Lawmakers pass the budget and major policy bills on final day of session

And: LaFrance and allies ‘confident’ in her lead over Bronson in Anchorage mayoral election ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( Good afternoon. It’s Thursday, May 16. In today's newsletter: - The Alaska Legislature[finished its regular session]( after midnight on Thursday, having passed an operating budget and several major policy items related to energy, crime, and education. - As ballots continue to be tallied in Anchorage’s runoff election, former Assembly Chair Suzanne LaFrance[is holding her lead]( over Mayor Dave Bronson. - A 24-year-old man pleaded guilty for [shooting into a crowd of homeless people]( near downtown Anchorage in 2021, killing one woman and wounding four other people. In Alaska, where we have thousands of glaciers — though the [exact number is up for debate]( — it's not uncommon to hear about them receding in the midst of a warming climate. In Venezuela, even a unique government effort to save the country's last remaining glacier wasn't enough, and scientists say it has disappeared. [The demise of La Corona]( makes Venezuela the first nation in the Andes range without a glacier. Anchorage weather It's mostly cloudy today with a high near 54 degrees. There's a slight chance of rain that will last overnight and into Friday, and we'll see a mix of sun and cloudy skies over the weekend. Daytime temperatures stay in the mid-50s for the next several days. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com [Alaska Legislature passes budget, energy and education bills to end session →]( As the deadline loomed, lawmakers adopted dozens of bills, including ones to expand child care subsidies, make Juneteenth a state holiday, and extend a benefits program for low-income seniors. At the same time, the final days of the session were marked by tension between lawmakers, marathon floor sessions and prolonged debates that sparked heated anger from nonpartisan staff. ADVERTISEMENT [LaFrance and allies ‘confident’ in her lead over Bronson following Wednesday vote count in Anchorage mayoral election →]( The latest results showed Suzanne LaFrance’s lead narrowing slightly, from 10 points on election night to 8 points Wednesday. But people who worked with the campaigns or were aligned with them said it will be hard for incumbent Mayor Dave Bronson to overcome his vote deficit and pull off a win. [Anchorage man pleads guilty in 2021 shooting that killed 1, wounded 4 →]( A day before Anthony Herring opened fire on a group of people near the gas station where he worked, he’d argued with a number of homeless people there, prosecutors said. [Officers involved in fatal shooting of man outside Anchorage apartments have 2 to 25 years of experience, police say →]( The Anchorage Police Department has identified four officers who shot at a man during a fatal confrontation Monday outside a West Anchorage apartment as mostly seasoned members of the force. [SPONSORED - MAKing It: Meet the crew connecting Alaska to the world →]( Presented by First National Bank Alaska: North Slope Telecom Inc. helps open communication lines in some of the most remote areas of the state. ADVERTISEMENT More from the ADN [A quarter of Alaska adults use tobacco products, and vaping is common among youth, report says →]( [Anchorage Wolverines’ key contributors feel at home on the road ahead of NAHL semis →]( [U.S. to end coal leasing in nation’s largest coal-producing region →]( [Will AI replace doctors who read X-rays and other body scans, or just make them better? →]( [FDA approves self-collection screening for virus that causes cervical cancer →]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Click here to unsubscribe and manage your email subscriptions.]( Anchorage Daily News, 300 W 31st Ave, Anchorage, AK 99503, United States