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Banking on ‘green’ for energy independence

Dunleavy proposes investment fund for sustainable energy

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Gov. Mike Dunleavy announces a tourism aid initiative during a press conference on Friday, April 9, 2021, at Wings Airways Hangar in Juneau, Alaska. Dunleavy was joined by officials and business owners, including Alaska Sen. Peter Micciche (left). (Governer’s Office/Kevin Goodman)

Dunleavy announces tourism aid initiative

Dunleavy said 1.3 million tourists were expected to come to Alaska via cruise ship before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down operations.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy announces a tourism aid initiative during a press conference on Friday, April 9, 2021, at Wings Airways Hangar in Juneau, Alaska. Dunleavy was joined by officials and business owners, including Alaska Sen. Peter Micciche (left). (Governer’s Office/Kevin Goodman)
Gavel (Courtesy photo)

Court sides with Dunleavy in appointments dispute

The court, in a brief order, reversed a ruling by a superior court judge.

Gavel (Courtesy photo)
Former DHS employee Bert Christopher Heitstuman was arrested in Anchorage Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021 for multiple counts of sexual assault. (Courtesy photo / Department of Law)

Ex-DHS officer indicted on sexual assault charges

The alleged offenses occurred between 2012 and 2018.

Former DHS employee Bert Christopher Heitstuman was arrested in Anchorage Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021 for multiple counts of sexual assault. (Courtesy photo / Department of Law)
Gov. Mike Dunleavy sent a letter to the White House asking for federal action to get cruise ship passengers, like the ones seen here in this 2017 file photo, back in Alaska. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file)
Gov. Mike Dunleavy sent a letter to the White House asking for federal action to get cruise ship passengers, like the ones seen here in this 2017 file photo, back in Alaska. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file)
Jim Cockrell speaks at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center on Tuesday, April 6 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Dunleavy taps Cockrell to head public safety

Cockrell is a former wildlife trooper and Marathon security supervisor.

Jim Cockrell speaks at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center on Tuesday, April 6 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Prescriptions drugs, vitamins, hormones, and other drugs left in the drug drop box in the lobby of the Juneau Police Department displayed on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019. The state is suing prescription drug companies, accusing them of helping to fuel a drug crisis in the state. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

State sues drug companies over opioids

Not Alaska’s first opioid lawsuit.

Prescriptions drugs, vitamins, hormones, and other drugs left in the drug drop box in the lobby of the Juneau Police Department displayed on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019. The state is suing prescription drug companies, accusing them of helping to fuel a drug crisis in the state. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Doug Woodby, co-chair of environmental group 350Juneau, holds up a letter addressed to the CEO of Wells Fargo alongside Irene Alexakos and Dick Farnell, wearing the costume. The group delivered the letter urging divestment from the fossil fuel industry to the bank's branch in downtown Juneau on Friday, April 2, 2021. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Doug Woodby, co-chair of environmental group 350Juneau, holds up a letter addressed to the CEO of Wells Fargo alongside Irene Alexakos and Dick Farnell, wearing the costume. The group delivered the letter urging divestment from the fossil fuel industry to the bank's branch in downtown Juneau on Friday, April 2, 2021. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
The banner at the center of a U.S. Supreme Court case on display at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. The banner’s owner was unable to find it a home in Juneau, and it’s been sent to the First Amendment Museum in Maine. (Wikicommons)

Banner at center of Supreme Court case leaves Juneau

The banner had been on display at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., but that museum recently closed.

The banner at the center of a U.S. Supreme Court case on display at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. The banner’s owner was unable to find it a home in Juneau, and it’s been sent to the First Amendment Museum in Maine. (Wikicommons)
dnr.alaska.gov

209 land parcels up for bid in state auction

The auction opened March 31 at 10 a.m. and will close on Sept. 28 at 4:30 p.m.

dnr.alaska.gov
House lawmakers are hoping to see at least some cruise ship passengers like these seen in this Sept. 2017 file photo, and passed a resolution urging Congress and the president to take action on behalf of Alaska's tourist sector. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

House OKs resolution urging federal action on cruises

Juneau’s lawmakers say tourism needed for Southeast.

House lawmakers are hoping to see at least some cruise ship passengers like these seen in this Sept. 2017 file photo, and passed a resolution urging Congress and the president to take action on behalf of Alaska's tourist sector. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
A person holds their thumb over a fingerprint sensor to log into an application. Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Wednesday introduced a bill that would make companies that collect and sell private information have to receive user’s consent first. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

New bill would allow Alaskans to know when data is collected

Governor introduced Consumer Data Privacy Act on Wednesday.

A person holds their thumb over a fingerprint sensor to log into an application. Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Wednesday introduced a bill that would make companies that collect and sell private information have to receive user’s consent first. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Former Speaker of the House Gail Phillips is shown in this undated photo from the early 1990s taken in Homer, Alaska. (Homer News file photo)

Longtime Kenai Peninsula politican Gail Phillips remembered

Phillips honored for role as mentor, leader and volunteer

Former Speaker of the House Gail Phillips is shown in this undated photo from the early 1990s taken in Homer, Alaska. (Homer News file photo)
This photo provided by the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group shows the scene of a helicopter crash near the Knik Glacier in Alaska on Sunday, March 28, 2021. Federal investigators say the helicopter carrying five passengers on a heli-skiing trip in Alaska crashed into a mountain and then rolled downhill nearly 900 feet. The pilot and four of the five passengers on board died in the crash, including billionaire Petr Kellner, the richest man in the Czech Republic. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash just north of Anchorage on Saturday night. (Lance Flint/Alaska Mountain Rescue Group via AP)

Czech billionaire among 5 killed in helicopter crash

The chartered helicopter was conducting heli-ski operations.

This photo provided by the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group shows the scene of a helicopter crash near the Knik Glacier in Alaska on Sunday, March 28, 2021. Federal investigators say the helicopter carrying five passengers on a heli-skiing trip in Alaska crashed into a mountain and then rolled downhill nearly 900 feet. The pilot and four of the five passengers on board died in the crash, including billionaire Petr Kellner, the richest man in the Czech Republic. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash just north of Anchorage on Saturday night. (Lance Flint/Alaska Mountain Rescue Group via AP)
Alaska Department of Administration Commissioner Kelly Tshibaka addresses reporters in Anchorage on Sept. 26, 2019. Tshibaka announced plans on Monday, March 29, 2021, to run for the U.S. Senate seat held by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a fellow Republican, in the 2022 election. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)

Tshibaka announces run for Murkowski’s Alaska Senate seat

Tshibaka posted on social media a copy of her resignation letter as department commissioner.

Alaska Department of Administration Commissioner Kelly Tshibaka addresses reporters in Anchorage on Sept. 26, 2019. Tshibaka announced plans on Monday, March 29, 2021, to run for the U.S. Senate seat held by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a fellow Republican, in the 2022 election. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
A fishing vessel is dwarfed by the Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Norwegian Jewel and Norwegian Pearl in Juneau’s downtown harbor in September 2014. A resolution urging federal action on maritime laws was held up by House Republicans with legal concerns. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

House Republicans balk at cruise ship waiver language

Members don’t want to ask for federal executive order

A fishing vessel is dwarfed by the Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Norwegian Jewel and Norwegian Pearl in Juneau’s downtown harbor in September 2014. A resolution urging federal action on maritime laws was held up by House Republicans with legal concerns. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
This screenshot of a presentation included in a Friday afternoon news conference shows state-owned waterways. (Screenshot)

Opinion: Unlocking Alaska

“After decades of federal obstruction and delay, I am asserting the state’s control of the navigable waters and submerged lands we received at statehood.”

This screenshot of a presentation included in a Friday afternoon news conference shows state-owned waterways. (Screenshot)
Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks at a news conference in Anchorage on Friday, March 26, 2021, to announce the state’s intention to begin management of over 800,000 miles of submerged lands as affirmed in a 2019 U.S. Supreme Court decision. (Courtesy photo / Office of Gov. Mike Dunleavy)
Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks at a news conference in Anchorage on Friday, March 26, 2021, to announce the state’s intention to begin management of over 800,000 miles of submerged lands as affirmed in a 2019 U.S. Supreme Court decision. (Courtesy photo / Office of Gov. Mike Dunleavy)
House Speaker Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, listens to representatives debate a COVID-19 disaster declaration on Thursday, March 25, 2021. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file)

House passes emergency declaration bill

The House Coalition is made of mostly Democrats and independents and is led by Speaker Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak.

House Speaker Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, listens to representatives debate a COVID-19 disaster declaration on Thursday, March 25, 2021. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file)
Passengers at the Juneau International Airport make their way past signage notifying the public about the state’s travel restrictions on Monday, Nov. 15, 2020. Alaska Department of Health and Social Services released a request for information seeking to determine interest among potential contractors to provide a one-dose vaccine to interested travelers in a secure section of the airports in Anchorage, Juneau, Fairbanks and Ketchikan. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

Alaska health department floats idea of airport vaccinations

Could vaccines be coming to Alaska’s busiest airports?

Passengers at the Juneau International Airport make their way past signage notifying the public about the state’s travel restrictions on Monday, Nov. 15, 2020. Alaska Department of Health and Social Services released a request for information seeking to determine interest among potential contractors to provide a one-dose vaccine to interested travelers in a secure section of the airports in Anchorage, Juneau, Fairbanks and Ketchikan. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)