Across Alaska, villages, towns and cities held summer solstice gatherings on Saturday. In Fairbanks, it was the 434rd annual Midnight Sun Festival, and although skies were smoky, the sun shown until late at night and downtown was filled with revelers. We have photos from photographer Robert Lype for the enjoyment of those who were partying (or fishing, flying, or working) elsewhere:
Ron Barry performs in front of Rabinowitz Courthouse. (All photo copyrighted by Robert Lype.)
Emergency officials have issued Level 3 “GO!” evacuation orders for residents along Goshawk Road and Moose Nugget Road, just south of Tok, as the Seven Mile Lookout Fire (#222) surged past containment efforts Saturday afternoon. Residents of the Butch Ruth area are asked to evacuate, as are those on Goshawk Road and Moose Nugget Road.
The wildfire, burning west of Mile 118 of the Glenn Highway, has grown rapidly to an estimated 55 acres. Fueled by light winds, the blaze breached a retardant line on its eastern flank and is advancing north and east—toward the outskirts of Tok.
Aerial resources, including scoopers and air tankers, are actively engaged in firefighting operations alongside ground crews and smokejumpers. Fire managers say structure protection is a top priority, with fire engines and crews stationed near homes and properties in the projected path of the fire.
Meanwhile, significant firefighting efforts continue across the region:
Fire officials urge all residents in the affected areas to stay alert and follow official guidance, which can be found at akfireinfo.com. Those under “GO!” evacuation orders should leave immediately.
Air quality in the region is expected to deteriorate due to smoke, and drivers along the Glenn Highway are advised to proceed with caution as visibility may be reduced.
US Sen. Dan Sullivan issued a strong statement Saturday in support of President Donald Trump’s decision to launch airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites, calling the move a necessary step to reassert American deterrence in the face of what he acknowledged was decades of Iranian aggression.
“President Trump meant what he said—Iran will never get a nuclear bomb,” Sullivan said on X. “I commend @POTUS and his national security team for making this important but difficult decision and our brave military members for carrying it out.”
Congressman Nick Begich III also issued a statement of support: “President Trump was right to strike Iran. Weakness invites aggression — strength restores peace. Tonight’s action sends a clear message: The United States will not hesitate to defend our people, our allies, or our interests. I fully support the President’s decisive leadership in holding the Iranian regime accountable. God bless and protect our men and women serving this great nation.”
The military strikes reportedly targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Trump announced the action Saturday on Truth Social, saying the attacks were “very successful” and that US aircraft were already out of Iranian airspace.
Sullivan, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a retired colonel in the US Marine Corps Reserve, said the Iranian regime has been in a de facto war with the United States for decades.
“The terrorist leaders of Iran have, in essence, been at war with the United States for decades—targeting, wounding and killing thousands of American service members for years,” Sullivan said.
He framed the strikes as part of a broader campaign to “reestablish deterrence” against Iran, which he said had eroded under President Joe Biden.
“Making sure the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism never gets a nuclear weapon is part of the work of reestablishing deterrence against Iran, which was lost during the appeasement of the Biden Administration,” Sullivan said. “This is difficult work, but critical for our national security. I fully support the President and his national security team in these critical efforts.”
The strikes have already drawn condemnation from Iran, which vowed retaliation. There may be sleeper cells of terrorists in the United States that could be activated by Iran, as this is part of the terrorist playbook. Federal authorities have charged individuals allegedly connected to Iran’s IRGC or Ministry of Intelligence with plots to target US officials, including former President Donald Trump and other Trump Administration figures.
The FBI has, for example, pursued operatives like Majid Dastjani Farahani for alleged assassination plots. Farahani is an Iranian intelligence officer, who is wanted by the FBI for questioning in connection with the recruitment of individuals for various operations in the United States, including lethal targeting of current and former US government officials as revenge for the killing of IRGC-QF Commander Qasem Soleimani.
Farahani has also reportedly recruited individuals for surveillance activities focused on religious sites, businesses, and other facilities in the United States. The FBI says Farahani acts for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security.
Another notorious terrorist sought by the FBI is Ali Saed Bin Ali El-Hoorie. Born in Saudi Arabia, he is wanted for Conspiracy to Kill US Nationals; Conspiracy to Murder US Employees; Conspiracy to Use Weapons of Mass Destruction Against US Nationals; Conspiracy to Destroy Property of the US; Conspiracy to Attack National Defense Utilities; Bombing Resulting in Death; Use of Weapons of Mass Destruction Against US Nationals; Murder While Using Destructive Device During a Crime of Violence; Murder of Federal Employees; Attempted Murder of Federal Employees.
Sullivan has been a vocal critic of the Iranian regime and a consistent advocate for a strong US military presence in the Middle East. Friday’s statement signals his continued support for Trump’s more confrontational posture toward Tehran.
Update: Sen. Lisa Murkowski issued a statement late Saturday evening:
“President Trump’s decision to carry out focused strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure makes clear that the international community will not tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran. I commend all those who executed this mission with precision and professionalism.”
The White House has not released further details about the extent of the damage to the nuclear facilities.
President Donald Trump said on TruthSocial that US military forces carried out airstrikes against three of Iran’s nuclear facilities overnight, a dramatic escalation in the long-standing tensions between the United States and the Islamic Republic.
“We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,” Trump wrote. “Our bombers have safely exited Iranian air space. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!”
The statement marked the first official U.S. acknowledgment of direct military action against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure since the beginning of heightened hostilities in the region earlier this year. The Pentagon has not yet issued a formal statement, and it is unclear whether the strikes were coordinated with allies or approved through consultation with Congress.
The three facilities, Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan (Esfahan), have long been central to Iran’s uranium enrichment program.
Each of these sites is monitored, to varying degrees, by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), though Iran has sharply curtailed access in recent years following the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement.
The strike comes amid months of escalating military tensions between the U.S., Israel, and Iran. In recent weeks, U.S. forces in the region had been placed on heightened alert following Iranian missile tests, increased proxy activity in Iraq and Syria, and Tehran’s refusal to cooperate with international inspectors.
Just days before the strike, US intelligence indicated Iran was preparing to enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels, surpassing the 90% threshold. Iranian officials denied the allegations and insisted their nuclear program was for peaceful purposes.
While immediate details remain scarce, early reports suggest explosions were detected near the cities of Natanz and Isfahan around midnight local time. Iranian state media has so far not confirmed the strikes, but officials are expected to issue a response shortly.
The international community is bracing for potential retaliation from the world’s major exporter of terror — the Islamic Republic of Iran government. Oil prices surged on initial news of the strikes, and several Middle Eastern capitals have placed military units on standby. NATO officials are said to be in emergency consultation, and the United Nations Security Council is expected to convene later today.
Two federal cases have revealed drug trafficking networks that point to Alaska as a hub of the illicit trade.
Starting last March, three Juneau residents allegedly conspired to acquire meth for sale in Alaska. The trio also allegedly plotted to launder the money from their activities.
A joint task force that includes the Juneau Police Department and Alaska State Troopers are investigating the case, which appears to be part of a growing trend.
In a different, unrelated case, two men from Vegas allegedly conspired to possess fentanyl for distribution in Alaska. Investigators say that another Alaskan from Kenai has been charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and being a felon in control of a firearm. This person had prior felony convictions in the Kenai Superior Court.
“These cases are a reminder that our office takes seriously the threat of drug traffickers targeting Alaska, and we will be relentless in working with our law enforcement partners in stopping the flow of dangerous drugs to keep Alaskans safe,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska.
Last year, Alaska State Troopers seized just over 570,000 pounds of narcotics. That was a 76 percent increase over the previous year, which saw record overdose deaths.
The majority of the seizures involve methamphetamine, but there has been a notable rise in the amount of fentanyl trickling into the state. Indeed, approximately 100 pounds of the drug were intercepted last year at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. In 2021, fentanyl deaths spiked by 150 percent, according to the Alaska Department of Health.
Alaska may not seem like a magnet for illicit drug trade, but traffickers will find that people in remote communities pay a premium.
In 2023, The Alaska Annual Drug Report found that the “disparity between prices in the contiguous United States and Alaska presents an incentive for drug trafficking organizations to import and distribute drugs into and throughout the state.”
“Moreover, there is a strong correlation between distance from a regional hub and price—the farther a drug or alcohol is trafficked from a regional hub the greater the retail price.”
In other words, a pill that costs $10 in Las Vegas might net a dealer $50 in Utqiagvik. Prices within the state also vary. For example, a dosage unit of fentanyl can cost $15 or $100, depending on whether you are buying in Anchorage or Kodiak.
According to the Justice Department, both of these cases are part of “Operation Take Back America.” In March, the Trump administration said that it launched the initiative “to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations.” As with meth, most fentanyl enters the United States from Mexico, but precursors for the drug also come from China.
Alaska’s challenging geography and isolated communities, which make enforcement difficult, have made it an ideal location for drug traffickers inside and outside of the U.S.
By REP. KEVIN MCCABE
As a state representative, I have a front-row seat to the transformation of Alaska’s public education system into what I’ve come to call the Alaska Education Industrial Complex, a sprawling, self-serving machine that treats our children not as students, but as commodities.
We count students not for what they’ve learned or achieved, but for how much revenue they generate. This system props up bloated administrations, rewards failure with more money, and defends its own survival at the expense of those it is supposed to serve, our kids.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s June 12 veto of $200 from the $700 Base Student Allocation increase for Fiscal Year 2026 was not just about numbers on a spreadsheet. It was a signal, a warning shot, that we cannot continue down this road.
I wholeheartedly agree with the governor on this: Funding without accountability is a disservice to Alaska’s children. The BSA veto was not about “starving” education. Rather, it is a challenge to a system that’s been protecting itself for far too long.
The foundation formula we use to fund education in Alaska is outdated, flawed, and designed to feed the system, not the student. Tied to Average Daily Membership, this model means every student is a line on a ledger. When enrollment declines, as it has across the state from 132,000 students in 2016 to about 128,000 today, districts scramble, not to improve outcomes, but to maintain funding. That’s not education; that’s survival of a failing business.
Take Anchorage: 6,600 students lost since 2010, millions in funding gone, and yet instead of reevaluating how we deliver education, the district doubles down on high-cost projects like a $50 million rebuild of Inlet View Elementary. Meanwhile, schools with half-empty classrooms are shuttered, programs are cut, and families are told there’s simply not enough money, all while more administrators are hired. The truth? The money is there; it’s just being spent to protect bureaucracies, not teach children.
We spend more per student than nearly every other state, $18,313 as of 2020, yet outcomes continue to decline. Why? Because too much of that funding never reaches the classroom. Administrative costs continue to balloon while frontline educators, students, and families are left with the scraps. Thus many families vote with their feet and leave the school, exacerbating and accelerating the prime issue.
My proposed amendment to HB 69 would have consolidated Alaska’s 54 school districts into 30 districts by 2027. That’s not just a number; it’s potentially tens of millions of dollars redirected from administration to instruction.
But when you threaten the system, the system fights back. Alaska Council of School Administrators, Superintendents, school boards, and public sector unions closed ranks to protect their kingdoms. Their opposition wasn’t about kids. It was about power. It was about preserving jobs that depend not on student success, but on the size of the bureaucracy.
Rural schools, particularly those serving Alaska Native communities, have been neglected for decades. Crumbling facilities, moldy classrooms, and disappearing programs are the norm. And when we do find programs that work, like rural career guidance initiatives that doubled degree completion, we defund them. At the same time, correspondence programs like IDEA flourish without oversight. More than 7,500 students are enrolled, yet many never take statewide tests. It’s funding without performance, and once again, the system looks the other way.
We’ve reached a point where less than 30% of our students are proficient in English or math. We rank dead last in reading. One in five young Alaskans is disconnected from school and the workforce entirely. Chronic absenteeism has become a rampant, yet little discussed, issue.
This situation is not just embarrassing, it’s generationally devastating and contributes to the suicide rate, the homeless problem, and the poor economics in rural Alaska. It’s the predictable result of a system designed to feed itself, not educate our children.
The governor’s veto saved $50.6 million this year, reducing the BSA increase from $700 to $500. Critics say it hurts schools. I say it exposes a problem we can no longer ignore. We cannot keep writing blank checks to a system that resists reform at every turn. If we are serious about improving education in this state, we must be serious about accountability.
Charter school expansion, reading incentives, cellphone bans, these were good, albeit week, starts in HB 57. But we need more. We need audits to shine a light on where the money is spent. We need a funding formula that rewards performance, not attendance. And we need to stop mortgaging our children’s futures to protect administrative empires.
We must put students first. That means consolidating districts to reduce redundant overhead and free up funds for classrooms; expanding school choice to inject competition into a stagnant system; auditing every dollar that doesn’t make it into the classroom or directly improve outcomes; fixing rural infrastructure where students are literally learning in unsafe buildings; redirecting unspent Covid-19 relief funds, $96 million of which expired in January, away from bureaucracy and into instruction; and rewarding excellence with teacher bonuses, not superintendent perks.
What we are witnessing today is the commodification of Alaska’s students. They are merely headcounts for funding formulas, statistics for bond measures, and talking points for bureaucrats defending their paychecks.
Our children should be our future. Students are our obligation. And they deserve a system that sees them for who they are, learners, dreamers, doers, not revenue streams.
Governor Dunleavy’s veto was a tough pill to swallow, but it was necessary. It reminded us that the real crisis is not underfunding, it’s misplaced priorities and poor management.
It’s time to stop counting kids for dollars. It’s time to start educating them.
Rep. Kevin McCabe serves in the Legislature on behalf of District 30, Big Lake.
Saturday 5:30 pm update: Parks Highway closed in both directions from Mile 267 to Mile 278 due to Bear Creek Fire. This is north of Healy.
Saturday 2:30 pm update: GO! Saint George Creek fire evacuation — anywhere around the Gold King Creek AK 7 airport area is advised to evacuate. The Tri-Valley Community Center is the evacuation information center with (907) 378-7985 as the evacuation information phone number.
Saturday 9 am update: The fire remains active and continues to move in a northerly direction. All evacuation statuses from the June 21 update remain active.
A fast-growing wildfire west of the Parks Highway near Mile Post 263 has triggered mandatory evacuation orders for multiple subdivisions as fire behavior intensifies and smoke columns become visible across a wide area.
The Bear Creek Fire, listed as Fire #237, flared up significantly on Friday, producing heavy smoke visible from the communities of Healy, Clear, and Anderson. The fire’s proximity to the highway has drawn the attention of drivers, with a visible smoke plume rising near Mile 263.
According to a 9:30 pm. update from fire officials, the blaze continues to challenge containment efforts, prompting a surge in response resources. Air tankers, smokejumpers, and firefighting crews on the ground are being supported by engines from the Fairbanks Area Forestry division, helitack teams, and volunteers from McKinley and Tri-Valley Fire Departments.
Despite the escalation, the Parks Highway remains open at this time. Motorists are advised to check Alaska 511 for real-time updates and use caution when traveling through the area.
As of 9 pm on June 20, the following areas have been placed in “GO!” status and are under immediate evacuation orders:
Residents in these zones are urged to evacuate immediately. The Tri-Valley Community Center is serving as the designated evacuation checkpoint. Individuals needing evacuation information should call (907) 378-7985.
Areas from Mile 262 to 264 west of the highway are in “SET” status, meaning residents should be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice. Those between Mile 260 to 262 are in “READY” status and should remain alert for further instructions.
The Healy Transfer Station was closed Friday due to fire conditions and staffing needs. Officials announced it will reopen at 10 am Saturday.
While no formal list of donation needs has been issued, the Denali Borough is collecting contact information from individuals or organizations interested in offering assistance to those affected by the fire. Donations of food, goods, or services can be coordinated by calling the borough office at (907) 683-1330 between 9 am and 4 pm.
By VAL VANBROCKLIN
This is a true story. It’s in a file at the Boney Courthouse in Anchorage. On May 2, 2025 the Alaska Supreme Court issued a decision In the Matter of the Necessity for the Hospitalization of Lila B. Lila isn’t her real name, but she is a real person. “The matter” wasn’t just Lila’s “hospitalization.” It was also her jailing and forcible head shaving. None of it was necessary.
A police officer took protective custody of Lila and transported her to jail. The jail knew Lila had head lice. She spent six days there before being taken to the Alaska Psychiatric Institute for a 72-hour hold to evaluate whether she met requirements to be committed.
An hour after Lila arrived at API, a state attorney requested a court order to forcibly shave her head. Seventeen minutes later a magistrate convened a hearing in which everyone participated telephonically. Lila’s court appointed attorney learned of the hearing five minutes before it started. The hearing lasted less than an hour.
Two API staff testified: Edward Czech, an RN and admissions screening manager, and Sean Farley, an advanced nurse practitioner with psychiatry expertise. Czech testified a lice shampoo would kill the active head lice but not the eggs, which could hatch in nine or ten days. The shampoo “might not” reach lice embedded in mats in Lila’s hair, and there was no place at API to truly isolate her. Lice could lead to cellulitis, which “at its most extreme … can cause sepsis and death.”
Farley testified that isolating Lila would be stigmatizing and hamper her participation in therapeutic activities. He felt reluctant to be with Lila where an “ectoparasite” could go from her head to his. He believed shaving her head was the least intrusive treatment because she hadn’t cooperated with shampooing. He acknowledged the shaving might be traumatic and require restraining Lila.
Lila testified. One of her objections to having her head shaved was religious. She tried her best to care for her skin and hair but struggled because she was homeless. She had weeping infections from eczema. If they cut off her hair, she’d have to stare at herself in the mirror and remember the day forever. That would be “torture.” She couldn’t understand why API sought to shave her head. She was willing to use the shampoo, she was just trying to take the mats out of her hair first. She never refused shampoo treatment. API staff was miscommunicating her position.
A Superior Court judge granted the state’s request and API forcibly shaved Lila’s head. Ten days later she was released when the court concluded she didn’t meet commitment criteria.
The Alaska Supreme Court decided Lila’s forcible head shaving was “error.” The justices concluded the judge shouldn’t have granted the order because the state failed to prove “by clear and convincing evidence that shaving Lila’s head was the least restrictive means of treating her lice infestation.”
Lila’s forcible head shaving should never have happened. Two things dictate that besides the law—common sense and compassion. Both were lacking in Lila’s case.
First, common sense. After Lila’s coherent testimony, why did no one ask her what she thought was a reasonable amount of time to let her work on her mats before trying the shampoo? Also, head lice can’t jump or fly. They don’t carry disease. They’re not considered a public health hazard. There was no need to isolate Lila or shave her head. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Farley and others could have been protected by not touching Lila’s head, not using her hair grooming tools, and not sharing her clothing or bedding. That’s how the Anchorage School District handles lice. Their policy specifically calls for not isolating kids.
Czech’s portrayal of the situation as life and death was absurd. The jail didn’t address Lila’s lice for six days. She was on a 72-hour hold. No one was going to get sepsis and die during that time. Google death from head lice. It generally takes years of neglect.
Farley’s testimony about isolation and its stigma interfering with Lila’s psychiatric treatment was equally absurd. Her 72-hour hold for evaluation meant she might be released with no treatment, which happened. What about the stigma outside of API from a shaved head with weeping sores? If Lila had remained at API, what impact on her mental health might the trauma, stigma, and violation of her religious beliefs from her forcibly shaved head have?
The state’s attorney, whose job isn’t to be API’s lackey, should never have sought to forcibly shave Lila’s head given her 72-hour evaluation hold and that she’d only been there an hour trying to get her mats untangled before shampooing. If she got committed for treatment, shaving could be revisited.
It was nonsensical for the Superior Court judge to issue the order. She’d previously represented Alaskans in commitment proceedings as an Assistant Public Defender. She understood the head shaving could be revisited after the evaluation, if Lila was committed. API’s and the state’s attorney’s absurdity didn’t relieve her of her duty to safeguard Lila’s rights.
The other thing lacking was compassion. The state’s attorney and judge never saw Lila or her hair during the telephonic hearing. They also failed to see her as a human being deserving of compassion.
Lila’s forcible head shaving wasn’t life or death. It wasn’t about protecting her from interference in treatment she never received. It was API’s preference for the quickest, easiest way to manage head lice. Our state Supreme Court has recognized API has interests in institutional stability and economic considerations that can conflict with patients’ wishes and the law. That’s what happened here, and API’s interests won.
The Alaska Supreme Court has fostered this lack of common sense and compassion for Alaskans with mental illness, and the continued violation of their constitutional and human rights. Lila’s head shaving wasn’t the only “error” in this story. She was illegally detained.
Over a decade ago, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that persons committed 72 hours for evaluation must be transported “immediately” to an evaluation facility and, if that’s not possible, the evaluation must take place without delay where they are being held. I’ve written before about the state Supreme Court repeatedly telling Superior Courts they must adhere to these laws—and the Superior Courts failing to do so.
Lila spent six days in jail and ten days in API for a 72-hour evaluation hold. Neither the Superior nor Supreme Court paid any attention.
Lisa would have had more rights if she’d committed a crime.
To the state’s attorney, the judge, and the justices in Lila’s case, I urge you to examine your lack of common sense and compassion, as well as your disregard of state statutes and the Alaska Constitution.
To Lila, I am sorry, ashamed, and angry. You deserved more. The Alaska Supreme Court acknowledging that what was done to you was “error” is too little, too late. May your suffering not be in vain, as too many cases before yours have been.
Val Van Brocklin was a senior trial attorney with the Anchorage District Attorney’s Office before she was asked to join the state’s Office of Special Prosecution and Appeals, where she had statewide responsibility for cases so complex they required specialized investigative and prosecution efforts. She was then recruited by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to prosecute complex white collar crime, for which she received the FBI’s commendation. Now she is an author, international speaker, and trainer whose work has been featured on ABC and Discovery. More about Val at this link.
A Level 1 “Ready” evacuation alert has been issued by state emergency officials for several communities in the Interior region of Alaska, including Central and Circle Hot Springs, due to a surge in wildfire activity.
The alert, issued Friday afternoon, applies to:
Multiple wildfires burning in the area have grown significantly in recent days, fueled by dry conditions and gusty winds. Fire crews are actively working to contain the blazes, but heavy smoke and proximity to populated areas have prompted the alert.
The Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection warns that travelers should expect traffic delays and restricted access on the Steese Highway, Circle Hot Springs Road, and Deadwood Creek Road due to firefighting operations and the proximity of the fires to major transportation routes.
A Level 1 “Ready” alert is the first step in Alaska’s three-tier evacuation system and does not require immediate departure. However, residents in the affected areas are being urged to:
Meanwhile, firefighting efforts are expanding across the region. On Friday afternoon, four smokejumpers parachuted in near Mile 34 of the Salcha River, about one mile south of the lightning-caused #NinetyeightFire (#199), which is burning near the border of the Yukon Training Area, east of Eielson Air Force Base.
The fire, estimated at 800 acres when the jumpers landed around 1:30 p.m., was spreading moderately to the northeast. It is burning through grasslands and transitioning into mixed black and white spruce closer to the river, posing an increased threat to nearby structures.
Smokejumpers have begun structure protection efforts at a cabin in the area, and additional firefighting teams are preparing to boat up the Salcha River to assess the situation further. The reconnaissance mission will help officials collect key data to support structure protection planning for communities and remote properties along the river — not just from the #NinetyeightFire, but from other active fires burning about 30 miles upriver.
Fire managers stress that this activity is part of a broader, coordinated response to what is shaping up to be an intense wildfire season in Alaska. Alaskans in the region are encouraged to remain vigilant, follow guidance from local authorities, and be prepared to act quickly should evacuation orders become necessary.
For the latest information, visit akfireinfo.com or follow @AK_Forestry on social media.