Elle King is opening up about her recent autism diagnosis and she’s very excited about what’s to come. Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Author: alaskaadmin
Reading Time: 3 minutes
In the wake of her divorce from Jelly Roll, Bunnie Xo is opening up like never before about her 10-year marriage.
Previously, Bunnie compared the marriage to a prison sentence.
And now, she’s revealing that she resorted to desperate measures to support her struggling husband early in their relationship.
Yes, before Jelly Roll became one of country music’s biggest success stories, he and Bunnie were simply trying to survive.
The podcast host is now opening up about the difficult years before her estranged husband’s career took off, revealing she worked as an escort to help keep them financially afloat while the aspiring musician chased his dreams.
“I was turning tricks to pay our bills,” Bunnie said on the latest episode of “Dumb Blonde.”
“I literally went on tour with him and was seeing clients just to fund our life at the time.”
Despite speculation that she entered the relationship with significant savings, Bunnie insisted that wasn’t the case.
“I had sugar daddies at the time that were paying for all of this,” she explained, adding that the couple “literally had nothing” when they got together in 2015.
“We were two kids who literally had nothing… We were still in the streets. We were making money as it came,” she said.
Long before Jelly Roll was selling out arenas and topping the charts, Bunnie said his concerts drew only a handful of fans.
She recalled attending some of his earliest performances, where crowds numbered around 20 people.
“And it was crazy because within the first three years of us being together, the crowd started doubling,” she remembered.
The singer — whose real name is Jason Bradley DeFord — would eventually become one of country music’s biggest crossover stars. But according to Bunnie, those early years were defined by financial uncertainty and doing whatever they could to get by.
The revelations come just months after Jelly Roll, 41, filed for divorce from Bunnie in May, citing irreconcilable differences.
The couple married in Las Vegas in 2016, but Bunnie said the relationship began to unravel over the past year and a half as she pursued IVF treatments in hopes of starting a family.
She described the experience as “one of the loneliest, darkest journeys,” revealing she suffered multiple miscarriages and lost several embryos.
“It completely wrecked me,” she said. “It wrecked me emotionally, spiritually, physically… I became a shell of the person I was because I’m doing [IVF].”
According to Bunnie, the emotional strain created distance between the couple.
During the IVF process, she said she and Jelly Roll “stopped communicating.”
She also made a heartbreaking admission about how she viewed their relationship.
“I think that it’s safe for me to say that I always loved my husband a little bit more than he loved me,” Bunnie said.
“I was like always protecting him and always making sure he was okay and like always chasing him, and I literally was the glue that held us together.”
Her candid comments offer a deeply personal look at both the sacrifices she says she made during Jelly Roll’s rise to fame and the struggles that ultimately preceded the end of their nearly decade-long marriage.
Bunnie Xo Says She Worked As An Escort to Support Jelly Roll Before Fame was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
LONDON — Soccer fans in Atlanta may be exchanging chants about the Falklands — but there’s another British Overseas Territory making news today.
The 118-year-old border between Gibraltar and Spain will disappear on Wednesday. You can thank Brexit.
Today is the culmination of a decade of uncertainty for the British Mediterranean territory, which back in 2016 voted by 95.9 percent to stay in the EU — but was pulled out against its will.
Life immediately became harder for the thousands of people who cross the Gibraltar-Spain border every day, including 15,000 Spaniards who go to work in the territory.
Passport checks became more onerous and transporting goods became more complicated. As a result Brussels, London, Gibraltar and Madrid have spent the last 10 years negotiating an agreement to remove physical border controls from the frontier with Spain.
It’s an ironic move given it was triggered by Britain’s decision to leave the EU. While Gibraltar will remain fully British and sovereign, the border will become, for the most part, just a line on a map.
The agreement’s details will be familiar to anyone who has ever taken a Eurostar train under the English Channel. As at London St Pancras station, passengers arriving at Gibraltar’s airport will go through both Gibraltarian passport controls and EU passport controls in succession. Once through, they’ll be free to roam both Gibraltar and the Schengen area, provided they get the approval of both authorities.
As a result, Gibraltar and Spain will do away with border controls at the land border. Gibraltar will also align with various EU single market and customs rules to ease the flow of goods, which have sometimes become harder to source since Brexit.
Gibraltar is adamant it isn’t joining the EU passport-free Schengen area. Legally, it is right.
For many passengers, though, it will feel pretty similar, with no passport checks to walk into Spain. The difference will be that Gibraltar will still set its own visa policy.
The U.K’s Europe Minister Stephen Doughty is formally signing the agreement Tuesday in Brussels with the EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič.
The deal was a bipartisan effort on the British side, with former Foreign Secretary David Cameron working to get it over the line during his time in office. In spring 2024 the deal looked close to being done — only for Rishi Sunak to call an election. The resulting change in government delayed it by another year.
Some critics, notably Tory Euroskeptics, have said the agreement harms Gibraltar’s sovereignty, but the Rock’s government is very keen on the plan.
“Brexit was sold to the British people in a false prospectus,” Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Fabian Picardo told the Telegraph newspaper in the run-up to the dismantling of the border. “The United Kingdom needs to seriously reconsider its relationship with the European Union, whether that is to return to membership or a much closer relationship.”
Politics
No matter your preference – plain, warmed up, or with a delicious topping – try these tasty treats before they disappear from Trader Joe’s shelves.
Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews
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Wales finds reason to cheer England
There’s lots of talk in England about declaring a bank holiday should the Three Lions really bring football home.
Keir Starmer has refused to confirm whether England would get a bank holiday if it won the tournament for the first time in 60 years, saying: “I don’t want to jinx it, but ask me again if we get to the final.”
That chatter has piqued the interest of Welsh nationalists in Cardiff who have long sought a bank holiday marking St. David’s Day on March 1, matching the holidays already granted to Scotland and Northern Ireland for their equivalent days.
A spokesperson for the Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru told POLITICO: “If England winning means a new bank holiday, would that mean we’re a step closer to getting one for St David’s Day in Wales? That’s something to support!”
Politics
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On either side of the political aisle, most can agree that R. Kelly is a monster.
The courts agreed, too.
After multiple convictions, the disgraced rapper will be in prison until 2045.
Unless Donald Trump lets him out of prison early, as he has with so many other criminals.
He is not having a good time in prison
This year, attorneys representing the disgraced rapper, whose real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, filed a formal request with the Office of the Pardon Attorney in the US Department of Justice.
They are asking the Trump regime, and more specifically Donald Trump himself, to commute the disgraced rapper’s prison sentence.
At present, Kelly is expecting to be released from prison in 2045.
By that time, if he remains alive, he will be nearly 79 years old.
Kelly’s case is complex and involves multiple convictions.
In his request, Kelly is asking Donald Trump to use executive clemency, a controversial yet unfortunately important political power to commute his sentence.
At present, the request is listed as “pending” on the Office of the Pardon Attorney’s website.
In 2025, Kelly’s attorney accused federal authorities of conspiring to steal the disgraced rapper’s mail.
His legal team also alleged that federal authorities both pressured witnesses to testify and recruited a white supremacist to kill him behind bars.
(This alleged assassination plot by the federal government does not sound terribly plausible; Kelly does not challenge any existing power structures.)
Will Trump do it?
Kelly was convicted in 2021 for violations of the Mann Act and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).
In 2022, he was convicted for the production of child sex-abuse material.
His combined sentences span about 31 years.
Kelly is incarcerated at FCI Butner Medium I, a federal prison facility in the small town of Butner in the middle of northern North Carolina.
With luck, he’ll remain there for almost all of the next two decades. But what if fortune is not so kind?
Donald Trump appears to be a man consumed with the appearance of importance and displays of what looks to him to be strength.
What he values most in others is loyalty, even to the point of grading deceased political allies after their sudden deaths.
Many believe that Savannah Chrisley’s outspoken support of him led to the pardons for her horrible parents. In other cases, pardons or commutations followed sizable donations to Trump, directly or indirectly.
Ultimately, few can say what Trump will do. It is up to his capricious whims, and there is little to no recourse once executive clemency is implemented.
Kelly presumably has very little to offer Trump at this point, either financially or in terms of optics and star power. With that in mind, one can only hope that nothing comes of this request.
R. Kelly Formally Begs Donald Trump to Get Him Out of Prison, Via Pardon or Commutation was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
Riley Green recently joined Theo Von on an episode of This Past Weekend, where the two discussed everything from hunting to Green’s new album, his rapidly growing career and his dating life. When Von asked if settling down was in Green’s near future, the country star explained that trying to find a meaningful connection has only become more difficult as his career continues to soar.
Von suggested that it must be easy for Green to meet women, however the Alabama native admitted that in his experience, it’s been the opposite. Between his demanding touring schedule and growing fame, he says his lifestyle doesn’t leave many opportunities to meet someone naturally, and when he does, it can be difficult to know what their intentions are.
“I feel like you know better than that because you’re in that world too. It’s really not that easy to meet a girl when you’re doing what we’re doing,” Green said to the podcast host. “I mean, I’m not going to meet a girl at a show, I’m confined to the back on a bus and I’m not going to meet a girl on Instagram. And when you get to a place where people are, it gets tough to know who you’re meeting for what.”
Green also tends to stay hidden away when he’s out in public to keep from drawing too much of a crowd, especially on nights when he’s just trying to forget about the fame and feel like a normal person. He notes he instantly feels “uncomfortable” and “anxious,” when entering a bar, fearing that he will suddenly become the center of unwanted attention.
“I don’t mind being the center of attention at a show or if I’m in a town, I’m playing a show and I go to a restaurant or a bar down the street, but I don’t like being the center of attention when I’m not supposed to. That always makes me feel odd,” he explained. “I don’t like to feel like if I went to another show and people were asking me for a picture and there was somebody else on stage, that would make me feel really, really rude.”
Even when he makes an appearance at his own Duck Blind Bar in Nashville’s Midtown, Green doesn’t expect to meet a woman there. Instead, he usually finds himself the back deck away from the crowds.
Beyond those challenges, Green reveals he simply doesn’t have much of a home life these days. Between his farm in Alabama, a house in Nashville and a touring schedule that’s busier than ever, he feels like he’s constantly on the move, making it difficult to build the kind of stability needed for a serious relationship.
While he could take time off and stay at home more often to feel more “settled” in life, Green says he can’t bring himself to slow down while his career is gaining so much momentum. This year alone has brought a wave of different opportunities that have allowed him to introduce himself to entirely new audiences, like making his acting debut on Marshals, co-hosting CMA Fest 2026 and joining The Voice as a coach for the first time.
The “Think as You Drunk” singer believes there will eventually be a season for slowing down and making more room for life outside of music. But for now, he’s focused on making the most of every opportunity that comes his way.
“I’m sort of like, grind right now, keep my nose down, say yes to everything. And then in a couple of years, things will stop doing this,” he said while motioning the upward trajectory of his career. “And they’ll kind of plane off and I’ll have this career and I’ll say, ‘Alright, I’m going to play 40 or 60 shows a year. I might film a little TV show or a movie or whatever, and then I can have a life outside of it.’ But it’s just tough to do right now.”
That mindset is also what led Green to accept one of the biggest opportunities of his career so far, joining Season 30 of The Voice as a first-time coach alongside Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine and Queen Latifah. The singer revealed that landed the coveted role simply by being himself.
“They were considering me. I sort of told them that I got what they wanted. They want somebody that’s sort of funny, sort of dry, that cuts up. And they came to a show and I had a little Q&A with somebody beforehand and we cut up back and forth. And then I went on Jimmy Fallon and they got me on the couch and we had a little duck call moment that was funny. And that’s how I got the job, just goofing off.”
It’s clear that he does not take the opportunity lightly, especially considering the short list of country artists who have previously filled one of the iconic red chairs on the hit competition series.
“There’s one country music artist that’s a coach on The Voice. Blake Shelton, Reba’s been on there. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. And you got to think about all the people in country music that are so lucky to be where they are and have the careers they are and they don’t even have that opportunity.”
Being a part of something that is not centered around country music is definitely unfamiliar territory for Green, especially as he sits next to three very well-known household names. However, he sees that as a positive thing because it gives him the chance to introduce himself to viewers who may not already know his music.
“I would guess that most of my fans are country music fans and I could tell it from the first day of filming, I’m the least famous person as a coach on The Voice right now with the people that are fans of The Voice,” he admitted. “Kelly Clarkson’s been on it forever. Adam Levine’s been on it forever. Queen Latifah’s on it with me and she’s iconically famous. So the fact that I can tell I’m not as well known in that world only tells me how much I’ll gain from it because it’s putting me in front of so many different people.”
On top of filming for the show, Riley Green is currently out on his Cowboy As It Gets Tour with dates running through December.
The post Riley Green Gets Candid About His Dating Life And Reveals If Settling Down Is In His Future appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
One way to gauge the astonishing growth in the artificial intelligence since Alaska’s last gubernatorial election, in 2022, is simply to look at the market value of the Nvidia, the leading AI chip maker.
Since 2022, that number has grown more than 10-fold, from some $350 billion to some $5 trillion today.
AI, it’s safe to say, wasn’t a major issue for gubernatorial candidates in 2022. But now it’s front burner, given the industry’s increasing significance to the economy and in many Alaskans’ everyday lives.
In this edition of the survey, we asked candidates to share how they would use AI in their administration, and about what safeguards they’d put in place.
We also asked them about their go-to news sources.
Republicans Bernadette Wilson, Treg Taylor and Adam Crum and independent Meda DeWitt did not respond to this edition’s questions; we sent them multiple requests. One other listed candidate whom we couldn’t reach was independent Destry Payne, whose publicly listed email address did not work.
Previous surveys include: climate change, schools funding, Alaska’s LNG project, the s-corp tax loophole, the PFD and ferries, health care costs and oil production taxes.
Question 1
Artificial intelligence has grown into one of America’s biggest industries — with many touting its benefits and others warning of risks and cautioning that its potential is overblown.
If elected, how would you use AI in your administration, and what AI safeguards or protections would you put in place?
Question 2
What are your two favorite in-state news sources, and what are your two favorite national news sources? Why?
Tom Begich, Democrat, former state senator
- Artificial intelligence is already in state government, and Alaska needs a governor who gets ahead of it, not one reacting to it.
I will use AI to make government work better for Alaskans. What AI will not do in my administration is replace state employees. Permit queues back up for years due to staffing shortages. Benefits processors get buried in repetitive data entry when they could be solving real problems. That is where AI belongs: handling tedious work so employees can use their judgment, not replacing those workers. And a human must stay in the loop on any decision that affects Alaskans’ lives.
Within my first 90 days, every state agency will develop an AI strategy that identifies where automation reduces administrative burden, includes coordination with affected unions, addresses cybersecurity and data privacy, and sets clear human oversight standards. No agency deploys AI without that plan, and without workers having a real voice in how those tools are designed.
I will also push for guardrails modeled on states already leading. Colorado requires employers to audit AI hiring tools for bias. Illinois requires notice when AI assists employment decisions. Alaska should not be last to act.
- In-state, my family reads and subscribes to the Anchorage Daily News for its statewide reach and consistent political and issue coverage — and yes, it features articles from the Alaska Beacon and Northern Journal and other independent outlets too, but I’m not trying to curry favor, since you’re the one asking. I also look at local news whenever possible. I am also a fan of the growing network of online Alaska media outlets – from the Mat-Su and Kenai to Southeast Alaska.
Nationally, I actually look at BBC America as it covers most national news pretty comprehensively and from a decidedly neutral place.
In a state this spread out, with this many competing interests, I want sources that take the time to get the full story right, not just the fastest one.
Michael Gilbert, Republican
- I WILL NOT use any AI in my administration. Everyday Alaskans can do so at their own benefit and leisure, and I and my running mate encourage you to use your freedom to do so. That being so, however, we believe it to be a possible security risk for sensitive government data at this present time. We would encourage the use of AI as applicable while keeping the use of AI within reason.
- In-state 1: Anchorage Daily News. Always has been a favorite for our team as lifelong Alaskans.
In-state 2: Channel 2 news, it’s the main TV source in Anchorage.
National 1: One America News, great source for conservative news.
National 2: Twitter/X, great way to keep up on news.
Matt Heilala, Republican, podiatrist
- If elected Governor, I would integrate AI into state government to deliver faster, smarter results for Alaskans through performance, not promises. AI will help streamline permitting and cut red tape that delays resource development in oil, gas, mining, timber and fisheries. It will improve budgeting, fraud detection, remote services, and productivity in healthcare, education, and the workforce. My administration will expand on current uses like legislative research to boost economic growth and government efficiency. Safeguards are evolving through federal oversight and public private partnerships (Anthropic et al), and undoubtably higher level military frameworks much like as seen in the nuclear program. After all, we are in an AI arms race much like the Manhattan Project of the 1940’s. We will emphasize workforce training and practical management rather than heavy regulations that could slow innovation. As I have said, AI is here to stay and will hit like a supersonic tsunami. Leaning in responsibly will position Alaska for greater prosperity; we cannot afford to be left behind.
- My two favorite in-state news sources are KTUU and the Anchorage Daily News. They keep me connected to the pulse of “popular culture” and the key issues facing Alaskans across the state. Nationally, I value the Wall Street Journal as a balanced source of information and Fox Business Channel for its right-leaning but business-focused coverage of economic and policy matters (with humor) important to Alaska’s resource economy. These outlets give me a practical mix of local relevance and national perspective grounded in facts and real-world outcomes.
Bill Walker, independent, former governor
1. Manufactured ideas cannot substitute genuine, dynamic thought or input from Alaskans. The ability to receive and incorporate unfiltered, real-time information is critical for leadership. I will not use AI to make decisions or create policy, but I am open to its responsible use to assist in communicating and modeling data where appropriate.
I believe in using the state’s resources responsibly and efficiently. AI is a tool that can support efficiency but Alaskans must be able to rely on info coming from the governor’s office and trust that it’s verified. For this reason, any use of AI must be vigorously vetted. Given the widening use of this emerging technology, the governor’s cabinet should follow an AI code of responsibility, if one is not currently in place. To develop this internal policy, I will ask commissioners to work with departments to identify areas where AI could create efficiency and where it should be prohibited. Of course, we will work within the bounds of the union agreement and involve the applicable union representative in the discussions. The AI code of responsibility will set out permissible uses of AI and best practices, and provide specific procedures that must be followed to verify AI-generated content.
- Alaska has a number of high-quality news outlets. The more voices reporting on what is happening in Juneau and across the state, the greater awareness Alaskans have about decisions being made today. Growing up, news radio was my only access to the world beyond small town Alaska. For this reason I have always appreciated NPR and the number of affiliated local stations in the state. I know firsthand the lifeline these broadcasts provide to isolated communities, connecting them with the rest of the state. For example, Alaskans have live access to the Legislature because of KTOO. I support any news outlet willing to take on this work and objectively and accurately report on critical issues. This truly is a public service that I will continue to support in my next administration.
Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, Democrat, former state representative
- I used to work on technology policy, which is when I first became familiar with AI. AI is a powerful tool. It has the potential to make our government much more efficient. It’s also no substitute for human judgment. I harbor deep concerns about its potential effects on our economy and society.
Put to good use, AI could help cut the bureaucratic backlogs (permitting, Medicaid and food stamps eligibility, etc.). It can help our public employees do their jobs easier and faster. But at the end of the day, it has to be people — not algorithms — making the decisions that shape our lives.
I worry the AI industry has downplayed the risks posed to the public. The federal government has been totally flat-footed. I support the efforts of several states that have stepped up and regulated the industry in the absence of federal leadership.
Ultimately, Alaskans’ personal information belongs to Alaskans alone — it should be guarded carefully and not fed into third-party systems without consent. Concerns across Alaska about data centers must be respected: Our power and water are not a giveaway. No Alaskan should watch their electric bill climb to subsidize a server farm. Local communities get a say, and Alaskans’ interest should always come first.
- I love the The Sitka Sentinel.
It’s been owned by the Poulson family since 1969. Sandy, 86, and Thad, 90, the sprightly husband-and-wife owners, still work in the office every day (!). Waiting for the paper to arrive every evening — and for stretches of time, helping deliver it — was one of my favorite parts of childhood.
Contained within: sports, Dear Abby, the comics, and (once I got older) “hard news” on the assembly and school board. While The Sentinel continues on, the demise of other papers like it gives me great concern.
Nationally, I love ProPublica and its muckraking, longform journalism (including its Alaska collabs). I admire ProPublica’s unabashed ambition to break big stories and hold people accountable. It’s a critical function for a free society.
Shelley Hughes, Republican, former state senator
- A leader anticipates, prepares, and acts in the best interest of those they serve. This is why I authored the first AI legislation in Alaska a few years ago, recognizing early we must harness AI for good and safeguard against harm. The bill zeroed in on responsible state use to allow for streamlined workflow, transparency, human oversight/accountability, decision appeal procedures and regular review to prevent bias, errors, or misuse. AI should work for us, not against us, to improve how agencies serve Alaskans.
I would use AI to modernize operations, automate routine tasks, and deliver faster, more accurate services, freeing employees to focus on direct services to Alaskans. While AI won’t replace humans, it will change their activities from low to high value, so Alaskans will get a better bang for their buck, better response times, and better service.
We’ll implement clear governance policies to ensure data privacy protections, strict limits on how systems access/store data, defined use cases where risks and benefits are understood, and validated AI outputs.
The Hughes administration will approach AI with understanding, balancing innovation with safeguards to improve services for Alaskans while protecting the public trust.
- Depending on focus, the two sources would change. If I want not only basic facts about happenings in Juneau, but also possible motivating factors, how individuals are or aren’t working in concert, I’ll check Alaska Landmine and Alaska Story (with full knowledge that opinion/bias are interwoven in reports). If I want facts and details about Juneau (bills, hearings, etc.), I’d check Must Read Alaska. If I want a high overview of statewide issues and happenings, I’d check the Alaska Beacon or Alaska Public Media (left-of-center perspectives) and Alaska Watchman (right-of-center perspective). For local news, I’d check local paper (ADN, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, etc.). National: Wall Street Journal and National Review. (Also Reuters and The Hill.)
Matt Claman, Democrat, state senator
- Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool with real benefits for society. Examples include adaptive learning systems that personalize education, improved healthcare through enhanced imaging and tailored treatment plans, energy optimization and sustainability via better monitoring and efficiency, and expanded accessibility through assistive technologies for people with disabilities. As governor, I will support using AI to improve the daily lives of Alaskans.
But AI also poses serious risks when used carelessly or without oversight. Strong guardrails are essential to prevent privacy violations from improper data handling, cybersecurity vulnerabilities that could expose government systems, bias and discrimination embedded in training data that could lead to unfair outcomes, and the spread of misinformation that erodes trust and manipulates public opinion.
Understanding these risks and establishing effective regulatory and statutory safeguards is critical to responsible AI governance, protecting communities, and ensuring AI strengthens — rather than destabilizes — society.
- In-state: Alaska Public Radio (both on-air and written) and Anchorage Daily News.
National: Wall Street Journal and New York Times.
Good research and reliable reporting.
Click Bishop, Republican, former state senator
- Artificial intelligence is already part of everyday life. Alaskans use it in business, health care, education, and across our economy. Government shouldn’t ignore it — but we also shouldn’t assume technology can replace human judgment.
In my administration, AI would be used as a tool to help government work better, not bigger. That means reducing paperwork, improving customer service, helping state employees process information more efficiently, and identifying ways to deliver services at lower cost.
But there are clear lines. AI should support decisions, not make them. Decisions affecting permits, benefits, public safety, hiring, or Alaskans’ rights must remain in human hands and be accountable.
We also need safeguards: protecting personal data, maintaining strong cybersecurity standards, requiring transparency about how AI is used, and ensuring employees verify information rather than relying on AI outputs alone.
Alaska should embrace innovation while keeping people and public trust at the center of government.
- KRFF is my No. 1 choice because it sounds like home. That station covers my old Senate district: I know the broadcasters, you get the ice reports, good music, and you hear Alaska Native languages on air. It is hard to choose just two! Fairbanks Daily News-Miner because it is my hometown paper. Though it is hard to choose because I try to read everything from all over the state. Nationally, I watch CBS, PBS NewsHour, and BBC America – that way, I see three different spins on the same story.
Dave Bronson, Republican, former mayor of Anchorage
- Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool for growth and efficiency, but it must be used wisely.
If elected, we will deploy AI to cut government waste, streamline permitting, improve rural public safety and emergency response, and boost resource development. We’ll also prepare Alaska’s workforce for AI-related opportunities.
Safeguards will include:
• No AI replacing human judgment on critical decisions.
• Strong data privacy protections.
• Rigorous cybersecurity standards.
• Full transparency and accountability.
We will use AI to make government smaller and more effective. Never bigger or more intrusive, while protecting liberty and fostering responsible innovation.
Alaska can lead through practical, results-focused application of this technology.
- KTUU, Alaska Watchman and The Alaska Story (can’t just pick 2!). Breitbart and Fox News
I prefer clear, factual and accurate reporting.
Lesil McGuire, Republican, former state senator
- AI can help Alaska deliver better services: faster permitting, more accurate budget forecasting, predictive maintenance for state infrastructure, and improved access for rural communities. My administration would adopt three safeguards. First, every public-facing AI output must be reviewed and signed off by a qualified state employee before release. Alaska has already seen what happens when AI work goes out the door unchecked.
Second, any algorithmic decision affecting Alaskans (permits, benefits, eligibility, hiring) must have an explainable, human-appealable path.
Third, Alaska data, especially voter records and Native shareholder data, must stay protected with clear chain-of-custody rules.
I support the work of the Joint Legislative Task Force on Artificial Intelligence and would build on its recommendations. Economically, Alaska’s energy resources and cool climate could make us a serious data-center destination, but only paired with new generation capacity that protects residential ratepayers and rural communities first. My satellite communications background and authorship of Alaska’s Renewable Energy Grant Fund give me the technical fluency and the regulatory experience to do this right.
- In-state, I read Alaska Public Media and Anchorage Daily News combined with other statewide news sources in my news feed. ADN remains the state’s paper of record with the deepest coverage of state policy, the Legislature, and rural Alaska. Alaska Public Media’s reporting and Talk of Alaska give me direct community voices that don’t fit into newspaper inches. Nationally, I rely on The Wall Street Journal for business and policy analysis and Reuters for straight news. I want information from outlets that distinguish reporting from opinion, show their work, and report inconvenient facts. Local journalism in Alaska is essential to democracy and good governance, and I want to be a governor who supports it.
Edna DeVries, Republican, Mat-Su borough mayor
- Clear Rules on Transparency.
Residents should know when they are interacting with an AI system. Agencies should publish what AI tools they use and why. Any automated decision must be explainable.
Human oversight.
AI should assist, not replace, human judgment.
Require vendors to disclose training data sources.
Ban “black box” systems that cannot be audited.
Mandate cybersecurity and reliability benchmarks decisions (benefits, enforcement, licensing) must always have a human reviewer.
Public input.
Public comment periods before major AI deployments.
Advisory boards including tribal governments, rural communities, and technical experts.
And of course, I used AI to answer this question.
- I won’t say they are my favorites but I read political social media posts in state.
Out of state, very little — headlines from Fox.
If you value public interest journalism like this, please consider a voluntary paid membership to Northern Journal and the Anchorage Press.
The post Alaska governor’s race survey: AI policy and news sources appeared first on Chilkat Valley News.
Southeast would go a week without mainline ferry service at the end of November as the Alaska Marine Highway System transitions between ships for its winter schedule.
But seven days without the weekly northbound and southbound return voyage between Bellingham, Washington, and Southeast is painless when compared to much longer service gaps in Prince William Sound and Southwest Alaska under the draft fall and winter schedule.
Cordova and Valdez would be left without any ferry service for five months Oct. 1 through March 5 while the Aurora is in the shop for its annual winter maintenance — a much longer time than usual.
“Due to the recent discovery of extensive wasted steel during maintenance, the Aurora will undergo an extended overhaul period,” the Department of Transportation said in a press release on July 8.
Kodiak, Homer and other towns on the Gulf of Alaska would go without service for almost four months — Jan. 15 through May 1 — as the Tustumena heads into the shipyard for winter work.
The state ferry system has always used the winter months, when ridership is lower, to pull ships out of service for annual maintenance, but a lack of crew and fewer ships in operating condition have led to longer gaps in fall, winter and spring service.
The ferries have been plagued by crew shortages for several years, and hiring efforts have come up short.
The Marine Highway System released its draft fall and winter schedule for public comment last week. The schedule covers sailings from Oct. 1 to April 30. Comments can be submitted by 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 22, to dot.amhs.comments@alaska.gov or faxed to 907-228-6873.
Under the draft schedule, the Bellingham-to-Southeast run would stop in Wrangell northbound every Sunday, with a return southbound stop every Wednesday — that’s been the schedule for years.
There would be a week of no service when the Columbia heads to the shipyard at the end of November. It would take a week for the Kennicott to be staffed and readied to pick up the mainline route, according to a spokesman for the Marine Highway System.
The Kennicott is scheduled for its own winter maintenance Oct. 1 through Dec. 1, and any delay in getting the ship back to work would require keeping the Columbia on the job longer or going without service to Southeast.
Overall ferry system ridership is down more than half since its peak in the early 1990s, with even steeper drops in some communities.
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Amid a series of disagreements with lawmakers in the state House and Senate, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has set a record for the most vetoes by an Alaska governor during a single two-year Legislature.
Through Friday morning, Dunleavy had vetoed 29 of the 115 bills passed by the 34th Alaska Legislature.
The previous record, 25 vetoes, was held by Gov. Tony Knowles in the 19th Alaska State Legislature, which ran from 1995 through 1996.
Dunleavy’s record is particularly notable because the number of bills passed by the Legislature has dropped precipitously in recent years.
During the 19th Legislature, Knowles’ vetoes accounted for 8.9% of all bills passed by lawmakers. Dunleavy’s vetoes cover more than 25% — one in four — of all bills passed by the 34th Legislature.
Dunleavy is a Republican. During his first six years in office — the 31st, 32nd and 33rd Legislatures — either the state House or Senate was controlled by a solidly Republican majority. During the 34th, both the House and the Senate have been controlled by coalition majorities where Democrats and independents hold some leadership roles.
The Beacon asked the governor’s office why the governor has vetoed so many bills during the 34th Legislature and whether there is a fundamental disagreement between the Legislature and governor.
“The fact that Governor Dunleavy has vetoed a few more bills in a legislative session than previous governors does not necessarily indicate a fundamental disagreement between the executive and legislative branches,” said Jeff Turner, the governor’s communications director, by email. “Governor Dunleavy has always evaluated legislation on a bill-by-bill basis.”
Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, and Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, declined to speak at length about the vetoes issue because legislators are currently negotiating with the governor on perhaps the biggest bill of the 34th Legislature: A multibillion-dollar property tax break benefiting the developer of the proposed trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline.
Legislators may vote next week on whether to send a revised version of the tax break to the governor for approval.
Dunleavy has said he opposes the current version being discussed by a legislative conference committee. Asked this week whether he would veto the bill, he told Alaska’s News Source that it would be “tough” for him to accept it in its current form.
Eight other bills are awaiting the governor’s consideration. Those include House Bill 14, a comprehensive insurance bill; and House Bill 249, which changes the procedure for turning a car over to an insurance company after a wreck.
The governor has until Monday to act on HB 14 and until July 20 to act on HB 249.
The Legislature has not yet sent six other bills to the governor for action. Under the Alaska Constitution, that means the clock for final action has not begun.
While Dunleavy has the record for the most vetoes in a two-year Legislature, he does not hold the career record.
Gov. Jay Hammond, who served as governor from 1974 through 1982, issued 74 vetoes, the most of any governor during their career. Knowles vetoed 69 bills during his eight years in office. Gov. Bill Egan, who served 12 years in office, vetoed 56 bills. Dunleavy, who will leave office in December, has thus far vetoed 44.
Those figures do not include line-item vetoes in budget bills.
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