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Good afternoon. It’s Wednesday, Dec. 24.

In today's newsletter:

Eunice Whitman was killed in Bethel in 2015, and no one has yet stood trial for her murder. Now, three years after the dismissal of a case against her boyfriend that was built on flawed evidence, authorities are starting from square one.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has appointed two Mat-Su Republicans to fill vacant seats in the state House.
The Trump administration has affirmed a controversial federal Cook Inlet oil and gas lease sale held at the end of 2022.

The Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count, which blends birding and data science, draws tens of thousands of birders annually. Some say the count helps build community and is an inclusive activity that many can participate in, including those who are blind or have mobility issues. This year, more participants than ever are expected to contribute to the 126-year-old, citizen-powered data project.

Anchorage weather
It's mostly cloudy today with a high of 8 degrees and a low of 1. We can expect sunny skies Thursday, with a chance of snow returning to the forecast Friday as daytime highs remain in the single digits.

Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today.

— Vicky Ho, vho@adn.com

Someone is getting away with Eunice Whitman’s killing. Alaska’s slow justice system let it happen. →

If the legal system had moved on the case more swiftly or thoroughly, it could have kept Eunice Whitman's boyfriend from spending years in jail awaiting trial on a murder indictment that prosecutors ultimately admitted they could no longer support. It could have saved her family from going years without anyone being tried for murder in her death. It could have led investigators to pursue more leads while the case was fresh.

This is a story of a state justice system that failed every person it touched — especially Eunice Whitman. (Reported in partnership with ProPublica)

• Previous story: Bad evidence got him indicted on murder charges. He waited 7 years to walk free.

Gov. Dunleavy appoints two Mat-Su Republicans to fill vacant Alaska House seats →

Garret Nelson and Stephan St. Clair are subject to confirmation votes by Alaska House Republicans.

Arrest made in final unsolved Fairbanks homicide following monthlong burst of violence →

A 33-year-old man was arrested this week on murder charges tied to the fatal November shooting of a victim found at a Fairbanks gas station, troopers said.

Disputed Cook Inlet oil lease sale upheld in new Trump administration decision →

After completing a court-ordered environmental study, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said no changes are needed for the 2022 sale that drew just one bid. (via Alaska Beacon)

Former Soldotna teachers union president sentenced to 20 years in sex-abuse case involving student →

Nathaniel Erfurth, 37, was convicted in August of 24 counts of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor and four counts of first-degree unlawful exploitation of a minor. He plans to file an appeal.

Sea-Tac airport’s answer to crowding? Construction →

The Port of Seattle plans to spend billions upgrading and expanding the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. But the Port finds itself short on both space and, with six World Cup matches just months away, time. (via Seattle Times)