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Sarah Spaulding named founding headmaster of Thomas More Classical School in Anchorage

Suzanne Downing
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6
Sarah Spaulding named founding headmaster of Thomas More Classical School in Anchorage

A new chapter in Alaska’s education landscape begins as Thomas More Classical School has appointed Sarah Spaulding as its Founding Headmaster. The private K–12 school, opening in fall 2026 with grades K–6, will be the first in Alaska to receive startup support and training from Hillsdale College.

Spaulding joins the Anchorage-based school from Columbus Classical Academy in Ohio, where she served as founding principal. Her career in classical education spans homeschooling, classroom teaching, and school leadership at multiple Hillsdale-affiliated schools.

“Mrs. Spaulding’s career has spanned every stage of classical school development—from being a homeschooling instructor and serving as a founding faculty member of a Hillsdale-supported charter school in Toledo to building Columbus Classical Academy as a founding principal,” said Stephen Cox, president of the Thomas More Classical School Board. “Sarah is known for clarity, warmth, and an unwavering commitment to forming both mind and character.”

Spaulding said she felt called to Alaska and was drawn to the opportunity to help shape a new school grounded in classical education and Christian values.

“When I learned that Hillsdale College was helping to launch a classical school here, everything clicked,” Spaulding said. “Classical education isn’t just about what you learn, but how you learn. It trains students to think deeply, speak clearly, and act rightly—skills we’ll nurture from day one at Thomas More Classical.”

Thomas More Classical School will offer a private, interdenominational Christian education independent of government mandates. It will license the Hillsdale College K-12 curriculum and offer a structured, literature-rich environment focused on the liberal arts, character formation, and civic virtue.

Cox said the school’s launch reflects a growing interest in classical education across the state.

“Sarah’s arrival comes at a remarkable moment. Across Alaska, a quiet restoration in the classical model is gaining momentum,” said Cox. “This groundswell reflects Alaska families’ hunger for a school that truly forms mind and character. Thomas More Classical School will be the next chapter in this statewide renewal, and with Sarah Spaulding at the helm, Thomas More Classical stands ready to build on this momentum.”

The school also aims to attract mission-driven educators and families, strengthening Alaska’s classical education community and contributing to the state’s civic and cultural life.

“We’re building more than just a school,” said Cox. “We’re building a community rooted in truth, animated by faith, and committed to excellence. Our mission is to cultivate young scholars in wisdom and virtue—ensuring Alaska’s future leaders are grounded in the classical tradition and the Christian faith. As Alaska’s classical renewal continues to unfold, Thomas More Classical School—and Sarah Spaulding—stand ready to lead.”

Thomas More Classical School plans to expand one grade level each year until it becomes a full K–12 institution. For more information, visit www.moreclassical.org.

Rep. Allard: US Education ruling is win for fairness for girl athletes

Suzanne Downing
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8
Rep. Allard: US Education ruling is win for fairness for girl athletes

Rep. Jamie Allard of Eagle River on Tuesday praised a recent decision by the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, which found that California violated Title IX by allowing biological males to compete in girls’ sports. The ruling gives California 10 days to reverse course or risk losing federal education funding.

“This ruling is a win for fairness, a win for women, and a win for common sense,” said Rep. Allard. “Title IX was enacted to give women equal opportunities. Allowing biological males to compete against girls undermines the integrity of women’s sports and endangers the progress generations of women have fought for.”

Allard is the sponsor of House Bill 40, introduced earlier this year, which would require Alaska school sports teams to be designated based on biological sex and preserve female-only competition. The bill has not received a hearing in the House, which is led by a Democrat-majority coalition. It’s the second time Allard has tried to get a bill passed though the legislature to protect girl athletes.

“As a mother, veteran, and former Junior Olympic athlete, I will never stop defending our daughters’ right to compete on a level playing field,” Allard said. “It’s deeply disappointing that the majority in the Alaska Legislature won’t even allow a public conversation about this issue. Alaska’s girls deserve better.”

The federal ruling at the same time the Department of Education announced a resolution agreement with the University of Pennsylvania, concluding the school wrongly allowed a male to participate in women’s swimming during the 2021–22 NCAA season.

Allard’s HB 40 is part of a broader national debate over the future of Title IX and the participation of male athletes in female divisions. Allard has said she remains committed to advancing the bill.

Murkowski plays hot potato with Big Beautiful Bill, now Peltola jabs at her and Sullivan for their votes

Suzanne Downing
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31
Murkowski plays hot potato with Big Beautiful Bill, now Peltola jabs at her and Sullivan for their votes

For Sen. Lisa Murkowski, the One Big Beautiful Bill is a hot potato she just tossed to the House. Now, she has called on House Republicans to send the “One Big Beautiful Bill” back to the Senate for further refinement because it’s not ready. This, even though Murkowski cast one of the decisive votes in favor of the sweeping Trump budget and priorities package.

“My hope is that the House is gonna look at this and recognize that we’re not there yet,” Murkowski told reporters Tuesday, after the Senate passed the bill in dramatic fashion, ending a 28-hour vote-a-rama.

The legislation narrowly cleared the Senate with Murkowski emerging as a pivotal holdout whose support tipped the balance to a 50-50 split. Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote. Murkowski’s decision came after last-minute negotiations secured her a provision doubling grant funding to rural hospitals, which will pour money into rural Alaska.

But despite helping pass the bill, Murkowski now says the package still needs work and is urging her colleagues in the House to reject it in its current form and send it back.

Adding to the political firestorm, former Democratic Congresswoman Mary Peltola weighed in on social media Tuesday, posting a sharp critique of her “former colleagues,” accusing them of being bought by billionaires. Though Peltola didn’t name names, her post was widely interpreted as a jab at both Murkowski and Sen. Dan Sullivan, Alaska’s two sitting senators.

The irony wasn’t lost on political observers: Peltola’s own 2024 congressional campaigns was among the most well-funded in Alaska history, with millions in support from out-of-state donors and progressive PACs. Despite the backing of billionaires like Reid Hoffman, Michael Bloomberg, and Dustin Moskovitz, she lost her re-election bid in 2024 to Republican Nick Begich III. Adding to the irony is that Murkowski was a supporter of Peltola when she first ran for office, and Murkowski opposed Begich. Her support was more private in 2024, but still detectable. Now, Peltola has tuned on her.

Murkowski joins Democrats in failed bid to protect Planned Parenthood funding
Murkowski holds the line, then votes ‘aye’ and Big Beautiful Bill moves to final vote

BLM announces fireworks, open fire restrictions

Suzanne Downing
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2
BLM announces fireworks, open fire restrictions

The Bureau of Land Management’s Fairbanks District Office has issued an emergency order restricting open fires, fireworks, and explosives on BLM-managed lands throughout the district, excluding areas north of Wiseman, Alaska. The restrictions go into effect at midnight, July 1, and will remain in place until further notice.

The move comes as Interior Alaska experiences hot, dry, and windy weather that has created explosive fire conditions. The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning, citing a high potential for rapid fire growth across central and eastern regions of the Interior.

“With over 190 active wildfires burning statewide, and Alaska at Preparedness Level 4—the highest priority level in the nation—these restrictions are necessary to prevent additional human-caused fires,” the BLM stated. Nearly 1,500 firefighters are currently deployed across the state to protect communities, infrastructure, and natural resources.

The order prohibits:

  • Open campfires (except in designated sites)
  • Use of fireworks
  • Use of explosives, including exploding targets

Campfires within established rings are still permitted at select BLM-managed campgrounds, including:

  • White Mountains National Recreation Area: Mt. Prindle, Ophir Creek, and Cripple Creek
  • Fortymile Region: West Fork, Walker Fork, and Eagle
  • Dalton Highway Corridor: Arctic Circle, Five Mile, Marion Creek, and Galbraith Lake

Use of gas stoves, propane grills, or charcoal in fire-proof containers are also allowed across all BLM Fairbanks District public lands.

Officials urge travelers in fire-prone areas to be cautious and follow these guidelines:

  • Be alert for firefighting crews and equipment along roadways
  • Reduce speed in smoky areas
  • Turn on headlights to improve visibility

To report a wildfire in Alaska, call 1-800-237-3633 or 911.

For the latest updates on fire restrictions and closures, visit the BLM Alaska Fire Restrictions webpage.

Rise in sophisticated AI-powered text scams prompts warning from Alaska DOT

Pedro Gonzalez
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4
Rise in sophisticated AI-powered text scams prompts warning from Alaska DOT

Many Alaskans were recently spammed with texts that appeared to have been sent from the Alaska Department of Motor Vehicles. The messages warned of impending penalties for alleged violations and looked, at first glance, like official notifications. 

But a closer look revealed that these were just another example of the phishing attacks that have become increasingly common nationwide.

In a statement, the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities warned that these scams are getting more sophisticated and aggressive.

“Scammers are constantly adapting their tactics,” the DOT&PF said. The agency also encouraged Alaskans “to remain skeptical of any unsolicited text messages involving money, especially those appearing to come from government agencies.”

These messages often include links or request an immediate reply, which can funnel victims into surrendering personal information. Recipients, in this case, were threatened with what appeared to be imminent fines for speeding violations. 

“ALASKA Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Final Notices: Enforcement Penalties Begin on June 20. Our records show that as of today, you have an outstanding traffic ticket,” the texts read. To add a layer of officialdom, the messages referenced a non-existent section of “Alaska Administrative Code.” 

According to sources, phishing scams rose globally by nearly 60 percent from 2022 to 2023. That explosion has been fueled by the proliferation of artificial intelligence, which provides scammers with new methods of targeting victims, like voice phishing and deepfake phishing. 

AI tools now allow people to clone the voices of politicians, celebrities, loved ones—or even your own—and use them to confuse and deceive their targets.

Major data breaches have also contributed to the growth of these attacks and their enhanced threat profile.

Earlier this year, it came to light that a dataset containing 16 billion user credentials had been circulating online. The massive tranche consisted of both previously leaked and newly compromised login information, which has enabled even more aggressive forms of scamming. Some victims will only become aware that their data has fallen into an attacker’s hands when they receive one-time codes and password reset requests. 

Attackers often target the elderly, who are less tech-savvy. In 2023, scammers stole approximately $3.4 billion from older U.S. adults—a 14 percent increase over the previous year. The psychological toll incurred by succumbing to these scams can be profoundly unsettling, triggering bouts of depression and, at worst, suicidal ideation.

People can take proactive steps to protect themselves, like implementing two-factor authentication. But beyond that, Americans are wading into uncharted waters of a strange new era of AI-fueled scams.

Breaking: UPenn backtracks, will issue formal apology for letting male swimmer compete as female

Suzanne Downing
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22
Breaking: UPenn backtracks, will issue formal apology for letting male swimmer compete as female

The University of Pennsylvania has reached a resolution agreement with the US Department of Education to address Title IX violations stemming from the school having allowed male swimmer Lia Thomas’s participation on the women’s swim team during the 2021–2022 NCAA season.

The agreement comes after a months-long investigation that found UPenn failed to protect the rights of its female athletes under federal law. The university will also issue a formal apology.

“Today’s agreement marks a long-overdue victory for fairness in women’s collegiate sports. By restoring titles to biological female athletes and implementing clear, biology-based eligibility standards, the Department of Education and UPenn have taken a vital step to protect the integrity of women’s athletics under Title IX,” said Alaska Rep. Jamie Allard, who has championed legislation to protect girls and women athletes in Alaska.

Lia Thomas, transgender swimmer, just captured women’s NCAA title for 500-yard, and didn’t even break a sweat

The Department of Education concluded that UPenn’s decision to allow Thomas, a man who had who previously competed on the university’s men’s team but who had taken female hormones as part of a transgender transition, to participate in women’s collegiate swimming events constituted a violation of Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs.

As part of the resolution, UPenn will also ban transgender women from participating in women’s sports teams and will adopt biology-based definitions of male and female for athletic eligibility.

The agreement also mandates the university to restore all individual Division I swimming records and titles to the biological female athletes who were displaced by Thomas during the 2021–2022 season. This move effectively vacates Thomas’s wins and reassigns them to the runners-up.

“Great news! Lia Thomas won’t be able to compete in women’s category at the Olympics or any other elite competition. He has just lost his legal battle in Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling. This is a victory for women and girls everywhere!” wrote Riley Gaines, a former swimming competitor who was bested by Thomas in competition.

Riley Gaines shares her journey on the Must Read Alaska Show

UPenn is required by the settlement to issue formal letters of apology to each affected female athlete. The letters will acknowledge that their athletic experiences were negatively impacted by the university’s prior policies, which the Department of Education found to be discriminatory under Title IX.

The controversy surrounding Thomas began when he became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I championship in 2022. His participation drew national attention and sparked a backlash from several of his former teammates and other collegiate athletes, including Gaines, Paula Scanlan, Grace Estabrook, Margot Kaczorowski, and Ellen Holmquist. These athletes raised concerns about competitive fairness and privacy in shared locker rooms.

The resolution follows a February 2025 investigation triggered by legal complaints from former swimmers, as well as a broader review of UPenn’s compliance with federal civil rights law.

In March, shortly after Donald Trump became president again, his administration escalated pressure his alma mater by pausing $175 million in federal funding, a move that reportedly accelerated UPenn’s negotiations with federal officials.

The lawsuits filed by several former athletes remain ongoing. These cases seek additional remedies, including the formal revocation of awards granted to Thomas and broader accountability from the NCAA and the Ivy League.

This resolution represents one of the most significant federal interventions to date regarding transgender participation in collegiate sports and is being hailed by women’s advocacy groups as a major victory for women’s athletic rights.

Allard bill designating middle and high school sports by sex gets support from champion Riley Gaines
Another switched-up male swimmer sets a college record on a women’s team
Lia Thomas, transgender swimmer, just captured women’s NCAA title for 500-yard, and didn’t even break a sweat

Rubio folds USAID into State Department, ending its dark NGO-laced, leftist role in foreign aid

Suzanne Downing
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8
Rubio folds USAID into State Department, ending its dark NGO-laced, leftist role in foreign aid

The Trump Administration has officially ended the US Agency for International Development’s role in implementing foreign assistance, marking the most sweeping restructuring of American foreign aid in decades.

As of July 1, all foreign aid programs will now be managed directly by the US Department of State under a newly restructured model aimed at aligning international assistance with America’s strategic and economic interests.

“The era of government-sanctioned inefficiency has come to an end,” said Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “From now on, American aid will promote American priorities.”

USAID had decades and seemingly unlimited taxpayer money to advance American influence, promote economic development worldwide, and allow billions to stand on their own two feet. But beyond creating a globe-spanning NGO industrial complex at taxpayer expense, USAID has little to show since the end of the Cold War, Rubio wrote. Development objectives have rarely been met, instability has often worsened, and anti-American sentiment has only grown. 

The administration’s decision follows a review of more than $715 billion in inflation-adjusted foreign aid spending since the end of the Cold War. According to the review, USAID’s programs frequently failed to achieve development goals, while US favorability measurably declined in key regions that received substantial funding.

For example, sub-Saharan African nations, despite receiving $165 billion in US assistance since 1991, voted with America at the United Nations only 29% of the time in 2023, the lowest rate of any region.

In the Middle East and North Africa, $89 billion in aid has produced lower favorability ratings for the U.S. than for China in all but one country.

Under the new model, the administration is replacing what it calls a “charity-based” foreign aid philosophy with a system based on trade, investment, and strategic partnership. Future assistance will be time-limited, results-driven, and focused on countries that demonstrate both the ability and willingness to build sustainable, independent economies.

Another major change will be symbolic but strategic: All aid will now be clearly branded with the American flag. No more anonymous non-governmental organizations will be used to pass through money from US taxpayers.

“Recipients deserve to know that the assistance they receive is not a handout from an unknown organization—it’s an investment from the American people,” Secretary Rubio said.

The administration also emphasized its intent to counter China’s influence in the developing world by offering an alternative to Beijing’s debt-trap diplomacy and state-centered aid model.

The State Department says it is already making progress by streamlining appropriations, cutting red tape, and empowering diplomats on the ground with real-time authority and feedback systems. Aid will now be delivered through regional bureaus, which are tasked with ensuring every dollar advances U.S. interests.

The administration also announced it is pushing international partners and allies, especially the United Nations and NATO members, to take on a greater share of funding for global development and security projects.

“For Americans and many around the world,” Secretary Rubio wrote on Tuesday, “July 1 marks the beginning of a new era of global partnership, peace, investment, and prosperity.”

Read Rubio’s column at this State Department Substack page.

Pride Month drags on at Anchorage City Hall

Suzanne Downing
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23
Pride Month drags on at Anchorage City Hall

On July 1, the LGBTQ+ flag is still flying at Anchorage City Hall, even though Pride Month ended June 30. It may become a permanent feature under the current leadership of the city.

Today is also Mayor Suzanne LaFrance’s first anniversary as mayor. Last week she presided over the raising of the rainbow and transgender flag over Anchorage as a part of the Pride Month celebrations, where she made sure the municipality had a strong presence, paid for by taxpayers.

Anchorage Pride Festival is Saturday, with Mary Peltola as grand marshal of Pride Parade
Incoming Anchorage mayor LaFrance takes part in parade featuring antisemitic-shouting by ‘Queers for Palestine’

ICE detainees in Anchorage sent back south for more prison time, deportation

Suzanne Downing
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11
ICE detainees in Anchorage sent back south for more prison time, deportation

The 41 illegal immigrants who were briefly being housed at the Anchorage Correctional Complex have been relocated to prisons in the Lower 48.

Alaska took the inmates in to help relieve overcrowding in a Tacoma ICE facility. Earlier this month, six of the inmates were then relocated, and the final 35 inmates left on Monday.

Their stay in Alaska was part of a renegotiated agreement that the State of Alaska Department of Corrections has with ICE, under which illegal immigrants who are awaiting deportation processes can be housed in Alaska prisons when space is available.

The ACLU-Alaska, Socialists, and Democrats decried the move, and the Democrat-led House Judiciary Committee held a hearing to expose the matter as a violation of human rights.

Alaska House Judiciary Committee to hold invitation-only testimony on ICE detainees in state prisons

Local left-leaning media has insinuated that Department of Corrections released the inmates based on the pressure from the ACLU, but the housing of the inmates was always a temporary measure and their removal from Alaska was under the control of ICE and was part of standard operations to get illegal aliens out of the United States as quickly as possible.

Alaska House Judiciary Committee hearing misrepresents federal guidance on ICE detainees
Forty detainees sent to Alaska prior to deportation, protest called by socialists
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