Wesley Early, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage

Wesley Early, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage
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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.
Dave Bronson speaks with the media

Mayor Bronson talks future of port repairs in State of the City address

Mayor Bronson delivered his remarks virtually because he was quarantining after being exposed to someone with COVID-19.
an emergency hopsital sign

Alaska COVID hospitalizations dip slightly after hitting record high

The number of hospitalizations from COVID-19 in the state dropped by 10 after hitting a record high on Thursday. There are now 232 patients with COVID-19 in Alaska’s hospitals.
a person in a suit poses for a photo inside a restaurant

Top advisor Craig Campbell among several departures from Bronson administration this week

Craig Campbell has served in several roles in the Bronson Administration, most recently as Policy and Programs Director.
the outside of a hospital

Alaska’s COVID hospitalizations have hit a new high

The state on Thursday reported 242 patients with COVID-19 in Alaska hospitals, the most ever since the pandemic began.
A woman in a blazer.

State elections commission recommends fine for pro-Bronson group, citing a failure to file certain forms during runoff

The Alaska Public Offices Commission staff is recommending a $5,665 fine for a group that was raising funds to support Mayor Dave Bronson’s campaign.
giner haired woman in a mask

Anchorage’s former real estate director sues Bronson administration, claiming she was illegally fired for making whistleblower complaint

Christina Hendrickson was fired in September, shortly after she made a whistleblower complaint to the Assembly regarding how fellow municipal employee Jim Winegarner was hired.
Dozens of teachers with signs gather. Some say: No contract, still working.

Anchorage teachers rally outside school board meeting, unsatisfied with district contract proposals

Teachers raised three main concerns over ASD’s proposed contract: no increase in salaries, the reduction of planning time, and a new health care plan which many found inferior. 

Petition filed to recall Assembly member Jamie Allard

This is the third recall effort of an Assembly member that Anchorage has seen in a year, with Felix Rivera surviving a recall election in April, and Meg Zaletel’s recall election scheduled for next week.
A white woman with blond hair speaks into a small microphone

Tens of thousands of dollars are flowing into both sides of the Zaletel recall effort

Midtown voters will decide next week whether to recall Assembly member Meg Zaletel.

Alaska pediatrician group criticizes Anchorage’s chief medical officer over ‘grossly misleading’ comments on COVID

The Alaska chapter of a national group of pediatricians has written a blistering letter to Dr. Michael Savitt, Anchorage’s chief medical officer, criticizing recent statements he made on the effectiveness of masking and the spread of COVID-19 in the city. 
sign on a door says 'please wear a face mask'

Who needs to wear a mask in Anchorage and where? Here’s a breakdown of the new ordinance.

The Anchorage Assembly on Thursday overturned Mayor Dave Bronson’s veto of an emergency mask ordinance. That means the masking rules for the city are back in place.
proponents and opponents of a mask ordinance gather at an assembly meeting

Anchorage Assembly overrides Bronson veto, upholding emergency mask ordinance

The Anchorage Assembly on Thursday overturned Mayor Dave Bronson’s veto of its contentious emergency mask ordinance.
snow on trees

It’s official: Anchorage records its first snowfall of the season

While some parts of Anchorage received more than 14 inches of snow in late September, the weather service's measuring station near the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport got barely a trace. And that's where official weather measurements are taken. So, Thursday will technically be counted as Anchorage's first snowfall of the season.
masked woman with glasses

Anchorage Assembly will decide tonight whether to override Bronson’s veto of masking measure

The Assembly's meeting is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. Thursday in the Assembly Chambers at Loussac Library.

Anchorage Assembly to hire a lawyer for help with ‘separation of powers’ at Loussac

y chair Suzanne LaFrance, describes several instances where members of the mayor’s staff were “asserting control over the Loussac Library grounds.”
two masked people

Anchorage Assembly approves emergency mask mandate

The order approved by the Aassembly takes effect immediately. It mandates that people wear masks in indoor public places and in communal spaces. Those exempted from the masking rules include children under age of 5, people in police custody, people participating in sports, people at church and Mayor Dave Bronson’s administration.
A white man speaks into a microphne with his hand on his hip

Commission in charge of Alaska elections upholds $38,500 fine for Bronson mayoral campaign

The Alaska Public Offices Commission has ruled that Anchorage mayor Dave Bronson did not file accurate campaign spending reports during the runoff election earlier this year. As a result, they have fined Bronson $38,500.
a man poses for a portrait in a city area

Mayor Bronson fires chief equity officer without approval from Anchorage Assembly

The Municipality of Anchorage’s chief equity officer was let go by Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson on Thursday, and he believes he was fired illegally. 
girls sing in solidarity

2 members of Anchorage mayor’s administration test positive for COVID, canceling Friday’s meeting

Assembly leadership said in a statement late Friday afternoon that two members of Mayor Dave Bronson’s administration have COVID-19, and Assembly members at Thursday’s meeting came in “really close contact” with them.