A bush pilot's bootlegging case goes to the U.S. Supreme Court

“The breadth and frequency of stakeholder complaints about the Board’s process make it clear the Board has lost the public’s trust. As Chair of the House Fisheries Committee, I am compelled to act.” - Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak and chair of the House Fisheries Committee, in her request for the audit of the Alaska Board of Fisheries.

Fishing boats in the Robert E. Galovin Small Boat Harbor in Sand Point are seen on Aug 7, 2025, before heading out to the Area M fishery. (Photo by Theo Greenly)

Lawmakers approve state audit of the Alaska Board of Fisheries

By Corinne Smith

A legislative audit committee instructed the state auditor to investigate the past three years of process and legal compliance of the board tasked with developing policy and managing Alaska’s fisheries.

Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak and chair of the House Fisheries Committee, made the request for the special audit of the Alaska Board of Fisheries. The bicameral Legislative Audit and Budget Committee approved it at a hearing on Thursday.

The U.S. Supreme Court on April 9, 2026. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)

Alaska bush pilot’s bootlegging case heads to the U.S. Supreme Court later this year

By James Brooks

The U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether or not to overrule the state of Alaska’s decision to seize the airplane of a bush pilot who flew a bootlegger and beer to a dry village in 2012.

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to take up an appeal brought by the libertarian-leaning nonprofit public interest law firm Institute for Justice on behalf of the pilot, Ken Jouppi.

For decades, federal wildlife officials have protected old-growth forests as critical habitat for northern spotted owls. But a new interpretation of the Endangered Species Act issued by the Trump administration removes protections for wildlife habitat. (Photo by Tom Kogut/U.S. Forest Service via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Flickr)

The feds no longer protect endangered species habitat. States say they can’t pick up the slack.

By Alex Brown

The Trump administration is removing protections from the key places where endangered species live, saying states can keep the areas safe.

But experts say states aren’t equipped for the task.

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