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TURNAGAIN NEWS

Lupine thrive in Southcentral Alaska

Lupine picture taken Saturday morning in Southcentral Alaska. Lupine, a genus of flowering plants known as Lupinus, belongs to the pea family. These plants are widely recognized for attractive, spiky flower clusters in various colors and are often cultivated as ornamentals. Lupines are also used as cover crops and forage crops.. (Photo by Gary Miller)

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GAO report says Alaska pipeline regulation office should revitalize, update operations
GAO report says Alaska pipeline regulation office should revitalize, update operations

By Yereth Rosen

Alaska Beacon

The multiagency group that coordinates oversight of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System needs an update to better operate in changing conditions, said a federal report released on Thursday.

The Joint Pipeline Office, a consortium of federal and state agencies with various regulatory duties, has scaled back its operations over the past several years, leading to possible gaps in oversight of the system that has delivered North Slope crude oil since 1977, said the report, issued by the Government Accountability Office, an independent nonpartisan agency that conducts audits and investigations for Congress.

To meet current conditions, the joint office should clarify its desired outcomes and resume what was once communication with the public about regulation, enforcement and other issues, the GAO report said.

“Redefining and documenting the intended outcomes of JPO’s oversight activities, including those aiming to inform the public of its oversight efforts, would enable JPO agencies to work toward shared goals and ensure accountability,” the report said. It is important to document the expectations, the report said. “Clarifying roles and responsibilities would enhance coordination among JPO agencies and help JPO identify any potential gaps in oversight.”

The GAO report was requested by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.

The JPO, led by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, was established in 1990 in response to the prior year’s Exxon Valdez oil spill disaster. The purpose was to better regulate the Trans Alaska Pipeline System, which comprises the 800-mile pipeline that carries crude oil from an intake station at Prudhoe Bay and the Valdez Marine Terminal, where the oil is loaded onto tankers.

Other agencies participating in the JPO are the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Much has changed since the JPO’s startup, the GAO report points out.

North Slope oil production has dwindled. Pipeline throughput that averaged nearly 1.8 million barrels per day in 1990, close to the peak of 2 million barrels a day hit in 1988, is at an average daily flow of 482,495 barrels for the year to date, according to Alyeska Pipeline Service Co., the consortium that operates the system.

Lower oil volume affects Alyeska operations because the oil flowing through the line cools faster, moves slower and drops more solids, leading to more corrosion risks, the report noted.

Read the entire story at the link below:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/gao-report-says-alaska-pipeline-regulation-office-should-revitalize-update-operations

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ARTICLES
Alaskans plan widespread pro-democracy protests, joining national movement

By James Brooks w/photos by Yereth Rosen

Alasska Beacon

As President Donald Trump orders the U.S. military into Los Angeles to confront protesters there, hundreds of Alaskans are preparing to join pro-democracy rallies planned for Saturday.

At least 18 events are scheduled to take place in Alaska, and more than 1,500 are scheduled nationwide as part of the “No Kings” movement, which is organizing to oppose Trump actions.

Dave Musgrave is organizing an event in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, a region north of Anchorage that voted overwhelmingly for Trump last year.

“We want to raise concerns about what this administration is doing. It’s very much an authoritarian overreach,” he said by phone.

Saturday’s events were originally scheduled to counter a military march in Washington, D.C., for Trump’s 79th birthday and the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army.

They’ve taken on a new tone since the president ordered the National Guard and the U.S. Marines to oppose protesters in Los Angeles.

“I think the scene is going to be a gathering of citizens concerned about what has been going on, most recently with Donald Trump sending troops to L.A.,” said Laura Stats, who has been helping organize an event in Juneau, Alaska’s capital city.

Protests were already taking place in Anchorage on Wednesday against the state’s decision to accept people arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Protesters gather outside the Anchorage Correctional Complex on June 11, 2025. It was the third consecutive day that protestors gathered at the jail site in response to Trump administration immigration actions. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Forty-two people were arrested outside the state and flown here by federal officials,according to the Alaska Department of Corrections. 

The small demonstration taking place on a weekday is expected to be followed by a much larger event on Saturday, outside the Anchorage offices of Alaska’s three-person congressional delegation.

That demonstration will be followed by a march to the Anchorage Park Strip, where Juneteenth celebrations will be taking place.

Lu Dyer is communications director for Stand UP Alaska, which is helping organize the event.

Read the entire article at the link below:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/alaskans-plan-widespread-pro-democracy-protests-joining-national-movement

Trump wants Congress to slash $9.4B in spending now, defund NPR and PBS

By Jennifer Shutt

States Newsroom

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration sent its first spending cuts request to Congress on Tuesday, asking lawmakers to swiftly eliminate $9.4 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and various foreign aid programs.

The request for what are called rescissions allows the White House budget office to legally freeze spending on those accounts for 45 days while the Republican-controlled Congress debates whether to approve the recommendation in full or in part, or to ignore it.

The proposal calls on lawmakers to eliminate $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides funding for National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service. That means NPR and PBS would lose their already approved federal allocations, if the request is approved by Congress.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order in May seeking to block the Corporation for Public Broadcasting from providing funding for NPR and PBS, leading to twoseparate lawsuits citing First Amendment concerns.

In the rescissions request, Trump wants to cut $8.3 billion from foreign aid programs, including the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, a global initiative to combat HIV/AIDS, and the African Development Foundation.

The proposal is the first of several that will seek to codify efforts undertaken by U.S. DOGE Service and billionaire Elon Musk before he left his official role as a special government employee.

White House budget director Russ Vought wrote in a letter accompanying the request that it “emphasizes the need to cut wasteful foreign assistance spending at the Department of State and USAID and through other international assistance programs.”

“These rescissions would eliminate programs that are antithetical to American interests, such as funding the World Health Organization, LGBTQI+ activities, ‘equity’ programs, radical Green New Deal-type policies, and color revolutions in hostile places around the world,” Vought wrote. “In addition, Federal spending on CPB subsidizes a public media system that is politically biased and is an unnecessary expense to the taxpayer.”

Read the entire story at the link below:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/trump-wants-congress-to-slash-94b-in-spending-now-defund-npr-and-pbs

Commentary: Girdwood Giants Majors Baseball have Strong Start to the Season at 5-1!

By Kyle Kelley

Coach, Girdwood Giants

The Girdwood Giants Majors Little League baseball team has kicked off the 2025 season with a bang, boasting an impressive 5-1 record! They won the home opener last Friday with a 17-10 victory over the Angels.  The Girdwood Giants play against teams from Anchorage. As the team takes to the diamond at Sladen Mohl Memorial Field, their hard work and dedication are evident, and fans are eager to rally behind their local heroes.

Exciting Enhancements at Sladen Mohl Field

This year, the excitement extends beyond the impressive performance of the players. Thanks to the generous support and fundraising efforts of the Sladen Mohl Memorial Field Fund, combined with the skilled craftsmanship of Schubert Construction, Sladen Mohl Field has undergone significant upgrades. The newly constructed dugouts provide the athletes with a sheltered area to prepare for their games, allowing them to stay focused and regroup between innings. These improvements create a more professional and enjoyable experience for the players, visiting teams, and the community.

Moreover, the newly replaced snack shack is a favorite spot for fans and families. With a variety of delicious snacks and beverages available, it’s the perfect place to grab a bite while enjoying the game. The snack shack not only helps fuel our enthusiastic supporters but also fosters a sense of community as families come together to enjoy the vibrant atmosphere at the field. All proceeds from the snack shack support Girdwood Giants baseball now and in the future.

Read the entire story at the link below:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/commentary-girdwood-giants-majors-baseball-have-strong-start-to-the-season-at-5-1

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ARTICLES
Amid gas crunch, Alaska could revoke leases from a company whose drilling has stalled
Amid gas crunch, Alaska could revoke leases from a company whose drilling has stalled

By Nataniel Herz

Northern Journal

Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration is threatening to strip a company of oil and gas leases in Cook Inlet outside Anchorage, saying it’s sitting on deposits that could delay an impending shortage of gas needed for heating and power generation in urban Alaska.

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources recently placed in “default” the Cosmopolitan Unit, a block leased by Texas-based BlueCrest Energy, saying it hasn’t met commitments to drill.

The company has held leases at Cosmopolitan for more than a decade. It conducted initial drilling several years ago but has not drilled any new wells since 2019, according to state records.

Company executives say that BlueCrest experienced a cash crunch when, amid a budget crisis beginning in 2014, the state of Alaska chose not to pay tax credits to oil firms that had spent money on drilling. BlueCrest has also had to ask Alaska’s economic development agency to approve delays in paying back a $30 million state loan.

The state’s new notice to BlueCrest, signed in May by Commissioner John Boyle, gives the company until Aug. 21 to show proof that it’s secured investment to drill a $55 million new oil well, as well as to advance development of a new offshore platform that would target natural gas.

That platform could cost $350 million or more, according to BlueCrest officials.

“We want to see aggressive, defined momentum towards putting our resources into active production,” Boyle said in an interview Thursday. “We need to see some drilling. We need to see some action.”

BlueCrest is negotiating with multiple companies about potential investment, Benjy Johnson, its chief executive, said in a phone interview.

“We’re hopeful that we’ll get it done,” he said. “I think we will.”

Johnson said he understands the state’s perspective, but added that defaulting BlueCrest’s leases is “not the solution to the problem.”

“The solution to the problem is helping us get funding to drill these wells, and to get the gas development going,” he said.

Read the entire article at the link below:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/k6bmrqyvmh8x4c8m5afzz59ff6rprs-lts2p

Judge: Alaska limits on intoxicating hemp products do not violate the U.S. Constitution
Judge: Alaska limits on intoxicating hemp products do not violate the U.S. Constitution

By James Brooks

Alaska Beacon

A federal magistrate judge has ruled that the state of Alaska did not violate the U.S. Constitution when it acted to limit intoxicating hemp products in 2023.

In an order published May 23, Magistrate Judge Kyle Reardon granted summary judgment in favor of the state and against the Alaska Industrial Hemp Association, which sued two years ago in an attempt to overturn regulations imposed by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources.

The court order means intoxicating hemp products, common in many other states, will remain illegal in Alaska unless sold through a licensed marijuana retailer. 

“It was rewarding to be part of the process developing the regulations, and I was happy when we successfully defended against the motion for a preliminary injunction in 2023,” said Assistant Attorney General Kevin Higgins, by email. Higgins represented the state in the case. 

“I’m not patting myself on the back too hard though,” he said. “The Division of Agriculture was motivated by public safety concerns when it took measured action to regulate an emerging industry. This was an easy case to make, which is probably why the plaintiffs didn’t file an opposition to the motion for summary judgment.”

An attorney representing the plaintiff did not answer a request for comment on Wednesday.

Alaska legalized the sale and use of marijuana for recreational purposes in 2014. The state subsequently created a tightly regulated market in which only licensed businesses may grow, process and sell marijuana.

Read the entires story at the link below:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/judge-alaska-limits-on-intoxicating-hemp-products-do-not-violate-the-us-constitution

Restraining order on Alaska bear cull to be in place until state fixes identified legal flaws
Restraining order on Alaska bear cull to be in place until state fixes identified legal flaws

By Yereth Rosen

Alaska Beacon

Superior Court Judge Christina Rankin, in an order issued late Monday, said the department’s decision to shoot bears earlier this month in violation of a previous court ruling justified her decision to keep the temporary restraining order in place beyond the 10 days that is standard in Alaska law.

The department will be prohibited from conducting its planned bear cull in the Mulchatna caribou herd range until it corrects the legal flaws identified in a March 14 ruling issued by a different judge, Rankin said.

She rejected the state’s request to lift the restraining order and its argument that the prohibition was no longer needed.

“Despite the State’s stated intention of discontinuing its bear predator control measures this season, due to its prior position that it would continue bear abatement unless specifically enjoined, this Court thinks it is prudent to specifically state that the TRO will not expire after ten days and extends the TRO until further order of the Court or until the State obtains proper legal authority, consistent with the March 14 Order, and the May 7, 2025 Order,” she said in her order.

It is the latest development in a lawsuit filed in 2023 by the Alaska Wildlife Alliance that challenged the predator control program.

State officials say the program is needed to boost Mulchatna caribou herd numbers, and it must be conducted in spring and early summer, when newborn caribou calves are vulnerable to bear predation. But the Alaska Wildlife Alliance and other critics say the program lacks scientific validity and was put into place without proper public input.

Read the entire story at the link below:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/restraining-order-on-alaska-bear-cull-to-be-in-place-until-state-fixes-identified-legal-flaws

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Journalists and those interested in letting neighbors know the news, versus the opinions of social media. Your help is needed.

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Alaskans plan widespread pro-democracy protests, joining national movement
Alaskans plan widespread pro-democracy protests, joining national movement

By James Brooks w/photos by Yereth Rosen

Alasska Beacon

As President Donald Trump orders the U.S. military into Los Angeles to confront protesters there, hundreds of Alaskans are preparing to join pro-democracy rallies planned for Saturday.

At least 18 events are scheduled to take place in Alaska, and more than 1,500 are scheduled nationwide as part of the “No Kings” movement, which is organizing to oppose Trump actions.

Dave Musgrave is organizing an event in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, a region north of Anchorage that voted overwhelmingly for Trump last year.

“We want to raise concerns about what this administration is doing. It’s very much an authoritarian overreach,” he said by phone.

Saturday’s events were originally scheduled to counter a military march in Washington, D.C., for Trump’s 79th birthday and the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army.

They’ve taken on a new tone since the president ordered the National Guard and the U.S. Marines to oppose protesters in Los Angeles.

“I think the scene is going to be a gathering of citizens concerned about what has been going on, most recently with Donald Trump sending troops to L.A.,” said Laura Stats, who has been helping organize an event in Juneau, Alaska’s capital city.

Protests were already taking place in Anchorage on Wednesday against the state’s decision to accept people arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Protesters gather outside the Anchorage Correctional Complex on June 11, 2025. It was the third consecutive day that protestors gathered at the jail site in response to Trump administration immigration actions. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Forty-two people were arrested outside the state and flown here by federal officials,according to the Alaska Department of Corrections. 

The small demonstration taking place on a weekday is expected to be followed by a much larger event on Saturday, outside the Anchorage offices of Alaska’s three-person congressional delegation.

That demonstration will be followed by a march to the Anchorage Park Strip, where Juneteenth celebrations will be taking place.

Lu Dyer is communications director for Stand UP Alaska, which is helping organize the event.

Read the entire article at the link below:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/alaskans-plan-widespread-pro-democracy-protests-joining-national-movement

Read More →
Trump wants Congress to slash $9.4B in spending now, defund NPR and PBS
Trump wants Congress to slash $9.4B in spending now, defund NPR and PBS

By Jennifer Shutt

States Newsroom

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration sent its first spending cuts request to Congress on Tuesday, asking lawmakers to swiftly eliminate $9.4 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and various foreign aid programs.

The request for what are called rescissions allows the White House budget office to legally freeze spending on those accounts for 45 days while the Republican-controlled Congress debates whether to approve the recommendation in full or in part, or to ignore it.

The proposal calls on lawmakers to eliminate $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides funding for National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service. That means NPR and PBS would lose their already approved federal allocations, if the request is approved by Congress.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order in May seeking to block the Corporation for Public Broadcasting from providing funding for NPR and PBS, leading to twoseparate lawsuits citing First Amendment concerns.

In the rescissions request, Trump wants to cut $8.3 billion from foreign aid programs, including the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, a global initiative to combat HIV/AIDS, and the African Development Foundation.

The proposal is the first of several that will seek to codify efforts undertaken by U.S. DOGE Service and billionaire Elon Musk before he left his official role as a special government employee.

White House budget director Russ Vought wrote in a letter accompanying the request that it “emphasizes the need to cut wasteful foreign assistance spending at the Department of State and USAID and through other international assistance programs.”

“These rescissions would eliminate programs that are antithetical to American interests, such as funding the World Health Organization, LGBTQI+ activities, ‘equity’ programs, radical Green New Deal-type policies, and color revolutions in hostile places around the world,” Vought wrote. “In addition, Federal spending on CPB subsidizes a public media system that is politically biased and is an unnecessary expense to the taxpayer.”

Read the entire story at the link below:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/trump-wants-congress-to-slash-94b-in-spending-now-defund-npr-and-pbs

Read More →
Mount Spurr: Preparation Can Ease the Pain
Mount Spurr: Preparation Can Ease the Pain

By Allison Sayer

TNews Staffwriter

On March 12, The Alaska Volcano Observatory announced “an eruption [of Mount Spurr] is likely, but not certain, to occur within the next few weeks or months. The most likely outcome of the current unrest is an explosive eruption (or eruptions) like those that occurred in 1953 and 1992. Those eruptions each lasted a few hours and produced ash clouds that were carried downwind for hundreds of miles and minor ashfall (up to about ¼ inch) on southcentral Alaska communities.”

 Many simple, low cost preparedness tips are available from the Municipality of Anchorage Emergency Operations Center  and ready.alaska.gov. The common advice from these and other sources is to have a mask handy, stock up on relevant air filters, and put some forethought into what would happen if you must shelter in place somewhere.

Read the entire story at the link below:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/mount-spurr-preparation-can-ease-the-pain

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Cross Country: Native Alaskan Ava Earl stars as squad climbs to new heights
Cross Country: Native Alaskan Ava Earl stars as squad climbs to new heights

By Henry Frieman, Sports Editor

The Daily Northwestern

Girdwood, Alaska, population estimated at 2,500, sits in a valley at the base of Mount Alyeska, a ski resort in the winter and a hiking destination in the summer. The mountain town has one main road, a two-lane highway surrounded by hemlock and conifer. 

There is one elementary school, but the nearest high school is 30 miles away in Anchorage. There is a fire department, but no police station. Further away from the resort, the paved roads turn to gravel. 

It was on the gravel paths and dirt trails of the Alaskan woodlands where Northwestern cross country runner Ava Earl, now a senior, fell in love with running.

Read the entire story here:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/ava-earl-carries-alaskan-roots-to-nu-cross-country-stardom

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Raw Market: ‘Together, We Thrive’
Raw Market: ‘Together, We Thrive’

By Hannah Dillon

Assistant Editor

A red ribbon hung on the entrance to the Raw Market—just off Holmgren Ave. next to The Laundromall—as community members gathered around the store at 5 p.m. July 2. When the ribbon was cut, a new local market officially opened in Girdwood.

People quickly entered the intimately-sized store once the doors were open. Aesthetic lighting and plants hovered overhead as customers sorted through bell peppers, chocolate milk glasses, candles, locally made pottery, dried herbs, cherries and aloe vera plants.

Behind the register, employees created delicious acai bowls and smoothies for everyone in need of a cool treat on a warm sunny day.

Michelle Young, who, along with her husband James Glover, owns the Raw Market sat down with Turnagain News to discuss opening day and a little history of the store.

Young said the inspiration to establish a store like Raw Market stems from a visit to Maui, where nearly every small town had a juice bar that sold acai bowls, smoothies and juice. “We really loved the abundance of fresh food,” said Young.

Young’s experience with the fresh food available on the streets of Maui inspired Young and Glover to bring that experience to Girdwood.

Read the entire story here:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/raw-market-together-we-thrive

Read More →

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