Lex Treinen, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage
Lex Treinen is covering the state Legislature for Alaska Public Media. Reach him at ltreinen@gmail.com.
Anchorage Police Chief Ken McCoy to take job promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion at Providence
Providence announced McCoy’s hiring in a statement Wednesday, just over a month after McCoy abruptly announced his retirement from the police department with no explanation.
Alaska reports daily COVID records as Anchorage hospitals feel pinch of omicron
An official from the Alaska Native Medical Center said the hospital is “very, very close” to declaring crisis standards of care.
Anchorage residents are still waiting out long lines at COVID test sites
The health department promised more test sites by Monday, but so far hours and locations haven’t increased forcing people to burn up sick leave and wait for up to 3 hours for a test.
Anchorage health director says more COVID test sites should be running by next week
Joe Gerace said he’s heard criticism from the public about long waits at testing sites over the past week, and is working to improve the city’s testing capacity as the omicron variant surges
Here’s some tips for how to get tested for COVID in Anchorage
While some drive-thru sites are reporting long wait times — sometimes stretching over two hours — there are some ways to get tested faster.
Anchorage Assembly members concerned over city’s communication, readiness for omicron
Assembly members have been increasingly vocal about concerns the city isn’t doing an adequate job communicating about how to get tested as cases rise quickly. The lack of attendance at the meeting added to a wider concern that the city’s health department isn’t prepared for the anticipated omicron surge that has already caused significant problems for schools and businesses in other cities.
As winds subside, Mat-Su residents take stock of devastation
Finding food and supplies is still challenging for residents, many who have been without power for days.
Strong winds hammer Mat-Su, leading to widespread damage and power outages
The winds, reaching up to 91 mph Sunday near Palmer, flipped small planes, overturned semitrucks, toppled trees, tore off roofs and closed Mat-Su schools for at least two days.
With signs of omicron spike in Alaska, residents scramble for hard-to-get tests
In Alaska’s largest city, many pharmacies are sold out of at-home COVID-19 test kits, and long lines have formed at testing sites.
Here’s how to get an at-home COVID test kit in Anchorage
A delayed shipment of tens of thousands of rapid at-home COVID tests has arrived in Anchorage, and city officials say they’re racing to distribute them to sites around town before New Year’s.
Ballot counting during Anchorage’s next election will be livestreamed 24/7 under updated rules
Some of the changes were designed to counter the harassment election workers faced in the 2021 election, but members mostly billed the updates as routine changes.
Half a dozen dogs and one person were accidentally caught in traps or snares last year, Alaska wildlife group says
Several submissions described close encounters with traps or snares near trails and roadways, and one man said he was pulled off his motorbike after a snare caught his foot on a trail in the Mat-Su.
State’s top epidemiologist has tips for Alaskans heading into the holidays as omicron surge looms
Dr. Joe McLaughlin says it's alright to gather for the holidays this year, but he recommends having guests take rapid COVID tests, which some communities are giving away for free.
Details remain scarce about Anchorage mayor briefly turning off fluoride in city’s water
In the days after the Bronson administration announced that the mayor had ordered the fluoride temporarily turned off — after initially denying it — details remain scarce. The Bronson administration has answered few questions and the Alaska Occupational Safety and Health Section says it has no recent records of worker complaints from the Eklutna water treatment plant.
Anchorage mayor turned off fluoride in city water for about 5 hours
Mayor Dave Bronson decided to stop the fluoridation while visiting the Eklutna Water Treatment Plant on Oct. 1, according to the mayor’s spokesperson Corey Allen Young.
Anchorage Assembly begins inquiry after blog alleges ‘improper demands’ were made on police chief
The Alaska Landmine suggests the Bronson administration pressured Anchorage police to leave a heated Assembly meeting and to compel doctors to prescribe ivermectin to a hospitalized COVID patient.
Anchorage Assembly overrides most of Bronson’s budget vetoes
That includes bringing back money for police officers in public schools, building safety inspectors, some early education grants and a roving team of crisis mental health providers.
Sullivan Arena homeless shelter gets third new leader in 3 months
Cesar Ramirez De La Cruz said he took over the shelter manager job from Shawn Hays in early December.
As Anchorage faces the pandemic and homelessness, resignations at the health department pile up
ivision managers and medical officers have all left or been fired from the health department, which has largely stopped communicating with news media.
Anchorage’s deputy health director is resigning, the latest in a string of departures
DeeAnn Fetko announced her resignation in an email to staff on Monday after 25 years working for the city.