Author: Nicole Thompson
Nicole Thompson
Nicole Thompson is known for her in-depth coverage of community events and issues. With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to accuracy, she keeps her readers informed and engaged. Nicole's dedication to storytelling extends beyond the headlines.
Alaska sued the Biden Administration, accusing it of violating a congressional mandate to allow oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). The federal lawsuit filed Monday in Alaska US District Court challenges restrictions imposed on drilling leases in the refuge’s coastal plain. The lawsuit argues that the US Interior Department’s December 2024 decision limits surface use and occupancy, obstructing oil and gas development. Alaska officials claim the restrictions make developing 400,000 acres designated for drilling nearly impossible. Governor Mike Dunleavy criticized the administration’s stance, calling it an irrational opposition to responsible energy development. In 2027, Congress authorized oil…
The Environmental Protection Agency plans to unfreeze $150 million in federally funded Fairbanks road projects, benefiting infrastructure development. The EPA announced Wednesday that it intends to suspend sanctions imposed on Alaska over Fairbanks North Star Borough air pollution failures. Sanctions initially imposed in December 2023 halted progress on key road construction projects while Alaska revised its pollution control plan. On Tuesday, the EPA published a draft notice indicating state compliance, setting the stage for a formal announcement in the Federal Register. Jason Olds, Alaska’s Division of Air Quality director, expressed cautious optimism about this long-awaited milestone. “It’s taken 12 years,…
John Wiitala has been named Vice President of maintenance and engineering at Alaska Airlines. Wiitala will be in charge of operations safety and compliance for 237 mainline Boeing aircraft at several maintenance facilities as Alaska Airlines’ new vice president. Wiitala brings 34 years of experience from United Airlines, where he most recently served as vice president and chief engineer. At United, he managed the airline’s expanding fleet, growing it from under 450 aircraft to 944. Wiitala also played a key role in United’s merger with Continental, smoothly integrating multi-fleet operations and enhancing efficiency. As vice president, Wiitala will lead maintenance…
President Joe Biden announced on Monday a sweeping ban on new offshore oil and gas drilling across most US coastlines. Biden’s offshore drilling ban, projecting 625 million acres of ocean, including Alaska’s Bering Sea, aims to minimize environmental risks. However, Biden described this as part of the America the Beautiful initiative to preserve 30% of national lands and waters by 2030. Alaska’s congressional delegation quickly criticized the decision. Senator Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, shared his frustration focusing on the Biden Administration’s unilateral decision-making process. Sullivan, who opposes Biden’s offshore drilling ban in the Bering Sea, stated that the administration failed to…
Authorities have charged a 26-year-old man with first-degree murder following the Thursday shooting of his cabin mate in Circle, Alaska. The Circle Alaska murder case has shaken the small community located 155 miles northeast of Fairbanks. Court documents identify Jerek Boyle as the suspect accused of fatally shooting 48-year-old James Gelvin. Alaska State Troopers allege Boyle fired from inside their shared cabin, hitting Gelvin through the front door. Investigators discovered Gelvin’s body on the porch during their initial response. The charging documents detail a tense day leading up to the shooting. Boyles’s aunt and father reportedly told the investigators that…
Alaska prosecutors confirmed plans to retry former state legislator Gabrielle LeDoux for election tampering following a mistrial late last year. During a court hearing on Monday, Alaska Chief Assistant Attorney General Jenna Gruenstein announced Gabrielle LeDoux’s retrial. LeDoux represented Kodiak in the Alaska House from 2005 to 2009 and Anchorage from 2013 to 2021, facing multiple charges. In 2020, prosecutors accused her of illegally urging voters living outside her district to cast ballots within her jurisdiction. Initially, LeDoux faced five felony and seven misdemeanor charges, but some were dismissed before her trial. In November, her case was brought to court…
President Joe Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act on Sunday, repealing a controversial provision that reduced benefits for retirees. The Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset were removed, restoring full payments for millions of Americans. National Fraternal Order of Police and groups like the National Education Association support he law, which addresses long-standing inequities. President-elect Donald Trump also endorsed the legislation. The provision enacted in 1983 slashed or eliminated Social Security benefits for 2.4 million retirees. The Windfall Elimination Provision reduced benefits for individuals who worked jobs that did not pay into Social Security consistently. Meanwhile, the Government…
The FBI revealed on Friday that Shamsud-Din Jabbar orchestrated a deadly Bourbon Street attack in New Orleans during a New Year’s celebration. New Orleans attack investigation disclosed that Jabbar 42 drove a truck into a packed crowd at 3:15 am Wednesday, killing 14 and injuring 35 others. Following the collision, officers fatally shot Jabbar during a violent exchange of gunfire near the scene. Authorities confirmed the casualty count is expected to rise as investigations proceed. The FBI stated that Jabbar planned to use a transmitter found in the truck to detonate two IEDs placed on Bourbon Street. Officials also discovered an…
Immediately after House Speaker re-election, Nick Begich’s legislative proposals were introduced. D.C., Republican Nick Begich was sworn in as Alaska’s US Representative on Friday in Washington, D.C., after a tense speaker re-election process. House Speaker Mike Johnson needed 218 votes to retain his position, as Republicans maintain a slim 219-member majority over 215 Democrats. Representative Ralph Norman and Keith Self initially voted against Johnson but later changed their votes, ensuring his re-election. Thomas Massie remained the sole Republican opposing Johnson’s leadership. Furthermore, Begich voiced his support for Johnson. He explained the importance of unity among Republicans to advance the America…
According to officials, traffickers come to Alaska due to the high profits from illegal drugs, where the state’s small population offers profitable prospects. The head of Alaska’s statewide narcotics enforcement team, Captain Cornelius Sims, described how traffickers buy fake M30 Oxycodone pills for as low as 10 to 25 cents and may fetch up to $200 in the state. This strategy rakes up Alaska’s drug trafficking profits. Sims further described that Anchorage is a primary hub for drug distribution, with most products arriving at Ted Stevens International Airport. Criminals smuggle drugs like methamphetamine and fentanyl through mail cargo, carry-on baggage,…
This week, a convicted felon was arrested in Fairbanks by Alaska Wildlife Troopers after he attempted to steal firearms and a vehicle. Troopers responded on Thursday around 10:30 a.m., following a homeowner’s report of burglary caught on security footage while he was on vacation. The homeowners’ cameras captured 44-year-old Donald Carroll Jr. breaking into the garage and entering a parked vehicle. Carroll attempted to flee the property in the stolen vehicle as wildlife troopers arrived in the area. Authorities pursued Carroll for half a mile before he lost control and crashed into a snowbank. Carroll abandoned the vehicle and ran…
A federal judge has mandated action to resolve Alaska’s SNAP delays due to chronic food assistance application processing backlogs. Judge Sharon Gleason of the U.S. District Court issued a preliminary injunction on Tuesday, mandating that the state submit monthly status updates beginning in February 2025. These updates will describe the attempts to process Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applications within the 30-day nationally required period. The injunction follows a lawsuit filed two years ago by the Northern Justice Project, an Alaska civil rights firm. The backlog peaked in 2023, leaving 15,000 Alaskans without timely food benefits. Although the state made…