The Alaska Current
@thealaskacurrent.com
We're a nonprofit collective of Alaska journalists, creatives, and content creators providing all the news, politics, and culture that can fit in 665,400 square miles. thealaskacurrent.com
Public comments overwhelmingly oppose the proposed Cascade Point ferry terminal north of Juneau, with residents and community leaders calling it costly, poorly justified and more likely to benefit mining interests than everyday ferry riders.
Cascade Point Ferry Terminal raises concerns among Southeast residents - The Alaska Current
The public comment period regarding Phase 1 of the Cascade Point Ferry Terminal project closed last month and left many Southeast Alaskans frustrated.
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February 10, 2026 at 11:15 PM
Public comments overwhelmingly oppose the proposed Cascade Point ferry terminal north of Juneau, with residents and community leaders calling it costly, poorly justified and more likely to benefit mining interests than everyday ferry riders.
After a full day of hearings, Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s omnibus tax bill faced widespread skepticism from lawmakers, local governments and the public. thealaskacurrent.com/2026/02/09/d...
Dunleavy’s sales tax proposal flops with legislators, local governments and Alaskans - The Alaska Current
There were a series of hearings the House Finance Committee held on Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s omnibus tax bill on Thursday.
thealaskacurrent.com
February 9, 2026 at 10:17 PM
After a full day of hearings, Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s omnibus tax bill faced widespread skepticism from lawmakers, local governments and the public. thealaskacurrent.com/2026/02/09/d...
The Ambler Road still faces major hurdles — funding, land access and local support. A quiet new agreement between state agencies and Native corporations NANA and Doyon suggests negotiations may be shifting, though no final decisions have been made. (From Northern Journal)
In new agreement with state, Indigenous landowners soften resistance to Ambler Road - The Alaska Current
Three Alaska Native corporations and the state agency pushing the Ambler Road quietly signed a nonbinding agreement late last year.
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February 5, 2026 at 11:30 PM
The Ambler Road still faces major hurdles — funding, land access and local support. A quiet new agreement between state agencies and Native corporations NANA and Doyon suggests negotiations may be shifting, though no final decisions have been made. (From Northern Journal)
The state is once again punting on pay raises, arguing that the latest delay is because they need to go out for a second study to study whether the implementation of the first salary study is feasible.
Alaska’s public sector pay isn’t competitive and Gov. Dunleavy is in no hurry to change that - The Alaska Current
If you’ve been wondering when the state is going to finally implement the results of last year’s long-overdue salary study, you’re not alone.
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February 5, 2026 at 11:00 PM
The state is once again punting on pay raises, arguing that the latest delay is because they need to go out for a second study to study whether the implementation of the first salary study is feasible.
The House Finance Committee is set to hold a public hearing on the bill Thursday evening, allowing testifiers to share their views on the measure that would implement a largely exemptionless 2% sales tax that ratchets up to 4% during the summer.
Sound off: Tell legislators what you think about the governor’s sales tax plan - The Alaska Current
A week after Gov. Mike Dunleavy introduced his omnibus fiscal bill, Alaskans will have an opportunity to let lawmakers know what they think of the tax plan.
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February 4, 2026 at 11:00 PM
The House Finance Committee is set to hold a public hearing on the bill Thursday evening, allowing testifiers to share their views on the measure that would implement a largely exemptionless 2% sales tax that ratchets up to 4% during the summer.
Former Sitka Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins is running for governor. A decade-long legislator and key member of the bipartisan House coalition, JKT says it’s time for cross-party leadership to address rising costs, school funding and the state’s future.
JKT hopes to bring the bipartisan coalition mindset to the governor’s office - The Alaska Current
Sitka Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins has officially joined the race for governor, making him the third Democrat and 16th candidate to join the race.
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February 4, 2026 at 7:30 PM
Former Sitka Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins is running for governor. A decade-long legislator and key member of the bipartisan House coalition, JKT says it’s time for cross-party leadership to address rising costs, school funding and the state’s future.
Introducing Where We’re Anchored, a new photo column by Anchorage photographer Emily Mesner. In this year-long series, Emily invites readers to see Anchorage with fresh eyes — starting with January’s theme, Blanketed, and reflections on winter, darkness and grace. buff.ly/Jfi0cmY
Where We’re Anchored: January - The Alaska Current
I’ve had a hard time describing Anchorage to people who often ask me what life in urban Alaska is like.
thealaskacurrent.com
February 4, 2026 at 1:46 AM
Introducing Where We’re Anchored, a new photo column by Anchorage photographer Emily Mesner. In this year-long series, Emily invites readers to see Anchorage with fresh eyes — starting with January’s theme, Blanketed, and reflections on winter, darkness and grace. buff.ly/Jfi0cmY
Inspired by Amy Winehouse, Frank Sinatra, and the feeling a song leaves behind, Adlai Yambao is finding his voice — one performance at a time. Read more in this week's Creative Currents column.
Creative Currents: Adlai Yambao - The Alaska Current
Songwriter, filmmaker and actor Adlai Yambao says that he wants to be known for something. What that “thing” is, he’s still figuring it out.
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February 3, 2026 at 10:00 PM
Inspired by Amy Winehouse, Frank Sinatra, and the feeling a song leaves behind, Adlai Yambao is finding his voice — one performance at a time. Read more in this week's Creative Currents column.
New analysis shows who really pays when Alaska balances its budget — and it’s not the ultra-wealthy. PFD cuts hit low-income households hardest, while taxes on oil and corporations cost far fewer jobs.
Most new taxes would hit working-class Alaskans harder than the rich, report finds - The Alaska Current
A new report released last week dives into the nuances of different budget-balancing tactics and how they impact jobs and household income.
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February 2, 2026 at 10:30 PM
New analysis shows who really pays when Alaska balances its budget — and it’s not the ultra-wealthy. PFD cuts hit low-income households hardest, while taxes on oil and corporations cost far fewer jobs.
What does dating look like in a place where the odds are good, but the goods are odd? A new series for The Alaska Current explores love, burnout and hope in the Anchorage dating scene.
Anchorage Dating Diaries - The Alaska Current
It’s that time of year again. Time for reflection, but mostly a time for the dating wrapped presentation with the girlies.
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January 30, 2026 at 11:15 PM
What does dating look like in a place where the odds are good, but the goods are odd? A new series for The Alaska Current explores love, burnout and hope in the Anchorage dating scene.
Gov. Dunleavy’s omnibus tax bill would raise sales taxes on Alaskans — including groceries — while eliminating the state’s corporate income tax. For several years, residents would pay more as corporations pay less.
Dunleavy’s fiscal plan: Sales tax for you, tax cuts for corporations - The Alaska Current
Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s omnibus tax bill landed with a thud on Monday.
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January 28, 2026 at 1:30 AM
Gov. Dunleavy’s omnibus tax bill would raise sales taxes on Alaskans — including groceries — while eliminating the state’s corporate income tax. For several years, residents would pay more as corporations pay less.
Raised on remote fish hatcheries, Juneau printmaker Meghan Chambers finds her muse where forest meets sea. Birds, tidepools and a century-old press shape a growing printmaking movement in Southeast Alaska.
For Meghan Chambers, beginnings are coastal - The Alaska Current
This morning, like many others, Chambers stays close to what she considers home: the shoreline.
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January 28, 2026 at 12:00 AM
Raised on remote fish hatcheries, Juneau printmaker Meghan Chambers finds her muse where forest meets sea. Birds, tidepools and a century-old press shape a growing printmaking movement in Southeast Alaska.
During the pandemic, Yup’ik, Cup’ig, and Sámi artist Kelsie Sara Ford began skin sewing, tanning fish leather, and beading — building a creative practice around care, culture and time. Read more in this week's Creative Currents.
Creative Currents: Kelsie Ford - The Alaska Current
Yup’ik, Cup’ig, and Sámi artist Kelsie Sara Ford says she doesn’t have a lot of time to herself to do what she wants.
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January 27, 2026 at 10:00 PM
During the pandemic, Yup’ik, Cup’ig, and Sámi artist Kelsie Sara Ford began skin sewing, tanning fish leather, and beading — building a creative practice around care, culture and time. Read more in this week's Creative Currents.
Rep. Andrew Gray, D-Anchorage, is a military veteran and co-chair of the Legislature’s Joint Armed Services Committee. (via Alaska Beacon)
‘Our government is out of control,’ Alaska legislator says, calling for end to state aid for ICE - The Alaska Current
Chairs of state military committee ask questions about unconfirmed deployment of U.S. soldiers from Anchorage to Minnesota.
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January 26, 2026 at 11:45 PM
Rep. Andrew Gray, D-Anchorage, is a military veteran and co-chair of the Legislature’s Joint Armed Services Committee. (via Alaska Beacon)
A UAF student made national headlines after eating another student’s AI-generated art — sparking a broader conversation about AI, protest and performance art. thealaskacurrent.com/2026/01/26/u...
University of Alaska Fairbanks student arrested after eating AI art - The Alaska Current
Last week, the University of Alaska Fairbanks made national headlines for a student eating another student’s AI-generated art.
thealaskacurrent.com
January 26, 2026 at 10:26 PM
A UAF student made national headlines after eating another student’s AI-generated art — sparking a broader conversation about AI, protest and performance art. thealaskacurrent.com/2026/01/26/u...
Gov. Mike Dunleavy used his final State of the State to give himself high marks — but offered few specifics on the fiscal plan he’s been teasing for months, leaving legislators and Alaskans with more questions than answers. thealaskacurrent.com/2026/01/26/l...
Light on specifics, Dunleavy says his yet-to-be-introduced fiscal plan ‘could work’ - The Alaska Current
Gov. Mike Dunleavy gave his final State of the State address last week.
thealaskacurrent.com
January 26, 2026 at 8:48 PM
Gov. Mike Dunleavy used his final State of the State to give himself high marks — but offered few specifics on the fiscal plan he’s been teasing for months, leaving legislators and Alaskans with more questions than answers. thealaskacurrent.com/2026/01/26/l...
From documentary photography to ceramics, sound and installation: artist Mekko Harjo talks about exploding his practice — and why collaboration sits at the center of 'a point a place a home.'
Creative Currents: Mekko Harjo - The Alaska Current
Brooklyn-based installation and sound artist Mekko Harjo’s collaborative installation with Jordan Hill, 'a point a place a home', is on view at UAA until Jan. 23.
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January 26, 2026 at 8:02 PM
From documentary photography to ceramics, sound and installation: artist Mekko Harjo talks about exploding his practice — and why collaboration sits at the center of 'a point a place a home.'
Alaska-based multidisciplinary artist Christine Sundly believes everyone has the ability to be creative — and that place shapes process. From Alaska animals to immersive, emotional installations, her work invites joy, experimentation and connection. buff.ly/5nNNWqj
Creative Currents: Christine Sundly - The Alaska Current
Christine Sundly says her artwork looks different based on where she is living.
thealaskacurrent.com
January 24, 2026 at 12:08 AM
Alaska-based multidisciplinary artist Christine Sundly believes everyone has the ability to be creative — and that place shapes process. From Alaska animals to immersive, emotional installations, her work invites joy, experimentation and connection. buff.ly/5nNNWqj
House and Senate Republican minorities voted to uphold Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s veto of SB 113, blocking Alaska from joining a multistate compact to collect corporate income taxes from out-of-state online businesses. The override failed 35–25.
With Dunleavy’s sales tax proposal on the horizon, GOP legislators vote down corporate tax bill - The Alaska Current
Legislators from the House and Senate Republican minorities voted en masse to uphold Gov. Mike Dunleavy's veto.
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January 23, 2026 at 1:00 AM
House and Senate Republican minorities voted to uphold Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s veto of SB 113, blocking Alaska from joining a multistate compact to collect corporate income taxes from out-of-state online businesses. The override failed 35–25.
Visibility can be life-changing: Sam Goldon didn’t see openly trans people growing up — now they’re helping queer, trans & non-binary folks access the outdoors, build community, and feel at home in their bodies. Hear more about Goldon in this week's Trail Blazers column. buff.ly/ApRmxAG
Trail Blazers: Sam Goldon - The Alaska Current
“You can’t be what you can’t see” is an important mantra for Sam Goldon.
thealaskacurrent.com
January 22, 2026 at 11:37 PM
Visibility can be life-changing: Sam Goldon didn’t see openly trans people growing up — now they’re helping queer, trans & non-binary folks access the outdoors, build community, and feel at home in their bodies. Hear more about Goldon in this week's Trail Blazers column. buff.ly/ApRmxAG
Bill Hill, an independent, raised more than $200,000 on his first day in the race. thealaskacurrent.com/2026/01/22/b...
Begich challenger Bill Hill makes a splash in congressional campaign launch - The Alaska Current
Bill Hill, a longtime commercial fisherman and former superintendent of the Bristol Bay School District, joined the race to unseat GOP Rep. Nick Begich.
thealaskacurrent.com
January 22, 2026 at 7:44 PM
Bill Hill, an independent, raised more than $200,000 on his first day in the race. thealaskacurrent.com/2026/01/22/b...
The Alaska Legislature kicked off its 2026 session on Tuesday with a gloomy outlook thanks to an already-bad fiscal picture, escalating global uncertainty and a litany of headaches caused by lame-duck Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
thealaskacurrent.com/2026/01/21/a...
thealaskacurrent.com/2026/01/21/a...
Alaska Legislature kicks off with a ‘downer’ of an outlook - The Alaska Current
The Alaska Legislature kicked off its 2026 session on Tuesday with a gloomy outlook thanks to an already-bad fiscal picture.
thealaskacurrent.com
January 22, 2026 at 1:30 AM
The Alaska Legislature kicked off its 2026 session on Tuesday with a gloomy outlook thanks to an already-bad fiscal picture, escalating global uncertainty and a litany of headaches caused by lame-duck Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
thealaskacurrent.com/2026/01/21/a...
thealaskacurrent.com/2026/01/21/a...
Tupe Smith and Mike Pese have become the face of the state’s effort to prosecute nearly a dozen Samoan U.S nationals living in Whittier, cases that attorneys say boil down to honest confusion over the voting rights of people from American Samoa.
As the State of Alaska remains hellbent on prosecuting Samoan US nationals for voting, Alaskans rally around Whittier couple - The Alaska Current
On a chilly Thursday afternoon outside the Boney Courthouse in downtown Anchorage, Tupe Smith and her husband, Mike Pese, were joined by members of Alaska’s Samoan community and those outraged by the…
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January 19, 2026 at 7:45 PM
Tupe Smith and Mike Pese have become the face of the state’s effort to prosecute nearly a dozen Samoan U.S nationals living in Whittier, cases that attorneys say boil down to honest confusion over the voting rights of people from American Samoa.
Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola announced her plans to challenge right-wing Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan this week, and polling suggests she has a slight edge heading into the high-stakes campaign. thealaskacurrent.com/2026/01/14/p...
Poll: Peltola opens race for U.S. Senate with slight edge on Sullivan - The Alaska Current
Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola announced her plans to challenge right-wing Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan this week.
thealaskacurrent.com
January 14, 2026 at 11:06 PM
Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola announced her plans to challenge right-wing Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan this week, and polling suggests she has a slight edge heading into the high-stakes campaign. thealaskacurrent.com/2026/01/14/p...
In the run-up to the 2026 Alaska legislative session, lawmakers pre-filed bills targeting masked police officers, AI impersonation and deepfakes, tougher hit-and-run penalties and new testing rules for homeschool students. thealaskacurrent.com/2026/01/14/a...
A police mask ban, anti-bullying and homeschool testing among bills teed up for the 2026 legislative session - The Alaska Current
In the run-up to the 2026 legislative session, lawmakers previewed some of their priorities for the upcoming year.
thealaskacurrent.com
January 14, 2026 at 10:34 PM
In the run-up to the 2026 Alaska legislative session, lawmakers pre-filed bills targeting masked police officers, AI impersonation and deepfakes, tougher hit-and-run penalties and new testing rules for homeschool students. thealaskacurrent.com/2026/01/14/a...