Carlos Boozer of the United States dunks against Germany on Monday, August 18, 2008, in the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing, China. (Abaca Press/MCT)
There isn’t much in the realm of high school, collegiate and professional basketball that Juneau’s Carlos Boozer hasn’t accomplished. He was a two-time state champion at Juneau-Douglas, a national champion at Duke University and an Olympic gold medalist during his standout professional career.
The latter of those accolades is what led to him being immortalized in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He and his fellow members of the legendary “Redeem Team” that won gold at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing were announced as part of the 2025 class in September.
“Honestly, it’s amazing when you think about the people that are in there and our group with our 2008 Olympic team. We had some studs,” Boozer said. “I’m honored to be a part of that team, and obviously, I love this game so much, so to be in a Hall of Fame is a big deal.”
Being on that 2008 Olympic roster was one of the greatest joys of his career. His peers included iconic players such as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony as well as fellow stars Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Jason Kidd and Chris Bosh.
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“It was the best,” said Boozer, 44. “We just had a different aura about us. Our practices were difficult, tough and challenging. We challenged each other and it was awesome to see us come together as a team. We had our individual skills and we played against each other in the NBA, but on that team, we all became one.”
The experience was especially meaningful because the legendary Mike Krzyzewski was the team’s head coach. A decade earlier, Krzyzewski recruited Boozer from Alaska to Duke University.
“Knowing him so well, it was great to see him coach some of the best players to ever do it and watch them grow under his tutelage,” Boozer said.
Krzyzewski used the same coaching method that guided Boozer and the Blue Devils to a national title in 2001 to lead Team USA to a perfect 8-0 run and Olympic gold.
“He was able to kind of strip us down of our individual egos so that we have one collective ego,” Boozer said. “He does that better than anyone I’ve ever been around.”
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Next generation adds to Boozer legacy
Texas guard Chendall Weaver drives to the basket between Duke forward Cameron Boozer, left, and guard Cayden Boozer during their game Nov. 4, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Boozer is a staple on the sideline of every Duke game this year, not only because he’s a proud alumnus of the perennial powerhouse program but because his twin sons, Cameron and Cayden, are star players for the top-ranked Blue Devils.
“I’m living the dream,” Boozer said. “I couldn’t be any happier for them. I know what they’re going through ,and I was super proud when they made the decision (to go to Duke) and to just watch them this year.”
Cameron is the team’s leading scorer, and Cayden is the fifth-leading scorer. They rank first and second on the team in assists.
With the Boozer twins leading the way, Duke basketball is back on top once again and primed to make a run at the national title. The Blue Devils have been the top-ranked team in the nation for several months and were the top overall seed in the NCAA tournament. They sport an overall record of 33-2 after Thursday’s opening-round scare against No. 16 Siena in which the Blue Devils had to rally from being down double figures to win 71-65.
“Cameron has been the best overall player in the country all year long and Cayden has had to step up with Caleb Foster having a broken foot,” Boozer said. “He’s been a star in his role as a sixth man off the bench, and now he’s a starting point guard and leading the No. 1 team in the country — and is doing a hell of a job at that as he helped us win the ACC tournament.”
Watching them don the same colors and uniforms he did a quarter-century ago makes him nostalgic, and even gives him chills.
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“I’m just so excited for my boys because I know the weight they have to carry when they wear that jersey,” Boozer said. “Wearing a Duke uniform is like playing for the Yankees or the Lakers. It’s championships or bust.
“They’re not ducking no smoke. They want all the smoke and will play anybody anywhere,” Boozer said.
Former NBA player Carlos Boozer, father of Duke forward Cameron Boozer and guard Cayden Boozer, tosses the ball back to an official as he watches Duke play against Clemson in the semifinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in Charlotte, N.C., Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)
The twins considered other school options before landing on Duke. Current head coach Jon Scheyer took over the program in 2022 after Krzyzewski’s retirement.
“They were good last year too with Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel and that group,” Boozer said. “This just speaks to how good a coach Scheyer is: They lose their entire starting five to the NBA, and then they come back this year, my boys come, and they’re the No. 1 overall seed and No. 1 team in the country.”
Had it not been for a couple of last-minute lapses against Texas Tech in December and rival North Carolina at Chapel Hill in February, Duke would have been undefeated heading into March Madness.
“I’m super proud of what my boys have been able to accomplish and they got some super studs around them,” Boozer said. “We won the ACC tournament with seven players. That just shows you how tough this team is and how much they believe in each other.”
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A man of many talents and interests
Utah Jazz forward Carlos Boozer (5) drives past Golden State Warriors forward Andris Biedrins, of Latvia, during their game March 20, 2007, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)
When he’s not watching his sons play basketball in person, Boozer stays close to the pro game by helping the front office of the Utah Jazz in the scouting department.
“One of the most awesome jobs that I have is trying to figure out how to resurrect our Utah Jazz program so it can compete for titles,” he said.
Boozer spent the bulk of his 13-year career in the NBA with the Jazz, from 2004 to 2010. During that time, he made both of his All-Star appearances and received All NBA honors for the 2007-08 season. He was honored when the team decided to bring him back into the fold in a new capacity just over a year ago.
“Basketball has always been my life since I was 4 years old, so I’ve always had a passion for that,” he said.
Boozer joins fellow Alaska hoops legend Trajan Langdon, who is currently the president of basketball operations for the Detroit Pistons, in making the transition from NBA players to executives.
“I just think if you have the passion, the patience (and) the determination for it, it’s best when the players are involved because we’ve walked that path and have done that before,” Boozer said. “We know what it looks like to have a good teammate and someone that’s about winning, someone that can help build a culture in your locker room.”
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Before joining Utah’s front office, he had a brief stint as a reality TV star two summers ago on the Bravo dating show “Kings Court.” Boozer, supermodel Tyson Beckford and WWE legend Thaddeus Bullard — aka Titus O’Neil — were courted by 21 female contestants in an effort to find love. Boozer was one of the lucky few who did, as he and girlfriend Janaye Robinson are still together.
From the first day they met, Boozer and Robinson “hit it off right away” and will be coming up on two years together in September.
“I met an awesome woman,” Boozer said.
In addition to his work with the Jazz, Boozer owns a company called Impeccable Development that builds shopping plazas in North and South Carolina.
But being a dad to his three adult sons and a daughter, who will be 7 years old in a few weeks, is the job he’s most proud of.
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“I couldn’t be any prouder to be their father,” Boozer said.
Alaska Airlines has given its chief financial officer, Shane Tackett, another responsibility — president. Tackett will assume his additional role at the SeaTac-based airline on June 29. (M. Scott Brauer/Bloomberg)
Alaska Airlines has given its chief financial officer, Shane Tackett, another responsibility — president.
Tackett will assume his additional role at the SeaTac-based airline on June 29, according to a news release Wednesday.
Tackett will continue leading the organization’s finance, fleet management, investor relations, supply chain, internal audit and information technology functions, according to the release. His new responsibilities as president include oversight of Alaska Airlines’ commercial division.
Tackett previously held positions in labor relations, e-commerce and financial planning at the company, according to his LinkedIn profile.
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“I started at Alaska more than 25 years ago, and over that time we’ve built a stronger, more resilient airline with a clear strategy for the future,” Tackett said in a statement.
He said he is excited to lead more of the organization in his new role and deliver to guests, employees and owners.
In a statement, Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci said Tackett has led the company through challenges and helped it grow over his 25-year tenure.
“Bringing commercial and finance leadership together under Shane will strengthen alignment and accelerate our priorities as we continue advancing our strategy and creating long-term value for our stakeholders, said Minicucci, who also serves as CEO and president of the airline’s parent company, Alaska Air Group.
Tackett’s promotion comes as the airline navigates challenging macroeconomic factors, including rising fuel costs and weakening consumer demand for travel.
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Alaska Air Group — which includes Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines, as well as regional carrier Horizon Air and ground support company McGee Air Services — saw its profits drop 70% in 2025 year over year. It continued to face financial woes in 2026.
The company lost $193 million in the first three months of 2026 as it dealt with skyrocketing jet fuel prices due to the war in Iran.
Alaska study sees mixed results on links between kelp farms and CO2 levels
Published 5:30 am Thursday, June 18, 2026
A study into the amount of CO2 absorbed at a pair of Alaska kelp farms is throwing some cold water on hopes that seaweed could be an answer to climate change.
Alaska kelp farms, which have been viewed as a potential boon for reducing local carbon-dioxide levels, have surprisingly murky effects on atmospheric CO2 removal, according to a new study.
A University of Alaska Fairbanks-led project measured the amount of CO2 that was emitted and absorbed at two kelp farms in the Gulf of Alaska during the 2023-2024 growing season. The outcome was mixed — one farm slightly reduced carbon dioxide in the local environment while the other added more to it.
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Marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) has been touted as a potential strategy to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, with the ocean serving as a sink for human-produced CO2.
The study, which was recently published in the journal Ocean Science, is the first to measure mCDR in Alaska waters. It focused on kelp farms, which can draw down CO2 through the process of photosynthesis.
“It’s easy to jump on the bandwagon that seaweed is going to change the world, but ultimately we want to be honest to the public,” said Amanda Kelley, an associate professor at UAF’s College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and a contributor to the study.
“Really, it’s very nuanced, and there are a lot of factors that affect kelp’s ability to do that.”
Josianne Haag, who led the project as a UAF doctoral student, installed sensors both inside and outside kelp farms in Windy Bay near Cordova and Kalsin Bay on Kodiak Island. From seeding to harvest, hourly data was collected on ocean chemistry, temperature, salinity and oxygen levels.
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The two sites had numerous differences, including the type of seaweed being planted, the timing of their growing seasons and the size of the farms. Also, Windy Bay’s tides are more extreme than Kalsin Bay’s.
The results were striking and varied. The farms flipped between absorbing and releasing carbon dioxide depending on the amount of sunlight and the time of day. Extreme low tides affected CO2 levels by flushing groundwater into the area, briefly raising carbon dioxide levels.
A film of marine fauna grew on some of the farm equipment in Kalsin Bay, leading to a burst of carbon dioxide production through their respiration.
Overall, the Windy Bay farm slightly reduced nearby atmospheric marine carbon dioxide levels while the Kalsin Bay farm boosted them. Measurements will continue at the farms for at least two more years, but the first season revealed that a kelp farm’s recipe for carbon intake and output is surprising and complex.
“It’s really not doing much in either direction,” Haag said. “The farms aren’t necessarily harming anything, but we shouldn’t be blowing out of proportion that they’re going to save us from climate change.”
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The study was part of the Mariculture Research and Restoration Consortium project, which is an ongoing effort to look at the impacts and benefits of mariculture in Alaska. Mar ReCon research is funded by the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council.
By Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protectionon
At approximately 7:30 p.m. Wednesday evening, a fire was reported off Healy Spur Road. The Division of Forestry & Fire Protection, along with the Tri-Valley Volunteer Fire Department and Anderson Fire Department, responded to the Gagnon Coal Seam Fire (#206).
Estimated at 3 acres, the fire was burning in grass with approximately 50% of the perimeter actively burning. A five person Initial Attack squad, helicopter, and engine responded. Light rain was reported at the incident upon arrival.
There are no structures threatened, and there are no evacuations in place. This will be the last update on this incident, unless conditions change.
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This map shows the location of the Gagnon Coal Seam Fire (#206) located on the Healy Spur Road east of Usibelli on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. Click on the image to download a PDF type file to enlarge or print.
‹ DFFP is responding to the Bulchitna Fire in the Fish Lakes area of the Yentna River
Categories: Active Wildland Fire, Alaska DNR – Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DFFP)
Tags: 2026 Alaska Fire Season, coal seam, DFFP Northern Region, Gagnon Coal Seam Fire
