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Current Topics
The
Alaskan logging fight threatening Steinway's iconic pianos. The Wall Street Journal
Steinway credits
slow-growing Sitka spruce from the islands of Southeast Alaska with
giving its iconic pianos their sonorous, six-figure sound.
1
big thing: Trump's D.C. utopia. Axios
Trump plans
to ask Congress for $2 billion to "beautify" D.C. —
eyeing a massive facelift for the city's parks, fountains,
streetlights, roads and more. Even the White House itself
is being remade: Trump's gold-drenched
renovations and plans for a $200
million ballroom mark
the biggest changes to 1600 Penn in generations.
"I know more about
grass than any human being anywhere in the world," Trump
told reporters Thursday. "We're going to be re-grassing all your
parks, all brand-new sprinkler systems." "It'll look
like Augusta. It'll look like, more importantly, Trump National
Golf Club," he added.
1
big thing: Chairman Trump. Axios
In other words, if
you're a private company, you may soon be invited to sell a chunk of
your business to the government, even at the cost of diluting
existing shareholders.
1
big thing: Trump's kneecapping playbook. Axios
"I have the
right to do anything I want to do. I'm the president of the
United States," Trump
told reporters yesterday when discussing his threat to send the
National Guard into Chicago. In just seven months, Trump has
consolidated vast power by following a clear playbook: Capture what
he can, contest what he can't and punish those who resist.
In
3-hour televised Cabinet meeting, Trump soaks up flattery. ADN
During a
three-hour-and-17-minute televised part of a Cabinet meeting on
Tuesday, Trump claimed personal credit for what he portrayed as
far-reaching changes in the everyday lives of Americans during his
seven months in office, as his subordinates stumbled over one another
to sing his praises. The unusual session offered a striking display
of unity around a president who has seized sweeping power as few U.S.
leaders before him - and a chance for Trump to signal to his base
that he is personally immersed in every detail of his rule.
Things That I Found Interesting
Southeast
Alaska communities call on federal government to address the region's
booming sea otter population. Alaska Public Media
Communities in Southeast
Alaska are ramping up calls on the federal government to better
manage the region’s booming sea otter population and its impacts on
key fisheries.
Energy
1
big thing: Power vs. gasoline costs, mapped. Axios
New England and Alaska have
the highest costs. Colder climates bring more fuel use for heating ,
often with fuel oil and propane that are relatively costly.
U.S.
developers report half of new electric generating capacity will come
from solar. EIA
Developers added 12
gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale solar electric generating
capacity in the United States during the first half of 2025, and they
plan to add another 21 GW in the second half of the year, according
to our latest survey
of electric generating capacity changes. If those plans are realized, solar would
account for more than half of the 64 GW that developers plan to bring
online this year. Battery storage, wind, and natural gas power plants
account for virtually all of the remaining capacity additions for
2025.
Church
Electric seeks to increase bills by 3.1% ro cover declining sales and
increased costs. ADN
Chugach Electric Association
is asking state regulators for a 3.1% increase to total rates, as
costs rise and sales fell after last year’s warm winter reduced
demand for heat.
1
big thing: CEO of reactor startup Oklo sees Trump tailwinds. Axios
Oklo — a Sam
Altman-backed venture developing a compact reactor — is positioned to
reap the benefits of fueling military bases and data
centers. Oklo aims to commission a commercial-scale reactor at
Idaho National Laboratory by late 2027.
(My comment: Oklo is
the company building the reactor at Eielson AFB in Fairbanks.)
Railbelt
planning a go. Petroleum News
During its Aug. 4 board
meeting the governing board of the Railbelt Reliability Council
authorized the RRC to move ahead with the development of an
integrated resource plan for the Alaska Railbelt electrical system.
As a consequence, RRC Chief Executive Officer Ed Jenkin is initiating
the process of hiring a contractor to conduct the planning work.
Economy
Opinion:
Predatory lending in disguise — the truth about payday loans in
Alaska. ADN
There is nothing positive
about trapping struggling families in cycles of debt with interest
rates that range from 194% to 512% APR. To put that in perspective,
most unsecured personal loans have APRs around 12%–14%, and secured
loans like auto or home loans are closer to 5%–8%. Even credit cards
— which are often criticized for high interest — average around
21%–24% APR, a fraction of what payday lenders charge.
Education
ASD
launches new, free app for parents with children who ride school
buses. Alaska's
News Source
Heather Philp, Senior
Director of Transportation for ASD, said the app allows parents to
see the bus schedule of their children, as well as live location
updates when available, useful in case of a traffic delay or
mechanical issue.
Anchorage
School District aims to hire and retina more teachers using remaining
millions from veto override. Alaska Public Media
The Anchorage School
District plans to hire more teachers with the millions of dollars it
received after legislators overrode Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s education
funding veto earlier this month.
Amid
ongoing education funding battle, new task force outlines potential
solutions. Alaska's News Source
Alaska
lawmakers convene education funding task force. ADN
The next task force meeting
will be held Oct. 30 in Juneau.
Politics
'That's
not true:' Governor calls out report of Alaska-Russian rare minerals
deal. Alaska's
News Source
Gov. Mike Dunleavy, R-AK,
said after speaking with President Donald Trump ahead of the summit
in Alaska that the rumor he is considering selling Russia Alaskan
minerals to help broker a deal to end the Ukraine war are just
“rumors.”
Alaska
legislators have largely departed Juneau, but special session
continues until Aug. 31. Alaska Beacon
Some
lawmakers return to Juneau with no plans to consider governor's
education policy proposals. ADN
Lawmakers and the governor
are at an impasse on education policy. Dunleavy has repeatedly
proposed ideas that majority legislators have rejected, including
paying teachers temporary retention bonuses; allowing students to
enroll in schools outside the district in which they reside; and
allowing a governor-appointed board to create new charter schools
without consulting with local school boards.
Other proposals from the
governor, including creating tribally run schools, are already under
consideration by lawmakers but require more time to review than can
be afforded during a special session, lawmakers have said.
The governor has three
bills up for discussion by the legislature.
HB
and SB 1001 expands enrollment options and authorizes the
State Board of Education and Early Development to approve charter
schools. It also creates an after-school literacy tutoring grant
program and provides “recruitment and retention incentives” for
teachers.
HB
and SB 1002 establishes a five-year pilot program for
demonstration of State-Tribal Education Compact schools.
HB
and SB 1003 extends tax credits to qualifying contributions
to create a “durable funding stream” for tribal-compact schools
afforded under HB and SB 1002.
Abolish
voting by mail? It would hurt republicans. Governing
Republicans benefitted from
mail-in voting prior to 2020 because many of their voters were in the
military, were business travelers who couldn’t be home to cast
in-person ballots, were older white voters, or were voters who lived
rural areas where in-person voting was inconvenient, McDonald
explained. “If you really wipe out those mail ballots, then you can
actually hurt Republicans.”
Federal
appeals court preserves Alaska's two-tier system for subsistence
fishing management. Alaska Beacon
The ruling allows the federal
government to continue offering preferential fishing rights to rural
Alaskans — mostly Alaska Natives — who live a subsistence
lifestyle. That preference exists only in public waters under
federal control, not in state waters, because federal law requires
the preference but the Alaska Constitution forbids state officials
from implementing it.
Alaska
attorney general Treg Taylor will resign, is expected to run for
governor. Alaska Beacon
Alaska Attorney General Treg
Taylor will resign Aug. 29, he told employees at the Alaska
Department of Law in an all-staff email Thursday afternoon. Taylor,
who became the state’s top attorney in 2021 after his two immediate
predecessors resigned in disgrace, is expected by political
observers to join a competitive field of candidates running for
governor in the state’s 2026 general election.
Opinion:
Help wanted. Job opening with good pay, free housing, free parking,
4-year contract. ADN
Most importantly, job
applicants need to tell the truth about realistic plans. The state
has suffered too long with leadership that believes in crystal balls,
while public services have fallen behind the eight ball.
Governor's
agriculture executive order headed toward lawsuit, lawmakers say. Alaska's News Source
The only way forward,
legislative leaders told Alaska’s News Source Thursday, is a lawsuit.
(My comment: What a
silly waste of energy and money! The Governor could have
addressed this 7 years ago! He’s waited until now to take an approach
that copies the US President, in issuing mandates. The Legislative
branch of government is the “first branch” – the Constitution gives
the Legislative branch the priority because it is closest to the
people. The Constitution authorizes the Executive branch (Governor)
the authority to enforce the Legislatively passed laws. This is
a silly waste of energy and money by a lame duck Governor.)
Raising
the idea of salmon farms in Alaska, Gov. Dunleavy swims against a
tide of skeptics. ADN
Understanding
Murkowski's vote requires context. Alaska Beacon
While Murkowski doesn’t have
the power of the purse that Sen. Ted Stevens had during his long
career, she has been very influential in bringing federal dollars to
Alaska. Reaching across the political aisle during the Biden
administration, she brought home hundreds of million dollars for
Alaska projects. Unfortunately, the Trump administration pulled back
many of those projects.
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