KTOO Public Media (Juneau, AK)

https://media.ktoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/20260710-News-Update.mp3 In this newscast: Defenders of ranked choice voting and the open primary filed complaints to the Alaska Public Offices Commissions against a campaign supporting a measure to repeal both things. A Juneau resident shot and wounded a yearling black bear that was rummaging through trash downtown on Thursday morning. Alaska’s three major cities continue to have higher living costs than most of the nation’s urban areas.

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A second yearling black bear, which was traveling with the bear that got shot, was seen in the area off of Village St. the next day, on July 10, 2026. (Photo by Alix Soliman/KTOO) A Juneau resident shot and wounded a yearling black bear that had been rummaging through trash downtown on Thursday morning. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game euthanized the bear soon after. The unknown resident who shot it could face criminal charges.

A sample ballot from Alaska’s first ranked choice election, in 2022. (Liz Ruskin/Alaska Public Media) Defenders of Alaska’s open primary and ranked choice ballot say the campaign to repeal the system is violating campaign finance and disclosure laws. That might sound familiar: A different repeal campaign, Alaskans for Honest Elections, was fined for multiple campaign finance violations in 2024.

Chilkat Indian Village environmental staff stand on the 23 mile slide area during a site visit in 2025. (Avery Ellfeldt/KHNS) Four communities across Alaska could soon receive nearly $7 million in federal funding to better prepare for natural disasters. The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced late last month that it has set aside disaster-related funding for Juneau, the Bering Sea community of St. Paul, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and the Chilkat Indian Village, near Haines.

Juneau Afternoon – Recorded live on Thursday, July 9 Juneau Afternoon featuring the Bridge Adult Day Program, Wander the Wetlands event with Discovery Southeast and SE Alaska Land Trust, and Outburst podcast from KTOO News. Audio Podcast Video Livestream Bostin Christopher hosts the conversation. Juneau Afternoon airs at 3:00 p.m. on KTOO and KAUK with a rebroadcast at 7:00 p.m. Listen online or subscribe to the podcast at ktoo.org/juneauafternoon.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks during a news conference on June 19, 2026. (Eric Stone/Alaska Public Media) Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed a bill Thursday that would have reimposed limits on campaign contributions in state elections, ensuring an August vote on a similar ballot measure will go forward. The veto means that for now, donors can continue to give an unlimited amount of money to candidates for governor, the state Legislature and more.

https://media.ktoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/20260709-News-Update.mp3 In this newscast: Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed a bill today that would have reimposed limits on campaign contributions in state elections. The City and Borough of Juneau released a new evacuation zone map in preparation for the glacial outburst flood expected later this summer.

Benjamin Coronell and S’eiltin Jamiann Hasselquist with the Juneau Tlingit and Haida Community Council fill sandbags before the flood in 2025 (Photo by Alix Soliman/KTOO) Listen to this story: https://media.ktoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/09EvacMap-WEB.mp3 The City and Borough of Juneau released a new evacuation zone map in preparation for the glacial outburst flood expected later this summer.

Buds of marijuana on display inside Mother Earth Wellness in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current) Alaskans who have been convicted for low-level marijuana possession will be able to apply to keep their records confidential so they do not appear in background checks, under a new law that takes effect in 2027. The change is part of a wide-ranging omnibus crime package that was approved by the Alaska Legislature and allowed to pass into law without Gov.