Eric Stone
@eriwinsto.bsky.social
Alaska Public Media state government reporter based in Juneau. Email: estone@alaskapublic.org
Pinned
Eric Stone
@eriwinsto.bsky.social
· Nov 11
I’m the state government reporter for Alaska Public Media, covering the Alaska Legislature #akleg and other topics of statewide interest. Drop your follow recs here!
On Sunday, I took a commercial flight to Kipnuk, the Western Alaska village hit hardest by the remnants of Typhoon Halong.
What I saw and heard there was simultaneously heartbreaking and inspiring.
(Photos by me, Eric Stone/Alaska Public Media)
What I saw and heard there was simultaneously heartbreaking and inspiring.
(Photos by me, Eric Stone/Alaska Public Media)
October 22, 2025 at 10:12 PM
On Sunday, I took a commercial flight to Kipnuk, the Western Alaska village hit hardest by the remnants of Typhoon Halong.
What I saw and heard there was simultaneously heartbreaking and inspiring.
(Photos by me, Eric Stone/Alaska Public Media)
What I saw and heard there was simultaneously heartbreaking and inspiring.
(Photos by me, Eric Stone/Alaska Public Media)
Reposted by Eric Stone
Update, 6:00 a.m. Wednesday:
The water level on Mendenhall River currently stands above 16 feet -- a new record for glacial outburst flood height.
The river reached major flood stage around 1 a.m. and is still forecast to peak between 8 a.m. and noon.
What are you seeing where you are?
The water level on Mendenhall River currently stands above 16 feet -- a new record for glacial outburst flood height.
The river reached major flood stage around 1 a.m. and is still forecast to peak between 8 a.m. and noon.
What are you seeing where you are?
Live updates as Juneau's glacial outburst flood now expected to crest Wednesday morning
The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning and forecast of more than 16 feet for Mendenhall River. That record peak is expected Wednesday morning.
www.ktoo.org
August 13, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Update, 6:00 a.m. Wednesday:
The water level on Mendenhall River currently stands above 16 feet -- a new record for glacial outburst flood height.
The river reached major flood stage around 1 a.m. and is still forecast to peak between 8 a.m. and noon.
What are you seeing where you are?
The water level on Mendenhall River currently stands above 16 feet -- a new record for glacial outburst flood height.
The river reached major flood stage around 1 a.m. and is still forecast to peak between 8 a.m. and noon.
What are you seeing where you are?
On Sunday, tens or hundreds of millions of tons of rock fell into Tracy Arm, a deep, narrow fjord south of Juneau popular with sightseers.
It set off a colossal tsunami, stranding and nearly washing away a group of kayakers who had camped on a nearby island.
alaskapublic.org/news/environ...
It set off a colossal tsunami, stranding and nearly washing away a group of kayakers who had camped on a nearby island.
alaskapublic.org/news/environ...
'Pure chaos out of nowhere': Mega-landslide and tsunami rip through Tracy Arm south of Juneau
Waves that may have reached 100 feet scoured an inlet that’s frequented by cruise ships, tour vessels and pleasure boats.
alaskapublic.org
August 13, 2025 at 12:51 AM
On Sunday, tens or hundreds of millions of tons of rock fell into Tracy Arm, a deep, narrow fjord south of Juneau popular with sightseers.
It set off a colossal tsunami, stranding and nearly washing away a group of kayakers who had camped on a nearby island.
alaskapublic.org/news/environ...
It set off a colossal tsunami, stranding and nearly washing away a group of kayakers who had camped on a nearby island.
alaskapublic.org/news/environ...
Alaska lawmakers, by a single vote, successfully overrode Gov. Mike Dunleavy's veto of $51 million in state funding for public schools today. #akleg alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
Alaska lawmakers override Dunleavy’s education funding veto
The vote was the second successful veto override after lawmakers convened Saturday for a special session called by Dunleavy.
alaskapublic.org
August 2, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Alaska lawmakers, by a single vote, successfully overrode Gov. Mike Dunleavy's veto of $51 million in state funding for public schools today. #akleg alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
Gov. Dunleavy "asked House minority members to not show up for the first five days of session because like any governor, he does not want his vetoes overturned."
Dunleavy called the session.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” said House Speaker Bryce Edgmon. #akleg
alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
Dunleavy called the session.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” said House Speaker Bryce Edgmon. #akleg
alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
To stymie veto overrides, Dunleavy asks Republicans to skip beginning of special session
Lawmakers have five days at the start of a session to consider veto overrides. The Senate president called Dunleavy's request "absurd" and "unconscionable."
alaskapublic.org
July 3, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Gov. Dunleavy "asked House minority members to not show up for the first five days of session because like any governor, he does not want his vetoes overturned."
Dunleavy called the session.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” said House Speaker Bryce Edgmon. #akleg
alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
Dunleavy called the session.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” said House Speaker Bryce Edgmon. #akleg
alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
Gov. Mike Dunleavy is calling a special legislative session starting Aug. 2. Two subjects on the call: "The creation of a Department of Agriculture" and "Education reform."
#akleg
#akleg
July 2, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Gov. Mike Dunleavy is calling a special legislative session starting Aug. 2. Two subjects on the call: "The creation of a Department of Agriculture" and "Education reform."
#akleg
#akleg
The Alaska DMV would like you to know that those texts you’ve been getting demanding payment are, as you may have suspected, a scam.
June 28, 2025 at 3:28 AM
The Alaska DMV would like you to know that those texts you’ve been getting demanding payment are, as you may have suspected, a scam.
As Trump floats regime change in Iran, Murkowski follows up with a statement emphasizing that only Congress has the power to authorize war. #akleg
June 23, 2025 at 2:59 AM
As Trump floats regime change in Iran, Murkowski follows up with a statement emphasizing that only Congress has the power to authorize war. #akleg
Reposted by Eric Stone
And they are here on BlueSky also: bsky.app/profile/june...
#Juneau #Alaska #AlaskaSky #PartyLikeAJournalist
#Juneau #Alaska #AlaskaSky #PartyLikeAJournalist
June 20, 2025 at 3:58 PM
And they are here on BlueSky also: bsky.app/profile/june...
#Juneau #Alaska #AlaskaSky #PartyLikeAJournalist
#Juneau #Alaska #AlaskaSky #PartyLikeAJournalist
The Juneau Independent, the new venture by the departed Juneau Empire editor Mark Sabbatini is now live. And there is a remarkable amount of news and opinion content on there, despite having launched just today. Check it out: juneauindependent.com
Home | Juneau Independent
juneauindependent.com
June 20, 2025 at 2:44 PM
The Juneau Independent, the new venture by the departed Juneau Empire editor Mark Sabbatini is now live. And there is a remarkable amount of news and opinion content on there, despite having launched just today. Check it out: juneauindependent.com
NEWS: Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed a bill that would increase legislative oversight of tax collection.
House Speaker & Senate President say it's necessary to address a “persistent pattern of obstruction within the senior ranks of Alaska’s Department of Revenue.”
SB 183 passed by a wide margin #akleg
House Speaker & Senate President say it's necessary to address a “persistent pattern of obstruction within the senior ranks of Alaska’s Department of Revenue.”
SB 183 passed by a wide margin #akleg
June 16, 2025 at 8:41 PM
NEWS: Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed a bill that would increase legislative oversight of tax collection.
House Speaker & Senate President say it's necessary to address a “persistent pattern of obstruction within the senior ranks of Alaska’s Department of Revenue.”
SB 183 passed by a wide margin #akleg
House Speaker & Senate President say it's necessary to address a “persistent pattern of obstruction within the senior ranks of Alaska’s Department of Revenue.”
SB 183 passed by a wide margin #akleg
Reposted by Eric Stone
Arrggg...half a dozen weather balloon observations in Alaska were not available Saturday afternoon (from what there should have been five months ago). #weather #akwx #meteorology @climatologist49.bsky.social
June 15, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Arrggg...half a dozen weather balloon observations in Alaska were not available Saturday afternoon (from what there should have been five months ago). #weather #akwx #meteorology @climatologist49.bsky.social
Sitting in the newsroom, listening to Alix solve this mystery in real time, was fun to watch.
Dozens of the plastic bags have washed up near Juneau over the past week after a shipping container full of empty industrial-sized fish food bags fell off a barge heading from Baranof Island to the landfill in Petersburg.
www.ktoo.org/2025/06/13/p...
www.ktoo.org/2025/06/13/p...
Plastic fish food bags litter the water between Sitka and Juneau
A shipping container full of empty hatchery feed bags fell off a barge near Admiralty Island.
www.ktoo.org
June 14, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Sitting in the newsroom, listening to Alix solve this mystery in real time, was fun to watch.
Reposted by Eric Stone
It’s a question that’s swirled around town for decades, often with some heated debate: Why is the state capital Juneau and not Anchorage? Clarise Larson tracks down the answer for the latest episode of Curious Juneau.
www.ktoo.org/2025/06/13/w...
www.ktoo.org/2025/06/13/w...
Why is the state capital Juneau and not Anchorage?
For this Curious Juneau, a listener asked KTOO to take a look at where the question — and the debate — stand.
www.ktoo.org
June 14, 2025 at 1:00 AM
It’s a question that’s swirled around town for decades, often with some heated debate: Why is the state capital Juneau and not Anchorage? Clarise Larson tracks down the answer for the latest episode of Curious Juneau.
www.ktoo.org/2025/06/13/w...
www.ktoo.org/2025/06/13/w...
Goodness. (Gift link.) www.nytimes.com/2025/06/13/t...
June 14, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Goodness. (Gift link.) www.nytimes.com/2025/06/13/t...
Dunleavy cut $50.6 million from formula funding for public schools, equivalent to $200 in basic per-student funding, known as the base student allocation, trimming back a $700 increase lawmakers approved last month. #akleg
That's one of several cuts -- read more:
alaskapublic.org/news/educati...
That's one of several cuts -- read more:
alaskapublic.org/news/educati...
Dunleavy cuts Legislature’s education funding increase by $200 per student
The reduction in education funding is one of more than $100 million in budget reductions Dunleavy made using his line-item veto power.
alaskapublic.org
June 13, 2025 at 3:49 AM
Dunleavy cut $50.6 million from formula funding for public schools, equivalent to $200 in basic per-student funding, known as the base student allocation, trimming back a $700 increase lawmakers approved last month. #akleg
That's one of several cuts -- read more:
alaskapublic.org/news/educati...
That's one of several cuts -- read more:
alaskapublic.org/news/educati...
Gov. Mike Dunleavy said at a Fairbanks Chamber luncheon yesterday that he’s still deciding whether to veto some or all of the education funding boost approved by lawmakers.
But the announcement could come as soon as this week, he said, per reporting from local public radio station KUAC. #akleg
But the announcement could come as soon as this week, he said, per reporting from local public radio station KUAC. #akleg
June 12, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Gov. Mike Dunleavy said at a Fairbanks Chamber luncheon yesterday that he’s still deciding whether to veto some or all of the education funding boost approved by lawmakers.
But the announcement could come as soon as this week, he said, per reporting from local public radio station KUAC. #akleg
But the announcement could come as soon as this week, he said, per reporting from local public radio station KUAC. #akleg
Lawmakers successfully overrode Gov. Mike Dunleavy's veto of a compromise package boosting base public school funding by $700 this morning. 46-14 was the final tally. #akleg
alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
Alaska legislators override Dunleavy’s veto of education bill
Lawmakers voted 46-14 to override the governor’s veto of a bill that includes increased funding for public schools and a series of education policy reforms.
alaskapublic.org
May 20, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Lawmakers successfully overrode Gov. Mike Dunleavy's veto of a compromise package boosting base public school funding by $700 this morning. 46-14 was the final tally. #akleg
alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
As expected, Gov. Mike Dunleavy has vetoed #akleg HB 57, a compromise bill that would have boosted the base of Alaska's public school funding formula by $700.
alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
Dunleavy vetoes compromise education funding bill, setting up override vote
House Bill 57 would have increased the base public school funding by $700 per student. Lawmakers included several policy reforms in an effort at compromise.
alaskapublic.org
May 19, 2025 at 10:00 PM
As expected, Gov. Mike Dunleavy has vetoed #akleg HB 57, a compromise bill that would have boosted the base of Alaska's public school funding formula by $700.
alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
Reposted by Eric Stone
The Alaska House of Representatives has issued citations to honor schools, sports teams, Gold medalists — even animals. But now, it's balked at honoring a conservative political writer. #akleg
In unusual move, Alaska House declines to honor conservative political writer, reports James Brooks, @alaska.bsky.social, of @alaskabeacon.com: alaskabeacon.com/2025/05/09/i... #akleg
In unusual move, Alaska House declines to honor conservative political writer | Alaska Beacon
By voting down Suzanne Downing, it's the first time in recent memory that the House has rejected a common honor.
alaskabeacon.com
May 9, 2025 at 11:57 PM
The Alaska House of Representatives has issued citations to honor schools, sports teams, Gold medalists — even animals. But now, it's balked at honoring a conservative political writer. #akleg
“It feels like all of the students, even the students that are most in need, are being held as bargaining chips,” said Madeline Aguillard, the head of the Kuspuk School District. #akleg
alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
Meeting with superintendents, Dunleavy threatens to veto compromise education bill
Gov. Mike Dunleavy is demanding the Legislature pass additional education policy changes, or he'll veto a compromise bill that passed with wide support, superintendents said.
alaskapublic.org
May 9, 2025 at 3:54 AM
“It feels like all of the students, even the students that are most in need, are being held as bargaining chips,” said Madeline Aguillard, the head of the Kuspuk School District. #akleg
alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
Reposted by Eric Stone
Breaking story from @eriwinsto.bsky.social:
Gov. Mike Dunleavy is demanding the Legislature pass additional education policy changes, or he'll veto a compromise bill that passed the Legislature by a combined vote of 48 to 11, superintendents said. alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
Gov. Mike Dunleavy is demanding the Legislature pass additional education policy changes, or he'll veto a compromise bill that passed the Legislature by a combined vote of 48 to 11, superintendents said. alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
Meeting with superintendents, Dunleavy threatens to veto compromise education bill
Gov. Mike Dunleavy is demanding the Legislature pass additional education policy changes, or he'll veto a compromise bill that passed with wide support, superintendents said.
alaskapublic.org
May 8, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Breaking story from @eriwinsto.bsky.social:
Gov. Mike Dunleavy is demanding the Legislature pass additional education policy changes, or he'll veto a compromise bill that passed the Legislature by a combined vote of 48 to 11, superintendents said. alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
Gov. Mike Dunleavy is demanding the Legislature pass additional education policy changes, or he'll veto a compromise bill that passed the Legislature by a combined vote of 48 to 11, superintendents said. alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
Reposted by Eric Stone
Join @alaskapublic.org's @eriwinsto.bsky.social and other Capitol reporters Friday at Devil's Club Brewing for snacks, beverages and a discussion of all things legislative.
May 7, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Join @alaskapublic.org's @eriwinsto.bsky.social and other Capitol reporters Friday at Devil's Club Brewing for snacks, beverages and a discussion of all things legislative.