Historic bill recognizing Alaska's Native tribes signed into law

Boat explosion in Whittier leaves woman injured and forces tunnel and harbor closures Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( [Anchorage Daily News]( Today's sponsor: [Today's sponsor: Recover Alaska]( Support independent reporting on what Alaskans care about most. [Subscribe today.]( Good afternoon. It’s Thursday, July 28. In today's newsletter: - A large and emotional crowd at the Alaska Native Heritage Center celebrated the signing of a bill that formally acknowledges tribes' sovereignty in the state. - Whitter was disrupted by road and marine traffic delays this week after a boat at the city harbor exploded, injuring one woman. - A handful of Good Samaritans recently jumped into action in Anchorage to help recover a man's prosthetic leg after it fell off and floated away during a kayaking trip. Summer in Alaska brings with it a lot of pleasant distractions — salmon are running, friends and family visiting and plenty of weekend adventures. [Columnist Jeff Lowenfels]( reminds those of us who have gardens that when the salmon dwindle and the visitors are gone, your garden will still be there and needs your attention. ☀️ Anchorage weather Today is sunny with a high near 73 degrees. The sun sticks around for one more day — Friday will be mostly sunny with a high of 74 — before the rain returns in time for the weekend. Temperatures this weekend will range from the mid 60s to low 70s. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com [‘A historic milestone’: Alaska formally recognizes Native tribes]( [‘A historic milestone’: Alaska formally recognizes Native tribes]( Gov. Mike Dunleavy has signed a bill recognizing Alaska’s Native tribes, in a formal acknowledgement of tribes’ sovereignty by the state. Bethel Democrat Rep. Tiffany Zulkosky called the bill “a historic milestone” in advancing state-tribal relations. [Read More]( [Boat explosion in Whittier leaves woman injured and forces tunnel and harbor closures]( [Boat explosion in Whittier leaves woman injured and forces tunnel and harbor closures]( A boat explosion at a Whittier boat launch Wednesday left a woman injured and a cat dead, and caused significant road and marine transportation delays, a city official said. The explosion left the boat “engulfed in a fireball” and sent a billowing cloud of black smoke into the air, the official said. [Read More]( [A kayaker lost his prosthetic leg in Anchorage’s Campbell Creek. These friends searched until they found it.]( [A kayaker lost his prosthetic leg in Anchorage’s Campbell Creek. These friends searched until they found it.]( Troy Donahoo had already flipped his kayak twice on Campbell Creek on a recent evening when he turned a corner, caught more logs and tipped again. That time, his prosthetic leg fell off. A post to social media launched a community search that ended when three Good Samaritans on paddleboards recovered Donahoo's prosthetic. [Read More]( [Birding, a fast-growing tourism draw in Alaska, brings visitors to Utqiaġvik ]( [Birding, a fast-growing tourism draw in Alaska, brings visitors to Utqiaġvik]( Birding is considered one of the fastest-growing nature-based tourism types in the world, and Alaska has a lot to offer. New research shows birders are more likely to travel to remote communities, boosting the economy and conservation efforts. [Read More]( [Denali’s new superintendent talks about women in outdoor leadership, climate change impacts and her vision for the park]( [Denali’s new superintendent talks about women in outdoor leadership, climate change impacts and her vision for the park]( Brooke Merrell, the first woman to serve as superintendent of Denali National Park and Preserve, is taking the reins at a pivotal moment for the park as it embarks on a major project to build a bridge across the Pretty Rocks Landslide. Merrell spoke with us about the future of the park, equity in outdoor leadership and how climate change is reshaping the park that’s home to the highest peak in North America. [Read More]( More from the ADN [Historic musk ox hunt to open on North Slope]( [Historic musk ox hunt to open on North Slope]( [Read More]( [Federal funding for high-speed internet in rural communities includes over $110 million for Alaska]( [Federal funding for high-speed internet in rural communities includes over $110 million for Alaska]( [Read More]( [Author Lael Morgan, who chronicled the practical and provocative in Alaska, dies at age 86]( [Author Lael Morgan, who chronicled the practical and provocative in Alaska, dies at age 86]( [Read More]( [Army looks at easing rules for alcohol in barracks to help reduce suicides and sexual assaults]( [Army looks at easing rules for alcohol in barracks to help reduce suicides and sexual assaults]( [Read More]( [Squash is abundant now. This casserole with buttery crackers is a seasonal indulgence.]( [Squash is abundant now. This casserole with buttery crackers is a seasonal indulgence.]( [Read More]( [Fate of unvaccinated National Guard members sparks fears on Capitol Hill of mass separations]( [Fate of unvaccinated National Guard members sparks fears on Capitol Hill of mass separations]( [Read More]( [Get digital access to the ADN for as low as $1.99 for the first month]( 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 300 W 31st Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99503