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Primary election results indicate Alaska House, Senate coalition majorities are likely in 2027

The first leaves begin to take their fall colors on the trees in front of the Alaska State Capitol on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026. (James Brooks photo/Alaska Beacon)

By: James Brooks, Alaska Beacon

The first leaves begin to take their fall colors on the trees in front of the Alaska State Capitol on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026. (James Brooks photo/Alaska Beacon)

Final results from Alaska’s August primary election indicate existing coalition majorities in the state House and Senate are likely to continue after November’s general election and could even grow.

Alaska is the only state in the country where the state House and Senate are both controlled by coalitions of Democrats, independents and Republicans, something that forces bipartisan and multipartisan negotiations and compromises. 

In Monday’s certified primary results, coalition-leaning candidates led 24 of 40 state House races. The current coalition majority includes 21 lawmakers — two Republicans, 16 Democrats and three independents. 

In the state Senate, 10 of 20 seats are up for election this year. Coalition members or coalition-inclined candidates lead in seven of those races. Seven other coalition members are not up for election this year. 

“I think you have a chance for one of the strongest coalitions in a very long time,” said Andrew Halcro, a former state legislator and moderate Republican who commentates on Alaska politics via a popular podcast. 

Any majority group that controls the House and Senate dictates the agenda — who chairs committees, what bills advance and which ones do not. 

In the 34th Alaska State Legislature, conflicts between the coalition-led Legislature and Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a conservative Republican, led to a record number of vetoes and a lack of resolution on major issues, including a proposed trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline, increases in education funding and a long-term plan to balance state expenses and revenue. 

Senate District S – Southwest Alaska

Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, is retiring this year as the longest-serving member of the Alaska Legislature in state history. 

Five people signed up to replace him, including current Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham. Edgmon was the top finisher in the primary, with 37.9% of the vote.

The other finalists in November’s election will be Republican Darren Deacon (23.9%), Democrat Wassilie Guy (18.9%), and nonpartisan Richard Robb (11.5%). None filed withdrawal paperwork before Monday’s deadline.

The fifth-place finisher was undeclared candidate Wayne Morgan (7.9%). He is eliminated and will not advance to November. 

This year, 4,184 people voted in the district, and turnout was up significantly from two years ago, when 2,899 people voted in the primary. 

In 2022, during a primary that coincided with a special general election, 4,257 people voted in the district and Hoffman earned 66.2% of the vote in a two-way race against Veterans Party candidate Willy Keppel. 

House District 37 – Bristol Bay and the Aleutian Islands

Edgmon’s decision to run for Senate means there is no incumbent in the race to represent House District 37, which covers Bristol Bay and the Aleutians. 

Seven candidates registered for the primary, the most of any state House race in Alaska. 

The district is a tossup politically — two years ago, 50.8% of participating voters picked Republican Donald Trump for President, but 52.9% voted for Democratic U.S. House candidate Mary Peltola and 72.5% went for Edgmon for U.S. House. 

Four years ago, the district went for Peltola and Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski in the general election.

In the August primary, Republican Brenda Wilson of King Cove had 22.6% of the vote, the most among the seven candidates for state House.

The other three finalists are Democratic candidate Evelynn Trefon (19.8%), nonpartisan Mark Smith (17.5%) and nonpartisan Cade Woods (9.2%).

Democratic candidate Dennis Robinson had 15.1% of the vote but withdrew before Monday’s deadline, as did undeclared candidate Kimberly Johnson, who had 10.7% of the vote. Their withdrawals cleared the way for Woods to be promoted into the fourth spot. 

As a result, there will be one Democrat, one Republican and two independents to pick from in November. 

House District 23 – Eagle River

Incumbent Republican Rep. Jamie Allard was the top vote-getter in a five-way primary election for the state House seat representing half of Eagle River, earning 39.8% of the vote in a strongly Republican district.

Democratic candidate Jim Arlington advanced to the November election with 31.9% of the vote, followed by Republican Ruby Jones (13.9%) and Democrat Lee Hammermeister (5.8%).

Republican Nick Capozzi finished ahead of Hammermeister with 8.6% of the vote but withdrew before Monday’s deadline. In a statement on Facebook, he said he was withdrawing to fulfill a pre-election pledge to stop his campaign if he was “soundly defeated” in the primary. 

Capozzi said he is not endorsing Allard and believes there is “growing dissatisfaction” with her in the district.

“While I sincerely hope District 23 is well represented, I believe the Republican Party should carefully evaluate who is best positioned to earn and maintain the confidence of District 23 voters in future elections,” he wrote.

Hammermeister, though registered as a Democratic candidate, does not have the party’s support. 

House District 29 – Eastern Mat-Su

Incumbent Republican Rep. Garret Nelson of Sutton was appointed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy to represent the district after Dunleavy appointed its former representative, Republican George Rauscher, to the state Senate.

In the August primary, Nelson finished second, behind Republican Steve Menard, who had 39.4% of the vote in a six-way race that was the second most crowded among legislative contests last month.

Nelson had 23.2% of the vote, just ahead of Democratic candidate Kimberly Slone, who had 23.1% of the vote as the sole Democrat in a strongly Republican district.

Nonpartisan candidate Jessica Kusner-Kalarchik was fourth, with 8%. 

Libertarian candidate Candice Frisby (4.2%) and undeclared candidate Amber Hansen (2%) were eliminated after finishing fifth and sixth, respectively. 

House District 30 – Big Lake

A five-way race for the state House district representing Big Lake, the Denali Borough and the western Matanuska-Susitna Borough resulted in just three candidates advancing to the November election after the two lowest finishers withdrew ahead of Monday’s deadline.

Incumbent Republican Rep. Kevin McCabe had 32.4% of the vote in the heavily Republican district, followed by Democratic candidate Sandra Loomis with 29.2%.

Republican challenger Doug Massie was third, with 20.6%. 

Withdrawals leave two more candidates running unopposed

Among Alaska’s 40 state House elections, four incumbents ran unopposed in August and will be unopposed in November, except for write-ins.

After one candidate was disqualified and another withdrew on Monday, two more races will also have candidates running unopposed.

Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, a Republican, disqualified Republican House District 22 candidate Jose Roel Tagle after the Alaska Public Offices Commission said he had violated state law by failing to disclose his personal finances on time.

Tagle’s disqualification leaves Democratic incumbent Ted Eischeid as the only candidate for the Anchorage district.

Elsewhere in Anchorage, former Anchorage Assembly member Felix Rivera quit the House District 13 race ahead of Monday’s deadline.

That district is currently represented by Democrat Andy Josephson, who is retiring and isn’t seeking re-election. Rivera’s departure leaves Democrat Lisa Keller as the only option on the ballot in November.

The other four unopposed state House legislators are Reps. Sara Hannan, D-Juneau; Chuck Kopp, R-Anchorage; Genevieve Mina, D-Anchorage; and Will Stapp, R-Fairbanks. 

In the Senate, three of 10 races are unopposed: Sens. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka; Löki Tobin, D-Anchorage; and Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, all remain on track to return to the Capitol in January. 

In open districts, conservative Republican candidates tended to trail

While Republican candidate Brenda Wilson led all challengers in the primary for House District 37, her performance wasn’t repeated by all Republicans in open state House and Senate seats

In Senate District C, which covers Kodiak, Cordova and parts of the southern Kenai Peninsula, Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, earned 49.4% of the vote to replace Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak. 

Stevens is retiring, and the seat has no incumbent. Stutes is a moderate, one of two Republican members of the House’s coalition majority, and is expected to replace Stevens in the Senate’s coalition majority if elected.

Two more conservative Republicans, Heath Smith of Homer (37.8%) and Carrie Harris of Anchor Point (12.9%) finished behind Stutes in second and third. 

In Stutes’ House District 5 in Kodiak, nonpartisan candidate Kathy Simpler had 61.4% of the vote against Republican challenger Sheldon Prout in a head-to-head race. 

In Anchorage, where Democratic candidate Cliff Groh is attempting a return to the state House in the district covering Government Hill and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, he had 67.2% of the vote against Republican challenger Dan Sager. The seat is currently held by Republican Rep. David Nelson, who is not seeking re-election.

Farther north, in Eagle River, Republican Rep. Dan Saddler is retiring. Republican Ken McCarty, a former legislator himself, led a three-way race to replace Saddler, earning 46.8% of the vote.

One of the other candidates in the race, former Rep. Sharon Jackson, withdrew ahead of Monday’s deadline. That leaves Republican Gina Wall, who earned 33.8% of the primary vote, as McCarty’s sole challenger.

In Fairbanks, Republican Rep. Frank Tomaszewski is running for the state Senate seat being vacated by Republican Robert Myers. Primary results showed him with 60.9% of the vote in a head-to-head race against Democratic challenger William Hunt. 

Four incumbents trail in primary, but outcomes could change in November

In Anchorage’s Sand Lake neighborhood, Democratic candidate Denny Wells had 52.7% of the vote in a head-to-head race against Republican incumbent Rep. Mia Costello.

That’s a reversal of the general-election result two years ago, when Costello had 51.5% of the vote in a race against Wells and perennial candidate Dustin Darden, running as a Democrat. 

The district has a slight Republican lean — it went for Trump two years ago, but the Republican candidate had less than 50% of the district’s vote for president. 

In Homer, Republican Rep. Sarah Vance finished the primary more than 13 percentage points behind nonpartisan challenger Brent Johnson, who earned 56.9% of the vote in a head-to-head race.

Vance has been in office since 2019 and has governed as a Christian conservative, but she appeared to alienate some conservative Republicans this year when she worked across party lines on a bipartisan election reform bill.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed that bill, and lawmakers sustained his veto after two Republicans — both from southeast Alaska — switched from supporting the bill to opposing it. 

In Fairbanks, Rep. Tomaszewski’s wife, Harmony, is the lone Republican candidate in the strongly Republican district being vacated by Tomaszewski. But in final primary election results, Harmony trailed nonpartisan candidate Joy Beth Cottle by 6 percentage points. 

The two will appear on the ballot again in November. 

In Western Alaska, Rep. Nellie Unangiq Jimmie was the only incumbent Democrat who didn’t finish first in the primary. 

With 29% of the vote, she finished second to former Democratic Rep. CJ McCormick, whom she defeated in 2024.  

Republican Willy Keppel was third with 24.3% of the vote, followed by nonpartisan candidate Joseph Amik, with 14.7%. 

Turnout in the Democratic-leaning district was low by comparison with the rest of the state — fewer than 16% of eligible voters cast ballots in the primary. 

Primary success isn’t a guarantee of success in November, even in head-to-head contests: Two years ago, Sen. Scott Kawasaki, D-Fairbanks, received fewer votes in the August primary than his Republican challenger, Leslie Hajdukovich. 

Just three months later, Kawasaki reversed that result and remains a member of the Senate today.

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Juneau delays cruise ship daily cap, opts to wait for tourism task force recommendations

NOTN- At a Committee of the Whole work session last night, the Juneau Assembly narrowly voted to delay action on an ordinance that would lock the city’s informal five-ship-a-day cruise limit into law, opting instead to wait for findings from the Visitor Industry Task Force.

The committee voted 5-4 to postpone the measure until after the task force completes its work and issues a report later this year. Supporters of the delay, including Mayor Beth Weldon, said the risk of costly litigation was too high, and the need for stronger data to defend any future ordinance was needed.

“It was said that both parties need to show up in these negotiations, and you know, I get that we can do this one-sided, but we still need both parties to show up for our negotiations over the use of the marine passenger funds. And I’m not saying we’re bowing to the the industry. I’m saying, I think we have a lot to gain by continuing with collaboration.” Said Assembly Member Maureen Hall.

Those who voted against the postponement, said it would erode public trust and ignores years of community support for the five-ship cap, now enforced through a memorandum of understanding with cruise lines.

“I’m a little frustrated to hear the conversations we’re having today, because for the many years that I’ve been on the assembly, I have seen overwhelming support for the five ship limit.” Assembly Member Ella Adkison said, “It’s consistently a thing that scores very highly in all of our surveys, it’s something that everyone has rallied around as a good thing and a good first step. And the only reason we haven’t made it code is because we were not legally able to. And now we have the opportunity to make this very popular public good ironclad, and we’re hesitating. That seems to me like we are just wanting to kick the can down the road. I think there’s nothing wrong with bringing it to public testimony, but I can guess that that public testimony is going to be very in favor. And I don’t think waiting will tell us any more than the last few years have already told us.”

In a story by KTOO, it was detailed that a recent federal court ruling in Bar Harbor, Maine, found that community’s limits on cruise passengers were legal, which could potentially open a path for Juneau to pursue its own restrictions.

But City Attorney Emily Wright warned that a local ordinance would almost certainly face a lawsuit. She estimated litigation could cost the city between one and four million dollars, with no guarantee Juneau would win.

The Assembly voted 5-4 to postpone the ordinance. The Visitor Industry Task Force is expected to complete its work and make recommendations to the Assembly later this fall.

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Missing teens found dead from suspected gunshot wounds

Leotis Phillips and Zoey Clark, Photo courtesy of Juneau Police Department

NOTN-News of the North would like to extend condolences to the families of the deceased.

On August 31, 2026, at approximately 2:25 p.m., missing juveniles Leotis Phillips, 16, and Zoey Clark, 16, were located deceased in a wooded area above the 6800 block of Glacier Highway.

Preliminary information indicates that both juveniles died from gunshot wounds. A firearm was located at the scene. Their bodies will be sent to the Alaska State Medical Examiner’s Office in Anchorage for autopsy.

Next of kin has been notified. The investigation remains ongoing, and no additional information is available at this time.

The Juneau School District plans to make support and counseling services available to students and staff affected by this tragedy.

The Juneau Police Department extends its condolences to the families, friends, classmates, and others affected by this loss.

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Juneau could consider new tax to fund flood protection

Photo provided by CBJ following the installation of the HESCO barrier project
Photo provided by CBJ following the installation of the HESCO barrier project

NOTN- A memo from City Manager Katie Koester says the city could be responsible for 25% of the cost of an accelerated Army Corps of Engineers project, rather than the 10% local share associated with previous proposals.

First reported by the Juneau Independent, Koester writes Juneau could establish a new service area and tax to help pay for ongoing flood protection and the city’s share of a permanent solution to the annual glacial lake outburst floods.

The Assembly Committee of the Whole will meet on Monday to discuss.

The city has spent millions of dollars on temporary flood protection, including HESCO barriers, while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers pursues a permanent solution for annual flooding from Suicide Basin.

Koester said the Corps is seeking proposals from industry for an emergency water conveyance prototype capable of permanently addressing the floods. The goal is to keep water levels in Suicide Basin below 1,100 feet so any eventual release would be significantly smaller.

The project is being pursued under the federal Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies authority, which allows for a faster process but requires a 25% local share of construction costs for permanent flood control projects.

The city is working with Alaska’s congressional delegation to change that cost share to 10%, similar to the federal share available for projects involving tribal lands.

The total cost of a permanent project has not yet been determined, but the city expects it to exceed the amount currently available through the federal emergency account. The account receives about $40 million annually for flood control projects nationwide, meaning Juneau will need to advocate for additional federal funding.

Koester recommends the Assembly consider putting a bond or debt proposition before voters once the Corps provides a more reliable estimate of the project’s total cost.

In the meantime, Juneau is continuing to spend money on temporary protections. Nearly $50 million in federal, state and local funding was spent this summer on flood mitigation in the Mendenhall Valley, according to the memo.

Koester said the city expects to remain responsible for regular HESCO maintenance, including inspections, repairs from settling, responding to vandalism and refilling the barriers. The city also must continue coordinating with homeowners, maintaining property access and handling permitting.

She writes the work has also diverted city staff and resources from other projects, according to the memo.

One option under consideration is creating a service area with its own mill rate to fund flood protection and related services. The tax could apply either to properties within the protected area or citywide.

A service area would require approval by voters living within its boundaries. Koester said a citywide property or sales tax could also be appropriate because the annual floods have been characterized as an existential threat to Juneau as a whole, rather than a localized disaster affecting only the Mendenhall Valley.

Koester also recommended that the city push the Alaska Legislature to make construction of a lake emergency water conveyance prototype a state priority during the next legislative session, which begins in January.

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CCFR and JPD launch app to aid residents experiencing cardiac arrest

Image courtesy of CBJ, CCFR and JPD

CBJ- Capital City Fire Rescue and the Juneau Police Department are launching a new app designed to connect CPR-trained residents with people experiencing cardiac arrest.

The Capital City Fire Rescue and Juneau Police Department Communications Center is launching PulsePoint Respond in Juneau on Tuesday, September 1. 

PulsePoint is a free mobile application designed to connect CPR-trained community members with people experiencing cardiac arrest before professional responders arrive on the scene.  

“Our firefighters and paramedics are trained and equipped to provide advanced care, but there is an unavoidable period between the 9-1-1 call and our arrival,” said Andrew Pantiskas, Division Chief of Emergency Medical Services for Capital City Fire Rescue. “While our crews are responding, a nearby citizen can make a tremendous difference.” 

Media and members of the public are invited to learn more about PulsePoint Respond at the launch event on Tuesday, September 1 at 9 a.m. in the Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. 

Implementation of PulsePoint Respond in Juneau is funded through Marine Passenger Fees. 

How PulsePoint Works 

PulsePoint Respond alerts registered CPR-trained users when a cardiac arrest is reported near the user’s location. Users who receive an alert can: 

  • Recognize that a cardiac arrest is occurring nearby. 
  • Respond to the location when it is safe to do so. 
  • Begin CPR until professional responders arrive. 
  • Locate and retrieve a nearby automated external defibrillator (AED). 
  • Provide potentially lifesaving assistance during the critical first minutes of a cardiac arrest. 

PulsePoint does not replace calling 9-1-1 or professional emergency medical services. Members of the public should still call 9-1-1 and follow the instructions of the public safety dispatcher.  

Why Bystander CPR Matters 

Nationally, hundreds of thousands of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur each year. While less than 50% of cardiac arrest victims get help before emergency responders arrive, immediate bystander CPR can significantly improve a person’s chance of survival. 

Pantiskas advises that the most important thing that can be done during a cardiac arrest is to start CPR and get a defibrillator to the patient as quickly as possible. 

For Juneau, PulsePoint is another tool to help close the gap between the moment a cardiac arrest occurs and the arrival of professional responders.  

How to Participate 

Residents who are CPR-trained and willing to assist can download PulsePoint Respond through the Apple App Store or Google Play, follow their local emergency response agency (“Capital City FR” in Juneau), and indicate that they are CPR-trained and willing to respond to nearby cardiac arrest alerts. 

Community members can also use the PulsePoint Foundation AED NEAR Registry to help identify AEDs throughout Juneau. 

Learn more about PulsePoint Respond at the PulsePoint website.  

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Judge hears arguments in Telephone Hill Lawsuit

Juneau's Telephone Hill neighborhood is seen at center right, beneath the State Office Building, on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022. The neighborhood, owned by the state of Alaska, is being transferred to the City and Borough of Juneau. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
Juneau’s Telephone Hill neighborhood is seen at center right, beneath the State Office Building, on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

NOTN- A Juneau judge heard arguments Tuesday in a lawsuit challenging the city’s plans to redevelop Telephone Hill.

Former residents are asking Superior Court Judge Amanda Browning to stop the city from demolishing seven residential structures and building higher-density housing on the site.

Browning said she will issue a ruling, but it may take over a week or two.

“What’s happening now is both attorneys put in motions to postpone.” Said Mayor Beth Weldon. The jury trial that had been scheduled for this week is now postponed while the judge considers the motions.

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Juneau Assembly approves sale of City Hall to Sealaska Heritage Institute

155 Heritage Way, the current City Hall, Courtesy of CBJ

NOTN- The Juneau Assembly has approved selling City Hall to Sealaska Heritage Institute for $1.5 million, rather than putting the property up for auction with a minimum bid of $2.5 million.

Assembly members on both sides of the debate framed the decision as a test of Juneau’s priorities: shore up depleted city reserves, or lock in a project supporters say will anchor a year-round cultural campus at the gateway to downtown.

“I will start by saying that there are many ways to look at this. What is our ultimate goal? Are we trying to get maximized profit, are we trying to maximize control?” Said Assembly member Alicia Hughes‑Skandijs, “As we move out of that space, I think it is so important for us to think about what we leave in that space. This is a way for us to leverage this opportunity that is going to result in the maximum community good, and is something we can feel good about in completing a beautiful campus with a beautiful mission.”

Public testimony mirrored the Assembly’s split, with longtime Juneau residents and SHI partners urging approval and others warning that bypassing an open bidding process could shortchange taxpayers.

“SHI has a proven track record for designing and building exceptional structures that contribute to the beauty and attractiveness of downtown,” Said Dr. Charles Smith.

Assembly Member Nano Brooks was opposed along with Deputy Mayor Greg Smith and Neil Steininger.

“I’ll object, and it’s a really unfortunate scenario because if we were in a better financial standing a year prior, this would be an easy decision, but we completely wasted all of our savings.” Brooks said, “I believe that we should try and get as much money as possible for the property. In regular circumstances, I wouldn’t see it that way. But this, to me, is viewed as one of the few opportunities that we can recoup some of that much needed reserve funds.”

The measure sets a minimum sale price of $1.5 million and leaves room for that figure to be adjusted in negotiations, according to the city attorney.

Some members argued the sale proceeds could help rebuild reserves or cover looming capital needs; the ultimate decision is reflected well by Assembly Member Ella Adkison, who noted that if the building went up for auction, that would be one-time revenue and would not address Juneau’s ongoing budget deficit.

“I think that we are putting a lot of pressure for our entire budget situation on this one one-time transaction, and I would say that if people on the Assembly were concerned about the state of our fund balance, then we should have made different decisions in our recurring budget process.” Adkison said, “This is not the weight of the entire city’s future, I would rather have this be something our city is proud of, that is year round, that supports cultural education, rather than have a $5 million dollar one time slug of cash to put somewhere. I would have been happy to have more money in our fund balance, but those were not the decisions we made last budget cycle.”

City Hall will remain in its current location until staff relocates to the Burns Building. SHI representatives told the Assembly they intend to demolish the existing structure, clean up environmental issues and quickly convert the lot into landscaped public space while raising funds for a new building.

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Floatplane makes emergency landing in Mendenhall River

Photo courtesy of Susan Walker, Juneau Community Collective

NOTN- An Alaska Seaplanes floatplane made an emergency landing in the Mendenhall River this morning, with no injuries reported.

The company says a de Havilland Beaver, tail number N777DH, made the emergency landing at about 11:17 a.m., shortly after taking off from the floatplane pond at Juneau International Airport.

According to a Facebook post, there was one pilot aboard and no passengers. The pilot was unharmed and is now with Alaska Seaplanes personnel.

The aircraft landed safely but later drifted into a floating root ball in the river. Alaska Seaplanes personnel are working to recover the plane.

The company says additional information will be provided as it becomes available.

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Juneau residents grapple with whether to stay or flee as glacial outburst floodwaters rise

By: Alix Soliman, KTOO, Clarise Larson, KTOO and Corinne Smith Alaska Beacon

nn Lind looks out from her balcony on Marion Drive at the Mendenhall River as it rises on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026. (Clarise Larson/KTOO)

As the Mendenhall River swells with glacial outburst floodwater, hundreds of people living in the suburban valley below spent Tuesday night and Wednesday preparing to evacuate or hunker down. The National Weather Service predicts the flood will crest Thursday.

Officials managing the flood response recommended residents evacuate by 3 p.m.

On Marion Drive, Ann Lind plans to watch the flood from her second-story balcony overlooking the Mendenhall River.

“I got lawn chairs up there, and we’ll just be sitting there, and that’s where I’ve been every year,” she said.

Lind said her crawl space flooded last year when water leaked through the HESCO barriers and a drainage pipe failed. She said she’s staying again this year to protect the property.

Ann Lind secures sandbags at her house on Marion Drive on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026. (Clarise Larson/KTOO)

“Because if I wouldn’t have stayed last year, I never would have known that I was flooding back there, and the flooding would have been way worse,” she said. “Within 30 minutes of me calling for help, I had nine guys and five pumps back there.”

She said she’s more confident her home won’t flood this time after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers placed an industrial-sized pump just beyond her lawn to send water that leaks through the flood wall back into the river.

Although she plans to stay behind with her 17-year-old daughter, she said her other kids and pets will evacuate – heeding official advice.

Downstream from Lind’s place, on Meander Way, Locke Brown said he and his wife are optimistic about flood protection this year. Last year, the pair’s crawl space and garage flooded.

“If we had these pumps on the roads sitting here last year, I think we probably wouldn’t have had any water in the house,” he said.

Locke and Melissa Brown sit on their porch at their home on Meander Way as the Mendenhall River rises on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026. (Clarise Larson/KTOO)

They said they’re grateful for the pumps and bolstered flood wall provided by the Army Corps this year — but they’re not taking any chances. They said that once the water rises high up on the barriers, they plan to evacuate to a camper they have set up outside of the flood zone.

Locke is retired from the U.S. Coast Guard and his wife still works for the Coast Guard.

“We’ve made our living saving people when they know they should have left,” he said.

Locke said the prudent thing is to leave since there’s a possibility the barriers could fail.

“It’s one of those unknowns. You just — what do they say? — Prepare for the worst and hope for the best,” he said. “We just feel like, at this point, we’re just driftwood. Whatever happens is gonna happen, and we’re just gonna have to deal with it when it’s over.”

HESCO barriers installed along the Mendenhall River on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026. (Clarise Larson/KTOO)

Just a few blocks over, on Gee Street, Benson Bullock said he’s not too worried. He’s patching a pair of waders in his garage, but not for walking through floodwaters.

“Hopefully, if it’s not too crazy, I’ll be going fishing,” he said.

Bullock had a few inches of water in his garage during the catastrophic flood in 2024, but his house has never flooded. Bullock says he plans to put sandbags in front of the garage before the flood crests.

“We have stuff moved and cleaned up,” he said. “We moved my boat, we’ll move my wife’s truck, and we’ll just have my truck here in case we decide to leave.”

On View Drive, many residents say they’re planning to stay to try to protect their property and look out for their neighbors.

View Drive is a forested cul-de-sac that forms a peninsula jutting into the Mendenhall River. It’s been hit the hardest by past floods. For a second year in a row, the street has been left without the protection of the flood wall constructed by the City and Borough of Juneau and the Army Corps. Officials have said in the past that the street has porous soil and have doubts that the homes could be protected.

The Mendenhall River surrounds homes on View Drive in the Mendenhall Valley on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (Clarise Larson/KTOO)

Mandy Mallott lives at the end of the cul-de-sac. She bought the house from a family she babysat for when she was growing up in Juneau. It looks out over Stroller White Mountain, where her father died in 2005.

“It’s a very spiritual place to us,” she said. “It’s a private place, and we’ll do what we can to protect it.”

She and her family spent Tuesday evening moving their belongings up onto shelves in their garage. Last year, she worked with her neighbors to have contractors put up their own HESCO barriers around a few properties, and she said her home didn’t flood.

Mandy Mallott points over HESCO barriers to the Mendenhall River from her home on View Drive on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (Clarise Larson/KTOO)

Although a federally sponsored buyout for her home and others on View Drive might be on the table — Mallott said she’s emotionally tied to the place, and sees a long-term solution designed by the Army Corps as her best option.

“That emergency tunnel fix gives us all a lot of hope,” she said.

Mallott and her family are tribal citizens, and she said she’s grateful for the dozens of sandbags that the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska dropped off on Tuesday.

Residents of the Riverview Senior Living facility were about 50-50 split on whether to evacuate on Wednesday afternoon, said its Executive Director René Bryant. This year, new HESCO barriers are now standing between the Mendenhall River and the two-story assisted living and memory care facility.

She said the roughly 70 residents have a choice whether to stay or evacuate, and they are providing transportation to a nearby emergency shelter at St. Paul’s Catholic Church after an early dinner on Wednesday evening. Bryant said additional transportation to evacuate will be provided Thursday if needed.

“We are respecting everybody’s rights, while contacting family members to make these decisions as well,” Bryant said.

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Thousands of Juneau residents urged to evacuate before glacial outburst flood

By: Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon

Glacial lake outburst flooding begins on the Mendenhall River below the Mendenhall Glacier on Aug 11, 2026. Officials issued an evacuation advisory for roughly 5,000 residents in the area. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

For questions and resources, call the local 24/7 flood hotline at 907-500-0890.

Alaska’s capital city has issued an evacuation advisory for the densely-populated Mendenhall Valley area on Wednesday as glacial outburst flooding begins. 

Officials and the public are closely watching the Mendenhall Glacier, where climate-change driven melting results in water filling an ice-dammed lake called Suicide Basin each year. That lake eventually bursts and billions of gallons of water are released down the Mendenhall River, threatening suburban neighborhoods nearby.

The National Weather Service forecasts the flooding in the Mendenhall River will peak on Thursday morning between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m.

“Evacuating is absolutely the best way to keep yourselves, your neighbors, and first responders safe as we respond to this flood,” said Ryan O’Shaughnessy, emergency manager for the City and Borough of Juneau at a news conference on Wednesday.

Ryan O’Shaughnessy, emergency manager for the City and Borough of Juneau, Ginny Nadolny, commander of US Coast Guard Southeast Sector (center) and Sabrina Grubitz, public safety manager for Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (left) speak at a news conference ahead of the glacial outburst flood in Juneau on Aug 12, 2026. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)
Ryan O’Shaughnessy, emergency manager for the City and Borough of Juneau, Ginny Nadolny, commander of US Coast Guard Southeast Sector (center) and Sabrina Grubitz, public safety manager for Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (left) speak at a news conference ahead of the glacial outburst flood in Juneau on Aug 12, 2026. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Scientists with the National Weather Service estimate the flooding to peak  between 16.1 to 16.6 feet. That’s similar to last year’s flood where the river peaked at a record-breaking 16.65 feet. 

The scale of flooding is uncertain, and depends largely on whether sand bag barriers erected along the Mendenhall River hold. 

In the event that water bursts through the barriers, CBJ will issue an emergency flash-flood alert to all local cell phones, similar to an Amber alert. 

Last year, local, state and federal agencies erected the new barriers along the river, where they largely prevented major flood damage. Thirty-five homes were affected by the flood, with six sustaining major flood damage. Some homes had up to five feet of flooding water in living spaces, according to city reports. In 2024, there were no barriers and flooding damaged nearly 300 homes. 

This year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and local partners worked to fortify those sand bag barriers along the Mendenhall River. In some areas, the barriers were constructed higher, up to 16 feet. They were extended in other areas across 1.8 miles of additional riverbank, said U.S. Army Corps Brigadier General Joseph Goetz at a news conference on Tuesday. The Army Corps has also installed roughly 40 industrial pumps to control seepage, and distributed an estimated 225,000 sandbags. 

But this year officials issued an evacuation advisory for an area nearly double the size of last year’s — including roughly 1,900 homes — in case the barriers fail. Officials are calling that a worst case scenario.

Ryan O’Shaughnessy said census data shows the evacuation area includes an estimated 5,000 residents. 

“I know this community has experienced this flood before, but we can’t be complacent,” said Ken Murphy, a safety officer with the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, on Tuesday. “What happened last year may or may not happen this year.”

Residents are asked to evacuate the area by 3 p.m. on Wednesday. 

Sand bag barriers newly constructed this year in the lower part of the Mendenhall River below Brotherhood Bridge are seen from Meadow Lane in Juneau on Aug 8, 2026. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)
Sand bag barriers newly constructed this year in the lower part of the Mendenhall River below Brotherhood Bridge are seen from Meadow Lane in Juneau on Aug 8, 2026. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Officials said there is a risk of tree-strikes damaging the barriers and causing major flooding, and urged the public to take extra precautions, evacuate and avoid the river area entirely.

“The risk is real,” Murphy said. “Debris, erosion, unstable banks, changing water levels, and hidden hazards make the river dangerous. If you’re near the river or within the flood zone, you’re in danger. There is no safe reason to approach the water during this event. This is not a normal event, even though it reoccurs.”

Officials said they will be monitoring the river and barriers by livestream cameras and by drone throughout the flood, with emergency crews staged nearby ready to respond. 

Residents can monitor Suicide Basin through a National Weather Service monitoring page. Officials recommend signing up for emergency alerts and reviewing Mendenhall River inundation maps. KTOO Public Media has set up several livestreams to monitor the flooding event. There is an emergency shelter at the former Floyd Dryden Middle School staffed by the American Red Cross. 

The Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area, Alaska’s most-visited tourist destination, surrounding the Mendenhall Glacier and Mendenhall Lake below is closing on Wednesday afternoon. 

A joint emergency incident command has been established to monitor and respond to the flood. That includes the National Weather Service, City and Borough of Juneau, Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

The City and Borough of Juneau are planning to issue a larger evacuation advisory for the 2026 glacial outburst flooding event. (Screenshot of CBJ evacuation advisory map)
The City and Borough of Juneau are planning to issue a larger evacuation advisory for the 2026 glacial outburst flooding event. (Screenshot of CBJ evacuation advisory map)

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