At its most northern point, China is hundreds of miles from the Arctic Circle, but its leaders want a say in how the region is governed. Recently, the country issued its first national policy on the Arctic, and it reveals its expansive ambitions in the far North.
Government
Watch Chief Justice Craig Stowers’ State of the Judiciary address live
Alaska Chief Justice Craig Stowers delivers the annual State of the Judiciary Address at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7. Come back to this post at 11 a.m. for a live stream of Gavel Alaska coverage. Or watch on 360 North television, which is available in Juneau over the air on channel 3.3, or on cable and satellite.
Legislators hope to fix uncertainty plaguing school budgets this session
This session, some state legislators hope to put an end to the uncertainty school districts across the state face when it comes to their budgets. House Bill 287 and Senate Bill 131 both address K-12 school funding, but in different ways.
NTSB looks at disabled signals, locked switch in latest deadly Amtrak crash
Safety advocates and federal investigators have railed against a “lax safety culture” within Amtrak in recent years, but investigators warn against attributing four recent crashes to a systemic issue.
Alaska Sen. Dennis Egan won’t seek re-election
Alaska Sen. Dennis Egan won’t seek re-election this year due to poor health. Early contenders to seek his seat include Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association CEO Larry Cotter and possibly Juneau Assemblyman Jesse Kiehl.
Lt. Gov. Mallot and Sen. Sullivan talk transboundary mining with Canadian officials
Alaska Lt. Gov. Byron Mallot and U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan met with Canadian officials to press for more U.S. input on transboundary mines.
In Alaska stop, vice president gets refuel and military briefing
During his refueling stop at Joint Base Elemendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Pence toured the Alaskan Command Center. He also had a closed-door meeting with Gov. Bill Walker and top military officials, including Gen. Lori Robinson, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves and Maj. Gen. Laurie Hummel.
Juneau Assembly to intervene over AEL&P purchase
The City and Borough of Juneau will petition state regulators for a seat at the table as it reviews Alaska Electric Light & Power’s acquisition by Hydro One of Canada. The Juneau Assembly unanimously approved $75,000 in legal fees to make its case to the Regulatory Commission of Alaska.
After years shut, a rural tannery re-opens for business
After being closed down for several years, the tannery re-opened last fall. It’s set to now be a seasonal operation, getting underway in October amid the fall seal hunt, and running to early January. This year there were seven employees, and Sinook is pleased with the run.
VP Mike Pence will stop in Anchorage on Monday on his way to the Olympics
Vice President Mike Pence will stop at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage on Monday evening on his way to Japan and South Korea, according to his staff.