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Letters to the editor

About ballot measure on ranked choice voting

Homer Pet of the Week: Lola

Shepherd mix needs plenty of physical activity

A tasty, savory snack

I was taught in culinary school that every fold of a chef’s toque represents an egg dish they have mastered. An entire week of school was dedicated exclusively to the endlessly useful culinary superstar we probably all have in our kitchens right now. The final exam for “Egg Week” was to serve our chef one fried egg over easy, one soft poached, one scrambled, and one hard-boiled, all served at once, hot and perfect. I got lucky and passed on my first go, but some classmates

Amid political division, Alaska lawmakers close in on final compromise gasline bill

The Alaska State Capitol is seen on the last day of the legislative session on May 20, 2026. (Photo by Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)Legislative leaders say they will introduce a final compromise tax bill for the proposed AKLNG gasline on Thursday, which is then scheduled to be taken up for a vote by the full House and Senate. A six-member multipartisan conference committee of lawmakers from the House and Senate has been working throughout a second special session called by Gov. Mike Dunleavy on

Argentina rallies past England with 2-1 win to advance to World Cup Final

Defending champions Argentina advanced to their second consecutive World Cup final on Wednesday, orchestrating a stunning late comeback to defeat England 2-1 at Atlanta Stadium. Despite trailing for much of the second half, the South American powerhouse scored twice in the final ten minutes of play to shatter England’s aspirations of reaching its first tournament final in six decades.The contest remained scoreless through a fiercely contested first half defined by physical play and defensive rig

Astros send Lance McCullers Jr. to Brewers in deal for prospect Jadyn Fielder

The Houston Astros have traded veteran right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. to the Milwaukee Brewers in a deal that also sends left-handed pitcher Colton Gordon and cash considerations to Milwaukee in exchange for minor league outfielder Jadyn Fielder. The move ends McCullers’ lengthy tenure with the Astros, the organization that drafted him in 2012 and where he helped win World Series championships in 2017 and 2022.McCullers, 32, waived the no-trade clause in his contract to complete the deal

Riley Green earns seventh No. 1 on country charts with “Change My Mind”

Riley Green added another milestone to his career as “Change My Mind” climbed to the top of the country radio charts, giving the Alabama singer-songwriter his seventh No. 1 hit. The track reached the summit of Billboard Country Airplay, Mediabase Country and Canada Country Radio, continuing a streak of success that has made Green one of the genre’s most consistent performers.The latest achievement with “Change My Mind” (from his Don’t Mind If I Do project) follows a pair of chart-toppers in “Wor

Five Finger Death Punch marking 20th anniversary with new album ‘Legacy’

Five Finger Death Punch have announced their 10th studio album, Legacy, which celebrates two decades as one of hard rock’s most commercially successful bands. The record will arrive digitally on July 31, with CD, vinyl and cassette editions following on Sept. 18. Alongside the announcement, the band released the new single, “De Oppresso Liber,” giving fans another preview of the forthcoming project.The new album also follows the band’s recent 20th anniversary releases, Be

Marilyn Manson to release ‘One Assassination Under God – Chapter 2’

Marilyn Manson has announced his next studio album, One Assassination Under God – Chapter 2, which is scheduled for release Aug. 14 through Nuclear Blast Records. The project serves as the follow-up to 2024’s One Assassination Under God – Chapter 1 and marks the 13th studio album of his career. Manson again collaborated with longtime musical partner Tyler Bates, who co-produced and co-wrote the record. The album will also arrive ahead of Manson’s late-summer co-headlining tour with Rob Zombie.Ma

Teddy Swims hitting the road this fall with North American tour dates

Teddy Swims is gearing up for a major run on the road in 2026, unveiling plans for his “The Ugly Tour,” a 32-date arena trek spanning North America this fall.The tour is set to launch on September 22 in Kansas City’s T-Mobile Center, making stops in prominent arenas including Chicago’s United Center, Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, Boston’s TD Garden, Washington, D.C.’s Capital One Arena, Atlanta’s State Farm Arena, Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, Houston’s Toyota Center,

Post Malone to headline FIFA World Cup Final Closing Ceremony

Post Malone will headline the closing ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, adding one of music’s biggest stars to the championship event at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19. FIFA announced the performance as part of a pre-match celebration that will precede the tournament’s championship match by 90 minutes, with the organization describing the show as a tribute to the first 48-team World Cup and the tournament’s journey across 16 host cities in the United States, C

Post Malone to headline FIFA World Cup Final Closing Ceremony

American Pipit––Tougher than they look

By Kate Persons */ American pipits are delicate-looking songbirds that defy their appearance to buck strong winds and endure the harsh condition of their alpine breeding grounds. This slender, fairy-like bird nests in one of our most exposed habitats.The American pipit breeds in arctic tundra from western Alaska to Greenland, and in alpine tundra on scattered mountaintops in the Rocky Mountain west, the high Sierras and the White Mountains in the northeastern United States.During migration pipi

Republicans refuse to say that Trump lost in 2020

It’s come to this:Alaska candidates for the U.S. House in 2026 will be asked, “Who do you believe was the rightful winner of the 2020 election?Alaska candidates for the U.S. Senate in 2026 will be asked: “Do you believe that Donald Trump was the rightful winner of the 2020 election?”That this question has to be asked is because Donald Trump lies on a daily basis about his defeat in 2020. And Republican candidates play along with the liar-in-chief.Four of the major Alaska news organizations—the A

Clawsome season for small crabbing vessel Ripley

By Ariana Crockett O'Harra Nome’s crabbing fleet this summer saw a somewhat unconventional vessel. Gabriel Smith used a 22-foot open skiff dubbed the Ripley, hauling in more than 12,000 pounds over the 10-day commercial summer crabbing season. Was it scary? Not really, said Smith. “It’s got a self-bailing deck, so as long as you’re under power and moving, it’s easy to avoid taking waves from the wrong direction or doing anything scary,” he said. “You have time to correct yourself if it doe

Primaries are coming up. Are you following the candidates' stances on the issues?

Choices Yes No Somewhat

Common Council hears of Nome’s growing pains

By Diana Haecker Nome feels growing pains. For the lack of a long-term transportation plan, an outdated comprehensive plan and growing demands to address dust, potholes and housing needs, the city government is now trying to play catch up. The Nome Common Council heard on Monday that a coalition of tribal, state and city governments plus private industry are tackling the dust issue. The city urges motorists to slow down to keep down the menace of dust as speed reduction in addition to watering

Japanese researchers welcome Nomeites aboard Oshoru Maru

By Ariana Crockett O'Harra A Japanese fisheries science research vessel from Hokkaido University was docked in the Port of Nome last week and welcomed local scientists and members of the press onboard on July 10 for a tour. The ship’s visit is supported by Arctic Challenge for Sustainability III, a program at Hokkaido University that works with researchers across all fields to contribute to sustainable development and conservation of the Arctic. The Oshoro Maru last visited Nome in 2023,

Tiny Alaska port town designs transportation plan to handle huge crowds

The Coral Princess cruise ship towers over small boats docked at Whittier's harbor on July 16, 2025. The Princess ship is at the old cruise terminal. In the distance, at left, is a new cruise terminal built by Huna Totem Corp. in cooperation with Norwegian Cruise Line. Thanks largely to the new terminal, cruise ship visits to Whittier this year are expected to be more than double the total in 2024. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)The western Prince William Sound town of Whittier is small, w

I tested a jet-powered kayak in Alaska!

In this video, I explore Valdez, Alaska, using a jet-powered motorized kayak called a Mokai. The activities featured include ...