Anchorage shouldn’t close schools to score political points
December 1, 2022
The main reason for the Anchorage School District’s plan to close six elementary schools is not because it saves the district money. In fact,...
Community Voices
Halt Holtan Hills!
Grace Pleasants December 1, 2022
The housing crisis is at the doorstep of every American town and city, big or small. Alaska and the Municipality of Anchorage…
Voting no on a constitutional convention is an easy choice
Mark Kelsey November 4, 2022
I took advantage of early voting recently to add my voice to the broad and bipartisan opposition to a constitutional convention. It was not...
David vs Goliath: The state constitutional convention question on the ballot
Senator Shelley Hughes November 1, 2022
Alaskans, I respectfully implore you to recognize that the flood of paid advertisements you’ve been hearing about a state constitutional convention may not be...
Gone Hollywood: ADN mixes fact check with fiction in debate coverage
Andrew Jensen October 21, 2022
The Anchorage Daily News has "gone Hollywood” by monetizing the suffering of others as little more than background in their self-aggrandizing portrayal of themselves...
I’m opting my child out of active shooter drills this year. You can, too
Allison Hovanec September 13, 2022
My eldest daughter started kindergarten this year. I was prepared for many of the new routines: packing her lunch, buying and labeling her school...
Assembly member Volland’s approach won’t solve Anchorage’s transportation problems
Marc Grober September 6, 2022
It was simply exhilarating to read Anchorage Assembly member Daniel Volland’s manifesto two weeks ago exhorting Anchorage to make safe...
My day at the Alaska State Fair
Jacob Hersh September 1, 2022
“He who makes a beast of himself, gets rid of the pain of being a man.”
– Dr. Samuel Johnson
Halfway through the sauce-smothered turkey leg,…
The troll caught Salmon Sisters: A cautionary tale of social media disaster
Spenaardvark August 30, 2022
For those of you not on “Alaska Twitter:” congratulations on preserving your scarce time and mental health. For those of you who are: my…
Anchorage should be designed around people, not just cars
Daniel Volland August 22, 2022
Recently, a visiting presenter to Anchorage gave a talk that resonated with the Anchorage business community and many local leaders. Hosted by the AEDC,...
The insider guide to an Alaskan gun show
Jacob Hersh August 20, 2022
“Keep your hand on your gun,
Don’t you trust anyone.
There’s just one kind of man that you can trust,
that’s a dead man,
or a gringo like…
Why I support a constitutional convention
Senator Robert Myers August 18, 2022
This November, voters have a once in a decade opportunity to vote to hold a constitutional convention. We should take that opportunity. The Legislature…
“Red” Scare: A day on the Kenai
Jacob Hersh July 25, 2022
There’s nothing more balls-out Alaskan than a seven-year-old driving a $30,000 side-by-side. As I’m hauling a bloody, sandy load of fish up the Kenai…
Senator Josh Revak is wrong about Big Tech
Adam Schwemley July 19, 2022
Senator Josh Revak (R – Anchorage) seems to think that the technology companies that have made the internet what it is…
My day at the Trump Rally in Anchorage, Alaska
Jacob Hersh July 12, 2022
The first thing you notice about the Trump rally, as you pull into the Alaska Airlines Center, is the line. It disgorges from the…
The time has come to end Big Tech’s rule
Senator Josh Revak July 10, 2022
The internet has opened doors and pathways to more than we could have ever imagined just a couple of decades ago. It has become…
The challenges of education in Alaska
Charlie Pierce July 8, 2022
In one word, the state of Education in Alaska is “pathetic.” Finger pointing, arguing and blaming everything except the structure of the current system...
Silencing Anchorage’s youth
Andrew Duryea June 16, 2022
The Youth Advisory Commission (YAC), composed of youth ages 14-22, represents and advocates for the youth of Anchorage in our local government. Some of…
Navigating the abortion extremes
Dr. Brian Sweeney June 8, 2022
On a recent trip to Washington, D.C. I was treated to short speeches and interaction with a number of physicians serving in Congress. After…
It’s time to adopt a comprehensive homeless plan
Mayor Dave Bronson, Assembly member Felix Rivera, and John Weddleton April 28, 2022
This week, the Anchorage Assembly will consider plans to construct a homelessness navigation...