Does Anchorage really have a housing crisis?
Question of the Week: Are you worried artificial intelligence will take your job?
Good morning from Somewhere in Alaska!
It was a beautiful day for an Alaska Child and Family celebration, with ice cream served by Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Mayor Dave Bronson, and friends. The organization had its 31st annual Alaska Flag Day celebration a few days early (the actual date of Alaska Flag Day is July 14.)
Thanks for being a reader and subscriber at Must Read Alaska.
By the numbers: Republicans gain voters, Democrats lose voters, and the Clown Party has left the circus
The UCES Clown Party has left the circus in Alaska. The political party has no current registered voters in the 49th this month, although it’s still on the Division of Elections’ list of 16 official political groups.
But what about the other parties — how are they doing?
Is there really a housing crisis in Anchorage? A look at the data
Anchorage’s population has dropped so much that leaders are being pressured to close schools, and yet there is suddenly a housing crisis? Makes no sense.
Twitter
Join us on free speech-loving Twitter. Check in with www.mustreadalaska.com later today for more Alaska news.
Northern Pacific Airways gears up for first commercial flight this week
Northern Pacific Airways, America’s newest carrier based in Anchorage, is gearing up for its inaugural commercial flight on Alaska Flag Day, July 14. The brand new airline will take passengers from Ontario, Calif. to Las Vegas. Get a ride.
Petersburg Catholic Church burns
Petersburg’s Catholic Church, St. Catherine of Sienna, burned on Thursday and appears pretty well destroyed. Volunteer firefighters fought the blaze for over 10 hours, as smoke poured down the street.
Former teachers union rep indicted on child sexual abuse, porn
Nathaniel Erfurth, 34, the Kenai Peninsula Education Association-NEA president who was arrested in May, is now indicted on 61 charges, including second- and fourth-degree sexual abuse of a minor and possession of child pornography. He is out of jail on a cash-bonded supervised community release. Erfurth had sexually abused at least one minor over whom he had authority — sometimes at the student’s home and sometimes at Erfurt’s home or in his classroom.
The indictment is 37 pages long with 74 counts against the teachers, and the judge only struck 13 of the charges. Six more charges are pending. All of the alleged crimes took place between 2017-2018.
Ninth Circuit: No evicting squatters on public lands unless given shelter
So much for removal of the 3rd and Ingra encampment. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has again denied municipalities the authority to remove vagrant encampments from sidewalks, streets, and public lands unless “adequate shelter” is provided for those being removed.
Bombs away: Murkowski gives cover to Biden’s cluster bombs
The Biden Administration announced on Friday it is sending cluster bombs to Ukraine to help in the fight against the Russian invasion. Cluster bombs are controversial because the kill civilians indiscriminately and Biden has, in the past, called Russia’s use of cluster bombs as a possible war crime.
IRS to auction off seized land in Willow, Wasilla, Sterling
The cruel reality: You have to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s … or he’ll auction off your piece of paradise.
Comings and goings
Rep. Katie Porter, Democrat of Southern California, spotted in Denali National Park.
Former Rep. Jason Grenn, spotted in Seattle. He is former executive director of Alaskans for Better Elections and move to Puget Sound several months ago from Sand Lake, where his home has been vacant for months, and is for sale, per Zillow listing.
Rep. Maxine Dilbert, Democrat from Fairbanks, was a speaker at the big NEA conference in Florida last week.
Filed for office
Darin Colbry has filed to run for mayor of Anchorage, joining the field that has Mayor Dave Bronson, Suzanne LaFrance, and Chris Tuck. That means four so far.
Free events
Dunleavy names two to State Board of Education & Early Development
Barbara Tyndall of North Pole has been active in political and social conservative causes for years.
Ketchikan votes to put sex manual for teens in adult section of library
The Ketchikan City Council reversed an earlier vote and, by a margin of 4-3, has placed “Let’s Talk About It” in the adult section of the Ketchikan Public Library. The book was in the teen section, like it is at Anchorage’s Loussac Library.
Question of the Week
This day in history
July 10, 1913, the highest officially registered temperature was 134F, recorded in California's Death Valley — and a record that stands.
Columns
Downing: The crisis that is destroying the cities of the West
It’s not just Anchorage. It’s Seattle to Los Angeles. All the West Coast major cities are dying.
Tshibaka: New poll shows main cause of 2022 low voter turnout in Alaska
The November 2022 election resulted in the lowest recorded voter turnout rate in our state’s history, while the rest of the country experienced the second-highest midterm voter turnout rate that the Census Bureau had recorded in 40 years.
Win Gruening: Juneau Assembly attempts ‘end run’ around voters
The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly set aside $50,000 to “advocate for and provide public information regarding the need for a new City Hall.” This, after voters said no just last year.
Joe Geldhof: Juneau Assembly out of touch with taxpayers
The current crop of Assembly members are millennial, and lack experience in the private sector. They’re all government-nonprofit types. This is not working.
Alex Gimarc: The Long Trail is like raw onion on a hamburger — keeps coming up
Considerable challenges are rights of way, eminent domain, and, of course, funding. It’s a project that started in 2006 and is being paid of piecemeal.
Alaska oil: $77.73
Henry Hub gas: $2.66
Alaska North Slope Production: 449,821
Permanent Fund (principal and earnings reserve): $78,584,500,000
Must Read Alaska LLC | 200 W. 34th Ave. #220, Anchorage, AK 99503
www.mustreadalaska.com