Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media

Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media
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Liz Ruskin is the Washington, D.C., correspondent at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at lruskin@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Liz here.

Sullivan took a stand against Trump’s withdrawal from Syria border. Now he says Trump had no good options

Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan says a Pentagon briefing late last week changed his perspective.

AG Barr announces $42 million in tribal grants to combat crime and help victims in rural Alaska

The money is slated to go to tribal councils, women's shelters, youth programs, substance abuse programs and policing.
woman stands at podium. men in suits on either side of her.

Murkowski, true to form, breaks with GOP colleagues on ethical questions about Trump

Is President Trump's plan to hold the international conference at a Trump golf club in Florida appropriate? Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski says "no."

At White House podium, Fairbanks business owner decries ‘arbitrary’ wetlands enforcement

President Trump on Wednesday turned his White House microphone over to Alaska business owner Richard Schok to highlight what he says is unfair government regulation.
A swampy flat area with rolling hills in the background

A second set of Pebble Mine opponents to sue the EPA

A coalition of groups that oppose the Pebble Mine has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It’s the second such lawsuit in two days.  This time, the plaintiffs are 14 environmental groups,...

These Republicans are pushing Murkowski to take a stand against Trump

A national group called Republicans for the Rule of Law is running ads aimed at moving Sen. Lisa Murkowski to criticize President Trump for asking Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden.

Murkowski and Sullivan condemn Trump’s Syria decision

Both of Alaska's U.S. senators have joined the chorus of Republicans criticizing President Trump's decision to pull U.S. troops from northern Syria.
A man in a hard hat works on a building.

Trump signs bill to relax air quality rule for Alaska diesel generators

Village power utilities say the equipment needed to meet the so-called "Tier 4" emissions standard is impractical.

Alaska US senators split on diverting military spending to border wall

Alaska has four projects worth $102 million that would be delayed in favor of the wall. The projects include an upgrade to a weapons range and power plant repairs at Eielson Air Force Base, as well as an expansion of a missile field at Fort Greely.

Alaska senators circumspect after release of Trump’s Ukraine transcript

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- On Wednesday, Alaska's senators weren't taking a firm stand for or against President Trump after the White House released a rough transcript of the phone conversation that triggered a push in...

LISTEN: Congressman Young responds to impeachment inquiry

Sen. Lisa Murkowski called the accusations that Trump may have pressed the Ukrainian leader to investigate a political rival “very concerning,” while Sen. Dan Sullivan said he can’t comment until he knows the facts.

‘Concerning,’ ‘No comment’: Alaska senators respond to impeachment controversy

The senators responded to allegations that President Trump, in a phone call this summer, may have pressured the leader of Ukraine to investigate one of Trump's political rivals, former Vice President Joe Biden.

Alaska remote diesel generators win exemption from pollution rule

The exemption would allow remote Alaska utilities to emit more particulate pollution than power plants elsewhere.

Seattle council votes to withhold business from oil companies that explore Arctic Refuge

The Seattle City Council voted Monday to avoid doing business with any company that that leases land in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to explore for oil. Council Member Mike O’Brien sponsored the resolution. “The attempt here...

US House votes to block drilling in Arctic Refuge; bill unlikely to become law

Two hundred and twenty-five members voted to block oil development in the refuge, while 193 voted against the bill.

Rural Alaska clinics depend on broadband. What happens when it goes out?

In rural Alaska, broadband is vital for health care delivery, but an outage sends clinics back in time.

Playing characters from Anchorage’s past gets complicated when relatives are in the audience

In Anchorage, barely a hundred years old, the dead aren't so long departed, and public performances of "Stories in the Cemetery" often draw relatives of portrayed Alaskans.

Lawsuit claims Cook Inlet exploration would diminish endangered belugas

Two environmental groups are suing the Trump administration for its decision allowing Hilcorp to disturb beluga whales as it explores Cook Inlet for offshore oil and gas.

Alaska AG joins Supreme Court brief saying transgender bias isn’t illegal

Alaska has joined more than a dozen other states asking the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the rights of a Michigan funeral home that fired an employee for coming out as transgender. It's one...

Dunleavy sends letter encouraging potential Pebble investor

Officially, Gov. Dunleavy is neutral on the Pebble mine. But a letter he wrote to a potential investor in the controversial project calls his neutrality into question.