We have obtained citizen journalist video of the massive police presence near Mulcahy Stadium on Friday afternoon, when gunshots were heard and youth baseball players were forced to take cover in the dugout during a pre-tournament game, which was then canceled.
Anchorage citizens and visitors are having their lives deeply disrupted by the lawlessness in the Suzanne LaFrance Autonomous Zones that have taken over the city’s greenbelts.
Our early report is at this link and videos are below:
Editor’s note: This news event is changing rapidly and this report will be updated.
6:50 pm update: Suspect has now been arrested, with help of K9. Suspect sustained a bite.
A major incident developed Friday afternoon near Mulchahy Stadium with gunshots heard in the wooded area where vagrant encampments have developed.
A significant law enforcement operation unfolded, as dozens of police vehicles descended on the area in response to an undisclosed situation. But youth in the stadium area reported significant gunfire. Some witnesses said as many as 50 police cars were at the scene. Police had guns drawn and a drone active. There was smoke everywhere, possibly from a smoke bomb used to control crowds, and gunshots were ringing out. It sounded like a gun battle was underway.
Video and updates in this report:
According to authorities, officers are actively managing an incident that requires a large-scale police presence, and they have asked members of the public to avoid the vicinity entirely until further notice. Police have also advised those already in the area to follow officer instructions and seek alternate routes.
“Depending on the situation, our response may require the use of a variety of tactics and tools, including drones,” police stated in a public advisory.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing at least 50 police cruisers racing toward the stadium, with sirens blaring. At Mulcahy Stadium, where youth baseball games were underway, players were quickly ushered to safety into the dugout, and then were evacuated out of the dugout. The game under way was called off.
Ketchikan and Fairbanks had Legion high school teams in town for a tournament, and these games have been called for the evening.
No further details about the nature of the incident have been released as of this writing. This story will be updated.
Alaska Congressman Nick Begich is quickly becoming one of the most recognized freshman Republicans in Washington, DC, earning praise for his hard work and steady nature not just from his colleagues but from President Donald Trump himself.
In a packed East Room ceremony on Friday, President Trump signed into law a cryptocurrency reform bill, modernizing federal regulations and providing greater clarity for certain digital asset markets.
During his remarks, the president gave special recognition to Begich, signaling a clear nod of approval as Begich gains traction heading into the 2026 election cycle. He cited a strong poll he had recently seen. Begich was seated directly behind Vice President JD Vance, when the surprising statement was made in support of Begich, who had worked hard on the GENIUS Act, which Trump was preparing to sign. Trump specifically congratulated Begich on his polling numbers, which show he has strong support in Alaska.
The newly signed bill aims to establish clearer regulatory frameworks for stablecoins. It passed both houses of Congress with strong support from both Republicans and Democrats.
Begich, serving his first term in Alaska’s at-large congressional seat, has been an outspoken proponent of cryptocurrency innovation and reducing federal barriers to economic development. He is one of the leading experts in Congress on the commodity.
His inclusion in the president’s remarks further proves his rising profile in national Republican circles and solidifies his standing in Alaska politics.
Recent polling shows Begich with strong favorability ratings among Alaska Republicans and increasing support across the general electorate, positioning him as a likely favorite in next year’s congressional election.
Begich was the only member of the House invited who is not a member of the committees responsible for the crypto legislation, the Agriculture Committee (due to its role in commodities trading) and Financial Services Committee.
Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. and its Alaska-based subsidiary Pebble Limited Partnership announced Thursday they are asking a federal judge to fast-track their lawsuit against the Biden veto that blocked even a permit application for development of the Pebble copper project in Southwest Alaska.
In a motion filed in US District Court, the company requested a summary judgment briefing schedule, saying it wants to expedite a legal ruling on what it calls the “unlawfulness” of the EPA’s preemptive veto of the proposed mine.
“While discussions with the EPA have taken place, we have not reached a settlement. As such, today we asked the court to set a briefing schedule for summary judgment motions, as we now believe that will be the quickest, most direct avenue to get the veto removed,” said Ron Thiessen, President and CEO of Northern Dynasty, in a statement.
Thiessen expressed confidence the court would side with the company, calling the Biden Administration’s actions “unlawful” and harmful to the nation’s domestic mineral supply. But that may not apply to the Alaska court, where Judge Sharon Gleason often sides with environmentalist litigants.
“This administration has been emphatic about its desire for the U.S. to be self-sufficient in critical metals like copper and to be the global AI capital,” Thiessen said. “For this to happen, the U.S. must develop secure domestic supplies of important metals such as copper and the withdrawal of this egregious and unsubstantiated veto of the largest undeveloped copper project in the world would go a long way towards achieving this goal.”
The Pebble Project, located about 200 miles southwest of Anchorage and roughly 125 miles from Bristol Bay, has been at the center of environmental and political disputes for years. The EPA preemptively vetoed the project under Section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act, citing potential risks to the Bristol Bay salmon fishery, a decision Northern Dynasty is now challenging in court.
Based in Vancouver, Northern Dynasty controls the 1,840 mineral claims that make up the Pebble deposit through its wholly owned subsidiary, the Pebble Partnership.
Environmental groups and local Alaska Native organizations will fight any effort to revive the project, arguing it threatens one of the world’s most productive salmon fisheries, although that argument is not substantiated by facts.
The company’s legal filing comes as the Trump Administration promotes critical mineral development elsewhere, raising questions about consistency in federal permitting decisions.
The court has yet to set a timeline for the next steps in the litigation.
Earlier this month, Northern Dynasty said that it was in active settlement negotiations with the Environmental Protection Agency over the matter. That July 3 filing in US District Court follows a 90-day litigation pause requested by the federal government in February, and a subsequent 30-day extension in May to allow new EPA leadership to review the case. The agency has now concluded its internal review and is engaged in talks with Pebble Limited Partnership, Northern Dynasty’s US subsidiary.
In a sobering sign for Democrats, the latest McLaughlin & Associates national survey shows Republicans holding a solid lead ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
According to the poll, 47% of likely voters say they would back a Republican candidate for Congress, compared to just 42% who would vote Democrat. That’s a +5 point advantage for the GOP.
Read all the polling data on this McLaughlin & Associates poll.
Adding to Democrat woes, President Donald Trump’s approval rating continues to climb. The survey pegs Trump at 52% approval and 43% disapproval, giving him a solid +9 net approval rating as he heads into the second half of his second term.
The numbers reflect a political environment that appears to be shifting in Republicans’ favor, with Trump’s enduring popularity offering a potential tailwind for GOP candidates across the country.
Democrat are suffering from low enthusiasm among voters and the party’s ability to counter Republican momentum. With the midterms still over a year away, these early indicators are certain to energize Republican strategists and donors, while intensifying internal debates among Democrats about the direction of their party, which has been overtaking by extremists.
Republicans already hold control of both chambers of Congress, and a +5 lead in the generic ballot suggests their majority could expand. In Alaska, two congressional seats will be on the 2026 ballot: Sen. Dan Sullivan is up for another six-year term, and first-term Congressman Nick Begich will make a case for a second two-year term in the House.
Trump’s +9 approval rating is another key metric. If these trends hold, 2026 could shape up to be another banner year for the GOP.
The free speech issues debates that ensued during the dark days of Covid public policy are still playing out. But a legal dispute from that era between Petersburg Police Chief Jim Kerr and the Petersburg Borough ended this month with a $70,000 out-of-court settlement.
The case that centered on free speech rights during the Covid-19 pandemic is reflective of many around the country in which those who opposed mask and vaccine mandates suffered retaliatory actions. Opposition to mandates often drew intense public criticism, including doxxing or harassment. Anti-mask protesters were labeled as “anti-science” or “selfish,” leading to personal attacks and heated public debates in the Anchorage Assembly meetings.
In Petersburg, the lawsuit stemmed from Kerr’s testimony during a fall borough Assembly meeting on Nov. 17, 2021, when he spoke against the proposed mask mandate. He testified as a private citizen, he said, about how mask mandates would be hard to enforce. After he testified, Kerr experienced what he perceived to be retaliatory behavior from two Assembly members — Jeff Meucci and David Kensinger — both now former Assembly members. He lodged a complaint that the two harassed him.
Soon, Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht ordered Kerr to submit any future public statements to him for prior review, citing concerns that the police chief’s comments could be mistaken for official borough policy, since he was also an officer of the law.
Kerr filed a lawsuit in state court, arguing that the borough had violated his First Amendment rights, defamed him, and portrayed him in a false light. By 2023, the case was moved to federal court to deal with the constitutional issues. Most of his claims were dismissed by District Judge Sharon Gleason, who determined that a jury trial would be necessary to decide the remaining free speech issue, unless both sides reached a settlement.
In June, the parties entered mediation and reached an agreement: The borough agreed to pay Kerr $70,000, and the case was formally dismissed in court on July 2.
The borough later issued a statement saying the settlement was in the best interest of the community and that both parties agreed to move forward without further public comment. The details of the settlement beyond the payment amount were not disclosed.
“The parties have mutually agreed to amicably resolve the litigation filed by Police Chief Jim Kerr against the Petersburg Borough and Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht for the sum of $70,000, paid by the Borough’s risk pool insurer. Like most settlements, both parties made concessions to reach a mutually satisfactory compromise. The parties understand it is important for borough officials to work together in a positive and forward direction to provide efficient governmental services for Petersburg. The parties feel this resolution is in the best interest of the public and the appropriate decision to enable the parties to return to the business of government. The parties have agreed that they will not issue or make any further public statements on this matter, as they wish to move beyond these matters, which have been fully and finally resolved,” the press release states.
Chief Kerr, who has been with the department since 2013 and who has been police chief since 2018, remains in his role as chief, although the incident will have undoubtedly strained relationships in city government.
A proposed ordinance that would have declared all land within the city limits of Craig as “Indian Country” was indefinitely postponed Thursday evening after brief discussion and strong legal caution from the city’s attorney.
The ordinance, which had been proposed by the Craig Tribal Association, aimed to incorporate the federal definition of “Indian Country” into the city’s municipal code, an unprecedented move for any city in Alaska. The proposal stated it would “remove ambiguity” and “foster cooperative governance” with tribal entities while encouraging memoranda of understanding on shared services like law enforcement and infrastructure.
However, city council members, citing legal advice from their Juneau-based attorney, concluded that the designation was not within municipal authority. Under federal law, only the federal government can designate land as “Indian Country,” a term that carries significant legal weight in areas of jurisdiction, governance, and law enforcement.
A handful of Alaska Native attendees sitting in the back of the room quietly left the council chambers immediately after the vote.
After consulting with the city attorney, it was clear there is no legal precedent for a municipality to declare lands ‘Indian Country,’ said City Administrator Brian Templin in a memo to the council. They couldn’t find any examples of similar ordinances anywhere in Alaska.
The ordinance referenced federal law, specifically 18 U.S.C. § 1151, which defines “Indian Country” in terms of reservations, dependent communities, and allotments. It also cited the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and referenced recent expansions of tribal authority under the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization of 2022. The Craig Tribal Association argued the ordinance would allow for cooperative governance and access to federal funding streams that could benefit all residents of Craig.
But the city attorney raised sharp concerns, noting that federal courts, including the US Supreme Court in the 1998 Alaska v. Native Village of Venetie decision, have made clear that ANCSA lands are not “Indian Country,” except for specific allotments.
The attorney questioned whether a municipality has the legal standing to unilaterally change the legal status of land in this way, particularly given Craig’s status as a first-class city under Alaska law.
The council also expressed worry about the unknown implications of such a declaration, particularly regarding law enforcement jurisdiction and the application of state and federal law.
Council members acknowledged the desire for closer cooperation with the Craig Tribal Association and left the door open for future discussions, but appeared to draw a firm line on using a designation reserved for federal authority.
The city’s attorney further asked the Tribal Association for examples of federal court rulings or legal opinions supporting a municipality’s authority to declare lands “Indian Country.” In response, the CTA stated it could not offer legal opinions but reiterated its goal of enhancing cooperation and accessing federal resources through tribal channels.
Craig, a community of about 1,200 residents on Prince of Wales Island, operates under a strong mayor system of governance and is one of Alaska’s 19 first-class cities, granting it certain legislative powers but not sovereignty.
With the ordinance now off the table, the city council said it would continue seeking productive ways to work with the Craig Tribal Association while ensuring any agreements remain within legal boundaries.
The indefinite postponement effectively ends the current push to label Craig as “Indian Country,” though discussions about cooperative governance are expected to continue.
In a narrow vote just after midnight, the US House of Representatives passed a $9 billion rescissions package, reversing previously approved spending and sending it to President Donald Trump for his signature. The bill passed 216-213 at 12:04 am., following earlier Senate approval by a 51-48 margin.
The legislation is the first rescissions package to clear both chambers of Congress in nearly 50 years. It includes a $1 billion cut to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which supports PBS and NPR, and cancels various other unspent funds, including allocations for foreign aid.
Republican lawmakers framed the bill as part of the Department of Government Efficiency targeted cuts, necessary to rollback massive government waste. Democrats and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, criticized the cuts.
President Trump is expected to sign it quickly.
The national debt stands at over $37 trillion, making the $9 billion rescission a mere rounding error. To compare, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) budget was approximately $100.3 billion in Fiscal Year 2024.
After the Senate passed the historic $9 billion Trump Rescissions Act without her support early Thursday morning, US Sen.Lisa Murkowski is once again voicing her opposition — this time with a published statement that has a narrow focus on the cuts to Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which is the parent funder of NPR and PBS.
The Alaska Republican had previously criticized the sweeping package before the vote, citing concerns about various foreign aid cuts and her concern about a lack of transparency, as well as public broadcasting.
But in her latest remarks issued after the wee-hours passage of the rescissions act, Murkowski’s emphasis landed squarely on the threat to public broadcasting, a government-subsidized institution that has reliably supported her throughout her long political career, and to whom she has returned the favor.
“I voted against approving this rescissions package for three key reasons,” Murkowski said in a lengthy statement released Thursday. The senator noted concerns about vague budget impacts and executive overreach, but devoted the bulk of her public comments to the risks facing NPR and local radio stations.
“My colleagues are targeting NPR but will wind up hurting – and, over time, closing down – local radio stations that provide essential news, alerts, and educational programming in Alaska and across the country,” Murkowski said, referring to a 7.3 magnitude earthquake and tsunami warning in southwestern Alaska as an example of public broadcasting’s role.
She did not acknowledge that most people in the 21st century get emergency messages from official agencies directly on their phones and that commercial radio stations also broadcast them. Even vagrants living on the streets have smart phones in this era, and alerts are issued without an intermediary radio signal.
Alaska has about 27 public broadcasting radio stations. That’s one for every 27,000 Alaskans. To compare, Florida has 24 public broadcasting radio stations, or one for every one million Floridians.
The rescissions package, backed by the Trump White House and Republican leadership, claws back unspent federal funds from a variety of programs, including foreign aid initiatives, clean technology subsidies, and taxpayer dollars earmarked for public broadcasting. The bill passed 51-48 without the need for Vice President JD Vance to cast a tie-breaking vote.
Murkowski’s latest statement reveals a narrowing political focus. Though she previously raised alarm about cuts to international health programs, her post-vote comments failed to mention foreign aid, instead doubling down on defending public broadcasting, an issue of outsized importance to the senator’s political brand in Alaska.
During the vote, Murkowski unsuccessfully attempted to add an amendment to protect the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. “Disappointingly, it failed,” she said, while she threw shade on her two Alaska congressional colleagues, Sen. Dan Sullivan and Congressman Nick Begich.
She may have spent all her political capital opposing her Republican team in the Senate.
Supporters of the rescissions package, which is part of the Department of Government Efficiency efforts to trim spending, argue it represents long-overdue fiscal discipline, targeting wasteful spending and reducing federal deficits.
With her third Senate term up for reelection in 2028, Murkowski’s outspoken defense of public broadcasting reiterates her willingness to break with her party at any time. She has hinted to the media several times that she may end her relationship with the Republican Party altogether.