Algerian man Imane Khelif has beat Italyโs 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 Womenโs 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. Iโm 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.
Theย B-3ย 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.
โI 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,โ Walensky said. The nation has “reason for hope. But right now, Iโm scared.โ
โPlease, this is not politics โ reinstate the mandate,โ President Joe Biden said. โThe failure to take this virus seriously is precisely what got us into this mess in the first place.โ
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. Weโll 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 NFIBโs previous similar survey, which was conducted on March 20.
The NFIB on Friday stated, โThe severity of the outbreak and regulatory measures that cities and states are taking to control it are having a devastating impact on small businesses.โ
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.
โPrice gouging is simply unacceptable,โ said Clarkson. โThe Department of Law is fully committed to taking action against those who would engage in unscrupulous behavior to profit off of COVID-19.โ
According to the complaint, Aune purchased respirators from several Alaska stores, including Loweโs, Home Depot, and Spenard Builderโs Supply. On one trip to Loweโs, Aune purchased the storeโs entire supply of 3M N95 Respirators โ a total of 293 20-packs. According to the complaint, Aune told a Loweโs employee that he was โflippingโ 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 Lawโs 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 โcertain Individual Ready Reserve members,โ 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 dayโs 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 โ 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 harmโs 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 possibleโincluding 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 publicโs 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 Alaskaโs 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:
โข Community Health Nursing: 343-4799 โข Aging and Disability Resource Center: 343-7770 โข Women, Infants and Children: 343-4668 โข Child Care Licensing: 343-4758 โข Environmental Health (Food and Air): 343-4200 โข Community Safety and Development: 343-4822 โข 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 Driverโs 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. โ 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 lifeโ situations, minor patients (โค18 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. โAs 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,โ 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
Recently, conservative activist Scott Presler shared that the South Dakota Republican Party’s Resolutions Committee approved a resolution to censure South Dakota U.S. Senator and Senate Majority Leader John Thune. Although the full South Dakota Republican Party voted to reject the resolution, the fact that it was introduced, debated, and advanced demonstrates something important: the South Dakota Republican Party is willing to publicly examine the conduct of its own United States Senator and determine whether he should be held accountable to the principles and expectations of Republican voters.
The failure of the resolution to pass is beside the point. The important principle is that South Dakota Republicans were willing to have the conversation. They did not eliminate the process. They did not shy away from the issue. They recognized that political parties have both the authority and the responsibility to hold their own elected Republicans accountable when members believe they have departed from the Party’s principles or the will of Republican voters.
That is exactly what political parties are supposed to do. Unfortunately, Alaska Republicans chose a very different path.
At the Alaska Republican Party’s May 2026 State Central Committee meeting, delegates reelected Party Chair Carmela Warfield while simultaneously voting to remove language from Article VII of the Alaska Republican Party Rules that allowed the Party to censure a sitting United States Senator.
Instead of preserving accountability, we dismantled it. Instead of ensuring every Republican officeholder remained answerable to the Party’s principles, we voluntarily surrendered one of the few formal mechanisms available to do so. For many conservatives, that decision was not simply disappointingโ it was deeply revealing.
For years, grassroots Republicans have expressed concerns about Senator Lisa Murkowski’s voting record and what they view as repeated departures from Republican priorities. Rather than preserving the Party’s ability to address those concerns through its own rules, our delegates chose to eliminate that authority altogether.
The contrast could not be clearer. The South Dakota Republican Party is willing to debate whether its own senator should be censured. The Alaska Republican Party voted to ensure it could not do the same with its own senator.
That sends a powerful message. Not to Senator Murkowski. To Republican voters.
It tells them that accountability depends on the office someone holds rather than the principles they uphold. These are the very reasons so many conservative voters in Alaska have lost faith in the Alaska Republican Party.
Unfortunately, this was not an isolated failure.
Earlier this year, there was little organized effort to recruit strong conservative challengers against the seven Republican legislators who chose to caucus with Democrats. Now, after weakening our own rules, the message is even clearer: Alaska’s Republican establishment appears more comfortable avoiding difficult fights than leading them.
Political parties exist to elect conservatives, defend conservative principles, and hold Republicans accountable when they fail to uphold those principles. When a party loses the willโ or the abilityโ to do that, it begins losing the confidence of the very people it exists to represent.
That is exactly what I believe is happening today.
The comparison is impossible to ignore. One state Republican Party actively considered whether to censure its own U.S. Senator. The Alaska Republican Party chose to remove its ability to do the same.
That difference speaks volumes.
Zack Gottshall is a retired U.S. Army Intelligence Officer, former Commissioner of the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights, Vice President of the Taku/Campbell Community Council, and a small business owner in Anchorage, Alaska.
On July 10, 2026, Governor Mike Dunleavy announced the State of Alaska has received the final federal approval needed for the King Cove Road, marking a major milestone in the decades-long effort to provide year-round access between the communities of King Cove and Cold Bay.
The project had been delayed for decades due to climate activists opposing the road despite its public safety benefits to Alaskans living in King Cove. King Coveโ remote Unangaxฬ community in southwest Alaskaโ is separated from the all-weather Cold Bay airport by 18 miles of rugged terrain and the federally protected Izembek National Wildlife Refuge. For decades, hazardous weather has made air and sea travel unreliable, resulting in over 217 medical evacuations since 2013, many requiring dangerous U.S. Coast Guard rescues.
The road will be a single-lane, 13-foot-wide gravel road that will enable King Cove residents to safely reach the Cold Bay airport.
โThis is a historic day for the people of King Cove and the people of Alaska,โย said Governor Dunleavy.ย โI want to thank President Trump and his administration for putting the people of Alaska first and allowing this road to become a reality.โ
In October 2025, the Department of Interior signed a land exchange with the King Cove Corporation, providing 490 acres for a transportation corridor passing through Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in exchange for 1,739 acres of high-conservation value land.
Earlier this week, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, the Alaska State Historic Preservation Officer, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, the Agdaagux Tribe of King Cove, and the King Cove Corporation signed a programmatic agreement pertaining to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
Today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced it has issued the Clean Water Act Section 404 permit to the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. The State will immediately begin mobilizing equipment and supplies and expects to begin road construction in 30 days.
โThe King Cove Road is about safety,โย said Ryan Anderson, Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.ย โThis project will improve transportation for the community while also creating local jobs and workforce development opportunities for the people of King Cove. DOT&PF is proud to work with our community, Tribal, and federal partners to deliver this long-needed project.โ
The King Cove Road has long been one of Alaskaโs most significant transportation and public safety priorities. Numerous medical evacuations have been delayed or cancelled over the years because weather conditions made marine crossings or flights to and from King Cove unsafe. The new road will provide dependable ground transportation to the Cold Bay Airport, home to one of the longest all-weather runways in the region and a critical transportation hub for Southwest Alaska.
Press release provided by the Office of the Governor.
By Dr. George B. Hightower, M.D., 2026 Candidate for Lt. Governor
My father wasย stationed at Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks in 1950.ย
Little didย anyoneย know that 76 years later his son would be a candidate for Lieutenant Governorย ofย the State of Alaska.ย Maybe itย wasย propheticย thatย Alaskaย the state and my sister Lornaย were born on the same day: January 3, 1959.ย ย Though Lorna has never lived here, she has always claimed Alaskaย as โher state.โย
My 12-year career in the US Navy began as an answer to one burning question: How was I to pay for medical school?
In the mid 1980โs, the US military offered a merit-basedย scholarshipย called the Health Profession Scholarship Program (HPSP).ย Each year, 200 scholarships were awardedย nationwideย eachย by the Army, Airย force,ย and Navy toย meritoriousย medical students.ย The competition is fierce. Medical school applications to the then 32ย nationally recognizedย Medical Doctor (MD) programs numbered in the thousands per school.ย ย ย My medicalย school, The George Washington University School of Medicine, (GWU), receivedย over 7,000 applicationsย forย theย 150 seats inย eachย class.ย I was blessed toย beย oneย of theย selectedย forย fullย 4-year scholarshipย andย received my first commission asย aย Navyย Ensignย inย the summer of 1985ย atย NAV MED inย Washington D.C.ย ย
Upon graduation,ย in 1989,ย I spent my first postdoctoral year at the Navy Medical Center in San Diegoย completing aย โTransitional Internship.โย Theย transitional internship required that I rotate through every major department in the hospital.ย Little did I know the Navy was preparing me forย far moreย responsibility.ย
After the internship,ย in June of 1990,ย I wasย immediatelyย assigned to the USS Cleveland LPD-7 andย put in charge ofย theย medical care of 1,000 sailorsย andย marinesย as weย preparedย to deployย to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Desert Storm.ย As you might expect,ย beingย housed onboardย shipย with a large contingent of sailors and marinesย for 6 months,ย thenย sailingย halfway around the world into a war zone,ย was an experience like no other.ย Here are a few stories.
Once,ย weย sailedย up the west coast of India intoย a sea state of 5.ย Sea states tell the condition of theย oceanย surfaceย at a givenย period of time; 0 being calm to 7 beingย veryย highย waves.ย At a sea state of 5, the waves areย aboutย 12 feet high.ย Theย ride wasย so rough, everyone except those on watch were confined to quarters.ย Why?ย Because the ship rocked so much, it was easierย at timesย to walk on the bulkhead (walls) than on the deck (floor).ย
A quick interjectionโฆ. We need more stories! Are you a veteran or active-duty service member? Please share your story and keep the series going! Know someone with a story? Encourage them to share!
Once, again while travelling up the coast of India in the Arabian Sea, a large beast of some type swam up beneath our ship and just before coming to the surface submerged.ย This may not seem like much unless you understand that our ship, the USS Cleveland,ย wasย 532 feet long and over 30 feet from the water line to the deck.ย Whatever this thing was, it wasย almost asย big as our ship!!!ย
Of course there areย the medicalย emergencies that shaped my career. Once a young sailor came to sick bay complaining of difficulty breathing.ย After listening to his lungs, I realized he had diminishedย breathย sounds on one side.ย I ordered aย chestย x-ray.ย Hisย study revealedย a collapsed lung.ย In the US, paramedicsย would have beenย calledย and the patient transported to the nearest emergency room.ย But onboard a large Navy ship inย the middle ofย theย congestedย Hong Kong harbor,ย I had toย flag downย the nearestย fishing dingy and,ย through interpreters,ย explain theย emergentย need forย immediateย hospitalization to reinflate the lung.ย Afterย muchย improvisation, the sailor made it to the hospital, receivedย treatment,ย and wasย returned toย fullย duty.ย ย ย A month later,ย we were portedย in Muskat, Oman.ย Thisย sameย sailor wentย with shipmatesย on liberty to explore nearby mountains. There, again,ย hisย lungย collapsed.ย Onboardย shipย we receivedย aย franticย radioย callย for help.ย Butย atย that time,ย Muskat hadย no ambulance service.ย And this sailor was two hours away by car.ย So,ย I and one of myย corpsmenย piled ourย life-sustainingย medical gear into a taxi and droveย for what seemed likeย foreverย alongย narrowย dirt roads, highย into theย mountains,ย searching for this sailorย whose life was in danger.ย ย ย
I wasย concerned becauseย often a chest tube has to be surgically placed in order to reinflate theย lung.ย To performย this procedure outside in the dust andย dirt isย begging for infection and further injury.ย Not to mention the difficulty inย maintainingย the tube during theย bumpyย ride down the mountainย in the back seat of a taxi!ย I knew, only ifย hisย oxygenย levelย could beย maintainedย high enough to sustainย lifeย aย chest tube was theย only alternative.ย ย ย ย ย
We finallyย foundย himย sprawledย on theย dirtย floorย ofย anย old, weatherbeaten,ย makeshift hotel,ย with holes cut in the walls forย windows.ย He wasย barelyย hanging onย to life.ย Upon our arrival, he said: โThe only thing that keptย me alive was that I knewย you wouldย come.โย ย ย
Iย immediatelyย putย himย on 100%ย oxygen with aย full-faceย mask.ย Sinceย Iย had a pulse oximeter, which is a deviceย thatย measures the blood’s oxygen saturation, we were able to keep him above 90% O2 saturationย withoutย aย chest tube.ย Immediately,ย heย was able to breathe comfortably. Weย monitoredย himย during the driveย to the hospitalย where he underwentย surgery, did well,ย and eventually returned to full duty.ย ย ย
The military isย a great placeย for young people toย discoverย themselves.ย I was given tremendous responsibilityย very earlyย in my career.ย The military teaches the mental and physical disciplineย requiredย to properly steward responsibility.ย Leadership and responsibility are two sides of the same coin.ย Myย militaryย careerย increasedย myย ability to shoulderย increasingย responsibility.ย Sir Issac Newton said it best, “If I have seen further, it is only because I was standing on the shoulders of giants.โย ย
To be, or not to beโฆ โgood?โ That is the question. Is being a โgoodโ person enough to get you into Heaven?
We hear people call other people good all the time. Usually because they have done some deed that merits their being called good. But are they right in calling them โgood?”
At a conference I attended, the very question of calling someone good came up, and this was the question that was asked: was Robin Hood a good man? Pretty much everyone said โyes,โ Robin Hood was a good guy. The reasons were all the same: he stole back what the rich had taken from the poor. He was held in high esteem by those who received their ill-gotten goods from him. but does this make him a โgoodโ person?
It is the same in todayโs world, you hear of people giving money to this charity or that organization to help provide some basic necessities for others to survive, and we hear them being called โgoodโ all the time. The reason this is an incorrect moniker is because what they are doing by calling them good is misplacing all the glory that rightly belongs to God for He is the giver of all things. We are the stewardโs entrusted with the gifts He has given.
When we lived in Florida, I had the privilege of meeting a man whom I truly believed to be homeless. He was working diligently in the garden at the church. His cloths were tattered and dirty. When I asked the priest if the โhomelessโ guy was working for food, he replied โwhat homeless guy?โ I pointed him out and he laughed at me. He said, โYou donโt know who he is do you?โ It was obvious I did not. He told me his name and said, โthat man, he has more money than the Rockefellers.โ Mind blowing moment for me.
Over the course of time, I got to know this man, and one day he told the reason he does what he does.
At a young age, he had made some very good business investments and promised God that if he continued to bless him in his endeavors, he would always do right by it. He knew God had blessed him and he needed to be responsible with what the Lord had provided. He also knew, that if he did not honor God through this gift, He could easily take it away. It was his love for God, and for His glory, not his own, that motivated him to help, not only monetarily, but by the sweat of his own brow as well.
โA Christian should always remember that the value of his good works is not based on their number and excellence, but the love of God which prompts him to do such things,” stated St. John of the Cross.
Letโs go to the Holy Scriptures and see what Jesus has to say. In Markโs Gospel, a rich, young man comes up to Jesus and asked, โGood teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?โ At first, his question is answered with a question โWhy do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. In this statement, Jesus is revealing himself as the One. He goes onโฆ you know the Commandments, listing them one by one.
The young man replies that he has followed them since his youth. Then Jesus delivers the line that will immediately change the young manโs heart. He says, โYou lack one thing; go, sell everything you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.โ Needless to say, the young man went away sorrowful; for he had many possessions.
What does it prophet a man to gain the whole world, and lose his soul? (Mark 8:36)
The young man had attached himself to the things of this world (his many possessions) and to him they were more important than acknowledging and honoring God through them.
โThere are two ways to get enough. One is to continue to accumulate more, the other is to desire less,” writes G.K. Chesterton.
What a missed opportunity! He had, for a split second, treasure in heaven, and he lost it in the same amount of time. He turned his back in disbelief and walked away. Jesus turns to His Apostles and says, โIt is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.โ
It does not matter how little or how much you have, the question is โAre you willing and able to give it all up if Jesus asks you to?”
St. Francis of Assisi reminds us: โRemember that when you leave this earth, you can take nothing that you have received, but only what you have given; a full heart, enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice, and courage.โ
Live your life worthy of HIS Sacrifice + God bless you + Deacon Dez
This article was originally published in “Seward’s Folly,” the author’s personal Substack, June 30, 2026.
NGOs have gotten involved in politics here in Alaska, and most voters do not understand what they are or how they try to influence you. I had personal contact with one last week when a representative of an Anchorage NGO visited me at my home. The woman was attacking Senator Dan Sullivan, and after the visit, I was wondering how it was legal for a non-profit to be politically active, so I dug a little deeper. Here is what I found.
First, you have to understand what a Non-Governmental Organization is and the rules that govern them to determine if they are doing something that might be improper.
NGOs go back to the original creation of the income tax in the Revenue Acts of 1913 and 1916. In addition to establishing the income tax for working Americans, those acts exempted certain organizations from paying tax by created two types of NGOs: 501(c)(3) charities, which focus on religious, charitable, scientific, or educational purposes, and 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations focusing on serving the broader community, such as chambers of commerce or business leagues. Most churches are organized as (c)(3)s; the American Red Cross is an example of a typical (c)(4).
The big difference between the two types of NGO is that donations to (c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible, but (c)(3)s are not supposed to get involved in political activity. Donations to (c)(4) organizations are not tax-deductible, but (c)(4) organizations are permitted to engage in limited political activity, as long as that is not their primary purpose. The IRS has never defined what โprimary purposeโ means, and since there are big financial advantages to operating with tax-exempt status, many political organizations push the limits of legality in an attempt to skirt campaign finance laws.
Besides operating tax-free, another big financial advantage is that, unlike Political Action Committees or individual political campaigns, which make monthly reports of the names and addresses of their donors to the FEC, 501(c)(4)s do not have to report who their donors are to the FEC or IRS. A (c)(4) NGO only files IRS Form 990 once a year, and it contains no such disclosure requirement. This creates the dark money funding path. One example is as follows;
A Wealthy donor gives money to -> NGO #1, which is a c3 charity.
NGO #1 donates money to -> NGO #2, which is a c4 political organization.
NGO #2 discloses NGO #1 as its donor on their annual 990 report to the IRS.
NGO #2 makes political actions aligned with the wealthy donor who remains anonymous, circumventing campaign laws, and getting a tax write-off for doing so.
In the example shown above, the IRS Form 990 for NGO #2 would not show the wealthy donor who was the source of their funding. This allows influential people or organizations to use 501(c)(4)s to funnel large sums of money anonymously to fund political objectives they favor. This lack of clarity is why the money spent by NGOs is called dark money; it is literally untraceable.
You might be wondering what the money trail is for the political activist who visited my front door last week. When asked, she told me that she works for the 907 Initiative, located in Anchorage, which is a 501(c)(4) organization that supports left-wing politics in Alaska. You can visit their website here.
The 907 Initiative reports on its IRS 990 Form that its most recent funding comes from grants provided by the three other NGOs. Those NGOs are as follows;
The Tides Foundation, which is a 501(c)(3) pass-through organization that funds other non-profit NGOs. The Tides Foundation is understood to receive its funding from George Soros.
NEO Philanthropy, which is also a 501(c)(3) pass-through organization that funds local groups favorable to left-wing causes. It also receives funding from George Soros, along with left-of-center organizations like the MacArthur Foundation, the Gill Foundation, the Pew Trusts, and the Carnegie Corporation.
The Western Futures Fund โย is aย 501(c)(4) and is also a pass-through organization that funds left-of-center groups.ย They receive their funding from Arabella Advisors Network, which is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss, Warren Buffett, and, of course, George Soros again.
So, the bottom line to all of this is that when I was visited by the young political activist last week, she wasnโt just some friendly liberal from my local community. She was a paid political operative who was the tip of the spear in a huge lobbying organization funded by very wealthy individuals living outside Alaska. Some are not even citizens of this country. These individuals do not have our best interests at heart. They are attempting to steal an election for Democrat Mary Peltola, and by doing so, advance left-wing politics back in Washington DC. Meaning Mary Peltola is the beneficiary of a despicable left-wing political machine trying to corrupt politics in Alaska.
The 907 Initiative is skirting legality under current law by supporting the Peltola campaign, and is certainly operating in an unethical manner. Donโt be fooled if they arrive at your door and attempt to sway you while pushing the political agenda of left-wing ideologues like George Soros.
Greg Sarber is a lifelong Alaskan. He is a petroleum engineer who spent his career working on Alaskaโs North Slope. Now retired, he lives with his family in Homer, Alaska. Greg is a former board member of Alaska Gold Communications, Inc., the publisher of Must Read Alaska.
The Haines Borough has filed a Superior Court appeal challenging its own Board of Equalizationโs unanimous decision to grant a religious property tax exemption to St. Michaelโs and All Angels Episcopal Church.
The dispute centers on a 6.59-acre parcel at 1 Mile Haines Highway. The borough assessor had revoked the long-standing exemption, but the citizen Board of Equalization unanimously reinstated it after a public hearing. Rather than accept the BOE’s decision, the Haines Borough is now suing its own citizen board.
Early court filings show the Borough has already submitted its Notice of Appeal, responded to objections, and filed a motion to waive the cost bond. Procedural activity is moving quickly.
Stay tuned: Briefing deadlines are expected in the coming weeks, with a Superior Court decision likely later this summer or fall. Full details and ongoing coverage are available only to All-In subscribers receiving the Must Read News and Opinions newsletter. Get it all for only $24 dollars for a limited time only!
Although protecting children online is an important public policy goal, expanding government- or company-controlled age verification systems should not come at the expense of privacy, anonymity, and civil liberties. Measures intended to improve online safety deserve careful consideration, but they should not create systems that collect sensitive personal information, increase surveillance, or weaken constitutional protections for free expression and privacy.
A bill recently introduced in Congress, H.R. 7757, commonly referred to by supporters through names including the Kids Internet Digital Safety Act (KIDS Act), the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), or the Parents Decide Act, has raised concerns among privacy advocates because of its potential implications for online age verification. Like any federal legislation, the bill must move through the committee process before receiving consideration by the full Senate. Supporters argue that such legislation is intended to protect minors online, while critics contend that it could establish new mechanisms for collecting personal information and monitoring internet users.
Justice Louis Brandeis described privacy as “the right to be let alone,” a principle that many privacy advocates argue remains relevant in the digital age. Online age verification systems often require individuals to upload government-issued identification or submit facial scans or selfies to verify their age before accessing websites, applications, or online services. Unlike showing identification to a store clerk when purchasing alcohol, digital verification often involves transmitting personal information to third-party servers where it may be stored, processed, or retained. The privacy risks associated with centralized databases of sensitive personal information have become a major point of debate.
Civil liberties organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation, have expressed concerns about these systems, arguing that mandatory age verification can undermine anonymous speech and expose users to unnecessary privacy risks.
Privacy advocates also argue that online anonymity serves important purposes beyond convenience. Journalists, whistleblowers, researchers, political dissidents, domestic violence survivors, and ordinary citizens often rely on anonymous access to information without fear of government monitoring or corporate profiling. Critics argue that mandatory digital identification could make anonymous participation on the internet significantly more difficult.
Another concern involves data security. Collecting copies of identification documents or biometric information creates valuable targets for cybercriminals. History has demonstrated that even large corporations and government agencies are vulnerable to data breaches. If age verification databases were compromised, individuals could face identity theft, fraud, or other forms of misuse involving highly sensitive personal information.
Many critics also question whether mandatory online identification is the only effective way to protect children. Parents already have access to a wide range of parental control tools, including device-level restrictions, family account settings, and DNS filtering services such as CleanBrowsing and OpenDNS FamilyShield. These technologies allow parents to limit access to adult or violent content without requiring every internet user to surrender personal identifying information.
The debate over age verification intensified following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton. The Court upheld a Texas law requiring age verification for certain online content, with the majority concluding that such requirements could be constitutionally permissible. Privacy advocates disagree with that conclusion, arguing that digital age verification differs fundamentally from briefly presenting identification during an in-person purchase because online systems may involve creating permanent digital records that can be stored or analyzed.
The broader concern extends beyond a single bill or court decision. Privacy advocates argue that expanding digital identity requirements could gradually normalize greater surveillance by both governments and private companies. They fear that information collected for age verification today could eventually be used for advertising, profiling, or other purposes unrelated to child safety. As George Orwell famously wrote in 1984, “Big Brother is watching you”โ a phrase that continues to symbolize concerns about expanding surveillance in modern society.
This debate should not be viewed as a partisan issue. Privacy, transparency, freedom of expression, and public trust affect Americans regardless of political affiliation. Protecting children online is a worthy objective, but policymakers should pursue solutions that preserve both safety and fundamental civil liberties. Laws designed to safeguard minors should not unnecessarily erode privacy or create permanent systems for tracking the online activities of law-abiding citizens.
For these reasons, Alaskans concerned about digital privacy should carefully examine legislation involving online age verification and encourage their U.S. senators to support approaches that protect children without sacrificing anonymity, free expression, and the privacy rights of all Americans.
Learn about the Parents Over Platforms Act, co-sponsored by Senator Dan Sullivan, that seeks to protect kids from predatory tech while also protecting privacy rights:
Wyatt Young Nelson has lived in both Nome and Anchorage, graduated from Bartlett High School, and attended the ACE/ACT program.ย He was named after the famous Wyatt Earp and his middle name Young is from his grandfather the late Congressman Don Young. He has been involved in both the 2024 and 2026 efforts to repeal ranked-choice voting.
In a culture chasing novelty and quick spiritual fixes, many men are left restless, confused, and spiritually vulnerable. Temptation has become the front line of battle โ and most donโt even realize theyโre already in it.
On this episode of the Must Read Alaska Podcast, we sit down with Kyle Clement, co-founder of Liber Christo and a leading trainer in Catholic deliverance ministry. For over 20 years, Kyle has worked alongside Fr. Chad Ripperger to develop the Liber Christo four-phase protocol โ a clear, objective, and authentically Catholic system for addressing suspected diabolical affliction with discipline, diagnostics, and the sacraments at the center.
Kyle breaks down the practical framework of Prevent, Diagnose, Cleanse, and Fortify and shows men how to:
Spot the โopen doorsโ โ victimhood, resentment toward God, curiosity without obedience, and rationalized sin
Close those doors through confession, renunciation, daily discipline, and obedience to Church authority
Build lasting resilience with virtue training that balances prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance on the foundation of faith, hope, and charity
Lead as Catholic men today โ with purity as power, clarity under pressure, and the courage to reject โcowardice masquerading as prudenceโ
Kyle also shares what it truly means to be a Catholic man in todayโs Church and culture, and why returning to Christ as Truth โ through prayer, fasting, sacraments, and authority โ is the only path to real freedom and strength.
Special note: Kyle Clement will be in Alaska in early August 2026 with a flexible schedule to speak statewide on โPreparing Your Soul for Spiritual Combatโ and โWhat It Means to Be a Catholic Man Today.โ Watch for event details and bring a friend.
Whether youโre Catholic, Protestant, or simply a man ready to fight for your soul and family, this episode delivers concrete steps you can start using today.
Take the 30-day challenge:
Daily Rosary
Weekly fasting
Weekly confession (as needed)
Nightly examination of conscience
Focused virtue training (rotate the cardinal virtues)
In a first-of-its-kind legal battle that has pitted Alaskaโs State Board of Education against the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, the proposed Pearl Creek STEAM Charter School has become a high-stakes test of a previously untested Alaska statute that mandates local school districts operate charters if the State School Board approves that charter on appeal.
After the Fairbanks School Board denied Pearl Creek’s application to open, the school appealed to the State Board of Educationโ a process provided by Alaska law for charters who feel their application was unjustly denied. After extensive review, the State Board overturned the district’s decision and granted Pearl Creek permission to open. According to AS 14.03.250, “A local school board that denied an application for a charter school approved by the state board on appeal shall operate the charter school.” However, the Fairbanks school board is still refusing to open the school.
The sequence of local district says “no,” but State says, “yes” to a charter school application has never happened in Alaska history. However, existing statute provides clear guidance for this exact situation. The Pearl Creek case tests those existing statutes in real time for the first time.
The Facts
In 2025, a group of parents and educators, organized as the Pearl Creek STEAM Academic Policy Committee (APC), applied to reopen the closed Pearl Creek Elementary School as a kindergarten-through-sixth-grade public charter focused on science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics, with outdoor and place-based learning elements. The building had been shuttered the previous year amid severe budget cuts and declining enrollment.
On Oct. 21, 2025, the Fairbanks North Star Borough School Board unanimously denied the application. In a detailed 52-page written decision, the board cited serious concerns: an incomplete facility plan, budget shortfalls that could cost the district millions annually, flawed admissions procedures, inadequate special education staffing, transportation gaps, and broader impacts that could force further school closures or larger class sizes in neighborhood schools.
The APC appealed. Alaska statute (AS 14.03.250) allows applicants whose applications are denied by a local board to appeal first to the Commissioner of Education and Early Development, and then to the State Board of Education. In January 2026, Commissioner Deena Bishop approved the application after reviewing the record. The State Board followed suit on April 29, 2026, issuing a 15-page decision that found the application compliant and ordered the district to proceed.
Here the path diverged sharply from the statuteโs expectations. Under AS 14.03.250(f), โA local school board that denied an application for a charter school approved by the state board on appeal shall operate the charter school as provided in AS 14.03.255 โ 14.03.290.โ The language is mandatory: โshall operate.โ
The Fairbanks district refused. It filed an administrative appeal in Superior Court (consolidated cases 4FA-26-01831CI and 4FA-26-01895CI) challenging the State Boardโs decision. It declined to sign a contract, post jobs, or take steps toward a fall 2026 opening. District leaders argued the state approval process was flawed, the costs unsustainable amid ongoing budget pressures, and that the district had a right to judicial review before committing irreversible resources.
The charter group responded with a civil lawsuit seeking a preliminary injunction to force the district to open the school. Superior Court Judge Kirk Schwalm denied that request on June 17, 2026, finding the charter group had not shown irreparable harm sufficient to justify immediate court-ordered opening while the merits of the appeal remained pending.
Acting Attorney General Cori Mills then filed an emergency petition with the Alaska Supreme Court on June 18, 2026, arguing the district was openly defying a clear statutory duty and that delay would kill the school for the coming year. The high court declined emergency review on June 23โ24.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Bishop sent a June 10 letter warning that state funds could be withheld or redirected if the district failed to operate the approved charter. The district replied sharply, rejecting the threat as unlawful and inconsistent with prior advice from the Attorney Generalโs office that DEED lacked direct enforcement power.
As of mid-July 2026, Pearl Creek is highly unlikely to open this fall. The Superior Court merits decision is expected around October. The charter group continues planning, and the Borough Assembly has taken steps toward a lease of the Pearl Creek building, but the core legal standoff remains unresolved.
The Analysis: Rule of Law vs. Local Reality
The Pearl Creek fight is more than a local school dispute. It is the first known instance in which the State Board has fully overridden a local denial of a new charter and then faced open resistance to the โshall operateโ mandate. Education leaders have described it as unprecedented. Lisa Parady, executive director of the Alaska Council of School Administrators, stated in May 2026 regarding Pearl Creek: โIt is my understanding that itโs the first time the state board has imposed a charter school on a district.โ
The statuteโs design is clear. Local boards get the first look because they understand community needs, budgets, and facilities. But the appeal process exists precisely to prevent local boards from permanently blocking parent-driven options for budgetary or competitive reasons. Once the State Board exercises its independent judgment and approves, the local board is supposed to implement. Why write a detailed appeal process into law if districts can simply ignore the final step when it is triggered โ even if such triggers are rare?
District supporters counter that โshall operateโ assumes a clean, well-supported state decision. They argue Fairbanks faces real fiscal constraints after closing schools, that the application had material deficiencies the state underplayed, and that forcing a multi-million-dollar new program without a court ruling on the legality of the approval risks chaos for all students. Local control, they say, is not just tradition but practical necessity: elected boards, not distant appointees, live with the budget and enrollment consequences.
The state and charter advocates see it differently. They point to the plain text of the law, the funding power the state holds over districts, and the risk that rare cases become never-enforced cases, rendering the parental-choice backstop toothless. โHe who has the gold makes the rulesโ is real in Alaskaโs heavily state-funded education system, and Commissioner Bishopโs funding ultimatum was a direct exercise of that leverage.
Original Primary Documents
Readers can review the key records themselves:
Fairbanks School Board Denial Decision (Nov. 2025, 52 pages): BoardDocs PDF
Alaska Supreme Court Denial of Emergency Petition: DocumentCloud
Additional application materials, earlier appeals, and financial analyses: Pearl Creek STEAM website
Governing statute AS 14.03.250 (full text): Justia
The Pearl Creek case forces Alaska to confront a basic question the Legislature left for the courts and politics to answer: When the rare statutory trigger fires, does the system actually work as written? The answer will shape not only one Fairbanks school but the practical balance between local control and statewide school choice for years to come.
