The minimum wage will increase by a dollar, to $14.

The WWAMI medical school program that serves five western states, including Alaska, recently received a $25 million endowment for scholarships to increase the number of physicians in rural and Indigenous communities.

Though Celebration is no typical summer campaign event — no booths with signs, not a ton of politicking — this year’s still drew a bevy of political candidates to Juneau.

Former Gov. Bill Walker and running mate Randy Hoffbeck say ending the dividend with a $10,000 payment would go a long way toward solving the state's structural deficit.

“The players who would have the billions of dollars to explore, develop, produce are not bidding,” said longtime Alaska oil and gas industry observer Larry Persily. “They're not at the table, they have no appetite for it.”

According to the CEO of the Blood Bank of Alaska, demand for national stores is superseding state need, but Alaskans are already stepping up to help make up the difference.

Sen. Dan Sullivan did not previously stake a position on either project. He voted with Democrats Thursday on amendments that, as expected, failed.

As recently as Tuesday, Glenfarne refused to release its estimates, a sticking point for skeptics. But on Wednesday, the company said it expected the project would cost $44.5 to $54.5 billion.

That's despite the Lower 48 seeing a decrease after federal cuts to the program.

Tell us what questions we should ask this year’s candidates for governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House and the state legislature? What issues matter most to you and your community?