Convictions, Cultural Celebrations, and Controversies

Local First News (News of the North)

Travis Clinton Felder has been convicted of Sexual Assault in the First Degree and Assault in the Second Degree after a retrial. Felder assaulted his ex-girlfriend, C.V., in 2014 while under the influence of methamphetamine, an attack witnessed by their minor daughter. Felder will be resentenced in October 2024.

Hundreds of Tlingit, Tsimshian, and Haida tribal members gathered in Juneau for the biennial Celebration festival. Meanwhile, a federal judge in Anchorage is considering a case that could transfer land control from Alaska Native corporations to tribal governments. The outcome could significantly impact tribal sovereignty and land protection.

Alaska Wildlife Troopers are searching for two people after a small plane crashed into Crescent Lake on the Kenai Peninsula. Debris was found, but no signs of survivors. The plane, a Super Cub, was on an instructional flight.

For over a decade, the Look Local First initiative has encouraged Juneau residents to support local businesses. This year, nearly 200,000 votes were cast in over 150 categories, celebrating the local businesses that make Juneau special. Check out the winners at bestofjuneau.org.

Alaska faces restrictions on nearly $1 million in school grants due to a dispute over the fair distribution of pandemic relief funds. The federal government argues Alaska didn’t allocate the funds fairly. Governor Mike Dunleavy’s decision on the budget will impact future funding.

Governor Mike Dunleavy is considering Senate Bill 22, which would make Juneteenth a legal holiday in Alaska starting in 2025. Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the U.S. The bill has passed both the Senate and the House and awaits Dunleavy's decision.