john hall's alaska anchorage tours

National Parks of Alaska

14-day inclusive tour featuring alaska parks, wildlife & culture.

ALASKA’S NATIONAL PARKS AND ARCTIC CIRCLE

Experience firsthand six of Alaska’s national parks on this guided small-group package. Visit authentic and rural native villages, historic Kennecott Mine, view wildlife and glaciers by boat, rail, flightseeing, and motorcoach. This package includes remote national parks such as Katmai, Gates of the Arctic and Lake Clark.

• Native cultural visits in Gates of the Arctic National Park
• Witness the brown bears at Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park
• Embark on a wildlife tour in Denali National Park
• Tour the historic Kennecott Copper Mine in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
• View glaciers and wildlife on a cruise in Kenai Fjords National Park
• Flightseeing, hiking, and boat exploration in Lake Clark National Park

Included land highlights:

Anchorage City Tour Katmai National Park Brooks Falls Bear Viewing Lake Clark National Park Wrangell-St. Elias National Park Wrangell Mountains Flightseeing Tour Kennecott Mine Tour Trans-Alaska Pipeline Trail Breaker Kennel Experience Arctic Circle Crossing Gates of the Arctic National Park Anaktuvuk Native Village Visit Native Village of Utqiaġvik Tour Alaska Railroad – GoldStar Service Denali National Park Visitor Center Denali National Park Wildlife Tour Anchorage Museum Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise Alaska SeaLife Center Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

Accommodations:

4 Nights – Hotel Captain Cook, Anchorage 2 Nights – Kennicott Glacier Lodge, McCarthy 2 Nights – Bear Lodge, Fairbanks 2 Nights – Denali Cabins, Denali National Park 1 Night – Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, Talkeetna 2 Nights – Harbor 360 Hotel, Seward

Active Rating:

Must be able to: board small aircrafts, walk over a mile, climb several flights of stairs

Included Meals:

Breakfast, lunch & dinner on all full tour days, plus arrival day dinner and departure day breakfast

Welcome to Anchorage! A John Hall’s Alaska representative greets all guests on arrival. Transfer to the downtown home for the next three evenings, the Hotel Captain Cook. Join fellow travelers for a meet and greet welcome dinner and preparation for the coming days.

Over the next two days, the group splits in half and flies via small aircraft to a different national park each day – Katmai and Lake Clark. If it’s Katmai day, enjoy a flightseeing tour to Katmai National Park and Preserve, arriving via floatplane at Brooks Falls. From elevated viewing platforms, witness brown bears feeding on salmon on the edge of the falls. During salmon season, as many as 50 brown bears live along the mile and a half long Brooks River.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

There are no roads into Lake Clark National Park and Preserve so visitors will be flying in aboard a small plane. Lake Clark National Park features hiking, lunch, and a chance to visit the park’s visitor center. Lake Clark preserves the ancestral homelands of the Dena’ina people in this rich wilderness of volcanoes, mountains, alpine tundra and glacial lakes. Spend a few hours exploring the area before returning to Anchorage.

Travel the Glenn Highway before boarding a small plane on a flightseeing trip. Land in the old mining towns (and Alaska’s most famous ghost town) of Kennicott-McCarthy and transfer to quaint Kennicott Glacier Lodge – with views of Kennicott Glacier from the porch. *Accommodations may include a shared bath. The lodge was chosen for its glacial views, quality of cuisine, and service which cannot be duplicated elsewhere in town.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Explore the Kennecott Mines today, a National Historic Landmark. Discover the mine’s outbuildings, including the historic leaching and power plant. Entrance to all 14 levels of the mine is dependent upon the National Park Service, an experienced guide will inform guests on what to expect. This afternoon, catch up on a little R&R, explore at leisure or take an optional add on guided hike.

After a 40-minute flight over the Wrangell Mountains, board the motorcoach and continue north on the Richardson Highway, Alaska’s first highway. Follow the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, along a section fewer than 5% of visitors get to experience. Stop in Delta Junction before reaching the golden city of Fairbanks. End the day at Trail Breaker Kennel – home of the late four-time Iditarod champion Susan Butcher – for dinner, a presentation on The Iditarod, and time with the puppies.

Early this morning, cross the Arctic Circle and fly to the native village of Anaktuvuk, located in the Gates of the Arctic National Park. After the visit, fly to the northernmost Inupiat village of Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow). Learn about this arctic coastal settlement, meet locals, see the famous whalebone arch, and dip your toe – or try a full polar bear plunge – in the Arctic Ocean before returning to Fairbanks.

This morning, board the glass-domed GoldStar cars of the Alaska Railroad and enjoy breakfast with a view on the journey to Denali National Park. Upon arrival, enjoy lunch followed by time at the Denali Visitor Center. For the next two evenings, relax surrounded by nature.

Wake up in the heart of the wilderness. The six-million-acre Denali National Park and Preserve is divided by a lone road, and today’s big highlight is a sightseeing bus tour 42-miles deep into the park. Take in dinner this evening outside the gates of the park.

Enjoy a leisurely morning with one last chance to enhance the time at Denali National Park with an added optional adventure activity. After lunch, board the motorcoach for a journey south to Talkeetna. Settle into the scenic accommodations overlooking the south side of Mount Denali.

Travel back to the big city for a visit to the Anchorage Museum. This afternoon, journey down the Seward Highway along spectacular Turnagain Arm. The home for the next two evenings offers stunning 360-degree views of Resurrection Bay.

Grab a camera and get ready to spot incredible marine wildlife. During an 8.5-hour cruise in Kenai Fjords National Park, visit several glaciers before returning to Seward for the evening.

Spend time at the Alaska SeaLife Center and visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center today. Take in the scenery on the journey north to Anchorage along Turnagain Arm, keeping an eye out for beluga whales near the shoreline and Dall sheep on the steep cliffs before a farewell dinner.

After breakfast, transfer to the Anchorage International Airport for a flight.

Departures and Pricing

Per Person Pricing Includes Accommodations; fully-guided service; luxury land and small plane transportation; airport transfers; daily activities and tours; meals, baggage handling, and corresponding gratuities; taxes; and personalized John Hall’s Alaska’s signature windbreaker.

July 6, 2025

#190 national parks of alaska 14-day land tour.

July 6 – July 19, 2025

ADD ADMIRALTY DREAM Including 7-Day Inside Passage

July 6 – July 26, 2025

Admiralty Dream Ports of Call: Sitka, Haines, Glacier Bay National Park, Wrangell, Tracy Arm Fjords, Juneau

July 20, 2025

#191 national parks of alaska 14-day land tour.

July 20 – August 2, 2025

2025 Tour Savings

Booking Discount – Book by December 31, 2024 and SAVE: SAVE $500 per person on your John Hall’s Alaska land tour departing May-September 2025. SAVE $800 per person when you book a 2025 John Hall’s Alaska land tour + a Southeast Alaska experience.

Check Discount – SAVE $200 per person when you pay your tour balance by check or cash. $500 per person tour deposits may still be made by credit card. (Discounts vary for Platinum Inside Passage and Admiralty Dream guests.)

Group Discount – Applies to first 2 individuals in each room: SAVE $50 per person – book 2-3 rooms SAVE $100 per person – book 4-7 rooms SAVE $150 per person – book 8-11 rooms SAVE $200 per person – book 12+ rooms

HOW TO RESERVE THIS TOUR

A deposit of $1,000.00 USD per person is required within ten days of booking your reservation. Deposits are fully refundable up until 90 days prior to departure.

Mastercard, Visa, Discover, American Express, and personal checks are acceptable forms of deposit payment. To confirm your space by credit card, please contact our office: 800.325.2270 or book online using the link at the top of the page. Alaska Specialists are available for tour bookings 8:00am-5:00pm M-F and 8am-4pm on Saturday.

FULL TERMS & CONDITIONS

ARRANGING YOUR FLIGHTS

LAND : This tour begins and ends in Anchorage, Alaska. Flights must arrive before 5 pm on Day 1; early check-in cannot be guaranteed before 4pm. On Day 14, flights may depart Anchorage after 8am.

ADMIRALTY DREAM POST-TOUR : If adding Admiralty Dream to a John Hall’s Alaska land tour, your flight from Anchorage to Juneau is included in your package price. Flights may depart Sitka after 12 pm on the last day.

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John Hall’s Alaska

Family owned and operated for 34 years, John Hall’s Alaska provides guests with fully guided tour itineraries featuring all 5 regions of Alaska, the Yukon and the Canadian Rockies. Our land tours are all-inclusive in nature with in-depth explorations of Alaska’s greatest wilderness destinations. Limited to small groups, we are able to bring guests hands-on and educational wildlife and cultural experiences, revealing the history and ecological wonders that Alaska has to offer.

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• Polar Bear Excursion in Kaktovik
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John Hall's Alaska Tours - Anchorage Forum

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John, your disappointment in our organization is clear and I will apologize again as I have done during multiple phone calls with you and your traveling companion. However, I would only ask that if you are going to leave a review like the one above on this site and others, that you please expand upon the details that led to your dissatisfaction.

Our goal has always been to provide the best Alaska experience possible and that starts prior to taking deposits and does not end until after people return home from the trip of a lifetime. I could list multiple tour companies who would not have issued a refund at all. They simply would state that travelers are encouraged to take out trip insurance in case of such situations. Having talked with most everyone else on your tour, guests expressed enthusiasm about their time in Alaska. We hope that the multitude of sights and activities enjoyed by you on the other 7 days of your tour were enough to bring you back to Alaska again.

Just goes to show that there are always two sides to every story...

Indeed. John, this was a freak weather event that affected many people besides you. Bit was not the fault of the tour company.

http://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/flooding-maroons-lodge-guests-at-kantishna-denali-park-road-closed/article_e63cd3f6-fd8e-11e3-88ab-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=jqm

It appears they did the best they could. under the circumstances. You would have preferred the two nights at Denali Backcountry Lodge but access was cut off and ianyway it was flooded and closed. Denali Princess and an extra night in Talkeetna are a reasonable substitute. Soninnwhat way did the rest of the trip become a "nightmare"?

I am alpha with a capital 'A' personality, planning everything to a T. When things go wrong, I tend to freak. I'm senior and my parents are super-senior. They warned me NOT to go to AK as I would never be able to handle the stress of change. They said you need to go with the flow and enjoy the ride, because chances are, something will have to change in your plans. Well I went anyway. And none of my plans seemed to work out. BUT, doing things I'd never planned on was simply amazing. There is something to do or see no matter where you turn. When one door closed, another was opened. I've gone back many times and still haven't completed my original plans. And every trip was even better than the last.

That added jet-boat ride into Devil's Canyon, should have soothed the pain of trip variations. Over, the years we have had to deal with the unexpected and cancellations. Be fortunate that your tour company did what they did rather than just cancel and give you only a refund.

But, not to knock the tour company but why couldn't you have arranged your own personalized tour. We have been to Florida, but never on a tour

In general I agree with John Hall's Alaska and appreciate hearing the "other" side. But Denali Backcountry Lodge costs something like $500/PERSON/night including all meals. Hard for me to believe re-accommodating the guests to the Denali Princess (about $200/ROOM/night), a bus trip into the park and a jet boat tour would cost nearly as much. The statement about having to cover all meals seems irrelevant - all meals are covered at the Backcountry Lodge so that was nothing 'extra." A refund of only $63 would certainly rub me the wrong way too!

I doubt very seriousy that the lodge charges the same on a contract with a tour company that it charges the public. In fact, if companies are paying the rack rate, they need to negotiate better! Also, if all food was included in that part of the trip, then John Hall had to provide food at the replacement hotels because it was already in the price or refund more and that may have been more difficult. Getting rooms at the last minute is also more expensive than being able to book them in advance. I don't think we know enough about all the costs to say that the refund given was good or bad.

Not a good situation for any of the affected parties.

That's why I like to travel on my own. I could not imagine how upset I might be with the vendor over something they could not control. Then knowing they had to 'fix' something for a while group of people. Yuck.

If I just have to look after myself, I have to live with it and know it's far easier accommodating just me.

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John Hall's Alaska

• Address: 6636 Rosewood St, Anchorage, AK 99518
• Region: Fairbanks
• Phone: (651) 345-1212
• Toll-free: (800) 325-2270
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John Hall’s Alaska fully guided, all-inclusive, elevated Alaska Itineraries focus on Alaska's unique offerings such as cultural heritage and history, wildlife and scenery. Experiences include Alaska’s interior, Southeast Alaska and even the historic Yukon Territory . Since 1983, John Hall's Alaska has been the industry leader in small group exploration statewide, ensuring quality experience and customer service guided by year round Alaska residents.

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101 Dunkel Street, Suite 111 Fairbanks, AK 99701-4806 Telephone: (907) 456-5774 Visitor Guide Request: 1-800-327-5774 Email:  [email protected] About Explore Fairbanks

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John Hall's Alaska

John Hall’s Alaska fully guided, all-inclusive, elevated Alaska Itineraries focus on Alaska's unique offerings such as cultural heritage and history, wildlife and scenery. Experiences include Alaska’s interior, Southeast Alaska and even the historic Yukon Territory . Since 1983, John Hall's Alaska has been the industry leader in small group exploration statewide, ensuring quality experience and customer service guided by year round Alaska residents.

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John Hall’s Alaska Announces Alaska Tours for 2023

“Our Alaska Bears & Bering Sea tour was made for the guests who seek wildlife and adventure,” said John Hall’s Alaska president and founder John Hall Sr, in a press release statement. “In this tour, we’ve pieced all the major highlights from some of our other packages and put it into one. For 11 days, guests will experience everything from giant Kodiak brown bears to flightseeing over volcanoes and glaciers for an ultimate small group guided package.”

• Journey on the Alaska Railroad’s GoldStar service in glass-dome cars.
• Take a Denali National Park wildlife tour with a stop at the park’s visitor center.
• Join an exclusive dog sledding presentation at Dream A Dream kennel.
• View Kodiak brown bears on a flightseeing tour at Kodiak Wildlife Reserve.
• Explore World War II bunkers on a visit to historic Fort Abercrombie.
• Learn history in Anchorage, Nome and Kodiak on city tours or museum visits.
• Alaska & The Canadian Rockies : An 18-day guided tour from Seattle, through the Canadian Rockies and on to the Great Land. This itinerary takes guests of all mobilities to some of the most iconic parks along the way—Banff, Stone Mountain, Kluane, Denali and Kenai Fjords. This itinerary departs May 31, 2023.
• Untamed Alaska : This 11-day trip combines time in some of Alaska’s small towns with bucket-list activities and attractions like visiting Denali, viewing glaciers and searching for Alaska’s “big five.” This itinerary has departures offered in June and late July.
• 1898 Alaska and Yukon Gold Rush : Your clients can retrace gold rush history in this 14-day journey from Anchorage into the Yukon and then dropping down into the Inside Passage. This itinerary is offered in June and July.
• Grand Slam Alaska : This 10-day guided tour takes visitors throughout Southcentral and Interior Alaska, offering opportunities to view glaciers, go whale watching, experience local culture, visit national parks and much more. This popular itinerary for first-time Alaska visitors runs weekly from June through August.
• National Parks of Alaska : John Hall’s is now offering guests the opportunity to visit six national parks in Alaska, with the easy ability to add pre- and post-trip stops to be able to visit all eight. This 14-day, limited capacity itinerary, is offered on three departures in July.
• Platinum Inside Passage Experience : This itinerary is custom-built by John Hall’s Alaska and cannot be found anywhere else. Guests travel the famed Inside Passage by private day boat into some of Southeast Alaska’s most wildlife-rich and historic coastal areas. This itinerary begins service on June 17.

Enjoy an Elevated Alaskan Tour with John Hall’s Alaska Black Label

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John Hall’s Alaska

For more than 40 years, John Hall’s Alaska team has shared its love of the Great Land through thoughtfully curated, small-group itineraries to Alaska. Since 1983, the multi-generational, family-owned business has provided thousands of travelers one-of-a-kind, multi-day packages in Alaska and beyond to immerse themselves in stunning landscapes, national parks, wildlife, and Indigenous cultures. John Hall’s Alaska has expanded its offerings to provide World Adventures using the foundations that make John Hall’s Alaska the premier travel provider to Alaska, continuing the commitment of offering extensive and all-inclusive intimate small group experiences.

Each package curated by John Hall’s Alaska is individually priced, with package rates beginning at $7,599 (double occupancy).

6636 Rosewood Street Anchorage, AK 99518

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Alaska’s candidate lists for legislative and congressional races are set after Saturday’s deadline

The entrance to the House of Representatives Chamber at the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau. (Marc Lester / ADN)

The field of candidates for Alaska’s U.S House and state legislative elections later this year is finalized, with several open races that could prove consequential for the future of state policy.

Twelve candidates have filed for Alaska’s lone U.S. House seat, headlined by incumbent Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola, and Republican challengers Nick Begich and Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom.

All 40 of Alaska’s House seats and half of Alaska’s 20 Senate seats are up for election in November. Last-minute shuffling paved the way for several open races, including one Senate seat and six House seats where the incumbents are not seeking reelection.

The deadline for candidates to file was 5 p.m. Saturday.

Candidates have until the end of the month to drop out of the races before ballots are finalized and printed. Alaska’s Aug. 20 primary election will be held under a voting method adopted in 2020 and first used in 2022. The candidates will face each other in open, nonpartisan primary elections, and the top four vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, will advance to the November general election.

Until 2022, closed primary races often determined the outcomes of legislative races. But the new system has allowed for many races in which multiple candidates from the same party are likely to face off in the general election.

It also means that very few candidates will be eliminated in the August election, since only two Senate races and one House race have more than four candidates. Still, the primary races could prove pivotal — signaling both to voters and to the candidates themselves which contenders have the lead heading into the November election.

Unopposed and departing members

Eight incumbents in Alaska’s legislative races are set to run for reelection unopposed. They include Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau; Sen. Donny Olson, D-Golovin; Rep. Rebecca Himschoot, I-Sitka; Rep. Sara Hannan, D-Juneau; Rep. Zack Fields, D-Anchorage; Rep. Dan Saddler, R-Eagle River; Rep. DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer, and Rep. Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla.

Other incumbents are not seeking reelection, including Rep. Jennie Armstrong, D-Anchorage; Rep. Dan Ortiz, I-Ketchikan; Rep. Laddie Shaw, R-Anchorage; and Sen. Click Bishop, R-Fairbanks, who bowed out of the race earlier this week, hinting at a possible run for governor in 2026.

GOP Reps. Ben Carpenter of Nikiski, Mike Cronk of Tok, and Tom McKay of Anchorage are all vacating their House seats to run for Senate.

Several of those open seats will be ones to watch in November. In the House, control of the chamber is on the line. Republicans currently hold 22 of 40 House seats. One Republican, Rep. David Eastman of Wasilla, has been booted from the predominantly Republican caucus due to his divisive tactics. Another Republican, Rep. Louise Stutes of Kodiak, in recent years has joined in caucuses composed primarily of Democrats and independents.

To gain control of the House, Republicans were joined last year by three non-GOP members of the Bush Caucus, which represents rural Alaska. But several key races could give the GOP the possibility of forming a majority outright.

One of those is Eastman’s race, where he will face a challenge from fellow Republican Jubilee Underwood, a school board member who has promised to work collaboratively with conservative GOP legislators.

The coalition of Democrats and independents in the House — which is currently in the minority — is hoping to grow its ranks by two or more seats, which would increase the possibility of establishing a bipartisan majority when the Legislature reconvenes in 2025.

They are eying a seat currently held by Rep. Thomas Baker of Kotzebue, who was appointed to the seat by Gov. Mike Dunleavy last year after his predecessor was elected borough mayor. Two Democrats are challenging Baker, who switched his party affiliation from Republican to undeclared the day after the recent legislative session ended.

Independents are also eyeing seats currently held by Homer Republican Rep. Sarah Vance and Anchorage Republican Rep. Craig Johnson. Both are longtime lawmakers who are seen as vulnerable in moderate districts due to their track record on education funding and other key issues.

Ketchikan House seat

Rep. Dan Ortiz of Ketchikan in the House Chamber at the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau on February 26, 2024. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Ortiz’s departure from the House set the stage for a race between two current members of the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly. Republican Jeremy Bynum announced his run earlier this year after running against Ortiz in 2022. Nonpartisan candidate Grant EchoHawk jumped into the race after Ortiz’s departure.

Ortiz repeatedly fended off Republican challenges during his tenure, but with his absence, the seat could be a possible pick-up for the Republican caucus.

“I have true belief in our Republican principles,” Bynum said in an interview on Friday. “I’m going to do what’s in the best interests of District 1, and I’m hoping that involves Republicans getting around a bigger group of people to get things done.”

EchoHawk, who was raised in Metlakatla, said he was more aligned with Ortiz’s bipartisan approach.

“I’m going to basically pick up the torch where Ortiz left it and continue to run that down,” said EchoHawk, pointing specifically to education funding as an area where they aligned.

“The folks that are voting no, the folks that are vetoing it, the folks are focusing on other priorities and initiatives — they’re coming from a very specific end of the political spectrum,” said EchoHawk. “That’s going to be a big difference. We all say that school funding is important, but at the end of the day, it’s how you vote.”

Agnes Moran also entered the race on Saturday as an independent candidate. Moran, a former borough assembly member, previously ran for the Legislature as a Republican.

South and West Anchorage House seats

Democrats had widely seen the House seat held by McKay as a possible pick-up after Democrat Denny Wells came within a handful of votes of beating McKay in 2022.

But McKay’s decision to run for Senate made room for Republican former lawmaker Mia Costello to jump in the race . She will face Wells, who has been campaigning for months. The race also includes serial candidate Dustin Darden, who is running as a Democrat after previously joining the Alaska Independence Party.

Former Alaska Senator Mia Costello, R-Anchorage, consults a map at the Division of Elections office in Anchorage on May 30, 2024. Costello filed to run for the Alaska House. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Shaw’s departure from a South Anchorage seat that also covers Girdwood and Whittier led four candidates to enter the open race. They include Republican Lucy Bauer, owner of several assisted living facilities in Anchorage; Republican Lee Ellis, a craft beer maker and business owner; Republican Brandy Pennington, a real estate broker; and nonpartisan Ky Holland, an entrepreneur.

Bauer is a major GOP donor who has given more than $100,000 to various Republican candidates and causes since 2022, including nearly $60,000 to Dunleavy’s 2022 campaign for governor. Bauer, who is running for elected office for the first time, owns multiple assisted living facilities in Anchorage and said her professional experiences “could be very pertinent” in the Legislature.

Both Ellis and Pennington registered as Republicans shortly before filing for office and touted their experience as business owners and operators.

“I think it’s important to at least give people an idea of where you’re coming from prior to running for office,” Ellis said.

“It’s not about a party for me. It’s about the people that I’m serving,” said Pennington, describing herself as “a centrist.”

Republican Reps. Mike Cronk, Craig Johnson, Laddie Shaw and Kevin McCabe speak in a small huddle before the House abruptly adjourned in Juneau on May 17, 2023 (Sean Maguire/ADN)

Interior House seat

Cronk’s Senate run has made way for what could be a hotly contested six-candidate House run, including Libertarian candidate James Fields; Democrat Brandon Kowalski, a construction worker; and Republican candidates Rebecca Schwanke, Pamela Goode, Cole Snodgrass and Dana Mock.

Fields said he had already built contacts with legislators and the governor during his time on the state board of education. Fields was re-confirmed to his board seat by the Legislature last year in a 36-21 vote . The Democrats and independents who opposed his confirmation cited his support for a resolution banning transgender girls from competing on girls’ sports teams.

“They may have voted against me, but I know a lot of those people, and we can still work together,” Fields said Saturday.

Fields, who has been closely aligned with Dunleavy’s agenda on education policy, said he considers himself “a conservative libertarian.”

“I probably would side more toward a conservative Republican or a liberal Republican,” said Fields.

Mock, of Fort Greely, is president-elect of the Association of Alaska School Boards. He said that after Cronk bowed out of the race, he received a call from someone urging him to enter the race.

The timing was fortuitous. Days earlier, Mock said he had cracked open a fortune cookie that read something along the lines of, “You will get more involved in politics.”

Earlier this year, Mock had traveled to Juneau to advocate for increasing the Base Student Allocation. When Dunleavy vetoed a bill that would have permanently increased the per-student education funding formula — and Cronk joined many House Republicans in voting against overriding that veto — Mock said he was “disappointed” by lawmakers’ inability to bring the funding boost to the finish line.

“What we really need — and I thought we had it this year — (is) a group that would come together and really work to get the BSA increase implemented and pushed across. I was very disappointed that we didn’t get to where we were hoping to get. But I’m still very optimistic that we can eventually get there and get what we need in education funding,” Mock said.

The role of education funding

A board in the House Chamber shows the results of the failed education bill override vote on March 18. The Legislature met in a joint session to consider overriding Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s veto of an education funding bill and were one vote short of an override. (Marc Lester / ADN)

That veto of Senate Bill 140 , which would have permanently increased state spending on education by $175 million per year, is set to play a key role in the coming election season. It was cited by numerous candidates, including some of those challenging sitting lawmakers, in their decision to enter the race.

Rep. Craig Johnson, an Anchorage Republican who was key in backing Dunleavy’s education policy, picked up two challengers before the filing deadline, including Republican former Rep. Chuck Kopp.

Nonpartisan candidate Greg Magee said in a text message that he decided to enter the “mainly because the incumbent, Craig Johnson, voted no to override the governor’s veto of SB 140 and he didn’t support moving SB 88 from Committee,” referring to a bill that would have overhauled the state’s public pension system.

Shortly before the 5 p.m. filing deadline on Saturday, nonpartisan candidate Nick Moe walked into the Anchorage Division of Elections office to file his candidacy for House District 16. Until that point, only Democrat Carolyn Hall had filed to run. Hall had also cited education funding as one of her top priorities.

“I’ve never been so disappointed in Juneau as I was the moment the Legislature didn’t overturn the education funding (veto),” said Moe, a nonpartisan candidate who has previously worked as a legislative staffer. “There’s a point where we can advocate, but if it’s to a wall, then it’s really not helping.”

U.S. House candidates

U.S. House candidates Nick Begich, Mary Peltola and Nancy Dahlstrom. (ADN and AP photos)

Alaska’s lone U.S. House race is expected to draw massive spending from outside groups. Democrats see Peltola as key to wresting back control of the chamber in 2024 — and Republicans see a path to bring the seat back into the red column as part of their quest to expand their razor-thin majority.

Peltola first won the seat in a special election held in August 2022, following the sudden death earlier that year of longtime Rep. Don Young, a Republican who held the seat for nearly 50 years.

Both Begich and Dahlstrom are campaigning to return the seat to Republican control by highlighting popular issues among GOP voters, including border security. Begich lost to Peltola twice in 2022 — both in the special election and in the regular November election. Dahlstrom has the backing of many mainstream Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy. But Begich is supported by many in Alaska’s Republican establishment.

Under Alaska’s open primary and ranked choice general election system, four of the top vote-getters in the August primary are set to advance to the November general election.

That means that Peltola, Begich and Dahlstrom are all likely to advance to the general election, but it remains unclear who might join them as the fourth candidate on the November ballot.

A total of 12 candidates have registered to run for the seat. Four of them reported living outside Alaska. A candidate must be an inhabitant of the state from which elected, but candidates can satisfy the requirement by moving to Alaska before taking office.

Candidates include David Ambrose, a resident of Fairbanks who in March filed a federal lawsuit against former President Donald Trump, among others, alleging that Ambrose had been deprived of “the right not to be attacked with spacetime winds in accordance with the treason provisions in the Constitution.” Ambrose requested to be compensated with $750 billion “in gold,” among other things. The complaint was promptly dismissed. Ambrose is running as a nonpartisan candidate.

Gerald Heikes, a Republican from Palmer, has registered to run for the U.S. House seat. Heikes previously ran against Young in the 2020 GOP primary, garnering nearly 6% of the vote, and in 2016, garnering 5% of the vote. He also ran against Gov. Mike Dunleavy in the 2018 GOP gubernatorial primary, garnering less than 1% of the vote, and against Gov. Sean Parnell in the 2014 Republican primary, garnering over 3% of the vote.

Lady Donna Dutchess, an Anchorage resident who ran for Alaska’s House seat in 2022, has declared her intent to run again as a nonpartisan candidate. Dutchess received 270 votes — for less than 0.15% of the total — in the August 2022 primary.

John Howe Wayne, a member of the Alaska Independence Party from Fairbanks, has also registered to run. He previously ran in 2022 for governor and U.S. House, telling the Daily News that he opposed taxation and did not believe that climate change was the result of human actions.

Matthew Salisbury, a Palmer Republican, has also declared his intention to run.

Eric Hafner, a Democrat who is serving a 20-year sentence for making false bomb threats to local and state government offices, has registered to run for Alaska’s U.S. House seat after previously running unsuccessfully for seats in Hawaii and Oregon in 2016 and 2018.

Richard Grayson, who resides in Arizona, has declared he plans to run as a member of the No Labels Party. He previously ran unsuccessfully for congressional seats in Arizona.

Samuel Claesson, who resides in Iowa, is running as a nonpartisan candidate.

Richard “Von” Mayers, who reported a Chicago address, also registered to run as a nonpartisan candidate.

Correction: The story previously described House candidate Brandon Kowalski as a graduate student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Kowalski is no longer a student. The story has been updated to reflect that Kowalski is a construction worker.

Iris Samuels

Iris Samuels is a reporter for the Anchorage Daily News focusing on state politics. She previously covered Montana for The AP and Report for America and wrote for the Kodiak Daily Mirror. Contact her at [email protected].

Man wins lottery for 2nd time, plans to give winnings back to the community

WILMINGTON, N.C. ( WECT /Gray News) – A man in North Carolina who won $2 million off a lottery ticket in May of 2022, recently won another top prize.

According to the North Carolina Education Lottery, John Robbins, of Wilmington, bought a winning $30 Black Titanium scratch-off ticket from the same store where he scored his first big win.

“I was told lightning can’t strike twice, but I guess it can,” Robbins said.

This time around, Robbins won $100,000 from the scratch-off ticket. After withholdings, he took home $71,509 from lottery headquarters on Monday, June 3.

He plans to give back to the community with his winnings.

“My dream is to make a difference in Wilmington,” Robbins said. “I want to give back to people here who are less fortunate. I want to do something to help change that.”

Copyright 2024 WECT via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

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