Bill with historic school funding boost passes Alaska House

And: Jury finds Brian Smith guilty on all charges in Anchorage double murder trial ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( Good afternoon. It’s Friday, February 23. In today's newsletter: - The Alaska House overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan education agreement with [a historic increase]( in public school funding. The Senate is expected to concur with the measure. - An Anchorage jury convicted Brian Smith on all counts, finding him [guilty of murdering two women]( and bringing to a close a long, gruesome trial that highlighted violence against Alaska Native women. - Fur Rendezvous, a longtime staple of winter life in Anchorage, has arrived. [Here’s your guide]( to the full Fur Rondy experience with sled dog races, Running of the Reindeer and more. If Rondy isn't your thing, don't worry: there are plenty of other things to do around Anchorage this weekend, from theater performances to live music. Here's a look at [some of the highlights]( Anchorage weather It's mostly cloudy today with a high near 31 degrees and a slight chance of snow this afternoon. Snow will increase overnight and is likely on Saturday. We'll get a short window of sun on Sunday, before snow returns to the forecast early next week. Daytime temperatures will drop into the low 20s over the next few days. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com [Alaska House passes bipartisan education bill with historic boost in school funding →]( In addition to a $175 million increase to school funding, the bill includes roughly $14.5 million in extra funding for home-schooled students; provisions to boost internet speeds for schools; and $10 million to help students struggling with reading. Several legislators said it was an “ugly process” to forge a deal, but applauded the result. ADVERTISEMENT [Jury finds Brian Smith guilty on all charges in Anchorage double murder trial →]( More than a dozen family members and supporters of the victims were present in the courtroom. Some cried as the verdict was read. The jury deliberated for less than two hours. [Get the full Fur Rendezvous experience with sled dog races, Running of the Reindeer and more →]( Fur Rendezvous has been a staple of Anchorage winter life for nearly 90 years. Here’s a look at some of the big events and traditional gatherings at this year's Rondy, which begins today. [Anchorage Assembly to consider taking legal action over Eklutna dam mitigation plans →]( The Assembly and Native Village of Eklutna have called for full restoration of the river and have opposed the Chugach and Matanuska electric associations’ proposal to mitigate the dam. [State drops assault charges against musher days after Iditarod disqualifies him from 2024 race →]( Just days after the race's governing body said it was disqualifying Eddie Burke Jr. for violating the race’s personal conduct standard, prosecutors dismissed two assault charges against him, effectively closing the case. [From bouldering to biathlon: How Anchorage’s Haley Finch became a junior champion in just 4 years →]( The rising star, who‘s been skiing and shooting for just a few years, already has a national championship under her belt — and she’s set her sights on even loftier goals. ADVERTISEMENT More from the ADN [Senate advances bills to extend senior benefits, boost civil legal aid for low-income Alaskans →]( [2 men get 4-year worldwide hunting ban for moose kill in Denali National Park →]( [Service and Kenai sweep top podium spots on Day 1 of Alaska state cross country skiing championships →]( [Private spacecraft ‘alive and well’ after company scores first U.S. moon landing since Apollo era →]( [Book review: Riveting memoir reveals lifetime of lessons from teacher’s time in Alaska village →]( [Alaska gardening: Skip the trends and stick to the standards as you prepare to plant this spring →]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Click here to unsubscribe and manage your email subscriptions.]( Anchorage Daily News, 300 W 31st Ave, Anchorage, AK 99503, United States