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“To the world and all concerned: This is to officially notify you that Eric and Pam Bealer, by their own choice and free will, have committed suicide,” the note said. “We have gone to some effort to hide our bodies, as we do not want them found. Please do not waste time and money looking. It would serve no purpose. We are gone, leave us to our peace.”

A rattle attributed to woodcarver Kadjisdu.axch, who lived 200 years ago in a village near modern-day Wrangell, recently sold at auction for $504,500. The Tlingit artist influences carvers in Southeast Alaska to this day.

A state agency is holding a public hearing and requesting a field-wide review of all of BP’s oil wells at Prudhoe Bay following an accident last month.

School was canceled for the first time in more than seven years Friday as snow continued to fall on the Juneau area.

The Interior Department has responded to questions from a Democratic congressman about its continued work to advance oil development in Alaska during the partial government shutdown.

The lawsuits filed by the ACLU of Alaska name Gov. Mike Dunleavy, chief of staff Tuckerman Babcock and the state as defendants. The Alaska Department of Law isn’t commenting on the lawsuits.

The Alaska Air National Guard search and rescue program conducts both combat and civilian recovery missions.

Options for funding the construction of a new Juneau Arts and Culture Center — budgeted to cost $26.4 million — will be taken up by the Juneau Assembly Public Works and Facilities Committee this spring.

The Army Corps of Engineers confirmed that the draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Pebble Mine is now expected in mid-February rather than January, as previously estimated.

The state’s highest paid employee was fired from $45 billion gas line project today.

Rep. Don Young said President Donald Trump is right to try to improve border security. But Alaska’s lone House member said he’s among the Republicans likely to cross the aisle to vote for spending bills.

The Juneau area is expected to get between 12 to 18 inches of snow over the next few days. The National Weather Service is reporting it could start flurrying late Wednesday evening and continue through the week.

A Juneau Assembly committee will interview the candidates Thursday and send its recommendation to the full Assembly, who will vote Monday at a special meeting after Jesse Kiehl resigns his seat.

“It’s really an uncertain time,” says Carin Christensen, a part-time employee whose husband also works for the U.S. Forest Service. “We don’t know when we’re going back to work, how it will happen, you know, how this will get resolved.”

Over the last 80-some years, there’s been a noticeable change in Fairbanks: The more recent cold snaps haven’t been as cold, and they’re occurring less frequently than they used to.

The Juneau School Board voted unanimously to accept the gift of a Tlingit name for Juneau-Douglas High School. Yadaa.at Kalé is a name given to Mt. Juneau, meaning “beautifully adorned face.”

Sen. Lisa Murkowski also says she’s “concerned about the legality” of President Donald Trump’s idea to declare an emergency on the southern border to access funds for the wall.

Weiss has served as interim superintendent for the Juneau School District since August, when her predecessor left after four years in the position. On Tuesday, she accepted the position permanently with the school board’s unanimous support.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy said state spending will match its revenue. That will require a $1.6 billion spending cut, equal to 27 percent of the portion of the state budget the Alaska Legislature directly controls.

More than 5,300 people have signed an online petition asking the Anchorage School District to require no less than 60 minutes per day for lunch and recess. The district currently mandates at least 45 minutes.