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Americans Across the Country Gather to Read the Entire Bible Out Loud This Week

Starting at 5:00 a.m. Alaska time tomorrow, April 18, Americans from across the country are gathering to read the Bible out loud, all the way through, broadcasted for all to hear. The initiative “America Reads the Bible,” led by Bunni Pounds, Founder and President of Christians Engaged, is a first-time-in-history event that harkens America back to her Christian roots. The event is part of a series of events commemorating the 250-year anniversary of the United States of America.

America Reads the Bible will run April 18–25, with an opening ceremony today, April 18, at 3:00 p.m. AST. Christian leaders will kick off with Genesis 1:1 on Sunday and read from 5:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m. AKDT (9:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. EST) for seven days. Most Scriptures will be read live at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. with some sections pre-recorded. The event will be livestreamed nationally on Great American Pure Flix. Use this link: https://app.pureflix.com/america-reads-the-bible to access the livestream.

Alaska’s participation will start at 8:00 a.m. Alaska time, tomorrow, April 18, with the reading of Genesis 41-46.

Some 500 volunteers, including leaders from nearly every sector of American life, celebrities, and everyday Americans, will read the Scriptures over the course of the week.

President Trump will be reading 2 Chronicles 7:11-22 from the Oval Office, Tuesday evening. Organizers said the passage was picked specially for the President because of its decades-long role as a call to prayer in America. Bonni Pounds said the passage, particularly verse 14, has been central to American prayer life for decades, often invoked during times of national reflection.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

President Trump issued a Presidential Message yesterday, April 17, titled “Commemorating 250 Years of the Bible in America.” The full message is reprinted below.

Presidential Message Commemorating 250 Years of the Bible in America

This week, I send my best wishes to every citizen gathered at the Museum of the Bible, on the National Mall, and all across our country participating in America Reads the Bible, a historic initiative in which nearly 500 Americans will take part in a public reading, over the course of one week, of the entire Bible—from Genesis to Revelation—to celebrate 250 years of the Bible in America.

From Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the New World and the first permanent English-speaking settlement at Jamestown to our founding in 1776 and to the present day, the Bible has been indelibly woven into our national identity and way of life.  Nearly 400 years ago, a decade after the arrival of the Mayflower, the legendary John Winthrop powerfully invoked Jesus Christ’s Sermon on the Mount as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew:  “We must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill.  The eyes of all people are upon us,” Winthrop said, imploring his fellow Christian settlers to stand as a beacon of faith for all the world to see.

In the decades that followed, the truths of Holy Scripture remained deeply embedded in our culture—not only within the walls of our churches but in our homes, schools, courtrooms, and public square.  Nearly 150 years after Winthrop’s storied sermon, on July 4, 1776, our Founders echoed Holy Scripture in the central animating principle of the Declaration of Independence:  “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

From the declaration of those immortal words at the very beginning of our Republic, and ever since, the Bible has enduringly illuminated our system of Government, given life to our constitutional framework, bolstered our educational institutions, and informed our deepest civic and moral identity.  The 1787 Northwest Ordinance—one of our Nation’s earliest and most formative laws—stated that “Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.”  Two decades later, John Adams, our second President, wrote the following to his fellow Founding Father Benjamin Rush:  “The Bible contains the most profound Philosophy, the most perfect Morality, and the most refined Policy, that ever was conceived upon Earth.”

In every generation, through every trial and triumph, God’s Word has guided our people and our country to incredible new heights.  During the first inauguration, George Washington, setting a precedent for all future Presidents, put his left hand on the Bible and took the oath of office, after which he kissed the Bible.  In his First Inaugural Address Washington stated:  “No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than those of the United States.”  In President Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, he quoted the Bible 4 times, mentioned God 14 times, and invoked the power of prayer 3 times as he sought to bring the country back together after a bloody 4-year Civil War.  As more than 70,000 American troops prepared to land on the beaches of Normandy, President Franklin D. Roosevelt took to national radio and prayed that God’s blessings prevail over “the unholy forces of our enemy.”  And at the height of the Cold War and the righteous crusade that he led to defeat atheistic communism, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed 1983 to be the Year of the Bible, writing:  “Of the many influences that have shaped the United States of America into a distinctive Nation and people, none may be said to be more fundamental and enduring than the Bible.”

Today, during our 250th year of American independence, the America Reads the Bibleinitiative invites all citizens to once again acknowledge our Nation’s extraordinary Biblical foundations and to give thanks for the countless ways in which God has been the sacred source of our unity and national strength.  This one-week event, during which leaders in faith, Government, business, and entertainment will read every verse and chapter of the Bible, will inspire countless citizens to rediscover the Biblical truths that have animated our Republic for two and a half centuries and to pray that the Bible will continue to guide us—as individuals, as a people, and as a Nation—for the next 250 years and beyond.

I applaud every citizen participating in the America Reads the Bible initiative.  Together, we will honor Holy Scripture, renew our faith, usher in a historic resurgence of religion on American shores, and rededicate the United States as one Nation under God.

Opinion: Why We March for Life

By Jim Minnery, President of Alaska Family Council

This story was originally published by Alaska Family Action and adapted for Must Read Alaska.

I was asked the other day why we’re encouraging people to walk with us at the 2026 Alaska March for Life taking place a week from tomorrow on Saturday, April 25th. What’s the point of it? Good question.

Here are five that came to me:

1. To Raise Public Awareness

We’re marching because a public event creates public discussion and awareness. As we make our way around the Parkstrip downtown and gather for our rally, women and men will see messages of why they should choose life. Some of them, with God’s prodding, might just make a decision that will change the trajectory of an image bearer in a womb. We rarely know the exact moment or message that turns a heart and mind toward truth. 

2. To Catalyze Cultural, Not Just Political Change

We’re marching because although lifting up the sanctity of life in the political realm is essential, it is not enough. This gathering is something organic in the culture. Something that is a reflection of what we stand for and believe in.

3. To Encourage Each Other

We’re marching because the diversity and camaraderie of a large gathering buoys our spirits and lifts up our countenance. Despite the overturning of Roe v Wade, states like Alaska are very unsafe places for pre-born children. That reality is countered and made less burdensome when we come together in fellowship with a common vision. We are strengthened to continue standing.

4. To Stand Against Clear Moral Wrong

We’re marching because the intentional taking of an innocent human life is always wrong and abortion is the intentional taking of an innocent human life and is therefore wrong. Our march will be a celebration of life and of that which is true, good and beautiful. It will also be a public display of consensus on that which is wrong. Always has been. Always will be.

5. To Exercise Our Rights

Finally, we’re marching as part of the best of American tradition. As we celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday this year, the right to assemble and stand up and speak up for what we believe in is protected by the 1st Amendment. We march to exercise our rights to free speech, assembly, and to petition the government on behalf of things we care deeply about. No other movement is as good at doing that as the pro-life movement.

Please join us next Saturday, April 25th. We’d be honored to march with you.



    Ride Together. March Together.


    As the 2026 Alaska March for Life gets closer, it’s on Saturday, April 25th in Anchorage, please know how important it is that we get as many people as possible taking our FREE shuttles.

    It’s the easiest and most powerful way to join with other likeminded pro-life Alaskans to arrive together ready to stand as one voice. And… you’ll help us ease the parking at Anchorage Lutheran Church where the March begins at noon. 

    CLICK HERE to reserve your seat now before they fill up.

    There are five (5) pick up locations. Even if you’re already in Anchorage, we need as many people as possible to register for the free roundtrip shuttles to ease limited parking at our starting point downtown at Anchorage Lutheran Church.

    One Location in the MatSu Valley – leaves at 10:30am
    – Kings Alaska in Wasilla – thanks to a generous sponsorship from the Knights of Columbus, we’ll have 3 luxury Coach-style buses departing from Kings Alaska. 

    One Location in the Eagle River – leaves at 11:00am
    – St Andrew Catholic Church – the luxury coach will leave at 11:00am

    Three Locations in Anchorage
    – Mountain City Church – East Anchorage – two buses leaving at 11am and 11:30am
    – Our Lady of Guadalupe – West Anchorage – two buses leaving at 11am and 11:30am
    – Cornerstone Church – South Anchorage -two buses leaving at 11am and 11:30am

    All shuttles will be dropping participants off at our starting point at Anchorage Lutheran Church in downtown Anchorage. The March starts there at noon and after a short prayer, we’ll walk together approximately 1.3 miles to the Delaney Parkstrip for a festive atmosphere that will include food trucks, information booths from ministries, a wonderful group of speakers and music.

    At 3pm, buses will begin taking participants back to where you parked.

    Please REGISTER NOW for one of our free shuttles and help us plan for a successful March.

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    Opinion: Alaska GOP Needs Better Political Strategy  

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    By Michael Tavoliero

    Currently, the Alaska’s 2026 governor’s race fields at least 16 candidates, including a large cluster of Republicans, while polls showed no dominant consensus candidate and a very large undecided vote. Sadly, our state house and senate races are overshadowed by this gubernatorial beauty contest. 

    Don’t get me wrong. I applaud every candidate for having the strength, courage, and endurance to run, but at a time when Alaska needs a true champion as governor, it also needs a legislative majority clearly prepared to support that champion’s reforms. 

    Are we, as conservatives, forgetting the damage of the Walker administration coupled by what the Muskrat coalition did in just 4 years. Walker’s most lasting damage was normalizing the reduction of the PFD, expanding Medicaid during a fiscal crisis, cutting into education funding under austerity and no reforms, and pursuing energy strategies that increased state exposure without delivering the cheap energy Alaskans were promised. 

    And then add to that the negative impacts to a Republican governor over the last 8 by a legislature, which was numerically Republican, but operationally controlled by a Progressive coalition. 

    With that history, a 12-candidate Republican gubernatorial slate is not a sign of strength; it is a sign of fragmentation. A crowded field divides money, message, endorsements, and voter attention; while a more coordinated party can narrow its bench, elevate one or two viable contenders early, and enter the decisive stages of the race with far less internal vote-splitting. 

    Political science literature has long noted that parties often try to influence who runs and to coalesce around candidates before voters make a final choice, precisely because uncontrolled nomination fights can weaken the party’s chances in the general election. The strategic question, then, is not whether voters should decide, but whether a party serious about governing should first decide how not to sabotage itself. 

    Political parties must realize that an undisciplined nomination fight can weaken the very candidate they need to win. 

    Today’s Alaska reflects some of the egregious patterns seen throughout American history. A state government preserved in form but captured in function by organized interests more powerful than ordinary citizens. The problem is not simply spending levels or partisan labels. It is a governing structure in which public unions, entrenched bureaucracies, outside federal dependencies, contractors, major economic beneficiaries, and political protection networks exert more practical influence over state policy than the people themselves.  

    In that environment, elections alone do not guarantee self-government, because whoever is elected is forced to govern within a system already shaped by those who live off it. Alaska’s crisis is not merely fiscal. It is constitutional and civic. If political power truly is inherent in the people, then state leadership must be rebuilt from the bottom up so government once again serves the public instead of the permanent interests that have learned to manage it for themselves. 

    That is why the central problem in Alaska is not simply ranked choice voting, nor any other single election mechanic. The deeper problem is that too many candidates seek office without fully understanding the battlefield they are entering. A governor may win but then finds him or herself surrounded by a structure designed to absorb, delay, redirect, neutralize, or domesticate reform. In Alaska, the “Deep State” is not some cartoon slogan. It is the practical reality of entrenched administrative power, federal dependency, legal and regulatory choke points, quasi-independent authorities, public employee interests, and outside funding networks that can geld or spay whoever is elected governor if that person is not fully prepared to confront them without a likeminded state legislature.  

    For that reason, the 2026 governor’s race, by itself, will not save Alaska. Regardless of who is elected, unless the legislature is conservative or at least marginally conservative, the next governor will be severely constrained in addressing the state’s largest structural problems. The Medicaid debacle will remain largely intact. Real education reform will stall or be watered down. Cheap and abundant energy will remain a talking point rather than a governing priority. And the Permanent Fund Dividend will continue to function as the state’s primary political football rather than as one part of a broader strategy of fiscal sovereignty and economic growth. In other words, Alaska’s crisis is not just about who wins office. It is about whether elected officials can govern against the entrenched mechanisms that now control so much of the state’s direction. 

    So, I cannot agree that Alaska can be presented as the American election model. It is, instead, a case study in how a state can retain the shell of democratic choice while losing much of the substance of self-government to bureaucracy, dependency, and organized interests.  

    America at its best is a system where voters choose leaders and leaders can govern. Alaska today is a system where voters choose leaders, and then the permanent apparatus decides what is possible. Until that changes, Alaska will remain less an example of political renewal than an example of political capture. 

    Ted Stevens Ranked #1 Cargo Airport in U.S., #3 Globally

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    Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities announced today, April 17, that the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is now ranked #1 in the United States and #3 in the world for cargo. The ranking comes from Airports Council International World.

    Anchorage’s unique location enables aircraft to reach nearly 90% of the industrialized world within a single 9.5-hour flight, which makes it one of the most efficient cargo transfer points in the world.

    “ANC continues to prove that Alaska is at the center of global commerce,” said Angie Spear, Director of the Alaska International Airport System. “Being ranked among the world’s busiest cargo airports reflects the strength of our tenants, airline partners, workforce, and the strategic advantages only Anchorage can offer.”

    Commissioner of Alaska DOT&PF, Ryan Anderson commented: “Anchorage’s rise to the nation’s top cargo airport highlights Alaska’s critical role in global supply chains. By continuing to invest in our aviation infrastructure and partnerships, we’re strengthening a system that drives economic opportunity across the state.”

    Reader Response Requested: What Do Alaskan Fishermen Think of New USDA Office of Seafood?

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    The United States Department of Agriculture launched its new Office of Seafood April 15, 2026. The new office offers a plethora of resources and access to USDA programs for what U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins dubs “our farmers of the sea.”

    The new office’s website provides “critical resources,” including infrastructure support, marketing and trade resources, workforce and business development, nutrition information, seafood safety and inspection, and research and development.

    According to the Office of Seafood’s website, the office plays “an important role in USDA’s implementation of President Trump’s Executive Order 14276, Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness, including the development of the American First Seafood Strategy to promote production, marketing, sale, and export of U.S. fishery and aquaculture products and strengthen domestic processing capacity.”

    In a press conference yesterday, April 16, Senator Dan Sullivan said the Office of Seafood “doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it is a big deal.”

    According to Sen. Sullivan, the idea for the office came from Covid time when Sen. Sullivan requested the use of the USDA’s trade aid program for fishermen. American fishermen took a hard hit when exports shut down during the Covid-19 pandemic. The USDA offered assistance to farmers who lost access to their export markets during the pandemic, and Sen. Sullivan wondered if the assistance could be extended to fishermen as well. He got “yes” for an answer and then wondered if other USDA programs could benefit fishermen, especially Alaskan fishermen.

    The Office of Seafood will work to connect fishermen with risk management resources, disaster assistance, and other beneficial USDA programs.

    Must Read Alaska wants to know what Alaskan fishermen and folks involved in the seafood industry think of the new office. If you are an Alaskan fisherman or involved in the Alaska seafood industry, tell us your thoughts with this form here: What Do Alaskan Fishermen Think of New USDA Office of Seafood? and we will publish a story with your response!

    3 Icebreakers Secured for Alaska, Potentially 4 More

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    In a press conference yesterday, April 16, Senator Sullivan discussed the securement of three U.S. Coast Guard icebreakers for Alaska and the potential for four more. The icebreakers will help enhance America’s national security at its Arctic front.

    In addition to the Storis (an icebreaker commissioned in Juneau on August 10, 2025), Alaska will receive at least two more icebreakers, which are being built right now in Finland as part of the Icebreaker Collaboration Pact (ICE) between the U.S., Canada, and Finland. Two American companies will be traveling to Finland where the first three or four icebreakers will be built and then they will bring the knowledge back to the U.S. to continue building icebreakers here at home.

    “It’s finally happening,” said Sen. Sullivan. He emphasized that the announcement of Alaska receiving at least two more icebreakers alongside the Storis is “a great day for Arctic security. A great day for our economy.”

    With an influx of Coast Guard service members to man and maintain the ships, Alaska will experience “a boom for our economy,” according to Sen. Sullivan.

    Not only will the additional icebreakers bring economic growth, but they will tighten up America’s Arctic security. Russia’s icebreaker fleet of 55 ships with more being built greatly outpaces America’s asset of two icebreakers. Potential Russian and Chinese threats in the Arctic makes Alaska the best strategic place to put more icebreakers.

    Recognizing the importance of strengthening our national security, the Coast Guard aims to have all three ships operational in Alaska by the end of 2028, which Sen. Sullivan says is “an aggressive timeline” that he will continue to push.

    Sen. Sullivan urges Alaskans to work together to prepare for the increased Coast Guard presence. Local communities are already stepping up to build maintenance infrastructure and prepare housing for Coast Guard service members. “I was in Ketchikan, where I witnessed this virtuous cycle… of more ship building and ship maintenance capacity. Particularly in the Southeast. This offers huge cost savings for the Coast Guard.” He also talked about a huge boom in Coast Guard housing in Kodiak, and discussions about housing service members in Ketchikan. Although boroughs and organizations like the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation play critical roles in preparing for the Coast Guard, Sen. Sullivan stated that the Coast Guard also has to step up as part of the answer.

    With the ships secured, there is a process now of picking the exact community in Alaska to homeport the icebreakers. Sen. Sullivan assured members of the media that there is a “zero chance” of the Coast Guard walking back on its commitment to Alaska. “I know it is zero… The decision has been made. The icebreakers are being built as we speak.”

    Sen. Sullivan asked Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard Kevin E. Lunday if “we are done at two [icebreakers].” According to Sullivan, Lunday replied that Alaska may get up to four more.

    FBI Urges Everyone to Reboot Routers Following Russian Cyber Attack

    Following the disruption of a cyber attack by Russian actors involving several small-office home-office (SOHO) Wi-Fi routers, the FBI and U.S. Department of Justice is urging everyone to reset their routers.

    According to a Public Service Announcement from the FBI: “Russian General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) cyber actors are exploiting vulnerable routers worldwide to intercept and steal sensitive military, government, and critical infrastructure information.”

    A press release from the Department of Justice states that Russian military hackers used several American home and office routers to “facilitate malicious Domain Name System (DNS) hijacking operations against worldwide targets of intelligence interest to the Russian government, including individuals in the military, government, and critical infrastructure sectors.”

    “GRU actors compromised routers in the US and around the world, hijacking them to conduct espionage. Given the scale of this threat, sounding the alarm wasn’t enough,” stated Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of FBI’s Cyber Division. “The FBI conducted a court-authorized operation to harden compromised routers across the United States. We urge all router owners to take the remediation steps outlined today, because defending our networks requires all of us. The FBI will continue to use its authorities to identify and impose costs on state-sponsored actors who target the American people.”

    The FBI, NSA, and co-sealing agencies encourage SOHO router users to change default usernames and passwords, disable remote management interfaces from the Internet, update to latest firmware versions, and upgrade end-of-support devices. Users should also carefully consider certificate warnings in web browsers and email clients.

    Organizations with remote workers are also urged to review relevant online security policies and consider the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) or hardened application configurations.

    The National Security Agencies encourages Americans to read the following guidance to learn about best practices for home network security:
    • “APT28 Exploit Routers to Enable DNS Hijacking Operations”
    • “Best Practices for Securing Your Home Network”
    • Edge Device Security
    • “Reducing the Attack Surface for End-Of-Support Edge Devices

    Seven Spas in Anchorage and Mat-Su Involved in Sex-Trafficking; 7 Suspects Arrested April 16

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    Following a year-long joint investigation, the Anchorage Police Department, Anchorage State Troopers, and FBI Anchorage Field Office arrested seven suspects in major sex-trafficking case.

    Three spa businesses located in the Mat-Su Valley and four spa businesses located in Anchorage were identified as sites used for sex-trafficking. After gathering evidence for several months, search warrants were issued, leading to the arrest of 72-year-old Anchorage resident Lee Van Ness, 34-year-old Anchorage resident Tuan Huynh, and 54-year-old Wasilla resident Guoguo Zhang, 53-year-old Anchorage resident Terry Volkman, 40-year-old New York resident Xiong Xiaotian, 51-year-old New York resident, and 44-year-old Hui Zhang.

    The seven businesses searched in connection with this investigation were Jasmine Spa, Zen Massage, and Stream Health Spa of Wasilla; and Phoenix Health Spa, Owl Health Spa, Renew Day Spa, and Red House Massage of Anchorage. Two Anchorage residences were also searched as part of the operation.

    Individuals believed to be victims were contacted by investigators and offered support services, resources, and assistance through governmental and non-profit victim service organizations.

    Anchorage Assembly Unanimously Approves Resolution Urging Legislature to Pass HB 101

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    Perhaps one of the best examples of a truly non-partisan bill, House Bill 101 amends Alaska criminal law to raise the age of consent from 16 years old to 18 years old.

    The bill would increase protection for minors who are victims of sexual abuse, assault, stalking, enticement, endangerment, indecent exposure, pornography distribution, sexual solicitation, and sexual exploitation.

    At its regular meeting this past Tuesday, April 14, the Anchorage Assembly unanimously passed Assembly Resolution 2026-98, As Amended, which urges the State Legislature to pass HB 101. The resolution also affirms the Assembly’s “commitment to policies that protect minors from exploitation and strengthen accountability for offenders.”

    The resolution was co-sponsored by Assemblymembers Jared Goecker and Yarrow Silvers.

    “Alaska has some of the highest rates of sexual violence in the country,” said Goecker. “[HB101] passed the House unanimously: 39 to 0. And yet, it’s been sitting in the Senate for nearly a year. That is unacceptable. Every day this bill sits, more kids are put at risk.”

    Silvers commented: “One of the biggest issues I see with the state and federal governments is often an unwillingness to simply do the right thing and pass laws based on merit. It’s time to do the right thing and pass this now, as stand alone legislation that’s ready to go, and if Senator Claman won’t move it out of committee, then the Senate has the power and responsibility to go around him on a committee vote or a discharge vote on the floor. Anything less is to be complicit in the continued victimization of Alaska’s youth.”

    HB 101 was introduced by Rep. Andrew Gray (D-Anchorage) and is cosponsored by a slew of both Democrat and Republican Representatives and Senators: Representatives Bynum, Tomaszewski, Vance, Jimmie, Galvin, Schrage, Josephson, Fields, Mina, Story, Himschoot, Kopp, and Nelson; Senators Gray-Jackson, Myers, Tilton, Kawasaki, Yundt, Bjorkman, Cronk, Merrick, and Giessel.