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Breaking: Trump indicted

Suzanne Downing
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Breaking: Trump indicted

Former President Donald Trump has been indicted in New York. The case against him has to do with supposed hush money paid to a porn worker during his 2016 campaign for president.

A Manhattan grand jury issued their recommendation after investigating payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels. Trump will be the first former president to face criminal charges.

CNN and the New York Times were the first out with the news, although the details are scant.

“A Manhattan grand jury voted to indict Donald J. Trump on Thursday for his role in paying hush money to a porn star, according to five people with knowledge of the matter, a historic development that will shake up the 2024 presidential race and forever mark him as the nation’s first former president to face criminal charges,” the Times reported moments ago. The indictment has not yet been announced but prosecutors will ask him to surrender to face arraignment on charges that are unknown, even to the media.

Not long after the leak of the indictment, Trump wrote on Truth Social, his social media company, “They only brought this Fake, Corrupt, and Disgraceful Charge against me because I stand with the American People, and they know that I cannot get a fair trial in New York! These Corrupt Democrat Prosecutors, all from poorly run and very dangerous Democrat run cities, are not going to choose the Republican Nominee, or the next President of the United States!”

Kari Lake, who ran for Arizona governor but lost, wrote, “This is a dark moment in the history of our Nation. The Radical Left and their weaponized criminal justice system have crossed all legal & ethical lines in an attempt to destroy the 45th & 47th President of the United State of America Donald J. Trump. It only makes him stronger.”

Arizona Rep. Paul Goser wrote, “The Regime occupying our country and systematically killing America is most afraid of President Donald J. Trump. Period. He’s our guy. This is third world politics from a Soros DA who needs to be investigated. This is clear and brazen political persecution. I proudly stand with Donald J. Trump.”

This story will be updated.

And now, the rest of the Family Partnership Charter School story

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
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And now, the rest of the Family Partnership Charter School story

By DAVID BOYLE

As the legendary radio newsman Paul Harvey used to say, “And now the rest of the story.”

More information has been gathered regarding the change of the Family Partnership Charter School to a correspondence school since the initial story about the dispute.

Anchorage superintendent recommending ending Family Partnership Charter School’s charter

Previously, we reported that parents testified at the last school board meeting that the FPCS principal did not attend the March 20 Anchorage board meeting which had the school’s charter on its agenda. We’ve learned that Principal Jessica Parker could not attend because she was attending a Family Partnership Charter School board meeting that same night.

Contrary to testimony at the last school board meeting, cited in our article, Parker appears not to have coordinated on the ASD superintendent’s letter to the school regarding changing the school from a charter to a correspondence school.

Some parents also testified at the March 20 board meeting that the principal had received notification four days before the FPCS Board was notified.  

New information indicates that Parker only received notification of this letter the same day as the FPCS board.

The Family Partnership Charter School has the most students of any school in the Anchorage School District — more than 1,700.  It is a very successful school with proficiency test scores in reading and math 60% and 40% respectively, much higher than the average scores in Anchorage public schools

This school is so popular that there are more than 500 students competing for 100 slots in the next lottery. Parents recognize the Family Partnership Charter School provides curriculum choices which they can tailor to fit their child’s needs.

Today, parents of FPCS students can choose from four pathways to tailor their child’s education. These include a virtual school; a home school; a hybrid of ASD, University of Alaska Fairbanks, home school; and total private schools.

Despite its success in educating students, the FPCS has a very dysfunctional board, the Academic Policy Committee, which sets policy for the school.  According to information we’ve recently received, the board is divided into two camps- one that favors keeping the current curriculum choices and another that wants to remove the private content providers.

Those who want to keep the current successful charter school curriculum choices also want to keep the current principal.

Those who want to change the curriculum by removing the private content providers oppose the principal.

Additionally, further board dysfunction is stoked by one member whose teacher spouse was not retained. This board member is pursuing a lawsuit against the principal and the Anchorage School District.  

The district attempted to help the charter school board by sending representatives from the Alaska School Board Association. Its recommendation was to fire the entire board. That was unacceptable to the board, so it dismissed the ASBA.

In the last year, eight board members have resigned.  In the last two months the board has met 12 times, including two regular meetings and 10 special meetings.

Superintendent Jharrett Bryantt has promised to keep the same curriculum for the Family Partnership Charter School as long as it follows state law.  

He has also promised there will be no change to student allotments, which now start at $4,200 for elementary FPCS students.  

Bryantt has promised that the principal, dean of students, and the business manager will be retained.

Bryantt promised that all funds will remain with the school. There is one problem with this promise: The FPCS charter states that, “Upon termination, charter school shall immediately return any unused funds to the District.”

These promises are set forth in the FAQs at this link.

The entire issue of transitioning the Family Partnership Charter School to a family correspondence school rests on trust in Superintendent Bryantt, who has made some big promises to seal the deal with the ASD School Board. 

The ASD Board meets on April 3 to vote on the superintendent’s recommendation. 

Can the Anchorage community trust Bryantt to keep his promises to parents and their children?

David Boyle is the education writer for Must Read Alaska.

Anchorage Daily News goes after candidate because of his wife’s job, ignores conflicts of interest of his opponent

Suzanne Downing
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Anchorage Daily News goes after candidate because of his wife’s job, ignores conflicts of interest of his opponent

The leftist Anchorage Daily News is keeping up the tradition of leftist journalism for which it has become known. In its latest election coverage, it attacks West Anchorage Assembly candidate Brian Flynn, because his wife works for Mayor Dave Bronson, who the newspaper has publicly and frequently opposed.

The ADN hit piece ignores that Flynn’s opponent Anna Brawley works for Agnew Beck, a big-government consultancy that has a sole-source contract with the leftist Assembly worth at least $50,000. That, too, is a conflict of interest. But the newspaper won’t report that.

Agnew Beck makes its money off of contracts with local and state government, as well as with nonprofits that are funded by taxpayers through government grants. A list of Agnew-Beck’s clients is at this link.

Brawley has the support of all of the members of the leftist Assembly majority, as well as former Assemblyman, now Sen. Forrest Dunbar.

Brawley is supported by the usual suspects.

Flynn’s wife is purchasing director for the city. The fact that she works for the mayor has been raised by Brawley’s supporters in letters to the editor in the newspaper, going back to January. But the newspaper, which is engaging in “cause journalism,” waited until the last week to launch its final attack on Flynn. The newspaper has nothing else to attack him on but his wife.

Flynn’s campaign website is at this link.

Brawley is supported by the same donors who brought ranked-choice voting to Alaska. The Putting Alaskans First Committee has this required disclaimer, showing Unite America, which pushes ranked-choice voting, is the primary contributor, followed by the Laborers International of North America, and the NEA teachers union: “Paid for by the Putting Alaskans First Committee, 3333 Denali St. Ste. 125 Anchorage, AK 99503. I, Kim Hays, Chair approved this message. Top three contributors are UNITE AMERICA PAC of Denver, CO, LIUNA Political Fund of Washington,DC, and NEA-Alaska PACE of Juneau, AK“.

The newspaper has also ignored the extreme conflict of interest of Assemblywoman Meg Zaletel, who runs the Anchorage homeless industrial complex in her role as CEO of the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness, which receives hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Assembly.

Governor takes a swipe at Anchorage Daily News over persistently biased reporting; reporters snap back

Downing: Haaland’s New Mexico oil must release carbon that is somehow enchanted

Suzanne Downing
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Downing: Haaland’s New Mexico oil must release carbon that is somehow enchanted

By SUZANNE DOWNING

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland has been an ardent opponent of oil drilling everywhere in America, with the exception of her home state of New Mexico. 

Recently in the news, she vehemently opposed Alaska’s Willow Project, a proposed diminutive oil development project in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, for years. It’s a project she opposed even when she served in Congress as a representative from New Mexico. 

However, the Biden Administration ultimately this month decided to allow the project to proceed, as the administration was unlikely to win the case in court, according to President Joe Biden, who admitted it during a press conference in Canada late last month.

‘Hell of a trade-off’: Why Biden bucked environmental lobby on Willow Project

The go-ahead for Willow was made with the understanding that the administration would gain “one hell of a tradeoff” by locking up tens of millions of acres of federal land in Alaska from future oil drilling. In other words, Alaska, don’t come back to this administration for any other permits.

On decision day, Haaland declined to sign off on the Willow master development plan, which had been reduced by her department to just three drilling pads from the original five. Instead, Deputy Secretary of Interior Tommy Beaudreau pulled the short straw and signed the decision on her behalf. That is how deep Haaland’s hatred of this project goes: She cannot even bring herself to pick up a pen on its behalf.

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, (R-Alaska) points out the hypocrisy of Secretary Haaland’s approach to Alaska’s economy, particularly in light of her apparent lack of concern for the impact of increasing oil production in her home state of New Mexico. When it comes to carbon bombs, New Mexico is clearly the bomb. But apparently Alaska carbon is special and must be stopped. Carbon from New Mexico? That’s different.

During recent remarks in the Senate, Sen. Sullivan featured facts that are often overlooked by the mainstream media: New Mexico’s Permian Basin received more than half of the federal permits to drill on federal land by the Biden Administration in the first two years of his term. This is more lease permits than North Dakota, Texas, Alaska, Oklahoma, or Colorado. As a result, New Mexico has now become the second-largest oil-producing state in the country, only behind Texas and outpacing North Dakota.

While New Mexico has benefited from Secretary Haaland’s approach to energy policy, her approach to Alaska’s oil and gas prospects have negative consequences for the 49th State’s economy. 

New Mexico’s rise as an oil-dominant economy has largely gone unacknowledged, because the mainstream media has chosen to give Haaland a pass on her hypocrisy. New Mexico now produces more than 10% of the national output of oil and has more than doubled its volume since 2018. New Mexico produces 1.7 million barrels a day of oil, compared to Alaska, which produces under 500,000, Sullivan points out.

Biden said he’s bullish on oil for New Mexico. At a rally in Albuquerque in November, he said, “I know we have a lot of leases out here in New Mexico for oil companies. And we haven’t slowed them down at all. They should be drilling more than they’re doing now. If they were drilling more, we’d have more — more relief at the pump.” Then he blamed oil companies for not producing enough: “But the oil industry hasn’t met their commitment to invest in America and support the American people.”

He revealed the pro-New Mexico bias to insiders at a Democratic rally, where he used taxpayer dollars to promote Democrat candidates, including New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lynn Lujan Grisham’s reelection.

Sen. Sullivan, who raised the matter of the hypocrisy of New Mexico lawmakers opposing Alaska’s main industry, called New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich a hypocrite for feathering the nest of his own home state and opposing development in Alaska’s rich oil patch.

Heinrich said that Alaska is one of the last great wild places on earth. You don’t want to mess with beauty, he indicated, which is another way of saying his state sucks in that department.

The Biden Administration must believe that carbon from New Mexico oil is different than carbon from carbon resulting from Alaska oil.

Or perhaps Haaland, Heinrich, and Biden are just stating the obvious: Oil for the blue-voting Land of Enchantment, but not for thee, red Alaska.

Suzanne Downing is publisher of Must Read Alaska.

Public testimony opportunity: Parents’ rights bill to be heard in committee Thursday

Suzanne Downing
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17
Public testimony opportunity: Parents’ rights bill to be heard in committee Thursday

Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s parental rights bill will get formal input from Alaskans in the House Education Committee on Thursday, with pubic testimony opening at 5:15 pm.

The bill, House Bill 105, preserves the rights of parents to know what is being taught to their children in school on subjects that have always been sensitive: sexuality and alternative gender identity. Should schools, run by radical teachers unions, be indoctrinating children with sex education in kindergarten without parents’ knowledge? That’s just one topic that’s sure to bring out opinions.

Already, radical senators have introduced a different bill that would mandate “age-appropriate,” “science-based” sex education start as early as kindergarten. SB 43 is cleverly titled “An Act relating to health and personal safety education,” demonstrating the lack of transparency and honesty in education about which parents have grown concerned. Testimony on that bill can be viewed at this legislative link.

State Senate Bill 43 would mandate ‘science-based’ sex ed

HB 105 provides more transparency for parents who are concerned that schools may be giving their children new gender identities without parents’ or guardians’ knowledge, or secretly giving them new gender names or alternative pronouns (he, her, ze, etc.)

In 1978, Congress enacted the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, giving parents the right to inspect curriculum being taught to their children. In 2016, the State of Alaska passed a parental rights bill, defining parental authority and ensuring that a parent could withdraw their children from any test or curriculum they deemed inappropriate.

HB 105 further defines parental authority and changes the language around human growth and development and sexual education from parental right to “opt out” to the requirement that parents must “opt in.”

The mainstream media has misled Alaskans about HB105, intentionally mischaracterizing the bill as somehow discriminating against gender-confused or alternative gender students.

HB 105 protects the privacy and safety for all students, by designating bathrooms and locker rooms according to biological sex or providing for the use of single-occupant facilities for gender-alternating students.

HB 105 protects students by allowing a counselor to withhold information from parents if there is reasonable belief that disclosure of the information would cause abuse, harm, or neglect.

HB 105 requires parental notification and permission to participate in sexual education, including gender identity, and to change a student’s name at school. HB105 protects children by establishing that parents, not school personnel, have the authority in their children’s education.

The bill is narrower than other parental rights bills advancing around the country in Republican-led states in response to an increasing trend in schools to push gender-bending or highly sexualized content on very young children. In Florida, a parental rights bill also covered medical procedures done to children without parents’ consent, such as gender reshaping or the prescribing of puberty-blocking medications. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed that bill one year ago.

The Dunleavy bill was introduced to the House on March 8, and has been referred to Education, Judiciary, and Finance. Because of its late introduction, it’s not likely to pass both bodies this year and the Democrat-controlled Senate is likely to run the clock out on the bill.

House Education will start public testimony at 5:15 pm and will continue until 7:15 pm. If there are callers in the queue prior to 7:15 pm, the committee will stay until they are heard. To testify, use the following numbers:

Anchorage: 907-563-9085
Juneau:         907-586-9085
All others:    844-586-9085

The meeting will be televised by Gavel Alaska, and can be watched live via computer at this link.

Arizona governor’s press secretary resigns after threatening Twitter meme against ‘transphobes’

Suzanne Downing
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Arizona governor’s press secretary resigns after threatening Twitter meme against ‘transphobes’

The press secretary for Democrat Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs resigned Wednesday after a meme she posted on Twitter alarmed the public, since it appeared to be a threat against conservatives.

The post was made hours after a transgender individual killed six people, including three children, at a Christian school in Nashville.

Hobbs’ Press Secretary Josselyn Berry used an image from the movie “Gloria,” showing a woman with handguns pointed at some type of threat off screen. Berry captioned it “Us when we see transphobes.” Progressives like Berry use the word ‘transphobes’ to describe conservatives.

Since the mass shooting, a number of messages have been placed on social media that menace conservatives. Many conservatives believe there are just two genders, an idea that appears to be the equivalent to “genocide” to a radicalized segment of the progressive Left, such as Berry.

Hobbs’ office issued a statement on Wednesday:

“The Governor does not condone violence in any form. This administration holds mutual respect at the forefront of how we engage with one another. The post by the Press Secretary is not reflective of the values of the administration. The Governor has received and accepted the resignation of the Press Secretary.”

Hobbs won as governor in 2022 against conservative Kari Lake in a tight race. Although Lake challenged the results, the courts have rejected her appeals.

Sullivan reintroduces sanctions on China if it invades Taiwan

Suzanne Downing
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Sullivan reintroduces sanctions on China if it invades Taiwan

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, re-introduced the Sanctions Targeting Aggressors of Neighboring Democracies (STAND) with Taiwan Act of 2023, which would impose crippling, comprehensive economic and financial sanctions on China if ever the People’s Liberation Army or its proxies initiate a military invasion of the island of Taiwan, which has declared its independence from China.

“Taiwan stands on the frontline of the struggle between the American-led free world and the powerful, expansionist Chinese Communist Party regime,” said Sullivan. “No one in America wants a war in the Taiwan Strait, but we cannot be blind to the implications of a successful CCP military takeover of Taiwan. This would deliver a devastating blow to the U.S. and global economy, lead our allies in Asia to question America’s commitments, allow the CCP to break out further into the Pacific, and give Xi and his global authoritarian model extraordinary new legitimacy at home and abroad. One of the lessons that we learned the hard way from the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine is that comprehensive economic and financial sanctions have the best chance of deterring a conflict when they are clearly articulated and ready to go before the conflict begins. Congressman Gallagher and I are reintroducing the STAND with Taiwan Act to put the CCP on notice that no corner of its economy will be left untouched by sanctions, from finance to trade to its industrial capacity. We are urging our colleagues to join us in utilizing this critical instrument of American power—our global economic and financial strengths—to strongly deter a CCP invasion and keep the Taiwanese people free.”

The suite of sanctions includes the targeting of Chinese Communist Party members and Chinese financial institutions and industrial sectors, as well as banning U.S. financial institutions—including investment companies, private equity firms, venture capital firms, or hedge funds—from making any investments in a Chinese entity that benefits or is affiliated with the CCP. The bill would also prohibit the importation of certain goods mined, produced, or manufactured wholly, or in part, in the People’s Republic of China.

Legislature passes resolution supporting wood burning certification program for Fairbanks North Star Borough

Suzanne Downing
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Legislature passes resolution supporting wood burning certification program for Fairbanks North Star Borough

The Alaska Legislature has passed House Joint Resolution 11, urging the United States Environmental Protection Agency to develop a woodstove certification program in Fairbanks, and for the state Department of Environmental Conservation to develop an economically and legally defensible state implementation plan for the Fairbanks North Star Borough nonattainment area.

The resolution highlights the serious health concerns associated with fine particle pollution in the Fairbanks North Star Borough nonattainment area, particularly during winter. Studies identified wood burning as the greatest contributor of PM2.5 pollution, and efforts taken under the state DEC’s moderate and serious state implementation plans resulted in a significant reduction in PM2.5 emissions.

However, the resolution notes that the United States EPA’s national wood heater certification program is deeply flawed. This is due to United States EPA-certified appliances installed in the Fairbanks North Star Borough nonattainment area failing to decrease PM2.5 emissions compared to previously installed solid fuel burning appliances due to the United EPA’s failure to competently manage and implement testing standards for this program.

“Improving air quality is a complex issue that requires collaboration and a multi-pronged approach,” said Rep.Will Stapp (R-Fairbanks), the prime sponsor of HJR 11.

“This resolution recognizes the tremendous efforts of the people of the North Star Borough to come into compliance, only to have the EPA change the regulations they previously set. This resolution offers the opportunity for common sense solutions, particularly for the people of that community,” he said.

The resolution also expresses concern that the United States EPA seems intent on turning attention toward so-called greener sources of heat, including electric heat pumps that will not work as solutions in the Fairbanks North Star Borough.

The resolution highlights the need for adequate and affordable sources of heat in harsh subarctic winter conditions and acknowledges that a pathway for the use of solid fuel-burning appliances is essential to residents of the Fairbanks North Star Borough.

The resolution urges the United States EPA to develop a woodstove certification program that the state DEC and residents of the Fairbanks North Star Borough nonattainment area can rely on to address the core threat to clean and healthy winter air in Fairbanks and urges the state DEC to develop an economically and legally defensible state implementation plan.

Sen. Rubio blasts Pentagon for moving away from national security interests and fulfilling wishes of ‘left-wing crazies to hollow out our military’

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
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Sen. Rubio blasts Pentagon for moving away from national security interests and fulfilling wishes of ‘left-wing crazies to hollow out our military’

By CASEY HARPER | THE CENTER SQUARE

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio blasted the Pentagon’s increasingly leftward bent as it struggles to keep up with national security interests.

“The United States military is the greatest fighting force in the world, but woke activists in the Biden Administration are undermining military readiness, cohesion, and purpose,” Rubio, R-Fla., told The Center Square. “We cannot allow these left-wing crazies to hollow out our military. The world is an increasingly dangerous place and America’s security requires a strong military capable of deterring – and if need be, defending – our nation.”

Rubio’s comments come after The Center Square reported that the Pentagon is struggling to fulfill military requests even as it increasingly gives attention, and funds, to diversity, gender and critical race theory issues.

Pentagon struggles to fill military requests for Ukraine, as funding goes to diversity critical race theory

The Pentagon would struggle to manufacture enough precision missiles if conflict with China broke out, reports indicate. That comes after the U.S. sent over a decades worth of Stinger missiles to Ukraine as soon as the war there broke out, one of multiple shortages or potential shortages exposed by the U.S.’ support for Ukraine.

Critics argue the military has become distracted. For example, a recent Department of Defense Comptroller report points to $86.5 million for “dedicated diversity and inclusion activities.”

“The Department will lead with our values – building diversity, equity, and inclusion into everything we do,” the report said.

In a hearing earlier this week, Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs Chairman Glenn Grothman, R-Wisc., raised concerns about “progressive ideals” infiltrating the military.

“We all know that the primary mission of the Armed Forces is to protect and defend the nation and our interests abroad,” Grothman said. “However, the military is not the institution for social experiments and political correctness. This Administration seems to be willfully blinded by how its progressive ideals are affecting military readiness and recruitment.”

GOP lawmakers have introduced legislation to ban the teaching of critical race theory in the military as well as cut off the funding for the diversity offices that push these ideas, but the legislation has not gotten enough traction.

Grothman said the liberalization of the military is hurting recruitment, which has become more difficult in recent years. The Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps all failed to meet their recruiting goals last year.

“Despite lowering fitness standards, relaxing tattoo policies, and increasing recruiting bonuses, fewer and fewer young adults are joining our military ranks,” he said. “Meanwhile, the Biden Administration is more focused on how cadets at military academies use the correct pronouns rather than learn how to lead, work as a team, and defend our nation.

“The Biden Administration thinks that service members understanding ‘white rage’ – as recently described by General Mark Milley, our highest-ranking military official – is more important than promoting cohesiveness throughout the armed forces,” he added.

Rubio and U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, commissioned a report on these kinds of concerns that was released last year. It showed several examples of gender and racial ideology in U.S. military training, policies and leadership.

In one case, official training materials for West Point cadets lecture them on white privilege. The report points to another example where a slide presentation for the Air Force Academy is titled, “Diversity & Inclusion: What it is, why we care, & what we can do.” This taxpayer-funded training warns cadets to avoid using gendered language, which includes terms like “mom” and “dad.”

Casey Harper is a Senior Reporter for the Washington, D.C. Bureau. He previously worked for The Daily Caller, The Hill, and Sinclair Broadcast Group. A graduate of Hillsdale College, Casey’s work has also appeared in Fox News, Fox Business, and USA Today.

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