A federal judge voids permits for a major Alaska oil project, and Alaska reports 647 COVID-19 cases and 4 deaths in one day

Plus: Portugal. The Man opens the Alaska State Fair with a pair of shows this weekend after being sidelined for most of the past 16 months. Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( [Anchorage Daily News]( Today's sponsor: [Today's sponsor: Northrim Bank]( Support independent reporting on what Alaskans care about most. [Subscribe today.]( Good afternoon. It’s Thursday, August 19. In today's newsletter: - A federal judge has voided permits for ConocoPhillips’ Willow oil project. - Alaska reports 647 cases of COVID-19 and 4 deaths Wednesday. - Problems with detour maintenance cause hours-long traffic delays at a Glenn Highway construction site. Residents in Kotzebue recently got a rare, up-close look at a polar bear — [and one onlooker snapped some great photos, too](. Polar bears usually hang out far north of the Northwest Alaska town, but this one decided to stroll down to a nearby fish camp. The onlooker told The Arctic Sounder that the bear appeared to be sleeping before going for a swim then wandering out of view. 🌤️ Anchorage weather Mostly sunny skies and a high near 67 today. Rain and gusty wind is expected to blow in overnight, bringing some wet-then-cloudy weather Friday. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Ryan Cunningham, rcunningham@adn.com [Federal judge voids permits for ConocoPhillips’ Willow oil project]( [Federal judge voids permits for ConocoPhillips’ Willow oil project]( A U.S. District Court judge says federal agencies incorrectly approved the Willow project, a major oil development on Alaska's North Slope that had support from both the Trump and Biden administrations. The project could produce more than 160,000 barrels of oil per day. Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy called the ruling "a horrible decision" and implied the state would appeal. [Read More]( [Alaska reports 647 cases of COVID-19 and 4 deaths Wednesday ]( [Alaska reports 647 cases of COVID-19 and 4 deaths Wednesday]( Limited hospital beds continue to fill with COVID-19 patients, reaching levels not seen since winter. The ER director for Providence Alaska Medical Center says a backlog has stretched ER wait times to more than four hours for some patients this week. Anyone with even mild COVID-19 symptoms — plus anyone who is a close contact of someone who has tested positive — should get tested, regardless of vaccination status, according to the CDC. [Read More]( [Problems with detour maintenance cause hours-long traffic delays at Glenn Highway construction site]( [Problems with detour maintenance cause hours-long traffic delays at Glenn Highway construction site]( A spokeswoman for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities says the department is working with the project's contractor to mitigate the lengthy delays. She expects traffic flow to improve as the project continues until October. The construction project at the Mirror Lake exit aims to repair damage caused by the 7.1 magnitude earthquake in 2018. [Read More]( [After a tough 2020, the state fair is back — along with Alaska-grown rock stars Portugal. The Man]( [After a tough 2020, the state fair is back — along with Alaska-grown rock stars Portugal. The Man]( Vendors and construction workers are [getting ready for the Alaska State Fair](, which opens tomorrow. To kick things off this weekend, Wasilla-rooted band Portugal. The Man are set to perform at the fair after the pandemic and personal health issues sidelined them for most of the past 16 months. "I’m just excited to get back home and see family," singer/guitarist John Gourley says. "I just want to come back home. That’s the place I miss more than anywhere in the world." [Read More]( [To understand aufeis, drones and frozen lobes, Alaska’s resource industry relies on university research]( [SPONSORED: To understand aufeis, drones and frozen lobes, Alaska’s resource industry relies on university research]( Presented by University of Alaska Fairbanks Board of Advisors: Engineering researchers at the University of Alaska Fairbanks help keep oil and gas production tech-forward, efficient and safe. [Read More]( More from the ADN [Fun things coming up: Alaska State Fair kicks off, Alaska Brew Fest hits the Park Strip, and more]( [Fun things coming up: Alaska State Fair kicks off, Alaska Brew Fest hits the Park Strip, and more]( [Read More]( [U.S. Customs officials seize 3,000 faked vaccination cards shipped through Anchorage]( [U.S. Customs officials seize 3,000 faked vaccination cards shipped through Anchorage]( [Read More]( [Mat-Su goes back to school unmasked, fingers crossed, and hoping to return to ‘normal’]( [Mat-Su goes back to school unmasked, fingers crossed, and hoping to return to ‘normal’]( [Read More]( [When a Seattle homeless encampment was cleared, no one went to a shelter. The reasons are complicated.]( [When a Seattle homeless encampment was cleared, no one went to a shelter. The reasons are complicated.]( [Read More]( [You can fix your nasty-looking lawn, but there are alternatives to grass]( [You can fix your nasty-looking lawn, but there are alternatives to grass]( [Read More]( The ADN relies on readers like you. [Get digital access to the ADN for about $4 per week]( and help us cover the news that matters most here in Alaska. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Click here to unsubscribe and manage your email subscriptions.]( Anchorage Daily News Anchorage Daily News 300 W 31st Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99503