Federal Politics

A map shows the locations of the 21 Alaska federal offshore oil and gas lease sales proposed by the Trump administration. (Map provided by the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management)

Trump administration proposes offshore leasing in almost all Alaska waters

A new five-year offshore oil and gas leasing plan proposes 21 sales in Alaska, from the Gulf of Alaska to the High Arctic, and 13 more off the U.S. West Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico.

 

Larry Persily. (Juneau Empire file photo)

Opinion: Governor’s early Christmas spirit is misplaced

“I told the president, it’s like Christmas every morning,” Gov. Mike Dunleavy said at last week’s staged event in Washington, D.C., where the Department of… Continue reading

 

A vintage Underwood typewriter sits on a table on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, at the Homer News in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Opinion: A place government doesn’t need to stick its nose

I’ve spent much of my career advocating on behalf of Alaska’s small and independent business owners at all levels of government. While this sometimes meant… Continue reading

 

Protesters gather along the Sterling Highway and hold up signs during the “No Kings” demonstration on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)

700 in Homer join nationwide ‘No Kings’ protest

At least 25 Alaska communities took part in “No Kings” day Saturday, alongside millions of protesters in over 2,600 peaceful demonstrations across the U.S.

Protesters gather along the Sterling Highway and hold up signs during the “No Kings” demonstration on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, speaks on Oct. 18, 2025, at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention in Anchorage. Behind her is a screen projeting her image as she speaks. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Murkowski says she is trying to restore some resilience funding for Alaska villages

Speaking to AFN, the U.S. senator blasted Trump administration actions halting climate-related work; she and others lamented loss of public broadcasting funding.

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, speaks on Oct. 18, 2025, at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention in Anchorage. Behind her is a screen projeting her image as she speaks. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
The KBBI AM 890 station is located on Kachemak Way in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Chloe Pleznac/Homer News)

Peninsula radio reacts to loss of federal funding

Congress last week approved President Trump’s rescission request, zeroing out all federal funding for public broadcasting, effective Oct. 1.

The KBBI AM 890 station is located on Kachemak Way in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Chloe Pleznac/Homer News)
The Homer Public Library. File photo

Alaska libraries may see federal funding restored

Alaska State Libraries, Archives and Museums department notified Alaska libraries on June 3 that grant funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services may soon be awarded.

The Homer Public Library. File photo
U.S. Rep. Nick Begich III, R-Alaska, address a joint session of the Alaska Legislature on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Opinion: A noncongressman for Alaska?

It’s right to ask whether Nick Begich is a noncongressman for Alaska. The latest evidence of it is his vote for the House tax bill,… Continue reading

U.S. Rep. Nick Begich III, R-Alaska, address a joint session of the Alaska Legislature on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Snow blankets Homer City Hall on April 10, 2025, in Homer, Alaska. (Homer News file photo)

Homer halts pursuit of building code

The decision was finalized after a federal grant application to adopt the 2021 International Building Code was canceled.

Snow blankets Homer City Hall on April 10, 2025, in Homer, Alaska. (Homer News file photo)
Gov. Mike Dunleavy compares Alaska to Mississippi data on poverty, per-pupil education spending, and the 2024 National Assessment of Education Progress fourth grade reading scores during a press conference on Jan. 31, 2025. Alaska is highlighted in yellow, while Mississippi is in red. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

Opinion: Freeing states from the ‘stranglehold’ of the U.S. Department of Education

The USDOE has also been captured by a political ideology that has been harmful to education in America.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy compares Alaska to Mississippi data on poverty, per-pupil education spending, and the 2024 National Assessment of Education Progress fourth grade reading scores during a press conference on Jan. 31, 2025. Alaska is highlighted in yellow, while Mississippi is in red. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
U.S. Rep. Nick Begich holds a telephone town hall on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. (Screenshot from the Facebook page of U.S. Rep. Nick Begich)

Murkowski, Begich host telephone town halls to address constituent concerns

Both events were inaccessible to some, who grew frustrated at technical problems

U.S. Rep. Nick Begich holds a telephone town hall on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. (Screenshot from the Facebook page of U.S. Rep. Nick Begich)