Wesley Early, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage
Wesley Early covers Anchorage life and city politics for Alaska Public Media. Reach him at wearly@alaskapublic.org and follow him on X at @wesley_early. Read more about Wesley here.
The top spokesmen for Anchorage Mayor Bronson are leaving their jobs
Corey Allen Young and Hans Rodvik will be moving on from the administration to work for the Anchorage School District.
Whittier officials say fuel dock operational after closing due to 4th of July fire
The fire started on Tuesday, sinking a boat, closing the dock and forcing two people to be medevaced with injuries.
Complaint alleges foes of Alaska’s ranked choice voting formed a church to funnel political donations
The filing accuses Alaskans for Honest Elections, a political group opposed to ranked choice, of more than two dozen violations of campaign finance law.
Fire closes Whittier fuel dock and injures 2 people
The dock is the one place in Whittier Harbor for boats to refuel, prompting concerns for charter and commercial fishing fleets during the busy summer season.
Anchorage’s less-than-sunny summer is likely to continue through July
National Weather Service meteorologist Brian Brettschneider says this summer is the city's coolest since the "terrible summer of 2008."
Eagle River weightlifter Bobby Hill brings home gold from Special Olympics World Summer Games
Hill earned a gold medal in bench press, lifting 70 kilograms — or 154 pounds. He took silver in squat, deadlift and combination lifting as well.
Anchorage entrepreneur named finalist for national award spotlighting Black community leaders
Jasmin Smith is an entrepreneur who was nominated for the inaugural theGRIO Hero award.
Jamie Heinz unanimously confirmed as Anchorage municipal clerk
Heinz has more than 12 years of experience, including serving as the deputy clerk for elections in Anchorage and city clerk for Kenai.
Bolstered by post-pandemic travel, Anchorage set to have another strong tourism year
While it’s still early, Anchorage tourism officials and tour operators say 2023 is likely to match last summer's post-pandemic banner year.
Anchorage Assembly delays vote on putting $11M towards homeless navigation center
The proposed navigation center and shelter would sit at the corner of Tudor and Elmore Roads and would host 150 beds, with a surge capacity of 200 people.
Alaska continues to rank among worst states for child well-being, report finds
In recent years, Alaska has consistently ranked in the bottom third among states of the annual Kids Count report for overall child well-being.
Former legislator Chris Tuck files to run for Anchorage mayor
Tuck joins incumbent Dave Bronson and former Anchorage Assembly chair Suzanne LaFrance in their bids for mayor.
As Alaska’s child care crisis looms, some businesses opt to launch centers for their employees’ kids
Companies with on-site child care report happier staff and better retention rates — especially as affordable child care becomes harder and harder to find.
Anchorage Assembly recommends use of vacant Midtown lot for homeless camp
The lot was one of five sites across Anchorage that a city task force recommended in May.
Girdwood’s only licensed child care facility ‘at the end of the line’ as organizers look to expand
Little Bears' board of directors has been working for more than a decade to expand — aiming to build a new center to serve more than 100 kids.
Anchorage Assembly to vote on paying $2.5M settlement to contractor for work on homeless shelter
The Assembly will vote June 16 on whether to pay Roger Hickel Contracting roughly $2.5 million for work it completed on a controversial homeless shelter project.
Man charged with selling bootleg alcohol to Anchorage homeless residents
Investigators say Brandon Reed sold thousands of dollars' worth of vodka to people at the Sullivan Arena and other places frequented by the homeless.
Anchorage police department and union reach agreement on body-worn camera policy, 2 years after approved by voters
Even with the agreement, the timeline for when the cameras will actually be on officers is still unknown.
Anchorage Assembly rejects $550K Demboski legal settlement, opts to pay out MacAlpine
Both Amy Demboski and Heather MacAlpine allege they were illegally fired by Mayor Dave Bronson's administration.
Anchorage families struggle with sparse and expensive child care options
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0KNdZwsGgA