Good morning from Somewhere in Alaska!
Spring comes to the the iconic Kenai River.
Thank you for being a reader and subscriber at Must Read Alaska. I appreciate everyone who has chipped in to this conservative news project, now in its 8th year because of you.
Do you get the sense the culture wars are going to be brutal in June, as the increasingly and unceasingly LGBTQ+ warriors force their agenda down our throats, so to speak? It’s a good month to adopt a “buy nothing” strategy, if you can.
Dunleavy debacle
In all the years I’ve covered politics, I’ve never seen anything both as absurd and awful as the documentation of this guy handpicked to advise a governor on family — an advisor who was clearly not suited to the role. “Divorce is worse than rape,” he said on his podcast. Oh, and that is just the start.
Longtime readers will know this is a first: Must Read Alaska does not refer folks to biased, agenda-driven mainstream media. But this story, if it is true (and it appears to check out), is just awful for the governor.
“I spent 50 minutes on the phone with Cubas this morning where he stood by nearly everything he'd said on his podcast. A very strange few days digging through his podcast to find some shocking, shocking stuff,” wrote Nat Herz, one of the authors.
If I’m wrong about this, readers will let me know. But until I hear otherwise, my view is: Who vets these folks — 4chan?
Meanwhile, in Washington state
The head of the State of Washington's Equity Office, Karen Johnson (yes, its “Karen”) was fired due to what her employees said was a disrespectful workplace culture.” The woke really do eat their own, eventually.
Empire’s new editor: Mark Sabbatini
He has been a reporter and editor on and off for years in Juneau, and is now in charge of keeping the newspaper on-life-support in an era when it’s down to two print editions a week.
Former Commissioner of DNR Mike Menge passes
Mike Menge passed away on Monday. He was the commissioner of DNR for Gov. Frank Murkowski, and also worked for Sen. Frank Murkowski and Gov. Walter Hickel. Menge had been battling cancer and died in Arkansas. His obituary.
From the Alaska Journal of Commerce in 2005: Speaking at the Nov. 21 Anchorage Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Menge said he came to Alaska by ferry the cold December of 1990. When the ferry arrived in Haines, Menge joined a row of cars to head up the highway, convoy-style, behind a snowplow, the safest way to make the journey through the blowing, drifting snow, he said.
By the time he reached Haines Junction, the temperatures had plummeted to about 40 below zero, and the temperature inside Menge’s little Chevy Luv pickup truck hovering at around zero. As the miles progressed, the truck’s steering wheel became harder to turn.
When they reached Tok, the truck’s differential gave out, leaving Menge stranded. It would be days before a tow truck would arrive from Fairbanks, and Menge said he didn’t want to wait. The temperatures had warmed to about 38 below zero. Menge sorted through his personal belongings and stuffed everything he thought he needed into a duffel bag.
He then walked to the edge of the road and stuck out his thumb.
"I hitched to Anchorage," he said. "I decided then that if I’d gone through that, I was staying.” - Melissa Campbell, Alaska Journal of Commerce, where you can read the rest
Howard Bess passes
Palmer Pastor Howard Bess, 95, passed away on April 1. He was born in 1928 and was a longtime resident of Palmer, Bess wrote a book in 1995 titled, "Pastor I Am Gay," describing his experiences ministering to gays and lesbians. The book was among a list that Sarah Palin tried to have removed from the Wasilla Public Library during the time she was mayor, prompting a major public fight.
Bess founded the Church of the Covenant, where he remained pastor until his retirement in 2008. His obituary is here.
Read: “The Pastor who Clashed with Palin” in Salon magazine here.
Tami Miller, Republican activist, passes
Tami Miller, longtime member and well-known volunteer of the MatSu Republican Women’s Club, passed on May 9. She was born in 1938. A celebration of her life will be held on June 22 at the Kendall Gazebo, 3160 E. Cottle Loop, across from the bowling alley, 2:30-5:30 pm.
Polaris building demolition starts in Fairbanks
It’s a historic building, built in 1952, but has been abandoned for decades and is now a Soviet-looking eyesore.
Orca-strated: Eco lawsuit has win in Washington, but Alaska appeals ruling harming Southeast troll fishery
The environmentalists want to blame Alaska fishers for the lack of orcas in their marine neighborhoods, ignoring their own fishing and destruction of habitat with massive dams on their rivers.
China refuses to meet with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin
Between America’s weak standing in the world, and Austin’s woke standing, it comes as no surprise.
School board to decide on building new Inlet View Elementary School
Evidently to the Anchorage School Board, no doesn’t mean no. They’re about to try to get another $26 million through to build a school when there are fewer and fewer students. Voters said no last year.
Coast Guard searches for four missing off Sitka; one dead in boat wreckage
Update: Search has been called off for five, including the captain, aboard the charter fishing boat.
Arlington National Cemetery is running short of room
There are few gravesites left in the iconic resting place for America’s heroes. What will happen next?
Who are the Alaskans buried at Arlington?
There is no Alaska directory for them but we searched and searched and found a few besides Sen. Ted Stevens.
Question of the Week
Thanks from the bottom of my heart to everyone who subscribes to Must Read Alaska. Help spread share the news that balances the left-stream media.
This day in history
May 31, 2005, it was publicly revealed that former FBI official Mark Felt was “Deep Throat,” the anonymous informant at the centre of the Watergate scandalthat involved U.S. President Richard Nixon's administration.
Columns
Rick Whitbeck: Alaska’s utilities are increasingly run by eco-extremists
Flying under the radar, elections at Alaska’s utilities are bound to shape power dynamics across the state.
Jamie Allard: Why I celebrate on Memorial Day
Veteran Rep. Allard says important that we also celebrate, not just remember, why we have the freedoms we have. Spoken like a true veteran.
Tim Barto: The passion of the transgender movement
Many of us have quit using phrases such as “How much worse can it get?” or “Now I’ve heard it all,” because the responses we keep getting back are, respectively, “Much worse,” and “No you haven’t.”
Win Gruening: It’s a taxing situation in Juneau
Can Juneau figure out how to make the city even less affordable? The Assembly is sure trying.
Alaska oil: $76.47
Henry Hub gas: $2.18
Alaska North Slope Production: 473,287
Permanent Fund (principal and earnings reserve): $76,174,900,000
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