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Murkowski closes gap in Alaska’s US Senate race

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Murkowski closes gap in Alaska’s US Senate race


Senator Lisa Murkowski speaks to her supporters at her election night time social gathering. “We’re in a very good place,” Murkowski advised a rowdy crowd simply after 11 pm in downtown Anchorage. (Photograph by Elyssa Loughlin/Alaska Public Media)

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski is now neck-and-neck with Republican challenger Kelly Tshibaka after Tuesday’s vote depend replace from the Alaska Division of Elections.

U.S. Home Rep. Democrat Mary Peltola remains to be far forward of Republican rival Sarah Palin. Republican Nick Begich stays in third place.

Up to now, solely first-choice votes have been counted. Not one of the congressional candidates seem on observe to cross the 50% threshold. Meaning the end result in each the Home and Senate race will depend upon second- and third-rankings. They’ll be tabulated Nov. 23.

The primary updates of the week added about 27,000 votes to the full. Ballots counted Tuesday included absentee, questioned and early votes from everywhere in the state.

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The hole between Murkowski and Tshibaka has shrunk dramatically. Murkowski is behind by solely 565 votes, down from 3,000. Each candidates have a little bit over 43% of the vote.

If Murkowski doesn’t pull forward within the subsequent replace this week, she’ll probably make that up when Democrat Pat Chesbro is eradicated and her 21,000 ballots transferred to the voter’s second selection.

A big share of Chesbro voters are believed to have ranked Murkowski second, preferring her reasonable place on abortion rights and willingness to work with Democrats.

Tshibaka is endorsed by former President Donald Trump and faults Murkowski for cooperating throughout the aisle and for being a part of the “institution.”

Within the Home race, Peltola has simply over 48% of the vote, a slight improve from the final depend on Nov. 10. Palin has 26% and Begich has practically 24%.

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Peltola and Palin each left Alaska shortly after the Nov. 8 election. Peltola has returned to Washington, D.C., the place she is serving out the time period of the late Alaska Congressman Don Younger.

Palin was signing autographs at a sports activities card expo in Toronto on Saturday along with her boyfriend, former Nationwide Hockey League participant Ron Duguay.

This can be a creating story. Test again for updates.



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Alaska

Ukrainian refugees in Alaska uncertain what to expect after Trump announces possible negotiations

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Ukrainian refugees in Alaska uncertain what to expect after Trump announces possible negotiations


ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – A phone call between President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin prompted local refugees to consider what comes next for their home.

According to Trump the call between the leaders Wednesday struck an agreement to begin negotiations and end the Ukraine war; beginning with a prisoner swap.

Alaska hosts a number of Ukrainian refugees, according to Catholic Social Services Refugee Assistance Services — the only refugee resettlement agency in the state — it’s seen an influx of Ukrainians entering Alaska since 2022 when the war first broke out.

Based on Trump’s statements there is potential for negotiations, but Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also said Wednesday that Ukraine should give up any NATO aspirations.

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One Alaskan who came to the U.S. as a child in 1998 said many Ukrainians are simply overwhelmed.

“We don’t have the emotional capacity to have a big response,” said Zori Opanasevych, who now operates the Ukraine Relief Program.

“I think that when it happens there will be a relief,” said Opanasevych, but before there is more information about what might come out of the negotiations Opanasevych said there is both a lot of hope and a lot of uncertainty.

Opanasevych anticipates there will be many who question Ukrainian refugees in the U.S. about their immigration status, and worries there may be talks of deportation even for people who have obtained residency through all the proper channels.

If refugees who have sought safety in the U.S. were sent back to Ukraine, they would be stripped of everything they’ve built, according to Opanasevych.

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“Their concern is that they don’t have a home to go to because a fifth of Ukraine is destroyed,” Opanasevych said. “The economy is nonexistent, almost, and they’ve built their lives here.”

According to Catholic Social Services, they currently serve 735 Ukrainians, but estimate there are more than 1,000 Ukrainians in the state. Not all of them are enrolled in the services CSS provides.

See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com



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Alaska Senate leaders suggest new revenue measures to address looming budget deficit

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Alaska Senate leaders suggest new revenue measures to address looming budget deficit


Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, talks with colleagues on Jan. 22. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Alaska Senate leaders signaled Tuesday that they were open to considering new revenue measures this year to help stabilize the state’s looming budget deficit.

“We haven’t addressed revenue for decades,” Sen. Lyman Hoffman, a Bethel Democrat, told reporters. “I think it’s high time the Legislature looks at raising new revenues if we want to accomplish the many things that we want to do. If not, I don’t see a clear path forward to balancing not only this year’s budget, but next year’s budget.”

Budget analysts predict that without additional revenue, the state could face a $500 million shortfall during the coming year, even without increasing the state’s education budget — a top priority for leaders of both the House and Senate.

Hoffman, who has served in the Legislature for more than 38 years, said “the state of Alaska is probably facing its largest fiscal problem in 30 years.”

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He said the fiscal crisis is driven in part by the Legislature’s efforts this year to significantly increase education funding, a task lawmakers have not undertaken in more than a decade. A bill backed by House leaders would increase the state’s education budget by around $150 million in the coming fiscal year compared to the current one, and hundreds of millions more in the following two years.

Hoffman said the Senate majority had already discussed new revenue measures during a retreat before the beginning of the session.

“I’m glad to report that new revenues are on the Senate’s list of things that need to be addressed this year,” he said.

Rep. Andy Josephson, an Anchorage Democrat who co-chairs the House Finance Committee, said the House majority had not collectively discussed new revenue measures.

“I suppose we would entertain other revenue measures, but we’re also very aware that this governor vetoed a tobacco tax bill, he vetoed a Turo tax bill,” said Josephson. “So I think the 21 of us don’t want to just chase windmills and pursue things that simply aren’t going to happen.”

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Gov. Mike Dunleavy in December proposed a largely status quo budget with a projected deficit of $1.5 billion. He has not introduced new revenue measures this year.

In 2023, Dunleavy introduced legislation to allow the state to bring in revenue from carbon sequestration. The law has yet to yield income for the state. He signaled two years ago that he would introduce a sales tax in the final weeks of the legislative session. But he never introduced the measure.

Senate President Gary Stevens, a Kodiak Republican, said the Senate majority has not discussed a sales tax or an income tax. Instead, both Hoffman and Sen. Bill Wielechowski, an Anchorage Democrat, pointed to possible measures that could increase taxation of oil and gas companies in the state by hundreds of millions annually.

“I think there are things that can be done which would have very little impact on investment, very little impact on Alaskans, and would help us solve our budget deficit,” said Wielechowski.

Those include a reduction in the per-barrel tax credits given to oil companies, and an amendment to the state’s tax code to apply corporate income tax on certain private corporations, including Hilcorp Alaska.

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Sen. Robert Yundt, a freshman Republican from Wasilla who serves in the minority, on Monday introduced legislation meant to ensure the state’s corporate income tax is applied equally to companies in the state.

Robert Yundt, R-Wasilla, represents District N in the Alaska Senate. Photographed in Juneau on January 24, 2025, in Juneau. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Stevens said his caucus was “really pleased” to see that legislation introduced by Yundt and said the Senate would be “moving forward” with that bill.

A similar measure considered by the Senate — and ultimately abandoned — last year would have increased taxation on Hilcorp, one of Alaska’s top-producing oil companies, by over $100 million.

In a written statement, Yundt said he introduced his bill because he thinks all companies should be “treated and taxed exactly the same — which, unfortunately, is not currently happening.”

“This legislation has the ability to create the even playing field that will benefit both industry and residents alike,” Yundt said.

Sean Maguire reported from Juneau and Iris Samuels from Anchorage.

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Grammy-winner Sean Paul to perform at 2025 Alaska State Fair

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Grammy-winner Sean Paul to perform at 2025 Alaska State Fair


Sean Paul performs during the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival on June 15, 2024, in Manchester, Tenn. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)

Grammy-winning Jamaican singer Sean Paul will perform at the 2025 Alaska State Fair.

The platinum hitmaker with multiple chart-topping songs will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28, the fair announced Tuesday.

Paul rose to prominence in the 1990s, collaborating with other artists until his solo debut, “Stage One,” in 2000.

A master of the Jamaican dancehall genre, he won a Grammy for his 2004 album “Dutty Rock,” which featured hit singles “Gimme the Light” and “Get Busy.”

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Tickets for the show go on sale 10 a.m. Friday at alaskastatefair.org.

Paul joins “Weird Al” Yankovic, Foreigner, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Chris Tomlin, Billy Currington and 3 Doors Down on the fair’s performer lineup.

The fair runs from Aug. 15 to Sep. 1 at the state fairgrounds in Palmer.





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