A section of Anchorage Municipal Code that only a few months ago neither you, nor I, nor many Assembly members, nor (according to some) the Berkowitz administration even knew existed, may end up being the defining issue on the Anchorage ballot come April 4.
The effort to stop fluoride from being added to Anchorage’s water supply is one of those fights that tends to elicit rolled eyes and a chorus of snickers in political circles and on local talk radio shows. In political circles, the alleged danger of fluoride in our drinking water ranks right up there with other perceived fringe theories like chemtrails and Muslim terrorist compounds in the Mat-Su. What, too soon on that last one? Sorry.
Wednesday afternoon the Alaska Democratic Party waded into the controversy surrounding Anchorage Assemblywoman Amy Demboski’s posting to Facebook of a questionable Fox Business report showing a map of armed Islamic compounds in the U.S., including one in Alaska. In Demboski’s post, she also linked that report to Greg Jones, a Democratic candidate for State House in the Mat-Su, who is Muslim.
So what will have the room so riled up? The national conversation on the validity of “fake news” and the nationwide fear of Muslim immigration in the wake of a string of terrorist attacks in the U.S. motivated by extremist Islamic groups have converged and landed squarely in the Municipality of Anchorage.
Despite the inability of the Alaska State Legislature to adopt a comprehensive solution to the State’s fiscal crisis and the huge uncertainty that creates for both the private sector and local governments, at least one bond rating agency is looking more favorably upon the Municipality of Anchorage’s credit worthiness.
ll those kneeling to raise awareness for racial inequity, from sports stars to an Anchorage Assemblyman, claim that they mean not to offend anyone but really just want to create a public conversation on the subject. They then immediately and irresponsibility depart the public stage when the heavy lifting begins of creating public spaces for such “productive†and inevitably uncomfortable discussions.
The Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) staff is recommending the agency drop the hammer on three candidates from last spring’s Anchorage Assembly elections, issuing fines totaling $91,500. On August 1st, Terre Gales, Adam Trombley, and Treg Taylor all received fines of over $1,000 according to documents from the state agency that monitors campaign finance laws.
As we reported in Friday in the Sun would happen, the Mayor has hired Brendan Babb to be the Muni’s Chief Innovation Officer.
Don’t know what that means? Neither do I, but here is the Mayor’s explanation.
Why is it social conservative groups love cartoons to prove their point?
Now that this year’s Municipal elections have been put to bed, let’s take a quick look at how next year’s races could shape up.