Thank you for a great fair this year. In the past, I worked in the barn a lot and all we had were a few chickens and rabbits. This year the food was great, and the Indian fried-bread tacos were the best. The barn was really great with all the new pens for the chickens, ducks, rabbits, pigs and turkeys. The pig race and dog parade were the best of all. Thanks a lot!
Mary…
Here we are again, Alaska.
We still lead the country in proving how voting could work — and our ranked-choice voting system gives independent politics a real fighting chance. A two-party, winner-take-all system ensures that each side has every reason to demonize the other.
With ranked-choice voting, parties are incentivized to work with each other and cross lines to court independent thinking and swing voters, not just the base. This matters. In 2022, more than…
Volunteers are circulating a ballot initiative petition this week to reduce the senior
property tax exemption from $300,000 to $200,000.
Reducing this exemption is necessary in order for our government to fully fund essential
services without depleting our town’s savings. If 297 signatures are gathered by Aug. 12, voters will have the opportunity to decide this matter in the October municipal election.
A Haines voter initiative in 2024 that increased the senior property tax exemption…
My motto was “Fill the Barn” and we did just that for the 2026 Southeast Alaska State Fair. It wasn’t just me though. I wish there was room here to print the names on my list of more than 60 people who joined in the fun of building pens, hutches, cages, painted fences, and cared for the animals, as well as those who sponsored this project, and the animal owners who trusted us with their…
Fired federal workers formerly with the U.S. Forest Service based at the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau speak at the Alaska State Capito; on March 21, 2025, about their experiences. The Forest Service was among the federal agencies in Alaska most heavily affected by job cuts. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)
Alaska lost a higher percentage of its federal workforce last year than almost all U.S. states to sweeping Trump administration cuts, according to a newly published analysis by the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
By the end of 2025, Alaska’s federal workforce was 10.5% smaller than it had been at the end of the prior year, according to the analysis, published in Alaska Economic Trends, the monthly magazine of the department’s research section. In the fourth quarter of 2025, after many workers accepted buyouts or early retirement, the state’s federal workforce had dropped by 1,607 from the total in the fourth quarter of 2024, to 13,767 from 15,374 the year prior, according to the analysis.
The job losses came through mass firings and cuts made by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, the government-reducing campaign led by trillionaire Elon Musk that started shortly after Donald Trump took office for his second term. To a large extent, job losses were concentrated at the end of the year.
Calculated by the annual average, Alaska lost about 4.5% of its federal jobs in 2025. Only Maryland, which lost 6.5% of its federal jobs, and New Mexico, which lost 5.8% of its federal jobs, lost more.
Federal job losses reduced Alaska’s total earnings by $36.5 million on average in 2025, according to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development analysis, and they brought federal employment in Alaska to the lowest level since at least 1990.
Much of the cutting in Alaska came in the U.S. Department of Defense’s civilian workforce. Calculated by annual average, 340 defense related jobs were lost to the DOGE cuts, but the fourth-quarter loss was calculated at 755 jobs.
The large amount of job losses in the Department of Defense category was a bit surprising, said Karinne Wiebold, the state labor economist who wrote the Trends article. “I assumed early on that the DoD might be one of the less affected departments and that our strong military presence might insulate us,” she said by email.
Federal agencies that sustained high numbers of job losses included the U.S. Forest Service, which had 180 fewer employees at the end of 2025 than in late 2024, the Bureau of Land Management, which had lost 133 jobs at the end of the year, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which had lost 101 of its workers by the end of 2025.
Job losses in the Forest Service and NOAA have affected important Alaska industries and services, including fishery science, weather forecasting, scientific research and tourism.
The fallout from the job losses continues, and the public does not yet have a complete picture, Wiebold said. “I do think the public is aware of the federal job losses and that they have been deep and a bit unpredictable,” she said. “I don’t know if the public generally understands what the ramifications of the cuts will be — federal employees perform a wide variety of oftentimes highly specialized work.”
Certain parts of the state were harder hit than others. The Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, which has been reliant on military-related employment, and parts of Southeast Alaska, where employment related to the Tongass National Forest is important, are among those regions with steeper job losses by percentage, according to the analysis.
Alaska’s ranking among states hit by DOGE-related job cuts could change, Wiebold said. Data from this year has yet to be fully analyzed, she said. “Even in the first parts of 2026, there are reports of the rankings shifting somewhat,” she said.
By: Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon
The Alaska Beacon, Alaska Public Media, KTOO and the Anchorage Daily News worked together this year and have created a voter guide to help Alaskans make informed choices when they vote.
The 2026 Alaska Voter Guide won’t replace debates, forums and public statements. Instead, it’s something extra, aimed at informing voters about what candidates believe and providing a tool to hold them accountable once elected.
We’ve been working for months on this and are pleased to present it to you today, on the opening day of early in-person voting.2026 Voter Guide
The candidates, the ballot measures, and the tools you need to cast your vote.
Each news organization asked its readers, viewers and listeners a basic question: What do you want candidates to talk about?
That’s what’s called the “citizens agenda” — where election reporting is less about determining who’s ahead, and more about what a candidate’s positions are and how they would affect things if elected.
We sent emails to every candidate in the first week of July and followed up by phone calls in the second week. We continued reaching out, by email, text message and phone call, throughout July.
In the end, 107 of 132 state legislative candidates responded — 81% of everyone running for the Legislature. That’s a huge improvement over two years ago, when 78 of 115 candidates answered a survey from the Beacon alone, or 67.8%. Four years ago, the Beacon’s rate was below 60%.
For the governor’s race, 14 of 17 candidates responded. For the U.S. House race, we received responses from 11 of 15 candidates, including Democratic candidate Matt Schultz, who has suspended his campaign but is still on the ballot. In the U.S. Senate race, we have answers from 11 of 16 candidates.
While it isn’t everyone — and we’ll continue pursuing answers — we’re proud to say that this questionnaire is the most complete one that you can find anywhere in Alaska.
When it comes to the Legislative races, the Beacon had the lead role and was in charge of questions. Here’s what we asked candidates and why:
Whoever is in the majority controls the agenda and decides which bills advance and which bills fail. Alaska is the only state in the country with coalitions in both the House and Senate. The difference between a Republican-led majority and a coalition one is a big one in terms of what the Legislature does over the next two years.
This is an opportunity for candidates to show how much they know about local needs; it’s also a chance for them to talk about any issues we didn’t bring up.
You, our readers, wanted candidates to talk about education more than anything else. This gave candidates a chance to talk about their platform.
This was probably the No. 2 issue that you brought up when we asked you what you wanted candidates to talk about.
This is closely tied to the dividend question and meets your request to ask candidates about a fiscal plan.
Like the previous question, this is a way to test candidates about their knowledge of the state budget and get their thoughts on a fiscal plan. That will be a major topic over the next two years.
Voting and elections came up again and again when we asked readers what they wanted candidates to discuss. The Legislature has tried — and failed — to enact an elections bill over the past six years, so it’s a safe bet that the 35th Legislature will try again.
This was our way of allowing candidates to show their priorities — what are they most worried about?
This question came in response to your desire to see candidates talk about preschool, daycare, early childhood education and more.
Alaska is the fastest-aging state in the country, and that trend is expected to continue. It’s something that the next Legislature will have to address. This question allows candidates to speak to older Alaskans directly.
This question gave candidates a chance to talk about crime and climate change, data centers, energy shortages … it was really open-ended.
Candidates have been talking about fishing quite a bit this year, but it’d be a mistake to ask state-level candidates about trawling, given that most of it takes place in federal waters and there’s little the Legislature can do about it. So this question is more general.
We’re not normally a fan of softball questions in these surveys, but they can be an opportunity to get to know a candidate’s personality, so this was an open-ended opportunity.
Inflation and cost of living came up as issues in a big way later in the spring, and we wanted to make sure we asked candidates about it.
Our readers wanted very much to hear candidates talk about Donald Trump and whether they’re for or against him and his policies. This is a way to bring that question to a state level and make it applicable to the Legislature.
NOTN- Sealaska Heritage Institute has released new renderings of a proposed $40 million mixed-use arts and cultural center planned for the current Juneau City Hall site.
The three-story facility would feature Northwest Coast art and cultural experiences, a glass-blowing studio, gallery space, community programming and a possible new home for the Juneau-Douglas City Museum, though no agreement has happened between SHI and the city as of now.
Institute officials say the project would strengthen downtown year-round, create jobs and expand Juneau’s cultural tourism economy. The proposal depends on the City and Borough of Juneau approving the sale of the City Hall property to Sealaska Heritage for $1.5 million.
The Juneau Assembly is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the proposal Aug. 17.
The full press release by SHI can be found below;
Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has released schematics of its proposed arts building envisioned for the site of Juneau’s old city hall.
The crown-jewel, mixed-use facility would encompass multi-levels, feature stunning glass walls and be adorned in monumental red formline design — elements that mirror SHI’s Walter Soboleff Building, Atnané Hít (Sealaska Heritage Arts Campus) and its Indigenous Science Building in the city’s designated Heritage Square.
The space would provide authentic educational, cultural and art experiences for locals and visitors, include a Northwest Coast art glass studio and offer space to house the Juneau-Douglas City Museum.
The project is part of SHIs efforts to make Juneau the Northwest Coast arts capital of the world, said SHI President Rosita Worl.
“We are thrilled to unveil our latest proposal to bring more Northwest Coast arts, cultural experiences and economic diversity to Juneau and to further enhance the downtown corridor,” Worl said.
The project hinges on whether the city elects to put the project out to the highest bidder or sell to SHI for $1.5 million. If the institute did purchase the land, SHI would have to raze city hall because it’s contaminated with asbestos and other toxins inside and below the dilapidated facility. The city also has delayed maintenance on the building that would cost $13 million to address.
Demolishing the building and decontaminating the site would come with a steep price tag, said SHI Chief of Operations Lee Kadinger.
“The project would require demolition and removal at considerable cost to SHI. The demolition and highly regulated removal and disposal process is estimated to cost in excess of $1 million before construction of a new facility would be possible,” Kadinger said.
The new structure would span roughly 30,000 square feet and encompass three floors. If it were built using today’s prices, it would cost approximately $32 million. Assuming it will take four years to raise capital funds, the price would be closer to $40 million, as costs rise over time, Kadinger said.
SHI would install a nicely landscaped space onsite for locals and visitors while it’s raising capital funds to build the facility, similar to when it filled in the so-called “pit” downtown while the institute raised money to construct the Walter Soboleff Building.
The institute would give the city first right of refusal to relocate the Juneau-Douglas City Museum to the second floor of the building. This would move the museum closer to cruise ship docks.
Through community oriented year-round activities, the facility will help draw locals to the downtown corridor in off-tourism months — and help to revitalize downtown, which is a priority of the City and Borough of Juneau. The institute is also considering setting aside some space for apartments in recognition of the community’s housing needs, as well as its own employees.
Cultural Tourism
The new facility would launch SHI’s planned cultural tourism programming, where visitors and locals would get hands-on experiences in Northwest Coast arts.
The structure would include a glass studio, where the famed Tlingit glass artist Preston Singletary would help to establish the program and secure partners who would create an educational structure around glass blowing. This would become a creative space for the community of Juneau — one that could grow to create opportunities for visitors and locals to make their own glass pieces. Singletary would also help create a tiered program to develop skills from beginner to advanced, teaching students to create limited production pieces that could become a cottage industry over time.
The glass studio is based on the wildly successful model created by the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington, which draws nearly 100,000 visitors annually, includes a Hot Shop that hosts more than 50 visiting artists each year and has engaged more than 250,000 students through educational programs to date.
The new facility would be across from the Juneau Seawalk and Marine Park and attract more tourists to the core of downtown. The glass studio and a retail gallery for high end art would add to SHI’s monumental art and cultural tours currently offered at the Arts Campus and Walter Soboleff Building.
Community Benefits
While SHI projects and services are structured for tribal members, many of the programs benefit or are available to the entire community. Teacher trainings, lectures, art classes, summer camps, visiting scholars, concerts, academic publications, live streams, traditional ceremonies, First Fridays, Totem Pole Trail tours and Indigenous science workshops are commonly available to the public.
As the glass program grows, the facility would be open to residents who want to learn about the art of making glass and glass blowing.
SHI’s three other buildings also have transformed and beautified Juneau, adding to the visual appeal of downtown, and the plaza has been open to the public for art performances and other activities. The institute’s hope is to retain the city hall site for additional community space.
Economic Benefits
The successful completion of previous SHI capital campaigns has led to significant benefits for Juneau. In addition to its construction projects and their associated employment and economic activity, SHI has provided direct monetary contributions to the Juneau School District and University of Alaska Southeast totaling more than $13,000,000 since 2015, according to a 2025 study by McKenley Research Group, and it plans to continue the educational investments.
Today, SHI employs more than 100 staff in Juneau. An economic impact study by the same firm in 2023 demonstrated that SHI generates more than $30,100,000 in direct and induced economic activity annually in Juneau.
Because SHI’s buildings are staffed and open year-round, they support area businesses as employees patronize nearby establishments. The new building’s employees would help offset the loss of city workers who will move to the area by the Juneau-Douglas Bridge.
As with SHI’s other buildings, the new facility is expected to provide an economic boon during construction, provide new jobs, boost labor income and generate millions of dollars in direct expenditures.
The city will hold a public hearing on Monday, Aug. 17, to take public testimony on the terms of the sale.
Sealaska Heritage Institute is a non-profit tribal organization founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Its goals are to promote cross-cultural understanding by educating the general public about the Indigenous cultures of Alaska. SHI also conducts scientific and public policy research that promotes Alaska Native arts, cultures, history and education statewide. The institute is governed by a Board of Trustees and guided by a Council of Traditional Scholars, a Native Artist Committee, a Southeast Regional Language Committee and an Education Committee.
CONTACT: Kathy Dye, SHI Communications and Publications Deputy Director, 907.321.4636, kathy.dye@sealaska.com.
Captions from top: The facade of the arts building. The structure as seen from Marine Way. Heritage Square, which currently includes SHI’s Atnané Hít (Sealaska Heritage Arts Campus), Walter Soboleff Building, its Indigenous Science Building and the Sealaska building. Schematics by MRV Architects, courtesy of Sealaska Heritage Institute. Note: Media outlets are welcome to use these photos for coverage of this story. For higher resolution images, contact kathy.dye@sealaskaheritage.com.
(Getty Images)
A New York-based child welfare advocacy group has dropped a lawsuit against the Alaska Office of Children’s Services that alleged widespread misconduct by the state’s foster care system.
A Better Childhood, which represented 5 foster care children in the federal suit, told the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals last week that it was seeking to voluntarily dismiss the case.
The firm’s motion was accepted by the court on July 31.
The group of plaintiffs filed a class-action suit in 2022, alleging systemic problems within the foster care system — including chronic understaffing, overburdened caseworkers and failure to find adequate placements — were creating a danger to children.
Judge Sharon Gleason presided over an 11-day trial late last year and ruled against the plaintiffs, finding none had standing to bring the case and that none of the plaintiffs were either harmed or faced risk of harm.
A Better Childhood appealed Gleason’s decision to the 9th Circuit but chose to drop that appeal. It isn’t clear why. A Better Childhood did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday afternoon.
In other states, A Better Childhood has filed successful lawsuits that resulted in court orders requiring specific actions by foster care programs in those states.
The Alaska Department of Law — which represented the state’s defense — said in a statement that A Better Childhood’s decision to drop the case will allow the state to direct the foster care system without a court mandate.
“There is always room for improvement in how we support children and families,” said acting Alaska Attorney General Cori Mills. “But meaningful reform happens through thoughtful policy and cooperative innovation here in Alaska, not through expensive lawsuits brought by outsiders that drain already scarce public resources. (The) dismissal preserves Alaska’s flexibility to continue pursuing creative, practical solutions to the unique child welfare challenges our state faces.”
During this spring’s session of the Alaska Legislature, state lawmakers voted by a wide margin to mandate tighter regulation of hospitals that treat foster youth and to require stricter oversight of any psychiatric treatment.
A separate lawsuit, alleging that the state is not adequately supporting older foster children, continues to advance in state court.
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