Chalk it up to wardrobe failure: Fletch Fletcher, a language arts teacher at Dimond High School in Anchorage, made social media this week, with his name and physique featured in the “Libs of TikTok” channel on X/Twitter.
In a video apparently shot by a student, a teacher wearing a dress appears to have his hardened penis tenting out of the fabric, right at eye level where a student under his watch is working on a computer. The distance between the erection and the student’s hand is mere inches. That teacher is identified as Fletcher, although not verified by Must Read Alaska as such.
Meet Fletch Fletcher. A male teacher at @ASDschools who now identifies as nonbinary. He likes to wear tight dresses to school so his bulge sticks out. I’m told he also wears very tight pants and it makes the students extremely uncomfortable.
According to the Libs of TikTok account, Fletcher also wears tight pants that show his bulge and make students uncomfortable.
Students of Dimond High School who are familiar with the situation may contact Must Read Alaska in the comment section below and ask that their names be kept private if they have information that is pertinent to this report.
It’s a balloon, or it’s not a balloon. It was the size of a car. But we’re not sure what size of car. If the Pentagon knows what it shot down over the Arctic Ocean, it’s not saying. At this point, it’s still in the category of an unidentified flying “object” that was north of Prudhoe Bay until taken down by an F-22 out of Elmendorf.
The Department of Defense did give at least a few more details about the nature of the mission, which took place this morning over the Arctic, while it was still dark in northern Alaska. As revealed by Must Read Alaska earlier on Friday, the military had detected the object on Feb. 9, and determined it was unmanned. A jet from Anchorage to Red Dog Mine was rerouted toward Nome to avoid the item on Thursday.
“The object was flying at an altitude of 40,000 feet and posed a reasonable threat to the safety of civilian flight,” said Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder. President Joe Biden ordered Northern Command to shoot down the object. Civilian airliners typically fly between 40,000 and 45,000 feet.
The object, whatever it was, fell onto sea ice off the coast of Alaska and U.S. Northern Command has begun recovery operations, Ryder said.
“U.S. Northern Command’s Alaska Command coordinated the operation with assistance from the Alaska Air National Guard, Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” he said.
The object was about the size of a small car, the general said, and does not resemble in any way the Chinese surveillance balloon shot down off the coast of South Carolina earlier this week. “We have no further details about the object at this time, including any description of its capabilities, purpose or origin,” he said.
Two F-22s flying out of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, took down the object. The one missile shot was an AIM-9X Sidewinder. “We have HC-130, HH-60 and CH-47 aircraft participating in that recovery,” the press secretary said.
The shoot-down of a China spy balloon six days earlier has drawn criticism from many observers, who note that the White House didn’t acknowledge the spy balloon until it was photographed and reported by a newspaper in Billings, Montana. Only then did the Biden Administration admit it knew about the balloon, and it has changed stories about the timing and nature of its decisions ever since.
The Anchorage Assembly on Tuesday passed ordinances opposed by residents across the city and also objected to by operators of homeless shelters and facilities.
The first ordinance expands the zoning for homeless shelters into areas called B-3 business districts. Most of the B-3 areas are in Midtown Anchorage. Assemblywoman Meg Zaletel of Midtown was the sponsor of the ordinance that will bring more crime and social problems to Midtown neighborhoods.
Zaletel is the subject of a recall effort that is now underway.
The B-3 district in Anchorage “is intended for primarily for general commercial uses in commercial centers and area exposed to heavy traffic. These commercial uses are intended to be located on arterials, or within commercial centers of town, and to be provided with adequate public services and facilities,” according to the Municipality, but the zone butts up against residential neighborhoods. The purpose of the ordinance is to spread out the homeless problem to reduce its impacts on the downtown district and make other neighborhoods share the burden.
The second ordinance is going to require homeless shelters to be licensed by the municipality by 2023. This ordinance was objected to by faith-based organizations who say that the Assembly, run by a leftist majority, is trying to force women’s shelters to admit transgendered individuals.
The Biden Administration’s head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned of “impending doom” from a resurgence of Covid-19 and appealed to governors and mayors to reinstate mask mandates. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, welled up with tears as she ask America to “hold on a little while longer” and continue wearing masks.
“I am asking you to just hold on a little longer, to get vaccinated when you can, so that all of those people that we all love will still be here when this pandemic ends,” Walensky said. The nation has “reason for hope. But right now, I’m scared.”
“Please, this is not politics — reinstate the mandate,” President Joe Biden said. “The failure to take this virus seriously is precisely what got us into this mess in the first place.”
Gov. Mike Dunleavy, on Twitter, said no, he would not be implementing a statewide mask mandate.
“No thanks, @POTUS – you can keep your mask mandate. We’ll keep doing it the #Alaska way: trust the people & let them live their lives,” Dunleavy wrote.
To date, 31 percent of Alaskans have received at least one dose of a vaccine against Covid. Over 21 percent of Alaskans are fully immunized. Anchorage has a mask mandate that has been in place for almost a year but the state has never had a one-size-fits-all mandate.
Must Read Alaska updates relating to the COVID-19 coronavirus will be included on this running post, where you can see updates throughout the days and nights ahead. Check back for updates.
10:30 am, 04/03/2020: The Carlson Center in Fairbanks has been converted into an overflow field hospital, in the event that the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital reaches capacity. Close to 100 cots have been set up, while Fairbanks and North Pole have reported a total of 42 COVID-19 cases to date, most not needing hospitalization.
10 pm, 04/03/2020: The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Research Center survey results released on Friday show 92% of small employers said they are negatively impacted by the pandemic, up from 76% saying the same just 10 days prior. The survey was taken March 30 among a random sample of 300,000 members of the small business organization.
The survey showed continued decline in the small business sector since the NFIB’s previous similar survey, which was conducted on March 20.
The NFIB on Friday stated, “The severity of the outbreak and regulatory measures that cities and states are taking to control it are having a devastating impact on small businesses.”
10 pm, 04/02/2020: The Department of State says that due to public health measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, it is only able to offer passport service for customers with a qualified life-or-death emergency and who need a passport for immediate international travel within 72 hours.
Life-or-death emergencies are serious illnesses, injuries, or deaths in your immediate family (e.g. parent, child, spouse, sibling, aunt, uncle, etc) that require you to travel outside the United States within 72 hours (3 days).
The State Department advises U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel at this time due to the global impact of COVID-19. Many areas throughout the world are now experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks and taking action that may limit traveler mobility, including quarantines and border restrictions. Even countries, jurisdictions, or areas where cases have not been reported may restrict travel without notice.
3 pm, 04/02/2020: The Alaska Railroad passenger service will be postponed to July, rather than its originally scheduled start date of May 8.
Usually, the summer train season starts with the arrival of cruise ships in Seward and Whittier, where passengers disembark and travel by train to Anchorage and north to Denali and Fairbanks.
Aurora Winter Train is suspended through the end of the 2019-2020 winter season
Coastal Classic Train has daily scheduled service may begin July 1
Northbound service for the Denali Star Train is may begin July 1, with daily bi-directional service starting July 2
Glacier Discovery Train returns July 3
Hurricane Turn Train: operates April 2, May 7, and June 4. Standard Thursday-Monday service begins July 2, 2020
10 am, 04/02/2020: From Flowingdata.com comes this handy toilet paper calculator to help you gauge how many weeks you can go before you’ll need to start scouting for toilet paper again:
In short, if you’re a household of two, using 8 sheets per wipe, and wiping 8 times a day, you’ll need about seven rolls to last you two weeks, according to the calculator, which you can adjust according to number of people, number of wipes, and number of squares used. Other variables are noted in the analysis.
8 am, 04/02/2020: Costco announced this week it changed its guest policy to deal with the influx of panic shoppers. As a temporary measure, the warehouse store will allow members one guest per membership card. Previously, members could bring up to two guests with them. The company is trying to limit the number of people in the warehouse to create the social distancing suggested by the CDC.
1:30 pm, 04/01/2020: Attorney General Kevin G. Clarkson filed a complaint against Juan Lyle Aune, alleging that Aune profited from the spread of COVID-19 by purchasing thousands of N95 respirators from Alaska stores, and then reselling the respirators on Amazon and eBay for unconscionably high prices. The complaint asks the court to impose a separate $25,000 fine for every such sale Aune made.
“Price gouging is simply unacceptable,” said Clarkson. “The Department of Law is fully committed to taking action against those who would engage in unscrupulous behavior to profit off of COVID-19.”
According to the complaint, Aune purchased respirators from several Alaska stores, including Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Spenard Builder’s Supply. On one trip to Lowe’s, Aune purchased the store’s entire supply of 3M N95 Respirators – a total of 293 20-packs. According to the complaint, Aune told a Lowe’s employee that he was “flipping” the masks for a profit of about $50 per box.
The complaint alleges that Aune generally purchased 20-packs of N95 respirators for $17 to $23 in local stores, before reselling the 20-packs on Amazon for an average price of $89.25. Aune also sold 20-packs of N95 respirators on eBay for as much as $89.99.
Alaskans are encouraged to report price gouging, scams, and deceptive trade practices related to COVID-19 to the Department of Law’s Consumer Protection Unit at [email protected] or calling at 907-269-5200 or 1-888-576-2529.
9:30 pm, 03/31/2020: Alaska Municipal League has a running list of links to dozens of communities and their current health mandates, including travel bans to and from villages. The link is here.
9 pm, 03/31/2020: The Ketchikan Emergency Operations Center closed public beaches, parks, and playgrounds on Monday.
10 am, 03/31/2020: 88 percent of Americans have experienced changes to their lives since COVID-19 hit the U.S., according to new Pew Research Center data. Twelve percent report their lives have remained relatively unchanged. According to the research, 51 percent of Democrats say their life has changed in a major way, compared to 38 percent of Republicans.
Republicans are reporting less psychological distress: 17 percent of Republicans report “high distress” compared to 30 percent of Democrats.
2 pm, 03/30/2020: The Municipality of Anchorage is setting up an emergency medical care center in the Alaska Airlines Center, located across from Providence Hospital on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus. The facility may be able to care for COVID-19 patients who are not needing critical care, but do require some medical care. The facility, usually used for basketball games, has been covered with cots in anticipation of a surge of patients, according to the Emergency Operations Center, now operating out of the Loussac Library. Anchorage, including JBER, Eagle River, Chugiak, and Girdwood, has at least 59 confirmed cases of the Wuhan coronavirus.
2:45 pm, 03/29/2020: The “Quick Test” is coming. The number of tests that have been performed in the United States for COVID-19 now exceed 894,000 Americans. Starting April 2, Abbott Labs will be manufacturing 50,000 new test kits a day that give quicker answers. The Abbott “point-of-care” test has received FDA approval and will be available to urgent care clinics next week. It gives a positive result in five minutes and a negative result in 13 minutes.
2:30 pm, 03/29/2020: President Trump said that Cigna and Humana will be waiving the copays on insurance for costs associated with the coronavirus.
2:15 pm, 03/29/2020: President Trump today extended the current federal guidelines on social distancing to April 30. He said the peak for the contagion COVID-19 and death from the virus is expected to come in two weeks from now.
7 am, 03/28/2020: Anchorage has a shortage of personal protective equipment and medical supplies. The following are needed immediately and Anchorage Emergency Operations is asking for donations: – Non-contact medical grade thermometers, Please see picture attached Universal Transport Media (for guidance see: http://dhss.alaska.gov/dph/Labs/Documents/LaboratoryTests.pdf#page=23) – Nitrile exam gloves (no latex gloves) – N95 masks – Surgical masks – Medical gowns – Face shields which protect eyes Open and expired PPE are acceptable for donation. Used PPE is not being accepted. Homemade cloth masks for use by Anchorage Fire Department that are made to the following specifications:
Recommended materials include a single layer of tightly-woven material, such as a dish/tea towel or bed sheets/antimicrobial pillowcases.
The materials used must be able to be washed/dried on high heat.
Please wash your hands and keep your area clean when making the masks.
When completed, please bundle masks in packs of 25 or less in a sealed zip lock bag and drop off at the donation center.
Do not make masks if you have any respiratory illness symptoms.
Masks will be laundered by AFD before use.
Open and expired PPE are acceptable for donation, however used PPE is not being accepted.
Please take donations to: CrossFit Alaska 9191 Old Seward Highway Entrance faces Scooter Ave Hours of donation: 9:00 AM- 5:00 PM 7 days a week.
6:45 am, 03/28/2020: Late Friday night, President Donald Trump authorized Defense Secretary Mark Esper to order units and individual members in the National Guard and Reserves, as well as “certain Individual Ready Reserve members,” to active duty, the Pentagon announced. The troops will assist with response to the Wuhan coronavirus.
“The Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, at the direction of the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, are authorized to order to active duty not to exceed 24 consecutive months, such units, and individual members of the Ready Reserve under the jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned, not to exceed 1,000,000 members on active duty at any one time, as the Secretary of Defense and, with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, the Secretary of Homeland Security consider necessary. The Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as applicable, will ensure appropriate consultation is undertaken with relevant state officials with respect to the utilization of National Guard Reserve Component units activated under this authority.”
7:15 pm, 03/27/2020: In Ketchikan, the inter-island ferry that operates to Prince of Wales Island will implement a four-day-per-week schedule starting March 28.
The ferry will run Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Passenger service will be limited to essential travel, which means those returning home or traveling for critical medical care, or those transporting essential goods and services. The number of passengers on board has been reduced by 75 percent to allow appropriate space between passengers. More information can be found at the ferry system’s link.
6 pm, 03/27/2020: Alaska is the No. 3 state for the number of citizens tested per capita, said Dr. Anne Zink, Alaska’s chief medical officer. New York is No. 1 in testing.
1 pm, 03/27/2020: Mayor Ethan Berkowitz of Anchorage extended the “hunker down” order through at least April 14, but said that date should not be considered a “hard end.” Orders could continue for a while, he said at a press conference today. Berkowitz said property taxes would be delayed for at least a month, and there will be no utility shut-offs for a month. In addition, any state or federal assistance that people receive will not be garnished for municipal fees or taxes due.
Building permit fees will be reduced by 25 percent, he said, and other fees will be either reduced or rebated, since many permitted businesses like restaurants and bars are not operating.
10 am, 03/27/2020: A Navy hospital ship has arrived in Los Angeles to help with the overflow from hospitals. The USNS Mercy has 1,000 beds and will treat non-coronavirus patients, freeing up local hospitals to focus on the surge of COVID-19 patients
9:30 pm, 03/26/2020: North Pole Mayor Mike Welch was tested Thursday for COVID-19 at Tanana Valley Clinic after experiencing symptoms and being asked to come in for the swab test.
7:30 pm, 03/26/2020: Alaska Medicaid will allow 68-day fills on medications that would normally be limited to 34 days. With the allowed accumulation, this permits a patient to be able to have approximately 10 weeks of medication on-hand. If a specific patient condition warrants, individual exceptions for a day’s supply beyond 68-days can be requested of the pharmacist.
6:32 pm, 03/26/2020: More that 2,400 people have been tested for COVID-19 in Alaska, said Department of Health and Social Services Commissioner Adam Crum. That is less than one percent of Alaskans, but a quick uptick in testing since the first case diagnosed in Alaska just 14 days ago.
5:44 pm, 03/26/2020: KUOW, public broadcasting in Seattle, has decided to stop airing the president’s press conferences on COVID-19 because the station feels they are not factual.
At the same time, President Trump’s approval rating among voters has started to climb in recent days, with the survey site fivethirtyeight.com saying his approval is now over 45 percent.
12:15 pm, 03/26/2020: At least 81,321 people in the U.S. are known to have been infected with the coronavirus, more cases than China, Italy or any other country has seen, according to data gathered by The New York Times.
11:45 am, 03/26/2020: The Port of Seattle has delayed the Alaska cruise season indefinitely.
11 am, 03/26/2020: The second phase of the congressional relief package that passed the Senate will bring $1.5 billion to the State of Alaska. It will also deliver rapid relief to small businesses, and expand unemployment. It will send a surge of resources to medical professions, said Sen. Dan Sullivan. It must be approved by the House.
7:28 am, 03/26/2020: State officials have corrected information about how many are hospitalized in Alaska due to COVID-19. The correct number as of March 25, 2020 is 3.
11:30 pm, 03/25/2020:Mayor Ethan Berkowitz of Anchorage has said the city will not enforce the mandatory 10-cent fee per paper bag that the city requires merchants charge their customers. However, he did not say merchants may issue single-use plastic bags for merchandise and groceries.
10:40 pm, 03/25/2020: A second employee of Fairbanks Memorial Hospital has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. This individual is included in the current count of 59 in Alaska who have been stricken with the virus.
10:35 pm, 03/25/2020: Royal Caribbean has extended the suspension of its cruises through May 12. “Because of announced port closures, we expect to return to service for Alaska, Canada and New England sailings July 1, 2020,” the company said. Norwegian Cruise Line is cutting pay and moving to a four-day work week for most staff.
3 pm, 03/25/2020:The current case count in Alaska is 44. An employee of Fairbanks Memorial Hospital has tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus. Another Fairbanks person, a patient of the Tanana Chiefs Conference’s Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center, has also tested positive. l
3 pm, 03/25/2020: Jake Metcalfe, the executive director of the largest state employee union in Alaska, is seeking an injunction against the Dunleavy Administration to force all nonessential state employees to work from home for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic. He also wants the court to mandate staggered work hours and social distancing rules for all state employees.
The Alaska State Employees Association represents 7,500 state and municipal employees across the state.
10 am, 03/25/2030: The United States is the world’s third-most infected country by the Wuhan coronavirus. To date, the top three are:
81,661 China
74,386 Italy
60,115 US
5:15 pm, 03/24/2020: The Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan have been postponed by the International Olympics Committee, for about a year.
3:45 pm, 03/24/2020: The U.S. Department of Education has stopped collections of federal student loans that are in default.
3:33 pm, 03/24/2020: First COVID-19 hospitalization is in Juneau at Bartlett Memorial Hospital. This is the second case in Juneau and the person is in the critical care unit. The person had been traveling in Washington State and Portland, Oregon, both known hot spots.
Meanwhile, the case count is up to 39 in Alaska, with two more having been identified in Ketchikan. This brings the total of positive cases in Ketchikan to eight. These two individuals, upon experiencing symptoms of illness, self-quarantined and sought testing through the Creekside Family Medical Clinic. The testing was processed by a private lab. The two do not have a history of recent travel, so these are considered community transmission cases.
8:45 am, 03/24/2020: Alaska Airlines will eliminate 200 flights per day through March 31. This is a 15 percent reduction of its normal flights. The airline is parking 30 jets from its fleet of 230 aircraft. Flights to Hawaii will be extremely limited and the airline will stop flying to Costa Rica, although for now it will keep its Mexico and Canada routes.
8:30 am, 03/24/2020: Washington Gov. Jay Inslee issued a shelter-in-place order Monday evening, something he had been pressured to do for several days. Washingtonians are not to leave their homes except for critical tasks in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
7:46 pm, 03/23/2020: Three Bears market has instituted a ban on the use of personal multi-use shopping bags.
“Our grocery store workers are on the front lines of COVID-19, working tirelessly to keep our community fed. With identified community transmission, we ask that shoppers keep their reusable bags at home given the potential risk to Three Bears customers and employees,” the store notified shoppers, effective at all locations immediately. The stores are located in Wasilla, Palmer, and Kenai.
3:15 pm, 03/23/2020: First National Bank stock price went through large price swings today on the stock market before ending sharply lower.
The current stock price is $176, having recovered from its low of $125 at the close of trading. It appears some entity that owns stock in the bank may have dumped the stock this afternoon.
9 am, 03/23/2020: AlaskaUSA Federal Credit Union has temporarily closed several branches and curtailed operates at others:
Branches temporarily closed:
36th Ave
Abbott
N. Eagle River
Juneau St
W. Dimond
W. Northern Lights
N. Pole
W. Fairbanks
Parks Hwy
Vintage Park
Branches with drive-up and appointment services open Monday – Friday, 11 am to 6 pm:
C St
DeBarr
Dimond
Eagle River
East DeBarr
Huffman
JBER
Northern Lights
W. Abbott
Airport Way
Steese Hwy
Homer
Kenai
Soldotna
Palmer
Wasilla
W. Parks Hwy
Glacier Hwy
In-Store Branches open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 11 am to 6 pm:
Bethel
Ketchikan
Kodiak
8 am, 03/23/2020: PeaceHealth Medical clinics are closed Monday and Tuesday in Ketchikan after two caregivers who work there tested positive for COVID-19. The medical center is one of the largest employers in Ketchikan.
11:15 pm, 03/22/2020: FEMA has set up a rumor control web page pertaining to COVID-19, available at this link.
11 pm, 03/22/2020: Juneau has cancelled its Fourth of July parade. The Fourth of July parade is the biggest community event of the year.
10:30 pm, 03/22/2020:Anchorage Office of Emergency Management reminded residents that the Hunker Down order is in effect in Anchorage as of 10 pm Sunday.
Emergency Order EO-03 directs Anchorage residents and businesses to stay home to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and reduce the chance of Anchorage hospitals becoming overwhelmed and unable to treat those who need urgent medical care, the department wrote.
When left unchecked, this virus spreads exponentially. Some models show that without an order to hunker down, hospitals could become overwhelmed within weeks. The predictions of these models are borne out by what is happening in other communities that waited too long to prevent the spread of the virus.
The Hunker Down order mandates that non-critical businesses close their premises, and that residents stay home as much as possible.
“Non-critical businesses encompass any business that is not specifically exempted as a critical business. This includes (but is not limited to): shoe stores, hair salons and barber shops, nail salons, clothing stores, makeup stores, jewelry stores, car dealerships (service and parts may remain open), tattoo parlors, acupuncture, art studios, and sporting goods stores, in-home housekeeping services, babysitting (except to provide support for critical workers). This is in addition to the closure of gyms, movie theaters, indoor recreation centers, bowling alleys, and nightclubs that were closed.
“Non-critical businesses must close their premises; it is not acceptable to simply transform to a curbside or delivery business as that still places too many workers and customers in harm’s way for a non-critical purpose.
“The emergency order includes a list of critical businesses that can continue to operate while implementing social distancing techniques to the maximum extent possible—including switching to curbside or delivery service.
“The critical business list includes health care operations, grocery stores, convenience stores, maintenance and operations of critical infrastructure, first responders, criminal justice personnel, critical government functions, defense and national security-related operations, food cultivation, social services, journalism, gas stations, banks and other financial institutions, hardware stores, plumbers, electricians, mailing and shipping services, laundromats, educational institutions for the purpose of distance learning, restaurants (for takeout and delivery only), transportation services, hotels, childcare facilities (to serve workers in critical jobs only), and some legal and accounting services. For a full list, refer to the emergency order. These businesses should incorporate remote working whenever possible and adhere to CDC social distancing guidelines including maintaining six feet between people.”
9:15 pm – 03/22/2020: Anchorage police will begin wearing personal protective gear — things like masks and nitrile gloves — when physically interacting with the public. This doesn’t necessarily mean that COVID-19 is presenting the situation, but that police are protecting themselves from unnecessary exposure. Also, dispatchers and officers will be asking people questions related to COVID-19 exposure to help prevent exposure.
All community engagement activities and events, such as the ride-a-long program, Coffee with a Cop, public appearance requests and more, have been suspended until further notice. The APD front lobby at its headquarters is closed.
8:30 pm – 03/22/2020: The Seattle Times did not print its Sunday edition today due to the restrictions and general conditions caused by the COVID-19 virus. The newspaper was founded in 1891 and has been operated by the Blethen family since 1896. A note from the publisher advised:
5:30 pm – 03/22/2020: Sitka has been given a “hunker down in place” strong recommendation, issued by the Sitka Emergency Unified Command. Sitkans are asked to stay home in order to stop the spread of COVID-19. If residents need to shop for groceries, they may do so if they do not believe they have been exposed to the virus. Work from home as much as possible. Non-essential businesses are urged, but not required to close for 14 days. Those picking up or dropping off at the airport are urged to use curbside, and not go inside the airport. Anyone traveling into Sitka must quarantine in accordance with DHSS mandates.
4 pm – 03/22/2020: The current count of COVID-19 cases in Alaska is 22.
3:38 pm – 03/22/2020: An update on donating blood to the Blood Bank of Alaska. Please call 907-222-5600 to schedule an appointment. The staff will schedule you in.
11:06 am – 03/22/2020: Homeless men in Anchorage are being moved into the Sullivan Arena, while homeless women are being moved into the Ben Boeke Ice Arena next door. They are being given sleeping pads that are spaced six feet apart.
10:30 am – 03/22/2020: The current count of COVID-19 cases in Alaska is 21.
10 am – 03/22/2020: Senator Rand Paul has tested positive for COVID-19, his office announced on Sunday, adding “he is feeling fine and is in quarantine. He is asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events. He was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person.”
11 pm – 03/21/2020: Gov. Mike Dunleavy has launched a web page devoted to the work of the Economic Stabilization Team.
The page contains links for Small Business Administration loans, unemployment insurance, home mortgage assistance, and other resources that will be added as details are firmed. Share this page with those who may need help.
9:50 pm – 03-21/2020: Senior citizens in the Mat-Su Valley are getting some needed support from the Santa Cop and Heroes program, which applied for and received a $50,000 grant from Southcentral Health Foundation to provide 400 food kits to seniors 60 and older in the valley. Contact them at this link and get on the list for a food drop if you are running low of food, have no family support, and you meet the age qualifications.
8:30 pm – 03/21/2020: New testing protocols for Alaska have been put in place by the Department of Health and Social Services, in response to a shortage of equipment.
Testing supplies are running low. Until the shortage is resolved, health care providers are now prioritizing testing to specific groups. Health care providers do not need to call the Alaska Section of Epidemiology to approve testing, but those patients who are asymptomatic may not be tested. Here is what the testing technicians are being advised:
Patients who have a clinically compatible illness (e.g., fever, cough, or shortness of breath) AND at least one of the following criteria should be considered for testing:
12 pm – 03/21/2020: North Star Borough Mayor Bryce Ward announced an emergency declaration on Friday. The declaration will help with the procurement of aid and assistance from State and federal agencies when they become available. The borough is home to nearly 100,000 Alaskans and encompasses Eielson Air Force Base, Salcha, Fox, Two Rivers, and Chena Hot Springs.
11:30 am – 03/21/2020: Kenai Borough offices are closed to the public. Borough employees will still conduct government business under modified work schedules during regular business hours Monday – Friday. Those who can, will work from home, while others will come to work and practice the recommended guidance to ensure safe workspaces. You can also find contact information by department at www.kpb.us.
The Central Peninsula Landfill and transfer sites will continue to remain open to the public. Steps have been put in place for staff and the public’s protection. Please follow directional signage and staff instructions.
Dispatch and Fire/EMS will maintain operations; however, public will not be allowed to enter these facilities. First responders are following guidance specific to call outs. Nikiski Fire Service Area will continue their potable water service to residents with modifications.
Kenai Borough residents are asked to use the drop box located by the main front doors of the Borough Administrative Building (BAB) to deposit payments or department-specific documents, or mail delivery:
Kenai Peninsula Borough Attn: Department Name 144 N. Binkley Street Soldotna AK 99669
8 am – 03/21/2020: Anchorage medical community is experiencing a shortage of personal protective equipment such as nitrile gloves, face masks and medical gowns. They are asking providers and businesses to donate. Due to global demand, there is no definitive shipping date for more these items. The national demand for PPE and Alaska’s distance from suppliers, avoiding PPE shortages in Anchorage will require stretching existing supplies as long as possible. The following is needed immediately:
Nitrile exam gloves (no latex gloves)
N95 masks
Surgical masks
Medical gowns
Face shields that protect eyes
Please take Personal Protective Equipment to:
CrossFit Alaska 9191 Old Seward Highway Entrance faces Scooter Ave
Hours of donation: 9 am – 5 pm, 7 days a week. For questions, email [email protected] or call 907-343-4019
4:30 pm – 03/20/2020:The City and Borough of Juneau implemented voluntary temperature checks for travelers arriving at the Juneau International Airport. Passengers with a temperature of 100.4 F will be advised to contact a medical provider and to self-quarantine.
4:15 pm – 03/20/2020: A shortage of testing swabs has led Anchorage Office of Emergency Management to ask doctors to donate swabs, or the current Anchorage supply will be exhausted on Sunday. Due to global demand, there is no definitive shipping date for more swabs.
The following swabs are needed immediately: Nasopharyngeal swab with synthetic tip (ex. Dacron, Nylon, Polyester), with non-wooden shaft. NP swab should have sterile tube containing 2-3ml viral transport media (VTM) Please take swabs to: Drive Thru COVID19 Testing Site 4115 Lake Otis Parkway
Please use the back entrance/ employee parking lot (behind the tan and brown building). Hours of donation: 9:00 AM- 7:00 PM 7 days a week.
3:30 pm – 03/20/2020: Must Read Alaskahas learned that Mayor Ethan Berkowitz will order all Anchorage residents to shelter in place beginning this evening.
3:25 pm – 03/20/2020: An employee of the office of the Vice President has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a statement.
“This evening we were notified that a member of the Office of the Vice President tested positive for the Coronavirus,” wrote Pence Press Secretary Katie Miller. “Neither President Trump nor Vice President Pence had close contact with the individual. Further contact tracing is being conducted in accordance with CDC guidelines.”
11 am – 03/20/2020: President Donald Trump said the U.S. Department of Education will not require standardized testing for students in elementary through high school for the current school year.
10 am – 03/20/2020:The Anchorage Health Department and satellite locations have limited services to phone and appointments only, effective March 19.
Many services and benefits will be available via telephone or limited to in-person appointments; no in-person business or services will be available without an appointment. The contact numbers for the resources are:
• Community Health Nursing: 343-4799 • Aging and Disability Resource Center: 343-7770 • Women, Infants and Children: 343-4668 • Child Care Licensing: 343-4758 • Environmental Health (Food and Air): 343-4200 • Community Safety and Development: 343-4822 • Main Number: 343-6718
9:42 am – 03/20/2020:
How many cases? 255,729 worldwide. Known in Alaska: 12. Every person typically infects two others.
– Did it start in a Wuhan lab? The coronavirus may have originated in a government laboratory 300 yards from the Wuhan fish market where the authorities say the outbreak started, the Daily Mailreports.
– California is sheltering in place: 40 million Californians have been ordered to stay home indefinitely, only going out for essential jobs, errands, and solitary exercise, Gov. Gavin Newsom said. He warned the public that the patients who are contracting the coronavirus — 1,000 now in the Golden State — may soon overwhelm the state medical facilities.
– New York going into lockdown: Gov. Cuomo is shutting down all non-essential businesses across the state, leaving just grocery stores, pharmacies, and other essential operations open. He is banning all non-solitary outside activity, like outdoor basketball games and other team sports and he is requiring all non-essential government and private-sector employees to work from home, starting Sunday.
– President Trump has closed almost all traffic but commercial trucks at the southern border with Mexico.
– The Trump Administration has postponed the IRS income tax deadline to July 15.
10:15 pm – 03/19/2020:The U.S. Supreme Court has closed its building to the public and postponed its March argument session, which was to begin March 23.
10 pm – 03/19/2020:Funerals and weddings are among the events now banned in Washington State, as the epicenter of the coronavirus tries to get a handle on social distancing.
10 pm – 03/19/2020: Alaska Public Offices Commission is closed to walk-in traffic until further notice. APOC offices will remain staffed and will continue to serve the public and respond through alternative forms of contact including post mail, email, fax, and telephone, during its normal business hours of 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday.
9:45 pm – 03/19/2020: Although the Blood Bank of Alaska is in need of blood, it’s asking for a voluntary 28-day deferral for anyone who has traveled out of state and to foreign countries in the last five weeks, and a 28-day deferral for donations for all travel out of state.
2:50 pm – 03/19/2020: An active-duty Airman has tested positive for COVID-19 on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. The member recently returned from overseas travel and is following public health protocols while self-quarantined at his or her off-base residence.
JBER officials have ordered Health Protection Condition Bravo and are continually monitoring the situation while working closely with local, state and federal agencies.
12:50 pm – 03/19/2020: Anchorage Police Department has closed its front counter at its headquarters due to a significant drop in public visits. As a result, APD has put together resources to helping the public online and/or via the phone.
During this time, the traffic citations will be handled via paying by phone at 907-786-2429.
Subject line should be your last name and citation number. Attach these necessary documents, as appropriate:
Proof of insurance- Photo: must show you had insurance at the time the ticket was issued.
Proof of Registration- Photo: must show documents of registration from the DMV and photo of license plate with the new sticker on your vehicle.
Headlight/Taillight- Photo: must show vehicle with lights on and license plate visible.
Window Tint- Two Photos: must show entire driver side door of vehicle and include photo from front of vehicle showing license plate.
Proof of Driver’s License- Call 786-8600, ext 2.
11:30 am – 03/19/2020 – Simon Malls, owner of the Fifth Avenue Mall in Anchorage, has closed all of its malls across the nation until March 29.
“The health and safety of our shoppers, retailers and employees is of paramount importance and we are taking this step to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our communities,” the company wrote.
8:40 am – 03/19/2020: The U.S. State Department will announce a Level Four travel advisory instructing all Americans abroad to return home or to shelter in place because of the global threat of the coronavirus. This is its most stringent warning. Just four days ago, the department raised the travel advisory to Level 3, with strong recommendations. Under Level Four, Americans will be strongly advised not to travel abroad.
8:40 am – 03/19/2020: The U.S. embassies in Mexico have suspended routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa services starting March 18, 2020, and until further notice. The U.S. Embassy and consulates will continue to provide essential consular services to U.S. citizens in Mexico as well as emergency visa services. The closure will effect the seasonal labor supply for American farms and fisheries.
11:32 pm – 03/18/2020: Bartlett Regional Hospital in Juneau has instituted screening for patients and visitors for symptoms of COVID-19, along with travel history and possible exposure to the virus. Families, staff, and departments in the hospital are restricting access and enforcing visitor control policy, including:
For hospitalized patients:
Limit one visitor on the units at any time.
No visitors are allowed in the Hospital from 8 p.m. – 6 a.m. overnight, unless accompanying a newly admitted patient or a maternity patient.
No visitors under age 16.
Visitation rules may be more restricted on units and floors with patients who have reduced immune systems or special populations.
Exceptions: End of life” situations, minor patients (≤18 years old) may have two visitors but this is limited to only parents or guardians, and individuals with significant physical disabilities are limited to one support person in addition to a visitor.
11:25 pm – 03/18/2020: Homer Mayor Ken Castner declared an official emergency in response to COVID-19 in Alaska and in support of COVID-9 prevention measures being implemented throughout the Borough and the State. The declaration will be effective for seven days, and then may extend if the City Council ratifies it at its meeting on March 23. The declaration creates a unified command structure with local responder agencies and South Peninsula Hospital.
4 pm – 03/18/2020: The known positive cases in Alaska increased by three on Wednesday, increasing it the total to nine. Two of the new cases are in Anchorage, one is in the Seward area. All three are travel related, with one coming from Europe, and the other two from the Lower 48.
3:30 pm – 03/18/2020: The first member of Congress to test positive for the coronavirus is Mario Diaz-Balart, a Republican who represents southwestern Miami-Dade County.
2 pm – 03/18/2020:Alyeska Resort has closed the ski area for the remainder of the season. closing its ski area for the remainder of the winter season. “As of today, March 18, 2020, all Alyeska Resort mountain operations, including lifts, aerial tramway, rentals, Mountain Learning Center and restaurants will be closed. Our decision to close the resort was not easily made but we feel these measures are necessary out of concern for the health and safety of our community, guests, employees, and the surrounding communities of Southcentral Alaska,” the management wrote on Facebook.
2 pm – 03/18/2020: Canada and the United States have restricted non-essential travel across the border. Both countries say supply chains will not be impacted, but travelers going north and south for recreational or tourism purposes will be turned back. key supplies will still flow between the two nations. President Donald Trump posted a note on Twitter this morning.
12 pm – 03/18/2020: The U.S. Census has suspended field operations for at least two weeks. The Census Bureau is asking everyone to respond online at 2020Census.gov. Door-knockers will not be utilized for now. The Census will continue to accept online, phone and mail responses.
9 am – 03/18/2020:Pikka, the oil prospect hope for the Alaska economy, has been deferred by Oil Search until prices improve. Oil is in the low 20s today.
8:45 am – 03/18/2020:Seattle area is running out of masks, leading volunteers to start making them by hand for hospitals.
A group of volunteers at Providence St. Joseph Health on Tuesday started sewing surgical masks and constructing face shields with marine-grade vinyl, strips of foam, elastic bands, and double-stick tape.
8 am – 03/18/2020: Blood Bank of Alaska is low on O negative and O positive blood donors and need continual blood donations of all blood types in order to meet the need for blood in Anchorage and throughout Alaska. To meet current blood needs, 700 donations are needed in the coming weeks.
The Blood Bank of Alaska is taking donations by appointment only in order to ensure the safety of donors and staff. To donate call 907-222-5630 or visit www.bloodbankofalaska.org to make an appointment
9:25 pm – 03/17/2020: Amazon has suspended receiving nonessentials such as TVs and toys in its warehouses so it can focus on stocking household staples and medical supplies. The crush of orders forced the decision as Americans are avoiding stores and placing orders online for everyday goods.
8:25 pm – 03/17/2020: A Canadian government official told The Seattle Times on Tuesday that Canada and the US are working on announcing a mutual ban on non-essential travel between the two countries.
8:25 pm – 03/17/2020: Hospital systems in Seattle are reporting two dozen hospital workers have been infected with the coronavirus, putting a strain on the medical infrastructure at the heart of the outbreak in the U.S.
7:20 pm – 03/17/2020: The State of Alaska is closing all bars and restaurants statewide on Wednesday at 5 pm, except for take-out food or deliveries, as well as other closing facilities, such as bowling alleys, by order of the chief medical officer.
The Department of Health and Social Services is also suspending all long-term services and supports that occur in “congregate settings,” including senior centers, adult day services, and any site-based day habilitation or supported employment activities where individuals gather together.
5:40 pm – 03/17/2020: The Port of Alaska remains open and the shippers are on a normal shipping schedule. COVID-19 has not disrupted the arrival of goods to Alaska, according to a news release from the Municipality.
“Food and supplies are at normal levels in Anchorage, and demand is currently high, creating empty store shelves. More goods are on the way, however delays of about one week in restocking shelves may happen due to the time it will take from time of order to stocking shelves in Anchorage and Alaska. The Municipality encourages residents to be patient as store shelves are restocked.”
5:20 pm – 03/17/2020: The State Department of Health and Social Services has issued guidelines for parents whose children attend day care centers:
The department, per CDC recommendation, is advising that child care facilities stay open if they safely can do so. Health officials do not want children to be cared for by elders, because people aged greater than 60 years are at increased risk for severe COVID-19 illness. Employers are encouraged to talk to their workforce. We also know that children, while they may carry the disease, get sick from COVID-19 much less frequently than adults.
The guidance for child care centers is thus:
Follow aggressive measures to screen children for respiratory infection and do not allow any ill child into a child care center.
No child who has been outside of Alaska in the last 14 days should be allowed in a child care center.
No one who has a fever or respiratory symptoms should be allowed to work in a child care center.
Keep numbers below 10 for group settings.
Cohort kids, keeping the same group of kids together.
Adhere to social distancing (at least six feet) to limit mixing.
Spend time in well-ventilated spaces as much as possible.
Practice frequent and rigorous environmental cleaning.
No one over the age of 60 or with underlying medical conditions should be working in child care centers.
Families should consider alternative child care opportunities, if possible.
5 pm – 03/17/2020: A mobile testing station has been set up by Providence in a parking lot on Lake Otis Blvd., right next to Bernie’s Pharmacy:
Mobile testing began on Tuesday, next to Bernie’s Pharmacy, in an adjacent parking lot on Lake Otis Blvd.
3:30 pm – 03/17/2020: Johns Hopkins University says that over 100 people in the United States have died from the coronavirus in less than one month since the community spread of the virus was first reported on Feb. 26. There are now over 5,894 confirmed cases and 105 deaths, and 200,000 cases globally.
3 pm- 03/17/2020: The Alaska Democratic Party has closed its headquarters on Fairbanks Street in Anchorage. The five employees of the party are working remotely. The Alaska Republican Party, which only staffs its offices part time, could not be reached for comment.
The City and Borough of Juneau has declared an emergency, allowing it to draw in more help from the state and federal government for health and safety measures, and purchase needed emergency supplies. The resolution of Monday night will assist local business as they apply for federal loans and assistance.
The Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly held a special emergency meeting on Tuesday. Among agenda items was sending a letter to Alaska’s congressional delegation, urging suspension of the Jones Act. The assembly will also discuss emergency measures and the lifting of cumbersome borough code during the emergency.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy is ending the reign of Mark Springer, chairman of the Marijuana Control Board. Springer’s term ends on March 1.
While showing Springer the door, the governor reappointed Christopher Jaime, a State Trooper from Soldotna. And he added Casey Dschaak of Dillingham to the rural seat that is held by Springer for a few more weeks.
Springer, of Bethel, is a vocal opponent of the governor’s overall agenda and, critics say he loathes Dunleavy’s very existence.
In addition to signing the recall petition, he has used his time during board meetings to express his hostility toward the Administration and brags about the Recall Dunleavy sticker on his coffee mug.
Springer has been at odds with his fellow board members as well as the governor. When the matter of whether to retain former alcohol and marijuana agency director Erika McConnell came up, Springer, as chairman, refused to put it on the agenda until he was forced to by other board members.
McConnell had already been “fired” by the Alcohol Beverage Control Board, to whom she also reported, but it took a vote of the Marijuana Control Board to remove her. Springer voted against her removal, but she was fired anyway by a majority of the board, with only one other vote, from board member Loren Jones, favoring McConnell’s retention.
Dschaak, the incoming member of the board, he served in the U.S. Army and works in the field of logistics in Dillingham.
The Marijuana Control Board meets next week in Juneau and will select a new chair from the members.
Readers will notice that Must Read Alaska took on a new look over the weekend. It went from a blog to a sleek news site.
Like anything, it will take some getting used to, especially on the production side of things, but will allow this one-woman news operation to have a more rapid response to events of the day.
I’ll continue to refine the categories over the coming weeks, and while I work at it night and day, want to extend my thanks to everyone who has donated to the cause of giving an alternative view of what is presented in the mainstream media.
Feel free to join in the fun and send a donation to:
Must Read Alaska
3201 C Street Suite 308
Anchorage, Alaska 99503
A series of leaked email documents that show a possible conflict of interest with a member of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation’s Board of Trustees is a serious matter — so much so that the Alaska Permanent Fund has issued a statement acknowledging that fact and saying it is handling the matter internally.
Board of Directors member Gabrielle “Ellie” Rubenstein was revealed in emails by an Alaska blog to have been engaging in the actual operations of the Permanent Fund, directing investment activities, rather than serving only as a board member involved in broad policy decisions. Her father, David Rubenstein, is the founder of the Carlyle Group, a major global investment entity that is influential in finance and politics. David Rubenstein made his early fortune selling net operating losses for Alaska Native Corporations after having served in the Carter Administration. In one year, he and his partner brokered $1 billion in paper losses, and earned themselves $10 million in fees. The government soon closed the loophole that became known as the Great Eskimo Tax Scam.
Rubenstein is also the daughter of the former owner of the Anchorage Daily News, Alice Rogoff, who bought the newspaper for more than $30 million from The McClatchy Company, renamed it the Alaska Dispatch, but ended up losing it during bankruptcy proceedings three years later; the Binkley Co. bought it for $1 million and operates it today as the Anchorage Daily News. Rogoff had a reputation for getting deeply involved in politics and campaigns in Alaska; she was one of former Gov. Bill Walker’s most high-profile supporters. Her daughter, Ellie Rubenstein, is a supporter of Gov. Mike Dunleavy, who appointed her to the Permanent Fund Board of Trustees.
A vague statement about possible inappropriate interference in investment matters by an unnamed person[s] was issued by the corporation on Thursday.
“The Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation (APFC) acknowledges recent media reports concerning internal communications regarding potential conflicts of interest. We take these concerns seriously and were addressing the issue through established protocols prior to coverage by the media. We are committed to ensuring the well-being of our team and the integrity of the Fund’s investment process and to working on behalf of all Alaskans. Transparency and accountability are core values at APFC,” the corporation statement said. “A review of this matter is underway to identify next steps. We will provide further updates as appropriate.”
The additional question raised by the leaked emails is whether Ellie Rubenstein was pushing the investment staff of the corporation to invest in companies that may be affiliated with either her own investment group, Manna Tree, or her father’s vast investment interests.
She was named to the Board of Trustees in 2022 by Gov. Dunleavy to serve a four-year term as one of the four public members. In 2023, she was appointed as vice chair. Her term ends in 2026.
The director of the Anchorage Office of Management and Budget has thrown up her hands and resigned, saying the Anchorage Assembly is undoing all hoped-for progress on the city’s balance sheet.
Sharon Lechner, who was confirmed as OMB director earlier this year, wrote in her resignation letter that during an April 30 special meeting on the budget revisions for the first quarter of the year, the Assembly passed a budget that unwound months of progress for the city. As a CPA, she lives by an ethical code, and the Assembly has been breaking the law.
“Worse, every amendment proposed by the Assembly that reversed important items [such] as additional staff for the Controller Division or parking parity for the employees in City Hall, was passed with unanimous approval,” Lechner wrote.
“Not once during the weeks leading up to the Assembly Meeting did any Assembly member reach out to OMB with questions, even though their budget analyst was brand new in his position,” she wrote to Mayor Dave Bronson.
“Not once did any Assembly member push back when Assembly Member Zaletel spoke about the (annual) labor scrub, saying that the labor scrub eliminates positions. It doesn’t. It never has,” Lechner added.
Lechner, who was Anchorage CFO under two previous mayors, continued in her letter that described the Assembly dysfunction, saying the city had the opportunity to correct a workers compensation problem that started 20 years ago, but the Assembly reversed that as well.
“We have the opportunity to fix the misappropriation of spending at the Golden Lion Hotel, but the Assembly reversed that. We had the opportunity to reduce our fund balance deficit, but the Assembly reversed that,” she said.
Lechner said she would be happy to serve Mayor Bronson in another capacity, but if nothing else is offered to her, she’ll make June 28 her last day.
This week, the Assembly passed an illegal first-quarter budget revision that violated the law by exceeding the tax cap. A special meeting was called on Friday to reverse the illegal actions.
Assembly Chairman Chris Constant, faced with the embarrassment of having passed an illegal budget, attacked the Bronson Administration, which had sent out a press release Thursday about the budget that said the mayor was willing to help solve the problem the Assembly had created.
“In what way did the mayor help?” Constant asked Lechner, who explained to him that it took her division about seven hours to calculate the Assembly’s budget and come to the determination that it had gone over the tax cap. Constant quickly cut her off, as seen in the video above.
President Joe Biden has plans to bring Palestinian refugees into the country, prompting a letter of concern written by several Republican members of the Senate.
“Your administration’s reported plan to accept Gazan refugees poses a national security risk to the United States. With more than a third of Gazans supporting the Hamas militants, we are not confident that your administration can adequately vet this high-risk population for terrorist ties and sympathies before admitting them into the United States. We are further worried that accepting Gazan refugees might cause a crisis at the Egypt-Gaza border, leading to chaos that would only empower Iran-backed Hamas. We are also frustrated that your administration is pushing ahead with a plan to evacuate Gazans from the Strip when there are still American citizens held hostage by Hamas. We demand that your administration cease planning for accepting Gazan refugees until you adequately answer our concerns and focus your attention instead on securing the release of U.S. hostages held by Hamas,” the letter said.
“U.S. and allied officials have very little access to Gazans living in the area, making it nearly impossible to conduct thorough vetting before admitting them into our country,” the senators said. “We must ensure Gazans with terrorist ties or sympathies are denied admission into the United States – no easy feat, given the fact that the Gazans were the ones who voted Hamas into power in 2006. Without thorough vetting, your administration may inadvertently accept terrorists posing as refugees into the interior.
“Your reported plans to increase the number of Palestinian refugees mark a significant departure from decades of bipartisan precedent. Both Democrat and Republican administrations have historically accepted very few Palestinian refugees, who make up less than 0.2 percent of all refugees admitted into the United States since 2001. We urge you to suspend plans to accept the refugees until you answer the following questions and redirect your efforts to saving the Americans who are still held hostage in Gaza. Our first obligation should be to rescue our own citizens, not Gazans,” the senators said.
The senators asked for answers from Biden to a list of questions by May 15:
How many Gazan refugees does the administration seek to accept into the United States?
How many refugees would be Gazans who have already fled to Egypt?
How many refugees would be Gazans still located in the Gaza Strip?
Given the widespread Hamas control over the Gaza Strip, as well as the dense fog of war due to the ongoing conflict, how will the administration implement a screening mechanism to ensure that those with terrorist links or sympathies are not accepted as refugees into the United States?
Details on how the administration will conduct these screenings when U.S. officials do not have an on-the-ground presence in the Gaza Strip.
How does the U.S. plan to pay for the cost of transport, screening, medical support, and temporary lodging of these Gazan refugees?
The letter was signed by Senators Joni Ernst, Mitch McConnell, John Thune, John Barasso, Steve Daines, M. Michael Rounds, Ted Budd, Cynthia Loomis, Rand Paul, Michael Lee, John Boozman, Pete Ricketts, John Cornyn, Marco Rubio, Roger Marshall, Charles Grassley, Ron Johnson, John Kennedy, Cynthia Hyde-Smith, Marsha Blackburn, Thom Tillis, Rick Scott, Deb Fischer, Ted Cruz, Tommy Tuberville, Kevin Cramer, Lindsey Graham, James Lankford, Bill Hagerty, Tim Scott, Katie Boyd Britt, Jerry Moran, and Roger Wicker.
Sen. Dan Sullivan struck out in anger over a Biden Administration rule that could end up grounding essential small planes in Alaska, due to the fact that many of them require leaded aviation fuel.
During a hearing on the reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration, Sullivan slammed his hand on a table and yelled at Democratic Sen. Tom Carper and his staff. Carper, of Delaware, heads up the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and has been pushing the environmental agenda.
There are 8,734 registered aircraft in Alaska, making up 3% of all U.S. registered aircraft — 12 planes for every 1,000 Alaskans. More than 200 communities in Alaska are not reachable by road.
“I’m getting tired of my state being singled out by this staff, Democrat staff, on everything,” Sullivan yelled. “This goes to safety of my constituents. And you guys jump in at the last minute, and I’m so goddamn sick of it. Anything that deals with Alaska, you feel it’s open season because the radical environmental groups want to shut my state down. It’s wrong. It’s bull—, and I’m really mad about it!”
Sullivan has been advocating for legislative language to allow Alaska aircraft owners more time to transition from standard leaded aviation fuel, which is what nearly all small planes use in Alaska. The Environmental Protection Agency is mandating no leaded aviation fuel by 2030, and Sullivan has asked that Alaska be given an extension until 2034. Engines in existing planes will need to be completely replaced.
The matter at hand is a result of the FAA’s “Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions” (EAGLE) program, implemented in 2022 to phase out leaded aviation fuel in eight years.
“I’m sick of Alaska being the target of Senate Democrats and this president at nearly every possible opportunity—all to appease their environmental activist friends with heavy wallets—aka eco-colonialists,” Sullivan said. “They say they care about the rights of Indigenous Americans, yet they don’t listen to their concerns, and they undermine their economic opportunities and safety all the time because that’s what the eco-colonialists do.”
Sullivan explained it on X/Twitter: Here’s what’s happening this time: Alaska has over 200 communities not connected by road, making aviation a matter of life and death for thousands of Alaskans. I secured a provision in the FAA reauthorization bill providing Alaska a four-year extension from the national EPA requirement to transition off of standard leaded aviation fuel, recognizing a state as reliant on older aircraft as Alaska could not feasibly implement this mandate in that timeframe. Even with this extension, this transition will be extremely difficult and expensive. The Chair and Ranking Member of the Commerce Committee—Democrat Maria Cantwell and Republican Ted Cruz—both supported this exemption. But, without any data supporting the move, the EPW Committee Democratic staff slashed Alaska’s four-year implementation extension in half. Doing the bidding of far-left environmental groups, national Democrats are targeting Alaska and endangering the lives of Alaskans. What about the safety of rural Alaskans? It is shameful.”
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski and other women senators, mainly Democrat, introduced legislation that adds money to research into menopause and mid-life women’s health.
The Advancing Menopause and Mid-Life Women’s Health Act, authorized at $275 million over five years, or $55 million per year, would expand federal research on menopause, health care workforce training, awareness and education efforts, and public health promotion and prevention to better address menopause and mid-life women’s health issues.
Sponsors and cosponsors besides Murkowski include: Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ).
“Menopause is a reality in every woman’s life – yet it is astonishing how little research has been done to address the multitude of symptoms and treatments,” said Sen. Murkowski. “This bipartisan legislation I’m leading alongside Senator Murray, with support from countless advocates in Alaska and around the country, is an important step towards closing the gap in research for women’s health. It is past time for us to extend our research focus to be inclusive of women across the full spectrum of life.”
“Women should not have to face menopause alone, nor should we accept a status quo that treats menopause—which half the population will experience—as something to be swept under the rug. Menopause is a key part of women’s health that deserves serious attention and investment,” said Sen. Murray. “This bill will help empower the federal government, the public, and health care providers to better understand women’s mid-life health issues and improve every woman’s experience of menopause—this really matters.”
The bill has the support of Halle Berry, an actress and former beauty pageant contestant.
“By advocating for my own health and wellbeing during menopause, I am not only standing up for myself but for all women,” said Berry. “Because, if we are fortunate enough to live this long, we will all experience this phase of life. Today is a call to action for each and every one of us to stand together and demand the care and attention that we so vitally deserve.”
The Advancing Menopause and Mid-Life Women’s Health Act would:
Expand federal research on menopause and mid-life women’s health:
Authorize $25 million per year over five fiscal years for NIH to award grants to support biomedical, public health, clinical, and translational research and innovation related to menopause and mid-life women’s health.
Establish new Research, Condition, and Disease Categorization (RCDC) categories for chronic or debilitating conditions among women related to menopause and mid-life women’s health.
Strengthen coordination within the NIH and across HHS to expand federal research into menopause and mid-life women’s health and prevent adverse health outcomes among women experiencing menopause and postmenopausal syndrome.
Support translational research activities to speed the translation of federal research to support health care delivery of perimenopause and menopause care and related women’s health services.
Require HHS to expand public health research, health care quality research, data collection and reporting, and occupational health research related to menopause and mid-life women’s health.
Support public health promotion activities to address chronic conditions affecting mid-life women’s health, strengthen early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of menopausal symptoms; improve health care delivery; and support the development of recommendations and best practices to expand access to mental and behavioral health care services for women experiencing perimenopause or menopausal symptoms. Authorized at $10 million per year over five fiscal years.
Establish a national public health awareness, education, and outreach program on menopause and mid-life women’s health. Authorized at $10 million per year over five fiscal years.
Improve professional training resources for health care providers on menopause and mid-life women’s health through a new grant program. Authorized at $10 million per year over five fiscal years.
Direct the designation of Centers of Excellence in Menopause and Mid-Life Women’s Health, and authorize grants to support the improvement of professional training resources for health care providers on menopause and mid-life women’s health.
Require HHS to report to Congress on federal research activities related to menopause and mid-life women’s health, related barriers to care for patients in rural and underserved areas; barriers to training for health care providers, and recommendations to expand access to care and increase public awareness.
Support coordination between HHS and other federal departments and agencies—including the VA and DoD—related to menopausal symptoms, mid-life women’s health, again, and public health promotion activities.
A one-page explanation of the act is at this link.
A high-ranking official with the New York Police Department said protesters had weapons including knives and hammers as well as pamphlets with “Death to America!” written on them.
Michael Kemper, a NYPD’s chief of transit, posted photos Friday of what police confiscated from the protesters.
“For those romanticizing the protests occurring on college campuses, ‘Death to America!’ is one sentiment that runs counter to what we believe in, what we stand for, and what many have fought for on behalf of this country,” Kemper stated on X. “And if you think the words written on this piece of paper are disturbing … you should hear the vile, disgusting, hateful, & threatening words coming out of the mouths of far too many of these so called ‘peaceful protestors.’”
Kemper posted a video of a pamphlet that stated, “Death to Israeli Real Estate” and “Death to America!” The pamphlet also stated, “DISRUPT/RECLAIM/DESTROY Zionist business interests everywhere!”
NYPD Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry posted on X photos of items he said the police confiscated from protesters who took over Hamilton Hall at Columbia University. The photo showed gas masks, ear plugs, helmets, goggles, tape, hammers, knives, ropes, and a book on terrorism. The book is by Charles Townshend, Professor of International History at Keele University in England. It was published in 2011 and is 161 pages.
“These are not the tools of students protesting, these are the tools of agitators, of people who were working on something nefarious,” Daughtry said on X. “Thankfully, your NYPD was able to prevent whatever they were planning and stop them before they could do it.”
Kemper asked who was organizing the protests.
“However, as we have been stating for the past 2 weeks, there is an underlying radical indoctrination of some of these students. Vulnerable and young people being influenced by professional agitators. Who is funding and leading this movement?” Kemper asked on X.
Kemper also posted a letter from The New School requesting the NYPD’s assistance in removing protesters from their campus on Friday.
“The actions and continuing escalation of these individuals are a substantial disruption of the educational environment and regular operations of the university,” the letter stated.
The New School is a university in New York City. It closed all academic building on Friday and classes were moved to online. The college said classes on campus would resume Saturday. Fox News reported that 56 protesters were arrested at The New School and New York University.
The Alaska Superior Court judge who killed state funding for correspondence classes said on Thursday he will only pause his ruling from going into effect until June 30. The Dunleavy Administration had asked for it to be stayed, or set aside, until an appeal is heard at the Supreme Court.
Judge Adolf Zeman ruled in favor of the education industry, and against the governor in his initial decision and in this second decision, determining when his ruling will be in effect.
The state law that allows parents to enroll their students in correspondence or home school programs was struck down by Zeman, who said that the laws governing these programs are unconstitutional.
Over 24,000 students and at about 48,000 parents of Alaska students are impacted by the judge’s decision, which favored the the National Education Association-Alaska, and a cluster of parents who were litigants in the case who are hostile to homeschool and correspondence students.
In denying the extended stay, Zeman said that the Dunleavy Administration was not likely to win on its appeal.
“Accordingly, this Court finds that a limited stay is the best solution to ensure that students, families, and school districts are protected from undue disruption and all parties are protected from unnecessary uncertainty and related harms. A limited stay until the end of the fiscal year will ensure that any correspondence allotments that were taken in reliance on AS 14.03.300-310, will be honored, while minimizing the potential for continued unfettered unconstitutional spending,” Zeman wrote.
Zeman faces a retention vote later this year and will be the subject of a public hearing on May 8 to help the Alaska Judicial Council determine his worthiness to continue serving Alaskans as a Superior Court judge.
The revised operating budget passed by the Anchorage Assembly earlier this week has blown through the tax cap, an action that makes the budget illegal because it violates the charter. This is a first time in Anchorage history that an Assembly has broken the law on the tax cap in 45 years since the tax cap was enacted by voters.
But Mayor Dave Bronson on Thursday offered an olive branch to the Assembly dominated by hostile leftists, saying he is willing to help bring the budget back into a legal framework. It is $605,147 over the tax cap due to a math error by the Assembly, he said in a statement.
During the budget meeting earlier this week, Assemblywoman Meg Zaletel commented that the budget was $500 under the tax cap. She was wrong.
“While it’s unfortunate the Assembly made this error, we will work with them to fix it,” said Mayor Bronson. “Anchorage residents expect us to work together to solve problems, and we will do that. Budgets must be legal, adhere to fiscal policies, and protect taxpayers.”
The issue started when multiple amendments were assessed incorrectly, leading to a misunderstanding that the budget was within legal limits.
In contrast, the budget proposed by Mayor Bronson was designed to be $682,873 under the tax cap, reflecting his understanding of the financial limits and the current economic challenges faced by taxpayers, including continued inflation, his office said.
A special meeting has been scheduled for Friday, May 3, when the Assembly will have to correct the budget.
“Mayor Bronson remains committed to working closely with the Assembly to improve the budget process and maintain Anchorage’s fiscal integrity,” his office said.
The Eaglexit Education Committee will introduce a groundbreaking charter school district proposal at an upcoming public forum meeting on May 7 at 7 p.m. This proposed model places students at the center, with an emphasis on a rich and dynamic educational experience for each child.
The public forum, to take place at the Chugiak Senior Center in Chugiak, will give residents insight into what the education system of a new borough could be, if Eagle River and Chugiak detach from the Municipality of Anchorage and form their own home rule borough.
At the core of the proposal is a commitment to adhering to the principle of “money follows the student.” This innovative approach empowers families with the autonomy to select the educational environment best suited to their child’s unique needs, thereby directing resources to where they are most essential.
Ric Smith, Chair of the Education Committee, explained, “We firmly believe that every child deserves access to a high-quality education that empowers them to reach their full potential. Our proposed new charter school district places students and families at the heart of the educational journey.”
In addition to financial autonomy, the Eaglexit Education Committee is dedicated to fostering meaningful parental involvement in the educational process, the group said. Through a collaborative hiring process, educators and staff will be selected in consultation with parents, ensuring a team that is not only highly qualified but also deeply invested in the success and well-being of their students.
The forthcoming public forum will provide an opportunity for both education professionals and community members to engage directly with the Education Committee, posing questions and offering feedback on the proposed model.
“We invite all members of the community to join us at the town hall and contribute to this exciting new chapter in education,” urged the Eaglexit Board and Education Committee.
For further information, please contact Ric Smith, Chair of the Chugach Regional Borough Education Committee at [email protected].
About Eaglexit: Eaglexit and its Education Committee are at the forefront of educational innovation in Alaska. Committed to reshaping the educational landscape through creativity, collaboration, and cutting-edge solutions, Eaglexit and its members empower educators, engage families, and inspire communities to unlock the full potential of every child.
Today Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner James Cockrell released the following statement regarding the proposed issuance of State of Alaska Special Commissions to the Chickaloon Tribal Police Department:
“After receiving hundreds of comments from across the Matanuska Susitna Valley, I have decided to not move forward with issuing special commissions to the Chickaloon Tribal Police Department. My team and I received a significant amount of feedback from community members which demonstrated continued community consultation and relationship building is needed before special commissions can be considered. Without public trust, policing in any community would be nearly impossible. DPS will continue to work with tribes across the state to improve public safety outcomes for Alaska’s first people.”
This decision does not impact any of the inherent criminal justice authority held by tribal governments or currently delegated to tribal governments by the federal government.
The matter is highly controversial in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, where some members of the Chickaloon area want tribal police to have expanded powers, while others object to it.
Under the terms of the memorandum of understanding between DPS and select members of the Chickaloon Police Department, officers would have been authorized to address State of Alaska Title 11 misdemeanor crimes, misconduct involving controlled substances, and sex trafficking offenses. However, the enforcement would be limited in scope, with no authority granted for traffic enforcement, traffic stops, or vehicle pursuits on the Glenn Highway.
The decision to grant a special commission has sparked debate within the community, particularly regarding the implications for tribal sovereignty and jurisdiction.
Watch proceedings from a community town hall meeting about the proposal that took place in 2022:
