Chalk it up to wardrobe failure: Fletch Fletcher, a language arts teacher at Dimond High School in Anchorage, made social media this week, with his name and physique featured in the “Libs of TikTok” channel on X/Twitter.
In a video apparently shot by a student, a teacher wearing a dress appears to have his hardened penis tenting out of the fabric, right at eye level where a student under his watch is working on a computer. The distance between the erection and the student’s hand is mere inches. That teacher is identified as Fletcher, although not verified by Must Read Alaska as such.
Meet Fletch Fletcher. A male teacher at @ASDschools who now identifies as nonbinary. He likes to wear tight dresses to school so his bulge sticks out. I’m told he also wears very tight pants and it makes the students extremely uncomfortable.
According to the Libs of TikTok account, Fletcher also wears tight pants that show his bulge and make students uncomfortable.
Students of Dimond High School who are familiar with the situation may contact Must Read Alaska in the comment section below and ask that their names be kept private if they have information that is pertinent to this report.
It’s a balloon, or it’s not a balloon. It was the size of a car. But we’re not sure what size of car. If the Pentagon knows what it shot down over the Arctic Ocean, it’s not saying. At this point, it’s still in the category of an unidentified flying “object” that was north of Prudhoe Bay until taken down by an F-22 out of Elmendorf.
The Department of Defense did give at least a few more details about the nature of the mission, which took place this morning over the Arctic, while it was still dark in northern Alaska. As revealed by Must Read Alaska earlier on Friday, the military had detected the object on Feb. 9, and determined it was unmanned. A jet from Anchorage to Red Dog Mine was rerouted toward Nome to avoid the item on Thursday.
“The object was flying at an altitude of 40,000 feet and posed a reasonable threat to the safety of civilian flight,” said Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder. President Joe Biden ordered Northern Command to shoot down the object. Civilian airliners typically fly between 40,000 and 45,000 feet.
The object, whatever it was, fell onto sea ice off the coast of Alaska and U.S. Northern Command has begun recovery operations, Ryder said.
“U.S. Northern Command’s Alaska Command coordinated the operation with assistance from the Alaska Air National Guard, Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” he said.
The object was about the size of a small car, the general said, and does not resemble in any way the Chinese surveillance balloon shot down off the coast of South Carolina earlier this week. “We have no further details about the object at this time, including any description of its capabilities, purpose or origin,” he said.
Two F-22s flying out of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, took down the object. The one missile shot was an AIM-9X Sidewinder. “We have HC-130, HH-60 and CH-47 aircraft participating in that recovery,” the press secretary said.
The shoot-down of a China spy balloon six days earlier has drawn criticism from many observers, who note that the White House didn’t acknowledge the spy balloon until it was photographed and reported by a newspaper in Billings, Montana. Only then did the Biden Administration admit it knew about the balloon, and it has changed stories about the timing and nature of its decisions ever since.
The Anchorage Assembly on Tuesday passed ordinances opposed by residents across the city and also objected to by operators of homeless shelters and facilities.
The first ordinance expands the zoning for homeless shelters into areas called B-3 business districts. Most of the B-3 areas are in Midtown Anchorage. Assemblywoman Meg Zaletel of Midtown was the sponsor of the ordinance that will bring more crime and social problems to Midtown neighborhoods.
Zaletel is the subject of a recall effort that is now underway.
The B-3 district in Anchorage “is intended for primarily for general commercial uses in commercial centers and area exposed to heavy traffic. These commercial uses are intended to be located on arterials, or within commercial centers of town, and to be provided with adequate public services and facilities,” according to the Municipality, but the zone butts up against residential neighborhoods. The purpose of the ordinance is to spread out the homeless problem to reduce its impacts on the downtown district and make other neighborhoods share the burden.
The second ordinance is going to require homeless shelters to be licensed by the municipality by 2023. This ordinance was objected to by faith-based organizations who say that the Assembly, run by a leftist majority, is trying to force women’s shelters to admit transgendered individuals.
The Biden Administration’s head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned of “impending doom” from a resurgence of Covid-19 and appealed to governors and mayors to reinstate mask mandates. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, welled up with tears as she ask America to “hold on a little while longer” and continue wearing masks.
“I am asking you to just hold on a little longer, to get vaccinated when you can, so that all of those people that we all love will still be here when this pandemic ends,” Walensky said. The nation has “reason for hope. But right now, I’m scared.”
“Please, this is not politics — reinstate the mandate,” President Joe Biden said. “The failure to take this virus seriously is precisely what got us into this mess in the first place.”
Gov. Mike Dunleavy, on Twitter, said no, he would not be implementing a statewide mask mandate.
“No thanks, @POTUS – you can keep your mask mandate. We’ll keep doing it the #Alaska way: trust the people & let them live their lives,” Dunleavy wrote.
To date, 31 percent of Alaskans have received at least one dose of a vaccine against Covid. Over 21 percent of Alaskans are fully immunized. Anchorage has a mask mandate that has been in place for almost a year but the state has never had a one-size-fits-all mandate.
Must Read Alaska updates relating to the COVID-19 coronavirus will be included on this running post, where you can see updates throughout the days and nights ahead. Check back for updates.
10:30 am, 04/03/2020: The Carlson Center in Fairbanks has been converted into an overflow field hospital, in the event that the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital reaches capacity. Close to 100 cots have been set up, while Fairbanks and North Pole have reported a total of 42 COVID-19 cases to date, most not needing hospitalization.
10 pm, 04/03/2020: The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Research Center survey results released on Friday show 92% of small employers said they are negatively impacted by the pandemic, up from 76% saying the same just 10 days prior. The survey was taken March 30 among a random sample of 300,000 members of the small business organization.
The survey showed continued decline in the small business sector since the NFIB’s previous similar survey, which was conducted on March 20.
The NFIB on Friday stated, “The severity of the outbreak and regulatory measures that cities and states are taking to control it are having a devastating impact on small businesses.”
10 pm, 04/02/2020: The Department of State says that due to public health measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, it is only able to offer passport service for customers with a qualified life-or-death emergency and who need a passport for immediate international travel within 72 hours.
Life-or-death emergencies are serious illnesses, injuries, or deaths in your immediate family (e.g. parent, child, spouse, sibling, aunt, uncle, etc) that require you to travel outside the United States within 72 hours (3 days).
The State Department advises U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel at this time due to the global impact of COVID-19. Many areas throughout the world are now experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks and taking action that may limit traveler mobility, including quarantines and border restrictions. Even countries, jurisdictions, or areas where cases have not been reported may restrict travel without notice.
3 pm, 04/02/2020: The Alaska Railroad passenger service will be postponed to July, rather than its originally scheduled start date of May 8.
Usually, the summer train season starts with the arrival of cruise ships in Seward and Whittier, where passengers disembark and travel by train to Anchorage and north to Denali and Fairbanks.
Aurora Winter Train is suspended through the end of the 2019-2020 winter season
Coastal Classic Train has daily scheduled service may begin July 1
Northbound service for the Denali Star Train is may begin July 1, with daily bi-directional service starting July 2
Glacier Discovery Train returns July 3
Hurricane Turn Train: operates April 2, May 7, and June 4. Standard Thursday-Monday service begins July 2, 2020
10 am, 04/02/2020: From Flowingdata.com comes this handy toilet paper calculator to help you gauge how many weeks you can go before you’ll need to start scouting for toilet paper again:
In short, if you’re a household of two, using 8 sheets per wipe, and wiping 8 times a day, you’ll need about seven rolls to last you two weeks, according to the calculator, which you can adjust according to number of people, number of wipes, and number of squares used. Other variables are noted in the analysis.
8 am, 04/02/2020: Costco announced this week it changed its guest policy to deal with the influx of panic shoppers. As a temporary measure, the warehouse store will allow members one guest per membership card. Previously, members could bring up to two guests with them. The company is trying to limit the number of people in the warehouse to create the social distancing suggested by the CDC.
1:30 pm, 04/01/2020: Attorney General Kevin G. Clarkson filed a complaint against Juan Lyle Aune, alleging that Aune profited from the spread of COVID-19 by purchasing thousands of N95 respirators from Alaska stores, and then reselling the respirators on Amazon and eBay for unconscionably high prices. The complaint asks the court to impose a separate $25,000 fine for every such sale Aune made.
“Price gouging is simply unacceptable,” said Clarkson. “The Department of Law is fully committed to taking action against those who would engage in unscrupulous behavior to profit off of COVID-19.”
According to the complaint, Aune purchased respirators from several Alaska stores, including Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Spenard Builder’s Supply. On one trip to Lowe’s, Aune purchased the store’s entire supply of 3M N95 Respirators – a total of 293 20-packs. According to the complaint, Aune told a Lowe’s employee that he was “flipping” the masks for a profit of about $50 per box.
The complaint alleges that Aune generally purchased 20-packs of N95 respirators for $17 to $23 in local stores, before reselling the 20-packs on Amazon for an average price of $89.25. Aune also sold 20-packs of N95 respirators on eBay for as much as $89.99.
Alaskans are encouraged to report price gouging, scams, and deceptive trade practices related to COVID-19 to the Department of Law’s Consumer Protection Unit at [email protected] or calling at 907-269-5200 or 1-888-576-2529.
9:30 pm, 03/31/2020: Alaska Municipal League has a running list of links to dozens of communities and their current health mandates, including travel bans to and from villages. The link is here.
9 pm, 03/31/2020: The Ketchikan Emergency Operations Center closed public beaches, parks, and playgrounds on Monday.
10 am, 03/31/2020: 88 percent of Americans have experienced changes to their lives since COVID-19 hit the U.S., according to new Pew Research Center data. Twelve percent report their lives have remained relatively unchanged. According to the research, 51 percent of Democrats say their life has changed in a major way, compared to 38 percent of Republicans.
Republicans are reporting less psychological distress: 17 percent of Republicans report “high distress” compared to 30 percent of Democrats.
2 pm, 03/30/2020: The Municipality of Anchorage is setting up an emergency medical care center in the Alaska Airlines Center, located across from Providence Hospital on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus. The facility may be able to care for COVID-19 patients who are not needing critical care, but do require some medical care. The facility, usually used for basketball games, has been covered with cots in anticipation of a surge of patients, according to the Emergency Operations Center, now operating out of the Loussac Library. Anchorage, including JBER, Eagle River, Chugiak, and Girdwood, has at least 59 confirmed cases of the Wuhan coronavirus.
2:45 pm, 03/29/2020: The “Quick Test” is coming. The number of tests that have been performed in the United States for COVID-19 now exceed 894,000 Americans. Starting April 2, Abbott Labs will be manufacturing 50,000 new test kits a day that give quicker answers. The Abbott “point-of-care” test has received FDA approval and will be available to urgent care clinics next week. It gives a positive result in five minutes and a negative result in 13 minutes.
2:30 pm, 03/29/2020: President Trump said that Cigna and Humana will be waiving the copays on insurance for costs associated with the coronavirus.
2:15 pm, 03/29/2020: President Trump today extended the current federal guidelines on social distancing to April 30. He said the peak for the contagion COVID-19 and death from the virus is expected to come in two weeks from now.
7 am, 03/28/2020: Anchorage has a shortage of personal protective equipment and medical supplies. The following are needed immediately and Anchorage Emergency Operations is asking for donations: – Non-contact medical grade thermometers, Please see picture attached Universal Transport Media (for guidance see: http://dhss.alaska.gov/dph/Labs/Documents/LaboratoryTests.pdf#page=23) – Nitrile exam gloves (no latex gloves) – N95 masks – Surgical masks – Medical gowns – Face shields which protect eyes Open and expired PPE are acceptable for donation. Used PPE is not being accepted. Homemade cloth masks for use by Anchorage Fire Department that are made to the following specifications:
Recommended materials include a single layer of tightly-woven material, such as a dish/tea towel or bed sheets/antimicrobial pillowcases.
The materials used must be able to be washed/dried on high heat.
Please wash your hands and keep your area clean when making the masks.
When completed, please bundle masks in packs of 25 or less in a sealed zip lock bag and drop off at the donation center.
Do not make masks if you have any respiratory illness symptoms.
Masks will be laundered by AFD before use.
Open and expired PPE are acceptable for donation, however used PPE is not being accepted.
Please take donations to: CrossFit Alaska 9191 Old Seward Highway Entrance faces Scooter Ave Hours of donation: 9:00 AM- 5:00 PM 7 days a week.
6:45 am, 03/28/2020: Late Friday night, President Donald Trump authorized Defense Secretary Mark Esper to order units and individual members in the National Guard and Reserves, as well as “certain Individual Ready Reserve members,” to active duty, the Pentagon announced. The troops will assist with response to the Wuhan coronavirus.
“The Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, at the direction of the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, are authorized to order to active duty not to exceed 24 consecutive months, such units, and individual members of the Ready Reserve under the jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned, not to exceed 1,000,000 members on active duty at any one time, as the Secretary of Defense and, with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, the Secretary of Homeland Security consider necessary. The Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as applicable, will ensure appropriate consultation is undertaken with relevant state officials with respect to the utilization of National Guard Reserve Component units activated under this authority.”
7:15 pm, 03/27/2020: In Ketchikan, the inter-island ferry that operates to Prince of Wales Island will implement a four-day-per-week schedule starting March 28.
The ferry will run Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Passenger service will be limited to essential travel, which means those returning home or traveling for critical medical care, or those transporting essential goods and services. The number of passengers on board has been reduced by 75 percent to allow appropriate space between passengers. More information can be found at the ferry system’s link.
6 pm, 03/27/2020: Alaska is the No. 3 state for the number of citizens tested per capita, said Dr. Anne Zink, Alaska’s chief medical officer. New York is No. 1 in testing.
1 pm, 03/27/2020: Mayor Ethan Berkowitz of Anchorage extended the “hunker down” order through at least April 14, but said that date should not be considered a “hard end.” Orders could continue for a while, he said at a press conference today. Berkowitz said property taxes would be delayed for at least a month, and there will be no utility shut-offs for a month. In addition, any state or federal assistance that people receive will not be garnished for municipal fees or taxes due.
Building permit fees will be reduced by 25 percent, he said, and other fees will be either reduced or rebated, since many permitted businesses like restaurants and bars are not operating.
10 am, 03/27/2020: A Navy hospital ship has arrived in Los Angeles to help with the overflow from hospitals. The USNS Mercy has 1,000 beds and will treat non-coronavirus patients, freeing up local hospitals to focus on the surge of COVID-19 patients
9:30 pm, 03/26/2020: North Pole Mayor Mike Welch was tested Thursday for COVID-19 at Tanana Valley Clinic after experiencing symptoms and being asked to come in for the swab test.
7:30 pm, 03/26/2020: Alaska Medicaid will allow 68-day fills on medications that would normally be limited to 34 days. With the allowed accumulation, this permits a patient to be able to have approximately 10 weeks of medication on-hand. If a specific patient condition warrants, individual exceptions for a day’s supply beyond 68-days can be requested of the pharmacist.
6:32 pm, 03/26/2020: More that 2,400 people have been tested for COVID-19 in Alaska, said Department of Health and Social Services Commissioner Adam Crum. That is less than one percent of Alaskans, but a quick uptick in testing since the first case diagnosed in Alaska just 14 days ago.
5:44 pm, 03/26/2020: KUOW, public broadcasting in Seattle, has decided to stop airing the president’s press conferences on COVID-19 because the station feels they are not factual.
At the same time, President Trump’s approval rating among voters has started to climb in recent days, with the survey site fivethirtyeight.com saying his approval is now over 45 percent.
12:15 pm, 03/26/2020: At least 81,321 people in the U.S. are known to have been infected with the coronavirus, more cases than China, Italy or any other country has seen, according to data gathered by The New York Times.
11:45 am, 03/26/2020: The Port of Seattle has delayed the Alaska cruise season indefinitely.
11 am, 03/26/2020: The second phase of the congressional relief package that passed the Senate will bring $1.5 billion to the State of Alaska. It will also deliver rapid relief to small businesses, and expand unemployment. It will send a surge of resources to medical professions, said Sen. Dan Sullivan. It must be approved by the House.
7:28 am, 03/26/2020: State officials have corrected information about how many are hospitalized in Alaska due to COVID-19. The correct number as of March 25, 2020 is 3.
11:30 pm, 03/25/2020:Mayor Ethan Berkowitz of Anchorage has said the city will not enforce the mandatory 10-cent fee per paper bag that the city requires merchants charge their customers. However, he did not say merchants may issue single-use plastic bags for merchandise and groceries.
10:40 pm, 03/25/2020: A second employee of Fairbanks Memorial Hospital has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. This individual is included in the current count of 59 in Alaska who have been stricken with the virus.
10:35 pm, 03/25/2020: Royal Caribbean has extended the suspension of its cruises through May 12. “Because of announced port closures, we expect to return to service for Alaska, Canada and New England sailings July 1, 2020,” the company said. Norwegian Cruise Line is cutting pay and moving to a four-day work week for most staff.
3 pm, 03/25/2020:The current case count in Alaska is 44. An employee of Fairbanks Memorial Hospital has tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus. Another Fairbanks person, a patient of the Tanana Chiefs Conference’s Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center, has also tested positive. l
3 pm, 03/25/2020: Jake Metcalfe, the executive director of the largest state employee union in Alaska, is seeking an injunction against the Dunleavy Administration to force all nonessential state employees to work from home for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic. He also wants the court to mandate staggered work hours and social distancing rules for all state employees.
The Alaska State Employees Association represents 7,500 state and municipal employees across the state.
10 am, 03/25/2030: The United States is the world’s third-most infected country by the Wuhan coronavirus. To date, the top three are:
81,661 China
74,386 Italy
60,115 US
5:15 pm, 03/24/2020: The Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan have been postponed by the International Olympics Committee, for about a year.
3:45 pm, 03/24/2020: The U.S. Department of Education has stopped collections of federal student loans that are in default.
3:33 pm, 03/24/2020: First COVID-19 hospitalization is in Juneau at Bartlett Memorial Hospital. This is the second case in Juneau and the person is in the critical care unit. The person had been traveling in Washington State and Portland, Oregon, both known hot spots.
Meanwhile, the case count is up to 39 in Alaska, with two more having been identified in Ketchikan. This brings the total of positive cases in Ketchikan to eight. These two individuals, upon experiencing symptoms of illness, self-quarantined and sought testing through the Creekside Family Medical Clinic. The testing was processed by a private lab. The two do not have a history of recent travel, so these are considered community transmission cases.
8:45 am, 03/24/2020: Alaska Airlines will eliminate 200 flights per day through March 31. This is a 15 percent reduction of its normal flights. The airline is parking 30 jets from its fleet of 230 aircraft. Flights to Hawaii will be extremely limited and the airline will stop flying to Costa Rica, although for now it will keep its Mexico and Canada routes.
8:30 am, 03/24/2020: Washington Gov. Jay Inslee issued a shelter-in-place order Monday evening, something he had been pressured to do for several days. Washingtonians are not to leave their homes except for critical tasks in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
7:46 pm, 03/23/2020: Three Bears market has instituted a ban on the use of personal multi-use shopping bags.
“Our grocery store workers are on the front lines of COVID-19, working tirelessly to keep our community fed. With identified community transmission, we ask that shoppers keep their reusable bags at home given the potential risk to Three Bears customers and employees,” the store notified shoppers, effective at all locations immediately. The stores are located in Wasilla, Palmer, and Kenai.
3:15 pm, 03/23/2020: First National Bank stock price went through large price swings today on the stock market before ending sharply lower.
The current stock price is $176, having recovered from its low of $125 at the close of trading. It appears some entity that owns stock in the bank may have dumped the stock this afternoon.
9 am, 03/23/2020: AlaskaUSA Federal Credit Union has temporarily closed several branches and curtailed operates at others:
Branches temporarily closed:
36th Ave
Abbott
N. Eagle River
Juneau St
W. Dimond
W. Northern Lights
N. Pole
W. Fairbanks
Parks Hwy
Vintage Park
Branches with drive-up and appointment services open Monday – Friday, 11 am to 6 pm:
C St
DeBarr
Dimond
Eagle River
East DeBarr
Huffman
JBER
Northern Lights
W. Abbott
Airport Way
Steese Hwy
Homer
Kenai
Soldotna
Palmer
Wasilla
W. Parks Hwy
Glacier Hwy
In-Store Branches open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 11 am to 6 pm:
Bethel
Ketchikan
Kodiak
8 am, 03/23/2020: PeaceHealth Medical clinics are closed Monday and Tuesday in Ketchikan after two caregivers who work there tested positive for COVID-19. The medical center is one of the largest employers in Ketchikan.
11:15 pm, 03/22/2020: FEMA has set up a rumor control web page pertaining to COVID-19, available at this link.
11 pm, 03/22/2020: Juneau has cancelled its Fourth of July parade. The Fourth of July parade is the biggest community event of the year.
10:30 pm, 03/22/2020:Anchorage Office of Emergency Management reminded residents that the Hunker Down order is in effect in Anchorage as of 10 pm Sunday.
Emergency Order EO-03 directs Anchorage residents and businesses to stay home to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and reduce the chance of Anchorage hospitals becoming overwhelmed and unable to treat those who need urgent medical care, the department wrote.
When left unchecked, this virus spreads exponentially. Some models show that without an order to hunker down, hospitals could become overwhelmed within weeks. The predictions of these models are borne out by what is happening in other communities that waited too long to prevent the spread of the virus.
The Hunker Down order mandates that non-critical businesses close their premises, and that residents stay home as much as possible.
“Non-critical businesses encompass any business that is not specifically exempted as a critical business. This includes (but is not limited to): shoe stores, hair salons and barber shops, nail salons, clothing stores, makeup stores, jewelry stores, car dealerships (service and parts may remain open), tattoo parlors, acupuncture, art studios, and sporting goods stores, in-home housekeeping services, babysitting (except to provide support for critical workers). This is in addition to the closure of gyms, movie theaters, indoor recreation centers, bowling alleys, and nightclubs that were closed.
“Non-critical businesses must close their premises; it is not acceptable to simply transform to a curbside or delivery business as that still places too many workers and customers in harm’s way for a non-critical purpose.
“The emergency order includes a list of critical businesses that can continue to operate while implementing social distancing techniques to the maximum extent possible—including switching to curbside or delivery service.
“The critical business list includes health care operations, grocery stores, convenience stores, maintenance and operations of critical infrastructure, first responders, criminal justice personnel, critical government functions, defense and national security-related operations, food cultivation, social services, journalism, gas stations, banks and other financial institutions, hardware stores, plumbers, electricians, mailing and shipping services, laundromats, educational institutions for the purpose of distance learning, restaurants (for takeout and delivery only), transportation services, hotels, childcare facilities (to serve workers in critical jobs only), and some legal and accounting services. For a full list, refer to the emergency order. These businesses should incorporate remote working whenever possible and adhere to CDC social distancing guidelines including maintaining six feet between people.”
9:15 pm – 03/22/2020: Anchorage police will begin wearing personal protective gear — things like masks and nitrile gloves — when physically interacting with the public. This doesn’t necessarily mean that COVID-19 is presenting the situation, but that police are protecting themselves from unnecessary exposure. Also, dispatchers and officers will be asking people questions related to COVID-19 exposure to help prevent exposure.
All community engagement activities and events, such as the ride-a-long program, Coffee with a Cop, public appearance requests and more, have been suspended until further notice. The APD front lobby at its headquarters is closed.
8:30 pm – 03/22/2020: The Seattle Times did not print its Sunday edition today due to the restrictions and general conditions caused by the COVID-19 virus. The newspaper was founded in 1891 and has been operated by the Blethen family since 1896. A note from the publisher advised:
5:30 pm – 03/22/2020: Sitka has been given a “hunker down in place” strong recommendation, issued by the Sitka Emergency Unified Command. Sitkans are asked to stay home in order to stop the spread of COVID-19. If residents need to shop for groceries, they may do so if they do not believe they have been exposed to the virus. Work from home as much as possible. Non-essential businesses are urged, but not required to close for 14 days. Those picking up or dropping off at the airport are urged to use curbside, and not go inside the airport. Anyone traveling into Sitka must quarantine in accordance with DHSS mandates.
4 pm – 03/22/2020: The current count of COVID-19 cases in Alaska is 22.
3:38 pm – 03/22/2020: An update on donating blood to the Blood Bank of Alaska. Please call 907-222-5600 to schedule an appointment. The staff will schedule you in.
11:06 am – 03/22/2020: Homeless men in Anchorage are being moved into the Sullivan Arena, while homeless women are being moved into the Ben Boeke Ice Arena next door. They are being given sleeping pads that are spaced six feet apart.
10:30 am – 03/22/2020: The current count of COVID-19 cases in Alaska is 21.
10 am – 03/22/2020: Senator Rand Paul has tested positive for COVID-19, his office announced on Sunday, adding “he is feeling fine and is in quarantine. He is asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events. He was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person.”
11 pm – 03/21/2020: Gov. Mike Dunleavy has launched a web page devoted to the work of the Economic Stabilization Team.
The page contains links for Small Business Administration loans, unemployment insurance, home mortgage assistance, and other resources that will be added as details are firmed. Share this page with those who may need help.
9:50 pm – 03-21/2020: Senior citizens in the Mat-Su Valley are getting some needed support from the Santa Cop and Heroes program, which applied for and received a $50,000 grant from Southcentral Health Foundation to provide 400 food kits to seniors 60 and older in the valley. Contact them at this link and get on the list for a food drop if you are running low of food, have no family support, and you meet the age qualifications.
8:30 pm – 03/21/2020: New testing protocols for Alaska have been put in place by the Department of Health and Social Services, in response to a shortage of equipment.
Testing supplies are running low. Until the shortage is resolved, health care providers are now prioritizing testing to specific groups. Health care providers do not need to call the Alaska Section of Epidemiology to approve testing, but those patients who are asymptomatic may not be tested. Here is what the testing technicians are being advised:
Patients who have a clinically compatible illness (e.g., fever, cough, or shortness of breath) AND at least one of the following criteria should be considered for testing:
12 pm – 03/21/2020: North Star Borough Mayor Bryce Ward announced an emergency declaration on Friday. The declaration will help with the procurement of aid and assistance from State and federal agencies when they become available. The borough is home to nearly 100,000 Alaskans and encompasses Eielson Air Force Base, Salcha, Fox, Two Rivers, and Chena Hot Springs.
11:30 am – 03/21/2020: Kenai Borough offices are closed to the public. Borough employees will still conduct government business under modified work schedules during regular business hours Monday – Friday. Those who can, will work from home, while others will come to work and practice the recommended guidance to ensure safe workspaces. You can also find contact information by department at www.kpb.us.
The Central Peninsula Landfill and transfer sites will continue to remain open to the public. Steps have been put in place for staff and the public’s protection. Please follow directional signage and staff instructions.
Dispatch and Fire/EMS will maintain operations; however, public will not be allowed to enter these facilities. First responders are following guidance specific to call outs. Nikiski Fire Service Area will continue their potable water service to residents with modifications.
Kenai Borough residents are asked to use the drop box located by the main front doors of the Borough Administrative Building (BAB) to deposit payments or department-specific documents, or mail delivery:
Kenai Peninsula Borough Attn: Department Name 144 N. Binkley Street Soldotna AK 99669
8 am – 03/21/2020: Anchorage medical community is experiencing a shortage of personal protective equipment such as nitrile gloves, face masks and medical gowns. They are asking providers and businesses to donate. Due to global demand, there is no definitive shipping date for more these items. The national demand for PPE and Alaska’s distance from suppliers, avoiding PPE shortages in Anchorage will require stretching existing supplies as long as possible. The following is needed immediately:
Nitrile exam gloves (no latex gloves)
N95 masks
Surgical masks
Medical gowns
Face shields that protect eyes
Please take Personal Protective Equipment to:
CrossFit Alaska 9191 Old Seward Highway Entrance faces Scooter Ave
Hours of donation: 9 am – 5 pm, 7 days a week. For questions, email [email protected] or call 907-343-4019
4:30 pm – 03/20/2020:The City and Borough of Juneau implemented voluntary temperature checks for travelers arriving at the Juneau International Airport. Passengers with a temperature of 100.4 F will be advised to contact a medical provider and to self-quarantine.
4:15 pm – 03/20/2020: A shortage of testing swabs has led Anchorage Office of Emergency Management to ask doctors to donate swabs, or the current Anchorage supply will be exhausted on Sunday. Due to global demand, there is no definitive shipping date for more swabs.
The following swabs are needed immediately: Nasopharyngeal swab with synthetic tip (ex. Dacron, Nylon, Polyester), with non-wooden shaft. NP swab should have sterile tube containing 2-3ml viral transport media (VTM) Please take swabs to: Drive Thru COVID19 Testing Site 4115 Lake Otis Parkway
Please use the back entrance/ employee parking lot (behind the tan and brown building). Hours of donation: 9:00 AM- 7:00 PM 7 days a week.
3:30 pm – 03/20/2020: Must Read Alaskahas learned that Mayor Ethan Berkowitz will order all Anchorage residents to shelter in place beginning this evening.
3:25 pm – 03/20/2020: An employee of the office of the Vice President has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a statement.
“This evening we were notified that a member of the Office of the Vice President tested positive for the Coronavirus,” wrote Pence Press Secretary Katie Miller. “Neither President Trump nor Vice President Pence had close contact with the individual. Further contact tracing is being conducted in accordance with CDC guidelines.”
11 am – 03/20/2020: President Donald Trump said the U.S. Department of Education will not require standardized testing for students in elementary through high school for the current school year.
10 am – 03/20/2020:The Anchorage Health Department and satellite locations have limited services to phone and appointments only, effective March 19.
Many services and benefits will be available via telephone or limited to in-person appointments; no in-person business or services will be available without an appointment. The contact numbers for the resources are:
• Community Health Nursing: 343-4799 • Aging and Disability Resource Center: 343-7770 • Women, Infants and Children: 343-4668 • Child Care Licensing: 343-4758 • Environmental Health (Food and Air): 343-4200 • Community Safety and Development: 343-4822 • Main Number: 343-6718
9:42 am – 03/20/2020:
How many cases? 255,729 worldwide. Known in Alaska: 12. Every person typically infects two others.
– Did it start in a Wuhan lab? The coronavirus may have originated in a government laboratory 300 yards from the Wuhan fish market where the authorities say the outbreak started, the Daily Mailreports.
– California is sheltering in place: 40 million Californians have been ordered to stay home indefinitely, only going out for essential jobs, errands, and solitary exercise, Gov. Gavin Newsom said. He warned the public that the patients who are contracting the coronavirus — 1,000 now in the Golden State — may soon overwhelm the state medical facilities.
– New York going into lockdown: Gov. Cuomo is shutting down all non-essential businesses across the state, leaving just grocery stores, pharmacies, and other essential operations open. He is banning all non-solitary outside activity, like outdoor basketball games and other team sports and he is requiring all non-essential government and private-sector employees to work from home, starting Sunday.
– President Trump has closed almost all traffic but commercial trucks at the southern border with Mexico.
– The Trump Administration has postponed the IRS income tax deadline to July 15.
10:15 pm – 03/19/2020:The U.S. Supreme Court has closed its building to the public and postponed its March argument session, which was to begin March 23.
10 pm – 03/19/2020:Funerals and weddings are among the events now banned in Washington State, as the epicenter of the coronavirus tries to get a handle on social distancing.
10 pm – 03/19/2020: Alaska Public Offices Commission is closed to walk-in traffic until further notice. APOC offices will remain staffed and will continue to serve the public and respond through alternative forms of contact including post mail, email, fax, and telephone, during its normal business hours of 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday.
9:45 pm – 03/19/2020: Although the Blood Bank of Alaska is in need of blood, it’s asking for a voluntary 28-day deferral for anyone who has traveled out of state and to foreign countries in the last five weeks, and a 28-day deferral for donations for all travel out of state.
2:50 pm – 03/19/2020: An active-duty Airman has tested positive for COVID-19 on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. The member recently returned from overseas travel and is following public health protocols while self-quarantined at his or her off-base residence.
JBER officials have ordered Health Protection Condition Bravo and are continually monitoring the situation while working closely with local, state and federal agencies.
12:50 pm – 03/19/2020: Anchorage Police Department has closed its front counter at its headquarters due to a significant drop in public visits. As a result, APD has put together resources to helping the public online and/or via the phone.
During this time, the traffic citations will be handled via paying by phone at 907-786-2429.
Subject line should be your last name and citation number. Attach these necessary documents, as appropriate:
Proof of insurance- Photo: must show you had insurance at the time the ticket was issued.
Proof of Registration- Photo: must show documents of registration from the DMV and photo of license plate with the new sticker on your vehicle.
Headlight/Taillight- Photo: must show vehicle with lights on and license plate visible.
Window Tint- Two Photos: must show entire driver side door of vehicle and include photo from front of vehicle showing license plate.
Proof of Driver’s License- Call 786-8600, ext 2.
11:30 am – 03/19/2020 – Simon Malls, owner of the Fifth Avenue Mall in Anchorage, has closed all of its malls across the nation until March 29.
“The health and safety of our shoppers, retailers and employees is of paramount importance and we are taking this step to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our communities,” the company wrote.
8:40 am – 03/19/2020: The U.S. State Department will announce a Level Four travel advisory instructing all Americans abroad to return home or to shelter in place because of the global threat of the coronavirus. This is its most stringent warning. Just four days ago, the department raised the travel advisory to Level 3, with strong recommendations. Under Level Four, Americans will be strongly advised not to travel abroad.
8:40 am – 03/19/2020: The U.S. embassies in Mexico have suspended routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa services starting March 18, 2020, and until further notice. The U.S. Embassy and consulates will continue to provide essential consular services to U.S. citizens in Mexico as well as emergency visa services. The closure will effect the seasonal labor supply for American farms and fisheries.
11:32 pm – 03/18/2020: Bartlett Regional Hospital in Juneau has instituted screening for patients and visitors for symptoms of COVID-19, along with travel history and possible exposure to the virus. Families, staff, and departments in the hospital are restricting access and enforcing visitor control policy, including:
For hospitalized patients:
Limit one visitor on the units at any time.
No visitors are allowed in the Hospital from 8 p.m. – 6 a.m. overnight, unless accompanying a newly admitted patient or a maternity patient.
No visitors under age 16.
Visitation rules may be more restricted on units and floors with patients who have reduced immune systems or special populations.
Exceptions: End of life” situations, minor patients (≤18 years old) may have two visitors but this is limited to only parents or guardians, and individuals with significant physical disabilities are limited to one support person in addition to a visitor.
11:25 pm – 03/18/2020: Homer Mayor Ken Castner declared an official emergency in response to COVID-19 in Alaska and in support of COVID-9 prevention measures being implemented throughout the Borough and the State. The declaration will be effective for seven days, and then may extend if the City Council ratifies it at its meeting on March 23. The declaration creates a unified command structure with local responder agencies and South Peninsula Hospital.
4 pm – 03/18/2020: The known positive cases in Alaska increased by three on Wednesday, increasing it the total to nine. Two of the new cases are in Anchorage, one is in the Seward area. All three are travel related, with one coming from Europe, and the other two from the Lower 48.
3:30 pm – 03/18/2020: The first member of Congress to test positive for the coronavirus is Mario Diaz-Balart, a Republican who represents southwestern Miami-Dade County.
2 pm – 03/18/2020:Alyeska Resort has closed the ski area for the remainder of the season. closing its ski area for the remainder of the winter season. “As of today, March 18, 2020, all Alyeska Resort mountain operations, including lifts, aerial tramway, rentals, Mountain Learning Center and restaurants will be closed. Our decision to close the resort was not easily made but we feel these measures are necessary out of concern for the health and safety of our community, guests, employees, and the surrounding communities of Southcentral Alaska,” the management wrote on Facebook.
2 pm – 03/18/2020: Canada and the United States have restricted non-essential travel across the border. Both countries say supply chains will not be impacted, but travelers going north and south for recreational or tourism purposes will be turned back. key supplies will still flow between the two nations. President Donald Trump posted a note on Twitter this morning.
12 pm – 03/18/2020: The U.S. Census has suspended field operations for at least two weeks. The Census Bureau is asking everyone to respond online at 2020Census.gov. Door-knockers will not be utilized for now. The Census will continue to accept online, phone and mail responses.
9 am – 03/18/2020:Pikka, the oil prospect hope for the Alaska economy, has been deferred by Oil Search until prices improve. Oil is in the low 20s today.
8:45 am – 03/18/2020:Seattle area is running out of masks, leading volunteers to start making them by hand for hospitals.
A group of volunteers at Providence St. Joseph Health on Tuesday started sewing surgical masks and constructing face shields with marine-grade vinyl, strips of foam, elastic bands, and double-stick tape.
8 am – 03/18/2020: Blood Bank of Alaska is low on O negative and O positive blood donors and need continual blood donations of all blood types in order to meet the need for blood in Anchorage and throughout Alaska. To meet current blood needs, 700 donations are needed in the coming weeks.
The Blood Bank of Alaska is taking donations by appointment only in order to ensure the safety of donors and staff. To donate call 907-222-5630 or visit www.bloodbankofalaska.org to make an appointment
9:25 pm – 03/17/2020: Amazon has suspended receiving nonessentials such as TVs and toys in its warehouses so it can focus on stocking household staples and medical supplies. The crush of orders forced the decision as Americans are avoiding stores and placing orders online for everyday goods.
8:25 pm – 03/17/2020: A Canadian government official told The Seattle Times on Tuesday that Canada and the US are working on announcing a mutual ban on non-essential travel between the two countries.
8:25 pm – 03/17/2020: Hospital systems in Seattle are reporting two dozen hospital workers have been infected with the coronavirus, putting a strain on the medical infrastructure at the heart of the outbreak in the U.S.
7:20 pm – 03/17/2020: The State of Alaska is closing all bars and restaurants statewide on Wednesday at 5 pm, except for take-out food or deliveries, as well as other closing facilities, such as bowling alleys, by order of the chief medical officer.
The Department of Health and Social Services is also suspending all long-term services and supports that occur in “congregate settings,” including senior centers, adult day services, and any site-based day habilitation or supported employment activities where individuals gather together.
5:40 pm – 03/17/2020: The Port of Alaska remains open and the shippers are on a normal shipping schedule. COVID-19 has not disrupted the arrival of goods to Alaska, according to a news release from the Municipality.
“Food and supplies are at normal levels in Anchorage, and demand is currently high, creating empty store shelves. More goods are on the way, however delays of about one week in restocking shelves may happen due to the time it will take from time of order to stocking shelves in Anchorage and Alaska. The Municipality encourages residents to be patient as store shelves are restocked.”
5:20 pm – 03/17/2020: The State Department of Health and Social Services has issued guidelines for parents whose children attend day care centers:
The department, per CDC recommendation, is advising that child care facilities stay open if they safely can do so. Health officials do not want children to be cared for by elders, because people aged greater than 60 years are at increased risk for severe COVID-19 illness. Employers are encouraged to talk to their workforce. We also know that children, while they may carry the disease, get sick from COVID-19 much less frequently than adults.
The guidance for child care centers is thus:
Follow aggressive measures to screen children for respiratory infection and do not allow any ill child into a child care center.
No child who has been outside of Alaska in the last 14 days should be allowed in a child care center.
No one who has a fever or respiratory symptoms should be allowed to work in a child care center.
Keep numbers below 10 for group settings.
Cohort kids, keeping the same group of kids together.
Adhere to social distancing (at least six feet) to limit mixing.
Spend time in well-ventilated spaces as much as possible.
Practice frequent and rigorous environmental cleaning.
No one over the age of 60 or with underlying medical conditions should be working in child care centers.
Families should consider alternative child care opportunities, if possible.
5 pm – 03/17/2020: A mobile testing station has been set up by Providence in a parking lot on Lake Otis Blvd., right next to Bernie’s Pharmacy:
Mobile testing began on Tuesday, next to Bernie’s Pharmacy, in an adjacent parking lot on Lake Otis Blvd.
3:30 pm – 03/17/2020: Johns Hopkins University says that over 100 people in the United States have died from the coronavirus in less than one month since the community spread of the virus was first reported on Feb. 26. There are now over 5,894 confirmed cases and 105 deaths, and 200,000 cases globally.
3 pm- 03/17/2020: The Alaska Democratic Party has closed its headquarters on Fairbanks Street in Anchorage. The five employees of the party are working remotely. The Alaska Republican Party, which only staffs its offices part time, could not be reached for comment.
The City and Borough of Juneau has declared an emergency, allowing it to draw in more help from the state and federal government for health and safety measures, and purchase needed emergency supplies. The resolution of Monday night will assist local business as they apply for federal loans and assistance.
The Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly held a special emergency meeting on Tuesday. Among agenda items was sending a letter to Alaska’s congressional delegation, urging suspension of the Jones Act. The assembly will also discuss emergency measures and the lifting of cumbersome borough code during the emergency.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy is ending the reign of Mark Springer, chairman of the Marijuana Control Board. Springer’s term ends on March 1.
While showing Springer the door, the governor reappointed Christopher Jaime, a State Trooper from Soldotna. And he added Casey Dschaak of Dillingham to the rural seat that is held by Springer for a few more weeks.
Springer, of Bethel, is a vocal opponent of the governor’s overall agenda and, critics say he loathes Dunleavy’s very existence.
In addition to signing the recall petition, he has used his time during board meetings to express his hostility toward the Administration and brags about the Recall Dunleavy sticker on his coffee mug.
Springer has been at odds with his fellow board members as well as the governor. When the matter of whether to retain former alcohol and marijuana agency director Erika McConnell came up, Springer, as chairman, refused to put it on the agenda until he was forced to by other board members.
McConnell had already been “fired” by the Alcohol Beverage Control Board, to whom she also reported, but it took a vote of the Marijuana Control Board to remove her. Springer voted against her removal, but she was fired anyway by a majority of the board, with only one other vote, from board member Loren Jones, favoring McConnell’s retention.
Dschaak, the incoming member of the board, he served in the U.S. Army and works in the field of logistics in Dillingham.
The Marijuana Control Board meets next week in Juneau and will select a new chair from the members.
Readers will notice that Must Read Alaska took on a new look over the weekend. It went from a blog to a sleek news site.
Like anything, it will take some getting used to, especially on the production side of things, but will allow this one-woman news operation to have a more rapid response to events of the day.
I’ll continue to refine the categories over the coming weeks, and while I work at it night and day, want to extend my thanks to everyone who has donated to the cause of giving an alternative view of what is presented in the mainstream media.
Feel free to join in the fun and send a donation to:
Must Read Alaska
3201 C Street Suite 308
Anchorage, Alaska 99503
The Freedom Caucus, the conservative group inside the Republican House Majority, came out with a stunning endorsement for Alaska’s only seat in Congress: Nick Begich III.
The caucus’ Freedom Fund made the announcement of its support of Begich as one of nine candidates around the country that it is endorsing in the 2024 election. Begich is making his second run for Congress and already has the endorsement of Congressman Byron Donalds of Florida, Congressman Scott Perry of Pennysylvania, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and a growing list of conservatives around the country.
Added to that list are Representatives Bob Good of Virginia, Jim Jordan of Ohio, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Andy Ogles of Tennessee and about 41 Republicans altogether who are in the Freedom Caucus, whose members represent about one out of every 18 Republicans in Congress.
“Constitutional principles are the bedrock of our republic and are worth fighting for. I’m honored to have the support of HFF and to be among that group of conservative leaders who will work to ensure the American promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness endures for generations to come. I look forward to continuing to work hard to restore Alaska’s tradition of bold representation and to grow the Republican majority in the House.” Begich said, upon receiving the Freedom Caucus endorsement.
In addition to Begich, the other candidates endorsed today by the Freedom Caucus are:
Dave Williams (CO-05) Elsie Arntzen (MT-02) Rick Becker (ND-AL) Stewart Jones (SC-03) Adam Morgan (SC-04) Colby Jenkins (UT-02) Joe Kent (WA-03) Jerrod Sessler (WA-04). There are about a dozen other candidates who have been previously endorsed by the group, which has a political action committee, the House Freedom Fund, that will help in their races.
Begich is making his second run for Congress against the incumbent Mary Peltola, who has over $2.7 million in her war chest.
Superior Court Judge Adolf Zeman has kicked a hornet’s nest and those hornets, home school parents, are mad as hell.
With his decision, Judge Zeman started a battle between parents who want the best education fit for their children and the education industry that wants to protect its institutional turf — the brick & mortar schools.
Home school parents are waking up to the facts.
One judge with the flick of a pen did away with the pittance of financial assistance homeschool parents used to get. Now these parents understand that their children aren’t “worth” as much to the state when it comes to funding their children’s education.
The constant cry of equity from the teachers’ unions and school boards seems not to apply to homeschoolers. There is no equity in state financing of these correspondence students.
Here is one parent’s testimony to the legislature: “This bill does not pass the equity test. It clearly discriminates against one group of public — school children in an effort to defund and drain the correspondence programs.”
This is more than 17% of the total K-12 students in Alaska. And it is with fear that school districts are seeing more parents opting for home school over their failing brick and mortar schools.
The State saves lots of money by parents enrolling their students in a correspondence program. So, how are parents and their students being short-changed when it comes to funding from the State of Alaska?
It all comes down to the formula that funds K-12 education. Brick & mortar students end up being multiplied while correspondence students are reduced by 10%. That means a brick & mortar student is “worth” more than a correspondence student.
This is how the student counts compare for school year 2023-24 (ADM is the Average Daily Membership or actual student count, AADM is the Adjusted ADM):
BRICK & MORTAR
BRICK & MORTAR
CORRESPONDENCE
CORRESPONDENCE
ADM
AADM
ADM
90% ADM
105,986
257,735
22,289
20,060
Some of the correspondence schools are part of the brick-and-mortar school districts while others are unique districts by themselves.
Another way to look at it is a correspondence student is only valued at 90% of the Base Student Allocation. So, that student is only worth $5,364 and no more. But the brick & mortar student gets multiplicative factors such as, “special needs”, CTE, and intensive services that are in the funding formula.
Here is a listing of the correspondence schools with the largest student populations, the number of students, and correspondence student state funding only:
District *
# Correspondence Students
Correspondence Student State Funding **
Anchorage (3)*
1,863
$9,993,000
Galena (IDEA)
7,215
$38,701,000
Fairbanks (B.E.S.T)
945
$5,069,000
Kenai (Connections)
1,104
$5,922,000
MatSu (3)*
3,155
$16,923,000
Nenana (CyberLynx)
1,860
$9,977,000
Yukon-Koyukuk (Raven)
3,188
$17,100,000
Denali
720
$3,862,000
(*indicates the district has more than one correspondence school).
(**90% of the Base Student Allocation times the actual number of students).
What would happen if the home school parents took all 22,289 of their children out of the correspondence programs? Anchorage, Fairbanks, Kenai, and the MatSu would lose about $38 million.
That is a very powerful number. And that threat by many home school families is valid. Here is a quote from a parent’s testimony to the legislature:
“There are many reasons we choose to homeschool. Should these changes pass, we will not be putting our kids in brick-and-mortar schools, or even the correspondence schools with these unfathomable changes to the AK constitution. I will independently homeschool. I will say again, the government doesn’t own my children. Please, oppose SB 266 and HB400”.
Here’s one more chart that compares the per student costs for correspondence students versus the per student costs for brick & mortar students:
District
Correspondence Per Student Costs
Brick & Mortar Per Student Costs
Anchorage
$13,207
$16,689
Galena
$4,512
$5,869
Fairbanks
$7,257
$17,813
Kenai
$10,476
$19,860
MatSu
$7,929
$15,976
Nenana
$5,910
$8,570
Yukon-Koyukuk
$6,691
$13,190
Denali
$5,486
$11,844
As you can see, home school families save the State of Alaska tons of money while still tailoring learning plans to each individual’s needs.
Hypothetically, if the correspondence program were discontinued and all the students joined the brick & mortar schools, then the State would have to come up with millions more dollars to fund those schools. Using the Anchorage per student cost that increase would be about $371,981,121.
And what would that number really be if the education industry’s chant of “raise the BSA” were to happen?
Home school parents have saved the State of Alaska millions of dollars over the years.
Home school parents have the power and leverage to control the outcomes in this battle for their children’s futures.
This is a battle for funding equity and parental choice which pits the education industry and the NEA-AK against parents.
Every one of the 22,289 correspondence students is not just a number. Every one is a person who wants a future where he/she can be prosperous, happy and a productive member of this great nation.
This parent’s testimony to the legislature sums up the feelings of most home school parents:
“I will not consider educating my children in our neighborhood schools and will not hesitate to remove my children from the public school system entirely in order to meet their educational needs”.
And one more parent’s testimony:
“Don’t let anti-homeschooling legislators and the teacher’s union damage educational freedom here in Alaska”.
You, too, can help decide who wins this battle. Join the parents as the hornets that Zeman kicked now swarm to protect the home school programs in Alaska.
Several of the country’s top legal minds have come out against the newest lawsuit against Trump, labeling it everything from “ridiculous” to “an embarrassment”. Pam Bondi, who was part of Trump’s defense team during the first impeachment trial, is one of these legal minds. This week on STAND, with Kelly and Niki Tshibaka, Bondi offered her legal insight into the newest case against Trump.
According to Bondi, these criminal charges against Trump are nothing but a farce.
“This is a case that the Justice Department years ago…declined to prosecute. The Southern District of New York also declined to prosecute. The statute of limitations…expired years ago.” Bondi explained.
In fact, because the statute of limitations had passed, “[The prosecution took] a misdemeanor, and they have to tack it on to thirty-four felonies just to make it within the statute of limitations so that they can bring this case years and years later.”
But that’s not the only legal embarrassment of the case.
“Now, Alvin Bragg and the New York DA, they come into this case, and they basically air-dropped a special prosecutor who is from the Biden Administration. You can’t make this up. I mean, it’s such a concerted effort to get Donald Trump”, Bondi pointed out.
Furthermore, Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, is a key witness against him in this case. The prosecution is blatantly violating attorney-client privilege, by compelling an attorney to testify against his client, severely infringing on Trump’s constitutional rights.
This recent barrage of legal attacks has clearly been initiated for a more sinister purpose, according to Bondi, and the timing is intentional. Because of the criminal status of the lawsuit, Trump is unable to leave the courtroom. The result? He suffers on the campaign trail.
“Their case is falling apart, but they don’t care. The goal is to try to embarrass him and to have him sitting in a courtroom, which, they got him.” Bondi explained.
This “lawfare” that the Left has employed to hinder Trump’s ability to campaign in 2024 has so many legal contradictions, it’s a wonder it’s still permitted to be in court. However, there is some solace in the fact that the blatant tactics of the Left seem to be backfiring. Bondi talked with Kelly and Niki Tshibaka about how Trump is leading in polls nationally, including in toss up states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Arizona, and Wisconsin.
Bondi also offered her insights into the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent hearing on President Trump’s immunity, having attended the arguments in person. She opined, “I think most likely what’s going to happen is they are going to rule that there is immunity but it’s going to be remanded back to the appellate court, back to the trial court, to make the determinations on what acts are immune and what acts are not immune.”
She made the astute observation that if presidential immunity is not protected, then subsequent administrations would prosecute prior administrations for policy decisions they opposed: Abraham Lincoln would have been criminally prosecuted for the Civil War, and Harry Truman would have been criminally prosecuted for dropping the atomic bomb in World War II.
When asked why Bondi supports Trump, she told a heart-gripping story about a boy who was about to pass away, and his last wish was to speak to President Trump. So, Bondi reached out to the President to see if it was possible.
“This little boy is about to die. All he wants to do is talk to you. So he calls me, ‘Pam. What’s the number? What’s the number, what’s the number We’ve got to talk to him.’ He writes the number down. He writes the number down himself–this is our world leader, when everything is going on in the world. And so he says, ‘Okay, I’ll call, let me call him.’”
To hear the rest of the heart-warming story about what happened when President Trump called the boy and what he did for him, check out the latest episode of STAND. You can also view the episode on YouTube, Rumble, and your podcast streaming platform.
Kelly Tshibaka is the host of the podcast, TV, and radio show STAND, and the 2022 Alaska Republican candidate for U.S. Senate. She co-hosts the show with her husband, Niki Tshibaka.
National Education Association-Alaska, the Alaska education industry’s union, stands as the foremost advocate for its members’ rights and interests. Its membership includes educators and other school employees.
However, a critical constitutional conflict exists between this union and the State of Alaska concerning constitutionally prohibited sectarian control over the state’s education system.
While NEA-Alaska’s mission and vision statements ostensibly prioritize public education and the welfare of public-school employees, aligning with its role as a teachers’ union, they also reveal a distinct ideological stance lobbying its current control over Alaska’s public education system over alternative models such as private or charter schools and the state’s correspondence and home school programs. NEA-Alaska also aggressively lobbies its distinct ideological stance controlling budget and performance outcomes for the state and local school districts.
The union’s vision statement boldly highlights its sway in state and local politics, endorsing candidates and influencing policy decisions. While political engagement might be expected of a union, it is not in itself a “political party” nor is it held to the same standards.
The extent to which NEA-Alaska aggressively shapes political outcomes underscores a concerted ideological agenda aimed at advancing specific educational policies and funding priorities to maintain hegemony and authority.
Furthermore, the vision espoused by NEA-Alaska accentuates the collective might of its members and its consequential impact on working conditions, instructional quality, and student outcomes. While empowering educators is a legitimate objective, the fervent pursuit of attaining the “best instructional conditions in the nation” and securing the “highest compensation packages” reflects a broader ideological ambition to reshape the educational landscape according to its own specific values and priorities.
This vision also outlines specific policies and practices, such as class size limits and curriculum development expectations, which, while potentially beneficial, are presented as components of a larger ideological agenda that favors certain educational approaches over others.
In essence, NEA-Alaska assumes the role of arbiter, determining winners and losers within Alaska’s educational system.
However, the Alaska State Constitution unequivocally asserts in Article VII, Section 1, that “Schools and institutions so established shall be free from sectarian control.”
But what precisely constitutes sectarian control?
According to the original constitutional delegates, led by R. Rolland Armstrong, the term encompasses any form of ideological control or influence that could compromise the neutrality and effectiveness of public education. It is imperative to ensure that public schools remain free from the sway of any particular religious or ideological group.
The debate surrounding the wording of the Enabling Act aimed to safeguard public education from undue influence. While proponents argued for including the term “or indirect” to prevent unintended support to religious or private institutions, opponents cautioned against overly restrictive interpretations that hinder providing services to all children for the public good.
Ultimately, the discussion highlighted the delicate balance between preserving the neutrality and integrity of public education while respecting individual rights and freedoms. The overarching objective was to establish a system prioritizing the educational needs of children while safeguarding against undue influence from any ideological or religious faction.
Constitutional delegate John Coghill’s failed attempt to include the “or indirect” language underscores this contention. His defense emphasized that public education is a state function and should not be encroached upon by any particular group, whether in the minority or the majority.
Thus, when considering sectarian control in the context of public education, it is crucial to recognize that it transcends religious influence to encompass any attempt to impose a specific ideology or agenda onto the education system.
In this debate, the concern extended beyond religious organizations exerting control over public schools to encompass any entity seeking to impose its ideological agenda. This could include political groups, special interest organizations, or any faction with a particular agenda, which maintained continuous control as NEA-Alaska has since the 1960’s.
The emphasis on maintaining public schools free from sectarian control arises from the imperative to preserve neutrality and impartiality in education. Allowing any single group to dictate curriculum or policies has marginalized certain students and stifled open discourse within schools, undermining the fundamental principles of democracy.
Therefore, the term “sectarian control” encompasses any effort to impose a specific ideology onto the public education system, regardless of its origin, be it religious or non-religious.
Conflicts between NEA-Alaska and the State of Alaska invariably stem from differing priorities, perspectives, and interests regarding educational governance, funding, and policies. These conflicts have been ongoing in ideological principles as highlighted by NEA-Alaska’s own website. Finding common ground necessitates constructive dialogue and collaboration to ensure that the educational needs of students prevail over ideological agendas or special interests, this however has not been the history of NEA-Alaska.
In conclusion, the influence wielded by NEA-Alaska raises grave constitutional concerns regarding sectarian control over Alaska’s education system. While the union champions the rights of educators, its extensive political involvement and ideological agenda pose a direct constitutional threat to the state’s mandate of ensuring neutrality and impartiality in public education through Article VII, Section 1 of Alaska’s Constitution.
Resolving this conflict demands a steadfast commitment to preserving the integrity and efficacy of Alaska’s public education system, safeguarding it from any influence or control that may compromise its mission of providing high-quality education for all students.
Mike Porcaro, who has a popular afternoon radio show and has run an advertising firm for decades, was bounced from the Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission by the Legislature. Porcaro was a nominee of Gov. Mike Dunleavy and has served on the commission for nine months.
In a joint session of the House and Senate, nominees to various boards and commissions came up for confirmation. Most of the governor’s appointees made it through. A few of the more politically charged ones did not. For example, Bob Griffin was not retained on the Alaska Board of Education, written about here in an earlier story.
At first, Porcaro made it through the nomination vote narrowly, 31-29, generally down party line, with Sen. Gary Stevens and Rep. Louise Stutes voting with the Democrats and Sen. Lyman Hoffman and Rep. Neal Foster voting with the Republicans. But then, Rep. Louise Stutes asked for a reconsideration, and Porcaro’s nomination failed on a vote of 30-30. On that second vote, Rep. David Eastman became a yes vote, while Foster voted no, and Sen. Lyman Hoffman at first didn’t vote at all, and then voted “no,” casting the deciding vote. Again, Stutes and Stevens voted with the Democrats.
Porcaro was criticized by some for not having prior commercial fishing experience. But Rep. Sarah Vance of Homer defended his service and said he had done an exemplary job and brought balance to the commission.
The commission issues permits and vessel licenses in both limited and unlimited fisheries, and provides due process hearings and appeals for disputes related to limitations on fishery participation.
Porcaro says it is not a requirement that a board member must have fished commercially, but that he gave it his all for the nine months he served on the board before Tuesday’s confirmation vote that went against him.
The Legislature also voted down the nomination of Mark Sayampanathan to the Alaska Workers Compensation Board. Again, several Republicans voted against the Republican governor’s nomination.
The joint session did confirm Barbara Tyndall to the Alaska Board of Education and Early Development, Donald Handeland was confirmed for another term on the Personnel Board, Robert Sheldon for another term on the Commission on Judicial Conduct, Marit Carlson-Van Dort for another term on the Board of Fisheries. Several other new and reappointments were confirmed, including Curtis Chamberlain to the Board of Fisheries, Emily Jackson-Hall to the Alaska Labor Relations Agency, Kayla Green to the Board of Marital and Family Therapy, Wendy Palin to the Barbers and Hairdressers Board, Kevin McKinley to the Barbers and Hairdressers Board, April Erickson to the Board of Nursing, Richard Larson to the Board of Parole, Carla Hebert to the Board of Pharmacy. Terrance Haas was confirmed as the Alaska Public Defender.
Commissioner of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Torrence Saxe was confirmed as the successor to the lieutenant governor, should either Gov. Dunleavy or Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom leave office early. Emma Pokon was confirmed as the Department of Environmental Conservation commissioner, Cathy Munoz was confirmed as commissioner of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
Valerie Nurr’araaluk Davidson, who briefly served as lieutenant governor during the troubled administration of Gov. Bill Walker, has been released from her position at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, where she has served as president since 2021.
The consortium is the largest, most comprehensive tribal health organization in the country. It is Alaska’s second-largest health employer with more than 3,000 employees.
After the end of the Walker Administration, Davidson was tapped to serve as the president of Alaska Pacific University for two years, before going full time in an interim role for the health organization for Alaska Natives. Within months, she was named as the permanent president and CEO.
There were board meetings this week and Davidson’s contract was not renewed. In a board memo to all staff, Natasha Singh was named interim president and CEO on Tuesday.
The organization in its memo thanked Davidson for her leadership, which started after the previous CEO, Andy Teuber died in a helicopter crash.
“Since Valerie assumed the role as President/CEO in March 2021, the organization committed to making two of the largest health facilities investments in its history, secured over $1 billion for the construction of sanitation systems in rural Alaska, improved the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital star rating at the Alaska Native Medical Center for the fist time in the hospital’s history, improved access to Patient Housing, and improved the organization’s financial health,” the memo said.
Singh is a tribal citizen of Stevens Village and has worked alongside Davidson in the organization’s operations and implementation of strategic priorities, the memo said. She is a graduate of the University of Washington School of Law and Dartmouth College.
Bob Griffin, one of the most vigorous supporters of students and teachers in Alaska, was not confirmed by a joint session of the Alaska House and Senate on Tuesday for another term on the Alaska Board of Education and Early Development. The vote was 21-yes, 39-no, and included several Republicans who voted against the governor’s nominee.
Griffin, who is also on the board of directors of the conservative Alaska Policy Forum, which has a record of supporting good education policy in the Legislature, has been a strong advocate for accountability in the largely unaccountable school system in Alaska.
For nearly a decade, he advocated for the Alaska Reads Act, and he’s written op-eds in favor of charter schools and other educational pathways. He disagrees with a lower court decision recently that stripped state funding from correspondence students. He encouraged legislators to not override the governor’s veto of a flawed funding bill this year.
During the joint session on Tuesday, Griffin was attacked with special animosity by Democrat Sen. Loki Tobin of Anchorage, who accused him of an inventory of faults, some of them patently false, such as accusing him of once representing himself as a member of the Department of Education and Early Development, something that didn’t happen. What happened an error in the minutes of a meeting, as was pointed out later by one of Griffin’s defenders.
She also accused him of saying that “women can’t dunk.” That also didn’t happen. Griffin had once stated, in the context of defending girls in sports from transgender takeover, that the number of dunks in the WNBA were less than the dunks by one game in the NBA. (In the 27 WNBA history, there are 33 recorded dunks by just 8 individual women. By comparison, since the 2000-2001 season, there have been 169,734 dunks made in the NBA.)
Tobin then accused him of trying to strip funding from schools. In fact, he has advocated for accountability and better use of funding, and he has shown how Alaska schools are some of the top-funded in the nation.
Griffin was not sulking about the votes against him or the surly disparagements of his record by those who support the position of the National Education Association, which is demanding permanent annual increases in school funding, without accompanying accountability.
“I was a fighter pilot for 22 and have had my a– chewed by better people than those,” he said.
In the Legislature, Republicans usually support a Republican governor and Democrats usually support a Democrat governor.
In a rarely witnessed show of disloyalty, however, several Republicans in the Democrat-dominated Senate turned on Gov. Dunleavy by voting against Griffin’s confirmation. They included: Sen. Cathy Giessel, Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, Sen. Click Bishop, Sen. Kelly Merrick, Sen. Bert Stedman and Sen. Gary Stevens.
On the House side, five Republicans also turned their backs on the governor with their votes, including Rep. Julie Coulombe, Rep. Will Stapp, Rep. Louise Stutes, Rep. Jesse Sumner, and Rep. Stanley Wright.
Griffin said, “This is not going to slow me down, but will give me more time and opportunity to advocate for reform. It actually buoys my spirit that I’m a lightning rod, because that means I’ve been effective. I was the one who encouraged the introduction of the Alaska Reads Act three times before it was picked up by Gov. Dunleavy and [former] Sen. Tom Begich, and passed by one vote in 2022. I will be working tirelessly to get more education reforms, which we desperately need in Alaska,” he said.
“I served my five years on the board knowing it was unlikely I would be able to serve another five years,” Griffin said. “I can’t change who I am in order to maintain a title.”
The nomination of Barbara Tyndall of Fairbanks to the state Board of Education was next on the agenda of the joint session. She fared better. Although criticized by Democrats for being a Christian, in the end, Tyndall was confirmed on a vote of 34-26.
The Alaska Support Industry Alliance, which represents most of the major oil service and related contract companies in Alaska, is polling its membership to find out what they think of the tax that Sen. Bill Wielechowski inserted into the governor’s carbon credit bill, House Bill 50.
The bill seems likely to pass the Democrat-controlled Senate, which is a body where there are actually more Republicans than Democrats, but where all but three Republicans have given over the power to the Democrats. Taxes are the result.
“Please take one minute to complete our survey and let us know if your company is an S Corp and if you oppose the attempt by some legislators to circumvent the IRS Tax Code and impose the corporate tax rate of 9.4% on some S corps in Alaska. (This is meant to target Hilcorp but could have broader scope),” the Alliance wrote to its members.
House Bill 50, the carbon credit bill, was originally, “An Act relating to carbon storage on state land; relating to the powers and duties of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission; relating to carbon storage exploration licenses; relating to carbon storage leases; relating to carbon storage operator permits; relating to enhanced oil or gas recovery; relating to long-term monitoring and maintenance of storage facilities; relating to carbon oxide sequestration tax credits; relating to the duties of the Department of Natural Resources; relating to carbon dioxide pipelines; and providing for an effective date.”
In plain language, the bill creates a framework for the Department of Natural Resources to lease State of Alaska lands for carbon storage projects, and for the Alaska Division of Oil and Gas to permit and regulate carbon storage facilities in Alaska.
Wielechowski inserted language from his earlier failed attempt in the past, SB 114 of 2022-23, which was also a tax aimed at Hilcorp.
The proposed tax could be expanded to include all private S corp. companies in a new 9.4% tax.
Critics warn that such a tax on Hilcorp, which took over operations on the North Slope when BP pulled out of Alaska, could dry up the company’s investments in the state, and the spin-off from that could leave many smaller companies without work.
A hearing in Senate Finance was set for Tuesday morning, then moved to Tuesday (May 7) afternoon at 1:30 p.m.
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Alaska’s state taxes on C Corporations are among the highest in the nation, according to the Tax Foundation. “New Jersey levies the highest top statutory corporate tax rate at 11.5 percent, followed by Minnesota (9.8 percent) and Illinois (9.50 percent). Alaska and Pennsylvania levy top statutory corporate tax rates of 9.40 percent and 8.99 percent, respectively,” the foundation says.
Although the bill is likely to pass the Senate, due to the liberal makeup of the members, Must Read Alaska has learned that Gov. Mike Dunleavy may veto his own bill if it arrives on his desk with the Hilcorp tax.
After an Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation trustee’s emails were leaked to the Alaska Landmine political blog, the corporation’s Board of Trustees scheduled a virtual special meeting at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, May 8, to discuss the security of APFC’s records systems and document management procedures for confidential information. It’s clear the corporation is unhappy that the documents have made it into the public sphere, because it raises questions about what other documents could be leaked.
Although the meeting is public, the trustees may take the entire topic into a closed-door session to discuss “vulnerabilities of procedures and systems that could cause immediate harm to the Fund.”
Last week, the Landmine revealed a series of emails between Board of Trustee Vice Chair Gabrielle “Ellie” Rubenstein and staff members that raised concerns about whether she was stepping beyond her role as a board member and getting involved in directing the day-to-day operational and investment decisions of the staff of Alaska’s sovereign wealth fund, which was established by voters of Alaska in 1976.
Rubenstein was appointed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy in 2022 and has a term of service until 2026. Among concerns in the emails revealed is that she said in one of them that Board Chairman Ethan Schutt was not going to be reappointed by Dunleavy. Such a move would put her in a good position to be elected as board chair, a powerful position for an $80 billion fund.
Because of her strong connections to the Carlyle Group, which was founded by her father, David Rubenstein, and because she runs her own global private equity firm, Manna Tree Partners, which has a value of some $563 million, some have expressed concern that Rubenstein and her father may may be trying to direct investments to companies that align with their family interests. Emails revealed that members of the staff are concerned about her pushing staff to have more meetings with Carlyle.
On Thursday, the Permanent Fund issued a statement about the concerns, saying the fund “acknowledges recent media reports concerning internal communications regarding potential conflicts of interest. We take these concerns seriously and were addressing the issue through established protocols prior to coverage by the media.”
But this aspect of the conflict-of-interest concern is not on the agenda for Wednesday’s meeting. Only the security of documents is on the agenda.
In response to the leaked document report, Ellie Rubenstein issued a statement saying she follows all ethics rules and disclosure requirements:
“Serving on the Board of Trustees for the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation is a great honor. This position has allowed me to serve my home state by bringing private sector investment expertise and perspectives to the Permanent Fund Corporation. Introducing and connecting Permanent Fund Staff to investment firms so that they can explore opportunities is an appropriate and valuable role and is common practice among state pension boards, endowments, and sovereign wealth funds. In this role, I have always followed the Permanent Fund Board’s ethics rules and disclosure requirements, and I was unaware of these concerns about my service on the Board. That someone leaked internal messages containing confidential information to the media is disturbing; it is a breach of policy and trust, and it distracts from the important work the Permanent Fund Trustees and Staff are doing for the State of Alaska.”
In 2007, a conflict-of-interest matter involving then-board Chairman Carl Brady was addressed in a memo from then-Assistant Attorney General Judy Bockman, who stated, “Each trustee must identify actual and potential conflicts orally at the board’s public meetings in advance of participating in deliberations or taking any official action on a matter. Violations of the Ethics Act may occur when a public officer takes official action that may affect the officer’s own personal or financial interests or those of an immediate family member. The definition of ‘official action’ means more than ‘vote.’ Under the recently passed amendments to the Ethics Act, the new definition reads: ‘[A]dvice, participation, or assistance, including, for example, a recommendation, decision, approval, disapproval, vote, or other similar action, including inaction.”
Which will it be: One-party rule in Anchorage, or a balance of power?
The Anchorage mayoral race is down to the final seven days. Some voters are reporting to Must Read Alaska that they have not yet received their ballots in the mail. The Anchorage Assembly has the ballots printed and mailed from Washington State; they were reportedly in the mail from Washington on April 30.
(If you have not received your ballot and are a registered voter in Anchorage, leave a message on this article in the comment section below. Must Read Alaska is seeking to determine the extent of this problem.)
The runoff election ends May 14 — that is the deadline to have your ballot postmarked, in a drop box in Anchorage, or voted in person at one of the in-person voting locations noted below.
When your ballot does arrive, it’s a quick decision: Mayor Dave Bronson or former Assembly Chairwoman Suzanne LaFrance.
Bronson is supported by the business community and Republicans, although the Alaska Republican Party has not endorsed in this race.
LaFrance is supported by the AFL-CIO, NEA-Alaska, the Alaska Center [for the Environment], the Alaska Democratic Party and the dark-money 907 Initiative. Also, she is supported by Assembly Chairman Chris Constant and the leftists who control the Anchorage Assembly. The two finalist candidates were 473 votes apart in the April 2 election for mayor, when 10 names were on the ballot.
Anchorage runs mail-in elections but you can also vote the old-school way, by showing up in person. Election centers open Tuesday, May 7. If your ballot doesn’t arrive in the mail, voting in person is your only reasonable option. Although you have until 5 p.m. May 7 to request your ballot be mailed to a temporary address (if you happen to be out of town), it’s not certain you’ll receive your ballot in time.
The Application to vote at a temporary address will be posted on the Voter Information pagearound December 1 of each year. Or call the Voter Hotline at 907-243-VOTE (8683) for more information.
Locate a secure drop box for your ballot, if you don’t wish to mail yours in via the U.S. Post Office. The runoff election has nine drop boxes far fewer drop boxes than the 15 drop boxes that the regular election had:
