Must Read Alaska - Nature runs wild

The things Gov. Wally Hickel would say...

January 23, 1969 – The U.S. Senate confirmed Walter J. Hickel as the Secretary of the Interior by a vote of 73 to 16.

Hickel was one of the few appointees of President Richard Nixon who did not receive unanimous confirmation due to his various positions on the environment, i.e., “You can't just let nature run wild!”

Speaking of running wild: A red fox killed in Nome last week has tested positive for rabies. A child was attacked by the rabid animal outside the elementary school. A passerby hit the fox with a vehicle during the attack, then killed it with a knife.

Will Ronna McDaniel survive GOP leadership vote?

The Republican National Committee meets this week in Dana Point. I’m a little jealous that I won’t be there to watch the surfers, whales, and election of a new chair. Here’s the controversy.

Ugh: Mayor Bronson’s deputy chief of staff resigns

There is a lot of nonsense being repeated out there about the situation at City Hall. Much of what is being said is not true, but is damaging to good people.

… But wait! Mayor says these allegations are serious

This is going to be litigated and it’s not certain the allegations against his deputy chief of staff are even true, but Bronson has sort of thrown him under the bus. The tire tracks are deep.

…But wait! The Ombudsman is a partisan? Yes

Ombudsman Darrel Hess, who has referred his accusation to city lawyers for prosecution, works for the highly partisan Assembly. Hess is the speaker at the Bartlett Club (Democrat lunch club) this week, where he will explain his side of the story and litigate this in the court of public opinion. Masks required for the meeting.

Bill O’Reilly on the Porcaro show at 3 pm Monday

The Mike Porcaro Show, 650 KENI, will have the American conservative commentator, journalist, author, and television icon as a guest.

Happy birthday, John Hancock

John Hancock, first signer of the Declaration of Independence, was born Jan. 23, 1737, and he lives on as a synonym for a killer autograph.

Alaska Democrats to meet in Juneau as State Central Committee

The Democrats’ meeting is Feb. 5, with honchos flying in from around the state, and maybe Rep. Mary Peltola from D.C.

Strangely, the Alaska Democratic Party has been dead silent on social media for months. They had a great victory lap over the win of Peltola for Congress in November, but then disappeared off the radar — no snarky newsletters, no calling people Nazis or fascists for weeks. What gives?

The Dems also only have two people left on their staff list, unlike years past when there were a half dozen or more.

Gone is Matthew Beck, (Mr. Blue Alaskan); or Jeanne Devon, (Ms. Tall Tales from Juneau); or even David Dunsmore, (back in the Legislature as an aide to Sen. Bill Wielechowski.)

There’s only Exec. Dir. Lindsay Kavanaugh and her data director Erin Barker.

Head of Alaska Democrats pleads down DUI to lesser charge

Yes, that Lindsey Kavanaugh. It could have been so much worse for Lindsay but she got herself a great trial lawyer (white privilege) to get her out of two of the serious charges from last summer involving DUI and destruction of property. Lucky Lindsay.

Is it a meltdown over at 2602 Fairbanks St?

It has all the looks of a collapse of the party preceding their House caucus falling apart in January. Maybe just a stretch of political chaos. Happens to the best of them.

The Dems are on the hunt for a new communication director, which means Blue Alaskan Matt Beck has left the building.

“We are looking for a candidate who can commit to staying with the ADP through November of 2024,” says the Dem. party. There is a job for someone at this link.

Rep. Jamie Allard constituent coffee

Eagle River and Chugiak residents who want to say hello to Rep. Allard can find her Jan 24, 4-6 pm, at the Chugiak Cafe, 18575 Old Glenn Hwy. Contact Jay at 907-602-1823 if you have questions.

Services for Lisa Levang on Jan. 24

Community activist Lisa Levang, who died after developing a heart ailment emergency during the Anchorage Assembly meeting on Jan. 10, will be remembered on Jan. 24, with visitation at noon at Muldoon Community Assembly, 7041 Debarr Road, Anchorage, and her funeral at 1 pm.

Inaugural ball in Juneau was a success

265 people in Juneau attended the inaugural ball this weekend, including over 30 legislators, several commissioners, and lots of people from Anchorage in attendance. Taylor Vidic’s band was fantastic. When she started singing the “Alaska Flag Song,” the governor and Rose Dunleavy stood up, and then everyone else stood up, and Taylor absolutely crushed it.

Afterward, Gov. Dunleavy went up and grabbed the band’s tip jar and walked it all over the room for the band, which was made up of an impromptu group from all over Southeast that had not ever played together. There are few voices in Alaska as brilliant as Taylor Vidic’s.

The people watching was fun, with folks dressed in everything from ballgowns to jeans. The governor got a lot of laughs with his remarks about his first four years.

Russian ship off Hawaii raises eyebrows

The Ruskies are doing surveillance, or as we say in the old country, they’re spying on us. It’s certainly a better assignment than being sent to Ukraine to fight. Watch them watching us on video.

Dr. Ryan Cole, pioneering early Covid treatment physician, will probably lose Washington license

Dr. Cole was in Alaska with the Alaska Covid Alliance in the fall of 2021, when he came north with other doctors who go against conventional medical wisdom on the coronavirus. He’s paying a big price for having different ideas about Covid.

Smoking gun: Records show teachers and libraries fight for gay literature

You won’t believe some of these school emails, as educators try hard to get porn in front of kids. Smoking gun, indeed.

Read for yourself what “This Book is Gay” is teaching the kids.

Teens getting more asthma in states where pot has been legalized

About those gas stoves … Studies show a small but statistically significant link between pot legalization and sick teens. Biden wants to ban gas and legalize pot. It’s 4-20 somewhere.

Rep. George Santos and Rep. Mary Peltola have this in common

They fudged their education credentials. Can we get a look at Mary’s transcripts, please? A bad look for politicians.

Through her teeth: Peltola said Inflation Reduction Act is all about cost of living

Peltola wants you to believe it’s about the price of eggs and toilet paper. Al Gore told the truth at Davos. It was always a climate change bill.

Dunleavy appoints Jude Pate to Alaska Supreme Court

He has been a Sitka Superior Court judge. Pate is going to the show.

Names to know: Murkowski staffs up with five new hires

New kids on the block. Most are Alaskans.

COLUMNS

Win Gruening: Juneau Assembly review of dock proposal raises questions of conflict

The Assembly’s anxiety about major city waterfront development is understandable but that should not interfere with evaluating and approving private projects like this.  Unfortunately, the default position at the city is, “how can we throttle this project back?”

Patrick LeMay: My business was libeled by Ship Creek Group blog

Business owner in Anchorage sets the record straight after being accused of wrongdoing by a leftist political consultancy’s blog. The dustup at City Hall involves the Tshibaka family.

Fritz Pettyjohn: What divides us — beer and wine

A thousand generations ago, in the pivotal event of societal evolution, beer was invented. With beer, men were domesticated.

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