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Peter Segall / Juneau Empire The offices of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation got some rate sun on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, as Alaska’s lawmakers urged the corporation’s Board of Directors to divest from Russian assets in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

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Permanent Fund to hold Russian assets as lawmakers urge divestment

Many states are divesting.

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities is currently working on a study for a second crossing across the Gastineau Channel, seen here on Aug. 22, 2021, to North Douglas Island. The public outreach portion of the study is set to begin in May, according to DOT.

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Federal funds could pay for a 2nd crossing to Douglas Island

With infrastructure in focus, a decades-old idea is getting another shot

Pat Pitney was named President of the University of Alaska Friday after serving as interim president for over a year. She is the first woman to hold the position in UA’s history. (Courtesy photo / University of Alaska)

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Pat Pitney named UA President

After shedding interim label, she’s the first woman to hold the post.

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Members of the House Committee of Military and Veterans’ Affairs heard testimony on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, on the far-right militia group the Oath Keepers amid public pressure to take disciplinary action against Rep. David Eastman, R-Wasilla, who is a member of the group.

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House committee hears testimony on far-right organization

‘A distraction.’

Senate President Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, seated, speaks with senators during a floor debate on a bill to revamp the state's alcohol laws on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022. The bill was one of Micciche's own, and Tuesday's floor vote came after nine years of trying to pass a bill modernizing Alaska's alcohol regulation. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

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Bill aimed at refining state alcohol laws passes Senate

In the House now.

Senators Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, and Tom Begich, D-Anchorage, spoke with reporters in Begich’s office at the Alaska State Capitol on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, about their thoughts on the current legislative session. The senators said there were reasons to be optimistic about meaningful progress even with the full plate before the Legislature. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

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‘Work, actual work’ is underway in the state Senate

It may take a special session.

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire The House Labor and Commerce Committee speaks Friday with Alaska’s congressional delegation about the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which is set to bring billions of dollars to the state.

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Delegation: Work together to plan, optimize infrastructure money

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is set to bring billions of dollars to the state

Copies of the Alaska State Constitution are available outside the Lt. Governor’s office at the Alaska State Capitol. A Senate bill with bipartisan support is seeking to enhance civics education for Alaskan students. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file)

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Bill seeks to strengthen civics education

Students would have to take exam similar to citizenship test

University of Alaska Interim President Pat Pitney, bottom left, spoke to UA students in a virtual forum on Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022, and was joined by several UA administrators including UA Southeast President Karen Carey, bottom left, and UA Anchorage Vice Chancellor Bruce Schultz, top left. At top right, an American Sign Language professional provides translation services. (Screenshot)

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UA President: University has turned a corner on funding

System sees modest increase in budget for first time in years

Sen. Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer; Senate President Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna; Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak and Sen. Click Bishop, R-Fairbanks, spoke to reporters Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022, immediately following Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s State of the State address. Members of the Senate Republican leadership said they appreciated the governor’s optimism, and hoped it signaled a better relationship between the administration and the Legislature. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

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Lawmakers welcome tone change in governor’s address

With caveats on financials, legislators optimistic about working together

Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks to a joint meeting of the Alaska State Legislature at the Alaska State Capitol on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022, for his fourth State of the State address of his administration. Dunleavy painted a positive picture for the state despite the challenges Alaska has faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the economy. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

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Gov points ‘North to the Future’

Dunleavy paints optimistic picture in State of the State address

Screenshot / Alaska Redistricting Board The Alaska Redistricting Board’s decision to pair District 21 (teal) and District 22 (purple) into one senate district is the subject of a lawsuit from East Anchorage residents of District 21. An Anchorage Superior Court heard the first arguments in that case on Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, part of several lawsuits against the Redistricting Board that have been consolidated into a single case.

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1st arguments heard in Redistricting Board lawsuits

Arguments resume Monday.

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Senate Minority Leader Tom Begich, D-Anchorage, speaks to the Empire in his office at the Alaska State Capitol on Thursday. Begich introduced the Alaska Reads Act with Gov. Mike Dunleavy in 2020, but despite strong bipartisan support, disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic slowed the bill’s progression. But Begich is confident this will be the year a reading bill passes the Legislature.

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Years in the making, lawmakers hopeful reading bill will pass

Bipartisan support for bill.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced this month a $500,000 grant to regional development corporation Southeast Conference to help design a processing facility on Prince of Wales Island to aid the mariculture industry there. The planned facility will help small mariculture farms, like this oyster farm north of Juneau seen in a February 2019 file photo, to process and ship their products. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file)

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USDA grants $500,000 for mariculture facility on Prince of Wales

Facility meant to aid small growers, boost mariculture industry

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire House Speaker Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, gave a stern warning about decorum to members of the Alaska House of Representatives on the first day of the legislative session on Tuesday, Jan 18, 2022. Last year the Legislature was so divided it took a full regular session and four special sessions before work was completed.

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1st day of session brings familiar tensions to Legislature

The session opened with calls for bipartisanship, but tensions were evident

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Chair of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. Board of Trustees Craig Richards answers questions from the members of the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee on Monday. The committee called Richards and other members of the board to answer questions about the December firing of former APFC CEO Angela Rodell, who has claimed her termination was politically motivated.

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Permanent Fund Corp. board members defend CEO firing

A tense start to session.

Signatures for a ballot initiative to have the State of Alaska recognize the 229 federally-recognized tribal governments were submitted to Division of Elections offices in Anchorage Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022. The campaign was able to collect 56,230 signatures - well over the minimum requirement - meaning Alaskan voters will likely see the initiative on the November ballot. (Courtesy photo / Alaskans for Better Government)

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Campaigners submit over 56,000 signatures for tribal recognition initiative

State has 60 days to reply.

FILE--In this undated file photo, drilling operations at the Doyon Rig 19 at the Conoco-Phillips Carbon location in the National Petroleum Reserve, Alaska, are shown. Alaska's Congressional delegation released a joint statement Tuesday condemning the Biden Administration's decision not to pursue development on the reserve, saying it would hurt the state's economy. (AP Photo/Judy Patrick, File)

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Congressional delegation condemns NPR-A development reversal

Another policy reversal.

Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation CEO Angela Rodell speaks to the House Finance Committee on Thursday, June 24, 2021. Rodell was fired as CEO on Dec. 10 by APFC’s board, a decision which has lawmakers and others asking ‘why?’ (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file)

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Lawmakers want answers on CEO firing at permanent fund corp

Record earnings reported.

Copies of the Alaska State Constitution were available outside the Lt. Governor’s office on Monday, Dec. 13, 2021. If voters choose to have a constitutional convention next year, the state’s foundational document could be rewritten entirely. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

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Group highlights risks of constitutional convention

The process would be contentious and costly, the group said.