Ouch! Chugach Electric raising rates again
7% in three years -- Over 40% of Alaskans impacted
Good morning from Somewhere in Alaska!
Thanks for being a reader and subscriber at Must Read Alaska, the news project alt-lefties, Antifa, Dermot Cole, and mainstream reporters love to hate, but can’t stop reading.
Southeast looks great for fireworks tonight. No rain, partly cloudy. Can’t say the same for Anchorage, where rain is 100% right now. Fairbanks looks like the hot spot!
Check in with www.mustreadalaska.com later today for lots more stories.
If you can’t run Mount Marathon on the Fourth of July, watch online
Most fireworks shows are the 3rd, when it gets dark-ish. Everybody heading to Seward for parades, hot dogs, and watching the runners head up Mount Marathon on July 4 may need to bring raincoats. Details here. Live stream the race here.
40% of Alaskans may end up paying 6% more on their electric bills
Oops, they did it again: Chugach Electric asked for another increase, just 36 months after their last one. The Regulatory Commission of Alaska will decide if 7% in just 36 months of the new monopoly is reasonable. You won’t believe the Chugach reasoning for this rate hike. Hint: It’s because you’re using less power.
Planned Parenthood says ‘virginity is a social construct’
Gender is an idea made up by society, the group says. Now, virginity is too. The largest abortion provider in America intends to keep PP’s doors open for abortion. How? By bad-mouthing virgins.
Cowboy State Daily: Hail storm destroys entire solar farm in Nebraska
Recycling these panels is going to be a challenge: A violent hail storm in western Nebraska destroyed an entire solar farm, forcing the community of Scottsbluff to go back to 100% traditional power sources, local officials said.
Passing: Charlie Bussell, former legislator, businessman
An Alaska business legend has passed. Charlie Bussell, who served in the Alaska House of Representatives, died at his home in Kona, Hawaii, where he has lived for the past few years, traveling back to Alaska regularly to tend to his businesses. He served in the Alaska House from 1983-1984, representing Anchorage.
Sen. Sullivan reacts to court decision on student loan relief
What did Sen. Sullivan say about the Supreme Court’s decision on student loan relief?
Comings and goings
Spotted in Southeast Alaska, retired FBI Assistant Director and NBC News National Security Analyst Frank Figliuzzi. He was on a cruise ship and whale watching and such in Upper Lynn Canal.
Spotted in Alaska, NFL free agent quarterback Carson Wentz bow hunting black bear hunting, successfully, it appears in the Prince William Sound area. (He’s being considered for Tampa Buccaneers.)
Jeff Rogers, City and Borough of Juneau Finance Director, is leaving for Portland, Oregon. Hired in 2019 to replace Bob Bartholomew, he’s out the door at the same time longtime City Manager Rorie Watt is leaving.
Gretchen Stoddard has left the University of Alaska Center for Economic Development and will become director of Special Programs and Strategy at the Small Business Development Center, working with TREND, SSBCI Technical Assistance, Buy Alaska, to serve small businesses in Alaska.
Robbie Graham has finally retired from being associate vice president of public affairs and federal relations for the University of Alaska. She is replaced by Jonathon Taylor, who will be director of public affairs and is the former deputy press secretary to former Gov. Bill Walker.
Bill Popp keeps hinting that he is going to run for mayor of Anchorage, after he announced his retirement from Anchorage Economic Development Corp., a retirement that won’t actually take place until December. But he’ll announce in September what is is doing next and he said, “No matter where that path takes me, I will always Choose Anchorage! I hope you will too!” hinting that Choose Anchorage will be his campaign slogan.
Susan Bell, former commissioner of Commerce, Community and Economic Development under Gov. Sean Parnell, is now senior policy adviser for the University of Alaska. She worked as president of McKinley Research Group (formerly McDowell Group) until February.
John Espindola, former assistant to Gov. Mike Dunleavy, was appointed by Dunleavy to the Regulatory Commission of Alaska in June 2023. Espindola was responsible for organizing the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference in 2022 and 2023. He is a tribal member from the Pueblo of Laguna.
RCA Commissioner Dan Sullivan retired from the Regulatory Commission effective May 31. He was appointed to the Commission by Gov. Dunleavy in 2019. He was mayor of Anchorage from 2009-2015.
Juneau Chief of Police Ed Mercer has announced that he will retire on July 31, after over 30 years in law enforcement in Southeast Alaska.
Karen Carey's last day as Chancellor for the University of Alaska Southeast was Friday. Aparna Palmer is the new chancellor.
Dan Moore retired after 30 years as the Anchorage’s City Treasurer.
Filed for office
Rep. Tom McKay filed a letter of intent to run for his seat in South Anchorage.
A.G. Garland calls criticism of Justice Dept. an attack on democracy
He was speaking of criticism that came after reports that the Justice Department ignored the IRS recommendation to charge Hunter Biden with felony tax crimes. Then, he launched an attack on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Hot take: Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson says racism will get worse
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., asked the then-Supreme Court nominee: “Can you provide a definition for the word ‘woman’?” Jackson responded, “I’m not a biologist.”
But if she doesn’t understand what males and females are, Justice Jackson evidently knows what race is, as she scalded her colleagues on the U.S. Supreme Court over their decision to end college race-based admissions.
Peltola and AK Democrats have new fundraising scheme that will track your purchases, round up to them
Every time you buy something, Mary and the Democrats will get a cut. It’s a little here, and a little there — you won’t notice a thing.
Bidenomics: National debt explodes under current CBO scenario
Under the CBO’s scenario in the Long-Term Budget Outlook, federal debt held by the public will surge from 97% of Gross Domestic Product now to 181% by the year 2053 if current laws remain unchanged.
Question of the Week
15-year-old female sues Premera Blue Cross for not paying for transgender breast mutilation surgery
Premera Blue Cross serves Washington and Alaska. A 15-year-old wanted her breasts chopped off and the insurance company said it would not pay. Her parents had to shell it out of their own pocket and are now suing.
Appeals Court rules ‘Indian Country’ in Oklahoma means Tulsa can’t enforce laws on Native Americans
A recent ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit means that if a member of any American Indian tribe in Tulsa, Oklahoma wishes to drive 100 miles-per-hour inside a 20-mph school zone, they can do so without worrying about getting a ticket. This could have implications in Juneau, Craig, and even Eklutna.
French president parties with Elton John as country suffers riots
Socialist French President Emmanuel Macron was captured on video dad-dancing during an Elton John concert during the hit song “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting.” Outside, France was being burned and looted by riotous immigrants.
Bidenomics leads to Global Credit Union layoffs
Global Credit Union did not lay off 300 Alaskans. It has laid off 78 Alaskans, a result of higher interest rates slowing down borrowing, not because customers quit the credit union after it went “global.” Elections have consequences. Check at www.mustreadalaska.com later today for a report on bank layoffs.
This day in history
July 3, 1776, Declaration of Independence, adopted this day in 1776 by the Second Continental Congress, called for the American colonies to secede from Great Britain.
Columns
Joe Geldhof: Juneau Assembly out of touch with taxpayers
The current crop of Assembly members are millennial, not age-diverse, and lacks experience in the private sector. They’re all government and nonprofit types. This is not working well for Juneau.
Daniel Turner: Radical eco-left funds groups like Alaska Center to attack American energy independence
The eco-left is not content to limit their crusade to Washington DC. They are funding local groups in energy producing states to put in place endless hurdles to responsibly extracting energy. Take the Alaska Center, for example.
Downing: They’re coming for your children
It was not a slip of the tongue. Per Marx and Engels, and now Biden and the Democrats, families are actually the root of the problem for the Left. Families must be dismantled so the state can take charge of the children.
Alex Gimarc: The Long Trail is like raw onion on a hamburger — keeps coming up
The 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.
Rick Whitbeck: An inventory of the damage Biden has done to Alaska
Even before Joe Biden took up residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in January 2021, there was clear writing on the wall for the damage his administration would do to Alaska’s energy community.
Win Gruening: Juneau’s 4th celebrates what’s good about America
Legend has it this tradition dates to when the Treadwell Mine on Douglas Island was operating. The mine only shut down on Christmas and the Fourth of July to allow miners a chance to enjoy fireworks, so the show moved to a day earlier at midnight.
Alaska oil: $76.68
Henry Hub gas: $2.80
Alaska North Slope Production: 470,158
Permanent Fund (principal and earnings reserve): $77,441,800,000
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