A 3:25 am photo by Robert Lype shows the Chena River and the Fairbanks waterfront, with Golden Heart Plaza and its iconic clock.
But where the once-tallest building in Fairbanks used to serve as a backdrop, there’s an empty spot.
The Polaris building, built in 1952, was an 11-story apartment complex built to address a housing shortage. Back then, Fairbanks was booming with federal investment in Cold War-era military infrastructure, such as Ladd Field and Eielson Air Force Base. The building also housed delegates for Alaska’s Constitutional Convention and was a hub of activity in the city. It had a gymnasium and a hair salon at one time, and the top floor had popular restaurants. Later, it became a hotel.
Then came the 2001 flood, when 800,000 gallons of Chena River water poured into the basement of the building, adding to its decline. Mold, asbestos, PCBs, and other hazardous materials made it too costly to renovate.
The building was abandoned in 2002. It was too toxic to be sold and the owner stopped paying the property taxes, so it became a city problem.
Polaris demolition began in 2023. Robert Lype photo.
Deconstruction was planned for years, but with an EPA grant, demolition finally started in 2023 and will conclude this fall, forever changing the Golden Heart City’s skyline. All of its materials are being shipped out of state, as the building is considered toxic due to PCBs.
In the Robert Lype photo above, you can see the few stories remaining as demolition continues this week. In the photo to the right, taken by Lype in 2023, the work had just commenced.
The No Kings protests in Alaska were peaceful on Saturday, with no reported violence or vandalism. Large crowds of people unwilling to accept the outcome of the November election gathered under fair skies in downtown in Anchorage, Juneau, Fairbanks, and in other towns around the state to express their displeasure with President Donald Trump, whom they describe as a king.
At the Colony Days Parade in Palmer, it was a celebration of Americana, with tractors, bagpipers, and other classic fare. The Colony Days Parade is an annual tribute to the farming heritage in the Mat-Su Valley, where 203 families from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan came in 1935 to develop an agricultural base for the territory.
Protesters who gathered in Palmer were polite, and the main protest took place at the Glenn Highway, after protest organizers gave their “takeover the Colony Days Parade” idea a second thought.
Meanwhile, at the Colony Days Parade in Palmer….People having a great time in America. pic.twitter.com/E9hISqYxe0
In Anchorage, the No Kings protesters centered themselves in front of the Peterson Tower, where the congressional delegation has its offices, in the heart of the very liberal section of Anchorage. The protest drew about 2,000 people.
Alaskans who can't accept the results of the election seven months ago showed up in Anchorage, as expected, with a "Honk if you hate Trump" sign. pic.twitter.com/uuLkQYQacx
In Fairbanks, a sizable group of anti-Trump protesters took to the streets. They were generally cheerful and enjoying the pleasant weather while they exercised their Fist Amendment rights, protesting and vilifying an elected president they call a “king.”
Photo: Robert LypePhoto: Robert Lype
In the nation’s capital, a parade in celebration of the US Army’s 250th birthday took place, along with other celebrations of the event, such as a demonstration jump by the Golden Knights parachute team.
“Tonight’s #Army250 parade is a reminder that we’ve always been there for America, and we always will. THIS WE’LL DEFEND,” the Army wrote on its X page.
Despite significant disparities in funding and adequacy, Florida dramatically outperforms Alaska in the quality of high school graduates. This is despite having a higher poverty rate than Alaska and twice the rate of students who speak English less than “very well”.
In 2024 a Rutger University study ranked Alaska as the second most adequately funded K-12 system in the US with a score of 95 out of possible 100. Florida was rank last with a score of 12.
In 2023, 28.4% of Florida high school graduates passed at least one Advanced Placement (AP) test, ranking 4th highest in the US. Conversely, Alaska ranked 40th with only 12.4% of high school graduates passing at least one AP test.
A common misconception is that Alaska’s poor school performance is solely due to low-performing rural schools in predominantly native communities. While there are notable challenges in some rural schools, urban schools in Alaska also show lackluster performance.
The 2024 NAEP 4th grade reading scores for upper/middle-income white students in Alaska were statistically indistinguishable from the reading scores in Miami Dade Public Schools in Florida, where 94% of the students are ethnic minorities, two-thirds are from low-income families, and over half speak a language other than English at home.
So, what is the key difference between the Florida and Alaska education systems? In two words: Healthy competition.
The Alaska K-12 education system is essentially a government-controlled monopoly. Though there are some options for parents, such as charter schools, local government school boards often openly hostile to charters routinely restrict their authorizations and enrollment levels well below public demand. Alaska is one of only five states in the US where local school boards have sole authority to authorize charter schools and limit their capacity. Consequently, only 5.5% of Alaska public school students are enrolled in charters compared to 13.3% in Florida.
Additionally, 13.4% of Florida students attend private schools, with over 70% of them being low-income students who receive government assistance for their private school tuition. In Alaska, private school enrollments make up only 3.3% of all students—a figure that is one of the lowest in the country and predominantly comprised of students from upper-income families.
When healthy competition exists, there are incentives to innovate and improve to attract patrons. Monopolies, on the other hand, have no incentive to improve and tend to devolve into low-quality and overly expensive enterprises.
In summary, the stark differences in educational outcomes between Florida and Alaska can be attributed to the presence or absence of healthy competition within their respective education systems. The competitive environment in Florida fosters innovation and improvement, whereas the monopolistic system in Alaska lacks the necessary incentives to excel.
Two Minnesota state lawmakers who are members of the Democratic-Farm-Labor Party were shot early Saturday by a person posing as a law enforcement officer just north of Minneapolis.
House Speaker Emeritus Melissa Hortman, and her husband, were shot and killed in what Gov. Tim Walz called a politically motivated assassination. The suspect, who was impersonating a police officer, remains at large and a manhunt is under way.
The suspect is believed to be Vance Luther Boelter, a former board appointee of Gov. Walz. He had fliers in his vehicle with the words, “No Kings,” a reference to the planned insurrection and protests against the Trump Administration. He also had what appeared to be a manifesto with other political figures’ names on it.
Vance Luther Boelter
Law enforcement issued a shelter-in-place order for an area around Edinburgh Course that continued in the morning hours Saturday while they continued to search for a man believed to be wearing blue pants, a blue shirt, body armor, and reportedly driving a dark SUV with lights.
The shelter-in-place order extended as far away as at least 10 miles east of the shooting area.
State Sen. John Hoffman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, and his wife also were shot about 2 am, and Hortman and her husband were found about 90 minutes later.
Walz said the Hoffmans were each shot multiple times but was he hopeful for their recovery.
“The Hoffman’s are out of surgery at this time and are receiving care, and we are cautiously optimistic they will survive this assassination attempt,” Walz said.
President Donald Trump also released on X, posted by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
“Our Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and the FBI are investigating the situation, and they will be prosecuting anyone involved to the fullest extent of the law,” Trump said. “Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!”
Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said Saturday that officers arrived at the Hortman residence as part of a routine check on lawmakers in the area and exchanged gunfire with the suspect, who managed to flee.
Brooklyn Park Police Chief Burley said officers knocked on the Hortmans door and were met by what appeared to be a police officer wearing police gear, a gun, a taser and a badge. Officers and the suspect exchanged gunfire in the home before the suspect fled out the rear of the house.
Update: Boelter is the director of Security Patrols at Guard Security Services in Minnesota, which may be how he was able to easily impersonate an officer.
The Minnesota State Patrol advised, “Given the targeted shootings of state lawmakers overnight, we are asking the public to not attend today’s planned demonstrations across Minnesota out of an abundance of caution.”
Alaskans are invited to a spirited evening of cocktails, high-end appetizers, music, and mission-driven community as Candles for a Cause hosts its first-ever fundraising event in support of the Any Mountain Project, an initiative dedicated to ovarian cancer prevention and early detection.
The event will take place Saturday, June 28, from 6 to 8 pm at Alaska Candle Supply, located at 475 W Parks Highway in Wasilla. Tickets here.
Guests will enjoy an “Alaskan Cocktail” themed night complete with guest speakers, a purse auction, and opportunities to learn more about the fight against gynecologic cancers. Survivors of ovarian cancer — Randee, Mary Kaye and Erika — will share their stories.
Anchorage cancer Dr. Joanie Mayer Hope will be among the evening’s honored guests, as the event shines a light on local medical leadership in the national effort to fight ovarian cancer. Proceeds from the night will benefit the Any Mountain Expedition Team, a group of ovarian cancer specialists, survivors, and supporters who are taking their cause to literal new heights.
In 2023, the team made history when Jess Wedel became the first ovarian cancer survivor to summit Mount Everest at 29,032 feet. In 2024, they continued their mission with a successful ascent of Mount Baker in Washington. To date, the group has raised more than $900,000 for research, prevention, and awareness initiatives.
The Any Mountain Project is spearheaded by the organization Let Every Woman Know, which supports education and research around gynecologic cancers. The project’s message is simple but powerful: Fighting ovarian cancer is harder than climbing Any Mountain—but every step makes a difference.
Sponsorship opportunities are available, and all funds raised will directly support research into early detection and prevention methods for ovarian cancer.
For more information about the Any Mountain Project and Let Every Woman Know, visitthis link.
A three‑judge panel of the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday declined to take apart a Biden-era federal approval for ConocoPhillips’ Willow Project on the edge of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. Though the court said there were some procedural shortcomings in the Bureau of Land Management’s review, those errors were minor in nature and insufficient to block the project.
“We’re thrilled that the Willow Project can move forward. The court highlighted its significant benefits for our state, including job creation and better access,” said Gov. Mike Dunleavy. “The tide is turning. Common sense in the courts hopefully becomes a constant in the future. Alaska is a resource development state. We do it better than any place in the planet.”
The appeals court told Earthjustice, Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, and the Natural Resources Defense Council to take a hike.
Judge Gabriel P. Sanchez, a liberal Biden appointee, issued a dissenting opinion, saying the procedural mistakes were enough to halt progress. Now, attorneys for the environmental litigation industry are evaluating whether to elevate the case to the Supreme Court.
While the court sent the environmental impact study back to the BLM and directed officials to explain their decision for reducing the drilling plan from five drilling pads to three, the question of an appeal to the US Supremes remains. But work is already underway at Willow, located on land set aside 100 years ago specifically for petroleum development. The size of Indiana, the NPR-A covers approximately 23 million acres. The Willow footprint is 385 acres, less than 0.002% of the total NPR-A. ConocoPhillips plans on first oil production by 2029.
Congressman Nick Begich took to social media on Friday with a several-part explanation about the effectiveness of tariffs, arguing that fears over tariff-driven inflation have not come to pass and that tariffs have instead led to reduced inflationary pressure and increased domestic investment.
In an eight-part thread on X, Begich outlined what he sees as the economic logic behind the use of tariffs, particularly on Chinese imports. He began by stating that “tariff-driven inflation hasn’t materialized,” and then proceeded to break down what he believes are the contributing factors, concluding: “Free trade requires fair trade.”
He pointed to China’s “massive processing and manufacturing overcapacity” as a key factor in global price suppression, describing a pattern in which Chinese companies operate at a loss with the help of government subsidies in order to dominate markets and drive out competition in order to achieve control over a given sector. They then drop prices to rock bottom with the intent of becoming the only global supplier of a product or industry process. According to Begich, when tariffs are imposed on Chinese goods, those subsidies become unsustainable, and global supply chains realign in favor of more competitive producers, including those in the US.
“This drives margins so low that these producers often operate at a loss, but they remain competitive because of support from government subsidies,” he said.
However, “when we levy a massive tariff on China, the jigg is up! They can’t subsidize industry at the level necessary to remain competitive and the supply chains snap back to a more market-driven orientation, allowing the U.S. and our allies to compete on a more level playing field again.”
Begich noted that China’s heavy corporate debt burden and “shadow financing,” coupled with underutilized industrial capacity, force the country to further slash prices to remain competitive under tariff regimes. “…China must then drastically lower their prices to offset tariff impacts in order to compete with lower tariff jurisdictions. It’s either that or an economic crunch.”
He argued that these dynamics blunt the inflationary effects that many critics of tariffs had predicted.
He also referenced demographic changes—particularly declining populations in East Asia and China—as naturally reducing consumption and therefore easing inflationary pressures globally. Automation and artificial intelligence, he said, also play a role in improving productivity and holding down costs.
“In addition to continued automation and AI integration, downward trajectories on consumption due to collapsing populations in East Asia and China have offset industrialization-driven demand and naturally offset inflation pressure,” he noted.
In a perfect vacuum, tariffs would likely result in a one-time bump in inflation, he said, “but we don’t live in a vacuum. Businesses in most nations want to be producers and will fulfill that production at competitive prices. As a result, tariffs as constructed have thus far resulted in lower inflation and unparalleled domestic investment.”
“Free trade requires fair trade,” Begich concluded. “And fair trade requires a level playing field. America First works.”
Begich’s comments come as trade policy continues to be a major issue in Washington, DC. He is arguing that strategic tariffs can and do protect national industries without stoking runaway inflation.
Here’s the complete thread:
Tariff-driven inflation hasn’t materialized. Why? Let’s examine some key factors in this THREAD: 1/🧵
— Congressman Nick Begich (@RepNickBegich) June 13, 2025
North Slope Borough Mayor Josiah Aullaqsruaq Patkotak emerged from a months-long recall effort with his position intact — and with a message of unity for his critics.
In a statement published Thursday, Patkotak addressed the petitioners directly, acknowledging the failed recall attempt while emphasizing the importance of civic engagement.
“To the 153 individuals who signed the petition, my message is clear: my door is always open to constructive criticism,” Patkotak wrote. “If there’s a problem, let’s work to find a sustainable solution. I remain committed to listening, learning, and leading with respect for every voice in our borough.”
The recall effort, which began in the winter, centered on allegations that Patkotak acted unethically by accepting borough-funded travel accommodations for his family, including luxury hotels and first-class flights, prior to approval by the borough assembly.
Petitioners needed 371 valid signatures to trigger a recall vote, representing 25% of the voters from the last mayoral election. But when the deadline arrived at the end of May, the borough clerk reported that only 153 verified signatures had been collected, which was less than half of what was required.
The group has also filed a court complaint against the borough, citing delays and changes made to their petition. That legal case remains ongoing in Utqiaġvik.
Despite the controversy, Patkotak used his letter to stress shared values and the need for collaboration.
“Civic engagement, even when there is disagreement, is a vital part of a healthy democracy,” he wrote. “We must work to resolve conflict and move our region forward.”
He reaffirmed his administration’s mission to deliver essential services and invest in the well-being of North Slope communities, concluding his message with a biblical reference of Proverbs 27:17 and a note of thanks.
“Together,” he wrote, “I look forward to continuing the important work ahead.”
Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued his budget vetoes on Thursday and added an $500 to the Base Student Allocation, the school funding formula. He reduced the Legislature’s budget $700 BSA increase to the more sustainable $500 increase, considering the downward pressure on oil prices.
The Anchorage School Board called an “emergency” meeting to discuss the impact on its FY26 budget, which was based on a $560 BSA increase. The reduced BSA will only have an impact of $4.3 million, yet the superintendent was outraged and threatened to take the governor to court.
This $4.3 million is only 0.7% of the operating budget ($594 million). That amount should be able to be found in the district’s seat cushions.
But the superintendent said that we have an “education emergency.”
Superintendent Bryantt seems to have a great knowledge of Alaska law and whether the statute (HB57) takes precedence over the operating budget (HB53). He threatens to take the case to the Alaska Supreme Court to decide the question of precedence.
He needs to be reminded that the Permanent Fund dividend amount question was decided by the Alaska Supreme Court a few years ago. Even though the law stated that the dividend shall be a certain percentage, the court decided that the Legislature had appropriation powers and could decide the dividend amount according to its own whims.
One wonders what the district’s litigation would cost and if it would increase student achievement.
Rep. Alyse Galvin, founding member of Great Alaska Schools-funding arm of the AEA, testified that, “We are at risk of systemic collapse.” She’s been at that for years and this is just another “the sky is falling” remark to activate parents.
The president of the Anchorage Education Association (teachers’ union), Corey Aist, said, “Some kindergarten classes will have upwards of 30 students”. He also stated that this is the 4th year that the ASD has more than 400 resignations.
He failed to mention why these teachers are leaving the district. He noted that there would be 62 elementary school position vacancies next year. Most importantly, he did not state if these vacancies were in the classroom.
He made no mention of his union’s going-in position to raise his members’ salaries by an astounding 15% for one year. With less BSA monies, some of his goals may not be met.
Rosalyn Grady-Weich, NAACP-Anchorage education chair, said, “This reduction in the BSA will disproportionately hurt black, brown, and indigenous students”. She had no data to prove her assertion. She said, “It will eliminate Equity and replace it with a system where only the privileged thrive.”
She seems to be stuck in the pre-integration days of the 1960s.
She then charged that the governor wanted to dismantle public education. She had no proof to back that up as well. Just opinions and anecdotes.
Superintendent Bryantt spoke the truth when he said, “For ASD my commitment is to keep as many jobs as I can”.
Board president Jacobs attacked Gov. Dunleavy, saying that there is a lack of leadership in Juneau. It’s unfortunate that the real lack of leadership appears to be in the ASD Board, with its refusal to reduce the non-classroom funding such as the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Community Engagement department which costs $724,122.
Here’s another department that could be reduced, Mental Health. For FY26 it has 15.3 FTEs and costs $2.1 million.
The Technology department has 111 FTEs at a cost of more than $27.5 million.
Finally, board member Bellamy asked the $64,000 question: What if we do nothing?
The answer was utterly amazing. The district’s CFO responded saying the district would find the money somewhere. There might have enough in the fund balance, he said.
And just like that, the budget problem was solved.
Superintendent Bryantt, however, had to get the final jab in at Gov. Dunleavy. He said, “My key take away is that we need to ensure we never have leaders that will ever do this to Alaskan children again.”
He finished by saying that the commissioner and the governor have shown a lot of recklessness and cruelty, in his opinion.
Rather than bemoaning this “dramatic’ decrease in funding and kicking the can down the road until next year, they could actually do what they were hired or elected to do, which is to lead.
I will close by saying to the superintendent, “Real leaders lead and solve problems. They don’t hide behind victimhood.”
David Boyle is the education writer for Must Read Alaska.
