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Gov. Mike Dunleavy discusses his proposed budget for the 2024 fiscal year during a press conference at the Alaska State Capitol in December 2022. A lower-than-expected revenue forecast is raising questions about what the state's spending plan will ultimately look like. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire File)

Lower revenue forecast increases budget woes for state lawmakers

Coming up with a spending plan for next year and beyond will be a complex series of negotiations.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy discusses his proposed budget for the 2024 fiscal year during a press conference at the Alaska State Capitol in December 2022. A lower-than-expected revenue forecast is raising questions about what the state's spending plan will ultimately look like. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire File)
Office Max at the Nugget Mall in the Mendenhall Valley advertised Permanent Fund dividend sales in July 2020. Alaskans have until the end of the month to apply for the PFD. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

PFD application deadline is next week

Amount in flux as state revenue forecasts lower than expected.

Office Max at the Nugget Mall in the Mendenhall Valley advertised Permanent Fund dividend sales in July 2020. Alaskans have until the end of the month to apply for the PFD. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
Bob Schroeder takes an electric chainsaw to a mock credit card during a protest outside the Wells Fargo in downtown Juneau at midday Tuesday. Schroeder cut up three mock credit cards representing three banks in Juneau protesters say are leading funders of fossil fuel development projects. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Chainsaw reaction: Protesters object to banks financing fossil fuel projects

Demonstration uses electric tool to cut up giant credit cards.

Bob Schroeder takes an electric chainsaw to a mock credit card during a protest outside the Wells Fargo in downtown Juneau at midday Tuesday. Schroeder cut up three mock credit cards representing three banks in Juneau protesters say are leading funders of fossil fuel development projects. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
This is a photo of the current site plan of the proposed Capital Civic Center. On Monday night the Assembly authorized $5 million to go toward the project that is expected to cost $75 million. (City and Borough of Juneau)

City OKs $5M toward proposed Capital Civic Center

The money is intended to show the city’s commitment to the project as it seeks federal funding

This is a photo of the current site plan of the proposed Capital Civic Center. On Monday night the Assembly authorized $5 million to go toward the project that is expected to cost $75 million. (City and Borough of Juneau)
Yakutat’s Trinity Jackson takes a contested shot during a win against Angoon Tuesday for the Gold Medal basketball tournament. Jackson finished the game with a total of 11 points. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Yakutat bests Angoon in Women’s Bracket contest

Semifinal game to be played on Thursday.

Yakutat’s Trinity Jackson takes a contested shot during a win against Angoon Tuesday for the Gold Medal basketball tournament. Jackson finished the game with a total of 11 points. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Hoonah’s Travis Dybdahl puts the ball up for an easy layup against Yakutat on Tuesday in the C Bracket of this year’s Gold Medal basketball tournament. Dybdahl finished the game with a total of 17 points. With Hoonah’s Tuesday win, Yakutat is now eliminated from the tournament. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Hoonah elimnates Yakutat from C Bracket

The Juneau Empire’s expanded coverage of the Juneau Lions Club 74th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament is made possible by Sealaska Corp. Thanks to this sponsorship,… Continue reading

Hoonah’s Travis Dybdahl puts the ball up for an easy layup against Yakutat on Tuesday in the C Bracket of this year’s Gold Medal basketball tournament. Dybdahl finished the game with a total of 17 points. With Hoonah’s Tuesday win, Yakutat is now eliminated from the tournament. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire

PHOTOS: Gold Medal’s manic Monday

See scenes from the tournament’s second day.

  • Mar 21, 2023
Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire
A police officer stands on duty in early March. The City and Borough of Juneau announced Monday incoming Juneau Police Department officers will now be offered a hiring bonus of up to $30,000 in exchange for a four-year commitment to the department. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

City offers up to $30K hiring bonus for new police officers

Police union representative says it’s not enough to fix the department’s recruitment challenges

A police officer stands on duty in early March. The City and Borough of Juneau announced Monday incoming Juneau Police Department officers will now be offered a hiring bonus of up to $30,000 in exchange for a four-year commitment to the department. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Hoonah’s Mackenzie Nichols (21) eyes the hoop while defended by Prince of Wales’ Michaela Demmert in the first half of a 63-43 Prince of Wales win. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Prince of Wales topples Hoonah in Gold Medal Women’s Bracket

Prince of Wales started slow but finished with a flurry with a 63-43 win.

  • Mar 21, 2023
  • By Klas Stolpe For the Juneau Empire
  • Basketball
Hoonah’s Mackenzie Nichols (21) eyes the hoop while defended by Prince of Wales’ Michaela Demmert in the first half of a 63-43 Prince of Wales win. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Hoonah and Filcom players battle for a loose ball during C Bracket action in the Gold Medal Basketball Tournament, Monday, March 20, at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Klas Stolpe/For the Juneau Empire)

Filcom topples Hoonah 87-66 to earn Thursday semifinals

C Bracket shootout featured Filcom’s Cooper, Heumann and Hoonah’s Dybdahl.

  • Mar 21, 2023
  • By Klas Stolpe For the Juneau Empire
  • Basketball
Hoonah and Filcom players battle for a loose ball during C Bracket action in the Gold Medal Basketball Tournament, Monday, March 20, at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Klas Stolpe/For the Juneau Empire)
Klukwan’s Russ Stevens (23) scores against Hoonah’s Michael Mills (1) during Masters Bracket action in the Gold Medal Basketball Tournament, Monday, March 20, at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Klas Stolpe/For the Juneau Empire)

Klukwan wins battle of boards to defeat Hoonah in Masters Bracket

Win puts Chilkat Thunder into Thursday semifinals

  • Mar 21, 2023
  • By Klas Stolpe For the Juneau Empire
  • Basketball
Klukwan’s Russ Stevens (23) scores against Hoonah’s Michael Mills (1) during Masters Bracket action in the Gold Medal Basketball Tournament, Monday, March 20, at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Klas Stolpe/For the Juneau Empire)
Hydaburg’s George Peratrovich drives along the baseline while defended by Haines’ Tyler Swinton (44) early in Hydaburg’s 75-57 win Monday night. Swinton led all scorers with 28 points, doing much of his damage in the second quarter. Peratrovich game down with 10 boards in the contest, which helped cinch the win. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Hydaburg chops down Haines’ height

George Peratrovich, Darren Edenshaw come up big on the boards

  • Mar 21, 2023
  • By Klas Stolpe
Hydaburg’s George Peratrovich drives along the baseline while defended by Haines’ Tyler Swinton (44) early in Hydaburg’s 75-57 win Monday night. Swinton led all scorers with 28 points, doing much of his damage in the second quarter. Peratrovich game down with 10 boards in the contest, which helped cinch the win. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Alaska’s state legislators are slated to get the equivalent of 6,720 additional $5 bills in their salary next year via a $33,600 raise to a total of $84,000 due to a veto Monday by Gov. Mike Dunleavy of bill rejecting raises for legislative and executive branch employees. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)

Veto negates rejection of pay hikes for governor, legislators

Dunleavy clears way for 67% hike in legislative pay, 20% in his to take effect in coming months

Alaska’s state legislators are slated to get the equivalent of 6,720 additional $5 bills in their salary next year via a $33,600 raise to a total of $84,000 due to a veto Monday by Gov. Mike Dunleavy of bill rejecting raises for legislative and executive branch employees. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)
This photo shows the Alaska State Capitol, where lawmakers are mulling several bills related to discussion of sex and gender in public schools. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

Bills focused on sex and gender in education bring ‘the beginning of the culture wars’ to Alaska

Competing legislation brings national fracas to the Capitol.

This photo shows the Alaska State Capitol, where lawmakers are mulling several bills related to discussion of sex and gender in public schools. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
Rep. DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer, center, discusses details of the proposed state budget for next year as modified by the House Finance Committee she co-chairs with Reps. Neil Foster, D-Nome, left, and Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham. Assisting Johnson is her chief of staff Remond Henderson. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

House budget’s biggest change is a smaller PFD

Large deficit in governor’s budget drives dividend lower, poor oil price forecast may mean other cuts

Rep. DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer, center, discusses details of the proposed state budget for next year as modified by the House Finance Committee she co-chairs with Reps. Neil Foster, D-Nome, left, and Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham. Assisting Johnson is her chief of staff Remond Henderson. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Juneau’s Chase Saviers goes in for a layup Monday afternoon in a B Bracket game against Metlakatla during the Juneau Lions Club 74th Annual Gold Medal Basketball Tournament at the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé gymnasium. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Juneau lands 111 points in win over Metlakatla

The team won by exactly 40-points.

Juneau’s Chase Saviers goes in for a layup Monday afternoon in a B Bracket game against Metlakatla during the Juneau Lions Club 74th Annual Gold Medal Basketball Tournament at the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé gymnasium. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Ballard High School students work together to solve an exercise at MisinfoDay, an event hosted by the University of Washington to help high school students identify and avoid misinformation, Tuesday, March 14, 2023, in Seattle. Educators around the country are pushing for greater digital media literacy education. (AP Photo / Manuel Valdes)

Digital literacy: Can the republic ‘survive an algorithm’?

Incorporating internet literacy can be a challenge, especially since misinformation is politicized.

  • Mar 20, 2023
  • By David Klepper and Manuel Valdes Associated Press
  • Nation-World
Ballard High School students work together to solve an exercise at MisinfoDay, an event hosted by the University of Washington to help high school students identify and avoid misinformation, Tuesday, March 14, 2023, in Seattle. Educators around the country are pushing for greater digital media literacy education. (AP Photo / Manuel Valdes)
Juneau’s Gold Medal Tournament Masters Bracket basketball team’s Will Whitehead secures a two-point shot early on in the first quarter of a game against Angoon Sunday afternoon a part 74th Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament. Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Juneau stays in control against Angoon for M Bracket win

Juneau kept a respectable-yet-close lead through the entire time.

Juneau’s Gold Medal Tournament Masters Bracket basketball team’s Will Whitehead secures a two-point shot early on in the first quarter of a game against Angoon Sunday afternoon a part 74th Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament. Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Yakutat’s Trinity Jackson goes up for a shot Monday afternoon in a game against Kake during the Juneau Lions Club 74th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament at the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé gymnasium. Yakutat prevailed against Kake 69-33. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Yakutat finishes with 36-point lead over Kake in W bracket

Kake women bested on second day of the tournament.

Yakutat’s Trinity Jackson goes up for a shot Monday afternoon in a game against Kake during the Juneau Lions Club 74th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament at the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé gymnasium. Yakutat prevailed against Kake 69-33. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
This September 2015, photo provided by NOAA Fisheries shows an aerial view of adult female Southern Resident killer whale (J16) swimming with her calf (J50). New research suggests that inbreeding may be a key reason that the Pacific Northwest’s endangered population of killer whales has failed to recover despite decades of conservation efforts. The so-called “southern resident” population of orcas stands at 73 whales. That’s just two more than in 1971, after scores of the whales were captured for display in marine theme parks around the world. (NOAA Fisheries / Vancouver Aquarium)

The big problem for endangered orcas? Inbreeding

Southern resident killer whales haven’t regularly interbred with other populations in 30 generations.

  • Mar 20, 2023
  • By Gene Johnson Associated Press
This September 2015, photo provided by NOAA Fisheries shows an aerial view of adult female Southern Resident killer whale (J16) swimming with her calf (J50). New research suggests that inbreeding may be a key reason that the Pacific Northwest’s endangered population of killer whales has failed to recover despite decades of conservation efforts. The so-called “southern resident” population of orcas stands at 73 whales. That’s just two more than in 1971, after scores of the whales were captured for display in marine theme parks around the world. (NOAA Fisheries / Vancouver Aquarium)