Alaska LNG & energy politics: Vice President JD Vance campaigned in Fairbanks warning Democrats are “obsessed” with Alaska and pushing Sullivan’s record as the Alaska LNG deal remains tied up in talks with South Korea over commercial viability and details. Federal power grid funding: Vance also announced $150 million in Defense Production Act money for the Beluga–Healy transmission project, with officials saying it could lower costs for most Railbelt residents. U.S. Senate race momentum: Sabato’s Crystal Ball moved Alaska’s competitive Senate contest to “Leans Democratic,” citing polling that shows Mary Peltola gaining on Dan Sullivan and noting Alaska’s ranked-choice setup. Wildlife law fight: Alaska Fish and Game backed a Trump administration shift that curtails Endangered Species Act protections, a move critics say weakens safeguards for whales and other species. Fisheries pressure on Western Alaska: A report ahead of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting says 2026 chinook runs are far below triggers, tightening bycatch limits in the Bering Sea pollock fishery. Local governance in Southeast: Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly approved an ordinance creating a process to remove appointed officials for “good cause” after a race-based comment by a planning commissioner. Public safety & courts: Anchorage sentenced Mario Jackson to up to 198 years for planned first-degree murders; Fairbanks convicted Donald Dittman on sexual abuse of a minor charges, with sentencing set for March 2027.