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Peter Segall / Juneau Empire The Alaska House of Representatives votes on Monday to adopt a finance committee substitute of the state’s operating budget bill, allowing for amendments to be submitted.

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As floor sessions return, House sets to work on budget

Additional budget items.

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, left, appears with then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at a rally at the Iowa State University on Jan. 19, 2016, in Ames, Iowa. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has picked up a prized endorsement in her bid in an extremely crowded field to fill the unexpired term of the late U.S. Rep. Don Young. Former President Donald Trump backed Palin on Sunday, April 3, 2022, in a statement from his political action committee. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)

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Trump endorses Palin in bid for Alaska’s sole House seat

A total of 51 candidates signed up by the Friday deadline to run in a special primary following…

Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks at U.S. Rep. Don Young’s memorial service at the Anchorage Baptist Temple, Saturday, April 2, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska. (Loren Holmes/Anchorage Daily News via AP) Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks at U.S. Rep. Don Young’s memorial service at the Anchorage Baptist Temple, Saturday, April 2, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska. (Loren Holmes/Anchorage Daily News via AP)

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Alaska’s leadership lauds Young at memorial

The longest-serving Republican in the history of the U.S. House died March 18

A.J. Wilson, 17, DeAndre Pittman, 16, and Elora Johnson, 16, eat lunch Thursday in the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé cafeteria. They, like many students, agree the free meals available during the pandemic are worth continuing if funding can be found after it ends June 30, but they are likely to look off-campus for food if they are required to pay for school lunches again. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

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With federal funding ending, full-priced school lunches could be on the menu for many students next year

District hopes to continue offering free breakfast, ‘reasonably priced’ lunches

Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire Rep. Geran Tarr, D-Anchorage, center, speaks as state lawmakers and children’s welfare advocates attend a Blue Shirt Day event at the Alaska State Capitol, honoring the beginning of Child Abuse Prevention Month on April 1, 2022.

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Juneau recognizes Child Abuse Prevention Month

Blue Shirt Day is a national day for child welfare advocacy

Sarah Palin leaves the courthouse in New York, Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022. Sarah Palin on Friday, April 1, 2022 shook up an already unpredictable race for Alaska’s lone U.S. House seat, filing paperwork to join a field of at least 40 candidates seeking to fill the seat that had been held for 49 years by the late-U.S. Rep. Don Young, who died last month. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

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Palin files paperwork to run in Alaska US House race

The field includes current and former state legislators and a North Pole city council member named Santa Claus

Soldotna resident Karyn Griffin, seen here, has joined the list of candidates vying for Alaska’s newly vacant seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. The seat was formerly held by Rep. Don Young, who died March 18, 2022, after nearly 50 years in office. (Photo courtesy Karyn Griffin)

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Soldotna resident joins bid for US House seat

Karyn Griffin said she is mostly running to raise awareness about different issues

U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small speaks at a news conference at the Alaska State Library and Museum on Thursday, March 31, 2022, to announce roughly $9 million in development grants to 25 programs throughout Southeast Alaska. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

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USDA announces $9M investment in 25 Southeast programs

Grants are meant to diversify local economies

State and municipal public safety employees gathered on the steps of the Alaska State Captiol on Thursday, March 31, 2022, to urge senators to act on a bill to rework the state’s pension system for police, fire fighters and other public safety employees. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

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Public safety employees promote pension plan

Police, firefighters urge action on bill for defined benefits for pensions

An aerial photo of the 102-acre Loon Lake Fire footprint taken at approximately 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 15, 2021. (Kale Casey/Alaska DNR-Division of Forestry)

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Burn permits required starting Friday

The wildfire season ends on Aug. 31 — unless extended via an emergency order

Sen. David Wilson, R-Wasilla, speaks on the floor of the Alaska Senate on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, in favor of a bill that would prohibit discrimination against people for wearing their natural hairstyles in schools and workplaces. The bill passed with only one nay vote. (Screenshot)

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Natural hairstyles bill passes Senate

Bill prohibits dress codes restricting natural hairstyles in schools, workplaces

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire The chamber of the Alaska House of Represenatives was empty on Wednesday after floor sessions in the body were canceled as three Republican lawmakers refuse to comply with masking requirements reinstated amid an outbreak of COVID-19 among House members and their staff.

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House cancels floor sessions until next week

Some lawmakers refuse to comply with temporarily reinstated masking requirements

COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)

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State officials report cases leveling off

CDC updated its COVID booster information Tuesday, and authorized additional doses for certain groups

AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson smiles during a meeting with Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, March 28, 2022. Following Judge Jackson’s confirmation hearing last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee meets today to begin moving her nomination to the floor but Republicans on the panel are expected to delay the process.

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Alaska’s senators say minds aren’t made up as Jackson’s confirmation pushes ahead

No Republican senators have signaled support for Jackson

A notice board at the Alaska State Capitol on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, shows the cancellation of the House of Representatives floor session for that morning. For the second day running the House has canceled floor sessions over disagreements between caucuses over masking rules amid an outbreak of COVID-19 among some lawmakers and their staff. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

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House again cancels floor session amid masking debate

Some lawmakers resist mask requirements amid COVID-19 outbreak

House Chaplain Margaret G. Kibben speaks during a ceremony for the late Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, as he lies in state in Statuary Hall, Tuesday, March 29, 2022, at the Capitol in Washington. Young, the longest-serving member of Alaska’s congressional delegation, died Friday, March 18, 2022. He was 88. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via AP, Pool)

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Washington honors Young

The fiery, tireless defender in U.S. House lies in state in the Capitol

Teressa Minnich, left, speaks to another poll worker at a precinct at Soldotna Prep School on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

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Division of Elections: Now is the time to verify voter registration information

People must be registered to vote by May 12 to vote in the special primary election

A floor session of the Alaska House of Representatives was canceled on Monday, March 28, 2022, after some lawmakers refused to wear face masks in the chamber. House Speaker Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, reinstated the masking rule for the floor after several members of the body tested positive for COVID-19. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

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COVID cases, mask debates delay House

Lawmaker absences push back timeline for budget bill

Screenshot A map from the Bureau of Land Management shows lands that may be available for selection by Alaska Native veterans from the Vietnam War-era. Veterans have been waiting a long time to be able to select lands, and some have expressed frustration at the length of the process.

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Land selection process for Alaska Native veterans moves ahead, but slowly

Still a long time coming.

Screenshot / Alaska Redistricting Board A map from the Alaska Redistricting Board shows proposed House Districts in Anchorage, two of which were the subject of a lawsuit against the board for their being paired together in a single senate seat.The Alaska Supreme Court Ruled Friday the board acted unconstitutionally in one of its Senate district pairings.

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Alaska Supreme Court says redistricting board acted unconstitutionally

A tight timeline.