Kavitha George, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage
Kavitha George is Alaska Public Media’s climate change reporter. Reach her at kgeorge@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Kavitha here.
Funerals in Anchorage are being delayed more than a year during COVID
Funerals are just another aspect of life that has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In Anchorage, some families are postponing burial services, and others are forgoing them altogether.
After four-week “reset,” Anchorage opens bars, restaurants to indoor dining
After a four week “reset,” in an attempt to curb the surge of COVID-19 cases, the Municipality of Anchorage is once again loosening restrictions on businesses.
Anchorage Assembly passes ban on conversion therapy
The Anchorage Assembly voted to ban conversion therapy for minors on Wednesday, after a two-day public hearing. Conversion therapy, as defined in the ordinance, is a practice that seeks to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. It has been discredited and condemned by the American Psychological Association and many other medical and civil rights organizations.
Treasury lays out options for city to move forward with controversial property purchases
Uncertainty over the city’s controversial purchase of four properties for substance treatment and housing services seems to be at least partially resolved after the Berkowitz administration met with U.S. Department of Treasury officials this week.
Airport Heights Carrs to close, dealing a blow to the Northway Mall
The Carrs grocery store at the Northway Mall in Airport Heights is going to be closing its doors next month. This is the second anchor tenant to leave the 40-year-old mall recently, after Joann Fabric and Craft left for a new location in Midtown.
Here’s what primary voting in Anchorage looked like
A record number of Alaskans opted for absentee ballots for this year's primary election, but some are still going out to the polls today to cast their ballots. With COVID-19 precautions in place, voting looks a little different this year, from new sanitizing protocols to fewer in-person voters.
Here’s what nearly $157 million in CARES Act money is funding in Anchorage
Anchorage will spend a little more than half its CARES Act money on rental and mortgage relief, child care assistance, small business relief and first responder efforts.
Nearly 150 layoffs coming to Ted Stevens and Fairbanks airports in October
One hundred and twenty-three employees at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport are scheduled to be laid off in October. Another 19 employees at Fairbanks International Airport will be laid off at the same time. The majority are restaurant and service workers.
Assembly passes sweeping CARES Act spending plan
On Wednesday evening, the Anchorage Assembly passed a wide-ranging spending plan for more than $100 million in federal CARES Act funding allocated from the state. Among other things, it includes money for housing assistance, child care, jobs programs and small business and nonprofit relief.
U.S. Treasury Inspector General warns property purchases might not be acceptable use of CARES Act funds
Federal officials cautioned the Anchorage municipality that the plan to purchase properties for a substance treatment center and housing for people experiencing homelessness may not fall within the allowable use for CARES Act funds.
Anchorage Assembly authorizes city to purchase properties for homeless services
The Anchorage Assembly voted Tuesday night to authorize the municipality to move forward with the purchase of four properties for substance treatment and homelessness resources. The controversial plan stirred multiple protests on both sides of the issue, plus nearly thirty hours of public testimony and thousands of emailed comments about the proposal.
Assembly to vote on controversial property purchases, CARES Act money distribution
The Anchorage Assembly is expected to vote on the distribution of the city’s remaining CARES Act funds on Tuesday. Of $156 million in federal funds, a little more than 85 percent remains unallocated.
Taking advantage of space that used to be for cars, downtown businesses work to weather pandemic
Lack of tourism and changing city restrictions on dining in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have forced downtown Anchorage restaurants to be flexible and creative with the way they keep business running.
Anchorage shuts down bars, restaurants for indoor service
Bars and nightclubs will be closed to dine-in service. Emergency Order 15 also limits indoor gatherings to 15 people and outdoor gatherings with food and drinks to 25 people. Outdoor gatherings without food and drinks are limited to 50 people.
Anchorage Assembly extends emergency proclamation into October
The Anchorage Assembly voted on Tuesday to extend the city’s emergency proclamation a fourth time, this time lasting until October 16. The decision was driven by the continued increase in COVID-19 cases that threaten to overwhelm the city’s health care resources.
Intervention 2020 group pushes for incarcerating homeless, a plan that may be unconstitutional
Nearly thirty hours of in-person public testimony on a city plan to purchase property for a treatment center, housing and other homelessness services wrapped up last week. While the assembly says they’ve received thousands of emails in support of the plan, the majority of hundreds of in-person testifiers were against it. Some of the negative testimony was fueled by a conservative opposition group called Intervention 2020.
At an Anchorage seafood processor, more than a third of employees test positive for COVID-19
Anchorage Health Department announced on Friday that 56 of 134 employees at the Copper River Seafoods plant in Anchorage tested positive for COVID-19 between July 17 and July 22. Thirty more employees have tests pending and 14 have not been tested. Nearly all are residents of the municipality, the department said.
COVID-19 cases in Anchorage move school district into all-online learning
The average number of cases is now above 30 cases over the last 14 days.
Public hearing on Anchorage property purchase ends, vote expected next week
Public hearing testimony on the city’s plan to purchase properties for a treatment center, housing and homelessness resources ended late Wednesday evening. It was the fifth day of the hearing, at which hundreds of Anchorage residents called in or testified in person.
As cases rise, Anchorage restricts gatherings, capacity in Anchorage bars and restaurants
With the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Anchorage, Mayor Ethan Berkowitz released new orders on Wednesday to reinstate some limitations on bars, restaurants and other gathering spaces. The new orders go into effect at 8 a.m. on Friday.