Algerian man Imane Khelif has beat Italy’s Angela Carini in a welterweight round of Olympic women’s boxing and will advance. It took just 46 seconds for Carini, of Naples, Italy, to give up the match after taking a couple of heavy blows to her head.
The International Olympics Committee has decided to allow men who have X and Y chromosomes to box women. On Friday, a male boxer from Taiwan will be pitted against a woman from Uzbekistan. Yu-Ting will box in the Women’s 57kg division on Aug. 2, 9:30 a.m. Eastern time. His opponent is Sitora Turdibekova, a woman.
After the less-than-a-minute match, Carini was clearly traumatized, and was seen crying in the boxing ring.
Khelif will fight again on Saturday against an as-of-yet undetermined opponent.
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
By Shelley Hughes, 2026 Republican Candidate for Governor
In Alaska, the grand jury was never meant to be only a charging body for criminal cases.
It was designed to be something more: a citizen-led check on government itself. A body that could investigate agencies, raise concerns about public welfare and safety, and report findings to the people. The framers made clear the grand jury’s power to investigate and make recommendations must never be suspended.
At a time when decisions about the Territory were made far away, our framers and residents believed government should answer to the people— not the other way around. Alaskans still believe this. One of the strongest tools the framers gave us to ensure accountability was the grand jury.
But something has happened.
If Alaskans attempt to use the tool today to raise concerns about agencies and seek accountability, they encounter a process that is slow, complex, and difficult to navigate, a pathway that is unclear, hard to access, or that could even be blocked.
The Harvard Journal article’s conclusion was direct.
The authors found under our Constitution that the executive branch does not have authority to act as a gatekeeper by screening or filtering citizen petitions before they reach a grand jury. They also concluded courts do not have authority to withhold, seal, or suppress grand jury reports addressing matters of public concern. According to the article, both practices, one at the beginning of the process and one at the end, conflict with the Constitution because they interrupt the connection the framers intended between the people and the grand jury.
Alaska Supreme Court Order 1993, crafted with assistance from the Department of Law, added structure to how concerns reach a grand jury, but the result was a filtered process controlled by government with a built-in conflict of interest difficult to circumvent. SCO 1993 interferes with the people’s connection to the grand jury and its power to investigate at the beginning of the process.
Another key issue is transparency. This relates to the people’s connection as well but refers to the grand jury’s power to issue recommendations at the end of the process.
Yes, when issuing reports to the public, there’s a real need to protect individual rights and due process. But when a grand jury examines government conduct, the public has the right to know the outcome and what the grand jury’s recommendations are to solve a problem if there is one, and the grand jury has the right and the power to issue those recommendations. With appropriate safeguards like redacting names where necessary, it is possible to balance accountability and fairness and to protect individual rights.
We must make sure our systems are aligned with the Constitution and working as effectively as possible for the people they serve.
As governor, I will take that responsibility seriously.
First, I will ensure a transparent review of Supreme Court Order 1993. To comply with the Constitution, I will work to remove the executive branch, along with the related conflict of interest, from the grand jury process– if that change is not enacted as part of the effort currently underway in the Judiciary branch to address grand jury issues.
Second, I will bring together a broad group of Constitutional scholars, former grand jurors, legal experts, and citizens with firsthand experience to help guide reforms and collaborate with the Judiciary Branch with the goal that Article 1, Section 8 will function as our framers intended. From larger concepts of Constitutionality (such as releasing withheld reports) to smaller details (such as requiring enough alternate jurors so the grand jury consists of at least twelve members at all times), we will work without reserve to uphold the grand jury clause.
Third, I will use the governor’s platform to reaffirm the importance of an independent grand jury as a meaningful avenue for citizen oversight. I will speak directly to this in my inaugural address, underscoring that my administration will respect and defend the people’s role in holding government accountable.
This is ultimately about trust.
Alaskans need to know that when concerns arise, there is a clear and accessible path to be heard and that the system can respond in a fair and transparent way.
Success will look like this: an Alaska where citizens can raise legitimate concerns with confidence, and where the grand jury system functions as a true bridge between the people and their government.
This is not about politics. It is about the government answering to the people; it is about a government of, for, and by the people. It is about trust. It is about honoring our Constitution and strengthening the connection between Alaskans and the institutions that serve them.
The grand jury belongs to the people. It is time we ensure it works that way.
This op-ed was voluntarily submitted by the Alaskans for Hughes campaign and not solicited by Must Read Alaska. All candidates running for elected office are welcome and encouraged to submit articles for publication. Must Read Alaska unequivocally supports the election of a conservative candidate to the Office of Governor but does not endorse a particular candidate.
By Josh Church, 2026 Candidate for Lieutenant Governor
Saving for your children’s education can feel overwhelming. College costs are high, the future is uncertain, and many families are already balancing mortgages, groceries, and everything else that comes with raising kids.
But sometimes the first step is much easier than people think.
I recently set up Alaska 529 college savings plans for my three children. What surprised me most was how simple the process was. While I was applying for the Permanent Fund Dividend, I simply selected the option to start the process. Weeks later I received an email to complete the setup.
In about thirty minutes I had all three accounts open, our bank account linked, recurring contributions set up in addition to the PFD deposits, and the investment allocations selected. What felt like it might be a complicated financial task turned out to be straightforward and accessible.
The Alaska 529 plan exists to help families save for education in a tax advantaged way. Investments grow tax deferred, and when the money is used for qualified education expenses the withdrawals are generally tax free at the federal level. Those expenses can include tuition, books, fees, and in many cases housing and meal plans.
The flexibility of these plans has also expanded in recent years. Funds can be used not only at universities but also at trade schools and vocational programs across the country. Education today does not always follow one path, and savings tools should reflect that reality.
For my children, I chose an all-equity investment allocation. They are many years away from needing the funds, so the priority today is long term growth. As they get closer to college age, I will go in and change the allocation to something more conservative to help protect the savings that have built up over time.
For families who would rather not adjust the investments themselves, many 529 plans offer target date portfolios that automatically become more conservative as a child gets closer to college age. That allows the account to adjust over time without the parent needing to make regular changes.
Another major improvement to 529 plans came with recent federal legislation. Under the new rules, unused 529 funds can now be rolled into a Roth IRA for the child, subject to certain limits. That means the money does not go to waste if a child receives scholarships, chooses a different path, or simply does not use all of the funds for education.
The current lifetime rollover limit is $35,000. If a young adult rolled that amount into a Roth IRA around age 23 and simply left it invested until age 65 without adding another dollar, it could grow to nearly $2 million in a tax-free retirement account assuming long term market returns similar to historical averages.
In other words, the money could help launch a career through education or help launch a lifetime of retirement savings.
In many ways this type of long-term planning reflects a lesson Alaskans already understand well. Decades ago, Alaska set aside a portion of its oil revenue to create the Alaska Permanent Fund. What began as saving a small portion of resource wealth has grown into one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world and is now a primary source of the state’s unrestricted revenue.
Families can apply the same principle on a smaller scale. By setting aside a small amount consistently over time, parents can help provide for their children’s education and potentially give them a head start on retirement savings.
Like any investment account, a 529 plan does not guarantee returns and investments can fluctuate. But time is powerful. Small, consistent contributions made over many years can grow into something meaningful.
The biggest obstacle for many families is simply getting started.
My experience was a reminder that planning for the future does not always require complicated strategies or large upfront commitments. Sometimes it begins with simply checking a box while applying for the Permanent Fund Dividend and taking a few minutes later to finish the setup.
For families across Alaska who are thinking about how to prepare for their children’s future, the Alaska 529 plan is a practical place to begin.
Josh Church is a Fairbanks resident, a financial adviser rep, and a candidate for Lieutenant Governor, running alongside Candidate for Governor Dave Bronson.
This op-ed was voluntarily submitted by Joshua Church and not solicited by Must Read Alaska. All candidates running for elected office are welcome and encouraged to submit articles for publication. Must Read Alaska unequivocally supports the election of a conservative candidate to the Office of Governor but does not endorse a particular candidate.
On Tuesday, April 7, 2026, CNBC reported on an Easter email containing the Gospel message sent by U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. According to the article, some self-proclaimed “Christians” were deeply offended by Rollins’ email.
Rollins email read: “Happy Easter — He is Risen indeed. From the foot of the Cross on Good Friday to the stone rolled away from the now empty tomb, sin has been destroyed. Jesus has been raised from the dead. And God has granted each of us victory and new life. And where there is life — risen life — there is hope.”
Attached to the email was an image of the empty tomb with the words “Christ is Risen” written above the image.
CNBC spoke with a staffer who claims to be a Christian but says the email “alienated” them and is “offensive.”
Other self-proclaimed Christians commented on Reddit that the email is “blasphemous,” “contrasting with Jesus’s message,” and “disgraceful.”
In response to CNBC’s inquiry, a USDA spokesperson stated: ““The Secretary is within her rights to send a message to employees and the public on the Easter holiday. Just like Secretaries of Agriculture and Presidents have in the past.”
The media’s coverage of these paradoxical responses to Rollins’ email showcases the extreme level of Biblical ignorance among self-proclaimed Christians in America, especially those in the political arena.
Nothing in Rollins’ email contradicts Christian theology. It is, in fact, a simple proclamation of the Good News. Jesus Christ is risen. He died on a cross, rose from the grave, and sin and death have been vanquished. All who believe in His name will receive new hearts and eternal life. This is the Christian’s hope and joy.
In Matthew 15:16, Jesus says, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
Nowhere does the Bible say to keep the Good News to yourself lest you offend your coworker.
In Matthew 10:11-12, Jesus tells his disciples, ““Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
The prophets in the Old Testament were reviled by many because they openly proclaimed the Word of the Lord. Nowhere does the Bible condemn a person for speaking the Word of God.
In fact, Jesus encourages Christians to share our faith openly and proudly. In the same sermon in Matthew 5, Jesus says, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
The Psalms are riddled with encouragement to proclaim God’s goodness. Psalm 5:11 says, “But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them shout for joy forever. May You shelter them, and may those who love Your name boast about You.”
Psalm 9:12: “I will rejoice and boast about You; I will sing about Your name, Most High.”
Psalm 34:2: “I will boast in the Lord; the humble will hear and be glad.”
In Jeremiah 9:12, God tells His people to boast in His character: “But the one who boasts should boast in this, that he understands and knows Me— that I am Yahweh, showing faithful love, justice, and righteousness on the earth, for I delight in these things. This is the Lord’s declaration.”
A boast cannot be quiet. It would no longer fit the definition of “boast.”
A Christian cannot be offended by the proclaiming of the Gospel. That is like trying to stamp out a fire while hoping that same fire will warm you in the night. If the Christian hope is real, then it must be shared, so others may share in the hope we have.
As Peter proclaims: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
On Monday, April 6, 2026, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche (WMSL-751) seized approximately 5.4 metric tons of Pollock roe, worth about $65,000, from Northern Eagle, which is owned and operated by American Seafoods. The seizure took place near Dutch Harbor, AK.
The press release from the U.S. Coast Guard claims Northern Eagle underreported its catch, a major violation of federal fishing regulations. The seizure “was initiated based on reasonable suspicion of a significant Living Marine Resources (LMR) violation, following a pre-boarding audit by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement (OLE), which revealed major discrepancies between the vessel’s production reports and electronic logbook.”
An investigation confirmed that the vessel reported less catch in its logbook than the vessel’s reported production weight. The investigation also found evidence of a previous violation indicating the underreporting and offload of approximately 12.4 metric tons of pollock roe, valued at an approximately $150,000.
The seizure of the unreported product was authorized by Rear Admiral Bob Little, the Coast Guard Arctic District commander. The seized pollock roe is now secured in a cold storage facility at Dutch Harbor.
The next day, April 7, American Seafoods published a response denying any violation of fishing regulations. American Seafoods posits that the Coast Guard inaccurately alleged that Northern Eagle underreported its catch. Instead, “the seizure of 241 cases of frozen pollock roe, out of a total of more than 72,000 total cases of product, is based on differences between daily production estimates and final production reports, which have, unfortunately, been mischaracterized as a regulatory violation.
American Seafoods claims, “The discrepancy at the center of this issue exists because the regulatory agency has inaccurately applied an antiquated equation for determining estimated production totals… It is an issue with the method used to calculate daily production estimates.”
“We strongly reject any narrative that portrays a discrepancy in daily estimated production as an intentional breach of conservation measures that protect our fishery,” said Inge Andreassen, President of American Seafoods.
Waesche Captain Tyson Scofield commented: “The integrity of fisheries data is paramount for the sustainability of our nation’s living marine resources. This seizure highlights the Coast Guard’s commitment to enforcing federal law with our partner agencies to ensure a level playing field for all fishermen who follow the rules. I am extremely proud of the Waesche crew’s dedication and perseverance to complete this multi-day operation.”
The Coast Guard intends to work with NOAA Fisheries OLE to further investigate the issue and potentially pursue prosecution.
In yesterday’s General Election, Anchorage voters decided on two School Board seats. According to the unofficial election results, Seat C went to Rachel Blakeslee and Seat D went to Paul McDonough.
Blakeslee won against Alexander Rosales with 54.38% of the vote. She was a former educator in Texas and Colorado before moving to Alaska. Her priorities include environmental justice, equity and inclusion in education, and growing and retaining a diverse teaching workforce.
Rachel Blakeslee received endorsements from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 959, Anchorage Education Association, Alaska Public Employees Association (APEA), Alaska Center for Climate and Choice (ACLC), Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates – Alaska; and from individuals including Les Gara, Anchorage School Board Members Margo Bellamy, Kelly Lessens, and Andy Holleman, School Board President Carl Jacobs, School Board Member Pat Higgins, Senate Majority Leader Cathy Giessel, State Representative Zack Fields, Anchorage Assembly Member Zac Johnson, Anchorage Parent Jessica Noble, Anchorage Parents Ellen and Leon Jaimes, and Parent and former high school teacher Megan McBride.
McDonough won against Sharon Gibbons and Dustin Darden with 46.87% of the vote. He formerly taught in the Anchorage School District. His priorities include ending the teacher retention crisis, advocating for more state funding for education, advancing whole-student learning, and seeking equity solutions for Anchorage’s diverse community. Learn more about Paul McDonough here:Paul McDonogh for Anchorage School Board.
Paul McDonogh received endorsements from organizations including the Anchorage Central Labor Council, AFSCME Retirees Alaska Chapter 52, Anchorage Education Association (AEA), Teamsters Local 959, Alaska Public Employees Association, LiUNA! Public Employee 71, Laborers’ Local 341, Alaska State Employees Association PAC, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates – Alaska, and The Alaska Center; and from individuals including State Senators Forrest Dunbar, Elvi Gray‑Jackson, and Bill Wielechowski, State House Representative Carolyn Hall, Anchorage Assembly Chair Chris Constant, Anchorage Assembly Members Anna Brawley and George Martinez, Anchorage School Board Vice President Margo Bellamy, School Board Members Pat Higgins, Andy Holleman, and Kelly Lessens, School Board Candidate Rachel Blakeslee, former ASD Superintendent Carol Comeau, Midtown Assembly Candidate Janice Park, North Anchorage Assembly Candidate Sydney Scout, Meda DeWitt, M.A., Th., and Nyché Andrew, Service High School Graduate (Class of 2021).
The Municipality of Anchorage held its General Election yesterday, April 7, 2026. Despite conservatives’ efforts to flip the Assembly and position Anchorage right-of-center, the unofficial results show only two conservative candidates won their races: Donald Handeland (District 2, Seat C) and Dave Donley (District 4, Seat G). District 1, Seat B was taken by Syndey Scout; District 3, Seat E by Anna Brawley; District 5, Seat I by George Martinez; and District 6, Seat K by Zac Johnson.
District 1, Seat B: Syndey Scout
Syndey Scout won with 54.15% of the vote. Her priorities include reliable services, safe neighborhoods, responsible budget leadership, housing and homeless, and strong public schools. She states on her campaign site: “Our city is at its best when people can afford to live here, feel heard in their government, and trust how decisions are made. I believe local government should put people first by supporting union jobs, expanding workforce opportunities, and maintaining the infrastructure we all rely on, while also embracing smart innovation that strengthens our neighborhoods and our economy. Every budget decision should ease the pressure on working families and invest in good jobs, reliable services, and a city that works for everyone.”
Scout received endorsements from State Senators Forrest Dunbar, Elvi Gray-Jackson, and Bill Wielechowski; State Representatives Ted Eischeid, Andrew Gray, Zack Fields, and Genevieve Mina; Anchorage Assembly Members Anna Brawley, Erin Baldwin Day, Felix Rivera, Yarrow Silvers, and Daniel Volland; Anchorage School Board leaders Carl Jacobs (President), Margo Bellamy (Vice President), and members Kelly Lessens and candidate Paul McDonogh; as well as Jim Nordlund (Chugach Electric Director and former State House Representative), Cliff Groh (former State House Representative), Bea Freeman (Shiloh Baptist Missionary Church), Qunmiġu Kacey Hopson (Campaign Chair), and Francisco Mercado (Mountain View community leader).
District 2, Seat C: Donald Handeland
Donald Handeland won with 53.32% of the vote. His priorities include tax fairness, public safety, homelessness and housing, property tax assessment cap, fiscal responsibility, local control, and local school representation. Handeland’s campaign emphasized clear comparison points between Handeland and his opponent, Kyle Walker. Differences include opposition to new taxes, a track record of strong community involvement, compliance with campaign laws, and support from locals.
Handeland received endorsements from Anchorage Assembly Members Scott Myers and Jared Goecker; State Representatives Jamie Allard, David Nelson, Dan Saddler, and Julie Coulombe; former officials including Craig Campbell (Lt. Governor), Dave Bronson (Anchorage Mayor), Mead Treadwell (Lt. Governor), and Treg Taylor (Attorney General); Alaska Republican Party leaders and district officials; local community leaders from Eagle River and Birchwood; and various business and civic leaders, along with the Alaska Republican Party and affiliated organizations.
District 3, Seat E: Anna Brawley
Anna Brawley won reelection with 54.62% of the vote. Her priorities include expanding the housing market, increasing public safety, passing a balanced budget, supporting local business and economic opportunity, addressing homelessness, getting capital improvements done, and having more fun.
Brawley received endorsements from the Anchorage Central Labor Council, Teamsters Local 959, Public Employees Local 71, Alaska AFSCME Retiree Chapter 52, Anchorage Firefighters Union IAFF 1264, Laborers’ Local 341, Alaska Public Employees’ Association, ASEA/AFSCME Local 52, Anchorage Education Association, Building & Construction Trades Council of Southcentral Alaska, IUOE Local 302, Anchorage Democrats, Western States Regional Council of Carpenters, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades Alaska Local 1959, Plumbers and Steamfitters Union Local 367, The Alaska Center, and Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates.
District 4, Seat G: Dave Donley
Dave Donley won with 47.03% of the vote. His priorities include safer neighborhoods, better schools, and smarter city services. He states on his campaign site: “Midtown Anchorage, I need your vote to restore common sense to City Hall.”
Donley received endorsements from several labor organizations, including LIUNA Local 71, Teamsters Local 959, and Laborers’ Local 341, as well as by elected officials such as Congressman Nick Begich; former State Representatives Alyce Hanley, Sharon Jackson, and Stanley Wright; former State Senators Randy Phillips and Fred Dyson; former Mayors Rick Mystrom and George Wuerch; and by community and professional leaders including Brandon CalcatERRA, President of Laborers Local 341; Tom McGrath, Anchorage businessman; Steve Nerland, college classmate; Jackie and Terry Gorlick, long‑time Anchorage neighbors; Al Tamagni, former Midtown Community Council President; Leigh Sloan, Chair of the Alaska School Choice Fund; Suzanne McCarthy, Director of the Alaska Laborers Training School; Tammy Duff, former Principal of Northern Lights ABC School; Bob Baer, Realtor; and George Bernardi, lifelong Anchorage resident.
District 5, Seat I: George Martinez
George Martinez won reelection with 55.69% of the vote. His campaign emphasized his first term accomplishments on the Assembly in areas such as housing, development, neighborhood renewal, public transit and mobility infrastructure, public safety, crisis response, behavioral health, economic development and strategic planning, food security and local economy, cultural investment, workforce, and government reform.
Martinez does not list endorsements on his campaign site.
District 6, Seat K: Zac Johnson
Zac Johnson won reelection with 47% of the vote. His priorities include housing affordability, homelessness, public safety, fire safety, business, infrastructure, recreation, and education.
Zac Johnson received endorsements from South Anchorage Business Owner Bob Redlinger; State Senator Cathy Giessel; Retired Firefighter Richard Parry; Retired ASD Teacher Frank A. Shaffer; State Representative Calvin Schrage; South Anchorage Business Owner Lee Ellis; Civil Rights Investigator Marie Husa; South Anchorage Business Leader H. Ky Holland; and from organizations including the Alaska Carpenters Union, Anchorage Central Labor Council, AFSCME Local 52, International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 959, the Employee Political Information Committee (EPIC), and the Anchorage Education Association.
Among the 12 propositions on the Municipality of Anchorage’s General Election ballot, props 1 and 9 drew the most public attention. Prop 1 asked for voter approval of $79,460,000 in general obligation bonds to pay for capital improvements for the Anchorage School District. Prop 2 asked for voter approval of a special tax levy to provide funding for the Anchorage School District’s operational costs.
According to the unofficial results, the majority voted “no” on both proposals by a slim margin. Prop 1 received only 123 more “no” votes than “yes” votes, causing a 49%/ 51% split. Prop 2 was also quite close with 378 more “no” votes than “yes” votes, also resulting in a 49%/51% split.
Mayor LaFrance had postponed her 3% sales tax proposal to get her special tax levy for ASD through the Assembly, claiming that funding for the municipality’s public school is of the upmost importance.
The election results reveal the issue of public school funding remains a polarizing issue for Anchorage voters. However, the majority of voters have decided to say “no more” to what many perceive as wasteful spending habits by the Anchorage School District.
On April 3, 2026, Fort Wainwright Soldier David Andres Mayoral was sentenced to 32 years of prison and lifetime supervision following release for the crimes of producing and possessesing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Mayoral was arrested on March 13, 2025, and indicted by a federal grand jury on March 20, 2025. He pleaded guilty as charged on August 15, 2025.
The investigation began on September 11, 2024, when the Fort Eustis Resident Unit of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (Army CID) received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that five images of alleged CSAM were uploaded to Discord. Fort Eustis Army CID confirmed the images were CSAM and law enforcement issued search warrants for Mayoral’s residence in October 2024.
Approximately 4,200 items of CSAM were found on Mayoral’s Discord account and electronic devices. The material included explicit images and videos of children as well as computer generated/ AI images of child sexual abuse. Some images depicted the violent rape of children.
Mayoral had numerous conversations with adults and minors across several social media platforms regarding CSAM, rape, sexual activities, violence, and self-mutilation. Evidence shows Mayoral attempting to locate information to kidnap victims.
The Court charged Mayoral with three counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He pleaded guilty to all four charges. After his 32-year prison sentence, Mayoral is required to spend the rest of his life on supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska commented on the case: “Mr. Mayoral hid behind the perceived anonymity of the internet and exploited children for his own sick desires. He was unable to hide from the dedicated law enforcement that ultimately uncovered his perversions. He will now spend over three decades behind bars.”
Acting Special Agent in Charge Brandon Waddle of the FBI Anchorage Field Office stated, “Mayoral’s predatory crimes against children, both online and offline, were depraved and an affront to our society. Protecting our children is one of the highest callings in law enforcement. I commend the outstanding work by members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in their commitment to holding child predators accountable and seeking justice for victims.”
Special Agent in Charge Michele Starostka of the Army CID, Western Field Office also provided comment: “Mayoral betrayed the Army’s core values by preying upon and exploiting our most precious and vulnerable. This sentencing is a result of Army CID’s relentless commitment to protecting our communities from child predators.”
Well, it’s what we lecturers call “Shroud Season” again. There are men and women, amateurs like myself, professional touring caravans, authors and Biblical scholars with PhDs, giving talks throughout the U.S. and the world, on the greatest and most important relic in human history. They are interviewed on Tucker Carlson, podcasts of various formats and professional documentaries. They are not all Catholics, which is a fact of utmost importance. They are increasingly evangelicals, mainline Protestant scholars and even Mormons. They possess their own life-sized replicas. Wherever we go, audiences are floored. Speechless. Amazed. Grateful. Renewed.
Even before a power point and accompanying talk, people want to take pictures and stare at it. Many cannot make out the features until they get a little help, and then, like one of those “Seeing-Eye” paintings, the brain unscrambles the visual noise, and a succession of gasps are heard in the venue.
Last week I brought along a trusted companion and for five days we went from Whittier, to Valdez, then Glennallen, Palmer and finally to Anchorage. In all, about 250 people of all denominations saw and heard about the Shroud and its increasingly famous companion cloth, the Sudarium of Oviedo. I’m not done, either. I will be at a Baptist venue in Kenai on Monday and St. Benedict’s parish in Anchorage on Thursday. You can call my radio show between 3-5 pm any weekday and ask questions and give comments, 907-283-5811.
This vastly important relic is taking the American culture by storm, and I would suggest that a YouTube search with the key words “Dr. Jeremiah Johnston Shroud” will conjure for you any number of his fine interviews. He is a Biblical researcher of highest reputation and impeccable credentials. Above all, he is a rollicking, humorous and joyous man, cracking playful jokes, especially when discussing his former days as a dedicated Shroud skeptic.
And speaking of skeptics, they have retreated into the intellectual attic, or like Johnston, are making a 180 degree confession of their ignorance and former blindness. The Carbon-14 dating of 1988, seemingly the “final word” of the Shroud being a medieval fraud, is now viewed as one of the greatest and most embarrassing mistakes in scientific history, matching the Piltdown Man hoax as something to be hopefully ignored or forgotten.
The discipline of history alone shoots down the C-14 error. There is art history, numismatic (coins) history and various extant letters that prove the Shroud is much older than the 1390-1260 result, widely published and easily found online.
New dating techniques, unheard of even a decade ago, also posit the Shroud as 2,000 years old. Check out WAXS: Wide Angle X-Ray Scattering. They used a controlled sample of an unmistakenly authentic Masada cloth, reliably dated to 70 AD. With a tiny thread from the Shroud, the WAXS placed it as 2,000 years old as well.
And it is science, not theologians or Church apologists, who tell us that the mysterious body image of the Shroud cannot be replicated. The best explanations from earlier efforts are long gone. It certainly is not a painting, and not a hypothetical “vapor graph”, of which there is no known example in science. Nor is it a scorch, manufactured by heating a life-sized brass statue.
The best explanation now is that it was some sort of nano-second flash of thermonuclear energy, largely outside of today’s known laws of physics. Among the sophisticated physicists from around the world, whose lectures I attended last summer in St. Louis, there is some disagreement, but only in minor details. Plasma? Lightning? Radioactivity? A nano-second or 1/40th of a nano-second? No matter.
Bob Rucker, a nuclear physicist, said it best: scientists necessarily work inside the boundaries of the known laws of nature. When they encounter the supernatural, they are necessarily speechless, and that is where hubris might come into play. Acknowledging the phenomenon called a “miracle” would require humility. Their great knowledge and pride in what they have accomplished inside of their discipline, often gets in the way.
But not always. I saw this in St. Louis. Many of these incredibly learned men have come to the position of a child once again, trusting a loving God of overwhelming and incomprehensible power.
And for those who don’t need the Shroud? Well, Dr. Johnston has quite a Zinger. OK, you don’t need the Shroud. But John did, when he wrote in chapter 20 of his Gospel, upon arriving at the tomb on Easter Morning, when “He saw and believed.”
Make your own Shroud pilgrimage through the miracle of science on the internet. Be humble, and then — think for yourself. For in the end, that is how we all come to Faith.
Bob Bird is former chair of the Alaskan Independence Party and the host of a talk show on KSRM radio, Kenai.
