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Politics

New Senate oil tax proposal preserves key tax break for big companies

The Alaska Senate on Tuesday dismantled the compromise oil tax bill that passed the House last week, offering a substitute that agrees with a pair of significant provisions but eliminates a major North Slope tax increase that the House had aimed at big producers.
Nathaniel Herz
Weary Alaska House breaks through oil tax gridlock, passes bill to Senate
Anchorage

Watch a police officer and citizens rescue a driver from a fiery crash

Anchorage police are trying to contact one of the people who helped an officer save a driver’s life Sunday, releasing a dash-cam video from a responding officer that shows the last-minute rescue.
Alaska Dispatch News
Man pinned by vehicle in Anchorage rollover is freed moments before it burns
Crime & Justice

Anchorage police: Man entered still-burning apartment complex to steal medications

A man was arrested at the scene of an apartment fire Tuesday morning and faces burglary, theft and drug charges after police said he raided apartments for prescription medications while firefighters fought the blaze.
Alaska Dispatch News
None hurt as residents are rescued from Midtown Anchorage apartment fire
Politics

Key legislative committee supports buying bank building for offices

The House-Senate Legislative Council has voted 13-1 to abandon their newly renovated offices in downtown Anchorage and spend up to $12.5 million to replace it with the Wells Fargo building in Spenard near Minnesota Drive and Benson Boulevard.
Nathaniel Herz
Bank tells Legislature it must honor illegal office lease or get sued
Anchorage Assembly majority votes to keep LIO downtown
Lawmakers to pay up to $35,000 for LIO analysis
Crime & Justice

Man charged in fatal shooting at Excursion Inlet cabin

Alaska State Troopers say a Juneau man has been arrested and charged with murder in the death of another man, in a shooting at a cabin in Excursion Inlet.
Alaska Dispatch News
Person charged with homicide after death at secluded Southeast cabin

With governor's approval, Alaska Dave & Buster's inches closer to reality

Gov. Bill Walker just signed a bill that updates the state's gambling law, paving the way for restaurant and entertainment chain Dave & Buster's to open here.BusinessAnnie Zak

Stolen tour bus shows up on Seward Highway with unlicensed driver and 12 people inside. No arrests.

After Tim Melican's shiny white "Magic Bus" was stolen a few weeks ago, he miraculously found it abandoned in South Anchorage and had it re-keyed. Then it got stolen again. That's when things got really weird.AnchorageMichelle Theriault Boots

31 years ago Tuesday, Kenai River yielded largest king salmon ever caught

The late Les Anderson battled his 97-pound king salmon for hours to put the Soldotna angler and his fish in the record book. More than three decades later, memories of the epic fish and the buzz it created haven't faded much.  FishingJoseph Robertia

My boss asked for feedback and I told the truth. Oops. What do I do now?

After my boss made a presentation to staff that fell flat, she came into my office, closed the door and asked me to be honest with her. “What did I do wrong?” she asked. So I told her what she’d done wrong. It was like a train wreck.BusinessLynne Curry

News & Politics

New Senate oil tax proposal preserves key tax break for big companies

The Alaska Senate on Tuesday dismantled the compromise oil tax bill that passed the House last week, offering a substitute that agrees with a pair of significant provisions but eliminates a major North Slope tax increase that the House had aimed at big producers.Nathaniel Herz
Visibility was affected in 2 recent Southeast helicopter crashes, NTSB says
Watch a police officer and citizens rescue a driver from a fiery crash
None hurt as residents are rescued from Midtown Anchorage apartment fire

Have a news tip? Let us know at newstips@alaskadispatch.com

Multimedia

Sports
Photos: 2016 Gold Nugget Triathlon
Cannabis North
Photos: Cannabis convention controversy
Video: At Service High School, Zumba for all abilities
Sports
Video: Alaskan teen jiu jitsu champion prepares for the Worlds

Popular columnists
Jeff Lowenfels  •  Dermot Cole  •  Charles Wohlforth  •  Heather Lende  •   Jill Burke  •  Shannyn Moore  •  Paul Jenkins  
Elise Patkotak   •   Mike Dingman  •  Steven Haycox  •   Alan Boraas  •  Michael Carey  •  Rick Sinnott  •  Laureli Ivanoff

Voices

We're just a vote away from helping Alaska’s foster children

OPINION:  Alaska's foster children need to see our commitment to them as they endure circumstances they did not choose and cannot control.Donna Walker
Readers write: Letters to the editor, May 17, 2016
Parents, keep watch: Some internet doors lead to dark places
Obama should stop denying that American troops are in combat

Adventure

Headed out for a hike? Our interactive Southcentral map can help.

Our map easily helps you prepare for any outing you're planning. Just click on the trail you’re considering for a brief trail report from within the last month and, often, photos.Vicky Ho
Need outdoor gear for fast-growing kids? Sometimes renting makes more sense
Value of Kachemak Bay to shorebirds gets a boost with designation
Facing tough weather, no Denali climbers have reached the summit yet

Sports

The fast Laine: Gold Nugget winner posts sizzling time to repeat as champ

Kinsey Laine of Fairbanks defended her title in Sunday's triathlon, and the runnerup's performance was nothing to sneeze at.Beth Bragg
Photos: 2016 Gold Nugget Triathlon
Anchorage teen part of new wave in college sports -- women's triathlon
Prep baseball: Curfman, Lindberg fuel Chugiak's 6-0 start

Culture

Photos: Celebrating 50 years of Alaska Arbor Day

Youngsters from Denali Montessori Elementary School join Mayor Ethan Berkowitz to plant a radiant crabapple tree in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Alaska Arbor Day on Monday morning on the Delaney Park Strip.
Erik Hill
Arts Scene: Yale a cappella team, miniature books and salmon stories
California writer does Homer justice in satisfying new novel
Photos: The littlest baseball players take the field for the first time this season

Arctic

No Arctic summit in Finland after all

Finland, which in 2017 takes over the chair in the Council, has decided to abandon plans for an Arctic summit as part of its chairmanship period.   Atle Staalesen | The Independent Barents Observer
How a warming Arctic threatens one shorebird at the other end of its migration
Obama and Nordic leaders pledge Arctic cooperation
As firms abandon Arctic drilling, Obama comes under pressure to do more to avert dangerous warming there

Nation/World

  • Dogs really do bite mail carriers - thousands of them

     6,549 postal workers were attacked by dogs in 2015, an increase of 14 percent from the year before, according to the U.S. Postal Service.

  • Little is off limits as Trump plans attacks on Clinton

    Drawing on psychological warfare tactics that Trump used to defeat “Lyin’ Ted” Cruz, “Little Marco” Rubio and “Low-Energy” Jeb Bush in the Republican primaries, the Trump campaign is mapping out character attacks on the Clintons to try to increase their negative poll ratings.

We Alaskans

Fishy business: Ketchikan artist Ray Troll thrives on creatures of the sea

Quirky Ketchikan artist Ray Troll entertains as he educates in a "weird space" all his own.Steve Quinn
Forget the duct tape fix-all -- I'm crazy for Krazy Glue
California writer does Homer justice in satisfying new novel
Reading the North: Preserving the 'Wild' of the Far North

In case you missed it

Four Anchorage graduates

About 3,100 students are graduating from Anchorage high schools this month in more than two dozen ceremonies. Each graduate has his or her own story. Meet Manoah, Jack, Kao Lee and Iyanna.Tegan Hanlon
Mother who once raced the Gold Nugget while 30 weeks pregnant will race again with her son's memory in her heart
Moosically inclined: Watch this moose destroy a wind chime in the most adorable way
Orphans of the ocean

Sponsored Content

New treatment is changing hepatitis C outcomes for Alaskans

SPONSORED: A new approach to treating hepatitis C has “radically” changed the impact of a disease many patients used to see as incurable. Presented by Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
Meet three ANMC nurses who are making a difference in Anchorage
Learning to hunt, fish, gather and grow
Alaska Native patients struggle to find bone marrow transplant matches