More Russian jet patrols, and Peltola patrols the House
Iron Dog Pro Class starts today, as Expedition Class reaches McGrath
Scene from the iconic Triangle Bar on Front and South Franklin Streets in Juneau this week, as snow turns to slush in the Capital City.
This morning in the state Capitol, Rep. Mary Peltola will make history by delivering remarks to a combined session of the House and Senate. Tune in at 10 am at Gavel Alaska. A somber Josh Revak, former Republican state senator and now state director for Peltola, was in the building on Thursday, as Peltola met with lawmakers in caucus groups. Peltola’s campaign headquarters in Juneau is across the street from the Capitol in the Alaska Public Employees Association – AFT – AFL-CIO offices in the Assembly Building.
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Repeal revival
In Anchorage last night, about 400 people attended the kick off for the repeal of ranked choice voting. The group has one year to gather 26,000 signatures in order to get the question on the ballot, after which …. we know what the Alaska Supreme Court will do with it, because that’s what it does. Alaskans for Honest Elections has several more signing events planned. No Sarah Palin in the house last night.
Russians keeping US busy over the Bering Sea
NORAD scrambled fighter jets Monday, then again Tuesday to monitor Russian aircraft over the Bering Sea. Hardware from Russia included a TU-95 Bear bomber, SU-30, and SU-35 fighter jets, four altogether operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone. The SU-30 and SU-35 are super-maneuverable fighters built by Russia's Sukhoi Aviation Corporation. SU-35s are equivalent to the USA’s F-15.
As for the items shot down last week, President Biden spent eight minutes trying to string words together to explain what they were. It seems that, other than the spy balloon, we’ve been shooting down civilian or business-related aerial vehicles such as weather or science balloons. SMH.
Anchorage dad on Fox for going up against School Board of Kink
Jay McDonald was just trying to read a book called “Let’s Talk About It,” that is in school libraries. He got shut down by the board when he came to the kink, sexting, and porn instruction part.
Anchorage Assembly plans to remove Seward’s Day as paid time off, add Juneteenth and Indigenous Day
Municipal employees are about to get another day off. The plan is to jump on the Juneteenth train and elevate Indigenous Peoples’ Day and diss a civil rights icon, William Seward.
Records show Anchorage Assembly members collude on votes, destroy evidence of secret deliberations
A public records request by Anchorage citizen activist Russell Biggs shows that some Anchorage Assembly members have been destroying the text messages that they use to deliberate public policy and coordinate votes, a violation of the Open Meetings Act.
Anchorage Assembly adding 160 hours of parental leave for employees via new ordinance
Under the proposed ordinance, workers get up to 160 hours of paid leave after a child is born, adopted, or brought into the employee’s family through foster care. The fiscal impact is unknown for taxpayers. They say it won’t cost anything.
APOC filings: Bronson raising for '24 campaign, while Chris Constant appears to have forgotten what year it is
Bronson’s race is a year out but he’s raising funds aggressively. Meanwhile Brian Flynn is in a strong position for Assembly, and Felix Rivera has hardly raised any money at all. As for Chris Constant, ooops.
New Division of Elections director: Carol Beecher
Beecher grew up in a logging camp on Zarembo Island in Southeast Alaska. That’s near Wrangell and is a great place for deer hunting, although the logging has been shut down by the feds and the roads are getting overgrown. The Anchorage Daily News is pressuring her to de-register as a Republican. More about Beecher here.
Alaska sues feds over bearded and ringed seal critical habitat designation area that is larger than state of Texas
There is no accurate population count, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service, but it is estimated that there are probably over 500,000 bearded seals worldwide. The science, the politics, the polar bears.
Unofficial results: Micciche appears to have won mayor’s race in Kenai Borough
He’s barely over 50% but if it holds, he won’t have to face a runoff. Check out the results, as we know them so far.
Chinese flooding the southern border under Biden
Nationwide, 18,395 Chinese nationals were apprehended in fiscal 2020; 23,471 in fiscal 2021; 27,756 in fiscal 2022; and 10,587 in this fiscal year to date.
Photo by Patty Sullivan, Dept. of Law, left to right: Judicial Services Officer; Defendant Denali Brehmer; Defense Attorney Emily Cooper; Assistant District Attorney Patrick McKay, Jr., Assistant District Attorney Whitney Bostick in court when Brehmer entered her guilty plea.
Denali Brehmer pleads guilty to killing ‘friend’ at Thunderbird Falls
The murder of Ce-Ce Hoffman involved a group of teens who were “catfished” by an Indiana man to commit the crime for money. Led by Brehmer, the friends of Hoffman lured her to a remote place near Thunderbird Falls, tied her up, and executed her. They rolled her body into the Eklutna River.
Yurel Nichols gets 35 years for killing Paula Zorawski in 2016
What was the quarterback for the East Anchorage High School varsity team doing with a gun, leading a home invasion to rob a woman’s pot stash? How did the 18 year old get the money to flee to San Antonio, Texas?
Dunleavy’s supplemental budget tackles needs in law and order, ferries
There’s also money to get the SNAP program back on track and fight the feds on who controls waters of Alaska.
Florida Surgeon General: 1,700% increase in vaccine adverse event reporting after Covid-19 vax rollout
In Florida, one of the first states to roll out the vaccine program, the spike in adverse events is up 1,700%. Who knew those old-timers could figure out the VAERS system?
This day in history
1801: Following a tie in the electoral college, the U.S. House of Representative selected Thomas Jefferson president.
Tomorrow! Inaugural Ball : Get your tickets now
For the event of the season in Anchorage. They are almost gone …
Price of Alaska oil: $81.63
Price of Henry Hub gas: $2.39
Alaska North Slope Production: 497,268
Permanent Fund (principal and earnings reserve): $78,467,400,000
COLUMNS
Win Gruening: Landfill escalating rates are wake up call for Juneau
On Feb. 1, household garbage rates increased 10% from $180/ton to $198/ton and the minimum charge zoomed from $49.50 to $141.19 – a near tripling of the rate most residential users will pay.
Art Chance: The history of the value of a college degree
Art applauds the notion of doing away with the “a degree” qualification. Of course, I’ve been advocating it in my writing for the better part of 20 years. Now we can talk about how the Dunleavy administration can screw up even a good idea?
Suzanne Downing: Biden’s tax offense would leave American retirees injured on the field
Make no mistake: When Biden goes after corporate taxes saying it’s the greedy shareholders who should be taxed, he’s talking about your retirement account.
Alexander Dolitsky: In the uneasy alliance, America sends food to Soviet Union
In four years of World War II, the United States supplied 14,798 combat aircraft to the Soviet Union. More than half (7,925) of the planes were flown over the Northwest Route across Canada and Alaska and accepted at Ladd Army Airfield in Fairbanks by Russian inspectors.
Patrick LeMay: Newtok, the time to relocate is now
Newtok Village has experienced two newsworthy events within the last four months. In September 2022, flooding and erosion severely impacted the community because of remnants from Typhoon Merbok. A couple of weeks ago, a fire destroyed the school’s power plant. It’s time to move.
Paulette Simpson: The ticking demographic time bomb
Currently, Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau are experiencing declines in student enrollment. These are not new demographic developments. There’s been plenty of time for local leaders to craft rational policies and plans to address this depressing, potentially devastating trend. But they haven’t.
MUST READ ALASKA PODCAST
Our last 15 podcasts, available at any of your podcast providers:
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Simon Ateba is Chief White House Correspondent for Today News Africa
Congresswoman Peltola has a 56% approval rating and RCV approvals are tanking!
Anchorage Assembly candidate Spencer Moore loves Anchorage and wants to help
Iron Dog’s Executive Director Mike Vasser
Mark Lindquist: Author, lawyer, and former People Magazine’s Most Eligible Bachelor
Author Hans Johnson talks about building wealth while being a kind person
Mayor Bronson of Anchorage is on a mission to FIX a $1,500,000,000+ problem
Snug Harbor Outpost will change your life!
Is bycatch ruining Alaska?
Kelly Tshibaka launches Preserve Democracy
Open and honest, Speaker of the House Rep. Cathy Tilton
Shawn Williams is helping bring Alaska into the 21st century
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