Andrew Kitchenman, Alaska Public Media & KTOO - Juneau
Andrew Kitchenman is the state government and politics reporter for Alaska Public Media and KTOO in Juneau. Reach him at akitchenman@alaskapublic.org.
Some sitting Republican lawmakers lose ground in primary, while others take leads
Five incumbent Republican House members and the Senate President face difficult odds. It’s unlikely there are enough votes left to count for them to make up the amounts they’re trailing.
Alaska Attorney General Kevin Clarkson resigns
Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced the resignation in a statement, saying Clarkson “admitted to conduct in the workplace that did not live up to our high expectations, and this is deeply disappointing.”
Unemployed Alaskans won’t see $300 federal relief for more than a month
The state unemployment insurance program will pay workers an extra $300 per week, but it will take some time before workers receive the payments.
Dunleavy administration makes changes to ease small business access to COVID-19 relief
The grants range in size from $5,000 to $100,000. Businesses with 50 or fewer employees are eligible.
Sitting Alaska Republican lawmakers face reckoning from voters in primary
Across Southcentral and Interior Alaska, challengers who generally had raised less campaign cash than the incumbents were at least holding their own.
Primary night leaves Republican incumbent lawmakers behind in several races
Several incumbent Republican Alaska state legislators were trailing their challengers in the primary election.
Polls are closed for Alaska’s primary election. Now the wait begins.
Primary polls have closed, but it may be more than a week before Alaskans know the results of some races. The Division of Elections will post results here, likely beginning at 9 p.m.
Here are the races to watch in the primary election
The future of the coalition majority in the state house could be decided by the primary election this year.
Gov. Dunleavy names tribal health investment executive Schutt to Permanent Fund Corp. board
Schutt was raised in Tok. He’s an attorney who was a law clerk for Alaska Supreme Court Justice Walter Carpeneti.
Governor aims for $300 boost to UI benefits, half of expired amount
Alaskans unemployed due to COVID-19 would receive $300 more weekly than normal, but $300 less than they have been receiving, under a plan announced by Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Thursday.
Al Gross faces two opponents for Alaska’s Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate
Edgar Blatchford, the former mayor of Seward, and Chris Cumings, who works for a nonprofit for children and people with disabilities, are both vying for the Democratic nomination.
Alaska Natives, Pacific Islanders have a disproportionate number of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations
Alaskans of Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander ethnicity make up 4% of the cases in the state, while they’re only 1% of the population.
Senate president Giessel faces primary challenge for Anchorage seat
Giessel's challenger said the majority leader has lost touch with the Republican governor's agenda.
Melanie Bahnke, Kawerak CEO, appointed to redistricting board
The members of the board that will set Alaska’s legislative districts for the next decade have been finalized.
Melanie Bahnke, the president and CEO of Nome-based regional nonprofit Kawerak Inc., was appointed on Thursday to...
In-person or by mail, here’s what Alaskans need to know to vote this year
Here's what you need to know about voting.
State clarifies testing rules for incoming travelers
Out-of-state travelers will be required to either have a negative test taken within 72 hours of departing for Alaska, or proof that they have results of a test taken within 72 hours that are pending
Recall Dunleavy effort misses deadline to appear in general election
The deadline to guarantee a recall vote on Nov. 3 is Tuesday, August 4.
Knopp remembered as ‘one-of-a-kind leader’ in Alaska
State Rep. Gary Knopp, who died in a plane crash on Friday, became a pivotal legislator during his two terms, who was recalled by friends and former legislative colleagues as plainspoken and friendly.
Dunleavy says COVID-19 mandates should be up to local governments
“I know there’s a lot of people that would love for me to mandate masks, bar closures, restaurant closures,” Dunleavy said during a news conference on Tuesday. “But it simply doesn’t make sense"
Alaska to stop testing nonresident travelers for COVID-19 at airports, require negative result
Passengers will be required to get a COVID-19 test prior to arriving.