Giessel-Newsletter

Dear friends and neighbors, As school starts, I know we are all adjusting to new traffic patterns, new schedules, new places to be!

Dear friends and neighbors, It’s been such a nice summer! Kids back to school already! State Fair opens this week. I’ve been busy, helping my husband rebuild our deck and keeping on top of policy issues.  (Photo: Rebuilt Iditarod Trail section off Crow Creek Road, Girdwood)

Dear friends and neighbors, Historic Successful Override of Two Items: Education Funding at $700/student ($50 M), and Audit Transparency for Oil Taxes.

Dear friends and neighbors, I’m wishing Diane Holmes all the best as she transitions temporarily to PA. Great community picnic celebrating Diane’s huge contributions to the policies for Hillside Anchorage. Former Assemblyman John Weddleton and community member Joan Diamond led the event. Diane’s input will be missed while she’s away in PA!

Dear friends and neighbors, The Farmers Markets are open and chock full of delicious, fresh produce! Markets provide access to healthy foods, produced right here in Alaska, by Alaskans. Produce freshly picked here is more nutritious than the already weeks-old food shipped in to our grocery stores. Alaska Grown food cost is competitive with our various

Dear friends and neighbors, Tim Bradner (Alaska Economic Report) reports steel prices are 60% higher than estimated for 10-mile segment of Kenai power transmission line upgrade, equaling $1.5 million increase cost. What will the remaining 31-mile segment cost (original estimate $55.3 million).

Dear friends and neighbors, The Legislature will be meeting in Special Session beginning August 2, based on a “call” by the Governor.

Dear friends and neighbors, It’s so great to get out in our trails, lakes, and rivers on these sunny days! Fortunately one of the sunny days was on Juneteenth holiday. (Photo: Rabbit Lake with my 2 fur children.)

Dear friends and neighbors, Education Funding and a Veto Override Clearly, the biggest recent news is Governor Dunleavy’s unprecedented veto of education funding. The veto is not unexpected but its still dumbfounding to see this attack on our children and our future.

Dear friends and neighbors, I really wasn’t expecting an “every 2 week newsletter” to be this long but I keep seeing things that it seems you would want to know!