WILL ALASKA

May 08 2026POLITICS

Alaska's Election Race Brings Unexpected Surprises

Alaska's political scene is heating up ahead of the 2026 midterms, and this year's races might not go the way most people expect. With no sitting governor running again, the state’s unique voting system could shake things up. Instead of the usual party battles, candidates from all sides will face of

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May 08 2026POLITICS

Alaska’s Future Hangs on Smart Resource Choices

Alaska’s next governor race is already getting messy. With so many candidates running, some are trying weird new ideas just to stand out. One surprising shift? Even self-proclaimed "pro-resource" candidates are suddenly talking about putting limits on trawl fishing—the way big nets scoop up fish lik

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Apr 30 2026ENTERTAINMENT

Crime Film “Focus” Climbs Streaming Charts Years After Release

Will Smith and Margot Robbie, both big names in movies, first met on screen in the 2015 crime thriller “Focus. ” The film follows two former lovers who become con artists. Smith plays Nicky Spurgeon, while Robbie is Jess Barrett. After their breakup, Spurgeon’s job gets complicated when Barrett show

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Apr 29 2026OPINION

Finding a better way for Alaska's schools

Alaska's schools face tough problems today. Many classrooms have fewer students than before. Some people think closing schools is the only answer. But that misses the real issue. Years of decisions have left schools struggling. Money problems make it hard to help students. When schools can't give k

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Apr 28 2026FINANCE

Who’s Watching the Watchmen? Willis Lease Payouts Under Fire

Willis Lease Finance Corporation has been handing out some seriously big checks to its top boss, Charles F. Willis IV. Since 2022, his annual pay has jumped from $6. 2 million to $14. 2 million, with more than half of it paid in company stock. That’s a lot of paper wealth—especially when the company

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Apr 28 2026EDUCATION

School spending cuts hurt Anchorage students more than you think

Alaska’s school funding has dropped behind other states in a big way. While most states increased education spending by 26% from 2017 to 2022, Alaska only managed a 13% increase — barely enough to cover rising costs. Even when adjusted for Alaska’s high living expenses, the state still spends 15% le

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Apr 26 2026POLITICS

Why Alaska's Pension Plan Rewrite Gets Controversial Fast

Alaska’s government is updating how thousands of public workers save for retirement—but not everyone likes the changes. A new bill pushes the state to bring back guaranteed pensions after an old system collapsed in 2006. That earlier plan failed because lawmakers didn’t pay enough into it, leaving w

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Apr 22 2026OPINION

Keeping Bears and People Safe This Spring

Alaska’s snow is melting, and soon the bears will wake from their winter sleep. When they start hunting for food, people need to change how they keep their homes and neighborhoods safe. Every year more than a hundred bears are killed in Alaska by residents or local authorities, usually after the

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Apr 20 2026EDUCATION

Alaska sees growth in early childhood teachers after school changes

Alaska’s shortage of early childhood educators just got some help from an unlikely source: a University program that nearly lost its license but came back stronger. The University of Alaska Anchorage’s early childhood program was in trouble in 2019 when it lost important accreditation, leaving hundr

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Apr 19 2026SPORTS

A Quarterback’s Big Move: Money, Power and a Fresh Start

Will Howard made a headline‑making switch from Kansas State to Ohio State, chasing better pay and more respect. He was set to start at Kansas State after a Big 12 title, but the new freshman backup, Avery Johnson, landed a bigger name‑and‑money deal. Howard felt Kansas State had “taken advantage” of

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