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Suzanne Downing Resignation

Todd M Lindley
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Suzanne Downing Resignation

Dear Readers,

Our Board of Directors is saddened to announce the sudden resignation of our esteemed editor, Suzanne Downing, as she embarks on a new journey.

Suzanne has been an integral part of our organization, bringing unmatched passion and dedication to her role. Her commitment to delivering insightful coverage of Alaska’s news and issues has profoundly shaped our publication and earned the trust of our readers.

We extend our deepest gratitude to Suzanne for her tireless efforts and the lasting impact she has made on our team and the community. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

As we wish Suzanne every success in her next chapter, we remain committed to prioritizing the high-quality, independent journalism that our readers rely on. The Board of Directors at Must Read Alaska is dedicated to promoting and protecting a free press and to delivering comprehensive reporting on issues that affect Alaska and our communities.

Looking ahead, watch for new content sections that will focus on rural issues, faith, and family, alongside the stories we have consistently covered. This refined focus is a direct response to feedback from our readers, ensuring that we cover stories that resonate with our audience. As we strive to enhance our service, we invite our readers to share their suggestions and feedback by reaching out to us at [email protected].

Must Read Alaska is committed to providing in-depth reporting on issues that impact Alaska and our communities. We appreciate your ongoing trust and support as we continue our dedication to excellence.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Todd Lindley, Vice President

Alaska Gold Communications, Inc., publisher of Must Read Alaska

Fairbanks City Council weighs limits on political signs

Suzanne Downing
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45
Fairbanks City Council weighs limits on political signs

The Fairbanks City Council will take up a controversial ordinance Monday night that would sharply restrict when residents can display political signs on their own property.

The proposal, sponsored by Council Member Sue Sprinkle, would confine “temporary signs” such as political campaign displays to a 90-day window, limiting them to June through November in most years. Signs outside of that period — including those for candidates or ballot items in a spring special election — would be prohibited under city law.

Sprinkle has argued that campaign signs left up too early or lingering too long after an election amount to “visual litter.” Under the ordinance, any sign violating the timeline would be deemed a public nuisance. Property owners would have 15 days after notice to remove the display, after which the city could remove it at the owner’s expense. The ordinance also specifies that the city would have sole discretion to either dispose of or store any removed signs.

The measure is a direct assault on free speech, pointing to a federal court ruling in ACLU of Alaska v. Alaska DOT, which struck down state restrictions on political signs as unconstitutional. If enacted, the Fairbanks ordinance could suppress political expression ahead of special elections like the one held in May 2024.

The council will consider the ordinance at its meeting on Monday, Sept. 8, at 6:30 pm at City Hall. Members of the public can testify in person, email comments to [email protected], or submit feedback through the city’s online contact form here.

Cutting edge case: Ninth Circuit to decide on California’s switchblade ban, Second Amendment

Suzanne Downing
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22
Cutting edge case: Ninth Circuit to decide on California’s switchblade ban, Second Amendment

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is considering whether California’s longstanding ban on switchblade knives violates the Second Amendment, in a case that could expand constitutional protections beyond firearms.

The lawsuit, Knife Rights, Inc. v. Bonta, challenges California Penal Code sections that prohibit the possession, sale, or transfer of automatic knives with blades two inches or longer.

The plaintiffs, including Knife Rights, Inc. and individual knife owners, argue that the restrictions are unconstitutional under the Supreme Court’s 2022 New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen decision.

The case was first filed in March 2023 in the US District Court for the Southern District of California. In August 2024, the district court ruled against the plaintiffs, holding that switchblades are not “arms” under the Second Amendment because they are not commonly used for self-defense and may be considered “dangerous and unusual.” The plaintiffs appealed, arguing the decision misapplied precedent.

In their 2025 brief before the Ninth Circuit, the plaintiffs contended that the district court wrongly imposed a self-defense requirement for Second Amendment protection and failed to recognize that switchblades function much like common folding knives. They also emphasized that switchblade bans originated in the 1950s, well outside the relevant constitutional framing period examined under Bruen.

The Ninth Circuit has now asked for amicus briefs to address two central questions: whether switchblades are “in common use” by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes, and whether they should be considered “dangerous and unusual.” Legal experts note that these standards, derived from the Supreme Court’s District of Columbia v. Heller ruling, have been pivotal in shaping modern Second Amendment jurisprudence.

The court has also appointed high-profile amici to provide opposing perspectives. Erin Murphy, an appellate attorney with experience in Bruen, has been asked to weigh in, while a lawyer affiliated with Everytown for Gun Safety will present arguments supporting California’s position banning switchblades.

The outcome of the case could clarify whether the Second Amendment extends to non-firearm weapons and determine how strictly states must adhere to the historical tradition test outlined in Bruen. The litigation is a potential precedent-setter for future challenges to state restrictions on knives and other arms.

Anchorage Assembly to consider 1% sales tax

Suzanne Downing
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71
Anchorage Assembly to consider 1% sales tax

The Anchorage Assembly will take up a controversial proposal Tuesday evening that would ask voters to approve a retail sales tax in the city.

Assemblyman George Martinez has introduced an ordinance that would place a 1% sales tax measure — cleverly dubbed “Penny for Progress” — on the April 7, 2026, municipal ballot. If passed by a simple majority of voters, the new tax could begin as soon as October 2027. Administering such a tax would be costly to the city but no fiscal analysis has been revealed.

The plan would dedicate tax revenues equally into three vague categories:

  • Infrastructure improvements such as roads, sidewalks, utilities, and snow removal systems.
  • Workforce housing development and preservation.
  • Behavioral and mental health facilities and crisis response programs.

Martinez says that Anchorage’s fiscal model is “structurally imbalanced” and unable to meet long-term capital needs without new revenue. His ordinance frames the 1% tax as a transparent, accountable “city-building strategy,” complete with oversight committees and a five-year review process.

But the proposal represents a camel’s nose under the tent. Anchorage does not have a sales tax, and once implemented, the rate will inevitably climb higher in future years. The measure would amend the city charter, making it easier for future assemblies to build upon this initial levy.

The Assembly has repeatedly delayed or rejected putting the measure on the ballot. A 3% sales tax known as Project Anchorage was considered for a special election on Sept. 2, but the Assembly voted 8-4 on March 18, to postpone the legislation indefinitely, effectively killing it. Earlier discussions included potentially placing it on the April 1, 2025, municipal election ballot as an advisory vote, but this was also postponed. 

The Assembly will take up Martinez’s ordinance during the Tuesday, Sept. 9 meeting, which starts at 5 pm at the Loussac Library Assembly Chambers. This item is subject to a public hearing, which will take place after 6 pm. Agenda at this link.

Anchorage town halls set to hear public comment on Assembly’s 3% sales tax proposal

Anchorage Assembly postpones 3% sales tax vote, but why pay for special election?

Anchorage Assembly to consider changing 3% sales tax vote to ‘advisory vote only’ in April

As Democrat leaders in Anchorage propose a sales tax, the city’s inflation rate is now sixth in nation

Camel’s nose under tent: New mayor and a new proposed sales tax for Anchorage

Anchorage Assembly to consider alcohol tax and sales taxes for April ballot

Anchorage mayor complains of peace summit costs, ignores the great economic windfall to businesses

No Kings, just pawns: New report links protest movement to extremist, socialist networks

Suzanne Downing
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31
No Kings, just pawns: New report links protest movement to extremist, socialist networks

A new investigation into the 50501 organization — one of the main forces behind the nationwide “No Kings” protests — has revealed extensive ties to extremist groups on the far left, sparking backlash and a quiet retreat by some former allies.

The report, published by the Oversight Project, analyzed social media connections of 42 organizers linked to 50501 chapters across the country. It found a dense network of affiliations with groups such as the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), Democratic Socialists of America, Antifa, and Students for Justice in Palestine. Several of these organizations have histories of supporting violent actions, aligning with authoritarian regimes, or spreading propaganda on behalf of foreign adversaries, including the Chinese Communist Party.

The Oversight Project concluded that, despite presenting themselves as a grassroots “pro-democracy” movement, 50501 organizers are deeply enmeshed with radical factions that explicitly reject American constitutional norms. The findings stand in stark contrast to mainstream media portrayals of “No Kings” rallies as ordinary expressions of civic engagement.

Among the troubling connections cited:

  • PSL celebrated the anniversary of China’s communist revolution and denied the Tiananmen Square massacre.
  • Students for Justice in Palestine praised Hamas’s October 2023 attacks on Israel as a “historic win.”
  • Antifa-aligned accounts promoted political violence and vandalism.
  • Code Pink and ANSWER Coalition were linked to CCP propaganda networks funded by millionaire Neville Singham, according to previous reporting by The New York Times.

The dataset further showed that 50501 organizers followed these radical groups more frequently than mainstream media outlets such as NPR, Reuters, or the Associated Press — and even more often than most Democratic politicians, with the exception of Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The revelations are beginning to reshape the perception of the movement. Some who initially supported 50501 for its anti-authoritarian messaging are now distancing themselves, concerned that the protests were serving as a cover for extremist ideology.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna had previously warned that the movement was “a ruse to push a communist and Marxist agenda.” The Oversight Project’s findings lend weight to that concern.

While legacy outlets like NPR have described 50501 as “grassroots-led” and “pro-Constitution,” news coverage has ignored the deeper network of affiliations. The contrast between glowing media accounts and the report’s detailed mapping of far-left ties has fueled suspicion that the movement is less about preserving democracy than about advancing a radical agenda under its banner.

The report concludes with a warning: “Despite public pronouncements about protecting democracy, the organizers of the ‘No Kings’ protests are aligned with anti-democratic groups who seek to impose a communist utopia in America.”

As awareness grows, more voices — including some on the left — appear to be reconsidering whether alignment with 50501 is worth the risk of being associated with extremist and foreign-aligned factions.

The next No Kings protest is scheduled for Oct. 18 in cities across America, including Alaska.

The report can be read here.

Former Alaska Airlines pilot pleads guilty after mushroom-fueled cockpit incident

Suzanne Downing
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14
Former Alaska Airlines pilot pleads guilty after mushroom-fueled cockpit incident

A former Alaska Airlines pilot who tried to disable the engines of a passenger flight in 2023 while under the lingering effects of psychedelic mushrooms pleaded guilty to various related charges, formally closing one of the most alarming air-safety incidents in recent memory.

Joseph Emerson, riding off-duty in the cockpit jump seat of a Horizon Air flight, attempted to cut the engines on a trip from Everett, Wash., to San Francisco. More than 80 passengers were aboard. The crew diverted to Portland for an emergency landing and Emerson was restrained by the flight crew.

Earlier he had pleaded not guilty, but on Friday, Emerson pleaded guilty to interfering with a flight crew and entered no contest pleas in Oregon state court to 83 counts of reckless endangerment and one count of endangering an aircraft.

Emerson had taken psilocybin mushrooms two days prior to the flight during a camping trip to mourn a friend’s death. He later reported experiencing hallucinations and said he believed he was in a dream state. He described the cockpit incident as an attempt to “wake up.” He had not slept for more than 40 hours.

Prosecutors noted that Emerson may have suffered from hallucinogen persisting perception disorder, a condition sometimes linked to psychedelic use.

Under his plea agreements, Emerson was sentenced to 50 days in jail, time he has already served. He will serve five years of probation, 664 hours of community service, and $60,569 in restitution, mostly payable to Alaska Air Group. Federal sentencing is set for Nov. 17, where he faces a maximum of 20 years but will likely see that reduced greatly.

The case comes at a time when citizens of Alaska are considering whether to legalize psychedelic mushrooms. A ballot initiative is currently gathering signatures that could put the question before voters. Emerson’s case may serve as a warning about the risks of hallucinogen use and its lingering effects. The ballot measure, as approved by the Attorney General and Lieutenant Governor, characterizes mushrooms as “natural medicine.”

Alaska Airlines says off-duty pilot not only tried cutting engine, he tried to pull emergency exit handle mid-flight

Former Attorney General asked for exemption from APOC financial disclosures in advance of entering race

Suzanne Downing
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44
Former Attorney General asked for exemption from APOC financial disclosures in advance of entering race

Former Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor, who recently stepped down and is expected to enter the 2026 race for governor, has asked the Alaska Public Offices Commission for an exemption in filing certain required financial disclosures.

Is Alaska’s attorney general stealth campaigning for governor? A look at his recent events raises questions

At issue is Taylor’s extensive rental property business; he and his wife own Inlet Towers in Anchorage. According to correspondence between Taylor, his wife Jodi, and APOC staff, the Taylors own 234 rental units, most of which had been previously managed by a third-party company. State law requires public officials to disclose all income over $1,000, including the names of tenants who pay that amount or more annually, the exact rental payments, and the name of the property manager if it is not the official or a family member.

Taylor, while still attorney general, submitted a request for an exemption on March 17, the deadline for annual disclosures, citing the cumbersome nature of manually entering hundreds of rental income records into APOC’s electronic filing system. He noted that while other sections of the disclosure form allow for file uploads, the rental income section does not. “My filing in regards to rental income would be extensive due to the number of tenants and the turnover among tenants and would take a significant amount of time to enter by hand,” Taylor wrote.

“My request for an exemption/waiver would be until the functionality for uploading a file for rental income is available as it is in other sections of the filing,” Taylor wrote. “I believe that APOC staff have expressed interest in adding the option to upload rental income as a file. I certify that all the facts stated in this exemption/waiver request are true. I will submit my 2024 public official filing to the best of my ability without the information which is the subject of this exemption/waiver request.”

The request, however, was set aside by staff during APOC’s busiest filing season and resurfaced in July after staff contacted the Taylors, who said that Jodi Taylor, Treg’s wife, manages the property.

APOC staff advised that while exemptions from electronic filing can be granted, the law does not allow exemption from disclosure itself.

“Additionally, I have been advised that your exemption request should have been submitted as a request for exemption from electronically filing under 2 AAC 50.816. While the request must still comport with provisions of 2 AAC 50.821, your request should have also included the information or statement that you are seeking exemption from reporting, in an alternative format,” wrote the paralegal staffer at APOC.

Officials asked Taylor to provide the rental income data in an alternative format, such as a spreadsheet, but as of late July, no such disclosure had been made. In its staff recommendation, APOC emphasized that disclosure is the core intent of Alaska’s ethics law, particularly for high-ranking officials like the attorney general.

“Exempting the electronic disclosure of a filer’s sources of income because the filer finds APOC’s filing system to be inconvenient places a burden upon the citizens who use these disclosures to ensure transparency,” the staff said in the documentation.

Still, the commission is expected to consider whether a limited exemption should be allowed at its Sept. 10 meeting, given the unusual volume of Taylor’s rental holdings and the lack of upload functionality in APOC’s system.

Taylor’s handling of the disclosure may draw scrutiny as he positions himself for a run for governor. Personal financial disclosures have discouraged many business people from running for office, and so some may ask why Taylor, as attorney general, should get an exemption on his Public Official Financial Disclosure. The documents related to this matter are at this link.

Breaking: Attorney General Treg Taylor exits Dunleavy Administration, eyes Governor’s Mansion

Reader poll: Who do Must Read Alaska readers think should run for governor?

LUSH cosmetics declares Anchorage store an ‘ICE-Free Zone — No Exceptions’

Suzanne Downing
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50
LUSH cosmetics declares Anchorage store an ‘ICE-Free Zone — No Exceptions’

The cosmetics chain LUSH, known for its bath bombs and “activist” branding, is making waves again, this time in Anchorage’s 5th Ave. Mall. A sign posted at its storefront declares: “ICE Free Zone. We believe in freedom of movement of all people across the world — no exceptions.”

No exceptions, as in criminal cartels coming and going as they please? No exceptions, as in terrorist cells? Human trafficking?

The bold statement leaves little to the imagination: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the federal agency tasked with enforcing immigration laws and combating human trafficking, drug smuggling, and other crimes, is explicitly unwelcome. What that means in practice is anyone’s guess, but it amounts to a retail chain pretending it can ban federal law enforcement from entering its space.

LUSH, a UK-based company that has long wrapped itself in left-wing politics, takes a similarly radical stance on its website. The company identifies its manufacturing plants as being on “unceded territories” of Indigenous peoples and insists that it operates in “allyship” with them to “repair past harm.” The company also uses its platform to promote a host of activist causes, including anti-Israel positions, that have nothing to do with soap or shampoo.

For many shoppers, the Anchorage store’s militant politics may come as an unpleasant surprise. Families headed to the mall to pick up gifts or skincare products are greeted not with a welcoming brand but with a sign that signals hostility toward law enforcement. The statement not only dismisses ICE, but by implication, dismisses the idea of national borders altogether.

What ICE agents must think of a cosmetics store purporting to bar them is another matter. Federal officers do not need a retailer’s permission to enforce the law. But the performative gesture signals a broader trend: companies like LUSH increasingly see themselves not as merchants but as platforms for progressive ideology, even when it risks alienating a large swath of customers — and risks attracting attention from law enforcement.

Remembering the day President William McKinley was assassinated: Sept. 6, 1901

Suzanne Downing
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17
Remembering the day President William McKinley was assassinated: Sept. 6, 1901

On this day in 1901, President William McKinley was shot by socialist-anarchist Leon Czolgosz during a public reception at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, NY, setting in motion a chain of events that would change the course of America.

Czolgosz, influenced by radical anarchist writings and figures such as Emma Goldman, viewed political leaders as oppressors. On Sept. 6, he approached McKinley and concealed a revolver in a handkerchief, firing two shots at close range, hitting the president in the abdomen. The president initially survived the attack, but he succumbed to his wounds after eight painful days, dying on Sept. 14.

President William McKinley

Following McKinley’s death, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt assumed the presidency.

Czolgosz was apprehended immediately, confessed to the crime without showing remorse, and declared he acted in service of the anarchist cause. He was quickly tried, convicted, and executed by electric chair on Oct. 29, 1901, at Auburn Prison in New York.

The assassination shocked the nation and heightened fears of anarchist violence. It prompted tighter security measures for public officials and influenced the development of anti-anarchist legislation and stricter immigration controls.

McKinley became the third US president to be assassinated, joining the ranks of Abraham Lincoln, who was shot by pro-Confederate radical John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865, and James A. Garfield, shot by Charles J. Guiteau, who died on September 19, 1881, after lingering for 80 days following the attack. All three were Republicans targeted by radicals of varying ideologies. Only one Democrat president has been assassinated — John F. Kennedy in 1963.

McKinley was the last president to have served in the Union Army during the Civil War; he was the only one to begin his service as an enlisted man and end it as a brevet major. He inherited a depressed economy, advocated for the gold standard, and raised tariffs to protect American manufacturers and factory workers from foreign competition. He was also commander-in-chief during the Spanish-American War.

Mount McKinley bears his name as a lasting tribute to his legacy.

In 2015, the Obama Administration killed that name and officially named it Denali, the moniker used by some Alaska Native tribes historically. As one of his first acts upon returning to the presidency in 2025, President Donald Trump restored the name Mount McKinley in federal usage as a tribute to the president, and honoring his achievements and tragic and painful end to his life.

Trump, too, was the target of leftist would-be assassins, surviving two attempts on his life in 2024.

Murkowski fights Trump with legislation renaming Mount McKinley ‘Denali’

House passes first bill, begs President Trump to change the name of Mount McKinley back to Denali

Alex Gimarc: Trump is throwing elbows at Lisa by restoring the name of Mount McKinley

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