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Current Topics
Company provides new Anchorage option to recycle more types of plastic. Alaska Public Media
Alaskans have a new place to recycle more types of plastics in Anchorage. Alaska Plastic Recovery is opening a drop-off location in Midtown which provides a unique twist on recycling: The company uses the material to make plastic lumber, which can be used in place of wood.
Satellite internet has disrupted the market in Alaska - and transformed everyday life for many. ADN
Starlink, a company owned by SpaceX, began sending thousands of low-orbit satellites into space in 2019, shifting the market for internet users and providers globally. Since late 2022, when it launched in Alaska, Starlink has given people another option in a previously untouchable market and with it, changed the lives of Alaskans whose internet was expensive, glitchy and limited — when it was available at all.
What the proposed Kroger/Albertsons merger could mean for Alaskans. Alaska Public Media
Albertsons, the owner of Safeway and Carrs, wants to sell to Kroger, the parent company of Fred Meyer. The deal would affect multiple stores in Alaska. The companies say the merger will result in better prices for consumers. Do economists, public advocates and attorneys agree? We ask them on this Talk of Alaska.
Stuff I Found Interesting
Coast Guard confirms plans to buy polar icebreaker, station it in Juneau. Alaska Beacon
The U.S. Coast Guard will buy a commercial icebreaker and station it in Alaska’s capital city, the service confirmed Wednesday.
China deploys three icebreakers to Arctic as U.S. presence suffers after "Healy" fire. G Captain
China continues to push ahead with the rapid expansion of its Arctic-capable fleet. For the first time it has dispatched three icebreaking vessels into the region this summer.
Army stans up Arctic aviation command. Army Times
The Army’s activation of a new aviation command in Alaska marks the return of local air control over two battalions in the Arctic region after a five-year hiatus, as the service works to cement its footprint in the High North.
It comes as the United States military in general works to counter Russian presence and Chinese interest in the region. The 11th Airborne Division, also known as the “Arctic Angels,” stood up its Arctic Aviation Command at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, on Thursday, the Army announced.
(My comment: This is great news! The U.S. must be realizing that national security in the West begins with Alaska!)
1 big thing: The arbitration clause goes viral. Axios
Nearly everyone in the U.S. who's ever signed up for a cellphone, streaming service or account on a website, has signed away their right to take a company to court for wrongdoing.
Economy
America's food aid gap. Axios
Nearly three-quarters of older Americans eligible for a key federal food assistance program are not taking part.
(My Comment: Rep. Mina and I saw passage of the Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE) program, which is SNAP only streamlined. The vote "yes" as unanimous in Senate and 38-1 in the House. BBCE was the basis of HB 344, which also had added to it expanded eligibility to all Medicaid-eligible students for services to be access in their school. (Remember, 1/3 of Alaska students are Medicaid-eligible.) The bill has been transmitted to the Governor, awaiting either his signature, or to become law without his signature; he could also veto the bill.
Gold's historic milestone. Axios
For the first time in history, a standard 400 troy-ounce gold bar is worth more than $1 million.
Fisheries
Federal appeals court ruling eliminates - for now - legal threat facing Southeast Alaska fishers. Alaska Beacon
The appellate court decision clears the way for the region’s troll fishery to continue. It had been threatened by a lawsuit from the Washington-based Wild Fish Conservancy, an environmental group.
Politics
Alaska elections officials plan to debut new ballot-tracking system with Aug. 20 primary. Alaska Beacon
The Alaska Division of Elections is using a new tool this year in an attempt to avoid the kinds of ballot-counting problems that have occurred during previous elections.
One size of municipal government doesn't fit all in Alaska. Alaska Beacon
(My comment: This opinion piece puts a light on the complexity of governing a state of this size and great diversity. While Mr. Andreason is speaking about policy makers, Alaskans themselves need to realize that their view of “reality and solutions” is only one view, not necessarily applicable to all Alaskans.)
Massachusetts governor signs law phasing out toxic PFAS in firefighters' gear. AP News
“It’s one thing to run into a fire, you can see the blaze and feel the heat,” Healey said moments before signing the bill at the statehouse. But it’s another thing, she said, to face the threat of “forever chemicals” — a silent killer that has been threatening the health of firefighters and other for years.
(My comment: Alaska now has a ramp-down of PFAS chemical use as well. Sen. Jesse Kiehl’s legislation was allowed to become law, without Governor Dunleavy’s signature, a few weeks ago.)
Open primary and ranked-choice voting is good for conservatives, Wasilla and Alaska. Must Read Alaska
"I was born and raised in the Mat-Su Valley, am a proud supporter of President Donald Trump, and I believe the open primary and ranked choice voting system benefits Alaska conservatives—especially in Wasilla." Jesse Sumner
Progressive candidates show unusual strength in Alaska state legislative primaries. Alaska Beacon
“It tells me that there’s a fresh breeze blowing through the political air in Alaska,” said Republican candidate Chuck Kopp, who led Rep. Craig Johnson, R-Anchorage, by 20 percentage points on election night.
Peltola leads in Alaska U.S. House primary, with Begich ahead of Dahlstrom. Alaska Beacon
She was running well ahead of her 36.8% share of the vote in the 2022 primary, which was held the same day as the special election she won to fill the seat left vacant by the death of 49-year Congressman Don Young.
Peltola holds wide lead in early primary results for U.S. House, with Begich second over Dahlstrom. ADN
What we're learning from early primary results in Alaska House and Senate races. Alaska Public Media
But first, one thing to keep in mind: Absentee ballots will continue to be counted through Aug. 30, and the results will not become official until certified in early September, according to the Division of Elections — so what we see tonight could change as more ballots are counted.
Healthcare
Mapped: Alzheimer's diagnoses vary by region. Axios
The odds of being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease can vary widely depend on where you live, a new study finds.
To lower prescription drug costs, states head to the courthouse. Alaska Beacon
The FTC found that because of consolidation in the industry, the three largest PBMs now manage nearly 80% of all prescriptions filled in the United States. PBMs use that power, the agency concluded, to raise drug prices, control patients’ access to them, and steer people away from independent pharmacies and toward the pharmacies they own. A week after the FTC released its report, Vermont filed a lawsuit against CVS.
Survey of Alaska youth reveals more mental health problems, but also some positive trends. Alaska Beacon
Alaska teens are more likely to be depressed and have suicidal thoughts than were teens a decade ago, and some mental health problems have increased notably among girls, according to results from the state’s most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
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