Wire Service

Protesters hold up flags during a public hearing on a draft environmental plan on proposed petroleum leasing within Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on Monday, in Anchorage. Congress in December 2017 approved a tax bill that requires oil and gas lease sales in the refuge to raise revenue for a tax cut backed by President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Dan Joling)

Critics protest proposed drilling in Alaska’s Arctic refuge

Congress in 1980 expanded the refuge to nearly the size of South Carolina

Protesters hold up flags during a public hearing on a draft environmental plan on proposed petroleum leasing within Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on Monday, in Anchorage. Congress in December 2017 approved a tax bill that requires oil and gas lease sales in the refuge to raise revenue for a tax cut backed by President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Dan Joling)
The Alaska State Capitol. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Alaska House has yet to organize about a month into session

The 40-member House has 23 Republicans but just 20 of them have aligned with the GOP caucus

The Alaska State Capitol. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Correction

Correction: In the Feb. 7, 2019, Homer News Sea Watch column, the article quoted Malcom Milne. He said that some of the statements attributed to… Continue reading

Kenai Peninsula College’s Kenai River Campus in the snow, on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai Peninsula College Around Campus for the week of February 11, 2019

Summer semester registration period opens soon

Kenai Peninsula College’s Kenai River Campus in the snow, on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
The Alaska State Capitol. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

No-bid contract for psychiatric institute raises questions

A previous report advised against privatizing the institute.

The Alaska State Capitol. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Minister’s Message: Don’t forget your main gig — loving others is loving God

Minister’s Message: Don’t forget your main gig — loving others is loving God

Last year Harvard Business Review published an article, “Thriving in the Gig Economy.” They noted that around 150 million people in North America and Western… Continue reading

Minister’s Message: Don’t forget your main gig — loving others is loving God

Alaska Voices: Build Alaska’s economy on the strengths of its university system

Years ago a friend and I were talking about a political geography class I was teaching at the university. I shared my excitement about the… Continue reading

Refuge Notebook: To feed or not to feed the birds

Refuge Notebook: To feed or not to feed the birds

By TODD ESKELIN As the snow continues to pile up, I have had some unwanted guests at my bird feeder. A cow moose and her… Continue reading

Refuge Notebook: To feed or not to feed the birds

Activists air grievances about ANWR drilling

FAIRBANKS (AP) — Activists pushing against oil development in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge dominated a Bureau of Land Management public meeting in Fairbanks. The… Continue reading

Alaska Supreme Court Chief Justice Craig Stowers calls out his staff sitting in the gallery during his State of the Judiciary address before a joint session of the Alaska Legislature at the Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

State of Judiciary time, date set

It comes between visits from senators.

Alaska Supreme Court Chief Justice Craig Stowers calls out his staff sitting in the gallery during his State of the Judiciary address before a joint session of the Alaska Legislature at the Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
‘Widows’ — a women-led crime thriller that stands on its own

‘Widows’ — a women-led crime thriller that stands on its own

Steve McQueen’s searing crime drama “Widows” was one of my most anticipated films of 2018. It was getting early Oscar buzz and I even thought… Continue reading

‘Widows’ — a women-led crime thriller that stands on its own
William Morrow and Company

Gaiman makes a case for why ‘Art Matters’

Doodling, scribbling, sketching. That’s what most people think you’re doing when you’ve got pen in hand and paper in front of you: just idly making… Continue reading

William Morrow and Company
Pioneer Potluck: The big move to Alaska

Pioneer Potluck: The big move to Alaska

Mexican chicken stew, Italian chicken, Spoon puddin’ with apples

Pioneer Potluck: The big move to Alaska
Public safety briefs Feb. 5

Public safety briefs Feb. 5

Information for this report was taken from publicly available law enforcement and public safety records and includes arrest and citation information, not conviction information. Anyone… Continue reading

Public safety briefs Feb. 5
Court reports Feb. 5

Court reports Feb. 5

The following judgments were recently handed down in Kenai District Court: Joshua Caleb Butler, 26, of Soldotna, pleaded guilty to driving under the influence, committed… Continue reading

Court reports Feb. 5
President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, as Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., watch, Tuesday. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Trump calls for end of resistance politics in State of Union

WASHINGTON — Facing a divided Congress for the first time, President Donald Trump on Tuesday called on Washington to reject “the politics of revenge, resistance… Continue reading

President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, as Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., watch, Tuesday. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Alaska Voices: Fact and fiction on Medicaid expansion

Alaska Voices: Fact and fiction on Medicaid expansion

Health care is complex and hard, because it is both deeply personal and very expensive. As a society, we unite behind the belief that we… Continue reading

Alaska Voices: Fact and fiction on Medicaid expansion

Letters to the Editor: Keep education off the chopping block

Keep education off the chopping block Alaska’s education mission is ‘to provide an excellent education to every student, every day’. An excellent education gives children… Continue reading

Along the Sterling Highway, people pitch a small shack on a frozen lake to go ice fishing near Cooper Landing, Alaska, on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Ice fishing derby kicks off Feb. 1

The ice is in and the augers are out. February is here and so is the annual Trustworthy Hardware Ice Fishing Derby. The annual winter… Continue reading

Along the Sterling Highway, people pitch a small shack on a frozen lake to go ice fishing near Cooper Landing, Alaska, on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Man accused of stealing snowmachine after taking it for test drive

Man accused of stealing snowmachine after taking it for test drive

A Kenai man has been charged with theft after allegedly taking a snowmachine for a test drive and never returning it, according to an affidavit… Continue reading

Man accused of stealing snowmachine after taking it for test drive