Extreme-right Republican takes nasty friendly fire over support for bipartisan election bill - The Alaska Current If you’ve followed the legislative career of extreme-right Homer Republican Sarah Vance there’s not much that comes across as progressive.

A modest elections reform bill has put Rep. Sarah Vance at odds with conservative media allies, marking another rift inside the Alaska GOP.

Pressing Silence: Britta Adams is a body in motion - The Alaska Current Walking down the beach, Britta Adams stopped to watch the last vestiges of flowing water retreat with the falling tide.

Drawing from Southeast Alaska’s coastlines, Ketchikan artist Britta Adams turns intertidal materials into cyanotypes shaped by her experience swimming and paddleboarding in the region. Read the latest in the Pressing Silence series.

Lawmakers pitch shipping inmates Outside — a practice that once helped gangs establish footholds in Alaska - The Alaska Current Alaska once sent as many as a third of its inmates to private Outside prisons, and it may do so again.

While much of Alaska’s state budget has been stagnant or seen cuts during Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s time in office, the state’s prison budget has grown by an eye-popping 60%. buff.ly/nCCrsKN

Sullivan traded up to $2M in stocks while in office - The Alaska Current The senator's wealth has grown by 176% since 2015.

Sullivan’s net worth has increased by 176% since joining the Senate in 2015, jumping from $3 million to $8.29 million.

The state’s budget reflects a mix of cuts to social programs and continued incentives for oil and gas production, raising questions about whose needs are treated as essential. Illustration and commentary by Holly Todd.

Tight Anchorage Assembly race between Park and Donley likely headed to a recount - The Alaska Current Just 47 votes separated progressive Anchorage Assembly candidate Janice Park and conservative Dave Donley in the race to represent Midtown Anchorage.

The election workers are set to determine whether a recount is necessary on April 23, when all ballots will have been processed and the city’s ballot-curing window will have closed.

House approves key social spending boosts in operating budget as Republicans cry foul - The Alaska Current The Alaska House approved its version of the state operating budget on Monday.

The budget includes $147 million in additional funding for schools, $11 million for student transportation, $17.5 million to restart the state’s heating assistance program, $15 million for rate increases for health care workers, $7.5 million for child care and $4 million for early education grants.

Current Cravings: ‘Fairbanks Foodie’ knows how to eat in the Golden Heart City - The Alaska Current Upon reaching out, I sat down at Little Owl Cafe’s new 3rd St. location with Emily, the Fairbanks Foodie, to talk about food in the subarctic.

From salted pistachio matcha to one-pound breakfast burritos, “Fairbanks Foodie” is redefining what it means to eat well in the subarctic. Our Current Cravings columnist sat down with the creator behind @fbxfoodie — and followed her recs across Fairbanks.

Airline attendants protest Alaska U.S. Sen. Sullivan’s support of SAVE Act - The Alaska Current Chilly weather and a tight connection were nothing for the Alaska-based flight attendants who gathered outside U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan’s Anchorage office on Friday.

Chilly weather and a tight connection were nothing for the Alaska-based flight attendants who gathered outside U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan’s Anchorage office on Friday to protest his support of the Republican efforts to upend how Americans vote.

Legislators nix online age checks for social media, citing First Amendment concerns - The Alaska Current The online age-verification provisions that the Alaska House approved earlier this legislative session to limit social media use by minors are no more.

Legislators said they were concerned about the legal implications of the measure and whether it would run afoul of free speech and privacy rights.

House Republicans try — and fail — to delete $158 million in public school funding - The Alaska Current Alaska House Republicans threw their weight behind an attempt to slash $158 million in additional public school funding, but ultimately came up short.

The bipartisan House Majority included the money in its version of the state operating budget, arguing that despite last year’s historic increase in baseline per-student funding, the state’s public education system is still struggling with high costs and still-insufficient funding.

Incumbents hold early advantage in Anchorage’s election - The Alaska Current Progressive and moderate candidates held advantages in early results from Anchorage’s Tuesday election.

As of Tuesday night, 42,0494 votes had been counted, representing a turnout of 17.9%. Thousands more ballots are yet to be counted and more are expected to arrive by mail over the next two weeks.

Legislators advance bill to trim state’s marijuana taxes - The Alaska Current A significant cut to the state’s marijuana taxes is another step closer to becoming a reality.

A major marijuana tax cut is moving forward as lawmakers advanced a bill to slash taxes and overhaul the system as businesses struggle with high costs and black market competition.

State of the Race: Conservatives deploy shady tactics in attempt to regain Anchorage foothold - The Alaska Current The Anchorage muni election day is tomorrow, where voters will decide six assembly races, two school board races and a dozen propositions.

Anchorage's election day is tomorrow, where voters will decide six assembly races, two school board races and a dozen propositions.

Current Cravings: This Fairbanks pizza is kind of a big dill, and where to find Alaska’s favorite pickle dishes - The Alaska Current It’s apparent that Alaskans’ passion for the pickle isn’t a quirky niche.

Fairbanks’ Hungry Robot lands on Guy Fieri’s top pizzerias list — but the Dilly Dilly is just the start. Our Current Cravings columnist rounds up Alaska’s best pickle dishes.

Rep. Begich and Sen. Sullivan pitch the SAVE Act as election security, despite scant evidence of fraud — while millions without passports or with name changes could face new barriers. State lawmakers are moving in the opposite direction, pushing to expand access for rural voters.

Proposed Alaska constitutional amendment would clear the way for school-focused taxes - The Alaska Current Lawmakers hope that changing the Alaska Constitution might be the key to sparing the state's ailing public school system from the perennial fight over funding.

The measure addresses a wonky part of the Alaska Constitution that generally prohibits the state from permanently dedicating money to a specific purpose.

Allard introduces amendment to remove $158 million in funding for public schools from House operating budget - The Alaska Current Last week the House Finance Committee introduced a draft appropriations bill regarding the state’s operating budget, HB 263, that would include a $158 million increase in funding for Alaska public…

“I do believe we should close schools,” Rep. Jamie Allard said in Tuesday’s House Finance Committee meeting. “I think we should consolidate schools; this has to happen.”

Independent congressional candidate Bill Hill reports raising $780,000 since launch - The Alaska Current Independent candidate Bill Hill is one of the leading challengers to Alaska U.S. Republican Nick Begich.

According to the campaign, the money comes from more than 4,500 individuals across the state and is the second-most ever raised by a non-incumbent Alaska House candidate in their first quarter.

From garage sale to store shelves: Young entrepreneurs turn slime into sweet success - The Alaska Current Wild Scoops made Blueberry Bear Slime Co. a wholesale partner in 2025 and placed their first order for 200 slimes.

From a melted mess to storefront success: three Anchorage kids turned slime into a growing business — now teaming up with Wild Scoops for its 10th anniversary.

Anchorage voters urged to mail ballots early ahead of April election - The Alaska Current A recent U.S. Postal Service policy change could affect how Anchorage voters return their ballots in the city’s upcoming municipal election on April 7.

Under a federal rule finalized in 2025, mail is not guaranteed to be postmarked the same day it is dropped off. Postmarks may reflect when the ballot is processed at a postal facility, which could happen days later.

Murkowski’s thrilled about drilling under Trump, everything else not so much - The Alaska Current “Nothing is going better for Alaska than resource development.”

Sen. Lisa Murkowski praised Trump-backed resource development in Alaska as a major win, even as she warned about health care impacts, higher energy costs tied to the Iran war and potential voting barriers.

Where We’re Anchored: March - The Alaska Current I’m a winter girl to my core so this time of year has always been difficult for me.

Emily Mesner is back with another installation of “Where We’re Anchored”, a year-long photographic series based on Anchorage. This month's theme: revival.

Trail Blazers: Carrot Quinn - The Alaska Current For Carrot Quinn, long-distance hiking is both an outlet and an excuse to be outside.

Carrot Quinn doesn’t just hike Alaska — she maps her own routes through it, turning miles of tundra, river crossings and solitude into stories. A look at the Fairbanks adventurer in our latest Trail Blazers.

As legislators eye higher taxes on some oil companies, Republicans warn it’ll ‘chloroform’ other priorities - The Alaska Current Alaska senators narrowly backed a plan to tax oil giants like Hilcorp, closing a loophole that’s cost the state ~$100 million a year.

Senators approved a change to extend corporate income tax to passthrough oil companies — potentially adding ~$100 million a year — but GOP opposition make its future uncertain.

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Alaskans lost $43 million because the GOP let popular health insurance subsidies expire - The Alaska Current Alaskans who relied on federal subsidies to make health insurance nearly affordable lost out on more than $43 million.

Alaskans lost $43 million in health insurance help after Congress let ACA subsidies expire, including votes by Dan Sullivan and Nick Begich. Premiums are spiking, coverage is dropping and providers warn costs will keep rising. thealaskacurrent.com/2026/03/25/a...

‘Delicate balance’ election bill clears the House, on track to pass the Legislature - The Alaska Current The Alaska House on Monday passed a long-awaited elections reform bill described as a "delicate balance" of progressive and conservative priorities.

Alaska House passed an elections bill with ballot curing, ballot tracking, prepaid absentee postage and updated voter roll rules. thealaskacurrent.com/2026/03/24/d...

Legislators consider cutting pot taxes, but the industry is split on move to sales tax - The Alaska Current One of the long-running legislative goals of Alaska’s recreational marijuana industry is to graduate from the original tax structure from 2014.

A bill to cut cultivation taxes is advancing — but a fight over switching to a sales tax is dividing the industry.

The Anchorage Dating Diaries: Back on the apps - The Alaska Current Well… the apps are just as I remembered.

Our dating columnist returns: Anchorage apps remain chaotic, the bar remains subterranean, a promising suitor turned Casper and yet — she persists. Another first date next weekend.

With volatile oil prices, Alaska Republicans bet on the upside - The Alaska Current Trump’s war with Iran will probably drive up Alaska’s oil prices by just enough.

Alaska Republicans are banking on high and volatile oil prices to cover the state’s budget pressures — even as economists warn the revenue picture is anything but certain.