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Senator Sullivan Announces $183.4 Million in Federal Highway Funds. 

Jon Faulkner
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23
Senator Sullivan Announces $183.4 Million in Federal Highway Funds. 

By JON FAULKNER

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) recently announced that a record-setting $183.4 million in federal funds were redistributed to Alaska’s DOT and Public Facilities through the Federal Highway Administration. 

Redistribution funds allow states with previously approved and designed projects to accelerate their construction timelines through a re-allocation of existing federal funds. The $183.4 million places Alaska as the highest in the nation on a per-capita basis for August redistribution funding. 

Senator Sullivan is a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee and has consistently advocated for increased funding for Alaska’s federal highway projects, including efforts during President Trump’s first term to secure funding and permits for the massive Cooper Landing Bypass project. 

The road funds will help advance two large projects currently in progress: the West Susitna Access Road and the Cooper Landing Bypass.  They will also cover other safety, pavement protection, and smaller access projects.   

“We have natural resources that exceed most major countries, yet we have fewer road miles than Connecticut, despite our state being 118 times the size. In my seats on both the Environment and Public Works and Commerce Committees, getting more infrastructure—including roads—built in our state so we can unlock our full potential is one of my top priorities,” said Senator Sullivan in a prepared statement.

Sullivan continued: “We’ve had great success securing major awards for transportation infrastructure projects, with hundreds of millions of dollars in long-term investments coming to our state, but more needs to be done. My team and I have had numerous conversations with Transportation Secretary Duffy and his team about our infrastructure challenges and the necessity of working cooperatively with Alaska DOT to ensure that, unlike the previous administration, federal highway funds aren’t bogged down by unnecessary requirements and red tape. I want to thank Secretary Duffy for following through on his commitments and look forward to working with Alaska DOT to ensure that these funds are used to advance infrastructure projects that benefit our communities.” 

Jon Faulkner is the president of Alaska Gold Communications, parent company to Must Read Alaska.

Anchorage Assembly Advances Housing Proposals 

Brenda Josephson
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14
Anchorage Assembly Advances Housing Proposals 

By BRENDA JOSEPHSON

The Anchorage Assembly held public hearings on two ordinances to advance its housing agenda at its regular meeting on September 23rd. 

One of the ordinances would advance a charter amendment to authorize a tax short-term rentals that would require a public vote.

The other proposed ordinance provides tenant protections by requiring landlords to provide relocation assistance to tenants if their housing is deemed unfit for human habitation.

Ordinance No. AO 2025-97 proposes submitting a ballot proposition to amend the Home Rule Charter of the Municipality of Anchorage. This amendment would authorize a tax on short-term rental transactions, such as those on platforms like Airbnb and VRBO. The ordinance includes the ballot language and procedural steps for voter approval. It is sponsored by Assembly Member Daniel Volland and Assembly Chair Chris Constant.

Ordinance No. AO 2025-93 amends Anchorage Municipal Code Chapters 15.05 and 15.10 to require residential rental property owners to provide tenants with financial relocation assistance—equal to two months’ rent plus any deposit and prepaid rent—within seven days of issuing a notice to vacate due to the dwelling being unfit for human habitation. 

The ordinance also adds Section 8.30.200 to Title 8, classifying failure to comply with enforcement orders, notices to vacate, or relocation assistance requirements as class B misdemeanors, with civil penalties up to $2,000 per offense and daily fines up to $500. Exceptions apply for violations caused by tenant actions, natural disasters, or eminent domain. If owners fail to provide assistance, the municipality may advance funds to tenants and recover costs through penalties. This ordinance is sponsored by Assembly Members Zac Johnson and Erin Baldwin.

Both ordinances will be back for discussion on October 21.

For more information click on the link below for the September 23rd meeting packet:

Click to access Assembly_Regular_-_September_23%2C_2025_6181_Agenda_Packet_9_23_2025_5_00_00_PM.pdf

October 7th Local Elections Will Shape Our Communities

Brenda Josephson
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12
October 7th Local Elections Will Shape Our Communities

By BRENDA JOSEPHSON

With early voting underway and ballots landing in mailboxes across Alaska, October 7th is your chance to make a real difference in the places we call home.

From borough assemblies to school boards and vital propositions, these municipal elections empower everyday Alaskans to guide education, infrastructure, and local services. With easy mail-in options and early voting already underway, now is the time to grab your ballot and help build the stronger communities we deserve. It is time for Alaskans to make their voices heard together!

In the capital city, the City and Borough of Juneau’s regular municipal election runs by mail from September 19 to October 7, with ballots automatically sent to registered voters. Voters will elect three Assembly seats; two incumbents are running unopposed, and in District 2 incumbent will be facing a challenger.

Juneau candidates will also vie for three board of education seats. Three propositions are on the ballot, including two citizen’s initiatives for reducing the millage rate cap and a sales tax exemption for essential food and non-commercial utilities. The third is a proposal from the local government for a seasonally adjusted sales tax that would increase in the summer months. Affordable Juneau, a local advocacy group, is urging votes of “Yes, Yes, and No” on the proposals. Drop boxes are available 24/7, with in-person voting at City Hall and Valley Library on election day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

In other areas of Southeast Alaska, in Ketchikan Gateway Borough and the City of Ketchikan, voters will choose a borough mayor, assembly members, and school board members across seven precincts, with absentee voting by mail or fax.

The Haines Borough’s general municipal election will fill two seats each for assembly, planning commission, and school board. The community will also have a chance to affirm or reject the government’s proposal for a seasonal tax increase.

Skagway’s October 7th ballot has the mayor’s office running unopposed, three candidates running for two open three-year assembly seats, and a one-year assembly seat that has no names on the ballot. A seasonal sales tax is also on the ballot for Skagway that, if approved by voters, would increase sales tax from 5% to 7% during the months of April through September each year to offset utility bills and fund infrastructure projects.

The City and Borough of Wrangell’s race has two candidates running for two available three-year seats and three candidates running for one open one-year seat. Four candidates have filed to fill two open school board seats.

The City and Borough of Sitka race is competitive this year with six candidates vying for two assembly seats. In the school board race, three candidates are hoping to be elected to two open seats on the board. Also on the ballot is a proposal to allow the Sitka Community Hospital Dedicated Fund to be used for the former hospital’s debt expense and debt expense for athletic and recreation facilities.

In the Fairbanks North Star Borough, the regular municipal election covers three three-year assembly seats and two school board seats. The City of Fairbanks race will decide who will serve as mayor and fill two city council seats. Early voting runs September 22 to October 2, with polling places open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on October 7th.

In the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, the cities of Palmer, Wasilla, and Houston conduct independent elections. Palmer voters will elect a mayor and three council seats: two three-year terms and one one-year term. Wasilla will be filling three city council seats with two of the candidates running unopposed. Houston will also be electing council seats. These races are separate from the Mat-Su borough-wide election that will be held on November 4th.

In Southwest Alaska, the City of Bethel will be looking to fill four City Council seats with three candidates running, meaning one seat may go unfilled or to a write-in candidate. The City of Whittier has three city council seats on the ballot, with two running unopposed.

The Alaska Division of Elections administers the REAA election for school board seats in 11 rural areas within the unorganized borough, including Aleutian, Lower Yukon, Holy Cross, Lake Minchumina, Shageluk, Ruby, Koyukuk, Minto, Arctic Village, Fort Yukon, Northway, and Tok. Ballots were mailed by September 15, with early voting available from September 22 at regional offices. Polling places are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day, October 7th.

Early and absentee voting is now underway, including in-person options from September 22. October 7th is your moment to prove all politics is local—mark your ballot today and inspire others to join the effort to shape the future of your community. For sample ballots and polling details, visit elections.alaska.gov or contact your local clerk’s office.

Your vote counts!

Brenda Josephson is a board member of Alaska Gold Communications, Inc., the publisher of Must Read Alaska. You can contact her via email at [email protected].

Jimmy Kimmel’s Suspension and The Public Interest Doctrine 

Jon Faulkner
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21
Jimmy Kimmel’s Suspension and The Public Interest Doctrine 

Part of MRAK Series “A Jury of the People: You Decide” 

By JON FAULKNER 

Ben Sperry’s article on the suspension of talk-show host Jimmy Kimmel by ABC frames the legal issues well and concludes by recommending expanded First Amendment freedoms through reduced regulation of airwaves.  Deregulation or downsizing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) resonates with Americans who have witnessed censorship and suppression of news at every level, in business and government.  

In 1791, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton delivered “position papers” to President George Washington over the constitutionality of the proposed bank of the United States. Hamilton’s argument prevailed largely because of the “general welfare” clause in the Constitution. This widely interpreted mandate has empowered our federal government to enact seemingly limitless domestic programs and regulations in pursuit of the public welfare. However, the Framers did not provide a definition of “public welfare.” 

Our Constitution relegates to the Judiciary the interpretation of laws we create to protect our Constitutional rights to free speech and a free press. What promotes the general welfare, however, is for the American people to decide. 

The public welfare doctrine grants Congress both proactive and reactive powers. These powers are extensive and highly influenced by public opinion. Aside from human rights, which transcend human-imposed limits, our freedoms are limited or expanded by what our representative democracy regards as both reasonable and defensible on the basis of serving the best interests of society.         

Kimmel’s controversial comments about the alleged killer of Charlie Kirk prompted backlash and actions by ABC’s affiliate stations and FCC. The suspension, driven by decisions from affiliate groups Nexstar and Sinclair to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live!, followed remarks by FCC Chair Brendan Carr, who urged affiliates to “step up” in reaction to Kimmel’s comments, implying that broadcasters must act in the “public interest” or face potential fines for a “pattern of news distortion.”  

The near immediate reaction by Nexstar and Sinclair implies the presence of pressure, but Carr’s statements were transparent and suggestive.  Lawyers like Stout will speculate about the line between censorship and regulatory guidance, but these are distractions from the bigger issue: the growing power of Government to intervene and the arbitrary execution of that power. The Biden-Trump transition is corrective or destructive, depending upon one’s view, but the Twitter Files and many other revelations of abuse are more than worrisome.   

The Kimmel case asks Americans to decide how we defend our right to a free press. The concept of the need to control content on behalf of the public welfare is on the table.  We must decide for ourselves what kind of country we want, and how to safeguard our freedoms.  

Americans who favor de-centralization of corporate power and influence in media, for example, should hold Disney accountable for pressuring affiliates to carry a show their local marketplace does not support. Congress is accountable for more robust enforcement of internal safeguards designed to expose and remove bad actors within the Executive.     

Americans need to decide the degree to which we regulate our airways or tax them. Maybe the FCC is another agency we don’t need. But FCC’s authority over airwaves misses the larger point, which is how Americans wish to regulate media in a manner that promotes the general welfare, and avoids infringements upon Constitutional rights to free speech and a free press.  What constitutes unacceptable levels of deceptive news, “hate speech”, violence or pornography, we Americans—not the courts–get to decide.    

Trump and Kennedy Spotlight Tylenol-Autism Link, Push New Autism Research Agenda

Ben Carpenter
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51
Trump and Kennedy Spotlight Tylenol-Autism Link, Push New Autism Research Agenda

By BEN CARPENTER

President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. delivered a bombshell today from the White House. Mounting evidence suggests that acetaminophen (commonly sold as Tylenol) may be linked to higher rates of autism when used during pregnancy.

The announcement marks a sharp break from years of government silence on the issue. It also signals the administration’s willingness to challenge entrenched pharmaceutical interests that have long dismissed concerns raised by parents, clinicians, and independent researchers.

A Long-Ignored Signal

For years, studies have pointed to a troubling association between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and increased risks of autism and ADHD. Research published in JAMA Psychiatry, Environmental Health Perspectives, and NIH-backed cohort analyses shows a dose-dependent relationship. The more acetaminophen exposure in utero, the higher the likelihood of a child later being diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder.

Elite universities have echoed the warning. Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and Mount Sinai researchers have published reviews urging caution and transparency. A 2025 Environmental Health study added biological evidence, finding that acetaminophen disrupts fetal brain development through oxidative stress pathways.

Until today, Washington largely ignored these signals.

Trump and Kennedy’s Agenda

The administration announced three immediate steps during a press conference Monday:

  1. Federal research funding to aggressively examine acetaminophen’s developmental impact.
  2. Expansion of Leucovorin trials, a folate-based therapy already showing promise for subsets of children with autism.
  3. Updated clinical guidance for physicians and expectant mothers weighing the risks of Tylenol use during pregnancy.

Trump framed the move as a commitment to transparency and families. “Parents deserve the truth, not cover-ups. We will not let Big Pharma silence science when children’s futures are at stake.”

Kennedy, a longtime critic of regulatory capture at the FDA and NIH, was blunter. “For too long, the medical establishment has treated concerned parents like conspiracy theorists. Today we begin setting the record straight.”

Breaking the Consensus

Acetaminophen is taken by an estimated 65% of pregnant women. If federal research confirms these risks, public health could face its biggest reevaluation since the government admitted the dangers of tobacco.

Critics may call this political theater. They point to the uncertainty that still surrounds causation. But the administration’s move shifts the burden of proof. Instead of parents defending their instincts, the pharmaceutical industry must explain why red flags were ignored.

The Trump-Kennedy alliance on autism policy represents something larger. It challenges the bipartisan consensus that has long allowed corporate medicine to dictate the debate. With autism rates climbing as high as one in thirty-one children and trust in public health institutions collapsing, today’s announcement may resonate far beyond Tylenol.

Why It Matters

  • For Families: Expectant mothers now face new questions about what was once considered the safest pain reliever on the shelf.
  • For Medicine: Federal dollars are being redirected toward independent autism research, not just industry-friendly studies.
  • For Politics: Trump and Kennedy are rebranding the GOP as the party willing to confront Big Pharma’s taboos. That message is likely to energize parents who feel abandoned by the medical establishment.

This announcement is not just about Tylenol. It is about who Americans trust to tell them the truth about their health, and who has been hiding it.

Ben Carpenter is a former Alaska state legislator, combat veteran, small business owner, and host of the Must Read Alaska Show.

UAA Turning Point USA Chapter to Hold Vigil for Charlie Kirk

Brenda Josephson
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7
UAA Turning Point USA Chapter to Hold Vigil for Charlie Kirk

By BRENDA JOSEPHSON

The University of Alaska Anchorage chapter of Turning Point USA will host a public memorial vigil in honor of Charlie Kirk.

This event is scheduled for Thursday, September 25, 2025, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. in The Den at the UAA Student Union on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus. Everyone is welcome to join the gathering to honor the memory of Charlie Kirk and celebrate his life and legacy.

Glen Biegel: Charlie Kirk Assassinated – A Review of How Things Have Gone Wrong with Debate in America

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
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46
Glen Biegel: Charlie Kirk Assassinated – A Review of How Things Have Gone Wrong with Debate in America

By GLEN BIEGEL

How does society train young men to be safe?  How do young men channel their energies to do good and avoid violence?  The answer is oddly found in the formerly agreed-upon rules of decorum, which value societal humility, and is easily seen throughout the assassination of Charlie Kirk. 

Comment from the Daily Wire: My daughter was at a restaurant when the news about Charlie came on the tv screens. She was absolutely appalled when the two female bartenders clapped in response. Yes, there are monsters in this world and those two are examples. 

Comment from my Facebook post: Also RIP to Minnesota House representative who were gunned down in their home 12 weeks ago. 

Reporting from Newsmax: Ammunition found in the rifle believed to have been used in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk was reportedly engraved with slogans linked to transgender and antifascist ideology. 

Reporting form Powerline Blog contributing attorney: Rutgers found that only 45% of those who described themselves as liberal (including those who said they were “slightly liberal”) think that assassinating President Trump would be “not at all justified.” A majority saw some justification, and an appalling 13% said that killing Trump would be “completely justified.” No wonder that two people, so far, have tried to do it. 

It is not surprising that violence results as a significant fraction of our nation becomes unmoored from rules of decorum and trained for a generation to dehumanize their opponents.  The reality is that our public discourse is now so coarse that dehumanizing your opponent is often the very first response regarding anyone who disagrees with a person on the left.  The movements we elevate in schools include any number of false and dangerous us-vs-them propositions: Transgenderism, Anti-Racism, Anti-Fascism, Gender ideology, Anti-Colonialism, religious hostility, and economic Marxism.  In each case, the leftist mantra is the same: 

Those with whom we disagree treat others inhumanely.  Historical, religious, and societal norms need to be abandoned, and opposing speech demonized. There is no possibility that we are misinformed.  We are justified. Those whom we stand against will not stop or reform—no safe spaces. Therefore, we can treat those with whom we disagree as less than humans.  Rules are made to be broken, violently when necessary. 

    The comments and excerpts from Powerline Blog, Newsmax, and Daily Wire above are easy to understand.  They are outcomes of a young man radicalized, justified, trained and set loose on society.  I want to highlight this comment on my Facebook post, where I remembered Charlie Kirk. 

    Also RIP to Minnesota House representative who were gunned down in their home 12 weeks ago. 

    The essence of this is a simple and powerful explanation of the first three principles above. 

    The poster confuses whether a political assassination by an adherent to a violent ideology, sadly held by millions of Americans, is equivalent to a madman who had a personal disagreement with people and a gun.  The societal norm here is that we expect human beings to be able to understand when things are similar or equivalent.  This fracture of being able to judge when something is similar shows the initial miseducation of the person who posted.  If a person can’t understand how Charlie Kirk’s assassination is different, then they can justify any conclusion on any subject.  They are primed to be radicalized.  After all, if you disagree that a 12-year-old can have their breasts removed against their parents’ wishes, you are deleting that person’s essence.  You are denying their very existence, right? 

    Not only is the person equating the disgustingly celebrated assassination of Charlie Kirk to the tragic killing of the Minnesota Representative logically flawed, but it also shows that there is no question of equivalency in the person’s mind.  You know that this person had made that duplicitous remark hundreds of times.  The poster was not confused about the violence of right and left; they were justified in invading our stunned reaction to a political assassination of a man beloved by tens of millions and resulting from a widespread, often violent, movement, not a lone madman who was universally condemned. 

    In the face of a grieving person, there are rules about attacking them, distracting them, and disrespecting their grief.  This is a normal human sensitivity.  Decent human beings understand that in their souls.  At least we used to.  No, the commenter on my Facebook is an adherent to the ‘no safe spaces’ movement.     

    The tragic results from removing the rules of decorum are what the excerpts above demonstrate so clearly.  

    A final caution to those who feel overwhelmed by the forces that created these increasingly violent movements.  Underlying all these is Satan, and he wishes for nothing more than for conservatives to lose sight of the humanity of our leftist brethren, as so many of them have lost sight of ours.  While we dismantle the movements that created the fertile field resulting in this horrific outcome, we should not fall into the very error that has overcome a significant fraction of our opponents, lest the devil win twice. 

    Glen Biegel is a technology security professional, Catholic father of nine, husband to a saint, and politically active conservative.

    National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk

    Brenda Josephson
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    15
    National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk

    By BRENDA JOSEPHSON

    The U.S. Senate has passed a resolution designating October 14, 2025, as a “National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk.”

    The resolution honors the late conservative activist who co-founded Turning Point USA. The resolution, known as S. Res. 403, was introduced on September 18th and quickly approved the same day, unanimously by a voice vote. A similar resolution, H. Res. 727, has also been introduced in the House.

    The resolution praises Kirk for his work as a “champion of free speech, civic dialogue, and faith” and was introduced by Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) with co-sponsors including Sen. Dan Sullivan and 21 others.

    It highlights Kirk’s role in founding Turning Point USA, which has thousands of chapters that teaches high school and college students about freedom, free markets, and limited government. The resolution notes Kirk’s bestselling books and speeches that inspired millions of young people to get involved in civic life, especially by defending constitutional values on college campuses. It also states that Kirk died on September 10, 2025, from an assassin’s bullet, and his efforts cost him his life.

    US Senate Resolution 403Download

    The House resolution, introduced on September 16th by Rep. Jimmy Patronis (R-FL), has been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. In the House, the “National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk” is cosponsored by Reps. Steube, Alford, Luna, Mills, Bilirakis, Moore, Salazar, Bean, Gimenez, Scott, Van Orden, and Collins. It mirrors the verbiage on the Senate resolution, acknowledging Kirk’s accomplishments and his assassination on September 10th.

    US House Resolution 727Download

    Both resolutions encourage schools, community groups, and people across the country to observe October 14th “with appropriate programs, activities, prayers, and ceremonies that promote civic engagement and the principles of faith, liberty, and democracy that Charlie Kirk championed.”

    The Senate resolution is complete, having been submitted and passed unanimously on the same day. It requires no further votes since it is just a Senate statement. The House resolution, still in committee, only needs House approval to pass, as these resolutions aren’t laws and don’t require concurrence or presidential action.

    Brenda Josephson is a board member of Alaska Gold Communications, Inc., the publisher of Must Read Alaska. You can contact her via email at [email protected].

    Sullivan Champions Swift Action on Juneau’s Recurrent Glacial Flooding

    Brenda Josephson
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    26
    Sullivan Champions Swift Action on Juneau’s Recurrent Glacial Flooding

    By BRENDA JOSEPHSON

    Senator Dan Sullivan is working to address the glacial lake outburst floods caused by the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau by securing commitments from the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

    During a recent Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing, Sullivan urged Lt. Gen. William Graham Jr., the chief of engineers, and Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle to provide short-, medium-, and long-term strategies to address the flooding that has plagued the capital city for over a decade.


    Sullivan tied the Corps’ efforts to a broader policy shift, referencing President Trump’s Day One executive order, “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential.” The order directs the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works to review and revise any actions hindering critical projects in Alaska. During Telle’s confirmation hearing, he memorably told Sullivan he had “tattooed” the order’s directive on his heart, a commitment Sullivan praised during the hearing.

    The senator emphasized the need for action. “We’ve got a lot of work to do, but can I get your commitment…that we’re not just going to study this? The people of Juneau are having flooding every summer,” Sullivan asked. Graham indicated that a technical study, due in spring 2026, will provide the framework for a long-term solution, saying, “Senator Sullivan, this is what we’re built for—being able to take a complex situation and work with our state and local partners to put a project in place rapidly.”

    Telle reiterated this vow, stating, “I’ve committed to you, and General Graham has committed to me that we are going to be focused on a long-, medium-, and short-term solution to address this challenge.”

    On August 16, 2025, Sullivan accompanied Brigadier General Joseph Goetz and local officials on a helicopter tour of the flood zone, underlining the critical need for action in the aftermath of the record-breaking flood that year. USACE’s short-term solution was to install HESCO barriers, which are collapsible wire mesh containers lined with geotextile fabric, filled with sand or soil to create temporary flood protection. While the USACE’s temporary HESCO barriers along the Mendenhall River managed to reduce extensive damage compared to 2024, several neighborhoods remain susceptible and unprotected.

    The First Things First Alaska Foundation (FTFAK) has been at the forefront of community-led efforts to develop long-term solutions, advocating for a traditional earthen levee on Mendenhall Lake. This levee would have a passive outflow control mechanism to contain outburst floodwaters and prevent downstream surges. The proposed levee would allow the river to flow normally while restricting excess water, and it would be built to blend in with the surrounding natural terrain.

    The organization has made information available on its FTFAK website, including evaluations of flood hazards dating back to 2011 and critiques of temporary remedies such as HESCO barriers. These resources illustrate the importance of dependable, long-term infrastructure in protecting public and private assets in the Mendenhall Valley.

    Frank Bergstrom, president of the FTFAK Foundation, speaking on behalf of himself, commended the commitments while emphasizing the significance of execution. “This is good news. Heretofore, the USACE has pursued a projected ten-year planning process for a long-term solution to the Mendenhall outburst flood. Through the efforts of the Alaska Delegation, and Senator Sullivan in particular, new management at the USACE has now reexamined its planning timeline. While it appears planning may now be concluded by next spring, the outstanding question is when can we have that solution working in the field? Let us hope that happens in time to finally bring relief to Juneau residents.”

    Floods have created unending hardships for residents of View Drive in Mendenhall Valley, including Don Habeger. Habeger and his wife, Carol, have suffered major damage to their home for three years in a row—2023, 2024, and 2025—decimating their property’s value and forcing them to face a difficult decision: continue fixing their home or abandon it. “You have to consider that because you cannot sell these houses,” Habeger explained.

    In anticipation of the projected 2025 release, Habeger and his neighbors constructed a large earthen berm around their properties to protect their homes from potential flood damage. While the berm itself stood up to the flood, it ultimately failed to protect the properties because water flowed in from the ground underneath it. Habeger stated, “The pressure of the floodwaters drove up the water table in our yard, and we could not find enough pumps that night to dewater the space inside the berm.”

    Habeger’s home was one of six properties to sustain major damage in the 2025 flood. Five of the majorly damaged properties were on View Drive, with one in the HESCO barrier zone. Overall, the most recent flood affected about 50 dwellings.

    Residents on View Drive feel ignored since their homes remain exposed, despite HESCO barriers shielding core valley sections. Habeger, a strong advocate of a long-term solution, favors a proposed levee system at Mendenhall Lake to manage floodwaters. “We want a permanent solution, and we want it yesterday,” he said, capturing the community’s frustration.

    For more information, click on this link: Press Release

    Brenda Josephson is a board member of Alaska Gold Communications, Inc., the publisher of Must Read Alaska. You can contact her via email at [email protected].

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