In this newscast: Satellite internet provider Starlink experienced a major “network outage” on Thursday that lasted about two and a half hours; Longtime Juneau School District board member and board president Deedie Sorensen says she is no longer planning to run for reelection. She’s been known as a longstanding advocate and voice for teachers during her six-year tenure; Drag queens in Alaska typically find their stages in Anchorage or Fairbanks. But last week, three Alaska queens traveled to the bush to perform in Bethel’s first-ever drag show; Alaska’s former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola is suing the owners of the aircraft that her late husband Eugene “Buzzy” Peltola Jr. was piloting at the time of his death.

Clarise Larson
City Government Reporter, KTOO
"My mission is to hold Juneau’s elected officials accountable for their actions and how their decisions impact the lives of the people they represent. It’s rooted in the belief that an informed public has the power to make positive change."
When Clarise isn't working, you can find her skijoring with her dog, Bloon, or climbing up walls at the Rock Dump.
Retired teacher, longtime Juneau School Board member no longer running for reelection
Deedie Sorensen says she will finish out her current term but plans to step down after this October’s municipal election for personal reasons.
Newscast – Wednesday, July 23, 2025
In this newscast: A 35-year-old woman has died after the vessel she was on capsized near Sitka on Sunday; Nearly all the staff of Juneau’s only print newspaper left the publication for a new, web-based local news outlet; Haines is Alaska’s oldest borough – and a recent survey of residents under 40 years old provides a clearer picture of why. Respondents outlined a long list of factors that make it increasingly difficult for younger people to live in the small Southeast community, ranging from scant housing and childcare options – to polarized local politics; The Alaska Department of Health says it’s still assessing how President Trump’s so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act will affect the state’s Medicaid program. State officials say they do not have reliable estimates of how many Alaskans could lose coverage or how much the new law will reduce federal health care spending.
Juneau opens up application for $2.5M in affordable housing funding
The city created the fund five years ago to address the city’s lack of housing — specifically, low and middle-income rentals. But not all projects funded in the past have been required to offer affordable units.
Newscast – Monday, July 21, 2025
In this newscast: Tomorrow marks one month since Juneau resident Benjamin or “Benny” Stepetin was last seen in the capital city; For years, the state has struggled to keep up with Alaskans who apply for government benefits intended to help people facing disabilities and poverty. Despite efforts to address the problem, thousands of Alaskans are still caught in backlogs; It’s been three weeks since the Alaska Department of Fish and Game seized dozens of animals from a wildlife facility outside Haines. But a number were left behind; An IT outage that grounded all Alaska Airlines flights Sunday night led to cancellations today at the Anchorage and Fairbanks international airports.
Search continues for missing Juneau man a month after disappearance
Juneau resident Benjamin “Benny” Stepetin was last seen on June 22 in downtown Juneau. His family has been searching for him every day since.


