News

A sign points to the two wells, Tinmiaq 2 and 6, that are part of ConocoPhillips Willow project in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. (Courtesy of ConocoPhillips)

Many ‘what’s next’ questions remain for Willow and drilling ban

Newly approved project facing lawsuits, while halt on new activity may not be relevant or permanent.

A sign points to the two wells, Tinmiaq 2 and 6, that are part of ConocoPhillips Willow project in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. (Courtesy of ConocoPhillips)
Susan McKenzie, director of Innovation and Education Excellence, foreground, and Deb Riddle, division operations manager for the state Department of Education and Early Development, explain details of bills to restrict mentioning sex/gender in schools and give teachers year-end retention bonuses during a House Education Committee meeting Monday at the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Bill limiting sex, gender talk in schools gets first public hearing

Testimony limited to supporters who refer to indoctrination, religion in arguing parents know best.

Susan McKenzie, director of Innovation and Education Excellence, foreground, and Deb Riddle, division operations manager for the state Department of Education and Early Development, explain details of bills to restrict mentioning sex/gender in schools and give teachers year-end retention bonuses during a House Education Committee meeting Monday at the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
This 2019 aerial photo provided by ConocoPhillips shows an exploratory drilling camp at the proposed site of the Willow oil project on Alaska’s North Slope. President Joe Biden will prevent or limit oil drilling in 16 million acres of Alaska and the Arctic Ocean, an administration official said on Sunday, March 12, 2023. The expected announcement comes as regulators prepare to announce a final decision on the controversial Willow project. (ConocoPhillips)

Biden OKs Willow project

Move comes after the administration said it would bar or limit drilling in other areas.

This 2019 aerial photo provided by ConocoPhillips shows an exploratory drilling camp at the proposed site of the Willow oil project on Alaska’s North Slope. President Joe Biden will prevent or limit oil drilling in 16 million acres of Alaska and the Arctic Ocean, an administration official said on Sunday, March 12, 2023. The expected announcement comes as regulators prepare to announce a final decision on the controversial Willow project. (ConocoPhillips)
State Rep. Cliff Groh, D-Anchorage, testifies about his proposed constitutional amendment that would change how Permanent Fund earnings are allocated during a House Ways and Means Committee meeting Saturday morning at the Alaska State Capitol. The committee spent two hours taking testimony almost entirely by phone from residents statewide about five proposals related to the Permanent Fund and dividends, which continued the long historical pattern of strongly divided feelings about how much money to use for dividends vs. state government programs. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

PFD proposals polarize and puzzle

Residents all over Alaska’s map are also all over the policy map during hearing on various proposals

State Rep. Cliff Groh, D-Anchorage, testifies about his proposed constitutional amendment that would change how Permanent Fund earnings are allocated during a House Ways and Means Committee meeting Saturday morning at the Alaska State Capitol. The committee spent two hours taking testimony almost entirely by phone from residents statewide about five proposals related to the Permanent Fund and dividends, which continued the long historical pattern of strongly divided feelings about how much money to use for dividends vs. state government programs. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The sun beams down on a clock and nearby melting snow. A bill that calls for Alaska to choose to remain in Daylight Saving Time for the entirety of the year and say farewell to the switch to Standard Time has been reintroduced to the Alaska Legislature this session. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

It’s about time: With the switch to Daylight Saving Time on the horizon, Alaska lawmakers push to make the change permanent

It’s a time sensitive issue…

The sun beams down on a clock and nearby melting snow. A bill that calls for Alaska to choose to remain in Daylight Saving Time for the entirety of the year and say farewell to the switch to Standard Time has been reintroduced to the Alaska Legislature this session. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire The Tazlina docks at the Auke Bay Ferry Terminal Thursday afternoon.

DOT: Staffing shortages mean fewer ferries this summer

Service may improve if more crew becomes available, officials say

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire The Tazlina docks at the Auke Bay Ferry Terminal Thursday afternoon.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy signs a memorandum of understanding Thursday afternoon between the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities and Goldbelt Inc. to pursue engineering and design services to determine whether it’s feasible to build a new ferry terminal facility in Juneau at Cascade Point. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

State signs agreement with Goldbelt Inc. for Cascade Point ferry terminal feasibility study

A long-discussed project took a step forward…

Gov. Mike Dunleavy signs a memorandum of understanding Thursday afternoon between the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities and Goldbelt Inc. to pursue engineering and design services to determine whether it’s feasible to build a new ferry terminal facility in Juneau at Cascade Point. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
A panel discussion about transboundary mining issues involving Alaska and British Columbia is hosted Tuesday by state Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, during the Juneau Mining Forum conference Tuesday at the Baranof Hotel. Participating in the discussion were Andrew Rollo, left, assistant deputy minister for Energy Mines and Low Carbon Innovation in B.C., Laurel Nash, assistant deputy minister for the Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy in B.C., and Jason Brune, commissioner of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Toxic mining talks linger between Alaska, Canada

Native and legislative leaders reinterate call for U.S. intervention after Canadian officials’ visit

A panel discussion about transboundary mining issues involving Alaska and British Columbia is hosted Tuesday by state Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, during the Juneau Mining Forum conference Tuesday at the Baranof Hotel. Participating in the discussion were Andrew Rollo, left, assistant deputy minister for Energy Mines and Low Carbon Innovation in B.C., Laurel Nash, assistant deputy minister for the Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy in B.C., and Jason Brune, commissioner of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
This 2019 aerial photo provided by ConocoPhillips shows an exploratory drilling camp at the proposed site of the Willow oil project on Alaska's North Slope. Pressure is building on the social media platform TikTok to urge President Joe Biden to reject an oil development project on Alaska's North Slope from young voters concerned about climate change. That's blunted by Alaska Native leaders who support ConocoPhillips' development called Willow. (ConocoPhillips)

TikTok push targets Biden on Alaska’s huge Willow oil plan

However, in Alaska, there have been visible shows of support for the project.

This 2019 aerial photo provided by ConocoPhillips shows an exploratory drilling camp at the proposed site of the Willow oil project on Alaska's North Slope. Pressure is building on the social media platform TikTok to urge President Joe Biden to reject an oil development project on Alaska's North Slope from young voters concerned about climate change. That's blunted by Alaska Native leaders who support ConocoPhillips' development called Willow. (ConocoPhillips)
In this photo provided by the Alaska Volcano Observatory/U.S. Geological Survey is the Tanaga Volcano near Adak, Alaska, on May 23, 2021. A swarm of earthquakes occurring over the past few weeks has intensified at a remote Alaska volcano dormant for over a century, a possible indication of an impending eruption. The Alaska Volcano Observatory raised the alert level to advisory status for Tanaga Volcano late Tuesday, March 7, 2023, after the quakes became very vigorous. (Matt Loewen/Alaska Volcano Observatory/U.S. Geological Survey)

Swarm of quakes at Alaska volcano could mean eruption coming

The Alaska Volcano Observatory raised the alert level to advisory status for Tanaga Volcano.

In this photo provided by the Alaska Volcano Observatory/U.S. Geological Survey is the Tanaga Volcano near Adak, Alaska, on May 23, 2021. A swarm of earthquakes occurring over the past few weeks has intensified at a remote Alaska volcano dormant for over a century, a possible indication of an impending eruption. The Alaska Volcano Observatory raised the alert level to advisory status for Tanaga Volcano late Tuesday, March 7, 2023, after the quakes became very vigorous. (Matt Loewen/Alaska Volcano Observatory/U.S. Geological Survey)
A driver charges an electric car at a parking lot of a shopping mall in Tallinn, Estonia, Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023. Many electric vehicle batteries lose power when it’s very cold. (AP Photo / Sergei Grits)

Global race to boost electric vehicle range in cold weather

Longer trips can be difficult in the coldest weather.

A driver charges an electric car at a parking lot of a shopping mall in Tallinn, Estonia, Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023. Many electric vehicle batteries lose power when it’s very cold. (AP Photo / Sergei Grits)
Gavel (Courtesy photo)

Alaska rights commission limits LGBTQ+ discrimination cases

ANCHORAGE — Alaska’s human rights commission has reversed an earlier policy and now is only investigating LGBTQ+ discrimination complaints related to workplace discrimination and not… Continue reading

Gavel (Courtesy photo)
A unanimous vote by the state House on Monday made a bill by state Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, the first potential new law to pass both chambers of the Legislature. The bill which giving disabled veterans lifetime trapping licenses officially would cost the state nothing, and essentially is a corrective measure to existing law that give such veterans free hunting and fishing licenses. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Free trapping licenses for vets is first bill to pass full Legislature

No-cost measure passed unanimously would be Juneau Sen. Jesse Kiehl’s third bill to become law

A unanimous vote by the state House on Monday made a bill by state Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, the first potential new law to pass both chambers of the Legislature. The bill which giving disabled veterans lifetime trapping licenses officially would cost the state nothing, and essentially is a corrective measure to existing law that give such veterans free hunting and fishing licenses. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Rates of violent offenses in Alaska have outstripped national rates since 1993. Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer UCR data, 1979-2020. Alaska data for 2021 from Crime in Alaska 2021, Alaska Department of Public Safety. (Graph provided by UAA Alaska Justice Information Center)

Rapes and aggravated assaults push Alaska’s violent-crime rates up; property-crime rates fall

Alaska’s rate of violent crimes has increased, a contrast to the national trends, and the increase is driven by extremely high rates of rape and… Continue reading

Rates of violent offenses in Alaska have outstripped national rates since 1993. Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer UCR data, 1979-2020. Alaska data for 2021 from Crime in Alaska 2021, Alaska Department of Public Safety. (Graph provided by UAA Alaska Justice Information Center)
This photo shows the Alaska State Capitol, where lawmakers are considering a proposed overhaul of Alaska’s public retirement system that would provide a new pension plan for state workers and is seen by supporters as a way to address concerns with recruiting and retaining employees. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

State lawmakers propose pension plan for state workers

Half of the Senate’s 20 members have signed onto the bill.

This photo shows the Alaska State Capitol, where lawmakers are considering a proposed overhaul of Alaska’s public retirement system that would provide a new pension plan for state workers and is seen by supporters as a way to address concerns with recruiting and retaining employees. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire State Rep. Andi Story, D-Juneau, advocates for more state funding on behalf of Alaska residents with disabilities so they can “live as independently as possible” with the help of service providers during a rally in a heavy snowstorm at midday Wednesday on the steps of the Alaska State Capitol.

Rally for disability services plows ahead despite weather

About 20 people make their way to Capitol to seek solutions for service shortages.

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire State Rep. Andi Story, D-Juneau, advocates for more state funding on behalf of Alaska residents with disabilities so they can “live as independently as possible” with the help of service providers during a rally in a heavy snowstorm at midday Wednesday on the steps of the Alaska State Capitol.
This 2019 aerial photo provided by ConocoPhillips shows an exploratory drilling camp at the proposed site of the Willow oil project on Alaska’s North Slope. The Biden administration is weighing approval of a major oil project on Alaska’s petroleum-rich North Slope that supporters say represents an economic lifeline for Indigenous communities in the region but environmentalists say is counter to Biden’s climate goals. A decision on ConocoPhillips Alaska’s Willow project, in a federal oil reserve roughly the size of Indiana, could come by early March 2023. (ConocoPhillips)

Biden faces dilemma in fight over Willow project

A decision could come by early March.

This 2019 aerial photo provided by ConocoPhillips shows an exploratory drilling camp at the proposed site of the Willow oil project on Alaska’s North Slope. The Biden administration is weighing approval of a major oil project on Alaska’s petroleum-rich North Slope that supporters say represents an economic lifeline for Indigenous communities in the region but environmentalists say is counter to Biden’s climate goals. A decision on ConocoPhillips Alaska’s Willow project, in a federal oil reserve roughly the size of Indiana, could come by early March 2023. (ConocoPhillips)
Six Ukrainians who are living in Juneau get a round of applause from state Senators and guests during a floor session Friday, the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. State Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, introduced the families and read a collective statement from the families thanking locals who have helped resettlement efforts and asking for continuing support of their homeland. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Ukrainians get Capitol welcome on war anniversary

Six of the people living in Juneau after fleeing war-torn homeland get standing ovation from Senate

Six Ukrainians who are living in Juneau get a round of applause from state Senators and guests during a floor session Friday, the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. State Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, introduced the families and read a collective statement from the families thanking locals who have helped resettlement efforts and asking for continuing support of their homeland. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire Jamiann S’eiltin Hasselquist prepares to lead a group of protesters into the office of state Rep. David Eastman, R-Wasilla, at midday Friday. The protest Hasselquist helped organize was in response to questions Eastman asked during a committee hearing Monday about possible economic benefits of dead absued children. A staff member declined to tell the protesters if Eastman was in his office.

Protesters denounce Eastman’s child abuse questions

State representative, censured for asking if dead children save money, subject of demonstration.

Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire Jamiann S’eiltin Hasselquist prepares to lead a group of protesters into the office of state Rep. David Eastman, R-Wasilla, at midday Friday. The protest Hasselquist helped organize was in response to questions Eastman asked during a committee hearing Monday about possible economic benefits of dead absued children. A staff member declined to tell the protesters if Eastman was in his office.
A line of electric-assisted bicycles sit on display at Juneau Bike Doctor Thursday afternoon. Two companion bills introduced this year seeks to revise state code to allow for any e-bikes a part of the generally recognized three-tier classifications of e-bikes to ride anywhere a regular bike would be allowed. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Braking news: Bill would define e-bikes same as bicycles

Increasingly popular way to ride currently undefined in state law.

A line of electric-assisted bicycles sit on display at Juneau Bike Doctor Thursday afternoon. Two companion bills introduced this year seeks to revise state code to allow for any e-bikes a part of the generally recognized three-tier classifications of e-bikes to ride anywhere a regular bike would be allowed. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)