Gov. Mike Dunleavy is pushing back hard against what he calls “baseless and reckless insinuations” from certain lawmakers following his veto of Senate Bill 183, a controversial measure that sought to increase legislative power over executive actions. Those certain lawmakers are Democrat Sen. Bill Wielechowski and Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson, who have made cheap shots at the governor in response to his veto.
Rep. Kevin McCabe wrote about SB 183 and defended the veto of it in a column this week in Must Read Alaska, also raising the concern that it was an affront to the balance of power and was more likely a bill intended to be political targeting of Revenue Commissioner Adam Crum.
In a sharply worded letter sent to members of the Alaska Legislature this week, Dunleavy defended his veto as a necessary stand to preserve the state’s constitutional balance of powers and called out legislators for what he described as an attempt to score political points through unfounded accusations.
“SB 183 presents serious constitutional concerns by overstepping the boundaries that separate the executive and legislative branches,” Dunleavy wrote, adding that Alaska’s founders “were deliberate in establishing a strong executive — one insulated from undue legislative control.”
The bill, which passed with support from lawmakers critical of the administration’s transparency, was framed by its supporters as a move toward better oversight of the Department of Revenue. But Dunleavy rejected that characterization outright, accusing some legislators of pushing “unfounded insinuations and accusations” without evidence.
“Claims or implications that this administration is acting unethically or illegally are unfounded and unsupported by any evidence,” the governor wrote. “Such rhetoric undermines not only the integrity of our institutions, but also the public’s trust in its government.”
Dunleavy said he is open to cooperating with the Legislature and the Legislative Audit Division to improve access to information and data formatting, but warned that he “will not tolerate efforts to politicize the routine functions of government or to weaponize the process for headlines.”
He also challenged lawmakers who believe misconduct has occurred to follow proper legal channels, rather than lobbing accusations in public forums.
“If any member of this body sincerely believes that illegal or unethical actions have occurred, I encourage you to put those allegations in writing and follow proper legal or procedural channels,” the governor stated.
SB 183 has been the subject of controversy, with Democrats in the Legislature seeking to control the way that audit materials are given to the Legislature. Supporters of the veto argue that the bill would have intruded on executive authority and created opportunities for political micromanagement.
Dunleavy called for a return to “productive governance over political theater” and emphasized his desire to work within constitutional bounds to address Alaska’s real challenges.
“Our time and energy must be devoted to solving real problems, not inventing them for some political gain,” he wrote.
In a landmark 6-3 decision on Friday, the US Supreme Court ruled that federal district courts may not issue nationwide injunctions, a move that allows President Donald Trump’s executive order restricting birthright citizenship to go into effect in some parts of the country.
The ruling is not a final ruling on the constitutionality of Trump’s order, which challenges an interpretation of the 14th Amendment granting automatic citizenship to those born on US soil. Instead, the court curtailed the power of lower federal judges, saying they may only block enforcement of federal policies for plaintiffs directly involved in a lawsuit, not across the entire country.
The case originated from a coalition immigration advocacy groups who challenged Trump’s 2025 executive order that seeks to restrict automatic citizenship for children born in the US to illegal immigrants. Their legal action prompted a liberal federal judge to halt the policy nationwide, a move the high court found to be beyond a single judge’s authority.
Justice Amy Coney Barrett, writing for the majority, strongly rebuked Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s dissent, which had argued that the majority ruling “is an existential threat to the rule of law.” Jackson was so furious, she did not even sign her dissent with the usual “I dissent” or “respectfully, I dissent.”
Barrett wrote, “We will not dwell on Justice Jackson’s argument, which is at odds with more than two centuries’ worth of precedent, not to mention the Constitution itself. We observe only this: Justice Jackson decries an imperial Executive while embracing an imperial Judiciary.”
The decision means that Trump’s order can now be implemented in areas not covered by the current lawsuits — typically, states run by Democrats, who were part of the lawsuit. The administration must wait 30 days before denying any citizenship claims, giving time for further legal challenges or congressional action.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor, also dissenting, warned the decision could lead to legal chaos and conflicting outcomes across different jurisdictions.
For now, Trump’s birthright citizenship order inches forward, although legal uncertainty remains, and further constitutional challenges are expected by advocacy groups and their legal teams.
Officials from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the Alaska State Troopers executed a search warrant Thursday at the Kroschel Wildlife Center in Haines, which led to the confiscation of dozens of animals, including wolves, martens, a wolverine, a fox, a lynx, and a porcupine.
According to state officials, the confiscated animals are being transported to licensed facilities, including the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage and the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in Girdwood. Smaller animals were airlifted from the Haines Airport, while larger animals, such as moose, caribou, and a grizzly bear, were transported overland, crossing the Canadian border en route to their new homes in Southcentral Alaska.
The wildlife center, operated by filmmaker Steve Kroschel, housed more than 60 animals and was a popular tourist destination known for offering close-up, educational encounters with Alaskan wildlife.
On site during the seizure were several state officials from the Department of Fish and Game, including Director Ryan Scott, Regional Coordinator Anthony Crupi, Wildlife Biologists Stephanie Bogle and Roy Churchwell, Information Officer Riley Woodford, and Veterinarian Kimberly Beckman. The complex operation extended into Friday morning as teams continued loading and relocating the remaining animals. Troopers were in Haines on a related matter.
Department of Public Safety Public Information Officer Austin McDaniel explained: “On June 26 and 27, 2025, multiple Alaska Wildlife Troopers were in Haines, Alaska executing a search warrant associated with an ongoing criminal investigation at the Kroschel Films Wildlife Center. Troopers completed their search on June 27th and released the property back to the owner. Wildlife Troopers did not euthanize or relocate any animals at the property during their search. At this time, no arrests have been made, and the criminal investigation is active and ongoing. While Wildlife Troopers were conducting their criminal investigation, staff from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game were taking regulatory action at the property.”
Kroschel, who has operated the wildlife center for years, has expressed frustration over what he describes as government overreach. He has produced a series of videos, available on his website www.kroschelfilms.com, detailing his perspective on the events leading up to the closure of his facility. In a YouTube video published earlier this week, he criticized the actions of both state and federal officials.
The legal backdrop to the raid stems from a 2024 decision by the US Department of Agriculture, which ordered the closure of Kroschel’s facility on Aug. 5 after renewing his license under stricter conditions. Kroschel contested the terms and later prevailed in court, but during the appeal process, he lost his State of Alaska educational permit, a requirement to operate legally.
The annual Anchorage Pride Parade and Festival, the largest LGBTQ+ spectacle in Alaska, is scheduled to take place Saturday, June 28, beginning at 11:30 am at the Delaney Park Strip in downtown Anchorage.
Organized by the Alaskans Together Foundation, a nonprofit focused on LGBTQ+ equality and community engagement, the event highlights themes of love, inclusion, and visibility, but also unbridled narcissism. Participants traditionally march with rainbow flags, dressed in vibrant attire, and accompanied by music, floats, and signs expressing solidarity and pride in sexual preference and gawdy mockery of women. Participants have been encouraged to wear their boldest costumes.
The parade route begins at 7th Avenue and E Street, circles the perimeter of the Delaney Park Strip, and concludes at the Celebrate Pride ‘25 Festival. A route map is available on the Alaskans Together Foundation website for spectators and participants.
Grand marshals of the parade include two founders of the Alaskans for Trans Youth organization, which is funded by the Alaska Children’s Trust.
The other grand marshal is former Rep. Mary Peltola.
“Lindsey and Earl Banning are passionate advocates for LGBTQ+ rights and co-founders of Alaskans for Trans Youth (AFTY), a grassroots volunteer group dedicated to empowering and protecting transgender and gender nonconforming youth in Alaska. Since relocating to Alaska in 2022 with their two children as part of an active-duty military family, Lindsey and Earl have continued the advocacy they began in Ohio—organizing pride celebrations, educating communities, and defending trans youth from harmful legislation. Motivated by Lindsey’s experience as a queer parent to a trans teen, both have worked tirelessly to create inclusive, intersectional spaces through testimony at legislative hearings, organizing statewide advocacy fly-ins, collaborating with national partners like Advocates for Trans Equality, and contributing thought pieces to national media. For Lindsey and Earl, this work is personal and transformative—a deeply human commitment to ensuring that all youth, especially trans youth, are safe, seen, and celebrated,” says the description at Alaskans Together Foundation.
Peltola, the group notes, “spent her time in Congress as a tireless advocate for LGBTQ+ rights in Alaska, fighting to keep all Alaskans safe, welcomed, and accepted. Mary is dedicated to building an Alaska where all families can stay in Alaska, raise their kids in Alaska, and watch their grandkids grow up in Alaska.”
The parade will include an entry from the Municipality of Anchorage, courtesy of Mayor Suzanne LaFrance.
The Celebrate Pride ‘25 Festival will run from 11 am to 5 pm, featuring over 130 vendors, including food trucks, craft booths, and nonprofit outreach tents, as well as two entertainment stages. Activities will include burlesque drag performances, musical acts, dancing competitions. Organizers emphasize the festival’s inclusive nature, welcoming allies, families, and the wider Anchorage community, but it may not be family friendly to many Alaskans.
Saturday evening, a ticketed drag show dance party will take place at Williwaw Social on F Street, starting at 8:30 pm. Notable performers include Irene the Alien from RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 10, Auntie Heroine and Frankie Doom from The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula, and Ruby Fox. Local DJs Rachel Monae, Sunkat, and BADDBAUX will also perform.
While Anchorage Pride has historically drawn hundreds of attendees, this year’s turnout remains uncertain. National attention in recent days has been focused on international tensions following reported bombings at Iranian nuclear facilities and high-profile developments in immigration enforcement, which may affect local engagement. It remains to be seen whether the indulgence-oriented festival seems frivolous, considering world events.
As Pride Month celebrations of all things gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer, come to a close, the US Supreme Court ruled that Maryland parents may indeed proceed with a lawsuit seeking to opt their children out of public school lessons that include LGBTQ-themed content.
In a 6-3 decision, the Court sent the case back to the lower courts, effectively allowing the parents’ claims under the First Amendment’s protection of religious freedoms to move forward.
Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the majority that the parents in the case “have shown that they are entitled to a preliminary injunction” and “are likely to succeed in their challenge to the Board’s policies.”
Alito wrote, “A government burdens the religious exercise of parents when it requires them to submit their children to instruction that poses ‘a very real threat of undermining’ the religious beliefs and practices that the parents wish to instill. And a government cannot condition the benefit of free public education on parents’ acceptance of such instruction.”
The ruling is not the final decision in the matter, as the case will head back to the lower courts for further review.
As far as Alaska is concerned, when Gov. Mike Dunleavy was a senator, he and Rep. Wes Keller got a similar but more expansive law put on the books. What the Supreme Court said today was appropriate has been on the books in Alaska for roughly 10 years. See that statute at this Justia.com link.
The parents who brought the case to the Supreme Court are of Christian and Muslim religious backgrounds. They argued that mandatory participation in lessons and storybooks featuring same-sex couples and gender identity discussions violated their constitutional rights to direct the religious upbringing of their children.
The case centers on a policy adopted by Montgomery County Public Schools in 2022, which introduced a set of books designed to promote inclusivity and diversity beginning in pre-kindergarten.
Then, the district removed an opt-out provision that had initially been offered to parents, prompting legal challenges from families who said the curriculum conflicted with their religious beliefs.
The parents’ case had been dismissed by a lower court, which said that they had not shown their children were being forced to affirm beliefs they disagreed with.
However, the Supreme Court disagrees with that reasoning, finding that the parents had presented a plausible claim that deserved further review under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.
The Court did not decide the underlying question of whether the school district’s actions were unconstitutional but emphasized the importance of giving parents their day in court. The ruling reflects a growing judicial emphasis on protecting religious liberty in education-related cases.
The Montgomery County school district has argued that the books are part of a broader effort to create a welcoming environment for all students and that the curriculum is age-appropriate and aligned with state educational standards.
Friday’s ruling is expected to influence how school districts nationwide handle opt-out requests and religious objections to classroom materials involving topics of gender and sexuality. It also highlights the ongoing legal tension between anti-discrimination efforts in public education and the rights of families with traditional or faith-based beliefs.
In Alaska, where oil and gas taxes are the lifeblood of our economy, you’d think we’d all agree on one thing, making sure we’re getting every dollar we’re owed from our oil. But what should be a straightforward process of oversight and accountability has spiraled into a mess of finger-pointing, political theater, and constitutional overreach.
The ongoing dispute between the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee and the Department of Revenue over oil and gas audit data didn’t start yesterday, and it won’t end with a signature on a bill like SB183. We don’t need more bureaucracy and bills. We need clear communication, mutual respect, and common sense.
This issue didn’t appear out of thin air. It started to heat up in 2019, under former Representative Chris Tuck’s leadership of LB&A. Back then, Legislative Auditor Kris Curtis started raising red flags about Revenue’s provision of audit data. And some staffers, former employees of Gov. Bill Walker, exacerbated the issue; insisting that, instead of clean, formatted reports, the department was handing over raw data files that made analysis difficult.
The 2020 audit ended with a “qualified opinion,” meaning auditors couldn’t verify everything they needed to, because the data was, in their opinion, a mess. Nobody wants to go back to the bad old days of under-collected taxes, but we can’t ignore the reality either: the shift in how data is delivered came about during a time of intense DOR staff turnover, increasing workloads, and a global pandemic. While that’s not an excuse, it does provide context.
SB183, the bill introduced earlier this year to mandate what the auditor desired in formatted audit data from DOR, passed the House and Senate. I voted against it, not because I don’t support transparency or accountability, but because I saw it for what it was: a politically motivated attempt to pin blame on a commissioner who’s become a convenient target. Let’s not pretend otherwise. When you see Democrat senators leading the charge against Gov. Dunleavy’s administration; and when his Commissioner of Revenue, Adam Crum, is being floated as a potential gubernatorial candidate in 2026, it’s hard to ignore the political undertones. That’s not governing, it’s elevating a minor situation into a manufactured crisis and using it as a political opportunity to discredit someone.
Between 2006 and 2011, settlements stemming from audits brought in over $1.3 billion. But between 2020 and 2024, settlement revenues dropped off a cliff, from $281 million to just $3.1 million. That’s not just a number; that’s money that could fund schools, public safety, and infrastructure. Certainly part of that decline, even a large part, may be due to improved compliance by oil companies. But part of it is also due to how difficult it has apparently become for process auditors to analyze tax data effectively when they’re sifting through a haystack looking for needles. And that’s a legitimate concern.
The part conveniently ignored by critics of the administration, is that the Department of Revenue has provided data. In fact, according to Crum’s May 8 letter and formal response, Revenue gave the LB&A Excel files containing everything from taxpayer names to tax years, posting dates, and amounts. The issue isn’t that Revenue is withholding information, it’s that it isn’t formatted to the auditors’ liking. That’s not obstruction; that’s a formatting dispute, and possibly the difference between a process audit and a tax audit.
And let’s not forget the constitutional issues here. SB183 would have allowed the legislative auditor to compel the executive branch to deliver work products in a specific format, under threat of fines. That’s a dangerous precedent which violates the separation of powers enshrined in Alaska’s Constitution. The Governor was absolutely right to veto it. We cannot, and should not, allow one branch of government to dictate the internal operations of another.
Commissioner Crum’s absence from a key hearing was angrily criticized by some in the House Rules Committee hearing. But the reality is that he was attending a legally mandated State Investment Review Meeting to help oversee billions in state assets, including the Alaska Permanent Fund. So it was a scheduling conflict, not a conspiracy. Add in Gov. Dunleavy’s directive for executive branch officials to avoid Juneau during the final days of session and we all see the political picture. If we’re going to accuse someone of obstruction, let’s make sure we’ve exhausted every other reasonable explanation first.
SB183 sought to punish, rather than partner with, a department. There must be a better path forward – a path that respects both branches of government and gets the job done without politics and divisiveness.
First, we could establish a joint oversight committee made up of LB&A and Revenue staff. Together, they could create mutually agreed-upon data standards that make life easier for everyone.
Second, negotiating a memorandum of understanding could lay out expectations for what data is provided, when, and in what format; no threats, no fines, just professionalism.
Third, we could bring in a third-party auditor to look at Revenue’s internal processes and suggest improvements. This isn’t about finger-pointing, it’s about getting to the truth.
Fourth, we need a statutory fix that clarifies LB&A’s oversight authority without crossing into executive territory.
And finally, we need to support Revenue with funding and training to manage its data systems and reduce staff turnover.
These aren’t radical ideas. They’re common-sense steps, grounded in the principles of cooperative governance. Let’s remember: the LB&A process auditor can already access raw data. Revenue isn’t hiding anything. The issue is about how that data is delivered and interpreted. That’s a solvable problem if we stop using it as a political football.
As we look ahead to 2026, with the governor’s race already casting a long shadow over every policy debate in Juneau, we must resist the temptation to politicize every disagreement. SB183 may have had good intentions, but it was the wrong tool for the job. We don’t need more laws and bureaucracy, we need more cooperation.
Alaskans deserve a government that works, not one that’s constantly at war with itself. Let’s get back to the table, roll up our sleeves, and solve this problem the Alaskan way — together!
Rep. Kevin McCabe serves in the Legislature on behalf of District 30, Big Lake.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy has vetoed House Bill 174, a measure passed by the Alaska Legislature that aimed to expand access to construction and maintenance funding for Mt. Edgecumbe High School and rural teacher housing across the state.
The bill comes at a time when state fiscal resources are scarce. HB 174 sought to broaden the scope of the Regional Education Attendance Area and Small Municipal School District School Fund (REAA Fund), which was originally established to support rural school construction and later expanded to include major maintenance. HB 174 would have made two major changes:
Inclusion of Mt. Edgecumbe High School as an eligible recipient for construction and maintenance grants from the REAA Fund.
Expansion of funding eligibility to include state-owned rural teacher housing, allowing maintenance grants to support residential facilities for educators in underserved school districts.
In his veto statement, Dunleavy said the bill fundamentally altered the purpose and structure of the REAA Fund. “HB 174 would transform the REAA Fund … by adding Mt. Edgecumbe High School, and for the first time teacher-housing maintenance, a cost traditionally paid by local communities,” he wrote.
He added that the bill “diminished the equity across school districts that is provided by the Fund and commits the state to a local housing obligation, diverting already scarce dollars away from the critical classroom repairs and complicating grant rankings.”
The measure also removed the REAA Fund’s $70 million statutory cap, allowing unrestricted general funds to accumulate in the account without deadlines for project implementation. That change, according to the governor, could lead to delayed spending and create long-term financial commitments for the state.
In addition to the fiscal policy concerns, the Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) estimated the bill would require over $300,000 annually in new costs. The expansion of eligible projects would necessitate two new state positions — a school finance specialist and a building management specialist — and annual travel throughout the state for technical support.
Dunleavy’s veto is part of his administration’s resistance to expanding the state’s role in what he views as local responsibilities, especially amid broader concerns about Alaska’s fiscal sustainability.
A curious change in Alaska’s official voter registration database has sparked questions about the party affiliation of US Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who has long had a complicated relationship with the Republican Party.
The confusion began when Alaska Public Media reporter Wesley Early tweeted a screenshot showing that Murkowski was registered as “Undeclared” in the Alaska voter registration system.
He later deleted the tweet after a staffer from Murkowski’s office contacted him, saying the senator was unaware of the change and insisted she is still a registered Republican.
But when contacted by this publication, the Alaska Division of Elections confirmed that Murkowski is, in fact, listed as “Undeclared” in their system, just as it was when the reporter accessed the information. Division officials acknowledged the discrepancy but could not provide an immediate explanation for how it was changed.
Update: Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher issued a statement: “The Division of Elections was notified on Thursday afternoon that the voter affiliation for Senator Lisa Murkowski was listed as ‘undeclared’. Upon further review, it was determined this was the result of a data entry error by a temporary worker in the August 2024 primary when the affiliation was left blank on her absentee ballot, and the worker mistakenly listed the Senator as undeclared instead of leaving her correct affiliation of Republican. The error has been corrected.”
Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s voter registration at Alaska Division of Elections on June 26, 2025.
There’s no record showing a party affiliation change, one official told us. When individuals apply for the Permanent Fund Dividend, their voter registration status is updated based on selections made during the PFD application process. But no such data shows that such a change was made.
State officials confirmed they are looking into the matter to determine how the change may have occurred, but as of Wednesday, they were just learning about the matter.
The incident has raised eyebrows, particularly given Murkowski’s increasingly strained standing within the Republican Party. She was censured by the Alaska Republican Party in 2021 following her vote to convict former President Donald Trump during his second impeachment trial and has faced criticism from the party’s main flank ever since.
Murkowski just launched her new book, “Far From Home,” a political memoir of her rise in politics. She has been interviewed widely in the media as part of the book launch, and will not rule out leaving the Republican Party and caucusing with Democrats.
The Division of Elections says it will investigate the situation to understand whether the change was due to a system error, a PFD-linked update, or another cause.
Until then, the episode remains another moment of political ambiguity for Alaska’s senior senator.
In January, 2017, I penned a Must Read Alaska column defending then-Mayor Koelsch’s sponsorship of an anti-camping ordinance needed to address public health and safety concerns caused by a growing homeless population downtown.
Prior to that, I had written a column supporting Housing First in their effort to raise awareness and funding for a housing solution for the chronically homeless in Juneau. Since 2015, tens of millions of dollars have been spent under that program and almost 100 permanent housing units for the homeless have been built or are slated for construction in Juneau.
Similar projects have been constructed in Anchorage and Fairbanks.
Much has happened since then, but the homeless challenge remains, and, some would argue, it has gotten even worse. Going forward, is it time to consider a different approach?
Juneau is not alone in tackling this dilemma. San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle, come to mind as cities that have poured billions of dollars into non-profit entities that have offered housing, counseling, treatment programs, and endless studies.
City police forces have been overwhelmed by so many citizen complaints of panhandling and shoplifting that many calls go unanswered. Downtown areas that were once thriving office centers and shopping meccas are now largely deserted at night, beset by crime, rampant drug use, and public disturbances.
Due to safety concerns, Microsoft, the crown jewel of Seattle’s business community, recently canceled a nation-wide conference in Seattle that hosts over 4,500 attendees and would have given the city an economic boost in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
In Alaska, Anchorage continues to make headlines with its homeless problems that to some have reached crisis proportions. Recently, after the police cleared a massive homeless encampment in a public park, vagrants there set multiple fires in protest.
In Juneau, a similar action to clear unlawful camping on public property didn’t result in violence. But the action was necessary to address the enormous amount of trash being generated, open drug use, vandalism, and generally unsafe conditions prevalent in the camp and nearby neighborhood.
Some blame the increase in homeless problems on the decriminalization of petty crime and drugs as well as lax law enforcement. This is unfair to our police who don’t make those decisions but are forced to deal with the impacts of policies enacted by elected officials.
Juneau’s primary emergency shelter and soup kitchen, the Glory Hall (now located in the Mendenhall Valley) is also sometimes unfairly blamed. It has provided meals and other critical services to the homeless since 1981. It operates as a nonprofit organization, relying on community donations and grants. While homeless individuals tend to congregate around the Glory Hall facility, anyone under the influence of drugs or alcohol is not eligible to utilize their services.
The homeless deserve compassion and may be homeless due to circumstances beyond their control. But they are not helpless and must be willing to respect municipal and private property and not be a threat to the general public.
What seems clear is that just providing housing and throwing more money at some of the same solutions hasn’t worked.
Certain states have already reached that conclusion and have begun channeling funding away from subsidized housing programslike Housing First. These states believe that programs where recipients aren’t held accountable don’t get results.
Housing First serves chronically homeless individuals who are high utilizers of emergency and public safety services. They are offered permanent housing but are not required to be sober or participate in treatment to qualify. Instead, the model uses a harm reduction approach, offering optional on-site services such as medical care, counseling, and substance use treatment.
Initially, this approach did take homeless people off the street. But with Juneau’s population declining, why is the community’s homeless population increasing? Are individuals coming from other towns in Southeast that lack homeless services? Are the community’s generous and compassionate programs turning into magnets?
Florida, Georgia, and Utah, for example, are now taking steps to fund policies built on rehabilitation and behavioral health treatment, aiming to free the homeless from government support. More states are now opting for transitional housing and other treatment-oriented programs.
Perhaps it’s time for Juneau and other communities in Alaska to focus their efforts there.
After retiring as the senior vice president in charge of business banking for Key Bank in Alaska, Win Gruening became a regular opinion page columnist for the Juneau Empire. He was born and raised in Juneau and graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1970. He is involved in various local and statewide organizations.
