn Permanent Fund into state’s money factory

Gov. Bill Walker’s administration is preparing to roll out the most radical change to the state’s annual budgeting process since the creation of the Alaska… Continue reading

Legislators listen to Attorney General Craig Richards announce on Wednesday a proposal by the Walker administration to redirect almost all of the state's oil revenue to the Permanent Fund. The briefing took place at Centennial Hall for legislators and their staffs.
Rep. Mark Neuman, R-Big Lake, asks a question during a presentation by the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation during a House Finance Committee meeting at the Capitol on Tuesday.

Legislators: Is gasline corp ready?

Leaders of the state-owned Alaska Gasline Development Corporation were the subjects of a legislative inquiry on Tuesday as lawmakers consider whether the AGDC is fit… Continue reading

Rep. Mark Neuman, R-Big Lake, asks a question during a presentation by the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation during a House Finance Committee meeting at the Capitol on Tuesday.
Scott Willis, Vice President and Generation Engineer for AEL&P, right, discusses the rebuilding process of transmission lines destroyed in an avalance with Tim McLeod, president of AEL&P, at the Snettisham hydroelectric project in April 2008.

AEL&P’s avalanche man dies at age 61

The public face of Alaska Electric Light and Power during the Snettisham avalanche crisis has died.Kenneth Scott Willis, 61, succumbed to cancer on Thursday in… Continue reading

Scott Willis, Vice President and Generation Engineer for AEL&P, right, discusses the rebuilding process of transmission lines destroyed in an avalance with Tim McLeod, president of AEL&P, at the Snettisham hydroelectric project in April 2008.
Senate Finance Committee members Sen. Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, left, Sen. Anna MacKinnon, R-Eagle River, center, and Sen. Pete Kelly, R-Fairbanks, listen to Deepa Poduval, principal consultant at Black and Beatch, and Marty Rutherford, deputy commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources, give a presentation on Gov. Bill Walker's proposed buy-out of TransCanada in a gasline project at the Capitol on Monday.

In Alaska Legislature, questions about legality of TransCanada buyout

On the third day of the Alaska Legislature’s gas pipeline special session, there was a shift in the questions asked by lawmakers.In hearings held by… Continue reading

Senate Finance Committee members Sen. Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, left, Sen. Anna MacKinnon, R-Eagle River, center, and Sen. Pete Kelly, R-Fairbanks, listen to Deepa Poduval, principal consultant at Black and Beatch, and Marty Rutherford, deputy commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources, give a presentation on Gov. Bill Walker's proposed buy-out of TransCanada in a gasline project at the Capitol on Monday.

Infographic: Catch of the year

Mobile users may see the infographic here.Salmon season is over, and the numbers are in: Alaska caught the second-most salmon ever, 263.5 million fish. Southeast's… Continue reading

Report: Southeast economy poised for downward swing

Southeast Alaska’s economy appears to be entering a stormy season.That’s the conclusion of a new report completed by Rain Coast Data and the Southeast Conference.… Continue reading

DNR: TransCanada ‘supportive’ of buyout

Canadian pipeline builder TransCanada supports a proposal to buy out its stake in the proposed trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline, deputy natural resources director Marty Rutherford… Continue reading

Consultants Radislov Shipkoff, director of Greengate LLC, left, Steven Kantor, managing director of FirstSouthwest, and Justin Palfreyman, director of Lazard, speak in favor of Gov. Bill Walker's TransCanada buy-out proposal during a House Finance Committee hearing at the Capitol on Saturday.

Analysis: Pay now or later for gas pipeline?

Chances are, you have at least one credit card in your wallet.Any time you pull it out and use it — whether at Foodland, Fred… Continue reading

Consultants Radislov Shipkoff, director of Greengate LLC, left, Steven Kantor, managing director of FirstSouthwest, and Justin Palfreyman, director of Lazard, speak in favor of Gov. Bill Walker's TransCanada buy-out proposal during a House Finance Committee hearing at the Capitol on Saturday.
Rep. Sam Kito III, D-Juneau, welcomes legislators back to the Capitol and gives thanks to Pam Varni, executive director of the Legislative Affairs Agency, Jeff Goodell, Capitol building manager, and Dawson construction for their work getting the Capitol ready for the Special Session that started on Saturday.

Legislature starts work amid dust, drilling

Neither construction dust or the shrieking sound of drilling could keep the Alaska Legislature from starting its third special session of 2015 on Saturday.“You’ve got… Continue reading

Rep. Sam Kito III, D-Juneau, welcomes legislators back to the Capitol and gives thanks to Pam Varni, executive director of the Legislative Affairs Agency, Jeff Goodell, Capitol building manager, and Dawson construction for their work getting the Capitol ready for the Special Session that started on Saturday.

Gov. Walker nixes natural gas tax after pledge from Big Oil

It’s business as unusual.On Friday afternoon, less than 24 hours before the Alaska Legislature was to begin its third special session of 2015, Gov. Bill… Continue reading