James Brooks

Rep. Sam Kito III, D-Juneau, right, speaks alongside Marc Luiken, Commissioner of the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities during a breakout session on Alaska Marine Highway System Reform at Southeast Conference at the Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. Kito said this week that he will not seek re-election. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Juneau Rep. Sam Kito III will not run for re-election in 2018

Rep. Sam Kito III ended months of speculation in a Monday interview with the Juneau Empire by declaring he will not run for re-election this… Continue reading

Rep. Sam Kito III, D-Juneau, right, speaks alongside Marc Luiken, Commissioner of the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities during a breakout session on Alaska Marine Highway System Reform at Southeast Conference at the Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. Kito said this week that he will not seek re-election. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Alaska finances better, not good, new report suggests

Alaska finances better, not good, new report suggests

The State of Alaska will earn more money from oil than previously expected, but it still faces a multibillion-dollar deficit, according to new predictions released… Continue reading

Alaska finances better, not good, new report suggests
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State officials warn Medicaid money will run out by month’s end

Alaska’s Medicaid health insurance program will run out of money as soon as the end of March, state officials are warning. Unless the Alaska Legislature… Continue reading

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Rep. Paul Seaton, R-Homer, speaks about House Bill 321 on Monday, March 12, 2018 on the floor of the Alaska House of Representatives. (James Brooks | Juneau Empire)

Alaska House approves stopgap ferry, Medicaid funding bill

The Alaska House of Representatives has passed a stopgap funding bill to keep the Alaska Marine Highway and state Medicaid program operating. In a 32-7… Continue reading

Rep. Paul Seaton, R-Homer, speaks about House Bill 321 on Monday, March 12, 2018 on the floor of the Alaska House of Representatives. (James Brooks | Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas High School sophomore Stella Tallmon testifies in front of the House Judiciary Committee in favor of HB 75, a gun violence protective orders bill, at the Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Local students champion gun-control bill in Legislature

Juneau high school students and dozens of other Alaskans offered two hours of impassioned testimony Wednesday afternoon on the first gun-control proposal considered by the… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas High School sophomore Stella Tallmon testifies in front of the House Judiciary Committee in favor of HB 75, a gun violence protective orders bill, at the Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
University of Alaska President Jim Johnsen speaks during an interview at the Juneau Empire on Wednesday, April 19, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

University of Alaska president says he is proud and confident yet concerned about system

In his annual “State of the University” address, University of Alaska president Jim Johnsen urged Alaskans to support increases in funding for the university system… Continue reading

University of Alaska President Jim Johnsen speaks during an interview at the Juneau Empire on Wednesday, April 19, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Retired Air Force fighter pilot Mike Shower is seen after landing on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam on July 20, 2008. (U.S. Air Force by Airman 1st Class Courtney Witt)

Gov. Bill Walker appoints former F-22 pilot to vacant Alaska Senate seat

Gov. Bill Walker on Tuesday nominated a retired U.S. Air Force fighter pilot to fill the Alaska Senate seat vacated in January by Mike Dunleavy.… Continue reading

Retired Air Force fighter pilot Mike Shower is seen after landing on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam on July 20, 2008. (U.S. Air Force by Airman 1st Class Courtney Witt)
In this Dec. 19, 2017 photo, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, speaks about oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge during debates about the GOP tax cut on the floor of the U.S. Senate. (C-SPAN)

State asks Legislature for $10 million to survey ANWR for oil

The administration of Gov. Bill Walker is asking the Alaska Legislature for permission to spend $10 million on seismic surveying in the coastal plain of… Continue reading

In this Dec. 19, 2017 photo, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, speaks about oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge during debates about the GOP tax cut on the floor of the U.S. Senate. (C-SPAN)
Gov. Bill Walker speaks to the Juneau Chamber of Commerce at the Hangar Ballroom on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)  Gov. Bill Walker speaks to the Juneau Chamber of Commerce at the Hangar Ballroom on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Walker: Permanent Fund should bring jobs to state

In a speech to the Juneau Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, Gov. Bill Walker told the assembled crowd that he believes the Alaska Permanent Fund… Continue reading

Gov. Bill Walker speaks to the Juneau Chamber of Commerce at the Hangar Ballroom on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)  Gov. Bill Walker speaks to the Juneau Chamber of Commerce at the Hangar Ballroom on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
A flyfisherman angles a fish toward the bank on the Anchor River on Saturday, May 20, 2017 in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Alaska Legislature considers bills to create electronic hunting, fishing licenses

Each day, in airports across Alaska, thousands of people swipe their cellphones across a scanner and board an airplane. Instead of a paper boarding pass,… Continue reading

A flyfisherman angles a fish toward the bank on the Anchor River on Saturday, May 20, 2017 in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
Angela Rodell, CEO and executive director of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp., gives an overview of the fund to the House Finance Committee at the Capitol on Monday, Jan. 22, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Lawmakers could affect value of the Permanent Fund

As lawmakers consider using proceeds from the Alaska Permanent Fund to patch Alaska’s $2.5 billion budget deficit, they are pushing back against a stress test… Continue reading

Angela Rodell, CEO and executive director of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp., gives an overview of the fund to the House Finance Committee at the Capitol on Monday, Jan. 22, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
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Quiet wires: Alaska illegally fails to report its wiretaps to public

The Alaska Department of Law is failing to disclose when it taps the phone of an Alaskans, the Empire has learned through a public records… Continue reading

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Rep. Ivy Spohnholz, D-Anchorage, left, and Rep. Chuck Kopp, R-Anchorage, deliver a message to Gov. Bill Walker that the House is open for business on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018. Legislators returned to Alaska’s Capitol to open the Second Session of the 30th Legislature on Tuesday. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Guardedly optimistic, Alaska Legislature starts second regular session

After the Girl Scouts and the Juneau-Douglas High School choir, two senators walked into the chambers of the Alaska House of Representatives with an air… Continue reading

Rep. Ivy Spohnholz, D-Anchorage, left, and Rep. Chuck Kopp, R-Anchorage, deliver a message to Gov. Bill Walker that the House is open for business on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018. Legislators returned to Alaska’s Capitol to open the Second Session of the 30th Legislature on Tuesday. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Rep. Sam Kito, D-Juneau, Sen. Dennis Egan, D-Juneau and Rep. Justin Parish, D-Juneau, answer questions from Juneau area residents about legislative priorities during a townhall meeting at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Juneau legislators ‘worried’ about upcoming session

Juneau’s three-person delegation to the Alaska Legislature told a well-attended town hall meeting Thursday night that they are worried about what will and will not… Continue reading

Rep. Sam Kito, D-Juneau, Sen. Dennis Egan, D-Juneau and Rep. Justin Parish, D-Juneau, answer questions from Juneau area residents about legislative priorities during a townhall meeting at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Alaska’s population falls for the first time in 29 years

Alaska’s population fell for the first time in 29 years as the statewide oil-driven recession continued through 2017, according to new estimates from the Alaska… Continue reading

Marijuana board orders Fairbanks manufacturer to close

The Alaska Marijuana Control Board has given the death penalty to one of Alaska’s largest manufacturers of edible marijuana products. On Friday morning, the board… Continue reading

A look at the changes in SB54

One week ago, Gov. Bill Walker signed Senate Bill 54 after an extended special session. Crafted by lawmakers in response to a statewide crime wave,… Continue reading

Luann McVey, right, joins about a dozen people to protest the U.S. Senate’s proposed tax reform bill in front of Juneau’s Congressional Delegation Office on Glacier Avenue on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Murkowski will vote for GOP tax bill

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, will support the Republican tax reform plan, she announced in a written statement Wednesday afternoon. “After thoroughly reviewing the good… Continue reading

Luann McVey, right, joins about a dozen people to protest the U.S. Senate’s proposed tax reform bill in front of Juneau’s Congressional Delegation Office on Glacier Avenue on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Juneau’s rape kit backlog is ‘one of the worst’ nationwide

Juneau’s rape kit backlog is ‘one of the worst’ nationwide

Since April, Vanessa Nason has been trying to track rape. More specifically, the researcher and journalist with the news site MuckRock has been trying to… Continue reading

Juneau’s rape kit backlog is ‘one of the worst’ nationwide
Michael Penn | Juneau Empire file

Legislators launch secret internal investigation

The Alaska Legislature’s internal Legislative Council is opening an internal investigation, but after a six-hour closed-door meeting, lawmakers on Tuesday refused to reveal the subject… Continue reading

Michael Penn | Juneau Empire file