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Current Topics
Quote of the day. Axios
"This notion that for climate action to happen everyone needs to be convinced that climate change is a big problem — and the leaders in power also need to believe it — just doesn't seem to be true when you look at the data."
— Energy and climate data wiz Hannah Ritchie to the NYT, noting strong growth of renewables in red states.
1 fun thing: Stuff we drop for New Year's. Axios
My Comment: Hilarious!
Alaska State Parks rescinds 2024 fee increase for further review. ADN
Beaver ponds may exacerbate warming in Arctic, scientists say. The Guardian
Were the waddling rodents making minor inroads, researchers may never have noticed. But the animals are pouring in, pushing north into new territories. The total number of animals is far from clear, but the ponds they create are hard to miss: in the Arctic tundra of Alaska alone, the number of beaver ponds on streams have doubled to at least 12,000 in the past 20 years. More lodges are dotted along lakes and river banks.
Education
Iñupiaq immersion program’s revival in Utqiagvik sparks plans for growth ADN
(My Comment: I’m a big fan of this multilingual program!)
Energy
Alaska's electric grid transformation is great for jobs. ADN
Improved transmission is part of a broader effort to secure Alaska’s energy future.
(My comment- I agree! We have to get a handle on the high cost of energy. Alaskan families, businesses and communities can’t go forward with the ever increasing cost of energy. It’s time for the State to provide upgrade and modernization of our transmission grid that will allow utilities and independent power producers equal access. )
Economy
Mapped: Homeowner age rises. Axios
Alaska is the only state where homeowners are getting younger. The majority of Alaskans owned a home by 35 in 2021, compared to 36 in 2000.
'Trends' report: Once of the nation's best, Alaska's teacher pay slips far behind historic levels. Raven Radio
Teacher salaries in Alaska are slightly ahead of the national average, but significantly behind the cost of living in the state. New data from the Alaska Department of Labor indicate that other states have been quicker to adjust the salaries of educators to compensate for higher costs, while Alaska – at one time the most attractive state for teachers to work – has fallen further behind.
Workers could win again this year. Axios
It's past time to reimagine Anchorage's Heritage Land Bank. ADN
(My comment-Heritage Land Bank is like the Federal government. It controls a large amount of land in Girdwood, yet has no local community representation on the board and has had vacancies in leadership. I agree with this suggested improvement in HLB’s composition.)
Fisheries
Analysis of the Northwest, other salmon hatcheries finds nearly all hurt wild salmon populations. Alaska Beacon
An analysis of more than 200 studies on hatcheries programs meant to boost salmonid numbers across the globe – including salmon, trout and whitefish – shows that nearly all have had negative impacts on the wild populations of those fish. Most commonly, hatchery fish reduced the genetic diversity of wild fish, leading to poor health and reproductive outcomes.
Politics
How a new way to vote is gaining traction on states - and could transform US politics. Stateline
With U.S. democracy plagued by extremism, polarization and a growing disconnect between voters and lawmakers, a set of reforms that could dramatically upend how Americans vote is gaining momentum at surprising speed in Western states.
Denmark promises increased focus on Arctic as it takes over NORDEFCO chair. The Barents Observer
“The Danish Defence Intelligence Service has recently stated that the security climate in the Arctic Region is expected to become more unstable due to increased military activity, and it is possible that Russia and China will increase their cooperation in the region. Given the Kingdom of Denmark’s position, it is only natural for us to focus on the developments in the Arctic and North Atlantic region.”
(My Comment: The US is an Arctic nation because of Alaska. The US has no functional icebreakers in the Arctic. Eielson Air Force Base pays $0.23 per kWh for electricity because we haven’t acted to lower those costs. All this makes Alaska and the US vulnerable.)
School funding, energy and ranked choice voting: Alaska statewide political stories to watch in 2024. ADN
Adequate Education Funding, Dividend restraint to provide public services, restored Defined Benefit Pension to recruit and retain public employees, and election choice for voters through Open Primary/Ranked Choice Vote.
(My comment- I will continue to support these 4 priorities sod the Senate Bipartisan Majority. These priorities mean a prosperous future for all Alaska. I am also working on reducing energy costs and reducing pharmaceutical medication cost. All these are heavy lifts but important policies for all Alaskans.)
Health Care
The curious case of an inhaler switch. Axios
But doctors tell Axios many pharmacy benefit managers and insurers that previously covered the branded versions are refusing to cover the generics. That likely has to do with what many health policy experts say are warped incentives in the complex system for pharmaceuticals.
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