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The race over Alaska’s voting system is tightening, with votes to retain the system leading by just 45—a sharp drop from the 192-vote margin reported Monday. The razor-thin difference, just over 0.01% of votes counted, could lead to a recount after results are certified on November 30. Another 5,800 ballots are set to be counted today, alongside ranked choice sorting for undecided races.
The 34th Alaska Legislature is forming, with Democrats and independents expected to lead a bipartisan House coalition focused on the budget, education funding, and workforce challenges. The Senate's leadership remains unchanged, prioritizing energy cost reductions, pension reform, and election integrity. Collaboration is likely, but tensions may arise with Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy. Speculation about Dunleavy’s potential move to a federal role could further shift the political landscape.
Grimmway Farms has recalled specific organic carrots distributed in Alaska due to possible E. coli contamination. Affected products include organic whole carrots sold from August 14 to October 23, 2024, and organic baby carrots with best-by dates from September 11 to November 12, 2024. While no longer available in stores, they may remain in consumer homes. Consumers are urged to discard these products to avoid health risks, as E. coli can cause severe illness.
Juneau Assembly meetings are discussing the installation of Hesco barriers to protect homes from glacier outbursts. Homeowners would share costs of approximately $8,000, amortized over 10 years. The project aims to prevent future damage from glacial flooding events.
With freezing temperatures on the way, the City and Borough of Juneau advises residents to take precautions to prevent water pipes from freezing or bursting. Recommendations include running a small trickle of water, closing crawl space vents, insulating pipes, and checking heat tapes. The city does not thaw frozen pipes, so residents should contact a plumber if issues arise.
For the first time, women will hold the majority of seats in Alaska’s House of Representatives, with 21 out of 40 members being women, according to unofficial election results. This milestone increases women’s representation in the Alaska Legislature to 43%, surpassing the previous record of 23...
Published 11/22/24
Alaska voters have upheld the state’s open primary and ranked choice voting system by a narrow margin of 664 votes. Meanwhile, Republican Nick Begich has defeated Democratic Representative Mary Peltola in the U.S. House race, ending her historic tenure as Alaska's first Democratic House member...
Published 11/21/24