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Big Beautiful SNAP benefits for Alaska?

Suzanne Downing
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Big Beautiful SNAP benefits for Alaska?

As Senate Republicans advance their sweeping domestic policy package, dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski has emerged in her usual role of hostage-taker, leveraging her position to carve out significant concessions for Alaska.

Among the most consequential are a series of exemptions and grants tied to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), aimed at shielding low-income Alaskans from proposed federal cuts to the food program. SNAP benefits are also known as food stamps, a government subsidy program that allows lower-income Americans free access to food on a sliding scale.

The initial draft of the bill called for states to shoulder a bigger share of SNAP funding, which could have cost Alaska billions in federal assistance.

Under the revised language, Alaska is exempt from those cost-sharing provisions, preserving the state’s current level of federal SNAP support.

The exemption was considered critical by Murkowski, who warned her fellow Republicans that the cost-sharing mandate would devastate a state already struggling with food insecurity, rural isolation, and some of the highest grocery prices in the nation.

Congressman Chip Roy of Texas noted that 60% of Alaska SNAP payments are overpayments. “So instead of fixing the problem and paying their fair share, the Alaska Senators are demanding the taxpayers from other states give them a special grant.”

The bill’s expansion of work requirements for SNAP recipients, raising the age threshold to 64 and including parents of school-age children, will not apply to Alaska.

This carve-out follows weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations, during which Murkowski and fellow Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan lobbied Senate leadership for state-specific exemptions.

To offset any residual fiscal pressure from the SNAP overhaul, Senate GOP leaders introduced new Alaska-targeted SNAP grants.

These grants, which were not included in earlier drafts, are designed to bolster food security infrastructure and delivery in remote communities.

The grants reportedly materialized after sustained pressure from Alaska’s delegation, who emphasized the state’s unique logistical and demographic challenges in providing food aid.

The bill also includes a 25% increase in federal Medicaid matching funds for Alaska, far above what most states receive, along with tax relief for commercial fishers in Western Alaska, tax breaks for whaling captains, and higher Medicare reimbursement rates for select rural healthcare providers.

Murkowski’s role in shaping the final text has drawn both praise and skepticism, as she routinely engages in holding out for concessions from a narrowly divided Senate, where Republicans need her vote.

Murkowski has not formally endorsed the final bill. In a statement, she said she is continuing to review the legislative text and all associated impacts, and has not committed to a yes vote, despite the favorable revisions.

Big Beautiful Tax Break for whaling captains

Big Beautiful Tax Break for whaling captains

Suzanne Downing
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35
Big Beautiful Tax Break for whaling captains

In the Big Beautiful Bill being voted on by Senate Republicans, a little-known tax break is poised for a major expansion: It’s the whaling boat captain deduction.

Tucked deep within the 940-page legislation is a provision that would quintuple the existing deduction available to Alaska Native whaling captains.

If passed, the maximum deduction would increase from $10,000 to $50,000, allowing captains to write off a larger share of their expenses associated with traditional, subsistence bowhead whale hunts. The tax deduction provision was first reported by Politico.

Originally added to the tax code in 2004, the deduction applies to recognized whaling captains who are sanctioned by the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission. Qualifying captains may deduct costs associated with hunting equipment, fuel, weapons, and the maintenance of boats used during the hunts, activities that are carried out for the benefit of Native communities and considered charitable in nature under the current tax code.

The expanded deduction is among the more unusual tax incentives in federal law and has occasionally drawn criticism and mockery from lawmakers and media alike.

But within many Alaska Native communities, the provision is seen as a small but meaningful recognition of the costs and cultural importance of subsistence whaling.

Lawmakers released the updated text of the bill late Wednesday night, as they prepare to push the comprehensive package to President Donald Trump’s desk by early July.

While the bulk of the legislation centers on broader Republican priorities—such as lowering energy costs and tightening immigration enforcement, the inclusion of the whaling captain provision has been fought for by Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Sen. Dan Sullivan.

A formal cost estimate for the expanded deduction has not yet been released. There are approximately 150 to 160 whaling captains in Alaska, according to the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission.

Feds rule that California violated Title IX by allowing males in girls’ sports; funding at risk

Suzanne Downing
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5
Feds rule that California violated Title IX by allowing males in girls’ sports; funding at risk

The US Department of Education has determined that the state of California violated federal Title IX protections by permitting males to compete in women’s and girls’ sports and to gain access to female-designated locker rooms and bathroom facilities in K-12 public schools.

The findings, released this week by Education Secretary Linda McMahon, follow an investigation into a high-profile incident involving transgender athlete AB Hernandez at the California high school championships. Hernandez’s participation in girls’ events triggered complaints from parents and advocacy groups, who alleged that the inclusion of male-born athletes compromised the fairness of competition and the rights of female students.

According to the Department of Education, California now has 10 days to bring its policies into compliance with Title IX or risk the loss of federal education funding earmarked for the state’s K-12 public school system. The deadline for compliance is July 5.

In its report, the department specified that California must restore all records and awards to any female athletes negatively impacted by the inclusion of biological males in girls’ sports. Additionally, the state is required to submit annual Title IX compliance certifications to ensure ongoing adherence to federal civil rights law.

Missing the deadline could draw enforcement that includes referral to the Department of Justice or the loss of nearly $8 billion in annual federal funding for California’s K-12 schools.

The required actions include:

  • Issuing a notice to all federal funding recipients that Title IX prohibits males from participating in female sports or using female facilities, adopting biology-based definitions of “male” and “female.”
  • Rescinding any guidance allowing male athletes in female sports or spaces.
  • Restoring records, titles, and awards to female athletes displaced by male competitors.
  • Sending personalized apology letters to affected female athletes for the discrimination they faced.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has given no indication that he plans to comply with the federal orders.

Title IX, passed in 1972, prohibits sex-based discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. The ED’s ruling signals a significant shift in how the federal government may enforce sex-based protections in school athletics amid intensifying national debates over transgender participation.

Alaska Permanent Fund sets another new all-time high, second time this month

Suzanne Downing
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14
Alaska Permanent Fund sets another new all-time high, second time this month

The Alaska Permanent Fund, the state’s constitutionally protected savings account built on oil revenues and investments, has hit another record, topping $84.2 billion as of Friday — the second time this month it has set an all-time high.

According to the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation, the fund closed at $84,249,900,000 on June 27. That’s nearly $1 billion higher than its previous high of $83.3 billion recorded earlier this month, and more than $2 billion above the former record of $82.1 billion set back in December 2021.

The latest milestone comes amid a broad rally on Wall Street. On Friday, the S&P 500 closed at a record 6,173.07, its highest level since February, gaining 0.5% on the day. The Nasdaq Composite also reached a new peak, driven by gains in the tech sector, particularly in artificial intelligence-related stocks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 432 points, or 1%, posting its best weekly performance in six weeks despite some drag from healthcare sector losses.

The correlation between the booming stock market and the Permanent Fund’s performance is no coincidence. The Fund’s diversified portfolio includes public equities, which rise and fall with market indices like the S&P and Nasdaq. With tech stocks soaring and investor optimism high, the Fund has been a direct beneficiary of Wall Street’s resurgence.

The Alaska Permanent Fund was created by constitutional amendment in 1976, when voters approved setting aside a portion of oil revenues to benefit current and future generations. Specifically, 25% of all mineral lease rentals, royalties, and related income must be deposited into the Fund. The principal is protected and invested to generate returns, while earnings are used for public benefit, including the annual Permanent Fund dividend to eligible Alaskans.

In a state reliant on finite oil and gas resources, the Fund represents a renewable financial engine, ensuring long-term fiscal stability and economic resilience. The fund is widely seen not just as a fiscal tool, but as a cultural symbol of Alaskan self-reliance and stewardship.

With the U.S. economy showing signs of strength and investor confidence on the rise, the Permanent Fund may continue to grow, depending on market conditions and investment performance, as well as market volatility, inflation, and global economic uncertainty, which can quickly reverse gains.

For now, Alaskans can celebrate a new high-water mark in the history of the Fund, one that speaks to the enduring power of saving and investing in boom times.

Alaska’s Permanent Fund hits new peak

Dunleavy to lawmakers: Stop the lies, respect the Constitution and separation of powers

Suzanne Downing
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14
Dunleavy to lawmakers: Stop the lies, respect the Constitution and separation of powers

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.

Kevin McCabe: Senate Bill 183 wasn’t about transparency — it was about political targeting

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.

Supreme Court limits national injunctions by lower courts, allowing Trump birthright citizenship order to proceed in part

Suzanne Downing
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14
Supreme Court limits national injunctions by lower courts, allowing Trump birthright citizenship order to proceed in part

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.

State seizes dozens of animals from Kroschel Wildlife Center in Haines

Suzanne Downing
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28
State seizes dozens of animals from Kroschel Wildlife Center in Haines

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.

Anchorage Pride Festival is Saturday, with Mary Peltola as grand marshal of Pride Parade

Suzanne Downing
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35
Anchorage Pride Festival is Saturday, with Mary Peltola as grand marshal of Pride Parade

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.

Take our survey: Should Alaska Children’s Trust funding be vetoed since it’s spending state dollars on developing ‘Alaskans for Trans Youth’ nonprofit?

“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.

Incoming Anchorage mayor LaFrance takes part in parade featuring antisemitic-shouting by ‘Queers for Palestine’

Registration for new groups to join the 2025 parade has closed.

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