Alaska U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski told reporters on Thursday that criticism levied at President Donald Trump is “true, honest, necessary and overdue” and said she is “struggling” with her support of the president.Murkowski’s comments represent an unusual rebuke for a Republican senator of the president’s actions in a time of national crisis, with widespread demonstrations and unrest spurred by the death of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police.Trump swiftly clawed back, saying in a series of afternoon tweets hours after the Alaska Republican’s comments that he would campaign...…Alaska U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski told reporters on Thursday that criticism levied at President Donald Trump is “true, honest, necessary and overdue” and said she is “struggling” with her support of the president.Murkowski’s comments represent an unusual rebuke for a Republican senator of the president’s actions in a time of national crisis, with widespread demonstrations and unrest spurred by the death of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police.Trump swiftly clawed back, saying in a series of afternoon tweets hours after the Alaska Republican’s comments that he would campaign...WW…

A Seward man could face a criminal charge after he allegedly dropped a loaded handgun while using the restroom at a Wasilla grocery store, causing the gun to fire into the store, the Alaska State Troopers said.The incident happened around 1:55 p.m. on Sunday at the Three Bears Alaska store on Pittman Road, when 32-year-old Jared Sukert of Seward “was using the restroom when his handgun, with a round in the chamber and hammer cocked, fell out of a concealed holster and discharged,” according to a statement from troopers.“The bullet shot through a wall in the vicinity of store patrons,”...…A Seward man could face a criminal charge after he allegedly dropped a loaded handgun while using the restroom at a Wasilla grocery store, causing the gun to fire into the store, the Alaska State Troopers said.The incident happened around 1:55 p.m. on Sunday at the Three Bears Alaska store on Pittman Road, when 32-year-old Jared Sukert of Seward “was using the restroom when his handgun, with a round in the chamber and hammer cocked, fell out of a concealed holster and discharged,” according to a statement from troopers.“The bullet shot through a wall in the vicinity of store patrons,”...WW…

A prominent Alaska psychiatrist faces a criminal charge for allegedly punching a man in the face for not wearing a face mask in a Juneau Fred Meyer earlier this month.Joshua Sonkiss, 49, was charged with a single count of misdemeanor assault for the incident. He appeared in court Wednesday.The 53-year-old victim, Bowen Dallmann, told police Sonkiss “punched him in the face” for “not wearing a mask” at the Juneau grocery store on June 1, according to a citation filed by Juneau municipal prosecutors.The document notes a witness backed up Dallmann’s account.“Dallmann wanted to pursue assault...…A prominent Alaska psychiatrist faces a criminal charge for allegedly punching a man in the face for not wearing a face mask in a Juneau Fred Meyer earlier this month.Joshua Sonkiss, 49, was charged with a single count of misdemeanor assault for the incident. He appeared in court Wednesday.The 53-year-old victim, Bowen Dallmann, told police Sonkiss “punched him in the face” for “not wearing a mask” at the Juneau grocery store on June 1, according to a citation filed by Juneau municipal prosecutors.The document notes a witness backed up Dallmann’s account.“Dallmann wanted to pursue assault...WW…

We're making coronavirus coverage available without a subscription as a public service. But we depend on reader support to do this work. Please consider joining others in supporting local journalism in Alaska for just $3.23 a week.Cordova’s first positive case of the new coronavirus is an Ocean Beauty Seafoods worker who had recently traveled to the Prince William Sound community from outside of Alaska, officials announced Wednesday.The worker was asymptomatic, but his case was caught by his company’s routine testing of employees, said Mark Palmer, the president of Ocean Beauty Seafoods, in...…We're making coronavirus coverage available without a subscription as a public service. But we depend on reader support to do this work. Please consider joining others in supporting local journalism in Alaska for just $3.23 a week.Cordova’s first positive case of the new coronavirus is an Ocean Beauty Seafoods worker who had recently traveled to the Prince William Sound community from outside of Alaska, officials announced Wednesday.The worker was asymptomatic, but his case was caught by his company’s routine testing of employees, said Mark Palmer, the president of Ocean Beauty Seafoods, in...WW…

In the past, before the new coronavirus, the conversation in an active Facebook group for residents of Whittier was dominated by the chitchat of small-town Alaska life: reports of bears eating out of the trash bin, offers of free used treadmills for giveaway, a recitation of the nightly dinner special at the Anchor Inn.Since mid-March, the posts, and the focus of the community, have turned almost exclusively to the threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic in this tiny, singular hamlet at the edge of Prince William Sound.Whittier is in Alaska. About 80% of the roughly 280 year-round...…In the past, before the new coronavirus, the conversation in an active Facebook group for residents of Whittier was dominated by the chitchat of small-town Alaska life: reports of bears eating out of the trash bin, offers of free used treadmills for giveaway, a recitation of the nightly dinner special at the Anchor Inn.Since mid-March, the posts, and the focus of the community, have turned almost exclusively to the threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic in this tiny, singular hamlet at the edge of Prince William Sound.Whittier is in Alaska. About 80% of the roughly 280 year-round...WW…

Juneau city officials have started amid the coronavirus pandemic, because you could use a laugh right now.The City and Borough of Juneau hotline debuted Tuesday. It’s simple: Call 907-586-0428 and hear a (squeaky clean) joke.“People just need a laugh,” said Dawn Welch, a recreation planner with the City and Borough of Juneau.The joke hotline broke down Wednesday due to overwhelming demand, according to Welch. It was fixed by Thursday. The idea came up a few weeks ago in an online discussion for parks department professionals, said Welch.With a popular city-sponsored hiking program suspended...…Juneau city officials have started amid the coronavirus pandemic, because you could use a laugh right now.The City and Borough of Juneau hotline debuted Tuesday. It’s simple: Call 907-586-0428 and hear a (squeaky clean) joke.“People just need a laugh,” said Dawn Welch, a recreation planner with the City and Borough of Juneau.The joke hotline broke down Wednesday due to overwhelming demand, according to Welch. It was fixed by Thursday. The idea came up a few weeks ago in an online discussion for parks department professionals, said Welch.With a popular city-sponsored hiking program suspended...WW…

Alaska education officials this week announced a new statewide virtual school, the result of a sole source $525,000 contract with an embattled Florida public online education provider — a move the statewide teachers’ union says it was blindsided by and opposes.The will allow K-12 students kept home by the coronavirus pandemic to take ranging from kindergarten social studies to high school computer programming online, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development said Tuesday."While the world around us is scrambling with uncertainty, I believe our students and teachers can and...…Alaska education officials this week announced a new statewide virtual school, the result of a sole source $525,000 contract with an embattled Florida public online education provider — a move the statewide teachers’ union says it was blindsided by and opposes.The will allow K-12 students kept home by the coronavirus pandemic to take ranging from kindergarten social studies to high school computer programming online, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development said Tuesday."While the world around us is scrambling with uncertainty, I believe our students and teachers can and...WW…

The state of Alaska paid more than $81,000 to relocate former commissioner and Kelly Tshibaka and her family to Anchorage in 2019 — an outsized bill she says was caused by a state policy that forced her to accept bids from fraudulent movers, driving up the cost.Tshibaka resigned March 29, the same day she announced she is running for the Senate seat held by Lisa Murkowski. She has made saving the government money a centerpiece of her campaign, cutting costs in her department as commissioner.State regulations require employees to pay back a portion of relocation expenses if they stay at...…The state of Alaska paid more than $81,000 to relocate former commissioner and Kelly Tshibaka and her family to Anchorage in 2019 — an outsized bill she says was caused by a state policy that forced her to accept bids from fraudulent movers, driving up the cost.Tshibaka resigned March 29, the same day she announced she is running for the Senate seat held by Lisa Murkowski. She has made saving the government money a centerpiece of her campaign, cutting costs in her department as commissioner.State regulations require employees to pay back a portion of relocation expenses if they stay at...WW…

A Wasilla man has been arrested on federal charges for taking part in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.Aaron James Mileur, 41, is charged with knowingly entering a restricted building without lawful authority and violent entry and disorderly conduct on U.S. Capitol grounds, both misdemeanors.He the first person to be arrested in Alaska on charges related to insurrection.Mileur is among charged nationwide in relation to the violent Capitol breach so far. Defendants face a broad range of criminal allegations, from trespassing to more serious allegations such as assault of police...…A Wasilla man has been arrested on federal charges for taking part in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.Aaron James Mileur, 41, is charged with knowingly entering a restricted building without lawful authority and violent entry and disorderly conduct on U.S. Capitol grounds, both misdemeanors.He the first person to be arrested in Alaska on charges related to insurrection.Mileur is among charged nationwide in relation to the violent Capitol breach so far. Defendants face a broad range of criminal allegations, from trespassing to more serious allegations such as assault of police...WW…

• • •This article was produced in partnership with ProPublica as part of the .A week ago, one of Alaska’s most powerful executives from his job leading the largest tribal health organization in the state. Neither the outgoing president nor the group said why.Earlier that day, his former assistant had delivered a scathing three-page letter to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium that described a pattern of abusive behavior, harassment and coerced sexual encounters by president Andy Teuber, according to the document, obtained by the Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica.The...…• • •This article was produced in partnership with ProPublica as part of the .A week ago, one of Alaska’s most powerful executives from his job leading the largest tribal health organization in the state. Neither the outgoing president nor the group said why.Earlier that day, his former assistant had delivered a scathing three-page letter to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium that described a pattern of abusive behavior, harassment and coerced sexual encounters by president Andy Teuber, according to the document, obtained by the Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica.The...WW…