Technology Could Help Anchorage Efforts to Stop the Spread of COVID-19
Anchorage, rather than germ-shaming businesses to assist with contact tracing, you could use technology for a better outcome.
Anchorage, rather than germ-shaming businesses to assist with contact tracing, you could use technology for a better outcome.
The new ranked-choice voting system allows you to vote how you want. No more strategic voting.
Usually Summers in Alaska are a time when fishing, vacations and recreation push politics out of people’s minds May through August. Not this year. The ongoing controversy over the budget, vetoes, and the very real Recall has kept the politics pot boiling.
With only a week or so left to override Governor Dunleavy’s budget vetoes, an effort to pressure the fence sitting legislators has begun. Save our State is on the airwaves with a series of targeted radio ads that calls out legislators who may not vote for overrides because they are closely aligned with Dunleavy, or are nursing grudges from the regular session
This race pitted three solid Democrats seeking the nomination; a nomination that essentially ensures them victory in November. Elias Rojas, Zack Fields and Cliff Groh are all good candidates running solid campaigns. Zack Fields was quickest out of the blocks, and I expected him to run away with the election. I also expected Cliff Groh to never quite get it in gear. Cliff is a likable guy, but he prefers policy discussions over small talk like the professor you like in class, but avoid at lunchtime.
Alaska campaigns are getting started early. This week hosts Casey Reynolds and Forrest Dunbar dig into Gov. Walker’s first fundraiser, all the entrants into the GOP Lt. Gov. primary, and how that can impact the Anchorage mayoral race. Then our man in Fairbanks, Matt Buxton sits down with Rep. Scott Kawasaki about his run for state senate.
What is Alaska politics without a special session to talk about? This week hosts Casey Reynolds and Forrest Dunbar dig into Gov. Walker’s announcement that he will call legislators back into yet another special session in late October. What will the call include and will legislators actually pass anything? Casey and Forrest will tell you. Then the discussion turns to campaign season as several state senate races appear to be shaping up and Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz officially filed his campaign finance paperwork this week, so we know he is running. Who will run against him and what are their chances? You have to listen to find out. We also talk with newly announced candidate for Lt. Governor, former Rep. Lynn Gattis about her campaign and whether she thinks legislators will get anything done in October.
This week it seemed like everyone wants to run for governor, or at least wanted us to believe that they do. Hosts Casey Reynolds and Forrest Dunbar dig into all the gubernatorial race posturing as well as the fall out from the Alaska Supreme Court’s decision on Gov. Walker’s veto of PFD spending, the continued attacks on transgender folks at both the national and local level, and, of course, the Trump administration’s monumental Friday night news dump. Then we talk with former celebrity Alaska weatherman and current Alaska Marijuana Industry Association Executive Director Cary Carrigan about the state of the marijuana industry in Alaska. We may also get his expert take on Hurricane Harvey, and boy does he have a good one.
Wow, what a week in politics, both nationally and here at home. Hosts Casey Reynolds and Forrest Dunbar discuss the political fallout from the financial quagmire of Alaska’s paper of record and share our thoughts on the Steve Bannon firing (or was it a resignation?) before getting to our comprehensive discussion of the events in Charlottesville with former local NAACP leader and current Anchorage Human Rights Commission President Wanda Green, Juneau lawyer and ACLU of Alaska board member Paul Grant, and Democrat candidate for Virginia’s 5th congressional district Roger Huffstetler.
Hosts Casey Reynolds and Forrest Dunbar are both back after a short summer break and boy do they have a lot to cover. There is, of course, the failure of the Trumpcare and its impact on how Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s is viewed by Americans and her own constituents here in Alaska. We also delve into the Legislature’s many, many special sessions, how the Governor and Lt. Governor primaries are already shaping up, and the unfortunate events in Chancellorsville, Virginia over the weekend. And don’t worry, Anthony Scaramucci (The MOOOOCH!) even gets some time on this week’s podcast.