Category: juneau

Categories
Featured Juneau News juneau Juneau Local Juneau Local News Feeds

Army Corps abruptly backs away from ‘Lake Tap’ enduring solution for Glacial Lake Outburst Floods

By: Grace Dumas, News of the North

Juneau officials said they were “deeply frustrated” after learning that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has abruptly backed away from pursuing a preferred long-term fix for the catastrophic glacial outburst floods threatening the Mendenhall Valley.

At a Committee of the Whole meeting Monday night, City and Borough of Juneau leaders detailed new modeling that shows a worst-case glacial lake outburst flood could send an estimated 118,000 cubic feet per second of water down the Mendenhall River, far beyond anything the city has experienced.

“So in August of 2023 when we had our first majorly destructive GLOF, that impacted about 30 homes. Then the next year, in the August of 2024 we wound up with a very different type of event. It wasn’t as much of a riverbank erosion event, it was more of an inundation event. It impacted about 300 homes. So just get a sense of that.” Said Director of engineering Denise Koch, “Then in August of 2025 we had an even more severe GLOF. The HESCO barriers were largely successful in protecting the areas that they were designed to protect. We think without HESCO barriers in 2025, we would have had anywhere from 750 to 1000 homes that would have been impacted. So just to give you a sense of how much more severe each one of these GLOFs is getting.”

Maps presented at the meeting showed that a maximum event could push water beyond the Central valley, crossing Riverside Drive and Mendenhall Loop Road, affecting neighborhoods on both sides of the river.

“We’re talking about a GLOF of this magnitude, if you did not have sufficient mitigation, going beyond what people experienced in 2024 which was terrible in and of itself.” Said Koch, “We’re talking about water also having impacts on the western side of the river, having impacts all the way down, impacting the Mendenhall wastewater treatment plant, having impacts to the airport, a GLOF of this magnitude really gets beyond the Central Valley.”

Scientists from the University of Alaska Southeast, the National Weather Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and Tribal representatives from Tlingit and Haida identified a “lake tap” of Suicide Basin as the preferred enduring solution.

“The lake tap was the most attractive option. It has a very high likelihood of reducing the GLOF risk. It is designed to drain out Suicide Basin at approximately the Basin’s inflow rate.” Said Koch, “There are a lot of assumptions that went into this. A lake tap is essentially a tunnel, there’s a lot of tunnel building capacity in Alaska, It is definitely a technology that is out there and exists.”

The Lake Tap option, the least costly of the long term mitigation efforts discussed, would include construction of a roughly 2.3‑mile tunnel from Suicide Basin to an outfall between Nugget Falls and the face of the Mendenhall Glacier, according to officials.

City Manager Katie Koester said that until recently, CBJ had been told the lake tap was the selected alternative, and that the Army Corps would move quickly toward a technical report on a timeline strongly backed by Sen. Dan Sullivan.

Koester said the city had been in “multiple times a week” coordination with the Corps, but that a couple weeks ago those check ins ceased.

“We were under the impression that it was all going smoothly.” Koester said, “We began inquiring, why haven’t we had a check in a while? Then on Thursday of last week, we had a meeting with Army Corps headquarters where they rescinded all of the direction that they had previously given to pursue a lake tap as the selected alternative. They directed staff to wrap up all efforts on the lake tap as the selected alternative, which included environmental work and feasibility and preliminary engineering.”

Koester described the change as “a really disheartening pivot that left us a little bit speechless,” adding, “I imagine also leaves you speechless.”

“I’m deeply frustrated with this change of course from Army Corps of Engineers. They certainly have been a great partner, really we need them.” Koester said, “We need them to fight the flood fight, to keep this community safe and whole until we can get to an enduring solution.”

According to Koester, Alaska’s delegation, Sen. Murkowski and Sullivan are both committed to an enduring solution, with Sen. Sullivan meeting with the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works on Wednesday.

Koester urged residents to advocate specifically for the lake tap, and to speak as a unified community.

“I think that it certainly doesn’t help our position to have a divided community on what the best option is, because we are asking for so much so quickly.” Koester said, “I’m confident that we are all advocating for a solution. We need to be aligned, and it doesn’t help when we’re unaligned. But we’re not that unaligned. We all, everyone in this room, everyone who has written their delegation and talked to their delegation, wants an enduring solution and wants it quickly, and I have never heard anyone advocate for anything other than that.”

Officials did emphasize however, that HESCO barrier flood protection work is proceeding.

Koester confirmed the Corps has a signed agreement and continues to cover 100% of Phase Two HESCO costs.

Categories
Featured Juneau News juneau Juneau Local Juneau Local Ketchikan Local News Feeds Sitka Local

Juneau Assembly to discuss flood mitigation, Buyout Plan, Telephone Hill and budget survey results

NOTN- The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly is set to tackle several hot button issues at tonight’s Committee of the Whole meeting, including flood mitigation efforts, redevelopment plans and new budget survey results.

According to a release from CBJ, the major focus of the meeting will be long-term solutions for glacial lake outburst flooding in the Mendenhall Valley.

City officials will present updates on a proposed Lake Tap which has been identified as the preferred engineering option following a recent planning session hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Engineers estimate that without further mitigation, a future maximum flood event could impact more than 2,800 properties in the valley.

The Assembly will also receive updates on the second phase of the HESCO barrier flood project, and review results of an informal poll of View Drive residents about a voluntary federal buyout program.

City Manager Katie Koester said the buyout option would require a 25% non-federal match, estimated at roughly $6 million if all 18 eligible properties on View Drive participate.

Officials are seeking to determine whether homeowners are interested and whether they could help assemble the local share through private or nonprofit contributions.

City leaders emphasized participation would be voluntary, and the city would not move forward without sufficient interest.

Beyond flood response, the Assembly will hear results from a recent citywide budget priorities survey.

The meeting will also include discussion of next steps for a developer solicitation for Telephone Hill and updates on the ongoing Seawalk project.

City leaders are anticipating a late night tonight.

Categories
Featured Juneau News juneau Juneau Local Juneau Local Ketchikan Local News Feeds Sitka Local

UA Board of Regents to continue anti-DEI policy, despite federal court ruling

By: Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon

 Student walks along West Ridge at the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus on Oct. 10, 2024. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

The University of Alaska Board of Regents says the university will continue the policy to ban references to “DEI,” or “diversity, equity and inclusion,” enacted last year, despite a federal court ruling that struck down the policy and the U.S. Department of Education agreeing to drop an appeal.

Jonathon Taylor, a spokesperson for the university, said even though the policy was struck down, “the direction of enforcement and potential risk has not gone away.”

Last year, the Trump administration issued a “Dear Colleague” letter to all pre-K through 12 schools, colleges and universities who receive federal funding outlining its opposition to diversity initiatives it called discriminatory, and threatened to withhold federal funds from schools if they had diversity or equity programs.

As a result, the board moved quickly to comply, approving a policy on Feb. 21, 2025 to scrub references to DEI and affirmative action from all university programs and operations, job titles and office names. At the time, Ralph Seekins, chair of the Board of Regents, defended the policy, saying the action to remove DEI language as committing to “equal opportunity” for everyone. 

Several education and civil rights groups filed lawsuits and a federal court blocked the directive in April. This week, a New Hampshire federal judge dismissed the case, following a January agreement by both parties and the Department of Education to drop its appeal. The ruling invalidates the directive, and prevents the government from enforcing it. Plaintiffs celebrated the court’s move, with some saying it was a victory for free speech and academic freedom.

Taylor confirmed that the UA Board of Regents had no immediate plans to change or rescind the policy for the University of Alaska.

“The Dear Colleague Letter from February 2025 has indeed been struck down by the courts, and the Department of Education has declined to appeal,” Taylor said by email. 

“However, the federal administration’s policy goals and concerns that led to the letter – including what they see as discriminatory DEI practices, and attempts to tie enforcement to federal funding – have not changed. Federal agencies can still pursue similar goals through other legal or regulatory means and have demonstrated an intent to focus oversight or investigations on what they see as DEI-related policies and programs using mechanisms other than agency guidance (the original Dear Colleague letter),” he wrote.

Taylor said the board enacted the policy to mitigate risks of federal funding being withheld. He said the board has had to “balance their concern about the potential medium- and long-term regulatory and funding risks to which UA may be exposed with the University’s unchanging and unwavering commitment to equal access, equal opportunity, and no discrimination, as well as free speech, academic freedom, and freedom of expression.”

Taylor added that overall, UA has so far been effectively able to “weather the storm” of federal funding cuts, grant freezes and terminations. As of September, and most recently available data, UA had roughly $530 million in active federal grants. There has been $24.6 million, or 4.6% that have been delayed, frozen or terminated.

The item was not on the Board of Regents’ February meeting agenda, scheduled for two days this week in Dillingham, at the University of Fairbanks’ Bristol Bay campus.

But several university faculty weighed in during public comment to the board on Monday.

Jill Dumesnil, a professor of mathematics at the University of Southeast and president of the largest faculty union, United Academics, called on board members to create updated guidance following the ruling. 

“Many faculty are still experiencing a chilling effect on our campuses. Some fear retaliation or punishment for teaching or discussing DEI-related subject matter, others just feel uncomfortable, unsupported and unwelcome,” she said. 

“Teaching about race, racism, inequality and related issues, continues to be lawful, supporting students in a way that acknowledges racial or ethnic identities continues to be lawful,” she added. “Schools may continue operating programs that encourage diversity, equity and inclusion in accordance with existing law, and the Dear Colleague letter and the certification requirement cannot be enforced against educators or schools.” 

Michael Navarro, a professor of marine fisheries at the University of Alaska Southeast, and co-chair of the Belonging, Empowerment, Access, Representation and Safety Committee, known as UAS BEARS, made a plea to the board to rescind the anti-DEI motion. 

“As a direct result of this board decision, UAS has lost faculty and staff and some students question the university’s commitment to their success and safety on campus,” he said. 

“Despite the anti-DEI motions, reaffirmation towards maintaining a welcoming environment and honoring Alaska Native culture and heritage, after this motion, many people now feel less welcome or even unwelcome, and are not testifying today because they don’t feel safe to do so.”

Taylor, with the university, said as of now the board does not have plans to take up the issue but continually accepts written comments from the public. “The Board continues to receive testimony both in support of and in opposition to last year’s motion, and takes that feedback into consideration when setting meeting agendas,” he said.

To date, the University of Alaska Fairbanks has taken the hardest hit with federal funding cutbacks — of the $24.6 million in grants delayed, frozen or terminated, approximately $20 million has been at UAF, including $8.8 million terminated for funded programs for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students last year. The Trump administration has terminated $4 million in grant funding at the University of Alaska Anchorage, Taylor confirmed, and no federal grant funding has been frozen at the University of Alaska Southeast.

Categories
Featured Juneau News juneau Juneau Local Juneau Local Ketchikan Local News Feeds Sitka Local

State employee arrested in Juneau on federal child exploitation and trafficking charges

Craig Scott Valdez, courtesy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska

NOTN- Craig Scott Valdez, a former chief of staff for an Alaska Legislator has been arrested in Juneau on federal charges accusing him of sex trafficking and exploiting children.

According to the Juneau Independent, Valdez served as chief of staff to Senator George Rauscher.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation says a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging 36-year-old Craig Scott Valdez with sex trafficking of children, production of child pornography, coercion and enticement of minors, and receipt of child pornography.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska, Valdez allegedly used the social media app Snapchat to identify and groom juvenile girls for sexual exploitation.

Court documents reference one child victim in an alleged incident in October 2025, but according to a press release, Valdez is believed to have additional victims in Anchorage and Juneau.

Authorities say Valdez worked in both Anchorage and Juneau.

He is scheduled to make his initial appearance February 23, If convicted, Valdez faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and could receive a life sentence.

Officials are asking anyone with information, or who may have encountered someone using the name Craig Scott Valdez or the usernames “NONAME20233132” or “DOCHANK,” to contact the FBI at (907) 276-4441.

Categories
Featured Juneau News juneau Juneau Local Juneau Local News Feeds

Police investigate report of possible intruder at Juneau apartment

NOTN- The Juneau Police Department responded earlier this morning to a report of a possible intruder at an apartment complex in the DeHartz area.

First reported by the Juneau Independent, police said a resident contacted officers after believing an unknown person might be inside the residence.

according to a Facebook post released by JPD, officers searched the apartment but did not find anyone inside.

Authorities said there is no indication at this time that anyone unlawfully entered the residence. The investigation remains ongoing.

Categories
Featured Juneau News juneau Juneau Local Juneau Local Ketchikan Local News Feeds Sitka Local

Alaska to replace Black Veterans Memorial Bridge, saving part as tribute to Alaska Highway builders

FILE - This Oct. 25, 1942, photo provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Office of History, shows Corporal Refines Slims, Jr., left, and Private Alfred Jalufka shaking hands at the, "Meeting of Bulldozers," for the ALCAN Highway in the Yukon Territory in Beaver Creek, Alaska. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Office of History via AP, File)
FILE – This Oct. 25, 1942, photo provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Office of History, shows Corporal Refines Slims, Jr., left, and Private Alfred Jalufka shaking hands at the, “Meeting of Bulldozers,” for the ALCAN Highway in the Yukon Territory in Beaver Creek, Alaska. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Office of History via AP, File)

AP-Thousands of Black soldiers performed the backbreaking work of transforming rough-hewn wilderness in extreme weather swings during World War II to help build the first road link between Alaska and the Lower 48.

The work of the segregated Black soldiers is credited with bringing changes to military discrimination policies. The state of Alaska honored them by naming a bridge for them near the end point of the famed Alaska Highway.

Now, eight decades later, the aging bridge needs to be replaced. Instead of tearing it down, the state of Alaska intends to keep two of the bridge’s nine trestles in place as a refashioned memorial. The others will be given away.

Two spans will become the memorial

The state of Alaska will replace the 1,885-foot (575-meter) bridge that spans the Gerstle River near Delta Junction, the end point of the Alaska Highway about 100 miles (161 kilometers) south of Fairbanks.

Seven of the bridge’s trestles are being offered for free to states, local governments or private entities who will maintain them for their historical features and public use.

The two remaining spans from the old bridge, renamed the Black Veterans Memorial Bridge in 1993, will honor the 4,000 or so Black soldiers who built the first wooden bridge over the river while completing the Alaska Highway.

These two sections, the first trestles on either end, will retain the name of the memorial bridge. The new Gerstle River Bridge will unofficially carry the memorial name unless the Legislature also makes it official. The old bridge will remain in place until the new one opens in 2031.

Former mayor wants proper memorial

Mary Leith, a former Delta Junction mayor and member of the historical society, said she’s pleased some of the history will be saved, but she wants the state to have proper signage and a highway pullout area near the historic bridge to allow people to walk on it.

“I would hope that if they’re going to save it, then they save it properly,” she said.

The Black Veterans Memorial Bridge sign will remain and the two sections will be visible from the new bridge, but both will be blocked off to prevent people from climbing or vandalizing them, said Angelica Stabs, a spokesperson for the state transportation department. No pullout is planned.

The new bridge will parallel the existing bridge to the east, leaving about 50 feet of space between it and the old bridge’s location, Stab said.

Soldiers’ work helped integrate the U.S. Army

The project to build a supply route between Alaska and Canada used 11,000 troops from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers divided by race, working under a backdrop of segregation and discrimination. Besides transforming the rugged terrain, the soldiers had to deal with mosquitoes, boggy land, permafrost and temperatures ranging from 90 degrees F (32 degrees C) to minus 70 F (minus 56 C).

“Though conditions were harsh for all, they were nearly unbearable for black soldiers. From the Deep South, most of these soldiers had never encountered anything approaching the severe conditions of the far north. Moreover, since black troops were not typically permitted to use heavy machinery, they made do with picks, shovels, and axes. In addition, they were prohibited from entering towns and were confined to wilderness assignments,” according to a historical account by the National Park Service.

It took Black soldiers working from the north just over eight months to meet up with white soldiers coming from the south to connect the 1,500-mile (2,400-kilometer) gravel road, then called the Alcan Highway, from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, to Delta Junction Oct. 25, 1942.

“In light of their impressive performance, many of the black soldiers who worked on the Alcan were subsequently decorated and sometimes deployed in combat. Indeed, the U.S. Army eventually became the first government agency to integrate in 1948, a move that is largely credited in part to the laudable work of the soldiers who built the Alcan,” the National Park Service says.

Road expedited after Japanese attacks

Alaska was still a territory, and officials long wanted such a road to the Lower 48. However, battles over routes and its necessity led to delays.

Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and Dutch Harbor in Alaska, along with the Japanese invasions of the Alaska islands Kiska and Attu signaled urgency for the road since the ocean shipping lanes to the West Coast could be vulnerable.

Black soldiers working near Delta Junction built a temporary bridge over the Gerstle River in 1942. Contractors finished the steel structure two years later.

Free bridge comes with caveats

The Alaska transportation department is accepting proposals until March 6 for the seven trestles, but you don’t have to take them all. The state will consider all proposals, even those seeking one or two trestles for uses such as a walkway over a creek in a public park.

Winners will have to abide by certain restrictions including not allowing vehicular traffic, paying for removal, transportation and lead abatement, and maintaining the features that make the bridge historically significant.

Categories
Featured Juneau News juneau Juneau Local Juneau Local Ketchikan Local News Feeds Sitka Local

Alaska’s Department of Corrections spent $24M over budget last year, mostly on staff overtime

By: Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon

 This symbol is inside of the Alaska Department of Corrections office on Sept. 7, 2022, in Douglas, Alaska. (Photo by Lisa Phu/Alaska Beacon)

The Alaska Department of Corrections spent over $24 million more than the budget approved by the Legislature last year, with a large portion for staff overtime, raising alarm from lawmakers.

DOC officials submitted their additional budget request to the Legislature earlier this month, part of a routine budget process to account for state spending over the past year — but this year’s price tag for the state’s prison system is at a historic high.

The department requested an additional $20 million for staffing and overtime for last year at the state’s 13 prison and jail facilities. 

According to department data provided to the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday, there were 15 correctional staff that earned over $100,000 each in overtime pay last year, on top of salary and benefits. 

Two correctional officers at the Anchorage Correctional Complex worked over 2,000 hours in overtime last year — one officer topped the list working 2,770 hours of overtime, to earn a total of over $225,000 last year. 

DOC officials did not respond to questions about the department’s policies around overtime and mandatory overtime on Thursday, but a spokesperson said the department’s current vacancy rate is 11.5% statewide. In budget documents, DOC officials noted the additional funding was needed for minimal staffing requirements for “24/7 operational readiness.”

Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka and co-chair of the Senate Finance Committee, said while the rising costs in DOC are well-known, going millions over budget is a problem as lawmakers grapple with declining state oil revenues and a growing list of state funding needs this year. 

“Their budget has been growing exponentially,” he said Thursday. “It’s not fair, because those funds that are being channeled in that direction could go elsewhere.”

DOC’s budget has seen increases year-over-year throughout Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s term, unlike other agencies who have sustained cutbacks. Since 2019, the state budget for DOC has increased 46% to over $437 million last year, according to state data.  

The $24 million in additional funds the agency requested also included $1.1 million for community residential treatment centers, or halfway houses, and $2.95 million in health care costs last year.

Sen. Mike Cronk, R-Tok, also serves on the Senate Finance Committee and expressed surprise and concern at the overtime hours presented to the committee on Thursday.

“That’s literally 100 hours a week. All year long,” he said, and questioned if people were running up overtime for a short time in order to retire or leave the department. “So it’s very concerning. You know, obviously I don’t blame anybody for it, but we have to figure out why this is happening, and we just have to do better. We have to be more efficient and make sure that we’re doing everything we possibly can to keep costs down.”

Stedman questioned the state’s contracts with the union representing correctional officers, the Alaska Correctional Officers Association, in accounting for the extensive overtime.

“My concern is maybe they ought to haggle a little bit better when they do their labor agreements, because this is definitely not appropriate for the public treasury to put up with, and it’s got to get corrected,” he said.

Representatives with the union did not immediately respond to emailed questions about lawmakers’ concerns on Thursday.  

Last year, over 9,800 people entered DOC custody in institutions or on supervised release on probation or parole, according to state data.

Categories
Featured Juneau News juneau Juneau Local Juneau Local Ketchikan Local News Feeds Sitka Local

Anchorage Republican spending lots of his own money in governor’s race, early campaign records show

Matanuska-Susitna Borough Mayor Edna DeVries looks up at fellow Alaska Republican governor candidate Matt Heilala during a candidate forum on Feb. 11, 2026, in Juneau. (James Brooks photo/Alaska Beacon)

By: James Brooks, Alaska Beacon

Matanuska-Susitna Borough Mayor Edna DeVries looks up at fellow Alaska Republican governor candidate Matt Heilala during a candidate forum on Feb. 11, 2026, in Juneau. (James Brooks photo/Alaska Beacon)

An Anchorage doctor and his wife have put almost $1.3 million of their own money into his campaign for Alaska governor, an extraordinary act that puts him atop early fundraising totals in figures published this week by the Alaska Public Offices Commission.

With more than $1 million remaining in the bank after early spending, Republican candidate Matt Heilala stands out among a field of candidates that expanded to 17 this week with the entry of community organizer Meda DeWitt. 

State law requires political candidates to disclose their financial support on an irregular basis; the next report isn’t due until July, so this week’s figures represent an early look at who might be a competitive candidate. 

Campaign fundraising doesn’t guarantee success at the polls, experts say, but it can act like  gas in a car’s tank: Even a campaign with a high-powered engine can fall short if it doesn’t have enough gas in the tank. 

‘Zero chance’ of getting elected without money

“Money is the mother’s milk of politics,” said Jim Lottsfeldt, an experienced Alaska campaign consultant. “I didn’t coin that phrase, but it is true. If you’re not raising sufficient money to float an organization, you have zero chance of getting elected.”

Lottsfeldt hasn’t signed a contract with any candidate in the race but was planning to personally host a fundraiser for Democratic candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins. 

Former Alaska attorney general Treg Taylor, another Republican candidate, reported having more than $724,000 in his campaign accounts as of Feb. 1, the reporting deadline for the information published this week. He also made a significant contribution to his own campaign — records show a $250,000 donation from Taylor to his campaign.

Both he and Kreiss-Tomkins stood out from the field in terms of dollars available to spend: The only other candidates who reported having more than $226,201 available were Heilala and Democratic candidate and current state Sen. Matt Claman.

Kreiss-Tomkins said in a news release that his campaign had raised more than $750,000 since entering the race this month; because he entered the race after Feb. 1, those figures were not included in this week’s APOC reports. 

It also wasn’t clear how much of that total he has already spent. Several candidates reported that they had already spent much of the money they raised since starting their campaigns.

Republican businesswoman Bernadette Wilson has raised almost $306,000 since becoming the third candidate to enter the governor’s race, but she has spent more than two-thirds of that total. Similarly, former state Sen. Click Bishop has spent more than half of the $283,605 he reported raising since he started his campaign last summer.

Anchorage doctor seeks to fill a niche

Heilala, the self-funded candidate, spent more than any other candidate in the early going but still has the largest stockpile of campaign cash.

By phone on Wednesday, he said he hopes to fill a niche on the ballot.

“A lot of people claim they want a non-politician, non-bureaucrat, but how do you raise funds if nobody knows who you are?” he asked. 

He said he and his wife have “worked our tail off” in their lives and have enough financial freedom to afford their spending. 

He said that while he is a podiatrist, he also is “a fairly diverse business guy.”

“And that’s where my success has come from — investing and property developing and a lot of other things,” he said.

Self-funding the campaign to such a large degree means they can’t be swayed as much by donors, he said.

Heilala is a member of the state medical board but hasn’t served in public office before. At a candidate forum in Juneau, he praised President Donald Trump and said that he and his wife are golfing buddies with the president. 

That they’re willing to spend so much of their own money shows they’re serious about their campaign, he said.

“From this point forward, it will be a little easier to get larger donors,” he predicted. 

Matt Larkin is president of Dittman Research, which conducts polls and advises candidates in Alaska. Early fundraising figures can “serve sort of the same function as a primary” election, he said.

“When you have this many candidates … it’s really hard for donors to make a decision on who they’re going to support. And what you’ll typically see is donors will kind of support maybe multiple candidates at this stage in small amounts, but they’re really kind of waiting to see who emerges,” he said. “And so, this first fundraising update, I think will probably narrow the field some.”

Among well-known candidates, incumbent Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, a Republican, reported having just $4,880 in cash on hand, less than Matanuska-Susitna Borough Mayor Edna DeVries, another Republican candidate.

Former state Sen. Click Bishop reported $130,258 in cash on hand, putting him in the bottom half of candidates, but his list of donors was an unusually multipartisan list that included former state Sen. John Coghill, a conservative Republican from Nenana, and current state Sen. Jesse Kiehl, a progressive Democrat from Juneau, among others. 

Former state Rep. Joe Hayes, a Democrat, was a donor, as was Leslie Hajdukovich, a Republican who unsuccessfully challenged Hayes’ current employer — Democratic state Sen. Scott Kawasaki — in a 2024 Fairbanks Senate race. 

In Alaska, there are no limits on donations — for now

Alaska has no limits on the amount of money an individual can donate to a political campaign. The state’s prior limits were eliminated by the U.S. 9th Circuit of Appeals in 2021, and the state declined to appeal the decision.

The Alaska Legislature has not passed a bill to reimpose limits, but voters will be asked in August whether they want to approve a ballot measure that reimposes them. 

Those new limits would take effect after the November general election.

Several third-party groups registered with the public offices commission last month to support various candidates, but none have reported significant spending or donations.

In the 2022 race for governor, Republican Mike Dunleavy’s campaign spent more than $2 million. A supporting campaign backed by the Republican Governors Association, added almost $3 million in a parallel effort.

Independent Bill Walker’s campaign spent more than $2.4 million, and Democratic candidate Les Gara’s campaign spent almost $1.6 million. Republican Charlie Pierce, the fourth candidate, spent less than $150,000. 

Gara said that with early fundraising numbers, “you can get a sense for how hard somebody’s working, and I think that’s the most important thing.”

In general, Lottsfeldt said, “the reason you want this money is you need to spend it mostly when people are paying attention and are going to cast a ballot. And so that is really, mid-July through the third week in August.”

“Unfortunately for all the guys and women running for governor,” he said, “there’s this U.S. Senate iceberg floating in the middle of the channel.”

Lottsfeldt expects that the U.S. Senate race between Democrat Mary Peltola and Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan will take up most of the available TV and radio ad slots because those candidates will have more money and be able to outbid governor candidates. 

For that reason, he thinks a successful governor candidate will invest in things like yard signs, supporters going door-to-door, and other parts of a “field game.”

“It’s funny: Yard signs don’t win campaigns, but it is a marker of, ‘oh, that campaign is active. There’s people behind that. There’s enthusiasm. … Whether it’s a door stop, a yard sign, word of mouth, that is going to be huge when we have 16 people who are running.”

Even as Lottsfeldt talked, that number had already increased by one.

The deadline to sign up as a candidate is June 1. Candidates may drop out of the race as late as June 27. 

In Alaska, the top four finishers in the August primary, regardless of political affiliation, advance to the November general election, where voters use ranked choice voting to sort the candidates in order of preference and pick a winner.

Larkin, of Dittman Research, doesn’t have a contract with any candidate but has done polling on the governor’s race. While money is important, he said, “how you use that money is more important.”

“Increasingly, it’s the message that these candidates will go with will end up being the difference,” he said. “… I think the candidate with the best ideas is going to win this race, bottom line.”

Categories
Featured Juneau News juneau Juneau Local Juneau Local News Feeds

CBJ Recycling Center to Reopen After Equipment Repairs Completed

Screenshot

CBJ- The Recycling Center will open with limited services this Friday, February 20 and Saturday, February 21 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Recycling drop off will be limited to cardboard and mixed paper only. 

The Recycling Center closed in January 2026 when the baler, essential equipment used to clear recycling material, was damaged during the extreme cold. Staff found that the baler’s wire guide system was in need of replacement and located a technician to help with repairs. The baler is now operational, and staff are arranging for the baler to receive annual inspections to prevent future equipment failures.  

While the baler is working as intended, staff at the Recycling Center hope to minimize build-up of materials so recent repairs are not overwhelmed. The Recycling Center is accepting cardboard and mixed paper only this weekend to allow for Juneau residents to drop materials off without overloading the center. No other recyclables will be accepted this weekend. 

Recycling Center staff will evaluate conditions next week and announce a new Recycling Center schedule based on performance this weekend. Ongoing updates about Recycling Center services and operating hours can be found at juneaurecycling.com.  

The City and Borough of Juneau thanks Juneau residents for their patience and looks forward to welcoming residents back to the Recycling Center this weekend.  

For more information about the Recycling Center, visit the RecycleWorks webpage at juneaurecycling.com or contact RecycleWorks Manager Stuart Ashton at Stuart.Ashton@juneau.gov.  

Categories
Featured Juneau News juneau Juneau Local Juneau Local Ketchikan Local News Feeds Sitka Local

In legislative speech, Dan Sullivan reiterates support for Trump administration, denounces Democrats

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, leaves the Alaska Legislature on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, after his annual address to state legislators. (James Brooks photo/Alaska Beacon)

By: James Brooks, Alaska Beacon

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, leaves the Alaska Legislature on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, after his annual address to state legislators. (James Brooks photo/Alaska Beacon)

Facing a potentially difficult re-election campaign, U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan came to the Alaska Legislature with praise for President Donald Trump’s administration and damnation for Democrats.

The Republican senator endured a gauntlet of protesters before he delivered his annual address to state lawmakers, saying his theme was an “Alaska comeback” brought about by the change between the Democratic presidency of Joe Biden and Trump’s Republican administration.

“We’re now beginning to see the beginnings of a real comeback and real progress on goals we’ve dreamed about collectively for decades,” he said, referring to the way the Trump administration has opened more parts of the North Slope to oil and gas drilling, and its stated support for a trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline.

Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, leads U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, through a group of protesters in the Alaska Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. Hoffman has endorsed Sullivan in this year’s U.S. Senate elections. (James Brooks photo/Alaska Beacon)

He reiterated his support for the Republican-drafted budget plan known as the Big, Beautiful Bill Act. It’s since been rebranded the “Working Families Tax Cuts Act.”

That plan calls for multiple oil and gas lease sales in Alaska, new military and Coast Guard construction in the state, and large personal tax cuts.

It also offered large one-time health care funding grants to compensate for a cut to Medicaid, cut federal food stamps and imposed work requirements for both programs. 

More Alaska-specific benefits in the Big Beautiful Bill were objected to by Senate Democrats and removed before the bill’s final passage, including a Medicaid increase that Sullivan had sought.

In his speech, Sullivan repeatedly criticized Democrats in the U.S. Senate.

“Alaskans should know who wants to help us and who wants to hurt us,” Sullivan said.

One of the legislators listening in the audience was state Sen. Forrest Dunbar, D-Anchorage.

“That was the most partisan speech I’ve ever heard a member of the congressional delegation give in the Alaska Legislature,” he said afterward.

“There was no critique of what the Trump administration has done in canceling projects in Alaska. There was no critique of what Trump has done, whether it comes to rule of law or democracy,” Dunbar said.

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, receives applause from the Alaska Legislature on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, during his annual address to state legislators. (James Brooks photo/Alaska Beacon)

Also listening was state Sen. George Rauscher, R-Sutton. Afterward, Rauscher said he always appreciates the volume of Sullivan’s speeches and the range of subjects.

Did it feel like a campaign speech to him?

“If it felt like that, there’s probably a reason,” Rauscher said.

Until Sullivan was prompted by reporters and lawmakers, he didn’t address some of the nation’s most inflammatory issues, including the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers nationwide.

The day before Sullivan’s speech, ICE agents detained a Soldotna family, including a mother, two teenagers and a five-year-old.

Rep. Alyse Galvin, I-Anchorage, asked Sullivan about the incident. He responded that he hadn’t heard about it.

Answering reporters’ questions after his speech, Sullivan voiced soft disagreement with ICE policies nationwide, saying he supports deporting illegal immigrants with violent criminal records.

“I think that should be the focus of the administration’s efforts,” he said.

About ICE’s violent tactics in Minnesota, Sullivan said, “I put out statements, but also, importantly, weighed in with senior folks in the administration, saying, look, it’s really important to bring the temperature down on both sides — which ended up happening — and then very much that ICE needs to refine its techniques and tactics.”

Sullivan said he doesn’t believe protesters killed by ICE agents are “domestic terrorists,” as the White House has claimed.

“American citizens have the right to their Second and First Amendment rights, and I don’t think they should be targeted for that reason,” he said.

News of the North
Podcasts
Stations
Cruise Schedule
Weather
Flood Watch
Best of  Juneau

Opinion & Request

Capital Chat
Problem Corner
Community Matters
Artist Submissions