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Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts mild winter in Alaska

Suzanne Downing
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11
Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts mild winter in Alaska

The 2026 edition of The Old Farmer’s Almanac has released its 2025–2026 US Winter Weather Forecast, offering predictions for all 18 regions of the country, including Alaska.

For Alaska, the Almanac forecasts milder-than-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation and snowfall. The coldest periods are expected in early to mid-December and again in mid-February. The snowiest stretches are projected for late November, mid-December, and early February.

The publication, first issued in 1792, claims an accuracy rate of about 80% for its long-range forecasts. Its predictions are based on a proprietary formula that factors in historical weather data, solar activity, and other influences. But meteorologists often urge caution when applying the Almanac’s outlook to Alaska, given the state’s size and complexity.

At one-fifth the size of the continental US, Alaska’s weather is notoriously difficult to generalize. Local climates can differ dramatically between regions such as Southeast, Interior, and Arctic Alaska. A 2018 University of Alaska Fairbanks review found the Almanac’s accuracy in Alaska was mixed, at about 65% for temperature predictions but closer to 50% for precipitation and snowfall.

Recent history reflects those inconsistencies. The 2024–2025 forecast underestimated snowfall in Anchorage while overestimating warmth in Fairbanks, though it correctly predicted mild spells in Southeast Alaska.

After an unseasonably cool early summer in some parts of Alaska, late August has turned warmer, with the Alaska State Fair, ending on Sept. 1, enjoying mild enough weather for shorts and t-shirts.

Four in a row: Winters in Alaska have been on the colder side

Appeals court revives case of Alaska Airlines flight attendants fired over Biden LGBTQ law debate

Suzanne Downing
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22
Appeals court revives case of Alaska Airlines flight attendants fired over Biden LGBTQ law debate

Two Alaska Airlines flight attendants who say they were fired for expressing religious objections to President Biden’s LGBTQ policies are getting another chance in court.

A liberal federal judge in Seattle, Barbara Rothstein, had dismissed their lawsuit with prejudice, ruling that the attendants had not shown evidence of discrimination by the airline or the Association of Flight Attendants union. Rothstein, a longtime judge appointed by President Jimmy Carter, closed the case about 15 months ago.

But on Aug. 22, a three-judge panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, made up of Judge Morgan Christen (of Anchorage), Judge Kenneth Lee, and Judge Daniel Bress, strongly questioned that ruling during oral arguments. The appellate judges suggested the case should go to a jury, warning Alaska Airlines and the union’s lawyers not to be overly confident in their interpretation of the evidence.

The case involves flight attendants Lacey Smith and Marli Brown, who, on an internal employee message board, criticized Alaska’s public support for federal LGBTQ protections. They were later fired.

During the hearing, the appellate judges pointed to statements by company officials that could be interpreted as showing hostility toward the attendants’ religious beliefs. They also raised concerns that Alaska Airlines and the union representing flight attendants may not have given the women a fair defense.

The original lawsuit by the attendants, represented by First Liberty, was filed in May, 2022.

“When Alaska Airlines proudly declared on the company’s internal message board its support of the passage of the deceptively-titled Equality Act, it invited employees to comment. First Liberty clients Lacey and Marli responded on the company’s online forum, asking genuine and respectful questions about their employer’s support for the legislation. Their faith compelled them to ask about the Airline’s support for federal legislation that would remove protections for women and religious employees in the workplace. The company disparaged their beliefs and promptly fired them over these questions,” First Liberty wrote.

“Last year, a federal district court handed down an alarming ruling that deprived our clients of their chance to prove their case before a jury. The court ignored overwhelming evidence of religious discrimination to rule in favor of Alaska Airlines and the flight attendants’ union,” the legal group that is defending the women noted.

If Rothstein’s ruling stands, “it would empower employers to punish employees simply for expressing their religious beliefs. It would give businesses leeway to discriminate against employees who hold religious beliefs about the nature of male and female or the need to protect women’s spaces, if done under the guise of protecting other employees from hearing ideas that they find offensive.”

More about this case at FirstLiberty.org.



UA Regents to consider policy changes to align with Trump nondiscrimination orders

Suzanne Downing
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5
UA Regents to consider policy changes to align with Trump nondiscrimination orders

The University of Alaska Board of Regents is considering revisions to its nondiscrimination and equal employment policies in order to comply with executive orders issued by President Donald Trump that require public institutions to ensure policies do not permit discrimination in hiring, promotion, or education through so-called “diversity, equity, inclusion” policies that show preference to some groups and discriminate against others. The board will meet in Juneau this week.

The proposed update, P01.02.025: Discrimination, restates that the university will not tolerate discrimination that creates an intimidating or hostile environment, while also reaffirming protections for free expression and academic freedom. It states that discrimination—whether intentional or unintentional—based on a legally protected status is prohibited, and establishes reporting processes for complaints.

The most significant changes appear in the Equal Employment Opportunity section, which eliminates references to “affirmative action” and replaces them with “equal opportunity and access.” The older policy explicitly called on the university to recruit and retain women, minorities, and other “historically underrepresented groups.” The proposed revision instead emphasizes merit-based hiring and promotion, while continuing to prohibit unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, sex, age, disability, veteran status, gender identity, political affiliation, and other legally protected categories.

University officials have acknowledged the revisions are necessary to bring UA policies into compliance with federal directives issued earlier this year, which bar federally funded institutions from maintaining affirmative action-style programs and instead required them to certify that hiring, promotion, and education practices are nondiscriminatory and based on equally applied merit standards.

The Board of Regents is expected to take up the revisions at its upcoming meeting. If approved, the policies would set new standards for how the university addresses discrimination and equal employment moving forward.

The redlined version of the policy, with proposed changes, is at this link.

Kevin McCabe: The next governor must make Port MacKenzie a priority

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR
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23
Kevin McCabe: The next governor must make Port MacKenzie a priority

By REP. KEVIN MCCABE

Alaska stands at a crossroads in its economic development. Vast untapped resources could propel our state into a new era of prosperity, but without the infrastructure to move them to market, they remain stranded. Central to unlocking this potential are the Point MacKenzie Rail Spur and Port MacKenzie.

The rail spur, a 32-mile extension connecting Port MacKenzie to the Alaska Railroad mainline near Houston, creates the shortest rail route from the Interior to tidewater. Port MacKenzie itself is a deep-draft facility across Knik Arm from Anchorage, with 9,000 acres of industrial land ready for exports and logistics. It is as ice-free as the Port of Anchorage, has never needed dredging, and can handle Panamax-size ships. The dock already has the safety features in place, making it an excellent solution for bulk exports.

This is not a pie-in-the-sky idea. Most of the infrastructure is already built, with nearly $184 million invested. What remains is leadership to finish the job. We cannot call ourselves a resource state while refusing to complete the transportation projects that move our resources to market. The return on investment is undeniable, and the benefits far outweigh any lingering concerns.

Completing the spur would mean thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions in new revenue. Up to 3,000 jobs in mining, timber, energy, and construction could be created, and the project could generate $300 million annually in royalties, fees, and taxes. A 2007 study projected $4.4 billion in long-term benefits. These are not speculative numbers; they reflect the enormous value of turning stranded assets into revenue-producing exports in a state that develops resources better, safer, and with more environmental concern than anywhere else in the world.

The resources are already there. Copper and zinc from the Ambler Mining District, where companies plan to export 1.7 million tons annually, could move through Port MacKenzie. The same is true for graphite, antimony, rare earths, and other minerals critical to modern technology. Timber and coal exports would gain new life with this route, reducing shipping costs by up to 70 percent compared to trucking or air. The biomass and LNG needed for globally required Sustainable Aviation Fuel are available through Port Mack and could be produced right there. In a global market where efficiency determines competitiveness, that margin is decisive.

This infrastructure would make Alaska’s resources competitive in global markets, especially with our Indo-Pacific Allies. It would directly support projects such as the $43 billion Alaska LNG development, which depends on efficient material transport. For a state struggling with declining oil revenues and population stagnation, diversification through Port Mack is not optional; it is imperative.

The advantages are not just economic but strategic. Alaska’s Interior holds critical minerals the nation needs for technology, renewable energy, and defense. Today those assets are trapped, forcing dependence on foreign suppliers, including China, for materials like rare earths and antimony. Completing the rail spur aligns with President Trump’s 2025 Executive Order expanding rail infrastructure for oil, gas, timber, coal, and minerals. It advances energy independence, strengthens national security, and supports Arctic defense by creating an efficient logistics route between Interior bases and tidewater.

Critics point to Port MacKenzie’s limited past use, but without rail access the port cannot attract the volume needed for viability. This is a chicken-and-egg problem. Completing the spur breaks the cycle, opening the door to high-volume and bulk exports and finally putting this asset to work for Alaskans.

The construction progress underscores how close we are. Seventy-five percent of the spur is complete, including 25 miles of embankment, bridges, 110 culverts, and a one-mile loop. What remains is track and signaling. This is not a shovel-ready project; it is beyond shovel-ready and overdue.

Concerns about navigation in Cook Inlet and winter operations are real but not insurmountable. They are the same issues faced by the Port of Anchorage. More powerful tugboats and skilled pilots have already solved these challenges, and operators themselves confirm the risks are well within their capabilities. What is not acceptable is continuing to let our mineral wealth sit idle while past investments gather dust.

Diversification for Alaska is not optional; it’s imperative. We need infrastructure that creates jobs, broadens our revenue base, and strengthens our position in global supply chains. The Point MacKenzie Rail Spur and Port MacKenzie do exactly that. They offer Alaska the chance to move from potential to production, from stagnation to growth.

The next governor must make this project a priority. That means securing federal grants, state bonds, and private investment to finish the job. It means streamlining regulations to move construction forward. And it means standing up to critics who are content to watch opportunity slip away for political reasons. Alaska cannot afford another decade of delay.

In the end, this is not about politics or one port or rail line. It is about whether Alaska will live up to its identity as a resource state. The jobs, the revenue, the strategic advantages, and the diversification are all within reach. What we need now is the leadership to bring them across the finish line.

The Point MacKenzie Rail Spur and Port MacKenzie are the linchpins of Alaska’s future. They will define whether our resources remain stranded in the Interior or flow to world markets. They will determine whether our state prospers or continues to tread water. The choice before the next governor is simple: finish what Alaska has already started, or let our resources, and our children’s future, remain stranded. The right choice is clear.

Rep. Kevin McCabe serves in the Alaska Legislature on behalf of District 30.

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Almanac: Ten years ago, Obama sparked a naming fight over Alaska’s tallest peak

Suzanne Downing
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32
Almanac: Ten years ago, Obama sparked a naming fight over Alaska’s tallest peak

On Aug. 28, 2015, President Barack Obama, through Sec. of Interior Sally Jewell, announced that Alaska’s towering Mount McKinley would be officially renamed “Denali,” restoring an Athabascan name long used by Alaska Natives and many residents of the state. The decision was celebrated as a recognition of indigenous heritage, though it launched a controversy as well, as some saw the move as an insult to President William McKinley, the mountain’s namesake since 1896.

That name change officially lasted less than a decade. On Jan. 20, 2025 — his first day back in office — President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the US Department of the Interior to reinstate the name Mount McKinley, making it his first official act upon returning to the White House. Just three days later, on Jan. 23, Interior finalized the change, restoring “Mount McKinley” in all federal records. Google map references soon followed.

Today, the iconic 20,310-foot peak stands in Denali National Park and Preserve under the McKinley name, and Alaskans continue to use both names in everyday conversation. For many, “Denali” remains as a matter of identity, while “McKinley” endures as the federally recognized name, in spite of the Alaska Legislature passing a resolution in begging Trump to restore the name “Denali.”

The controversy has somewhat fizzled, replaced by other culture war issues of the day such as transgenderism and mutilation of children.

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Ousted Sierra Club chief claims racism, not his own behavioral issues, was reason he was fired

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
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16
Ousted Sierra Club chief claims racism, not his own behavioral issues, was reason he was fired

By MELISSA O’ROURKE | DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION

Ben Jealous, the former executive director of the Sierra Club, claimed he was forced out because of racism after being fired in August following sexual harassment allegations, Bloomberg reports.

The board of directors of the Sierra Club, one of the oldest and largest environmental organizations in the country, voted unanimously to remove Jealous from his role in early August after a review of his behavior. The dismissal followed a misconduct complaint filed earlier in the year by an employee alleging sexual harassment and bullying, though Jealous attributed his firing to racial bias, Bloomberg reports.

“No one can be surprised that the Sierra Club has resorted to personal attacks. That’s how racial retaliation works. When you’re being discriminated against, they don’t accuse you of being Black,” Jealous said in a statement from his lawyer, according to Bloomberg. “Before I left, I raised serious issues of racism and retaliation, and I have honored the confidential process in my contract rather than leak those publicly. It is no coincidence these accusations surface now, after I filed my arbitration complaint detailing the discrimination and retaliation I endured.”

The complaint alleged that Jealous made unwelcome sexual remarks that included graphic comments about his own sex life and the bodies of women at the organization, according to Bloomberg. The complaint also alleges verbal abuse and screaming fits toward the employee.

Jealous, who became the Sierra Club’s first black leader in 2023, previously served as the chief of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Neither Jealous nor the Sierra Club responded to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s requests for comment.

Founded in 1892, the Sierra Club is known not only for its environmental activism but also for its involvement in liberal political advocacy. The group lists its core values as “anti-racism, balance, collaboration, justice, and transformation” on its site.

At the height of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, the Sierra Club disavowed its co-founder, John Muir, citing racist beliefs. The group accused Muir, who died in 1914, of making “derogatory comments about Black people and Indigenous peoples that drew on deeply harmful racist stereotypes.”

MSNBC host and civil rights activist Al Sharpton spoke out in support of Jealous following his firing.

“I am troubled by the Sierra Club’s manner in which they parted ways with Ben Jealous, a man who has carried himself with dedication, professionalism, and integrity in the time I have known him,” Sharpton said in a statement on Aug. 12 after Jealous’ firing was announced. “There are serious racial implications in firing a Black man of Ben’s caliber, in this fashion, at a time when diversity is under attack. It also runs counter to the Sierra Club’s own principle of eradicating racism.”

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Murkowski breaks from Sen. Cassidy, White House in CDC firing debate

Suzanne Downing
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55
Murkowski breaks from Sen. Cassidy, White House in CDC firing debate

US Sen. Lisa Murkowski is once again carving out a solitary path in Washington, this time over the sudden firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez. While most Republican leaders are echoing the White House’s call for “radical transparency” at the troubled agency, Murkowski instead suggested the ouster was proof that “politics are taking precedence over policy.”

“The firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez just a month after her confirmation, along with the departure of other high-level disease experts the day after her termination, raises considerable questions about what is happening within the agency,” Murkowski said. “Americans must be able to fully trust that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rigorously adheres to science-based and data-driven principles when issuing policy directives.”

But Murkowski’s analysis pointedly ignored the rationale provided by both the White House and Sen. Bill Cassidy, the Louisiana Republican and medical doctor who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Cassidy, a physician and the first to lead HELP, has embraced the administration’s pledge to overhaul the CDC with accountability and transparency.

“The President and Secretary are right. We need radical transparency. We need to protect the health of our children. The two go together,” Cassidy said this week. “I am committed to the President’s vision, which is why the HELP Committee will conduct oversight.”

The president’s Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated the same message: “The President and Secretary Kennedy are committed to restoring trust and transparency and credibility to the CDC … We’re going to make sure that folks that are in positions of leadership there are aligned with that mission.”

Murkowski interpreted it her own way. She struck a discordant tone, suggesting political interference but offering no specific evidence. While aligning herself with Cassidy’s call for oversight, she stopped short of embracing either the White House’s stated mission or Cassidy’s endorsement of it.

Her remarks underscore a familiar pattern: Murkowski frequently distances herself from both her party and the Trump Administration, always seeing the worst in all-things-Trump, often to the frustration of colleagues who see her equivocation as muddying the message at a time when Republicans are seeking clarity and strength on public health reform.

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From sockpuppets to foreign propaganda, Wikipedia faces congressional scrutiny

Suzanne Downing
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12
From sockpuppets to foreign propaganda, Wikipedia faces congressional scrutiny

Wikipedia, one of the world’s most visited websites and a key source for both the public and artificial intelligence systems, is at the center of a new congressional investigation into whether foreign governments, corporations, and paid operatives are secretly shaping its content. Wikipedia has an open editing model that makes its content a target of manipulation that goes undetected for long periods of time.

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has launched an investigation into organized efforts to manipulate Wikipedia content in violation of the platform’s policies. Chairman James Comer of Kentucky and Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation Chairwoman Nancy Mace of South Carolina have requested documents and information from Wikimedia Foundation Chief Executive Officer Maryana Iskander concerning the foundation’s response to coordinated editing campaigns.

Conservative politicians, political figures, and organizations, even in Alaska, have found their profiles subject to repeated political editing attacks, requiring constant monitoring.

The inquiry follows reports that Wikipedia articles have been subject to manipulation by foreign governments, corporate interests, and individuals seeking to influence public opinion. Because Wikipedia is widely relied upon by the public and increasingly by artificial intelligence systems for training data, the Committee is examining how disinformation campaigns may distort access to credible information.

Wikipedia has a record of misconduct on its platform. In 2012, the site investigated Wiki-PR, uncovering more than 250 “sockpuppet” accounts that were used for paid editing, which resulted in bans. A year earlier, the UK-based public relations firm Bell Pottinger was found editing Wikipedia entries for its clients, with changes traced directly to company offices. More recently, in 2023, Wikipedia’s community newspaper The Signpost reported that India’s Adani Group allegedly used sockpuppet accounts and undeclared paid editors to reshape its pages, inserting favorable content and removing conflict-of-interest warnings.

Political and ideological disputes have spilled into Wikipedia. In 2023, historians Jan Grabowski and Shira Klein argued that a small group of editors pushed a distorted narrative on Polish-Jewish relations, influenced by nationalist propaganda. In response, other researchers, including Piotr Konieczny, challenged those findings, underscoring the contentious nature of editorial battles on sensitive historical topics.

Nation-states have also been linked to manipulation campaigns. In 2021, the Wikimedia Foundation banned seven accounts tied to Wikimedians of Mainland China after accusations of vote-stacking and doxing, raising concerns about possible state-backed infiltration. In 2025, the House Oversight Committee cited reports of pro-Kremlin and anti-Israel narratives being inserted into articles on conflicts involving Russia and Israel, framing the issue as a matter of national security.

Instances of self-promotion have further complicated Wikipedia’s credibility. In 2024, an editor operating under the name “Swmmng” created or modified 235 articles across projects to promote artist David Woodard, violating rules against conflict of interest and sockpuppetry. Earlier cases include reports in 2010 that IBM advocates edited the History of IBMarticle to soften references to the company’s ties to the Holocaust.

Wikipedia has also faced exposure to hoaxes and disinformation. In 2007, a false claim that television composer Ronnie Hazlehurst co-wrote a pop song was picked up by the British media before being debunked. In 2014, Russian actors planted a hoax about a chemical plant explosion, an incident that highlighted the risks of coordinated falsehoods spreading beyond the platform. In 2015, during the Gamergate controversy, Wikipedia’s Arbitration Committee intervened to ban editors engaged in manipulation of gender-related articles.

The Oversight Committee’s current investigation seeks to determine how frequently such incidents occur, what tools the Wikimedia Foundation has developed to prevent them, and how effectively it enforces accountability when organized campaigns target sensitive topics. Lawmakers intend to evaluate the platform’s ability to safeguard neutrality as it continues to shape public knowledge and influence emerging technologies.

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Photo gallery: Last weekend of the Alaska State Fair

Suzanne Downing
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0
Photo gallery: Last weekend of the Alaska State Fair

The Alaska State Fair runs through Sept. 1, and there’s plenty to see and do for everyone. We share some of our best photos from the past 24 hours at the Alaska’s biggest state fair:

We don’t have his name, but we rate this kid as brilliant. Alaska State Fair on Friday (and he was doing ok).
Gorgeous day at the Alaska State Fair, rated No. 7 in the nation for state fairs (but we know it as No. 1)
A thing of beauty and you can’t convince us otherwise.
No, thank you.
Historic cotton candy booth — this one has been around for a long time, so say the window words.

Blue skies, big crowds mark opening weekend of Alaska State Fair
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