Site Logo
From left to right, Nick Begich III, foreground, and John Coghill, state Sen. Josh Revak, R-Anchorage, and Tara Sweeney, all Republican candidates for Alaska's seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, were at Juneau's Baranoff Hotel on Tuesday, May 16, 2022, for a debate hosted by local Republicans. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

News

Republican candidates for Congress make their case in Juneau

Republican roundtable.

t

News

Senate effectively kills restrictive transgender sports bill

Bipartisan group of senators votes to table controversial bill.

Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, chair of the bicameral conference committee tasked with hammering out differences in the state's budget bill, signs the committee report as members finished their work on Tuesday, May 17, 2022. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire

News

Committee compromises on PFD in budget plan

Process moves forward as deadline looms.

This October 2020 photo shows the University of Alaska Southeast campus. Neo (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file)

News

UA moves forward with faculty salary increases; union says negotiations aren’t done

The university and United Academics have recently been engaged in federal mediation.

This photo shows the Alaska State Capitol. The Capitol will be the site of a committee hearing next month that will focus on the recent firing of Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. CEO Angela Rodell. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

News

Legislature modernizes definition of consent in sexual assault cases

Change made with unanimous support in Legislature.

In this October 2019 photo, Zac Watt, beertender for Forbidden Peak Brewery, pours a beer during the grand opening for the Auke Bay business in October 2019. Alcoholic beverage manufacturers and dispensers recently came to an agreement on a bill that could bring live music and extended hours to breweries. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

News

House approves major update to state alcohol laws, including changes for breweries

“A lot of the controversy … has been resolved.”

Candidate for Alaska's lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives Tara Sweeney, a Republican, was in Juneau on Monday, May 16, 2022, and sat down with the Empire for an interview. Sweeney said the three main pillars of her campaign are the economy, jobs and healthy communities. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

News

Sweeney cites experience in run for Congress

‘An Alaskan for all Alaska.’

Members of the Alaska House of Representatives on Saturday, May 14, 2022, rejected the budget bill passed by the Senate earlier in the week. The bill will now go to a bicameral committee for negotiations, but the end of the legislative session is May 18. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

News

Update: Budget to be shaped by committee as session nears end

Close vote.

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Alaskans for Better Government members La quen náay Liz Medicine Crow, Richard Chalyee Éesh Peterson and ‘Wáahlaal Gidáak Barbara Blake embrace on the floor of the Alaska State Senate following the passage of House Bill 123, a bill to formally recognize the state’s 229 federally recognized tribes.

News

Tribal recognition bill clears Senate, nears finish line

Senators say recognition of tribes was overdue.

Members of the House Majority Coalition spent most of Friday, May 13, 2022 in caucus meetings at the Alaska State Capitol, discussing how to proceed with a large budget bill some have called irresponsible. With a thin majority in the House of Representatives, there's a possibility the budget could pass. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

News

House schedules Saturday floor session for budget debate

Close vote expected.

Of the more than 460 stoOf the more than 460 stocks managed by NOAA, 322 have a known overfishing status (296 not subject to overfishing and 26 subject to overfishing) and 252 have a known overfished status (201 not overfished and 51 overfished). (Courtesy Image / NOAA)

News

Southeast fisheries hoping for less turbulent waters

Regions and species see wildly variably conditions due to climate and COVID-19, according to two new NOAA reports.

Capt. Corey Wheeler, front, commander of B Company, 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, walks away from a Chinook helicopter that landed on the glacier near Denali, April 24, 2016, on the Kahiltna Glacier in Alaska. The U.S. Army helped set up base camp on North America's tallest mountain. The U.S. Army is poised to revamp its forces in Alaska to better prepare for future cold-weather conflicts, and it is expected to replace the larger, heavily equipped Stryker Brigade there with a more mobile, infantry unit better suited for the frigid fight, according to Army leaders. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen, File)

News

Army poised to revamp Alaska forces to prep for Arctic fight

The U.S. has long viewed the Arctic as a growing area of competition.

A floor session of the Alaska House of Representatives was delayed Thursday, May 12, 2022, as lawmakers discussed in private how to move forward with a packed budget bill passed by the Alaska Senate. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

News

With thin margins in the House, floor debate is delayed

Delayed to the call.

Pamela Miller, executive director of Alaska Community Action on Toxics, speaks at a rally at the Alaska State Capitol on Thursday, May 12, 2022, calling on lawmakers to pass legislation regulating PFAS chemicals, so-called 'forever chemicals' that have been found to contaminate water and cause health issues. PFAS contamination has been found at several sites around the state, mainly around airports where the chemicals are used in fire-fighting foams. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

News

Activists call for PFAS action

Forever chemicals.

Flag

News

Senate tables restrictive transgender sports bill

Debate will continue.

This screenshot shows the masthead of the new Alaska Beacon website. The nonprofit outlet debuted on Wednesday. (Screenshot)

News

New news outline shines more light on Alaska politics

Alaska Beacon, a nonprofit outlet debuts.

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, and Senate Finance Committee Co-chair Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, speak with Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, during an all-day debate on the state’s budget on the floor of the Alaska State Senate on Tuesday, May 9, 2022.

News

Senate OKs budget that includes over $5k in payments to Alaskans

More negotiations.

Sens. Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer, left, and Robert Myers, R-North Pole, read through one of 41 amendments submitted to the state's omnibus budget bill being debate on the floor of the Alaska State Senate on Monday, May 9, 2022. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

News

Senate goes big on PFD in budget debate

A statutory dividend. Maybe.

Anne Bonino-Britsch, a volunteer, feeds chickens at the Zach Gordon Youth Center. The first case of bird flu tied to a recent outbreak that's killed millions of turkeys and chickens was confirmed in Alaska last week, but local poultry owners said while they're being cautious, they aren't overly concerned. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Bird flu ruffles feathers: No panic among local poultry owners, but they’re taking precautions

No cases in Juneau so far.

AP Photo / Becky Bohrer Denali, is seen from a turnout in Denali State Park, Alaska in this October 2017 photo. National park rangers in Alaska on Friday, May 6, 2022, resumed an aerial search for the year’s first registered climber on North America’s tallest peak after he didn’t check in with a friend.

News

Climber’s body found on Denali

Update: The National Park Service on Friday evening announced the body of the climber was found. The climber…