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A sign seen on Wednesday advertises rental availability at an apartment building in Anchorage’s Turnagain neighborhood. Residential rental costs in Alaska are now on par with the national median, a change from the past, when Alaska was had the most expensive residental rental prices, state economists have found. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

In turnaround, median rental cost in Alaska is now down to the national median

Rental costs have risen nationwide, but the increases in Alaska have been slower than elsewhere.

A sign seen on Wednesday advertises rental availability at an apartment building in Anchorage’s Turnagain neighborhood. Residential rental costs in Alaska are now on par with the national median, a change from the past, when Alaska was had the most expensive residental rental prices, state economists have found. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
The front page of the Juneau Empire on April 9, 1995. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The front page of the Juneau Empire on April 9, 1995. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé softball team poses Thursday after their first win of the season over Wasilla at the Sitka Invitational. Front row left-to-right are sophomore Lily Hayes, sophomore June Troxel, senior Tatum Billings, senior Bryanna Eakes, junior Alayna Echiverri and sophomore Skylar Oliva. Back row l-r are freshman Sadie Lockhart, junior Gwen Nizich, senior Taiya Bentz, sophomore Brynn Wheeler, sophomore Taylor Williams and sophomore Cassie Chenoweth. (Photo courtesy Crimson Bears softball)

Crimson Bears awaken in Sitka softball tourney

JDHS opens with split, topping Wasilla, falling to Chugiak.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé softball team poses Thursday after their first win of the season over Wasilla at the Sitka Invitational. Front row left-to-right are sophomore Lily Hayes, sophomore June Troxel, senior Tatum Billings, senior Bryanna Eakes, junior Alayna Echiverri and sophomore Skylar Oliva. Back row l-r are freshman Sadie Lockhart, junior Gwen Nizich, senior Taiya Bentz, sophomore Brynn Wheeler, sophomore Taylor Williams and sophomore Cassie Chenoweth. (Photo courtesy Crimson Bears softball)
The Alaska State Senate meets Thursday, where a bill boosting per-student education funding by $1,000 was introduced on the floor. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Education bill with $1,000 BSA hike — and nothing else — gets to Senate floor; veto by Dunleavy expected

Senate president says action on lower per-student education funding increase likely if veto override fails.

The Alaska State Senate meets Thursday, where a bill boosting per-student education funding by $1,000 was introduced on the floor. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Venezuelan migrants waiting to cross into the United States after receiving an asylum hearing through the CBP One app in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. (Alejandro Cegarra / For The New York Times)

White House moves to cancel migrants’ legally-obtained Social Security numbers to force self-deportation

Trump administration seeks to cut off access to credit cards, bank accounts, employment.

  • Apr 10, 2025
  • By Alexandra BerzonHamed AleazizNicholas NehamasRyan Mac and Tara Siegel Bernard, ©2025 The New York Times Company
  • Donald Trumprefugee
Venezuelan migrants waiting to cross into the United States after receiving an asylum hearing through the CBP One app in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. (Alejandro Cegarra / For The New York Times)
Alaska House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, speaks at a House majority news conference, April 8, 2025, in the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau. Rep. Chuck Kopp, R-Anchorage; Rep. Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage; Edgmon; and Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, are seated left to right. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska lawmakers are divided over state budget, stuck without agreement over dividend, schools

House majority leaders appeal to GOP minority, Gov. Dunleavy for agreement on spending plan.

Alaska House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, speaks at a House majority news conference, April 8, 2025, in the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau. Rep. Chuck Kopp, R-Anchorage; Rep. Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage; Edgmon; and Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, are seated left to right. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)
Students swing on a playground at Meadow Lakes Head Start in Wasilla, Alaska. It closed in 2024 due to funding and staffing challenges. (Image by Lela Seiler, courtesy of CCS Early Learning)

Alaska Head Start programs in limbo after regional office closed by U.S. Health Secretary Kennedy

Tribal programs such as Tlingit and Haida’s not affected by closures.

Students swing on a playground at Meadow Lakes Head Start in Wasilla, Alaska. It closed in 2024 due to funding and staffing challenges. (Image by Lela Seiler, courtesy of CCS Early Learning)
The planned restriction on phone services were expected to route more people to Social Security field offices as their staff levels were being cut. (Adriana Zehbrauskas / For The New York Times)

Social Security rolls back restrictions on filing for benefits by phone

Widely criticized plan would have limited Alaskans to filing online or in one of three major cities.

  • Apr 10, 2025
  • By Tara Siegel Bernard ©2025 The New York Times Company
  • Donald Trump
The planned restriction on phone services were expected to route more people to Social Security field offices as their staff levels were being cut. (Adriana Zehbrauskas / For The New York Times)
Contractors continue work on the new SEARHC medical center on Japonski Island. The completion estimate has been pushed back to the spring of 2026. (James Poulson / Sitka Daily Sentinel)

Pent-up complaints heard by SEARHC during annual “listening session” in Sitka

Concerns voiced about faulty care, home health for elders, waits for service and hard-to-navigate system.

Contractors continue work on the new SEARHC medical center on Japonski Island. The completion estimate has been pushed back to the spring of 2026. (James Poulson / Sitka Daily Sentinel)
Chum salmon are delivered to Alaska Glacier Seafoods on July 25, 2017. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Chinook harvest limits to be almost 40% lower than ‘24

Allocation is “the lowest chinook harvest limit on record” for Southeast, ADF&G official says.

  • Apr 10, 2025
  • By Anna Laffrey, Daily Sitka Sentinel
  • salmon
Chum salmon are delivered to Alaska Glacier Seafoods on July 25, 2017. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Yakutat's Rose Fraker is presented with the Walter Soboleff Award at the 2025 Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament by Steve Brandner, a previous winner, and Lions Club president Tim Wilson. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Saving Yakutat one basket at a time

Rose Fraker honored for Walter Soboleff Award

Yakutat's Rose Fraker is presented with the Walter Soboleff Award at the 2025 Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament by Steve Brandner, a previous winner, and Lions Club president Tim Wilson. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
(Getty Images)

Alaska charges 10 American Samoans with voter misconduct, widening a legal dispute

Attorney defending one case said he’s prepared to defend Samoans’ right to vote under the U.S. Constitution.

(Getty Images)
Jean Jackson made Gold Medal history in the 2025 Juneau Lions Club basketball tournament as the first woman inducted into the GMT Hall of Fame. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Jackson makes history as first woman player in Gold Medal tournament’s Hall of Fame

Klawock resident was star high school player and title-winnng coach; four-time Gold Medal MVP.

Jean Jackson made Gold Medal history in the 2025 Juneau Lions Club basketball tournament as the first woman inducted into the GMT Hall of Fame. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Amelia Lockwood practices the shot as co-head coach Brandi Adams watches. Both were at now defunct Thunder Mountain last year. The JDHS track and field team travels to Kodiak this weekend to open the season. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

New combined JDHS track team gets first-time adventure

Consolidated high school team will travel to Kodiak for inaugural meet

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Amelia Lockwood practices the shot as co-head coach Brandi Adams watches. Both were at now defunct Thunder Mountain last year. The JDHS track and field team travels to Kodiak this weekend to open the season. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Debris from a home that partially fell into the Mendenhall River due to a record glacial outburst flood remains on the riverbank on Sunday, Aug. 6, 2023. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Trump executive order seeks to block states and municipalities from enforcing their climate policies

Order could affect everything from recently enacted state carbon laws to Juneau’s renewable energy goals.

Debris from a home that partially fell into the Mendenhall River due to a record glacial outburst flood remains on the riverbank on Sunday, Aug. 6, 2023. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
A Juneau School District maintenance supervisor examines the ceiling at Riverbend Elementary School on Friday, Aug. 21, 2020. The school, since renamed Kax̲dig̲oowu Héen Elementary School, has experienced roof problems since its construction, according to district officials. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file photo)

Juneau’s school board approves project lists for proposed voter bond at $5M, $10M and $15M levels

Roof, heating, ventilation and security prioritized as Assembly considers bond items for fall election.

A Juneau School District maintenance supervisor examines the ceiling at Riverbend Elementary School on Friday, Aug. 21, 2020. The school, since renamed Kax̲dig̲oowu Héen Elementary School, has experienced roof problems since its construction, according to district officials. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file photo)
President Donald Trump announced yet another abrupt change in economic policy on Wednesday. (Eric Lee / The New York Times)

Trump backs down by reducing many reciprocal tariffs for 90 days, but hikes China’s to 125%

Universal 10% levy remains for other countries; change comes after tailspin in global markets.

  • Apr 9, 2025
  • By Alan Rappeport, Ana Swanson and Tony Romm ©2025 The New York Times Company
  • Donald TrumpTrade War
President Donald Trump announced yet another abrupt change in economic policy on Wednesday. (Eric Lee / The New York Times)
The Red Chris Mine, a gold and copper mine, seen several years ago after it began to operate in late 2014. (Garth Lenz / Salmon State)

Report cites growing environmental risks at Red Chris Mine in Stikine watershed

Seepage of contaminants at site 130 miles northeast of Wrangell reported by Canadian environmental group.

  • Apr 9, 2025
  • By Larry Persily, Wrangell Sentinel
  • mining
The Red Chris Mine, a gold and copper mine, seen several years ago after it began to operate in late 2014. (Garth Lenz / Salmon State)
Quentin O’Domin attempts a 100-inch two-foot high kick during the Traditional Games on Sunday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Mindsets and methods matter more than muscles for some medalists at Traditional Games

More than 250 competitors young and old test ancient Iñupiaq skills at three-day Juneau event.

Quentin O’Domin attempts a 100-inch two-foot high kick during the Traditional Games on Sunday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A preliminary design shows a park at Aak’w Landing, the cultural and arts center, and a cruise ship in port at Huna Totem’s private dock. (Courtesy of Huna Totem)
A preliminary design shows a park at Aak’w Landing, the cultural and arts center, and a cruise ship in port at Huna Totem’s private dock. (Courtesy of Huna Totem)