Wrangell Sentinel -

Southeast Conference held its annual Mid-Session Summit in Juneau last week, turning the region’s attention to the state of its economy as legislators reach the mid-point of their 2018 regular session.

For much of it, the outlook is pretty grim. Indicators since 2014 put the region’s population and jobs on a worrisome decline, along with earned income.

“We’re just taking a hit in almost every way you can imagine,” explained Meilani Schijvens, a consultant to SEC and a former executive director.

Faced with continued multibillion-dollar spending deficits as the price and production...