politics

U.S. Rep. Don Young, left, and Alyse Galvin are shown prior to a debate Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, in Anchorage, Alaska. Galvin, an independent who won the Alaska Democratic primary, is challenging Young, a Republican who is the longest serving member of the House. (Mark Thiessen | Associated Press)

In debate, Rep. Young likens migrant caravan to invasion

Immigration was one of the hot-button issues in Friday night’s debate with independent Alyse Galvin.

U.S. Rep. Don Young, left, and Alyse Galvin are shown prior to a debate Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, in Anchorage, Alaska. Galvin, an independent who won the Alaska Democratic primary, is challenging Young, a Republican who is the longest serving member of the House. (Mark Thiessen | Associated Press)
Metro Creative Connection stock image

Tabachnick, Weldon leading municipal candidates in fundraising

Two mayoral candidates are well ahead of the pack in terms of money raised among municipal candidates.

Metro Creative Connection stock image
Alaska agrees to allow small political signs while lawsuit proceeds

Alaska agrees to allow small political signs while lawsuit proceeds

The Alaska Department of Transportation and the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union appear to have reached partial agreement on the issue of campaign signs along state roads.

Alaska agrees to allow small political signs while lawsuit proceeds
In this Aug. 31, 2018 photo, President Donald Trump holds up a list of his administration’s accomplishments while speaking at a Republican fundraiser at the Carmel Country Club in in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo | Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Opinion: We have ourselves to blame for Trump’s rise

I was making breakfast and packing my kid’s lunch the other day, listening to the news on public radio, and I was surprised to hear… Continue reading

In this Aug. 31, 2018 photo, President Donald Trump holds up a list of his administration’s accomplishments while speaking at a Republican fundraiser at the Carmel Country Club in in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo | Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
The three candidates for the Juneau School District’s Board of Education, Kevin Allen, left, Elizabeth Siddon, center, and Paul Kelly, talk at the Labor Day picnic at Sandy Beach on Monday, Sept. 3, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Labor Day picnic gives attendees chance to meet candidates

Nadine Lefebvre, the president of the Juneau Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, prepared to read the winning raffle numbers at Monday’s annual Labor Day picnic. Before… Continue reading

The three candidates for the Juneau School District’s Board of Education, Kevin Allen, left, Elizabeth Siddon, center, and Paul Kelly, talk at the Labor Day picnic at Sandy Beach on Monday, Sept. 3, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
The Alaska State Capitol. (Juneau Empire File)

The Democratic primary is still a party affair

This month’s Democratic Party primary was supposed to lay out a welcome mat for “independent thinkers.” That’s how Casey Steinau, the state chairperson, described the… Continue reading

The Alaska State Capitol. (Juneau Empire File)

Senate’s budget fix highlights list of Legislature’s new bills

Lawmakers last week put what are likely the last big pieces of this year’s budget fix on their agenda. On Friday, the members of the… Continue reading

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, talks with Alaska Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott on Friday, Feb. 24, 2017 in the Alaska Capitol before Sullivan was presented with a legislative resolution in support of oil and gas drilling within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. (James Brooks | Juneau Empire)

Legislature officially asks to drill Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

The Alaska House’s representative for the North Slope welcomed U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan to the Capitol with a gift Friday: A fresh resolution proclaiming the… Continue reading

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, talks with Alaska Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott on Friday, Feb. 24, 2017 in the Alaska Capitol before Sullivan was presented with a legislative resolution in support of oil and gas drilling within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. (James Brooks | Juneau Empire)
Erika McConnell, seen here in on Feb. 23, 2017, has been named Alaska’s new top regulator for alcohol and marijuana. (Contributed photo)

State’s new alcohol and marijuana regulator has Anchorage roots

Erika McConnell is an Anchorage resident who wears glasses and a toothy smile. She enjoys reading, the outdoors and caramels. On March 20, she’ll chew… Continue reading

Erika McConnell, seen here in on Feb. 23, 2017, has been named Alaska’s new top regulator for alcohol and marijuana. (Contributed photo)
U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, is applauded after giving his annual speech to a Joint Session of the Alaska Legislature on Friday, Feb. 24, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

In speech, Sullivan focuses on jobs but neglects Trump, immigration, health care

In 31 minutes, Sen. Dan Sullivan’s annual address to the Alaska Legislature contained no mentions of the Affordable Care Act, no references to immigration and… Continue reading

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, is applauded after giving his annual speech to a Joint Session of the Alaska Legislature on Friday, Feb. 24, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Senate Majority unveils plan including spending cap, big cuts and Permanent Fund spending to fix the budget

The leaders of the Alaska Senate have unveiled a proposal to fill Alaska’s $2.7 billion budget gap with the earnings of the Alaska Permanent Fund… Continue reading

Senate passes ANWR drilling resolution, which faces final concurrence vote in the House

The Alaska Senate agrees with the House: Drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is good for the state. On Wednesday, the Senate voted 18-2… Continue reading

Rep. Adam Wool, D-Fairbanks, and Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, co-chairs of the House Transportation Committee, listen to Transportation Committee staffer Laura Stidolph introduces changes to the motor fuel tax bill at the Capitol on Tuesday. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Fuel tax hike might be stretched to 2019

A proposed hike in the state’s gasoline taxes might not reach full potential until 2019, according to a new draft of the proposal. On Tuesday,… Continue reading

Rep. Adam Wool, D-Fairbanks, and Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, co-chairs of the House Transportation Committee, listen to Transportation Committee staffer Laura Stidolph introduces changes to the motor fuel tax bill at the Capitol on Tuesday. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Rep. Chris Tuck, D-Anchorage, presents House Bill 3 on the floor of the Alaska House of Representatives on Monday. (Gavel Alaska photo)

Alaska House votes on National Guard, ballot selfies

The Alaska House of Representatives has approved a bill that would allow National Guardsmen to return to their jobs after deployment, even if they’re serving… Continue reading

Rep. Chris Tuck, D-Anchorage, presents House Bill 3 on the floor of the Alaska House of Representatives on Monday. (Gavel Alaska photo)

Waste not: Ferries’ flushing bill wins Senate support, 16-2

The Alaska Senate voted 16-2 Friday to cut a break in the state’s environmental regulations for small cruise ships and the Alaska Marine Highway. Senate… Continue reading

Aimed at PACs, lawmaker’s bill may hit political rival

Anchorage Republican Sen. Kevin Meyer has a nightmare. It involves credit card machines. “What we don’t want is for people to have a Paypal or… Continue reading

Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon, D-Dillingham presides over a floor session of the Alaska House of Representatives on Feb. 20, 2017. (Gavel Alaska photo)

Capitol Decode: Pace of new legislation is much faster than it was in 2015

Lawmakers are a quarter of the way through the constitutionally limited 121-day first session of the 30th Legislature, and they’re running well ahead of the… Continue reading

Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon, D-Dillingham presides over a floor session of the Alaska House of Representatives on Feb. 20, 2017. (Gavel Alaska photo)

Cash didn’t matter: New financials show magnitude of Parish’s win over Muñoz

Juneau apparently likes a winner. According to records released Wednesday by the Alaska Public Offices commission, Rep. Justin Parish, D-Juneau, raised $44,403.60 in his campaign… Continue reading