Thursday, August 6, 2026
Home Blog Page 837

Two drug felons busted again as large quantity of deadly fentanyl, meth and heroin seized in Kodiak

Suzanne Downing
-
11
Two drug felons busted again as large quantity of deadly fentanyl, meth and heroin seized in Kodiak

On Sept. 16, Alaska State Troopers Statewide Drug Enforcement Unit and Coast Guard Investigative Service in Kodiak concluded part of a several-month investigation into the trafficking of controlled substances in Kodiak, during which 11,457 blue “M30” fentanyl pills were seized, along with 3.15 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 89 grams of tar heroin, five handguns and $58,722 in cash.

Mark Daniel Nason, 55, of Kodiak, a 12-time convicted felon of violent offenses, was stopped by officers in the Safeway parking lot in Kodiak while he was getting into his vehicle. A search of his vehicle showed Nason had a loaded handgun within reach, along with a large quantity of controlled substances. He was locked up in the Kodiak Jail for multiple charges of Misconduct Involving a Controlled Substance and Misconduct Involving Weapons. 

Nason has a violent history. He lived in the Montana Creek area in the Mat-Su Borough in 2001, where he was convicted in Palmer Superior Court for shooting his then-pregnant 19-year-old girlfriend in the buttocks. He was 33 at the time and was sentenced to 18 years in prison. In 1994, he had been charged with attempted murder after shooting at an Alaska Regional Hospital security guard who would not allow him through a locked door. Nason has other convictions on his record at the Alaska Court System, stemming back to the 1980s.

Adam Ross, 42, of Kodiak, was stopped at a Sawmill Circle address and arrested while attempting to flee. Ross was remanded to the Kodiak jail for multiple counts of Misconduct Involving a Controlled Substance. 

Ross is a convicted felon for the sale of controlled substances. Ross had been arrested in 2014 on the Seward Highway at Mile 99 for possession of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and the investigation found the heroin was prepackaged for distribution. During that arrest, he tried to hide the drugs under the seat of the Trooper’s vehicle.

A common user amount is one fentanyl pill, 0.1 grams of heroin and 0.1 grams of methamphetamine. There are 10 user doses per gram of heroin and methamphetamine. One fentanyl pill has the potential to cause a fatal overdose, depending on the user tolerance or how much is already in someone’s system. Fentanyl is 50 times stronger than heroin and up to 100 times stronger than morphine. Two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal.

Over 11,000 doses is a sizable haul for law enforcement. In 2020, there were just 1,447.82 grams and 150 dosage units of fentanyl seized in Alaska by the State Drug Enforcement Unit.

The estimated profit from the seized drugs, if sold in Kodiak, may have been approximately $656,000.

Chinese import: Rainbow fentanyl pours through border from Mexico, as cartels team up to target youth

Monkeypox: Two more cases in Alaska, as vaccine eligibility expands

Suzanne Downing
-
8
Monkeypox: Two more cases in Alaska, as vaccine eligibility expands

After a few weeks of holding steady at three cases of monkeypox in Alaska, two more were added by the CDC this week. It’s likely the prior three cases had already resolved by the time the most recent two were added to the national database.

The CDC shows that monkeypox is still a health concern in the male gay community since first being reported in the U.S. in May. Monkeypox first came to Alaska in late July with one case. Four of the five cases in Alaska have been in Anchorage.

The disease is now found in all 50 states with a total of 23,893 cases diagnosed since the first case discovered in May. The daily average of new diagnoses has trended down since reaching a peak in August, as the vaccine for the disease became more available.

While the risk of becoming infected with monkeypox virus remains low for most Alaskans, the Alaska Department of Health has now broadened eligibility for the vaccine to include anyone who believes they are at increased risk for infection. 

“We are moving away from tiered eligibility to decrease barriers and increase access to vaccines for Alaskans at risk for monkeypox infection or exposure,” said Department of Health Staff Physician Dr. Lisa Rabinowitz. “The JYNNEOS vaccine that protects against human monkeypox virus is now available in Alaska for anyone who self-identifies as being at increased risk of infection.” That means if you want the vaccination, you can get it.

The new eligibility language appears on the department’s monkeypox webpage.

Monkeypox vaccination is not recommended for the general public, the department said. It it is recommended for those at increased risk for infection. Transmission of monkeypox primarily occurs from close, personal skin-to-skin contact with someone who has a monkeypox rash.

The current epidemiology suggests that people with two or more sexual partners and who are gay, bisexual, or men who have sex with men or transgender people are at increased risk. Data to identify groups at increased risk beyond men having sex with with multiple male or transgender partners are limited. 

In addition to those considered at increased risk based on the current epidemiology, others potentially at risk might include sex workers, people with intimate or household contact with men having sex with multiple men/transgenders, and people with increased risk of direct occupational exposure to monkeypox, including some health care workers.

The JYNNEOS vaccine is a two-dose vaccine. People should get the second dose four weeks after the first dose. Protection begins building after the first dose, but people will not have the greatest protection until two weeks after the second dose. 

As of Sept. 19, over 450 first doses of JYNNEOS vaccine have been administered in Alaska, according to the Alaska Immunization Program within the Division of Public Health. 

People who self-identify as being at increased risk for monkeypox infection should contact their local public health center  or call the Alaska COVID and Monkeypox Helpline (hours are 9 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. on weekdays) at 907-646-3322 if they wish to be vaccinated. In Anchorage, Fairweather, LLC is offering the vaccine seven days a week from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. at its Tikahtnu Commons clinic (1130 N. Muldoon Road, Suite 110). People can make an appointment with Fairweather on PrepMod.

Monkeypox makes it to Alaska

The Left goes politically nuts over storm in Western Alaska; Dunleavy says he is asking for federal declaration

Suzanne Downing
-
19
The Left goes politically nuts over storm in Western Alaska; Dunleavy says he is asking for federal declaration

The incivility of Twitter users is legendary, but new lows were reached after the storm that hit Western Alaska this past weekend. Political critics of Gov. Mike Dunleavy pounced, asking why the governor had not had a federal disaster declaration in place already. Some even demanded the governor declare a state disaster, which he had already done on Saturday.

Dunleavy said on Monday, “As mentioned yesterday, I am requesting a Federal Disaster Declaration for the 2022 September storm currently impacting the west coast of Alaska. The damage assessment is now taking place with the State, local governments, regional entities, and FEMA.”

Some critics wanted to know why Puerto Rico already has a federal disaster declaration for Hurricane Fiona, but Alaska does not have a similar declaration. Some want to know why the Red Cross is on the ground and helping and, according to the critics’ storytelling, doing more than the government.

“I will be submitting a request for federal assistance as soon as we gather the necessary information. If approved, at least 75 percent of eligible disaster costs would be covered by FEMA, with the state picking up the tab for the rest,” Dunleavy said.

Still others in the media practiced the soft bigotry of low expectation by offering the presumption that the mainly brown-skinned Alaska Natives of Western Alaska were not aware of the storm before it arrived.

In fact, the Alaska Division of Homeland Security did outreach, which was also reported in the local media in advance of the storm.

Les Gara, the Democrat running for governor against Dunleavy, criticized the governor for not being at a debate with Gara, when the governor was at the command center in Bethel to work with agencies engaged in recovery efforts.

Earlier, Gara had criticized the governor for not doing enough in advance of the storm. But Gara also took time out of his busy not-helping-anyone schedule to raise money for his campaign in the middle of the storm:

Dunleavy, on the other hand, canceled his fundraiser scheduled for Monday so he could focus on the disaster.

The politicization of the attacks on the governor come during an election cycle for Dunleavy, but they are also attacks on local communities and their own emergency management responses, and are sideswipes at the state workforce in the Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, who train continuously for disasters.

While the Twitter warriors went to their keyboards, the Coast Guard sent a C-130 Hercules to survey the damage and Coast Guard Sector Anchorage deployed to the region to assess port conditions and inspect fuel storage facilities.

Over the next several days, additional Coast Guard personnel will deploy throughout the region to expedite recovery of local marine transportation systems, allowing barges to access communities to provide fuel and supplies.

“Our top priorities are to ensure the safety of the public and our responders as well as protect the environment from any potential pollution incidents resulting from the storm,” said Capt. Leanne Lusk, commander, Coast Guard Sector Anchorage. 

Photo: A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak aircrew flies over Golovin, Alaska, to assess damage to houses and facilities, Sept. 18, 2022. Coast Guard crews are responding to impacted communities following a historic storm, Typhoon Merbok, that hit Alaska’s western coast. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Ian Gray.

Permanent Fund dividend of $3,284 hits checkbooks Tuesday, just the right time for Western Alaska
Governor declares disaster for Western Alaska storm

Poll: 63% of Americans falling behind in cost of living

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
-
10
Poll: 63% of Americans falling behind in cost of living

By CASEY HARPER | THE CENTER SQUARE

Newly released polling data shows that the majority of Americans report they are falling behind the cost of living.

NBC News released the poll, which found that 58% of Americans disapprove of President Joe Biden’s handling of the economy.

Another 63% of surveyed voters say their income is falling behind the cost of living. That poll points to inflation, which has soared since Biden took office and been a political thorn in Democrats’ side.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released inflation data last week showing that prices rose across a range of items in August, but the overall inflation rate was dampened by an unusual fall in gas prices from record highs in recent weeks.

Many items saw huge increases. Food prices, for instance, have shot up in the last year.

“The food at home index rose 13.5 percent over the last 12 months, the largest 12-month increase since the period ending March 1979,” BLS said. “The index for other food at home rose 16.7 percent and the index for cereals and bakery products increased 16.4 percent over the year. The remaining major grocery store food groups posted increases ranging from 9.4 percent (fruits and vegetables) to 16.2 percent (dairy and related products).”

On top of that, a Morning Consult/Politico poll released in August found that only 24% of those surveyed expect the Inflation Reduction Act to actually reduce inflation while 34% said the legislation will make inflation worse.

The poll showed the gap between Republicans and Democrats narrowing heading into November, and Biden’s approval ticked upward, encouraging Democrats.

However, traditionally Republican issues like the economy, immigration and crime still surpassed other issues like abortion for voters in their decision-making. National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Mike Berg said that is good news for Republicans.

“Republicans hold a massive advantage on the issues that will decide competitive elections this November,” he said. “Democrats are only talking to their base.”

Casey Harper is a senior reporter for the Washington, D.C. Bureau of The Center Square. 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.

Permanent Fund dividend of $3,284 hits checkbooks Tuesday, just the right time for Western Alaska

Suzanne Downing
-
11
Permanent Fund dividend of $3,284 hits checkbooks Tuesday, just the right time for Western Alaska

The storm in Western Alaska will bring in an enormous relief and recovery effort from the likes of FEMA, the Red Cross, and other disaster organizations. But what families in Western Alaska need right now is cash.

Luckily, there’s some of that coming their way, thanks to the Alaska Permanent Fund dividend, which will be deposited in bank accounts starting Tuesday.

When Gov. Mike Dunleavy set Sept. 20 as the date for the release of the dividend, little did he know that families in Western Alaska would be in dire straits after a massive storm hammered the west coast of the state, flooding communities, taking out the power, and making life miserable.

That $3,284 for every eligible resident will allow people a bit of breathing room as they make decisions about how to function in the short-term in places like Hooper Bay, Scammon Bay, Golovin, Newtok and Nome, which are the hardest hit. The amount is the largest dividend in the program’s 41-year history.

The economically insulated in urban Alaska have criticized the dividend amount as being too large this year, because they say that people in rural Alaska drink away their dividends; the implication is that brown-skinned people from villages cannot make good decisions with money. This year’s dividend is a combination of a negotiated amount for the dividend, and an extra amount to help with high fuel costs in Alaska.

Meanwhile, about 20 Red Cross personnel from around the country are flying out to the Western Alaska communities on Monday, and FEMA is already on site in Bethel and Nome with command centers in advance of an expected federal disaster declaration, which will allow a greater mobilization of services and funds.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy is expected in Bethel this afternoon after surveying some of the damage in Western Alaska. National Guardsmen are also being deployed to help remove debris and provide other assistance.

Palin-Boebert fundraiser canceled

Suzanne Downing
-
44
Palin-Boebert fundraiser canceled

A joint fundraiser for congressional candidate Sarah Palin and Congresswoman Lauren Boebert of Colorado, scheduled for Sept. 24 at the Petroleum Club in Anchorage, has been canceled. It was a reception and dinner with the two political super stars, and the reason for the cancelation wasn’t given.

“Due to unforeseen circumstances, this Saturday’s Anchorage reception and dinner with Governor Palin and Congresswoman Boebert has been cancelled. We hope to reschedule this for a time in the near future and will make you aware of any updates. We would still very much appreciate any donation or support to Boebert Palin Victory as we continue to fight for Alaska and our country. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and we hope to see you all very soon!” is how the note from the organizers reads.

The cost of bringing Boebert to Alaska and having to split the proceeds may have been a factor. The dinner was $2,900, which would have to be split with Boebert, and yet many Alaskan supporters of Palin who would want to spend that kind of money may have already “maxed out” their donations to Palin, which would mean their funds would possibly go to Boebert’s campaign.

Rapper Zuby, on Must Read Alaska podcast, has message for all of us: Use humor to deal with ‘humorless people’

Suzanne Downing
-
13
Rapper Zuby, on Must Read Alaska podcast, has message for all of us: Use humor to deal with ‘humorless people’

British rapper and influencer Zuby joined the Must Read Alaska Show on Monday to talk about human potential, ways that the Left has gone too far, his podcast and books that encourage people to be their best, and how he questions the mainstream narrative.

Zuby has been a voice of reason in the left-leaning madness of popular culture, not falling for the new gender ideology that has transgender athletes competing against females. He’s asked uncomfortable questions such as, “If somebody was vaccinated against smallpox, measles, or tuberculosis, and they still got infected with the disease, became sick, and potentially infected other people… Then would it be fair to say that the vaccine did not work?” And he has called into a question a culture in which drag queens are reading to children.

But he approaches issues with positivity, which is one of his signature messages, even with “people who are super ‘woke.'”

“It’s kind of funny, whether you go to the super far-left end of the spectrum or the super far-right end of the spectrum, you kind of end up with the same personality types, and one thing that’s certainly there is just a complete lack of humor and an inability to laugh at themselves, and the ridiculousness and absurdity of some of the things they, themselves, are pushing.” Zuby told Must Read Alaska podcast host John Quick.

“I have a general policy that I do not attack individuals, so I will be kind with individuals but I will be fairly brutal with something that I think is a terrible idea,” Zuby.

Zuby is an independent rapper, author, podcast host, public speaker, and creative entrepreneur, with over 1.5 million followers on social media, the same social media that has tried to cancel him. He was born in England, raised in Saudi Arabia, and is a graduate of Oxford University who joined the corporate world, then left it to follow his dream. Since then, he has sold tens of thousands of albums independently, performed in eight countries, and gained 20 million+ online video views. His podcast ‘Real Talk with Zuby’ has surpassed 3 million downloads and reaches thousands of listeners every week.

In spite of his positivity and respect for people, he has been deplatformed from YouTube and Twitter at times for not agreeing with Big Tech’s social-bending mission.

On Twitter, someone wrote, “I bet I sleep with more women than you do,” to which Zuby simply replied, “OK Dude…” That was grounds for him being banned on Twitter. The YouTube video above was his response to that incident.

Zuby has published an e-book on physical fitness, and a children’s book that was published with Brave Books.

Zuby has featured on The Joe Rogan Experience, BBC, Fox News, Sky News, The Adam Carolla Show, The Rubin Report, The Candace Owens Show and The Ben Shapiro Show.

The Must Read Alaska Show can be seen and heard at the Must Read Alaska Facebook page at this link.

For those who listen to podcasts elsewhere, the Must Read Alaska Show is at Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, Pandora, Google Play, and many other podcast providers.

Zuby’s podcast, “Real Talk with Zuby” can be found here, and at other podcast providers. Some of his recent guests have talked about “taboo subjects,” human trafficking, religion, psychology, and more.  “Don’t expect political correctness, but every episode will inspire you and make you a little bit smarter,” he promises.

Zuby’s website can be found at this link.

Assembly’s homelessness task force pulls switcheroo on Midtown Anchorage, wants Golden Lion Hotel for homeless shelter

Suzanne Downing
-
42
Assembly’s homelessness task force pulls switcheroo on Midtown Anchorage, wants Golden Lion Hotel for homeless shelter

The old Golden Lion Hotel, at the corner of 36th Avenue and New Seward Highway, was originally purchased by Mayor Ethan Berkowitz’s administration for use as a drug and alcohol treatment center, over the objection of the neighborhoods in the area — College Village and Geneva Woods.

The purchase was put together during the summer of 2020 when the Assembly banned the public from the Assembly Chambers and made many decisions in secret under the banner of “it’s an emergency.”

Berkowitz used the proceeds from the sale of Municipal Light & Power to Chugach Electric to purchase the hotel for $9.3 million, with the promise to the Regulatory Commission of Alaska that it would be used for a drug treatment center. The Golden Lion was to fulfill the requirements of the ML&P sale, as approved by the RCA.

Anchorage is proud owner of Golden Lion Hotel

Now, after two years of the hotel sitting fallow and the neighbors objecting to having a drug magnet near the children in their area, there’s another new use in mind. The Anchorage Assembly’s hastily thrown-together task force wants to use the vacant hotel instead as a homeless shelter.

The Golden Lion’s 85 rooms could be filled immediately with between 85 and 170 homeless people, at a cost to taxpayers of $371,000 for October, November, and December.

That factors out to $1,455 in rent for a one or two-person unit per month, only in this case it would be a hotel room.

The sudden “emergency” repurposing of the hotel is an example of how local government makes promises to adjacent neighborhoods about uses for property it buys, but can change its mind and use the property for an entirely different purpose. And it can do so within months of having made a promise. All it needs to do is to say there is an emergency.

The task force was created by the Assembly majority in August in response to the leftist majority’s discontent with the progress Mayor Dave Bronson has made for the winter housing of homeless in Anchorage — progress the Assembly has blocked by preventing the mayor from being able to move ahead with the plans of his administration.

The task force is led by Meg Zaletel, the Anchorage Assembly member who also is the executive director of the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness. Also on the task force are Assemblyman Felix Rivera, City Ombudsman Darrel Hess, and representatives from various social service agencies, such as United Way and Bean’s Cafe.

The task force also suggests using the Dempsy Ice Area for congregate (mass) sheltering.

“The Task Force recommends that these recommended options be exercised as quickly as possible and simultaneously and that the MOA work expeditiously to provide funding to support expanded capacity by existing shelter operators with proven positive performance,” the task force said.

The task force’s recommendation, thrown together in just three weeks, supplants the Mayor-Assembly year-long negotiated plan that the Assembly had already approved.

Emergency-Shelter-Task-Force-Preliminary-Recommendations-FinalDownload

The Anchorage Assembly task force is yet another effort to have the legislating branch of local government take over the job of the executive branch, as it has attempted to do repeatedly since Mayor Dave Bronson was sworn in in 2021. Last week, the Assembly put a long delay on the mayor’s cornerstone homelessness project — a navigation center to help indigents, vagrants, substance abusers, and those with sudden housing needs sort out their issues and get pointed in the right direction, whether it be shelter for domestic violence victims, drug treatment for meth addicts, or a cot in a congregate shelter.

Although the Assembly had, after a year-long negotiation with the Mayor’s Office, approved the navigation center, last week Assemblyman Rivera said the long-term solution project that he negotiated with the mayor needs to be delayed indefinitely and the city needs to focus on housing people immediately.

If the hotel is used for a homeless shelter rather than a treatment center, it’s likely the city will have to pay the Regulatory Commission of Alaska back for the amount the city spent to buy a property with the proceeds of the ML&P sale.

Double-cross: Navigation Center for homeless was approved by Assembly long ago, but now Leftist majority won’t pay the bill

Nome’s Bering Sea Bar and Grill is in ashes

Suzanne Downing
-
14
Nome’s Bering Sea Bar and Grill is in ashes

As the wind and rain raged on on Saturday, a fire destroyed the Bering Sea Bar and Grill along the Nome waterfront and Front Street. Residents of the adjacent building heard several explosions before the restaurant was quickly engulfed in flames. The historic Nugget Inn next door was able to be saved by the Nome Volunteer Fire Department, which razed the restaurant in order to prevent the fire from spreading during the 30-50 mph winds. The explosions may have been propane tanks. It’s unclear if part of the hotel was damaged.

Firefighters from the Nome Fire Department were able to save nearby buildings. Portions of town were without power and internet, including the nearby Nome Visitor Center, which lost its webcam Saturday evening.

The remains of the Bering Sea Bar and Grill smolder in the twilight on Front Street, Nome, Saturday, Sept. 17.

Typhoon Merbok cut a fierce path of destruction in many communities in Western Alaska, and places like Golovin, Hooper Bay, and Nome were in the teeth of the massive storm for hours. In Nome, peak water level height was 10.52 feet at around 11 am Alaska Time on Saturday, with water surging onto Front Street and other low-lying areas. The airport was closed. Overnight the circular motion of the storm broke apart and the winds are now coming from the north, bringing colder air to the region.

“We’re going to move as quickly as we can to provide relief, to provide recovery, to provide the essentials that people need, and so we’re taking this very seriously,” said Gov. Mike Dunleavy during an evening press conference. It’s likely that the National Guard will be mobilized to the area to assist the many small communities that have been severely damaged.

Photo from video by unknown.

Governor declares disaster for Western Alaska storm
1...836837838...1,807Page 837 of 1,807

About us

Must Read Alaska is news of people, politics, policy, culture, and happenings in Alaska.

Contact
4021 West Hill Road,
Homer, AK 99603

Op-Ed/Article:
[email protected]

Subscription: [email protected]

The latest

To Do or Not Do: Christian Virtue Trains Desire and Intellect toward Right Action

Faith Watch 0
The moment of decision, that pivotal instant caught between...

Senators Sullivan, Scott, Tuberville Introduce Bill to Create Secretary of the U.S. Coast Guard

Military 0
U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and...

Public Invited to Alaska Gasline Caucus Presentation, August 6

Industry 0
The Alaska Gasline Caucus will host a listening session...

© Must Read Alaska