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.
Local students get park renamed to honor Chitose, Anchorage’s Japanese sister city
Students from Sand Lake Elementary, which houses the school district’s Japanese immersion program, were behind the name change.
Anchorage’s Hmoob Cultural Center struggles to stay open as child care crisis continues
The child care provider is struggling with high operating costs and low state subsidies. It's a familiar trend in a state strapped for child care.
Anchorage’s aging snow clearing equipment likely won’t be replaced before winter
Chief Administrative Officer Bill Falsey said some city vehicles for hauling and clearing snow have a lot of years and miles on them.
Anchorage police chief says body camera footage of Handy shooting to be released ‘probably within a week’
A new body camera policy starting on Monday mandates the release of footage of police shootings within 45 days.
After a dry June sparked wildfire concerns, Alaska has had a very rainy July
Climate researcher Brian Brettschneider says the rain has “certainly, quite literally put a damper” on wildfire concerns.
Alaska officials say they’re working to speed up investigations of police shootings
So far this year, officers have shot nine people during responses, killing six of them. Five of those shootings involved Anchorage police.
Anchorage police set timeline for release of body camera footage in new draft policy
The policy would have the department release footage of “critical incidents” like police shootings within 45 days.
After a spree of Anchorage police shootings, advocates call for a citizen review board
The board would be staffed by professional investigators who would be guided by a board made up of Anchorage residents, aimed at holding the Anchorage Police Department accountable.
Anchorage man fired shotgun at police and stranger before officers shot him, charges say
Damien Dollison, 51, is charged with felony assault for firing a shotgun at officers and a witness at an Anchorage gas station early Monday morning.
Police shoot and critically injure man near East Anchorage gas station
The man is the fifth person shot by Anchorage officers during a police response since mid-May. Three of those people have died.
Alaska Pacific University to receive millions from NASA to study microplastics
APU is set to receive roughly $5 million from NASA to establish a microplastics research and education center.
Anchorage Mayor LaFrance announces 6 new executive hires
LaFrance announced a deputy chief of staff, policy advisor, constituent relations and external affairs directors and two special assistants.
Suzanne LaFrance sworn in as first woman elected Anchorage mayor
“Today's about this special place we call home and what we're going to do together to fix it up and make it the place we all know it can be,” LaFrance said.
This recently-launched news outlet aims to expand coverage of the Mat-Su Borough
The Mat-Su Sentinel is a new online news platform aimed at providing local news to an area the size of West Virginia, with a population of roughly 110,000 people.
Anchorage’s popular Ship Creek to close to sport fishing for 2 weeks
When the fishery reopens on July 14, anglers will not be allowed to retain any king salmon for the rest of the season.
Anchorage Assembly narrowly passes zoning change to allow for more duplexes
On a 7-5 vote, the Assembly effectively ended single-family zoning in the Anchorage Bowl in hopes of boosting housing.
Anchorage woman who died during SWAT team standoff had pointed a rifle at her neighbor, police say
The police chief says it’s still unclear how 58-year-old Lisa Fordyce-Blair died. SWAT team members were not wearing body cameras.
In his final days as Anchorage mayor, Bronson says he’s focused on a smooth transition
Dave Bronson says he has a number of accomplishments he's proud of as well as a few regrets.
4 men have died in Alaska’s North Slope oil fields in just over a year
Before the recent string of workplace fatalities, there had not been a death in the area since 2018.
LaFrance names municipal attorney, announces new chief administrative officer position
The new position of chief administrative officer will oversee the city’s human resources and IT departments, as well as purchasing and financial functions.