You’ve crafted yourself the perfect sandwich, each element balanced, perfectly sauced, only for it to be ruined by soggy lettuce. Don’t make that mistake.
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By: Sean Maguire, Alaska Beacon
Five Alaska mayors voiced concerns about how a proposed tax break for the Alaska LNG gas line project would impact their communities.
Republican Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has proposed eliminating property taxes and other local taxes for the $46 billion megaproject. Instead, his bill would impose a volume-based tax when substantial quantities of gas are delivered from the North Slope.
The Alaska Department of Revenue estimated Dunleavy’s bill would equate to a roughly 90% reduction in property tax revenue, once the pipeline is at full capacity. The state agency has said the pipeline will not move forward without cutting property taxes for Glenfarne, the New York-based developer of the proposed pipeline and export facilities.
Five Alaska mayors on Friday testified to the Senate Resources Committee in support of the 800-mile pipeline, which is set to run from the North Slope to Cook Inlet. But the municipal leaders also expressed concerns about the potential loss of revenue from the governor’s tax break and the impacts on municipal services.
‘Bottom offer’
Peter Micciche is mayor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough, one of Alaska’s largest with roughly 62,000 residents. He said a liquefaction facility, equating to 43.5% of the total project, is set to be located in the coastal region.
Micciche said the project would have tens of millions of dollars of impact annually for the Kenai Peninsula, with costs set to be borne by local communities under Dunleavy’s bill. He said the proposed elimination of all local taxes for Alaska LNG is “cutting deep into the fabric of how our communities work. And that worries me.”
He cited concerns about Dunleavy’s proposed tax rate rising by 1% annually. He said the borough’s budget increases on average by 2.5% each year, meaning that would leave the Kenai Peninsula “underwater.”
“Costs have shifted from the state to the municipalities. But we simply cannot afford additional costs,” he said to lawmakers Friday.
Micciche, a former long-time oil and gas executive, emphasized that he is excited by the project, but he considers the governor’s tax break to be “a bottom offer.”
Adam Prestidge, president of Glenfarne Alaska LNG, on Monday told the Senate Resources Committee that the company recognizes there will be impacts to municipalities from the project. He said discussions are ongoing with municipal leaders about how the company will cover some costs to ensure communities feel comfortable they “will be taken care of.”
Micciche, a former Republican Alaska Senate president, framed the scale of the challenge of negotiating acceptable legislation for communities and Glenfarne with less than half of the legislative session left until adjournment. “This bill needs a lot of work,” he said.
“We’re ready to sit down and pen a deal that works for everyone — the developers, our community, Alaskans — and I hope to God that comes along with affordable gas,” Micciche said.
‘Once-in-a-lifetime project’
Supporters remain bullish on the gas line’s potential to be an economic boon for Alaska. Former Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Begich has been hired by the Dunleavy administration to boost the pipeline. He told the Senate Resource Committee on Monday that it was “a once-in-a-lifetime project.”
Glenfarne owns 75% of the project while the Alaska Gasline Development Corp., a state agency, owns the remaining 25%.
Begich and Prestidge declined to answer some questions in detail about the proposed tax break and whether it was at an appropriate rate, citing the need for confidentiality in commercial agreements. Begich implored lawmakers to hold a session behind closed doors to discuss revenue questions with Glenfarne.
Under Dunleavy’s bill, the long-sought gas pipeline is expected to raise over $22.5 billion in new revenue for the state of Alaska. But over the next 36 years, it would also cost roughly $13 billion for local communities compared to current law, according to state projections.
Instead of property taxes, the governor’s bill would impose a volume-based tax of 6 cents on every thousand cubic feet of gas, which would increase by 1% annually. The tax would only be imposed once the pipeline delivers an average of 1 billion cubic feet of gas per day or 10 years after gas starts being produced.
Edna DeVries is mayor of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, home to around 117,000 people. She said the Mat-Su Assembly believes those thresholds are “far too high” and that they should be lowered so the borough could collect revenue sooner.
DeVries cited a concern common to all five mayors along the proposed corridor for Alaska LNG: the impacts of constructing the pipeline on municipal budgets.
Mayor Chris Noel of Denali Borough, home to 1,600 residents, said that construction would see added costs for waste management, fire and rescue and housing, which would likely be borne by the local community. Denali Borough does not currently collect property tax. But it would get “limited benefits” from the pipeline with no local offtake planned for the borough, Noel said.
“The bottom-line is we cannot subsidize increased costs. We need certainty via an impact payment program during construction that actual costs will be covered by the project,” he said.
Another potential concern: education funding. Alaska’s complicated education funding formula means that as a local community’s total assessed property tax value increases, state contribution for schools is reduced.
Concerned at the ‘precedent’
Mayor Josiah Patkotak of the North Slope Borough said he was concerned at the “precedent” set by eliminating property taxes for oil and gas projects before a final investment decision is reached. Patkotak, also a former member of the Alaska House of Representatives, cited a recent record North Slope lease sale and said oil developers could seek similar tax relief.
The North Slope Borough, based out of Utqiaġvik with 10,500 residents, has a long history of fiercely defending its authority to levy property taxes on oil and gas companies, he added.
Patkotak estimated Dunleavy’s proposed tax break means the borough would collect $12 billion less in revenue compared to current law. He said property tax revenue has been critical for the borough, which funds schools, fire and rescue services, airports and waste management.
Prestidge declined to tell the Senate Resources Committee whether the proposed tax break would be make-or-break for the project. But he said if the bill failed to pass, “It makes it more difficult because it makes the gas more expensive.”
“It creates an incredible amount of uncertainty around the project,” he added.
Patkotak noted that the North Slope would not get any of the gas delivered through the pipeline with no offtake planned for the remote region.
That has long been a concern for Fairbanks, which has a population of 97,000 people. The borough has advocated for a $180 million spur to deliver gas to the Interior city.
“We need to make sure we’re getting Alaskans’ gas to Alaskans,” said Mayor Grier Hopkins of the Fairbanks North Star Borough.
Hopkins said there are currently “no concrete” plans to build a gas offtake for Fairbanks, but discussions are ongoing with Glenfarne.
By: Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon
A legislative aide to Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, and a former candidate for the Alaska House of Representatives, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol on Thursday in Juneau.
Forrest Wolfe, 40, was pulled over by Juneau Police at about 10:30 p.m. on Mar. 26, according to court documents, after driving erratically through a busy area of downtown Juneau. Wolfe was the sole occupant of the vehicle, a red Chevrolet Tahoe, when he was pulled over on Franklin Street.
Wolfe exhibited a strong odor of alcohol and gave conflicting stories of his previous activities, then stopped answering questions, according to the police report. Wolfe failed a field sobriety test and then later a chemical test for alcohol, showing his breath alcohol level at 0.10, which is above the legal limit of 0.08. He was arrested and charged with a criminal misdemeanor.
Wolfe serves as deputy legislative director for Dunleavy, a role he began in January, according to his public LinkedIn profile.
A spokesperson for Dunleavy’s office declined to comment on the arrest or any penalties by his employer on Monday, citing privacy as a personnel matter.
Wolfe ran for the Alaska House in 2022 as a Republican representing District 21 in East Anchorage, and narrowly lost to Rep. Donna Mears, D-Anchorage, by just 150 votes.
Prior to serving in the governor’s office, Wolfe served as a legislative liaison for the Alaska Department of Administration for about a year, in 2025. He worked as legislative staff for more than a decade, since 2012, for various Republican representatives.
Wolfe posted a $500 bail and was released from Lemon Creek Correctional Center on Friday morning, according to Alaska Public Media.
Wolfe has had previous run-ins with Juneau Police for minor infractions, and was arrested and convicted for drunk driving in 2011.
He couldn’t BELIEVE he could get it done in five minutes! Continue reading…Country Music News – Taste of Country
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If you want to have a succulent and perfectly crusted pork chop, then don’t turn to the stove or oven. Use this method to cook them instead.
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Anthony Bourdain greeted the world with an open mind and open mouth. However, he needed treatment for a parasite after a deeply unpleasant meal.
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Reading Time: 3 minutes
Short of a legal, recorded confession or rock-solid witnesses, most prosecutions hinge upon physical evidence.
In the case of Charlie Kirk’s death on September 10, 2025, the bullet that killed him would presumably be a key piece of evidence.
As we all know, Tyler Robinson was arrested. Authorities have been conspicuously quiet while presumably building their case.
Now, legal documents say that the ballistics between Robinson’s gun don’t match the bullet that he allegedly fired.
It’s not ‘smoking gun’ evidence if the ballistics evidence isn’t a match
TMZ obtained legal filings in which Tyler Robinson’s defense team points out a ballistics discrepancy.
Prosecutors say that a specific weapon is linked to Robinson and to Kirk’s death.
Robinson is currently facing multiple charges, including aggravated murder and felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury.
The ATF was, according to Robinson’s attorney, “unable to identify the bullet recovered at autopsy to the rifle allegedly tied to Mr. Robinson.”
Defense counsel continued: “Although the State has not indicated an intent to produce this report at the preliminary hearing, the defense may very well decide to offer the testimony of the ATF firearm analyst as exculpatory evidence.”
Meanwhile, Robinson’s attorney says that there are multiple categories of forensic evidence that appear to still be incomplete.
They are awaiting discovery, including full case files and testing protocols.
The defense has a legal right to review state’s evidence in order to prepare their case.
Conspicuous gaps in the state’s evidence or flawed analysis could be holes for the defense to argue their case.
Obviously, if Robinson’s gun doesn’t match the ballistics on the bullet that killed Kirk, that’s a pretty glaring hole in the prosecution’s case.
There’s also an all-too-common discovery issue
Meanwhile, Robinson’s attorney makes it clear that the prosecution isn’t refusing discovery overall.
Instead, they appear to be utilizing a common tactic: malicious compliance.
TMZ reports: “Prosecutors have already handed over around 20,000 files.”
According to the defense: “The haul includes about 61,500 pages, 31 hours of audio, and more than 700 hours of video across 5,000+ clips.”
The tabloid adds: “Bottom line, the defense says it’ll take at least 60 days just to get through the first pass.”
As we mentioned, this is a very common tactic.
High-powered defense attorneys will do this. Prosecutor’s offices will do this. In lawsuit, whichever side has more money will do this.
A team of dozens of attorneys will rack up billable hours churning out documents related to a case.
“Discovery” then resembles piles upon piles of boxes full of documents and filings, which the opposing team has to sort through. They can — and sometimes do — miss something, meaning that their case is sabotaged.
Not turning over exculpatory evidence is a Brady violation, as Alec Baldwin’s former prosecutor seemingly forgot. Turning over excessive evidence is a seemingly legal tactic, however underhanded.
Maybe it would be for the best if we can all watch the trial unfold
Attorneys for Robinson have been asking that the upcoming trial be televised.
“Keeping court proceedings as public as possible helps to quell and contradict the tide of misinformation,” they argued.
In contrast, they shared, secrecy only serves to fuel conspiracy theories.
Certainly, the case against Robinson has seemed eerily quiet following his arrest late last summer.
In a trial this serious — he potentially faces the death penalty if convicted — we all hope that true justice prevails.
Charlie Kirk Ballistics Evidence Doesn’t Match, Legal Docs Warn was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
Martha Stewart can step out in ensembles outside her comfort zone, providing a fun departure from her usually classic attire. Here are her boldest looks yet.
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PHOENIX — Joe Brady still remembers his first day under James Franklin at Penn State. Franklin chewed out Brady for a mistake that he and the other graduate assistants made. It wasn’t the triumphant moment he’d hoped for. But in the infancy of his coaching career, he’d already locked in a core memory. “I didn’t even know what he was yelling at me for, but it was just his [emphasis on] detail. I’ve taken that everywhere I’ve been,” the new Buffalo Bills head coach told me at the NFL owners meetings on Monday. At age 36, Brady is stepping into one of the most coveted jobs in the NFL, rising from offensive coordinator to replace Sean McDermott, who was fired in January. With MVP quarterback Josh Allen, Brady takes on the exciting — but high-stakes — task of trying to win Buffalo’s first Super Bowl. McDermott and Allen didn’t even make it to the title game in their eight seasons together. As Brady builds the Bills in his image, I realized how committed he has been to drawing influences from every step he’s taken along the way. So I asked him to play a sort of game: Could he name the most salient lesson from every stop of his coaching career? We’ve already hit his time at Penn State. Let’s move on to his experience working for Sean Payton with the New Orleans Saints, where Brady served as an offensive assistant in 2017-18. What was the biggest lesson there? “It was [Payton’s] understanding of attacking schemes — not only just attacking the weaknesses, but with our strengths,” Brady told me. “He opened my eyes to: It’s not, ‘Hey, what coverages do they run? Oh, they play quarters. All right, so let’s get our quarter speeders.’ It’s like, ‘Who is the weakness in their quarters? And then how do we get the best person matched up on that element in the quarters.’ “So that was critical for me.” It’s a good lesson. Find the opponent’s weakness. Attack it with your strength. Repeat. In 2019, Brady moved on to LSU, where he was passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach for Ed Orgeron. “Ed O taught me to just be yourself,” Brady told me. “He was straight up from the jump, like, ‘Hey, look, I’m not good at this. I’m not good at this. I’m great at this, so I need you to do this.’ And it showed me that you don’t have to be a certain way to be a head coach. As long as you’re comfortable being yourself, everything will take care of itself.” Stay authentic. Stay humble. Work on weaknesses and delegate when necessary. None of that is easy. But those are outstanding goals for every line of work — and for life in general. And by the way, this was when Brady was a big deal. He was at LSU with Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson when the Tigers went undefeated and won the national championship, blowing out Clemson 42-25 in the title game. It was a high point in Brady’s progression. He won the 2019 Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach. And then came what Brady once called his “downfall.” It might be more fair to classify it as a correction or a moment of non-linear progress. Regardless, in 2020, the Carolina Panthers hired Brady, then 30 years old, to be their offensive coordinator. He was the youngest active OC at the time. “I didn’t have success there, however that’s defined,” Brady told me. But he also emphasized: “I wouldn’t be talking to you right now if I didn’t go through the Carolina days.” Because Brady’s rise was fast and extremely impressive, he hadn’t yet experienced adversity like he did in Carolina. But there was a unique lesson in seeing his head coach, Matt Rhule — yes, the one who fired Brady — weather the defeats with his team. “He had standards that he believed in, and he held on to that rope,” Brady said of Rhule. “And there’s so much power in that. It’s like, ‘Hey, I’m a first-time head coach right now. These are things that I believe in, regardless of the results. Am I going to stick and hold true to it, or am I going to be like, ‘Hey, we lost, so now I can’t believe in this anymore.'” Brady lost his job in 2021 before completing his second season in the role. The Panthers went 10-18 during his time in Carolina. If this was his “downfall,” he didn’t fall far. He landed as a quarterbacks coach with the Bills and McDermott. And even if that was a less impressive title, the consolation prize was Josh Allen. After never spending more than two years in any one place, Brady rose from QBs coach to OC to head coach in Buffalo, where he’s been since 2022 — studying under McDermott. “Sean was a combination of a little bit of everything,” Brady told me. “I got to see how he’s grown, how he’s changed his thought process, his mentality. And then being able to just be like, ‘Oh, he is who he is, and he has a lot of success, and he didn’t feel like he had to be someone different.’ No matter who we signed and no matter the ups and downs of the season, he was consistent. And I hope I can bring an element of that.” And this is where all these influences should and could come together in a fascinating culture where Franklin meets Payton meets Orgeron meets Rhule meets McDermott. In other words, these influences should come together to create Brady’s authentic culture. It’s notable that when Brady was named Bills head coach, he did not simply promote the coaches around him, which can be a pitfall for an internal hire. Instead, he launched a lengthy search and dug into his past stops to seek out people he thinks will elevate and build the Buffalo organization anew. “It wasn’t easy, right? You know, there’s a lot of guys, especially on offense, that are why I’m in this position,” he told me. While Brady heard from several people that his most important hire would be his defensive coordinator, he didn’t agree. He thought he needed help on offense to catalyze something special. So Brady dipped into his Rolodex from his days with the Saints and looked to Payton’s staff in Denver to find his offensive coordinator. “Getting Pete Carmichael was the biggest hire for me,” Brady said of the former Broncos senior offensive assistant and longtime Saints OC. “It was about getting a guy that was going to make my life a lot easier. … I know it wasn’t somebody that was in the room before, and that’s what made it hard. But a guy like Pete was critical for me.” Brady added: “I wanted new. Even though things have been quote-unquote working, we have to continue to evolve, so that’s why it was important for me to go outside of my comfort zone.” Brady’s staff will fuse Carmichael’s ideas with what the Bills were already doing in Buffalo. That’ll include voices like offensive line coach Pat Meyer (previously with the Steelers) and quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree (previously with the Titans). As one Broncos staffer told me by text: “It’s still going to be Brady’s offense.” And that’s a highly efficient offense. But everyone could see that it wasn’t beyond criticism at the end of last season. The most obvious issue was in the passing game, where the Bills lacked explosive plays. And since we’re discussing all the ways Brady has dipped into his past, let’s talk about DJ Moore, the receiver the Bills acquired in a major trade with the Chicago Bears. Buffalo sent a second-round pick to Chicago to bring in Moore and a fifth-rounder. The veteran receiver’s best seasons were under Brady in — of all places — Carolina. “Through the ups and downs in the Carolina days, DJ was consistent — his work ethic, his approach, his ability to go out there and make plays, being able to move him around,” Brady told me. “He’s played with so many different quarterbacks, and he’s found ways to have success, and that’s really hard. … I thought he would be a great addition both in the locker room and on the field. I’m excited to work with him again.” Brady’s calculated dedication to draw upon what has worked in his career — and to learn from what has not — will be crucial in accomplishing what no Bills team has: winning a Super Bowl.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports