News

Around town for Monday, Oct. 19

Pancake fundraiser, 9 a.m.-11 a.m., The Senior Center. Event raises money for the senior nutrition program. Tickets $15 at the door, $7 for 6-12 year… Continue reading

In this June 9 photo, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., is seen in his office on Capitol Hill in Washington. House Republicans are returning from a weeklong recess to try to untangle their leadership mess. All eyes are on Ryan as he weighs whether to agree to entreaties from party leaders to enter the race for speaker. But conservatives are increasingly lining up against him.

House Republicans return to Capitol to face leadership mess

WASHINGTON — House Republicans return to Washington this week to confront a nearly unprecedented leadership crisis, looming budget deadlines and a deeply uncertain future.Attention is… Continue reading

In this June 9 photo, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., is seen in his office on Capitol Hill in Washington. House Republicans are returning from a weeklong recess to try to untangle their leadership mess. All eyes are on Ryan as he weighs whether to agree to entreaties from party leaders to enter the race for speaker. But conservatives are increasingly lining up against him.

Dems welcome the gun debate to the campaign

WASHINGTON — After 15 years of a virtual gag order on guns in presidential politics, Democrats are talking again.President Barack Obama is considering more executive… Continue reading

In this Oct. 14 photo, Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump gestures during a speech to supporters at a rally in Richmond, Virginia. Trump has long boasted about his enormous wealth and how he doesn't need anyone else's money to fund his presidential campaign. But that hasn't stopped tens of thousands of people from across the country from chipping in with small-dollar checks as small as $10 or $25 to let him know that they're behind him.

Small-dollar donors flock to Trump, help power his campaign

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump likes to boast about his enormous wealth and how he doesn’t need anyone else’s money to pay for his presidential campaign.… Continue reading

In this Oct. 14 photo, Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump gestures during a speech to supporters at a rally in Richmond, Virginia. Trump has long boasted about his enormous wealth and how he doesn't need anyone else's money to fund his presidential campaign. But that hasn't stopped tens of thousands of people from across the country from chipping in with small-dollar checks as small as $10 or $25 to let him know that they're behind him.

Police say 1 killed, 5 injured in shooting at ZombiCon

FORT MYERS, Fla. — A shooting at the annual ZombiCon gathering in Florida has left one person dead and five more injured, causing a chaotic… Continue reading

Voters’ apathy influences Egypt’s legislative election

CAIRO — A mix of voters’ apathy and frustration characterized elections held Sunday for Egypt’s first legislature in more than three years, a chamber widely… Continue reading

A Palestinian man stands on his balcony Sunday as he looks at concrete barrier between the Arab neighborhood of Jabal Mukaber and the Jewish area of Armon Hanatziv in east Jerusalem. I

Arab areas of Jerusalem blocked off

JERUSALEM — Palestinians in Jerusalem, more than a third of the city’s population, have awoken to a new reality: Israeli troops are encircling Arab neighborhoods,… Continue reading

A Palestinian man stands on his balcony Sunday as he looks at concrete barrier between the Arab neighborhood of Jabal Mukaber and the Jewish area of Armon Hanatziv in east Jerusalem. I

Around town for Sunday, Oct. 18

Knights of Columbus Bishop Kenny Council brunch, 10 a.m.-noon, St. Paul’s Catholic Church. $10 for a family and $4 for an individual.Open trap shooting, 10… Continue reading

Gov., 2011 Iditarod champ push ‘wellness initiative’

ANCHORAGE — Gov. Bill Walker and 2011 Iditarod champion John Baker on Friday announced the creation of an initiative that calls on Alaskans from across… Continue reading

Suicide mars AFN conference

ANCHORAGE — Organizers of the Alaska Federation of Natives conference announced there was a death at the Saturday afternoon closing ceremony.Anchorage Police Department spokeswoman Renee… Continue reading

Warming Arctic could uncover Native artifacts

ANCHORAGE — A researcher at the University of Alaska Fairbanks is attempting to predict where higher Arctic temperatures will melt snow to uncover ancient Alaska… Continue reading

Fairbanks 4 defendant proclaims innocence

ANCHORAGE — Marvin Roberts, one of the four Alaska Native men convicted in the 1997 murder of a Fairbanks teenager, proclaimed his innocence Saturday in… Continue reading

Police & Fire for Sunday, Oct. 18, 2015

This report contains information provided to the Empire from law enforcement agencies. This report includes arrest and citation information, not conviction information. Anyone listed in… Continue reading

Agitated airman leads to base hospital lockdown

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON — One person is in custody after an agitated airman with a loaded 9 mm pistol in his waistband prompted the lockdown… Continue reading

McGuire faces complaint over disclosure report

JUNEAU — The Alaska Public Offices Commission has filed a complaint against state Sen. Lesil McGuire, saying the Anchorage Republican had failed to meet disclosure… Continue reading

Sitka awaits visit from Russian performers

SITKA — A troupe of Russian performers who were set to visit Sitka for the upcoming Alaska Day weekend is unlikely to make it in… Continue reading

Murkowski brings in $920K in latest fundraising period

JUNEAU — U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski brought in about $920,000 toward her re-election bid during the latest fundraising period.The Republican ended the quarter, Sept. 30,… Continue reading

U.S. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska,, left, listens as Alaska Gov. Bill Walker speaks to reporters at the Alaska Federation of Natives conference in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday, Oct. 16, 2015. The men spoke after Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said her agency was canceling future lease sales and will not extend current drilling leases in Arctic waters off Alaska's northern coast. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)

Federal regulators pull back Arctic offshore lease sales

ANCHORAGE — Three weeks after Royal Dutch Shell announced it was walking away from exploratory drilling in U.S. Arctic waters, the Obama administration has taken… Continue reading

U.S. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska,, left, listens as Alaska Gov. Bill Walker speaks to reporters at the Alaska Federation of Natives conference in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday, Oct. 16, 2015. The men spoke after Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said her agency was canceling future lease sales and will not extend current drilling leases in Arctic waters off Alaska's northern coast. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)

‘He was like a ghost’: Sister of late heroin user speaks out

Sitting at her kitchen table one recent morning, Fathom Whiteley wrapped her hands around a cup of coffee, stared into it and cried.She was overcome… Continue reading

Kathleen Turley, second from right, waits with supporters for the Juneau District Court to open for a lawsuit against her by trapper John Forrest for interfering with his traps on the Davies Creek Trail in December.

Judge: Trap-springer liable, but won’t pay

A Juneau hiker was not justified when she set off two fur-bearing traps after she rescued an ensnared bald eagle, but she won’t owe the… Continue reading

Kathleen Turley, second from right, waits with supporters for the Juneau District Court to open for a lawsuit against her by trapper John Forrest for interfering with his traps on the Davies Creek Trail in December.