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The Alaska Capitol is photographed Friday, July 11, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Juneau Empire)

Alaska state senator, key vote on possible budget veto override, gets waiver from US Army

Forrest Dunbar, a Democrat from Anchorage, is deployed in Poland with the Alaska National Guard

The Alaska Capitol is photographed Friday, July 11, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Juneau Empire)
Hal Kulm (left), Luke Kulm (center) and Chanda Lawless place trash and lumber debris by the side of North Douglas Highway during a community shoreline cleanup. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file)

Bits of fishing gear and buoys dominate marine debris load in Alaska, report says

Alaska’s marine debris mix shows how ocean activities and ocean currents bring trash to the state’s shores

Hal Kulm (left), Luke Kulm (center) and Chanda Lawless place trash and lumber debris by the side of North Douglas Highway during a community shoreline cleanup. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file)
Fresh-picked lettuces are for sale at the final Homer Farmers Market of the year on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)

USDA ends regional food program, pulls $6M from Alaska businesses

On July 15, the Alaska Food Policy Council was notified that the USDA had terminated the Regional Food Business Center Program “effective immediately.”

Fresh-picked lettuces are for sale at the final Homer Farmers Market of the year on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
A photo provided by NTSB shows a single-engine Piper PA-18-150 Super Cub, that crashed shortly after takeoff in a mountainous area of southwestern Alaska, Sept. 12, 2023. The plane was weighed down by too much moose meat and faced drag from a set of antlers mounted on its right wing strut, federal investigators said on Tuesday.

Crash that killed husband of former congresswoman was overloaded with moose meat and antlers, NTSB says

The plane, a single-engine Piper PA-18-150 Super Cub, crashed shortly after takeoff in a mountainous area of southwestern Alaska on Sept. 12, 2023.

A photo provided by NTSB shows a single-engine Piper PA-18-150 Super Cub, that crashed shortly after takeoff in a mountainous area of southwestern Alaska, Sept. 12, 2023. The plane was weighed down by too much moose meat and faced drag from a set of antlers mounted on its right wing strut, federal investigators said on Tuesday.
Kai Monture shovels sand into bags at a City and Borough of Juneau and Tlingit & Haida collaborative event distributing sandbags to residents, Saturday<ins>, July 19, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska</ins>. Monture does not live in the flood zone, but came out to volunteer to “take care of community. It’s an important value to me.” (Carly Rundle-Borchert/Juneau Empire)

Juneau residents prepare for annual outburst flooding

The National Weather Service says it expects the basin to reach that capacity in mid-August

Kai Monture shovels sand into bags at a City and Borough of Juneau and Tlingit & Haida collaborative event distributing sandbags to residents, Saturday<ins>, July 19, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska</ins>. Monture does not live in the flood zone, but came out to volunteer to “take care of community. It’s an important value to me.” (Carly Rundle-Borchert/Juneau Empire)
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski delivers her annual address to the Alaska Legislature on March 18, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

On budget vote, Murkowski says she was ‘hung out to dry’ and stuck between 2 bad options

Alaska’s senior U.S. senator said the state fares better under Republicans’ budget plan because of her efforts to soften the fiscal blow

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski delivers her annual address to the Alaska Legislature on March 18, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Exit Glacier is photographed on June 22, 2018. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)

2 rescued by park service near Exit Glacier

The hikers were stranded in the “Exit Creek Prohibited Visitor Use Zone.”

Exit Glacier is photographed on June 22, 2018. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
Gov. Mike Dunleavy is seen in a screenshot of a news conference on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022, in Anchorage. (Screenshot)

Governor vetoes bill intended to provide emergency health care to Alaska police dogs

House Bill 70 was inspired by the death of an Alaska State Trooper canine during a 2017 police chase in Wasilla

Gov. Mike Dunleavy is seen in a screenshot of a news conference on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022, in Anchorage. (Screenshot)
The KBBI AM 890 station is located on Kachemak Way in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Chloe Pleznac/Homer News)

Kenai Peninsula radio reacts to loss of federal funding

Congress last week approved President Trump’s rescission request, zeroing out all federal funding for public broadcasting, effective Oct. 1.

The KBBI AM 890 station is located on Kachemak Way in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Chloe Pleznac/Homer News)
Alaska Airlines passenger jets on the tarmac at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington state on Jan. 8, 2024. Alaska Airlines resumed operations early Monday, July 21, 2025, after grounding its entire fleet of planes and those of a subsidiary because of a software outage for about three hours. (M. Scott Brauer/The New York Times)

Alaska Airlines resumes operations after software outage

The airline first requested to ground the more than 200 aircraft it operates under the Alaska Airlines brand about 11 p.m. Eastern time.

  • Jul 21, 2025
  • By Yan Zhuang and Livia Albeck-Ripka c.2025 The New York Times Company
  • State & Legislature
Alaska Airlines passenger jets on the tarmac at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington state on Jan. 8, 2024. Alaska Airlines resumed operations early Monday, July 21, 2025, after grounding its entire fleet of planes and those of a subsidiary because of a software outage for about three hours. (M. Scott Brauer/The New York Times)
Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, speaks at a town hall meeting in the Moose Pass Sportsman’s Club in Moose Pass, Alaska, on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Insurance authorization bill becomes law

The bill requires insurance companies and health care providers to meet new deadlines for authorizing requests for care.

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, speaks at a town hall meeting in the Moose Pass Sportsman’s Club in Moose Pass, Alaska, on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Bob Girt works with the Alaska Youth Stewards on Prince of Wales Island in 2022. (Photo courtesy of Bethany Goodrich / Sustainable Southeast Partnership)

Threads of the Tongass: Building a sustainable future

“These students can look back and say, ‘I helped build that. I was a contributor.’”

Bob Girt works with the Alaska Youth Stewards on Prince of Wales Island in 2022. (Photo courtesy of Bethany Goodrich / Sustainable Southeast Partnership)
KTOO, Juneau's public radio station, is photographed in Juneau, Alaska, on Friday, July 11, 2025. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)

Public radio facing cuts as Congress moves to pull back funding

KTOO could lose one-third of its budget if the House passes a bill cutting funding for the Corporation of Public Broadcasting

KTOO, Juneau's public radio station, is photographed in Juneau, Alaska, on Friday, July 11, 2025. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
Eaglecrest Ski Area. (Ben Hohenstatt | Juneau Empire File)

Hiker rescued from gully at Eaglecrest

The woman got stuck in a gully after taking a wrong turn

Eaglecrest Ski Area. (Ben Hohenstatt | Juneau Empire File)
The Dimond Courthouse in Juneau, Alaska, is seen in this undated photo. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire file)

Juneau man pleads guilty to murder of infant

James White pleaded guilty yesterday to the murder of 5-and-half-week-old Kathy White

The Dimond Courthouse in Juneau, Alaska, is seen in this undated photo. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire file)
The Mendenhall River roars more than 13 feet above normal levels in August 2023. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Suicide Basin predicted to fill by Aug. 8

The change in the prediction of when the basin will fill was based on heavy rain last week

The Mendenhall River roars more than 13 feet above normal levels in August 2023. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Megan Dean shakes hands with the new Arctic District commander Rear Admiral Bob Little on Friday. Vice Admiral Andrew J. Tiongson, commander of the Pacific Area, smiles. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

US Coast Guard receives new commander, new name for Alaska

The Arctic District’s new icebreaker will visit Juneau next month

U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Megan Dean shakes hands with the new Arctic District commander Rear Admiral Bob Little on Friday. Vice Admiral Andrew J. Tiongson, commander of the Pacific Area, smiles. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
City and Borough of Juneau City Hall is photographed on July 12, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Juneau Empire file)

Municipal election candidate filing period opens July 18

The filing period runs from July 18 at 8 a.m. to July 28 at 4:30 p.m.

City and Borough of Juneau City Hall is photographed on July 12, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Juneau Empire file)
Photos courtesy of Eldred Rock Lighthouse Preservation Association 
Volunteer work on the Eldred Rock Lighthouse.

Alaska’s oldest original lighthouse will celebrate 120 years next summer

Eldred Rock Lighthouse seeks more volunteers

Photos courtesy of Eldred Rock Lighthouse Preservation Association 
Volunteer work on the Eldred Rock Lighthouse.
Jensen-Olson Arboretum is seen in this undated photo. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)

Free art lessons for children to be hosted at arboretum July 26

Registration opens July 16 at noon and is limited to 20 students.

Jensen-Olson Arboretum is seen in this undated photo. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)