The conservative group Americans for Prosperity, backed by the billionaire Koch brothers, recently opened an office in Anchorage. They’re working to c...
Tribal Sovereignty Remains Alaska’s Unfinished Business
Do Alaska Native tribes possess sovereignty? A simple question that’s framed by dueling narratives. One story says the Alaska Native Claims Settlement...
Murkowski: Obama’s Goal Is to Close the Pipeline
President Barack Obama will visit Alaska in August, Sen. Lisa Murkowski told Alaska legislators Wednesday in a joint legislative session. And this tri...
We Alaskans Are the Happiest Campers
Alaska residents had the highest well-being in the nation in 2014, reaching the top spot for the first time since Gallup and Healthways began tracking...
Alaska Deep-water Port Proposed for Nome
A historic Alaska gold-mining city could be the first place where the federal government invests in a deep-water port to serve vessels in Arctic water...
EPA’s Preemptive Veto on Pebble Mine Creates New Battlefield
As early as this spring, the Environmental Protection Agency is expected to invoke a rarely used legal authority to bar a Canadian company, Northern D...
Hefty Considerations for Pot Laws
A new set of recommendations from the state regulatory agency charged with managing legal marijuana offers a window into what policymakers are current...
Alaska Is the Most Violent State in the Union
Did you see the survey that was in the Anchorage Daily News a few weeks ago? It showed that Alaska was the most violent of the 50 states. On just one...
Murkowski, Sullivan, Young Report on Congressional Work
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Sen. Dan Sullivan and Rep. Don Young held a brief press conference Monday afternoon at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Ai...
Medicaid Expansion Scrutinized by Republican Legislators
House Republicans expressed skepticism over Governor Bill Walker’s plan to expand Medicaid in a hearing Monday morning. The subcommittee hearing of th...
Obama on Wrong Track Regarding Alaska Energy
Don Brunell – In his State of the Union address, President Obama highlighted plunging gas prices. Ironic, since Obama has done everything in his...
Murkowski and Sullivan Seek Limits on Presidential Fiat of National Monuments
Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan introduced the Improved National Monument Designation Process Act Feb. 10, 2015, legislation that would prohi...
LNG Project Must Go Forward
Decades ago, the construction of the Trans Alaska Pipeline (TAPS) transformed the state into a cornerstone to strengthen American energy security, fu...
Murkowski Conveys Arctic Needs to Secretary Kerry
Senator Lisa Murkowski says Kerry isn’t entirely engaged in the far North, which she says is understandable. “The secretary is very focused on issues ...
Ted Stevens Legal Case Was Alaska’s Witch Hunt
If there is a single statement that can sum up the Stevens case, it was made forcefully by Edward Bennett Williams, the founder of the law firm which ...
EPA’s Internal Emails Show Bias Against Pebble
As early as this spring, the Environmental Protection Agency is expected to invoke a rarely used legal authority to bar a Canadian company, Northern D...
“earn instant cash | “You’re Fired!” Alaska Style
Earlier this month, Gov. Bill Walker announced that his budget proposal would call for the elimination of 329 government jobs across the state of Alas...
House Minority Caucus Rebrands Itself
The minority caucus in the Alaska House has rebranded itself. The House Democratic caucus is now the Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition. The 13-m...
Walker Unveils Medicaid Expansion Plan
Increasing Medicaid access to 41,000 more Alaskans will save the state several million dollars per year according to Gov. Bill Walker’s administration...
Governor Addresses Point Thomson Litigation
Governor Bill Walker announced on Wednesday during a House Resources committee hearing that he will drop his public interest litigant lawsuit on Point...
Alaska’s Right to Sovereignty Over Its Lands Should Be Upheld
John Coghill and Chad Hutchison provide an important counterpoint to Steve Haycox, who last week in the Anchorage Dispatch asserted that Alaskan anger...
Britain Looks to PFD for Model of a “Citizen’s Income”
The idea of a ‘citizen’s income’ has made a real splash on the UK political agenda. The new year started with the Green party announcing a universal, ...
Berkowitz Jumps In Anchorage Mayoral Race
Former Democratic state legislator Ethan Berkowitz has entered Anchorage’s mayoral race. He announced his candidacy to a small crowd in midtown Tuesda...
Those Proverbial Speedos Undo Governor Appointee
Irony of ironies: A nominee of injudicious conduct named to the Commission on Judicial Conduct. What was Jeff Landfield thinking? And what was Craig ...
Fairbanks Iditarod It Is
The race clock for the 2015 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race will start ticking in Fairbanks, not the usual takeoff point in Willow. Members of the trail ...
Governor Stepping Back from Fighting the Feds
Two of Gov. Bill Walker’s departments are proposing cuts to programs aimed at fighting federal government plans and initiatives just a few weeks after...
Three Agenda Items on This Week’s Legislature, Besides the Budget
Besides the budget, here are three things to watch for this week: Daylight Saving At least three bills are pending in the Legislature that would do aw...
Canadians Thinking About Shipping Oil by Rail to Alaska Port
Officials in the Canadian province of Alberta say they hope to talk to Alaska leaders about shipping tar-sands crude oil through the state as the Keys...
Alaska Legislators Pipe in on Climate Change
When it comes to climate change, Alaska is seen as a bellwether. Temperatures have risen nearly 4 degrees over the past 50 years, double the national ...
Needed: Strategy to Defeat Radical Islam
Fred Fleitz ~ Pressured by growing criticism that President Obama lacks a strategy to combat radical Islam and ISIS, National Security Adviser Susan R...
2015 Economic Predictions
A survey of business leaders in Anchorage found that most were still optimistic about parts of Anchorage’s economy, but overall confidence in the econ...
Report: Expanding Medicaid Would Save Millions
Expanding Medicaid coverage would save Alaska money, a new state health department report said. The report, released Friday, says the state will be ab...
Amy Demboski Lobs a Firework in Anchorage Mayoral Race
Anchorage Assemblywoman Amy Demboski, one of the slew of would-be mayors competing in the April 7 election, launched a missile at former Assembly chai...
Senators Seek to Permanently Kill Small Vessel Discharge Regs
Alaska fishermen have three years before the EPA is supposed to begin regulating deck wash, bilge water and other liquids discharged from small vessel...
Call It “Denali!”
Alaska’s U.S. senators are mounting a new effort to formally give North America’s tallest peak its Athabascan name, Denali, replacing its current name...
Walker Gives Downsizing Heads Up to State Employees
As state employees and others await the release of Gov. Bill Walker’s budget Thursday, he’s warning the employees the proposal will call for reduction...
Reaction Mixed on Proposed AIDEA Purchase
The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority announced its intent to purchase Fairbanks Natural Gas for $52.5 million Jan. 28 along with its...
Alaska Man Takes 46-mile Stroll in Minus 35 Temperatures
An Alaska man who attempted to walk 50 miles between two villages at 35 below zero was found in good shape 4 miles from his goal by searchers called b...
We Need Bold State Action Against the Feds
Mike Dingham ~ It’s time for Gov. Bill Walker to put up or shut up. The promise started in 2010 when Walker ran for governor in the Republican primary...
Alcohol Tax Measure Fails in Anchorage
A controversial proposal to put an alcohol tax before Anchorage voters on the April ballot died before the Assembly Tuesday night. The plan was the la...
Governor Interviewed About Obama’s Drilling Restrictions
President Obama’s plan to restrict drilling in the Arctic has hit a nerve in Alaska. This week the president called for a drilling ban off coastal wat...
Sen. Cathy Giessel Suggests Making NYC’s Central Park a Wilderness Area
State Sen. Cathy Giessel is urging Obama and Congress to acquire New York City’s Central Park and close it off to development. It’s anothe...
Is Egbe More About the “Green” of Money than Advocacy or Health?
Tom Anderson ~ It’s fascinating to watch the evolution of notoriety, and in some respects infamy, as Charlene Egbe overtly moves forward hoping ...
Federal Law Imposes Costly Railroad Safety Project
A federally imposed deadline for an Alaska Railroad safety upgrade is butting up against the state’s dire fiscal circumstances, as legislators Monday ...
Erin’s Law to Mandate Sexual Abuse Education Introduced Again
Erin’s Law is back in the legislature. If passed, the bill would require school districts, statewide, to provide age-appropriate K-12 sexual abuse ed...
Governor’s Education Budget May Force ASD Staff Cuts
The Anchorage School Board is debating what to do about next year’s school budget in light of the governor’s proposed funding cuts. Wrapped into the d...
Predicted Drop in Alaska Construction Spending
This year, construction spending is predicted to be about 3 percent lower than 2014. The total is expected to be about $8.5 million for the year. Priv...
Liquor Industry Prepares for Ballot Battle
A contentious proposal for an alcohol tax in Anchorage hasn’t even officially been scheduled for the April city ballot, but the state liquor industry ...
The Great Alaska Shut-Out
The “great Alaska shut-out” may be how future generations describe Sunday’s announcement on ANWR – the most recent salvo in a series of unilateral fed...
Sullivan Wants to Disarm Federal Agencies
The first legislative act by Alaska’s new senator, Dan Sullivan (R), turns out to be a gun control measure — but one that will only affect...
Governor Faces a Novel Goal: Frugality
As a crowd of lawmakers and staff members bustled up and down the central staircase here at the State Capitol on the opening day of Alaska's legislati...
Shell Commits to Drill off the Arctic Coast
Oil company Shell plans to resume Arctic drilling off Alaska’s coast this year, the company’s leadership announced Thursday.CEO Ben van Beurden ...
Alaska’s Supreme Court to Hear Education Funding Lawsuit
The State of Alaska announced Wednesday that it will appeal a final ruling by Superior Court Judge William Carey in favor of the Ketchikan Gateway Bor...
Is Sarah Palin Thinking of Running?
Sarah Palin shares candid remarks with Sean Hannity about the possibility of her own presidential candidacy. Sarah Palin says we need "new energy" and...
Edibles? Minors? Hash Oil? Advertising?
The head of the board currently in charge of writing regulations for the legalized use of recreational pot in Alaska said Tuesday that rules on edible...
Anchorage Assembly Bans Marijuana From Public Use
The Anchorage Assembly voted 11-to-0 last night to ban public consumption of marijuana. It’s a big first step as both the city and state try to regul...
New Senator Tells President: Respect Constitution Regarding Land Rule-making
Today is important for Alaska and partisanship should be shelved to celebrate U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan’s poignant and first Senate floor speech...
Lisa Is Livid
Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan along with Rep. Don Young held a press conference on President Obama’s unilateral action to assault Alaska...
Interior Secretary: Chukchi and Beaufort Just Too Special to Develop… Also
Citing biodiversity and Alaska Native subsistence whaling, the Obama administration moved to block development in 9.8 million acres within the Beaufor...
Iditarod: Possible Start from Fairbanks This Year
Heeding concerns over hazardous sections of trail experienced in last year’s Iditarod sled-dog race in Alaska, officials have spent the off-seas...
Desertion Charge Coming for Sgt. Bergdahl Is Unofficial
Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was held captive by enemy forces in Afghanistan for five years, will be charged with desertion, a senior defense official...
Obama Adviser Chides Lisa Murkowski for Criticism of Refuge Plan
White House adviser John Podesta chided a top senator for berating the Obama administration’s plan to enact more protections against oil and gas drill...
First Marijuana Bill Moving Quickly
A bill looking to clarify Alaska’s criminal marijuana laws appeared to only stupefy legislators and supporters of the measure Monday by making the sta...
Obama’s Disregard for Alaska’s Sovereignty
There’s fury brewing in Alaska. The Obama administration’s plan to designate 12.2 million acres of the state’s public land as pristine wilderness soun...
Tribal Leaders Upset with Governor
In a sign the honeymoon may be nearing an end for Gov. Bill Walker, an Alaska tribal government is blasting him for promoting a ConocoPhillips project...
Rural Alaskans Love Amazon’s Free Shipping
With online retail taking a bigger chunk out of brick-and-mortar businesses, shipping and fulfillment services are becoming a commodity in their own r...
Obama: Keep Out of ANWR, Permanently
President Obama is proposing the largest ever wilderness designation in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which would forever put the coastal plain...
Colorado Governor: Legalizing Marijuana Was a ‘Bad Idea’
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) said on Friday that his state’s decision to legalize marijuana was a “bad idea” and that he wishes he could go bac...
Sarah Palin 2016: ‘Of Course’
“Yeah, I mean, of course,” she said, when they asked whether she was interested in the 2016 election. “When you have a servant’s heart, when you know ...
Congress Makes It Official: Climate Change No Hoax
Democrats in the U.S. Senate took the opportunity to force votes on climate change. Both Alaska senators voted for an amendment saying climate change ...
Sen. Pete Kelly Draws Medicaid Battleline
A fight could be brewing over expanding Medicaid coverage, one of the tentpoles of Gov. Bill Walker’s campaign. Just as Valerie Davidson, Walker’s Hea...
Sarah: The GOP, too, Have Deflated Balls
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin declined to speculate on a potential 2016 run Thursday at the 2015 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, but she did offer the GOP so...
Governor’s State of the Budget Speech
President Kevin Meyer, Speaker Mike Chenault, Lieutenant Governor Byron Mallott, members of the Legislature, members of the Cabinet and fellow Alaskan...
Don Young Signs on to Rep Massie’s Bill to Allow Hemp Nationwide
Republican Congressman Thomas Massie is a man on a mission, and that mission is to get farmers in his home state of Kentucky and across the nation gro...
Can’t Grow It Here: Cannabis, Kenai Land
Kalifornsky representative Kelly Wolf put forward the ordinance that sparked the debate. It would ask voters in the municipal election this fall to de...