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Happy Presidents' Day from the umlaut-free MRAK zone
Governor is star of his own second inaugural ball
The inaugural ball was a the place to be seen in Anchorage on Saturday night, with all the tux-and-gowns being dusted off. Miss America 2022 Emma Broyles sang the national anthem before the nearly 1,000 Alaskans at the Dena’ina Convention Center.
Some of the legends of contemporary Alaska politics were in attendance … Read all the highlights and insights.
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Question of the Week, brought to you by Dittman Research:
Welcome to our new feature, Question of the Week. Thank you to Dittman Research for sponsoring this project. We’ll keep this question open for three days and let you know the results on Friday:
Murkowski introduces abortion-for-all legislation
Sen. Lisa Murkowski joined with Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Susan Collins (R-ME) in reintroducing abortion legislation to reinstate abortion as it was regulated under Roe v. Wade, which was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court last year because it was unconstitutional.
Alaska Attorney General Taylor joins lawsuit against Dept. of Justice, ATF over pistol brace rule
Pistol braces are commonly used by gun owners in Alaska, but the Biden Administration is now classifying them, when they have a brace attached, as short-barreled rifles.
They’ve given up looking for the object the USAF shot down?
If the military was serious about finding the object it shot down over the Arctic Ocean, which is frozen, it would have found it. It’s not that big of an area. It appears that the government either found the object and is not telling, or just doesn’t want to find it for some reason. The official line is that they have stopped looking. That’s really not good enough.
Peltola continues myth of Alaska’s oil as a ‘gap’ fuel
She also kept talking about bipartisanship in the Alaska Legislature, as if that is an actual and functional thing. Themes that raised an eyebrow.
Alaska AG Treg Taylor joins letter asking Biden to label Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations
In the letter sent Feb. 8, the attorneys general say that the federal government knows precisely how the drugs are entering the country. Cartels like the Sinaloa cartel and Cartel Jalisco New Generation import raw materials from China, use them to produce deadly synthetic opioids at low cost, and traffic those poisons across the southwestern border and into American communities.
Sen. Umlaut, to you
Loki Tobin, state senator for downtown Anchorage, Fairview, South Addition, Eastridge, Government Hill, JBER, Tikahtnu, and Northeast Muldoon, is seething that some people (MRAK) are not spelling her first name with the umlaut. Wääh.
On her Twitter account, Tobin spells her name all lower case, as löki gale (she/her) with no last name at all, and we applaud her for identifying her umlaut and pronouns.
German note: Our favorite made-up umlaut word in German is still fahrvergnügen.
Norwegian note: Loki is the Norse god who constantly creates mischief and trouble.
Sanskrit note: It’s complicated. Let’s just leave it at “narcissist.”
Alaska Attorney General Taylor joins lawsuit against Dept. of Justice, ATF over pistol brace rule affecting thousands of Alaskans
In the letter sent Feb. 8, the attorneys general say that the federal government knows precisely how the drugs are entering the country. Cartels like the Sinaloa cartel and Cartel Jalisco New Generation import raw materials from China, use them to produce deadly synthetic opioids at low cost, and traffic them across the southern border into American communities.
Former President Carter, who signed ANILCA in 1980, brings in hospice
In 1980, he signed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. ANILCA established more national parks, national wildlife refuges, and wilderness areas than any in history. ANILCA is still in litigation pretty regularly today.
Dunleavy’s supplemental budget tackles 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.
Sullivan named vice chair of Senate Western Caucus
“Senator Sullivan knows the west and issues unique to the states we represent, which is why I am honored to have him join me in leading the Senate Western Caucus,” said Sen. Lummis.
This day in history
February 20, 1899 – The White Pass & Yukon Route's first passenger train reached White Pass in Canada.
February 20, 1933 - US House of Representatives completed congressional action to repeal Prohibition.
Suzanne Downing in Daily Caller: Gigi Sohn is a bad cop for First Amendment
My Sunday column in The Daily Caller argues that Sohn should not be placed on the FCC. She is a radical who proves time and again she hates conservative media.
Feb. 20: District 1 Republican Lincoln Day Dinner
Sen. Dan Sullivan is keynoting and District 1 Republicans are hosting a Lincoln Day Dinner. Dessert and silent auction included. Purchase your tickets here.
February 25: Republican Women of Fairbanks Annual Lincoln Day Dinner
Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson is keynoting: “Saving Alaska, One Step At A Time” Tickets here.
Price of Alaska oil: $79.85
Price of Henry Hub gas: $2.28
Alaska North Slope Production: 491,315
Permanent Fund (principal and earnings reserve): $78,273,400,000
COLUMNS
David Ignell: A human tragedy caused by OCS
George was born into this world with cocaine and marijuana in his system. AK Mom, a registered nurse, brought him home from the hospital when he was seven days old. Over the next 13 years George would be diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome, attention deficit disorder, and disruptive behavior disorder. He is autistic, the kind of kid many Alaskans want to ignore, but his condition is a product of our failed drug and rehabilitation policies.
Jamie Allard: Washington, Lincoln were trailblazers; it’s time for us to blaze a new trail in education
Washington and Lincoln would agree we have a crisis in our public education system. They might weep to learn that our high school seniors graduate unable to read. A strong nation can be brought to its knees when an entire generation is crippled by a failed education system.
Suzanne Downing: Gigi Sohn is a bad cop for FCC commissioner
She is far too partisan and hates half of America. She’s even an embarrassment to Democrats. Senate should say no to Gigi.
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?
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. Some American military experts questioned whether the Soviets needed all of these aircraft.
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:
The Man, the Myth the Legend Pastor Dean Curry
Mayor DeVries is one of the most engaged politicians in Alaska.
Scott Kendall on what he thinks the Alaska House & Senate can get done this year.
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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Trump
Trump!!