Latest news with #Juneau
Forbes
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Tessa Hulls On The Weight Of History, The Power Of Comics, And Winning A Pulitzer Prize
Tessa Hulls, writer/artist of Feeding Ghosts (Macmillian, 2024), winner of the 2025 Pulitzer Prize ... More for Memoir Earlier this month, Tessa Hulls was working her usual contract job as a sous-chef in the private legislative dining lounge at the Alaska state capital in Juneau when she started getting an unusually high volume of text messages on her phone. She glanced at them between tasks. Had she been nominated for some kind of award? Eventually, one of the legislators came up to her, put his arm over her shoulder, and told her, 'No, you weren't nominated. You just won a Pulitzer Prize!' Indeed, when the awards were announced on May 7, Hulls' memoir, Feeding Ghosts (Macmillan, 2024), became only the second graphic novel to win the prestigious award. The first, more than 30 years ago, was Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman. Like Maus, Feeding Ghosts is an intense blend of intergenerational family trauma and world-historical events. Tessa's maternal grandmother, Sun Yi, worked as a journalist in Shanghai in the 1940s and had a front row seat for the Communist revolution. Falling under increasing surveillance by the authorities, she eventually fled to Hong Kong with her daughter, Tessa's mother, but succumbed to mental illness from which she never recovered. The book explores Tessa's discovery of both the public and private history that her family had fled, told in expressionistic black and white drawings over nearly 400 pages. Page from Feeding Ghosts by Tessa Hulls (Macmillian, 2024) Feeding Ghosts succeeds as a both work of narrative and a work of art, made a bunch of best-of- lists, and has won or been nominated for a stack of major awards including the National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Prize, the Ainsfield Wolf Prize, the Libby Award, and the Will Eisner Award. While Maus winning a Special Citation Pulitzer in 1992 felt almost like the institution was condescending to recognize that 'wow, comics aren't just for kids anymore!', the award for Feeding Ghosts in the memoir category in 2025 seems like appropriate recognition for an undeniably serious and accomplished work, regardless of the medium of expression. 'I've always been a visual artist and a writer,' Hulls explained in a phone interview earlier this week. 'Writing was the scaffolding, but I came up as a visual artist. My main career was painting, but I started to realize that writing was a more important part of what I was doing.' Hulls says she left home as a teenager to embark on a life of restless travel, alternating stints in cities with long, solitary forays into the wilderness. Her biography on her website describes her as 'a compulsive genre hopper who has worked… as an illustrator, lecturer, cartoonist, editor, interviewer, historian, writer, performer, chef, muralist, conductor of social experiments, painter, bicycle mechanic, teacher and researcher.' Eventually she came to understand that her wanderlust was a symptom of a deeper ambiguity she carried with her. Writer/artist and adventurer Tessa Hulls 'I grew up with my grandmother and my nuclear family and knew something horrific had happened to her, but it was never really talked about and I didn't have the context of Chinese history to understand what had brought her to that point. All I knew is that I had a complicated relationship with my mom and I literally ran away from it to become this globetrotting adventurer.' Shortly after she turned 30, Hulls said she realized she would never have peace until she faced her family drama. She got back in touch with her mother to explain that she had to tell this story, no matter how hard or how long it would take. The journey ended up lasting nine years, during which time Hulls had to internalize the craft of both journalists and historians to come to grips with the full scope of the subject. It drained her enough that she has sworn she will never do another book, notwithstanding the remarkable success that Feeding Ghosts has enjoyed. 'I had to learn a lot of history to understand how my grandmother's story was nestled within the broader strokes of what was happening in China,' she says, admitting that she used the scholarship as an excuse to delay dealing with the emotional issues she knew she would eventually have to explore. While she was working on the book, she became an 'accidental graphic journalist,' covering the CHOP uprising in Seattle where protesters occupied the neighborhood around a police precinct for several weeks in response to the George Floyd killing in 2020. 'I had always understood how comics are a powerful tool for explaining context and being able to visually show the relationship between the macrocosm and the microcosm,' she says. 'I could see that the information about CHOP that was going out on social and other media didn't contain the context to make sense of it.' She used her personal knowledge of the neighborhood and the protests to inform her coverage. Her comics-style reportage became a critical firsthand source of information and breaking news. 'I think that experience really showed me the power of comics journalism, and it also made me really wary about the reductive way that complex information is filtered through social media. It both caused me to embrace and pull back from what that sort of mode of journalism could be.' In Feeding Ghosts, the disconnect between Sun Yi's training and instincts as a journalist, and the requirements of the increasingly totalitarian Communist regime to make reality conform to their narrative, literally drove her insane. Hulls acknowledges the parallels with her experience covering an event like CHOP, which is now described in the consensus discourse as an event where Seattle descended into chaos and anarchy, rather than a demonstration of solidarity around social justice. 'That was one of the threads that I became really fascinated by,' she says. 'The ways people become paranoid. People choose to sever ties and we all living within our own realities. That's so much a talking point that we forget that there is a huge amount of collateral damage that happens within interpersonal relationships when people withdraw into their own realities.' When Feeding Ghosts was finally published after nearly a decade of intense work, Hulls says she felt a sense of liberation in finally having the story out in the world. She says the recognition and awards, while surprising (at least in the case of the Pulitzer, which does not publish a shortlist of works under consideration and only announces the winner), were validating of the journey. 'In the aftermath of this complete shock of winning a Pulitzer, I think what I've been reflecting on and really feeling is this sense of Oh my God, my grandma did it! She saved my mom, and she saved me. And this prize has given me a feeling of safety that goes so far beyond my personal circumstances where it feels like it has allowed me to put down a fear that my family has been carrying for three generations.'
The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Swiss glacier collapse renews focus on risks of climate change as glaciers retreat around the world
The landslide that buried most of a Swiss village this week is focusing renewed attention on the role of global warming in glacier collapses around the world and the increasing dangers. How glaciers collapse — from the Alps and Andes to the Himalayas and Antarctica — can differ, scientists say. But in almost every instance, climate change is playing a role. In Switzerland, the mountainside gave way Wednesday near the village of Blatten, in the southern Lötschental valley, because the rock face above the Birch Glacier had become unstable when mountain permafrost melted, causing debris to fall and cover the glacier in recent years, said Martin Truffer, a physics professor at the University of Alaska who studies how glaciers move. While the debris insulated the glacier and slowed melting, its weight caused the ice to begin moving — which accelerated dramatically a few weeks ago. Authorities ordered the evacuation of about 300 people, as well as all livestock, from the village in recent days, 'when it became clear that there's a whole mountainside that's about to collapse,' said Truffer, who grew up in Switzerland. Glacial lakes pose threat Lakes that form at the base of glaciers as they melt and retreat also sometimes burst, often with catastrophic results. Water can even lift an entire glacier, allowing it to drain, said Truffer, adding that Alaska's capital of Juneau has flooded in recent years because a lake forms every year on a rapidly retreating glacier and eventually bursts. In 2022, an apartment building-sized chunk of the Marmolada glacier in Italy's Dolomite mountains detached during a summer heat wave, sending an avalanche of debris down the popular summer hiking destination, killing 11. A glacier in Tibet's Aru mountain range suddenly collapsed in 2016, killing nine people and their livestock, followed a few months later by the collapse of another glacier. There also have been collapses in Peru, including one in 2006 that caused a mini tsunami; most recently, a glacial lagoon overflowed in April, triggering a landslide that killed two. 'It's amazing sometimes how rapidly they can collapse,' said Lonnie Thompson, a glacier expert at the Ohio State University. 'The instability of these glaciers is a real and growing problem, and there are thousands and thousands of people that are at risk.' Scientists say melting glaciers will raise sea levels for decades, but the loss of inland glaciers also acutely affects those living nearby who rely on them for water for drinking water and agriculture. No way to stop the melting Scientists say greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels such as coal have already locked in enough global warming to doom many of the world's glaciers — which already have retreated significantly. For example, glaciers in the Alps have lost 50% of their area since 1950, and the rate at which ice is being lost has been accelerating, with 'projections ... that all the glaciers in the Alps could be gone in this century,' Thompson said. Switzerland, which has the most glaciers of any country in Europe, saw 4% of its total glacier volume disappear in 2023, the second-biggest decline in a single year after a 6% drop in 2022. A 2023 study found that Peru has lost more than half of its glacier surface in the last six decades, and 175 glaciers disappeared due to climate change between 2016 and 2020, mostly due to the increase in the average global temperature. A study published Thursday in Science said that even if global temperatures stabilized at their current level, 40% of the world's glaciers still would be lost. But if warming were limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit ) — the long-term warming limit since the late 1800s called for by the 2015 Paris climate agreement — twice as much glacier ice could be preserved than would be otherwise. Even so, many areas will become ice-free no matter what, Truffer, the University of Alaska expert. 'There's places in Alaska where we've shown that it doesn't take any more global warming,' for them to disappear, Truffer said. 'The reason some ... (still) exist is simply because it takes a certain amount of time for them to melt. But the climate is already such that they're screwed.' ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Swiss glacier collapse renews focus on risks of climate change as glaciers retreat around the world
The landslide that buried most of a Swiss village this week is focusing renewed attention on the role of global warming in glacier collapses around the world and the increasing dangers. How glaciers collapse — from the Alps and Andes to the Himalayas and Antarctica — can differ, scientists say. But in almost every instance, climate change is playing a role. In Switzerland, the mountainside gave way Wednesday near the village of Blatten, in the southern Lötschental valley, because the rock face above the Birch Glacier had become unstable when mountain permafrost melted, causing debris to fall and cover the glacier in recent years, said Martin Truffer, a physics professor at the University of Alaska who studies how glaciers move. While the debris insulated the glacier and slowed melting, its weight caused the ice to begin moving — which accelerated dramatically a few weeks ago. Authorities ordered the evacuation of about 300 people, as well as all livestock, from the village in recent days, 'when it became clear that there's a whole mountainside that's about to collapse,' said Truffer, who grew up in Switzerland. Glacial lakes pose threat Lakes that form at the base of glaciers as they melt and retreat also sometimes burst, often with catastrophic results. Water can even lift an entire glacier, allowing it to drain, said Truffer, adding that Alaska's capital of Juneau has flooded in recent years because a lake forms every year on a rapidly retreating glacier and eventually bursts. In 2022, an apartment building-sized chunk of the Marmolada glacier in Italy's Dolomite mountains detached during a summer heat wave, sending an avalanche of debris down the popular summer hiking destination, killing 11. A glacier in Tibet's Aru mountain range suddenly collapsed in 2016, killing nine people and their livestock, followed a few months later by the collapse of another glacier. There also have been collapses in Peru, including one in 2006 that caused a mini tsunami; most recently, a glacial lagoon overflowed in April, triggering a landslide that killed two. 'It's amazing sometimes how rapidly they can collapse,' said Lonnie Thompson, a glacier expert at the Ohio State University. 'The instability of these glaciers is a real and growing problem, and there are thousands and thousands of people that are at risk.' Scientists say melting glaciers will raise sea levels for decades, but the loss of inland glaciers also acutely affects those living nearby who rely on them for water for drinking water and agriculture. No way to stop the melting Scientists say greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels such as coal have already locked in enough global warming to doom many of the world's glaciers — which already have retreated significantly. For example, glaciers in the Alps have lost 50% of their area since 1950, and the rate at which ice is being lost has been accelerating, with 'projections ... that all the glaciers in the Alps could be gone in this century,' Thompson said. Switzerland, which has the most glaciers of any country in Europe, saw 4% of its total glacier volume disappear in 2023, the second-biggest decline in a single year after a 6% drop in 2022. A 2023 study found that Peru has lost more than half of its glacier surface in the last six decades, and 175 glaciers disappeared due to climate change between 2016 and 2020, mostly due to the increase in the average global temperature. A study published Thursday in Science said that even if global temperatures stabilized at their current level, 40% of the world's glaciers still would be lost. But if warming were limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit ) — the long-term warming limit since the late 1800s called for by the 2015 Paris climate agreement — twice as much glacier ice could be preserved than would be otherwise. Even so, many areas will become ice-free no matter what, Truffer, the University of Alaska expert. 'There's places in Alaska where we've shown that it doesn't take any more global warming,' for them to disappear, Truffer said. 'The reason some ... (still) exist is simply because it takes a certain amount of time for them to melt. But the climate is already such that they're screwed.' ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
How many tornadoes have been reported in Wisconsin so far in 2025? It feels like a lot.
Wisconsin is experiencing more tornadic activity than usual in recent years. After dozens of tornadoes touched down in recent weeks, including in communities like Juneau and Mayville, the National Weather Service says the state is just one short of the average amount of tornadoes Wisconsin sees in a year. Wisconsin has seen 22 tornadoes so far this year, including seven on April 28 and 15 on May 15, while the weather conditions remain ripe for a tornado through August. On average, Wisconsin has 23 tornadoes that occur throughout the full year. Last year, 45 tornadoes were recorded across the state while 21 occurred in 2023, according to the weather service. According to the data, 2005 saw the most tornadoes: 62, followed by 46 tornadoes in 2010. What once was mostly restricted to Plains states, Tornado Alley has expanded over the years to include states like Wisconsin. The state is experiencing, on average, more tornadoes in the last two years but meteorologists aren't settled on if that has to do with a warming climate. More: Why is Wisconsin seeing so many tornadoes? A tornado watch is issued when the environment is capable of producing tornadoes. If you are located in the area of a tornado watch, the NWS recommends having a plan in place in the event a tornado forms. Be ready to act quickly if a tornado warning is issued. A tornado warning is issued when a tornado is either sighted or indicated on radar, meaning there is imminent danger to life and property. During a tornado, the NWS recommends: Get as low as possible. A basement below ground level or the lowest floor of a building offers the greatest safety. Put as many walls between yourself and the outside as possible. Avoid windows. If you're driving, particularly on interstates or highways, do not try to outrun a tornado. If you are driving in an area with a tornado warning, you should look for ways to safely get off the road and out of your vehicle, preferably by seeking refuge in a sturdy building. As a last resort, lie flat in the nearest depression, ditch or culvert and cover your head with your arms. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin tornadoes in 2025 total 22 by mid May, one short of average
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The Dunleavy Decline: a legacy that's left Alaska's students behind
An empty classroom at Juneau-Douglas High School: Kalé in Juneau, Alaska (Photo by Lisa Phu/Alaska Beacon) Gov. Mike Dunleavy's veto of the latest education funding bill, House Bill 57, following his recent veto of House Bill 69, cements the decline of Alaska's public education system as the hallmark of his administration. Dunleavy has been notably absent from debates and legislative negotiations on education. Even Sen. James Kaufman criticized his failure to advocate for his own education policy priorities. All we're left with is his record to sort though — and it speaks volumes. For more than a decade, Dunleavy has worked to undermine the foundation of our schools. Brick by brick, budget by budget, he has led a systematic campaign to weaken public education in our state. Two key inflection points brought us here: 2014: The Legislature passed legislation by then-Sen. Dunleavy allowing correspondence school funds to be used for private school tuition. This opened the door to a steady redirection of public money toward private benefit, and the shunting of millions of dollars from our public schools. 2018-2025: As governor, Dunleavy froze the base student allocation and has kept it virtually flat through threats and vetoes, effectively starving education budgets year after year as costs rose. This has placed schools under incredible financial strain, compounded by the diversion of public dollars away from public schools. The results of these policy choices are staggering: From 2014 to 2024, over $580 million in public funds were diverted from neighborhood schools through correspondence allotments. The graph below shows Alaska's annual correspondence program spending over the past two decades, charting both our estimate of the average as well as maximum per-student allotments. A sharp increase in this spending began in 2018, the same year Gov. Dunleavy started flat-funding public education. While many families choose correspondence programs to homeschool their children — a valuable option for some — the lack of oversight has allowed public funds to serve as de facto vouchers for private and religious schools. Though this practice is now under legal challenge, the data shown here reflects the decade it was permitted. Further, it is unclear what results we are getting for this investment, because only about 12% of correspondence students take standardized tests. In the graph, the blue line estimates annual state spending on correspondence allotments assuming each enrolled student received the estimated average allotment. The orange line assumes the maximum allotment per student. Together, they illustrate the range of public dollars funneled into the correspondence program with little accountability for their use. Since the 2014 policy change expanding allowable uses of correspondence allotments, fourth and eighth grade reading and math scores in Alaska's public schools have dropped, with sharper declines after Dunleavy began flat-funding public education. While many factors influence academic outcomes, this pattern raises serious concerns about the long-term impact of diverting public resources away from neighborhood schools, coupled with the erosion of buying power due to years of flat-funding education. While Dunleavy proclaims himself an education advocate, his record is one of destruction. He has bled our schools dry, then blamed the consequences — teacher shortages, ballooning class sizes, gutted programs, declining scores — on the very system he eroded. Real accountability means more than empty rhetoric — it means fulfilling your constitutional obligation to 'establish and maintain a system of public schools open to all children of the state.' It means making good on your own policy promises — like funding the Alaska Reads Act — and giving educators the tools they need to do their jobs effectively. It means compensating teachers with the wages and benefits they need to support themselves and their families. Flat funding isn't accountability. It's abandonment. After weeks of contentious debate, the Legislature passed the first education funding bill, HB 69, with 32 of 60 legislators voting in favor. Gov. Dunleavy swiftly vetoed it. After a failed override attempt, legislators then advanced HB 57, a revised education funding bill that incorporated many of the governor's own stated priorities. It passed with 48 votes. Despite its bipartisan backing and clear compromises, the governor has vetoed yet another bill and threatened an additional line-item veto in the budget, relying on the same attacks he used to justify his previous education funding vetoes both this year and last. To override the governor's veto of HB 57, it would take 40 legislators to stand with Alaska's students, educators, and communities. Blocking a line-item veto in the budget will take 45. Alaska is in crisis: underfunded schools, frozen federal support, rising costs, layoffs, and an economy driving families and young professionals out. Without sensible leadership, the exodus will only accelerate. We cannot solve this with half-measures or hollow sound bites. HB 57 adds just $700 in per-student funding to the education budget, still far behind the inflation increases districts face. In our view, we can't afford not to make this investment. To the lawmakers weighing whether to stand with the governor or with Alaska's families — this is your moment of truth. You've seen the data. You've heard from your constituents. If you continue to support the Dunleavy Decline, it will be your legacy too. If you believe in funding public education, you would vote for it, fight for it, build the coalition, and be on the right side of history. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
