The first airplane flight in Alaska occurred at Fairbanks on July 3, 1913.
Pilot Army Captain J. V. Martin had given a talk to the Seattle Press Club in March of 1912. A Fairbanks businessman was impressed and asked him to come to Alaska to give a flying demonstration.
Martin and his wife Lily Irvin Martin, who was England’s first woman aviator, shipped their crated airplane from Seattle to Skagway by steamship.
Still crated, it was then shipped by rail to Whitehorse, and then was shipped down the Yukon River to Fairbanks by paddleboat.
Once it was in Fairbanks, the two aviators reassembled the Gage-Martin Tractor bi-plane and on the evening of July 3, 1913, Martin took off from Exposition Park, flying over the town at an altitude of 200 feet, and at a speed of about 45 miles per hour.
This was the first airplane flight in Alaska history.
The couple flew the plane four more times around Fairbanks over the next three days. They then tried to sell the plane, but with no buyers stepping up, they dismantled it and crated it back up, before shipping it back to San Francisco, their home.
The late Jeffrey Epstein’s confidante and alleged accomplice was arrested today by the FBI in New Hampshire and charged with conspiracy and enticing minors to engage in sex and more.
Epstein, a millionaire, socialite, and convicted sex offender, reportedly hanged himself in his cell last August at a federal facility after he was accused of abusing dozens of underage girls in his mansions in Florida and New York between 2002 and 2005.
The investigation into his girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell indicates that she was helping to arrange for the underage girls — some as young as 14 — to be provided to Epstein for his sexual pleasure, and for the sexual exploitation of his friends.
Maxwell’s ties to the former owner and publisher of the Anchorage Daily News and Alaska Dispatch became known in 2014, when Maxwell came to Alaska to spend time with Rogoff during the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. How the two met and partied across Alaska was only referred to vaguely in the New York Post’s Page Six gossip column.
Maxwell is the youngest daughter of the late British publishing magnate Robert Maxwell, who was a member of Parliament, a suspected spy, and scandal-ridden fraudster, who stole millions of dollars from his companies’ pension plans, a fact only discovered after his death.
“In some instances, Maxwell was present for and participated in the sexual abuse of minor victims,” the indictment states.
FBI Assistant Director William Sweeney said she is “one of the villains of this investigation.”
Ghislaine Maxwell began the British-based charity TerraMar Project, and was a featured speaker at the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik, Iceland and in Seattle, Washington.
The Arctic Circle Assembly was founded by Alice Rogoff, former President of Iceland Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, and former Premier of Greenland Kuupik Kleist. Rogoff is still on the advisory board for the organization, but there’s no indiction the ladies have kept up their alliance, and Maxwell disbanded her nonprofit after Epstein was arrested and has been somewhat of a recluse in New England for the past year.
Meanwhile, Rogoff and her husband David Rubenstein had divorced and Rogoff drove the Alaska Dispatch (Anchorage Daily News) into bankruptcy. The paper was rescued by the Binkley family of Fairbanks, which has kept it alive since buying it for $1 million in 2017.
At an outdoor neighborhood meeting in an Anchorage culdesac on Wednesday evening, over 75 homeowners from the surrounding area set the opinion firehose to full force toward Assembly members Meg Zalatel and Felix Rivera: The purchase of the Red Lion Hotel by the Berkowitz Administration for a drug treatment center is a nonstarter, they said.
Although they were masked up and socially distanced, dozens of speakers clearly said — through their masks — that the idea proposed by Mayor Ethan Berkowitz is bad for their neighborhoods.
For one thing, one man said, the State Department of Transportation plans to use some of the Golden Lion Hotel’s parking lot for the expected overpass-underpass interchange on the Seward Highway at 36th Ave. Land on the corners of that intersection will probably go to the state through an eminent domain process.
For another thing, residents from Rogers Park said, there’s a preschool just one block away from the hotel at the David & Ruth Green Lubavitch Jewish Center on 35th Avenue.
And doctors from the neighborhoods expressed concern about the types of drugs, both pharmaceutical and street quality, that would be ever closer to homes where children play out of doors, and said the proper place for a drug treatment center would be near the hospital, not by families worried about drug addicts in their backyards.
On the spot for over an hour and a half, Zaletel and Rivera would not be pinned down on an answer but said they are still gathering information and “studying” the issue that has been proposed, which is to revise zoning so that a homeless shelter can be established somewhere in midtown. The proposal bypasses the Planning and Zoning Commission and much of the public process.
One person in the meeting pointed out to Zalatel and Rivera that if only a treatment center was planned, there would be no need for a zoning change. The zoning change was proposed by the Berkowitz Administration because, in fact, the plan is to shelter homeless drug addicts.
Zalatel admitted that a drug treatment center requires no zoning change.
All in all, the mood of the crowd, which came from Geneva Woods, College Village and Rogers Park, was decidedly “livid,” as one participant described it: “They had everything but pitchforks.”
AO 2020-58 was introduced in June, but with no mention of the actual location of what is intended to be a shelter and drug treatment facility for homeless.
But neighbors caught wind of the true plans and Must Read Alaska reported what was the real purpose of the vague ordinance that would bypass the Planning and Zoning Commission so that a large portion of midtown could be rezoned to include any number of homeless shelters.
Although Zalatel and Rivera kept saying they plan to study and gather more information, that was not enough for the group, which included many doctors and members of the Jewish community.
In a private meeting after Zalatel and Rivera had left, the group passed the hat and raised money to hire an attorney to fight the Berkowitz Administration over the proposal. Must Read Alaska has learned that they raised six figures to get started on an injunction.
A public hearing, not yet calendared, is planned for July 14 for the purchase of the hotel, which would be done with federal money intended for COVID-19 coronavirus support for the city.
The majority of large companies in the United States are not owned and run by millennials, but they employ them.
As a millennial, I have worked for big companies in the past. Broadly speaking, it’s tough for millennials to be confined by a job description and show up for the 9-5 routine day after day. I empathize with both the employer and the employee on this.
There are entire job sectors in which our parents and grandparents were OK with working, but millennials, as a whole, are not.
Call them the F’s: Farming, Fishing, Factory work. Yes, these jobs still exist in the country; they are filled with people who have come here on work visas.
Here are three things to consider if you are a millennial and find yourself consistently trying to fit into a job, a company or way in life and find yourself unhappy with the fit: Time, Risk, and Expansion.
Former students are on a public campaign against the leadership and staff of Anchorage Christian Schools and Anchorage Baptist Temple, due to a perceived legacy of racism.
The outcry against one of the largest Christian churches and schools in Alaska comes at a time when institutions at every level in society are being attacked, and many are struggling with how to appropriately respond. In today’s Must Read Alaska, ABT Pastor Ron Hoffman has responded publicly about the role of ABT/ACS in shaping the lives of all.
It’s not just in Anchorage, but all over the country churches are dealing with accusations that they are not doing enough to combat systemic racism or that they are racist institutions. Activists are demanding that churches become engaged in the Black Lives Matter movement.
Also last month, Superintendent of Anchorage School District Deena Bishop was criticized by area blacks for being racially insensitive in an email she sent to parents districtwide.
The attacks on ABT/ACS started last month. The school, which has taught and shaped the characters of thousands of students since its founding in 1971, came under increasing attack on the social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter during a time of heightened racial disharmony in the nation after the killing of George Floyd. It comes at a time when institutions find it difficult to respond to demands that are being leveled at them from many directions, while they are also collapsing due to the economic fallout from COVID-19.
The attacks are also happening when church attendance is soft and all churches are struggling to pay bills with parishioner/donors who are having to watch their finances because of the COVID-19 recession.
Anchorage Baptist Temple is one of the most diverse churches in Alaska — possibly in America. The congregation at Anchorage Baptist Temple almost mirrors that of diverse East Anchorage, with black, white, Polynesian, hispanic, Filipino, and Alaska Native worshiping together.
The church has many ministries in the Anchorage area, with its K-12 school being one of the most well known.
The bus ministry, which has come under withering criticism in some of the Facebook postings Must Read Alaska has reviewed, is not actually limited to low-income children, as the critics indicate, but provides free rides to church for kids from all over Anchorage, from Rabbit Creek’s million-dollar homes to trailer parks in Muldoon.
The church was founded over 50 years ago by Pastor Jerry Prevo, a missionary who is now retired. ABT has hosted speakers such as the Rev. Billy Graham, Franklin Graham, Ravi Zacharias, Greg Laurie, and even Vice President Joe Biden, who gave a eulogy at the memorial for the late Sen. Ted Stevens in 2010.
Both the school and the church are supported by donations from Christians in Alaska and from across the country. Children from poor families have their tuition largely covered by the major gifts that pour in for the education ministry. Tuition is about $300 a month for those who can afford it. During the COVID-19 pandemic and closures of schools, ACS cut its tuition by 30 percent to help families out.
But no good deed goes unpunished. Institutions, as imperfect or as exemplary as they are, are being called to do even more for persons of color.
The social justice campaign against ABT/ACS started at the same time as the Black Lives Matter riots and protests in communities across the nation.
The complaints against ABT/ACS have now been simmering on social media for three weeks. Anna Simmerss, one of the leaders of the Facebook campaign against ABT/ACS, wrote:
“Last week the leadership of ACS/ABT had an opportunity to respond to an open letter and the testimonies of more than 52 students and former staff who reported having experienced or witnessed racial discrimination and harassment at the school or church. These students told heartbreaking stories that included: being called racial slurs by students and staff, being singled out for their appearance and physical attributes, being singled out for unwarranted discipline, and multiple instances of staff being physically aggressive with Black students. There were many other stories from students and staff who spoke of a school and church culture that normalized racial slurs, segregation of children, and racially motivated bullying. We took great care in sharing these stories and have ensured that every story shared could be verified by at least two witnesses. Many more stories were not made public.”
Among the demands the group has are that persons of color be prioritized in hiring.
“There is no good reason why diversity of culture and experience should not be actively prioritized in the hiring process at ACS and ABT. This would ensure that there are people in positions of authority who have sensitivity to racial and cultural differences and can be a filter for future decisions. Diversity is valuable and should be sought,” Simmers wrote in a post that was 1,400 words long. She added the email addresses of Pastor Ron Hoffman and other church leaders.
Some of the social media posts were not as polite, as these spotted on Twitter last month:
Among the demands from the group of 52 former students were posted by Simmons on Facebook:
Desegregate the Children’s Sunday School classes
Publicize that you have scheduled mandatory training and informed all faculty and staff
Publicize the no-tolerance policies that will be written in the school handbook
Publicize intent and goal to diversify pastoral leadership, staff, and faculty
Publicize what expanded curriculum on minority, especially Black American history will be included in textbooks and lesson plans
Publicize schedule and facilitator for mandatory racial sensitivity training for all staff and faculty to be conducted before 24 Aug (1st day of class)
At the same time that former students are going public with their grievances on social media, the school itself is undergoing a change in leadership, with Calvin Hoffman taking over as executive director of student ministry and chief operations officer after the long-planned retirement of its former director, and Pam King returning to the school as provost and chief academic officer.
The school year is scheduled to begin on Aug. 24, God willing and if COVID-19 does not throw a wrench into the current plans to welcome students back to school.
As the new senior pastor of Anchorage Baptist Temple and Anchorage Christian Schools, I am determined to make a lasting impact on the next generation’s lives.
I grew up in Seldovia. After losing my parents and many family members, I moved to Anchorage with a single mom who cared enough to send me to ACS. God used ACS to transform my life, a teenager from a small village, by establishing my faith in Jesus Christ. Because of my experience at ACS, I have dedicated my life to offering that opportunity to others.
My story is just one of the many coming out of Anchorage Christian Schools. Over the years, our alumni have gone on to become leaders within their respective communities.
From doctors, nurses, and engineers to teachers, military officers, and firefighters, we are proud of our alumni and their accomplishments.
However, I realize that not every student has had the perfect experience at ACS.
Recently, some former students used social media to share their experiences while enrolled at ACS. To address each concern directly, I asked anyone who shared to bring their grievances to me directly. Learning from the past gives our new administration the ability to provide an exceptional education in the future.
I am committed to doing what is necessary to ensure that our students do not experience racism at ACS or ABT. The Bible commands us to show NO partiality because Jesus’ death and resurrection provide eternal life for all who repent.
I am committed to providing affordable private education for students and partnering with parents who desire academic excellence in a school experience. As I see what is happening in our community, I am determined more than ever to be on the frontlines fighting for the families of Alaska and our children’s future.
Much like our school, Anchorage Baptist Temple is a diverse community of people from all over Anchorage, Eagle River, and even the Valley. Many in our community attend weekly services through our bus ministry, the majority being children.
With over 350 children attending a Sunday morning service, we strive to provide an exceptional experience that allows us to account for every child entering our care. Yes, we feel the weight of responsibility for those children and believe parents deserve the assurance that their child will return home safely and on time.
As we continue to examine our children’s ministry program, discussions around building utilization and classroom expansion have been underway. Any plan must, and will, ensure that children who ride the bus have an exceptional experience and can be accounted for while in our care.
We cannot change the past, but we can change the future. We cannot turn our back on our Anchorage community; it needs us to engage the culture now more than ever. We will not turn a blind eye to hurt and pain; we must be generous with our lives to help the next generation experience the freedoms we have experienced.
We are a diverse church and school within a multi-cultural community. Our diversity should not divide us; it should unify us around a calling to proclaim the life-changing power of Jesus.
I want to personally invite you to join us on Sundays at 11 am for our weekend worship experience. As a church, our mission is to inspire the next generation to live like following Jesus is a BIG deal. It’s important to us that we serve and connect with our local community.
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday. If you would like more information about ABT, visitwww.abt.church.
The Alaska Republican Party has given its endorsement to David Nelson, who is challenging Republican Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux for State House in District 15.
It’s unusual for the party to not endorse the Republican incumbent, but District 15 is a special circumstance, as there are charges of voter misconduct and unlawful interference with voting against LeDoux.
“I’m extremely proud to carry the endorsement of the Alaska Republican Party in this election,” Nelson said “It will have a decisive impact on this campaign.”
“We are proud to stand behind the Republican candidate who understands responsibility and integrity,” stated Leigh Sloan, the District 15 Alaska Republican Party Chair. “He is now the official candidate endorsed by the ARP.”
Nelson works on JBER as an executive administrator at the Missile Defense Agency. He is president-elect of the Midtown Rotary Club, a volunteer member of the Northeast Community Council Safety Patrol and a former member of the Alaska Juvenile Justice Advisory Commission.
A graduate of the University of Alaska, Anchorage, he earned a commission in the Alaska Army National Guard through the school’s ROTC Program. This year, Second Lieutenant Nelson served on State Active Duty from March 17 to June 1 supporting his unit’s response to the COVID-19 emergency.
LeDoux’s court appearance on the voter fraud charges has been delayed until after the primary.
RANKED CHOICE ALLOWS VOTERS WHO PICK LOSERS TO HAVE THEIR VOTES COUNTED MORE THAN ONCE
Alaska Democrats and the Alaska Republican Party have something in common: They believe the upcoming November ballot initiative that would drastically change elections — and not in a good way.
Kay Brown, former executive director of the Alaska Democratic Party, told the House State Affairs Committee this week that the new proposal for elections “is not going to improve transparency. Labels mean something and parties mean something.” Brown was punching hard on the ballot initiative, explaining that candidates could hide their true political affiliation from voters if it passes.
That’s when the committee chair, Democrat Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, interrupted Brown and told her her time was up.
Yes, but this was Kay Brown, herself a former legislator, and longtime political activist. She was not intimidated.
“The prior speaker went over his time as well,” Brown said, referring to the proponents of the Better Elections initiative, who had held forth for an extended period of time.
Brown continued to explain that the ballot measure’s concept of “dark money” is confusing, and has little definition. At this point, Kreiss-Tomkins had lost the battle of wills and simply allowed her to finish.
“This measure impacts all Alaskans and fundamental voting rights,” she said.
Brown also inferred that the person behind the initiative, Scott Kendall, was working to make sure that Sen. Lisa Murkowski did not have to face another primary election.
That particular item was not the concern of Glenn Clary, chairman of the Alaska Republican Party, who next lobbed bomb after bomb at the initiative, saying it would destroy the election process in Alaska and is unconstitutional.
“Let me begin by addressing every Alaskan Voter and encouraging each of them tokeep your right to vote by Voting no on Ballot Initiative #2,” he said.
“This initiative is anything but ‘better.’ The proposed initiative is extremely inferior compared to Alaska’s current election system. This proposed ballot initiative is a recipe for disaster and will destroy the very foundations of freedoms that this great state was founded upon,” Clary said.
“Our present system of electing those to represent us was established and birthed by sovereign Alaskans working together in trust and unity, constitutionally guaranteeing every Alaskan the right to one vote under a system that has and continues to operate without flaws or fraud.
“However, the inferior system you are deliberating over today was conceived in private by a select elite few whose desire is to dismantle and destroy all that sovereign Alaskans hold dear regarding their election system,” he said.
“This initiative is 25 pages long, proposes 17 major changes to our existing Alaska State Statutes, and 75 section amendments to our Alaska election laws in order to codify this initiative into law, should this ruse garner enough votes to become law,” Clary said.
During the question and answer period, questions from Kendall’s brother-in-law, committee member Rep. Grier Hopkins, were directed at Kendall and appeared coordinated. When Clary tried to get a word in edgewise, he was cut off by Rep. Kreiss-Tomkins, who then went on to the next question from a Democrat. Finally, Clary just hung up on the meeting. He told Must Red Alaska it was simply no longer worth his time.
” This initiative is complicated and difficult to understand,” Clary told Must Read Alaska. “Everyone signing the petition to place this initiative on the ballot should have been required to read it in its entirety.” If they had read it, they never would have signed it, he said. But it is just too long and too complicated to read.
Ranked choice voting, as the ballot initiative proposes, lets people who vote for losing candidates essentially the opportunity to vote again in an instant run-off, giving people who vote for losing candidates more than one vote. People who choose winning candidates only get one vote, however.
Watch how it’s explained in San Francisco, where they have this ranked choice technique.
Republican Christopher Kurka, candidate for State House in District 7, has been endorsed by a name familiar in Alaska politics: Joe Miller of Fairbanks, the publisher of Restoring Liberty website and a former Republican nominee for U.S. Senate who lost to Sen. Lisa Murkowski after winning the Republican Primary. Murkowski went on to do a successful write-in campaign to retain her seat.
“I am thrilled to have the endorsement of one of Alaska’s conservative thought leaders,” Kurka said. “Joe has been in this fight for a long time, and nobody knows the score better than he does. I am both humbled and honored by his support.”
Miller’s endorsement came the day after the Alaska Republican Party endorsed Lynn Gattis, former representative, to return to the position after being out of politics for four years.
District 7 Republicans also endorsed Gattis over Kurka.
Miller has a following on the far right side of the Alaska Republican Party, but many Miller followers are in the Wasilla area of Alaska.
“If you’re like me, you’re sick and tired of the games being played in Juneau,” Miller said in his written endorsement. “Conventional politicians tell you what you want to hear at election time, but when it’s time to gavel in they do what they’re told. What we need above all else right now are leaders who are willing to stand up to the Big Government Special Interests and deliver for the citizens they represent. Christopher Kurka is a proven conservative who has not just talked the talk, but has also walked the walk.”
He cited Kurka’s work as the former executive director of Alaska Right to Life.
“My opponent has been part of the system for years,” Kurka said, referring to Gattis, who served in the Legislature for several years until 2016. Kurka attacked Gattis as “helping to create this financial crisis, she’s now telling us she’s the one to fix it. I’m running because it’s time for new people, new ideas, new leadership, and a long overdue course correction.”
