Alaska state troopers Joseph Miller and Jason Woodruff have been indicted by a grand jury in Kenai on first-degree assault charges. The charges stem from an incident where they allegedly caused severe injuries to a man they misidentified as having an outstanding arrest warrant. Initially charged with fourth-degree assault in August, the charges were upgraded following a review of body camera footage, described as "sickening" by Public Safety Commissioner James Cockrell. The troopers face up to 20 years in prison and are scheduled to appear in court on November 12. A $70 million national campaign led by Unite America aims to replace partisan primaries with nonpartisan or ranked-choice voting in several states, including Alaska. The campaign’s goal is to reduce polarization and improve voter engagement. Alaska’s ranked-choice system, which helped elect Democrat Mary Peltola to Congress in 2022, will face a potential repeal vote on November 5. Supporters argue the system offers more representation, while critics say it dilutes dedicated voters' voices and breeds distrust. The Alaska Department of Corrections (DOC) is combating a surge in fentanyl overdoses as the drug finds its way into prisons via photos, fake Amazon packages, and uninspected legal mail. DOC staff now photocopy legal mail to prevent exposure to contraband while saving lives weekly with Narcan. Even minuscule amounts of fentanyl can cause overdose, posing a critical challenge for prison safety. The Federal Highway Administration announced $635 million in grants to repair aging U.S. bridges, with Alaska set to receive $13 million to replace the Ghiglione Bridge in Denali National Park. The bridge faces landslide threats and doesn’t meet earthquake standards. Nationwide, over 42,000 bridges are classified as "poor," highlighting the ongoing need for infrastructure improvement. Maine will receive the largest allocation, nearly $133 million, to address 12 bridges, while Wyoming plans to use $23 million for a historic bridge over Yellowstone's Gardner River.