Donald Trump

A walrus mother and calf rest on an ice floe in Alaska’s Chukchi Sea in 2010. Other resting walruses are in the background. Sea ice extent is tracked by the National Snow and Ice Data Center, a Colorado-based facility that uses data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (Sarah Sonsthagen/U.S. Geological Survey)

Trump administration stopping NOAA data service used to monitor sea ice off Alaska

Scientists worry as services for historic data on sea ice, glaciers, other Arctic conditions discontinued.

A walrus mother and calf rest on an ice floe in Alaska’s Chukchi Sea in 2010. Other resting walruses are in the background. Sea ice extent is tracked by the National Snow and Ice Data Center, a Colorado-based facility that uses data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (Sarah Sonsthagen/U.S. Geological Survey)
Zuill Bailey, artistic director for the Juneau Jazz and Classics festival, performs on cello during the Juneau Maritime Festival on Saturday. JJAC is among the organizations receiving a termination notice Friday of funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Local arts and culture programs in crosshairs of latest cuts by Trump administration

Perseverance Theatre, music programs, public library’s statewide remote services hit by fund cancellations.

Zuill Bailey, artistic director for the Juneau Jazz and Classics festival, performs on cello during the Juneau Maritime Festival on Saturday. JJAC is among the organizations receiving a termination notice Friday of funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
An Arctic “fogbow” is seen from the deck of the Coast Guard cutter Healy during the 2016 Hidden Ocean mission to the High Arctic area known as the Chukchi Borderland. The Healy cruise was part of a project carried out over several years to map the extended continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean beyond the nation’s 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone. That extended area includes the Chukchi Borderland. (Photo provided by Caitlin Bailey/Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration)

Trump administration plans for oil deep in Arctic Ocean, where US claim has yet to be recognized

President seeks to designate High Arctic offshore area beyond the 200-mile limit.

An Arctic “fogbow” is seen from the deck of the Coast Guard cutter Healy during the 2016 Hidden Ocean mission to the High Arctic area known as the Chukchi Borderland. The Healy cruise was part of a project carried out over several years to map the extended continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean beyond the nation’s 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone. That extended area includes the Chukchi Borderland. (Photo provided by Caitlin Bailey/Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration)
Noatak, just after midnight. (Ash Adams / The New York Times)

Congress’ fight over Trump’s agenda runs through Alaska

Clashes inclue repealing Biden-era clean energy tax credits that are a lifeline for some constituents.

Noatak, just after midnight. (Ash Adams / The New York Times)
People in Juneau gather in the rain at the Alaska State Capitol for a global May Day protest on Thursday, May 1, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

‘Mayday, Mayday’: Protesters and Liz Cheney urge wake-up call for defending democracy

Unity and solidarity expressed in rainfall on International Workers’ Day.

People in Juneau gather in the rain at the Alaska State Capitol for a global May Day protest on Thursday, May 1, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Tribal elder lder Ilskyaalas Delores Churchill picks up black cod during a traditional foods distribution by the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska in Hydaburg earlier this year. (CCTHITA photo)

Tlingit and Haida halts traditional foods distribution due to cancellation of federal funding

Providing of salmon, other foods to communities among multiple tribal cuts by Trump administration.

Tribal elder lder Ilskyaalas Delores Churchill picks up black cod during a traditional foods distribution by the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska in Hydaburg earlier this year. (CCTHITA photo)
Protesters rally against the Trump administration’s deportation polices in front of the Alaska State Capitol on Feb. 5, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

‘Just give us a chance’: One Juneau refugee family puts faith in God, another flees as departure orders arrive

Both families arrived legally; validity of demands by Trump administration to depart being challenged

Protesters rally against the Trump administration’s deportation polices in front of the Alaska State Capitol on Feb. 5, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
An Alaska Airlines plane passes above participants in the annual Turkey Trot run/walk next to Juneau International Airport on Thanksgiving Day of 2022. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file photo)

Alaska Airlines issues warning amidst travel industry downturn due to Trump-fueled uncertainty

Company reports $166M loss during first quarter of year, won’t release an outlook for 2025.

An Alaska Airlines plane passes above participants in the annual Turkey Trot run/walk next to Juneau International Airport on Thanksgiving Day of 2022. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file photo)
Workers process pollock. (Photo provided by Thompson and Co. PR on behalf of the Alaska Pollock Fishery Alliance)

Murkowski and other US lawmakers seek guest worker visa exception for seafood industry

Legislation would exempt seafood companies from a cap on the number of H-2B visa workers.

Workers process pollock. (Photo provided by Thompson and Co. PR on behalf of the Alaska Pollock Fishery Alliance)
A polar bear is spotted on a multiyear ice floe in the Beaufort Sea on Aug. 13, 2023. The Trump administration is planning to designate a new “High Arctic” region off Alaska for offshore oil and gas leasing. (Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Scott Bice/U.S. Coast Guard)

Trump administration plans offshore oil leasing in Alaska’s ‘High Arctic’

Multiyear program will include a reconfigured Arctic area where future lease sales will be held.

A polar bear is spotted on a multiyear ice floe in the Beaufort Sea on Aug. 13, 2023. The Trump administration is planning to designate a new “High Arctic” region off Alaska for offshore oil and gas leasing. (Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Scott Bice/U.S. Coast Guard)
Flags fly outside the Juneau Arts and Culture Center on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, shortly before the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council’s 50-year anniversary celebration the same week. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Juneau Arts and Humanities Council bans DEI on ‘public facing documents’ due to funding threat

Executive director: No events cancelled, “racial equity” and other deleted website content being rewritten.

Flags fly outside the Juneau Arts and Culture Center on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, shortly before the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council’s 50-year anniversary celebration the same week. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Richard Chalyee Éesh Peterson, president of the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, delivers his State of the Tribe speech to delegates during the opening of the 89th annual Tribal Assembly on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. This year’s three-day tribal assembly is scheduled to start Wednesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Richard Chalyee Éesh Peterson, president of the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, delivers his State of the Tribe speech to delegates during the opening of the 89th annual Tribal Assembly on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. This year’s three-day tribal assembly is scheduled to start Wednesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Welcome messages in multiple languages are painted on windows at the University of Alaska Anchorage at the start of the semester in January. (University of Alaska Anchorage photo)

Juneau refugee family gets ‘leave immediately’ notice; four people affiliated with UAA have visas revoked

Actions part of nationwide sweep as Trump ignores legal orders against detentions, deportations.

Welcome messages in multiple languages are painted on windows at the University of Alaska Anchorage at the start of the semester in January. (University of Alaska Anchorage photo)
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
  • NewsDonald 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)
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
  • NewsDonald 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)
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)
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.

President Donald Trump announced yet another abrupt change in economic policy on Wednesday. (Eric Lee / The New York Times)
The offices of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. are seen Monday, June 6, 2022 in Juneau. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska Permanent Fund suffers multibillion-dollar decline amid Trump tariff-driven market crash

The Alaska Permanent Fund, the No. 1 source of general-purpose revenue for state services and the Permanent Fund dividend, suffered a multibillion-dollar loss during last… Continue reading

The offices of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. are seen Monday, June 6, 2022 in Juneau. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
Protesters spill out into the street beyond the front of the Alaska State Capitol on Saturday as part of anti-Trump demonstrations that took place internationally during the day. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Largest Juneau protest of Trump’s second term joins voices of discontent at events worldwide

Wide range of grievances shared in speeches and songs Saturday at Alaska State Capitol.

Protesters spill out into the street beyond the front of the Alaska State Capitol on Saturday as part of anti-Trump demonstrations that took place internationally during the day. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)