Loren Holmes

For more than three decades, Skipper Robert Hanson has roamed the waters off Alaska to find halibut.

But his fishing trip last year was an outright disaster as halibut stocks have plunged.

Story by Hal Bernton & @lorenholmes.bsky.social for @adn.com.

🐟 bit.ly/4px9OR5

Chad Tessier baits hooks ahead of halibut fishing on May 31, 2025, aboard the Oracle in Dutch Harbor. Image by Loren Holmes/Anchorage Daily News. United States.

A large halibut lies face-up on a table aboard the halibut longliner Oracle on June 2, 2025, in waters near Unalaska Island. Image by Loren Holmes/Anchorage Daily News. United States.

Fisherman Jack Demmert prepares for a longline set aboard the halibut fishing boat Oracle on June 4, 2025, in waters near Unalaska Island. In the distance is Egg Island. Image by Loren Holmes/Anchorage Daily News. United States.

Since 2008, biologist Juan Valero has warned about the risk of overfishing a halibut population that was already in decline.

This year, the halibut harvest hit its lowest point in more than a century.

Story by Hal Bernton & @lorenholmes.bsky.social for @adn.com.
🐟 bit.ly/4px9OR5

I’m excited to finally be able to share these images made for @adn.com, Seattle Times, and Northern Journal, part of a series examining the decline of the halibut fishery.

This is my 4th story with Hal Bernton, supported by @pulitzercenter.org. Read at ADN, Seattle Times, or Northern Journal.

Can the Deadliest Catch crab fishery survive warming seas? After a brutal heat wave, scientists race to predict how Bering Sea snow crabs will cope with climate change

Nearly four years ago I joined the crew of the Pinnacle as they searched for snow crab in the Bering Sea. Back then there was a lot of uncertainty about the fishery, and there still is, as @science.org reports. www.science.org/content/arti...

The first page of a resignation letter by Regional Editor Erin Thompson, Sports Editor Jeff Helminiak and reporters Chloe Pleznac and Jake Dye. [Excerpt because the letter is too long to include in full] "Vance also said in the letter that she was “fully aware” of an effort to boycott Homer News advertising — stating that the paper would experience financial and reputational harm if it did not change its approach to covering community events. Rep. Vance never contacted the Homer News editorial team to discuss her concerns. Without consulting the editor of the Homer News or the reporter who wrote the story, Carpenter Media removed the original article from the Homer News website, only to republish a modified version several hours later that reflected the changes demanded by Rep. Vance. In the modified version republished by Carpenter management, there was no note to indicate the article had been changed. We want to be clear: We have no problem with Rep. Vance expressing her opinion of our coverage. We cover difficult and sometimes controversial topics. Respectful dialogue about that coverage is welcome. As a community newspaper, we regularly provide Rep. Vance with a forum to discuss her views. What we do have a problem with is Carpenter Media management changing a story at the behest of an elected official. We believe this destroys the credibility the public has placed in us as reporters and editors. This willingness to acquiesce to a public official’s editorial demands and have conversations with her about the direction of our coverage is a betrayal not just of the journalists who work for Carpenter Media, but of the company’s integrity as a purveyor of news."

The second page of a resignation letter by Regional Editor Erin Thompson, Sports Editor Jeff Helminiak and reporters Chloe Pleznac and Jake Dye. [Excerpt because the letter is too long to include in full] These actions were taken despite there being no immediate urgency to remove the content — Rep. Vance's criticisms were raised regarding what she perceived as political bias, not factual inaccuracy. Despite requests, we have not been informed of the content of dialogue between Rep. Vance and Carpenter Media management. In discussion with management our editor was told that the article did not meet their editorial standards and that the editing and reporting was “juvenile.” We cannot live up to the core responsibility of a community newspaper in such an environment. We, employees of both the Homer News and Peninsula Clarion, are resigning our positions, effective Oct. 13, 2025. Leaving these newspapers, at which we have spent a combined four decades, is not a decision we make lightly. We are proud of the work that we do covering local government as well as the arts, food, history, outdoors and sports. Though this decision is extremely painful for all of us, it is not difficult. We cannot do our jobs knowing that pressure from an elected official can mean our stories are edited without prior consultation with us. Because we care deeply about the work we do and what it means to the community, we are all giving the standard two weeks’ notice instead of resigning outright. We hope Carpenter Media takes the opportunity to get personnel in place to continue the legacies of the Peninsula Clarion and Homer News. We hope this incident provides incentive for Carpenter Media to handle threats from officials in a way that safeguards the valued trust that readers have in newspapers. The community deserves it."

Editors and reporters of the Homer News and Peninsula Clarion submitted their notices of resignation today, after management from Carpenter Media Group made changes to a published story last week in response to intimidation from a state lawmaker and without input from our newsrooms.
#aknews

Why do health insurance pools exist? If we had a Medicare-for-all system, everyone would be in the same risk-pool, bringing down costs for patients.

I've always wondered about this. Thanks @marketplace.org for answering my question! www.marketplace.org/story/2025/0...

Our favorite photos from the 2025 Mount Marathon Race

Photos: Racers enjoyed sunny skies and an enthusiastic crowd during the 97th running of the Mount Marathon Race in Seward on Friday. www.adn.com/visual/photo...

David Norris greets fans as he runs down 4th Avenue during the 97th running of the Mount Marathon Race on Friday, July 4, 2025 in Seward. Norris won his 6th Mount Marathon Race this year.

Mya Taylor makes her way through a field of wildflowers during the 97th running of the Mount Marathon Race on Friday, July 4, 2025 in Seward.

Tonia Baklanova and other women make their way down the mountain during the 97th running of the Mount Marathon Race on Friday, July 4, 2025 in Seward.

Riga Grubis waves a flag as she cheers on competitors in the 97th running of the Mount Marathon race on Friday, July 4, 2025 in Seward.

Scenes from the 97th running of the Mount Marathon Race in Seward, Alaska

To thwart veto overrides, Dunleavy asks House Republicans not to show up to special session he called According to Alaska law, legislators must vote on overturning the governor’s vetoes within five days of convening.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy has asked House minority members not to show up for the first five days of an August special session in order to thwart an effort by majority lawmakers to override his veto of $51 million in education funding.

Alaska leaders decry governor’s education veto as districts consider new rounds of cuts “The veto is problematic even for those of us who are on a very conservative side of the aisle,” said Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Peter Micciche.

School districts and elected officials across Alaska were left reeling after Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed tens of millions of dollars in education funding from the state budget, weeks after lawmakers had overridden his earlier veto of a permanent increase to the school funding formula.

You know the best place to be a reporter? Alaska! Come work for the Anchorage Daily News: www.journalismjobs.com/1690546-repo...

📷 📸 📷

A classic Alaska newspaper correction in this week’s @chilkatvalleynews.bsky.social

Hyder, Alaska: Life and love on the international border - Anchorage Daily News Hyder sits near the extreme southeast corner of Alaska, cut off from the rest of the state but connected by road to nearby Stewart, British Columbia. The connection between Hyder and Stewart runs deep...

In this current climate of cross-border tensions, I'm reminded of a story I reported in the towns of Hyder, Alaska and Stewart, BC back in the summer of 2015. Softball games in Canada on one day, a parade in America on another. A real cross-border party! It may be time for another visit soon.

UPDATED: Thanks to a biologist (who is used to counting large bird colonies), we updated the story with a new crowd size estimate of 3,500+

Over 1,000 people showed up for the #HandsOFF rally in Anchorage

The Seward Folly

Alaska has a new newspaper, The Seward Folly, published in Seward, Alaska. My friends
Marylynn and Bob Barnwell started it. I’m helping them by covering the Seward City Council. Hurray for community journalism!
sewardfolly.com.

A sad update to this story.

I don’t think so

I might have splurged on a bar of these after reporting the story

Vicky Ho named editor of the Anchorage Daily News She had been the newsroom’s managing editor since 2022 and succeeds David Hulen, who retired as editor in mid-March.

Great news for @adn.com, and all of us who have a part in producing the thoughtful journalism made here.

Anchorage’s school language immersion programs — among the nation’s most robust for a city its size — are at risk - Anchorage Daily News Absent additional funding from the state Legislature, Anchorage’s premier, 36-year-old immersion programs will suffer at best, or cease to exist at worst, said the district’s World Languages and Immer...

Anchorage has the nation’s most robust school language immersion programs for a city its size, experts say. Those programs are at risk. www.adn.com/alaska-news/...

Future of some Alaska federal office leases uncertain, including for volcano monitoring Federal agencies and their associates don’t know who to call during a period of continual uncertainty about federal leases.

The Alaska Volcano Observatory and several federal offices in Alaska have appeared on lists of leases set to be terminated by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.

And really, the lead dogs usually get all the limelight but wheel dogs are just as deserving of some love

Oops, those are his wheel dogs, not his lead dogs. I blame sleep deprivation.

Jessie Holmes hugs his lead dogs Polar (left) and Hercules after winning the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race early Friday morning, March 14, 2025 in Nome.

Jessie Holmes gives some love to his lead dogs Polar and Hercules after they won the Iditarod early this morning in Nome.

Jessie Holmes earns his first Iditarod victory The veteran musher’s victory is a capstone in a short but remarkably successful career in the race to Nome.

Jessie Holmes, a 43-year-old Alabamian who came to Alaska more than 20 years ago, has earned his first win in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

I share half of the blame, I did my tires but not the wash

From left, Peter Delamere, Roberto Gazzoli, Tiziano Mulonia, Willy Mulonia, Casey Fagerquist, Joshua Brown, and Mike Beiergrohslein bike down Front Street on their way to the finish line of the ITI 1000 bike race on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 in Nome. The Iditarod Trail Invitational is a nearly 1,000-mile race from Knik, in Southcentral, to Nome, following the traditional Iditarod trail, and the seven bikers tied for first place.

7 bikers tied for 1st place in the Iditarod Trail Invitational 1000 today in Nome. From left, Peter Delamere, Roberto Gazzoli, Tiziano Mulonia, Willy Mulonia, Casey Fagerquist, Joshua Brown, and Mike Beiergrohslein. The ITI is a nearly 1,000-mile race from Knik to Nome, following the Iditarod trail.

I really enjoyed discovering this place! The scene reminded me of how much fun I used to have at Gig’s in the 90’s. Thanks @theckart.bsky.social !