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Opinion: Thanks to Alaska lawmakers for supporting public education

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Opinion: Thanks to Alaska lawmakers for supporting public education


Votes are displayed as a joint session of the Alaska Legislature overrode a veto by Gov. Mike Dunleavy on the education bill on May 20. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Dear members of the Alaska Legislature,

On behalf of the Anchorage School District, we offer our heartfelt thanks for your leadership in overriding the governor’s veto of House Bill 57.

We deeply appreciate and commend the bipartisan action — a powerful, united stand that reflects not only a shared commitment to sound education policy, but also to protecting Alaska’s students, supporting their future, and upholding the strength of our public schools. Your willingness to rise above partisanship in service of our students is leadership at its best.

Securing the 46 votes needed to override the veto was no small feat. Each of you came together to make a resounding commitment to public education. We are grateful for this historic vote — a result of more than a year of conversation, advocacy, and careful negotiation. The $700 increase to the Base Student Allocation represents the largest permanent increase in Alaska’s history, accompanied by high-impact policy reforms that were thoughtfully shaped with input from educators and communities across the state. This legislation is much more than a funding bill — it’s a promise to Alaska’s students, and we are profoundly thankful to the legislators who worked across party lines to make it a reality.

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[News coverage: Alaska lawmakers override Dunleavy’s veto of education bill]

We are also deeply grateful to the students, families, educators and community members who raised their voices in support of the override. Their advocacy was essential in moving this legislation forward and ensuring lawmakers heard the collective call for change.

Because of your leadership, ASD has started the process of restoring critical services and hiring teachers for the next school year. Though the threat of a veto to the education appropriation still looms, ASD is committed to moving forward, albeit cautiously, in service of our students and families. We understand that the decisions ahead will be difficult. As you work to develop and implement the sustainable, long-term fiscal plan our state urgently needs — one that ensures funding for the essential services Alaskans rely on — your commitment to bold action gives us hope.

We are proud to stand with you in support of strong, stable, and fully funded public education across Alaska.

Jharrett Bryantt is superintendent of the Anchorage School District.

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Carl Jacobs is president of the Anchorage School Board.

• • •

The views expressed here are the writer’s and are not necessarily endorsed by the Anchorage Daily News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)adn.com. Send submissions shorter than 200 words to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Read our full guidelines for letters and commentaries here.





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Alaska

Kasilof River Sockeye Salmon Limits Increased

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Kasilof River Sockeye Salmon Limits Increased


 

Spawning Coho. Image-BLM

(Soldotna) – To allow anglers additional harvest opportunity of Kasilof River sockeye salmon, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is increasing the bag and possession limit for sockeye salmon, 16 inches or greater in length, to six fish per day and twelve fish in possession; however, no more than two salmon per day and two in possession may be coho salmon, in all portions of the Kasilof River open to salmon fishing. These provisions are effective 12:01 a.m. Friday, June 26 through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, December 31, 2026.

The biological escapement goal on the Kasilof River is 140,000-320,000 sockeye salmon. Through June 23, a total of 117,665 sockeye salmon have passed the Kasilof River sonar site. The current escapement of sockeye salmon into the Kasilof River is proceeding at a rate that is projected to exceed the biological escapement goal.

In addition to increasing the bag and possession limit for sockeye salmon, ADF&G issued emergency order 2-RS-1-32-26 expanding the area open to the personal use dip net fishery on the Kasilof River.

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For additional information, please contact the Soldotna ADF&G office at (907) 262-9368.



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Crews continue making progress on Delta Fires

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Crews continue making progress on Delta Fires


A White Mountain Crewmember feels for any remaining heat along the Rapeseed Fire (#275) outside of Delta Junction on June 24 2026. Photo/ Sam Porter

#222 Granite Fire– The Clackamas Crew joined the Southwest Type 1 Crew and TCC Squad A on the Granite Fire today. The fire is now 85% contained. 
A thermal detection drone was flown over the fire to identify any remaining heat. A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place and will continue tomorrow, meaning aircraft and drones that are not supporting firefighting operations are prohibited from flying over or near the incident. 
Crews are also checking windrows for remaining heat. Windrows are rows of trees left standing to reduce wind erosion on farmland. Firefighters will pile and burn dead or downed trees, as well as hazard trees with burned roots. 

#257 Barley 2 Fire– All personnel have been demobilized from the Barley 2 Fire after it was declared contained and controlled. The fire will remain in monitor status. This will be the last update for this fire unless significant changes occur.

#268 Moosehead Fire– A boat is transporting TCC Squad C to the Moosehead Fire, where they are gridding the interior and checking for any remaining heat. 

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The White Mountain T2IA crew stand in an arc, gridding the fire, looking for any smoke or heat. Photo/ Sam Porter

#275 Rapeseed Fire- The Rapeseed Fire is 80% contained. The White Mountain Type 2 Initial Attack Crew is constructing sawline and cold trailing the fire’s edge to locate and extinguish any remaining heat. 
A Nodwell continues to provide an effective way to transport personnel, equipment, supplies, and water through the remote, sensitive terrain while supporting suppression efforts. 
 
#223 Pogo and #226 Shaw Fires continue to be in monitor status. 

Map of Delta Area Fires. Click to download or enlarge
‹ More Firefighters Heading to Ambler for Jade Fire

Categories: Active Wildland Fire, Alaska DNR – Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DFFP)

Tags: #FireYear2026 #2026AKFIRESEASON, 2026 Alaska Fire Season, Delta, Granite Fire, Moosehead Fire, Pogo Fire, Rapeseed Fire, Shaw Fire

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Characteristics of Leadership: Recklessness – Alaska Business Magazine

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Characteristics of Leadership: Recklessness – Alaska Business Magazine


Picture it: an 800-mile engineering marvel traversing Alaska’s rugged wilderness. An immense zinc mine powering Northwest Alaska’s economy. World-class sustainable harvests feeding global markets with seafood.

The Trans Alaska Pipeline System, Red Dog mine, and the Alaska fishing industry: These massive ventures represent high-stakes investments in infrastructure and resources that have transformed Alaska into a powerhouse of global energy, minerals, and food. Today, we call these ventures inspired, but that label masks a fundamental nuance and common misconception: there is a distinction between the risky and the reckless.

That line between bold visionary and reckless gambler is usually written in ink only after the dust settles and the checks clear. Winners are often labeled as geniuses while thousands of leaders who made similar bets but went bust are ignored. When you see any winner in the marketplace, their strategy can look like a guaranteed blueprint for success. This is survivorship bias in action, obsessing over the front-runners while ignoring the graveyard of those who made the same choices. Recklessness is a classic leadership trap, in part, because it is very easy to mistake good luck for repeatable strategy. Our brains are wired to find patterns in chaos, even when they don’t exist, and when a gamble pays off, it is easy to invent a story to explain why it worked. This explains, in part, why high-risk behavior is often rebranded as “visionary” in the business world.

Understanding the mechanics of recklessness can help a leader spot the difference between a smart move and a predictable bad one. It is the contrast between a high-wire artist using a safety net and having practiced the route, versus one who just hopes they don’t fall. The first one is making calculated moves, and the second is wishing for the best.

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