UFOs, U.S. Senate, quake video
Plus, Rep. Mary Peltola gets defensive about her anti-troop vote
Good morning from Somewhere in Alaska!
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So much rain, and yet the Bear Paw Festival must go on.
Senate effort grows to declassify agency info on alien life forms
A group of senators introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, aiming to force government disclosure of unidentified anomalous phenomena records, which includes alien life forms and unidentified flying objects.
Even 10 years ago this would have been breaking front-page news — the acknowledgement of aliens by the U.S. government. But this acknowledgement has been slow-rolled out for many months, and the public is now desensitized.
Peltola votes no on national defense spending bill vote
The representative for fish got very defensive about her vote against the National Defense Authorization Act.
Peltola, cardboard edition
Where are her legs? Rep. Mary Peltola used a cutout of herself at her promotional table in Fairbanks for Golden Days.
(We’re not sure this is the look she intended — cardboard cutout and all).
Lawsuit filed over North Dakota accepting mailed-in ballots 13 days after Election Day
The law is very specific: There is just one Election Day. Some states — Alaska included — allow the elections to drag on for two weeks. How this lawsuit will play out in court (and it will go to the Supreme Court) is will be worth watching.
Join us on free speech Twitter. Check in with www.mustreadalaska.com later today for more Alaska news. If you are on Facebook, the only way our content will be seen is if you look hard for it and share it. We have been redlined in Zuckerville.
Man accused of convincing others to murder pleaded guilty to child porn
Darin Schilmiller confessed to one federal charge, while others were dropped. But he must still face state charges in the killing of Cynthia Hoffman at Thunderbird Falls.
Comings and goings
Sarah getting active again: A new political action committee named Sarah PAC registered with the FEC last week. The company associated with it is Red Curve Solutions of Beverly, Mass, which did compliance for Sarah for Alaska, her congressional run. Sarah Palin closed down her own campaign account earlier.
Rep. Mary Peltola is one of several Democrats chosen for rescue by the Democratic Future Leadership Fund, along with nine of her Dem. colleagues.
Food Strategy Task Force: The Alaska Food Strategy Task Force Executive Board meets at 11 am on July 19 at the Anchorage Legislative Information Office on Northern Lights Blvd. and Minnesota Blvd. in Anchorage. The meeting will be teleconferenced. Details.
The Catholic Diocese of Fairbanks now has a new bishop-elect, following a selection by Pope Francis. He is Steven Maekawa, OP, who is incoming bishop for Sacred Heart Cathedral. He has been serving as Cathedral Vicar at the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Anchorage–Juneau. The Fairbanks Diocese covers 409,849 square miles, about two-thirds of the entire state. It is geographically the largest in the U.S.A.
Anchorage police chief says APD and Assembly relationship is strained
The Anchorage police wonder why they are never brought in to consult on public safety ordinances until the Assembly has already made up its mind. Chief Kerle said it out loud: The relationship is adversarial. He wishes that were not the case. Assemblywoman Meg Zaletel responded with a terse vocal fry.
Climate change theory of the week goes to V.P. Kamala Harris:
“We must reduce population to combat climate change”
The White House says she meant to say “pollution.” Harris’ actual meaning may have slipped out.
Michael Pawlowski joins D.C. lobbying firm Capitol Counsel
The former chief of staff to Sen Lisa Murkowski will still stay partners with former Sen. Jerry Mackie, a lobbyist in Juneau, while being named a partner at a major Washington, D.C. lobbying group.
Filed for office
Alicia Hughes-Skandijs filed for reelection to the Juneau Assembly.
Ken McCarty announced that the office he is running for is state Senate, for the seat now held by State Sen. Kelly Merrick. Both are registered Republicans, but Merrick is Big Labor’s surrogate.
Meredith Maple has filed to run for Fairbanks North Star Borough School Board. She is the executive director at Fairbanks Childrens’ Museum.
Alaska Native Medical Center’s Medicaid status removed by feds
A leaked letter shows that ANMC, under the leadership of former DHSS Commissioner Valerie Nurr'araluk Davidson, is in trouble with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.
This is a big event in the world of hospitals and Medicaid reimbursements, and none of this has been reported in Native news outlets. Alaska Natives cannot read about this at Indian Country Today, Native News Online, or KNBA, news outlets that cater to them. Nor the ADN, for that matter.
Feds to Native Medical Center: Correct governance faults by October
More leaked documents. It was only a matter of time when the collaborative management system didn’t fly with the feds. Valerie Nurr'araluk Davidson, CEO, is going to be busy correcting complicated governance faults.
Liberals and media bash ‘Sound of Freedom’ movie
Remember how the mainstream media defended "Cuties,” a prurient movie sexualizing children and celebrating child grooming? Here’s what the New York Times said about “Cuties”: Critics just don’t understand black culture.
The reporters and liberals also said nothing negative about the Hollywood thriller, “Taken,” which depicts a global child-trafficking ring being taken down by former government agent Bryan Mills, played by Liam Neeson.
Because “Sound of Freedom” is outside Hollywood, and because it’s a documentary-drama, crowdfunded, and supported by many conservative Christians and Donald Trump, they label it QAnon.
Video: Earthquake, 7.2, at Sand Point puts area on alert for tsunami
There was a small tsunami, as seen in the video embedded in the story.
From the Alaska Earthquake Center: “As of this evening we have located about 2 dozen aftershocks of yesterday's M7.2 earthquake south of Sand Point. The largest was a M5.7 which occurred ~3 minutes after the main shock. The smallest aftershocks are about M2.5 due to their distance from seismic stations.”
Federal government now borrows $5.1 billion per day
It’s about what Alaska spends of its own money every year for our state budget. That’s how much the feds are borrowing each and every day.
Second quarter: GOP candidates collectively out-raise Biden, and DeSantis crushes it
The Republican candidates for president, when combined, raised more than the campaign of President Joe Biden in the second quarter of 2023. Leading the fundraising pack for Republicans is former President Donald Trump.
Question of the Week:
This day in history
July 17, 1821, Spain ceded Florida to the United States.
July 17,1862, during the Civil War, Congress approved the Second Confiscation Act, which declared that all slaves taking refuge behind Union lines were to be set free.
July 17, 1897, the steamer Portland arrived in Seattle with what the headlines said was “a ton of gold.” The Klondike gold rush was on. Donald Trump’s paternal grandfather, who was in real estate in Seattle at the time, got gold fever and went north to the Yukon, opening a restaurant and a brothel for miners in Whitehorse.
Columns
Downing: Strategic oil reserves depleted, as Biden promises ring hollow
Biden’s energy policy is about as empty as our Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
Rob Yundt: Let’s fix the Mat-Su water setback issue to make it fair to all
The very old setbacks are penalizing hundreds of property owners who cannot sell their houses to anyone but cash buyers. It’s unfair.
David Boyle: Sen. Tobin likens protection of girls to burning a cross on someone’s lawn
Somehow the protection of girls sports is now racist, according to the state senator from downtown Anchorage.
Downing: The crisis that is crippling the cities of the West
It’s not just Anchorage. It’s Seattle to Los Angeles. West Coast major cities are dying.
Alaska oil: $82.02
Henry Hub gas: $2.54
Alaska North Slope Production: 445,273
Permanent Fund (principal and earnings reserve): $79,550,600,000
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Good stuff. Always the one that brings truth to Alaskans.