Author | Lightnews

Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 1d

It looks like the photos didn’t quite come through… let’s try that again.

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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 1d

What I saw and heard: alaskapublic.org/2025-western...

‘We got hope’: The few who remain in storm-ravaged Kipnuk race to rebuild

The remnants of Typhoon Halong left a catastrophe in this Western Alaska village. The handful of people left there are determined — but face an immense challenge.

alaskapublic.org

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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 1d

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)

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Reposted by Eric Stone

KTOO Public Media @ktoopublicmedia.bsky.social · Aug 13

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?

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

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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · Aug 13

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...

'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

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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · Aug 2

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

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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · Jul 3

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...

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

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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · Jul 2

Here's what he has to say about it. #akleg

Governor Dunleavy Schedules Special Session on Education Reform, Department of Agriculture

July 2, 2025 (Anchorage, AK) – Governor Mike Dunleavy has issued a proclamation for a 30-day special session to begin Saturday, August 2, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. in Juneau. The call will be limited to two items, education reform and an executive order creating the new Alaska Department of Agriculture.

“Enacting a few necessary reforms to our public education system can elevate those children struggling in Alaska’s school system,” said Governor Dunleavy. “As elected officials we must do all we can to put the next generation on the path to a successful and prosperous future, and that starts with a solid public education. Splitting the Division of Agriculture away from DNR into a department will elevate food security and support our hard-working farmers while growing the agricultural sector.”

The agriculture department EO and the education reform bill will be available on the first day of the special session. Click here for a copy of the special session proclamation.

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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · Jul 2

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

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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · Jun 28

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.

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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · Jun 28

Alaska state lawmakers on the One Big Beautiful Bill #akleg —

alaskapublic.org/news/politic...

Legislators argue cuts in GOP megabill would mean ‘chaos’ for Alaska

House Speaker Bryce Edgmon and Senate Majority Leader Cathy Giessel say the 'one big beautiful bill' approaching a Senate vote threatens Alaskans' way of life.

alaskapublic.org

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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · Jun 23

Some initial responses from Murkowski, Sullivan, Begich and Dunleavy last night. #akleg

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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · Jun 23

As Trump floats regime change in Iran, Murkowski follows up with a statement emphasizing that only Congress has the power to authorize war. #akleg

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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · Jun 20

I imagine they’ll be posting here soon at @juneauindependent.bsky.social

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Reposted by Eric Stone

Mikko Wilson @mikkowilson.com · Jun 20

And they are here on BlueSky also: bsky.app/profile/june...
#Juneau #Alaska #AlaskaSky #PartyLikeAJournalist

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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · Jun 20

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

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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · Jun 17

Of note — The amount of money deposited in the state’s main rainy-day fund from so-called tax and royalty settlements dropped from $281 million in 2020 to just $3.1 million in 2024, according to documents from the Department of Revenue. #akleg

More: alaskapublic.org/news/politic...

Gov. Dunleavy vetoes bill strengthening oversight of oil tax collection

Backers of the bill say it’s an effort to get to the bottom of why certain types of oil tax revenue have fallen precipitously in recent years.

alaskapublic.org

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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · Jun 16

In his veto message, Dunleavy says the bill raises constitutional concerns.

Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, speaking to me just now, says the bill was suggested by and written by legislative attorneys, who never flagged any constitutional issues. (That's a big part of their job.) #akleg

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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · Jun 16

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

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Reposted by Eric Stone

Rick Thoman @alaskawx.bsky.social · Jun 15

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

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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · Jun 14

Sitting in the newsroom, listening to Alix solve this mystery in real time, was fun to watch.

KTOO Public Media @ktoopublicmedia.bsky.social · Jun 14

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...

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

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Reposted by Eric Stone

KTOO Public Media @ktoopublicmedia.bsky.social · Jun 14

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...

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

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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · Jun 14

Goodness. (Gift link.) www.nytimes.com/2025/06/13/t...

the images in this post are the first several paragraphs of the story. click the link to read.

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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · Jun 13

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...

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

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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · Jun 12

“We’re gonna be making decisions here later on this week on that — whether there’s gonna be a veto, and if so, how much. So, that information will be out probably by Thursday,” he said. #akleg

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