May 6, 1929: Noyes Slough bridge on the Chena River was taken out by ice, as seen in photo below. The slough is named after Fred Noyes, who ran a sawmill nearby before the city incorporated. Here’s what it looked like:
Burn bans: Check the Division of Forestry map to find current burn bans and suspensions.
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May 6: The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District will discuss merging some schools in the district, in anticipation of state budget cuts. Kenai Peninsula Borough Administration Building, 148 N. Binkley St., Soldotna, 6 pm.
May-October: Alaska State Museum in Juneau brings in Alaska artist Ray Troll and paleontologist Kirk Johnson, director of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, who logged more than 10,000 miles in 250 days traveling the North American coast in search of fossils and the stories they tell. This exhibition focuses on their Alaska fossil adventures.
May 6: Palmer Drive Your Tractor to Work Day. Arriving at the Palmer Pavilion (or at Train Depot if rainy) about 8:30 am for an all-Alaska-grown breakfast.
May 7: Alaska Agriculture Day. In Palmer, the Division of Agriculture will host a Farm Animal Field Day at Birchtree Charter School from 3:30-5:30 pm. The event will include farm games and animal meet-and-greets, as well as the Happy Bison BBQ food truck. Happy bison? Ok, then…
May 7: Mat-Su Borough Assembly meeting. Assembly chambers, 6 pm.
May 7: Anchorage Assembly meeting, Loussac Library. Of note: Onsite marijuana; climate change action plan adoption, Information Memorandum No. AIM 59-2019, Public Safety Advisory Commission Resolution Requesting Assembly Address Behavioral Issues At People Mover Bus Stops.
May 8: Juneau Assembly Finance Committee. During a April 24 special meeting, the Assembly made a preliminary decision to fund the Juneau School District at $26.5 million, the maximum local contribution allowed by state law, or funding “to the cap.” Now that it’s set, it cannot be any lower at final adoption at the May 13 Regular Assembly Meeting at 7 pm in City Hall Chambers. The public has another opportunity to comment on the school district budget then. The minimum amount the state requires the City and Borough of Juneau to contribute to the school district is $14.5 million. The Assembly has decided to fund nearly twice that amount, and another $1.4 million “outside the cap” funding for food service, student transportation, community schools, high school activities, and middle school activities. The district has also requested $300,000 in outside the cap funding for the Kinder Ready program. The Finance Committee put that on its pending list.The Finance Committee is likely to start making decisions on its Pending List and Increased Funding Requests. It’s scheduled to take action on the Marine Passenger Fee Recommendations.