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Current Topics
The
four-week federal government shutdown is creating growing financial
pressure for military families in Alaska. While active-duty personnel
received their October paychecks through a private donation, Treasury
Secretary Scott Bessent warned this week that service members
won't be paid after Nov. 15 if the shutdown continues — prompting
more families to turn to nonprofits for help with food and bills.
The
number of debt collection cases in Alaska state courts is soaring,
following national trends Alaska Beacon
Alaska
Supreme Court contemplates the limits of tax exemptions for religious
camps Alaska Beacon
Though the
dispute involves only a single camp in Fairbanks, the justices’
ruling could redraw the limits that decide when religious groups’
operations qualify for tax exemptions in Alaska
Anchorage
Assembly seeks to fine property owners who hinder public right-of-way Anchorage Daily News
Opinion:
Creation of new fund expounds the need for legislative intervention
and monitoring of state investments Anchorage Daily News
Things That I Found Interesting
Retiring
after historic career, Alaska Judge Pamela Washington leaves a legacy
of impact - Anchorage Daily
News
Now retiring, Washington and
her extraordinary career — marked by compassion just as much as
historic accomplishment — were celebrated Thursday at The Equity
Center in Anchorage.
(My comment: Incredible
leader, wonderful person. I am so proud to know and have worked with
Pamela Washington. A huge hole in our judicial system with her
retirement.)
Some
Alaska Native corporation shareholders say profits from ICE contracts
not worth human toll Alaska Public Media
NANA held
nearly 58.1% of ICE's 8(a) contracts over the past decade, a period
during which it raked in about $1.2 billion.
UAA
taps veteran Alaska medical professional as new College of Health
dean - Anchorage Daily
News
An Alaska and Arctic health
veteran has been selected to head the College of Health at the
University of Alaska Anchorage.
Energy
CINGSA
successes - Petroleum News
The Cook
Inlet Natural Gas Storage Alaska facility has experienced a
successful summer, injecting gas into its reservoirs prior to the
uptick in Southcentral Alaska gas demand as the winter approaches,
CINGSA officials told the Regulatory Commission of Alaska during an
Oct. 22 public meeting.
Politics/Opinions
Opinion:
The governor’s early Christmas spirit is hardly hung with care - Anchorage Daily
News
Every day may feel like
Christmas to Alaska’s governor, but it’s not looking like a merry
holiday season for tens of millions of people, and no amount of
possible, potential, maybe future resource projects will change that.
Opinion:
Powering Alaska’s future by building more energy, not less - Anchorage Daily
News
Some hope that a gas pipeline
from the North Slope will solve all of Alaska’s energy challenges. If
it happens, it will help. But Alaska’s long-term energy security
can’t rest on a single project or resource.
Opinion:
Defending editorial independence - Anchorage Daily
News
To preserve integrity and
community trust, owners of journalism organizations must shield
newsrooms from the influence of their ownership, governments,
advertisers and other outside forces. Newsrooms must be provided
strict editorial independence that ensures the freedom of the news
team to decide what to report as well as how and when to report it.
Alaska
Supreme Court considers arguments in case that could shield the ID of
some political donors Alaska Beacon
The Alaska
Supreme Court will decide whether state regulators acted correctly
to fine backers of a failed election reform ballot measure more than $94,000 for a
variety of alleged campaign finance violations. In the process, it
may determine whether the backers of ballot measures are required to
disclose the true source of money donated to ballot measure
campaigns.
Alaska
Senate Minority Leader Mike Shower to resign Monday amid lieutenant
governor campaign Alaska Beacon
Senate
Minority Leader Mike Shower, R-Wasilla, will resign from the Alaska
Senate on Monday, according to a resignation letter submitted to
Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak. Sen. Shelley Hughes,
R-Palmer, is running for governor and has said she will
resign in time for a replacement to be selected before the
legislative session begins in January.
Supreme
Court has expanded presidential powers under Trump. How far will it
go? - Anchorage Daily
News
How much further will the
court go?That will be the overriding question Wednesday when the
court hears arguments on the legality of most of the president’s
tariffs - the first case to reach the justices in a series of
high-stakes tests of Trump’s sweeping claims of
authority.
Economy
Senate
vote on nullifying tariffs on Canada demonstrates opposition to
Trump’s trade policy - Anchorage Daily
News
The Senate passed legislation
Wednesday that would nullify U.S. tariffs on Canada, just as
President Donald Trump is engaged in trade talks in Asia as well as
an increasingly bitter trade spat with U.S.’s northern neighbor that
is one of its largest economic partners.
Carbon
credits could be a winner for Haines State Forest Alaska Beacon
Education
Alaska
educators call for more school funding in second task force meeting - Anchorage Daily
News
Overcoming years of
resistance from Gov. Mike Dunleavy, the Legislature earlier this
year permanently
boosted the school funding formula enshrined in law, twice
overriding the governor’s vetoes to do so. In doing so, lawmakers
added roughly $180 million to the state’s $1.2 billion education
budget.
Health Care
5
years in, how has Anchorage spent its alcohol tax? Alaska Public Media
The alcohol
tax passed by
Anchorage voters in 2020 came with clear rules on how the
money would be used — enhancing public safety, preventing domestic
violence and child abuse, expanding substance misuse treatment and
addressing homelessness. The alcohol tax has brought in tens of
millions of dollars since it took effect. But much of that money has
not gone to new programs. City officials say the tax passed around
the same time that a lot of local service providers lost federal and
state funding. Providers that receive a portion of the alcohol
tax revenue say the funding has been vital in the face of federal
cuts. state funding.
Trump
pleaded for permanent daylight saving time, but Congress stalls again
on the ‘Sunshine’ bill - Anchorage Daily
News
When Donald Trump vowed last
year to end America’s semiannual clock changes, pledging the
Republican Party would finally resolve the issue, combatants in the
years-long fight over daylight saving time thought their future was
bright.
But the difficult politics of
the matter have proved too much for Trump and his allies to overcome,
culminating in a showdown on the Senate floor Tuesday that pitted
Republican against Republican and left the movement’s future
prospects cloudy.
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