Alaska Flag Day, railroad strike authorized, and Juneau regulates short-term rentals

Benny Benson designed an original for the ages

Jul 12, 2023

In 1926, Territorial Gov. George Parks thought that a flag might help Alaska’s chance at being named a state. He asked the Alaska American Legion to hold a contest for all Alaska children grades 7 – 12 to design Alaska’s flag. By January of 1927, the contest rules were circulated to schools throughout the territory. One of the students participating in the contest was 13-year-old Benny Benson, a boy from Chignik living in an orphanage in Unalaska. Read all about his story at this Alaska Historical Society link.

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White Pass union members authorize strike

The mediation process must continue for a little while, maybe through the end of this month, then a 30-day cooling-off period. We have learned that the union called for a strike vote without telling the members the terms that the union had rejected. Tsk.

Nenana celebrating the 100th year of the driving of the golden spike

Saturday sounds like a great day to ride your chopper to Nenana … If you are in the neighborhood…

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Juneau Assembly moves government regs in on short-term rentals

Short-term rental unit owners in Juneau are now having to share landlord duties with the tax man.

The Juneau Assembly, after authorizing $50,000 to campaign on the taxpayers’ dime for a new city hall, on Monday authorized putting that question on October’s ballot. Staff of the city and borough are doing a full-court press to try to convince voters to build a multi-million city hall and in the meantime, the staff continues to allow the building to deteriorate, not even bothering to do cosmetic painting on the outside of what is becoming an intentional campaign eyesore. Maybe some group will volunteer to paint the current building this summer.

Meanwhile, Wade Bryson, who sits on the Assembly and has a daily talk radio show, is cutting off callers who question the decision to build a new city hall and pushing it hard on KINY.

Ketchikan City Council increases cruise ship head tax, adds pot stores

More money for government through higher taxes on tourists and more places for those tourists and locals to buy pot.

Is this punishment for the new private dock and tourism development at Ward Cove? Or just a way to scrape more revenue?

Comings and goings

Communications Director Corey Allen Young and Deputy Director Hans Rodvik will be leaving Mayor Dave Bronson by September, Rodvik announced in a social media message. They make up the mayor’s communications team, and both are rumored to be going to work for the school district.

Climate change theory of the week

State Sen. Löki Tobin, she/her D, told the Washington Post that Karluk, population 37, is disappearing because of climate change. Karluk put out an advertisement to get a couple of more families and about eight more students so it can reopen its school and get state funding. The June 28 Must Read Alaska story is here, ICYMI.

Biden gets media pass on transgression

Who can forget the treatment from the media that President Donald Trump received when he walked in front of Queen Elizabeth while reviewing the Queen’s Guard. U.S. “President Donald Trump on Friday broke royal etiquette as he walked in front of Queen Elizabeth II as the two inspected the Queen's Guard…”

When President Biden wobbled down the walkways, not a word from the gangster media about him walking in front of the king.

Filed for office

Dorene Lorenz has filed for Juneau Assembly.
Nathaniel (Nano) Brooks has filed for Juneau Assembly.
House Speaker Cathy Tilton has filed for reelection.

For Matanuska-Susitna Borough, the following filed for the Nov. 7 election, so far:

Dmitri Fonov - for Assembly
William Gamble - for Assembly
Richard Ole Larson - for School Board
Kathy McCollum - for School Board
Nichole Smith - for School Board
Clayton "Mokie" Tew - for Assembly
Robert D Yundt II - for Assembly

Top down control: Arabella Advisors runs New Venture Fund, which controls liberal groups in Alaska

If you’re hearing ads on the radio from the 907 Initiative, it’s all paid for by outside dark money. The group is running quite the scheme, and may be part of a bigger network.

Wall Street Journal: Wages growing faster in Republican states

Earnings nationwide rose 5.4% on average between the first quarters of 2022 and 2023, but much less in New York (2.6%), Indiana (2.6%), California (2.9%), Connecticut (3.4%), Rhode Island (3.6%), Maryland (4%), New Jersey (4.3%), Oregon (4.5%) and Illinois (4.6%). Apart from Indiana, these states are run by Democrats—and most have been for years. They boast high taxes and a high cost of living, which along with Covid lockdowns spurred increased out-migration during the pandemic.

Meanwhile, earnings in the same period surged in North Dakota (9.7%), New Mexico (9.6%), Nevada (9.1%), Florida (9.1%), Nebraska (8.6%), Hawaii (8%), South Carolina (8%), Alaska (7.9%) and Texas (7.7%). - WSJ

Pentagon accounting error: How they came up with the $6.2 billion figure

Somehow, through the miracle of depreciation, the Biden Administration decided that Ukraine gets another $6.2 billion.

House Oversight Committee sets hearing on Biden’s gas stove regs

A hearing next week will dig into the Department of Energy’s proposed gas stove regulations, a controversial regulatory effort that has sparked backlash and bipartisan opposition.

Question of the Week

This day in history

July 12, 1776, Captain James Cook sailed from England on a voyage of exploration that brought all over the globe, including to Alaska.

Alaska oil: $79.82
Henry Hub gas: $2.67
Alaska North Slope Production: 438,591
Permanent Fund (principal and earnings reserve): $78,340,200,000

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