ALASKA ARKANSAS

Jun 05 2026OPINION

Arkansas Embraces AI, but Is It Really Ready?

Arkansas has launched its first local magazine that celebrates artificial intelligence. The publication, created by a Little Rock consultant who also runs an AI club, claims to bring the promise of automation and new tech to residents. It paints a picture of AI as a friendly helper that can cut cost

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Jun 03 2026POLITICS

Alaska’s Budget Battle: Tough Choices Ahead

Alaska’s money troubles didn’t appear overnight. Back in 2013, the state started spending more than it earned—using savings to cover the gap. That’s like a family dipping into their emergency fund every month just to pay bills. Oil prices then plummeted, dropping to $26 a barrel in 2014, making the

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May 29 2026OPINION

Alaska’s money troubles: more than just cash flow

Alaska is rich in natural resources but poor in leadership. Over half of its residents feel the state is heading in the wrong direction. Sky-high energy bills, climbing house prices, and crumbling roads are daily headaches, especially in Anchorage. Many young people pack up and leave because they do

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May 28 2026POLITICS

Arkansas Pushes for Less Federal Rules in Schools

Arkansas wants to change some federal rules that guide its public schools. The state says these rules slow down progress for students and make it hard to use money wisely. In April, the state’s education department sent a letter to the U. S. Department of Education asking for three special permissi

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May 28 2026TECHNOLOGY

Arkansas makes digital IDs available in Apple Wallet

Arkansas has joined a growing number of states allowing residents to store their driver’s license or state ID digitally in Apple Wallet. The move follows the state’s earlier launch of a mobile ID app in 2025, initially meant for downloading IDs to phones. Now, those digital copies can be used alongs

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May 28 2026POLITICS

Arkansas voters push back on new laws that could silence their voice in making laws

Arkansas gives its people a special power—voting directly on new laws through signatures. For years, this has let citizens push for changes like better pay or healthcare, even when politicians said no. But now, those in charge are trying to make it much harder for regular folks to do this. Last year

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May 26 2026POLITICS

Electric Power Choices: Your Vote Shapes Alaska’s Future

Alaska’s biggest electric co‑op, Chugach Electric Association, is up for a new board this month. More than 88, 000 members will decide who leads the company that supplies power to Anchorage and beyond. Four people are running for two spots, so each vote matters. The board’s decisions will guide how

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May 26 2026POLITICS

Simple Choice: Why Alaska Should Drop Ranked Voting

Alaska voters face a decision next year about how to choose their leaders. A new proposal wants to end the system that lets voters rank multiple candidates. It says the old way—pick one person—is clearer and fairer. The current method is more complex. Candidates run in a “top‑four jungle

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May 24 2026POLITICS

Delays on Alaska’s big energy plan are making life harder for locals

Alaska keeps talking about building a major gas pipeline, yet every delay pushes the project further out of reach. People across the state see sky-high power costs every month, and the situation only gets worse when lawmakers argue instead of acting. In some areas, electricity bills have already jum

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May 20 2026ENVIRONMENT

Why Alaska should skip the gas pipeline dream

Alaska is spending weeks debating a pipeline that keeps changing shape. The project, now pushed by a private firm that took a majority stake last year, promises to carry gas 800 miles from the North Slope to a plant near Kenai. Supporters call it a jobs engine and a step toward energy security, but

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