My best friends are social workers. So I was beyond honored for National Association of Social Workers - Alaska, to name me, along with my wonderful colleagues Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson and Sen. Löki Tobin, as a legislator of the year. I promise to support SWs in all the essential work they do. #akleg

In celebration of Korean National Foundation Day, I attended an awesome performance by the Morning Star Korean Culture Center at the invitation of the Consulate of the Republic of Korea in Anchorage. Happy 4358th Birthday, Korea! #akleg

Last week I had the honor to present a 2024 #akleg citation to a person who is truly dedicated to the people she serves, Joelene Fortin. She has worked for Hope Community Resources for 40 years & manages an assisted living home in Anchorage. Her love & care for people with disabilities is inspiring.

Did you know that internet-based companies like Amazon don’t currently pay taxes in Alaska? 36 other states fixed this loophole & AK was about to, but Gov Dunleavy just vetoed Senate Bill 113. SB113 leveled the playing field so that AK small businesses that already pay taxes could compete w Amazon.

Last night 4 reporters resigned from the Peninsula Clarion in Kenai & the Homer News. Listen on my podcast to the Clarion’s lone news reporter @jakecdye.bsky.social explain his decision to walk & the future of journalism on the Kenai Peninsula: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e... #akleg

Alaska Science Fiction writer Michael Armstrong worked at Homer News for 23 years before retiring as editor. Carpenter Media, who owns the paper, pulled a story about a Charlie Kirk vigil w/o consulting the writer/editor after #akleg Rep. Vance complained. Listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m...

Your Alaska Link anchor Trill Gates found journalism at Bartlett High, hosted Fox 4 Kids Club as "Kiddie Fox" & later took a break to be a teacher, librarian and mom. Now evening anchor at ABC/Fox, Trill talks about the future of TV news. #akleg Listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

On Wednesday we honored an organization & person, both fully committed to keeping Alaskans healthy. Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center is celebrating 50 years, and we surprised CEO Lisa Aquino with a citation for her career in community service. Thank you, ANHC and Lisa! #akleg

At Anchorage Fire Dept Station 14 today, I had a robust conversation with AFD leaders & line fighters about challenges in our community. Also, got to personally thank firefighters who saved my home from a fire last month. So grateful for their fast response & expert work. #akleg

This month a data breach at Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center exposed 60,000 patient records to hackers. Today on the show we talk about that case specifically, and Alaska's cybersecurity risks generally. More about the data breach: www.alaskasnewssource.com/2025/09/16/f...

Leon Jaimes is an Anchorage-based network security consultant for healthcare, financial services, retail, telecom, and government. We discuss his early life & path to IT, and he shares ways for Alaskans to make themselves more cybersecure. #akleg Listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/l...

Lisa Alexia is a physician assistant who specializes in eating disorders & expert on health risks of sleep disruption. She supports ending daylight saving time. #akleg Listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p... For questions about eating disorders, visit AKEDA: www.akeatingdisordersalliance.org

Today Anchorage celebrates 50 years as a unified municipality. I'm re-releasing my interview with Charter Commissioner Jane Angvik, with new intro for #MOA50. Also see show notes for episodes with Lisa Parker & Joe Josephson, the other living commissioners. Listen: www.buzzsprout.com/1875228/epis...

3 ways you can help Alaska's foster kids: 1. Become a licensed foster parent. More at dfcs.alaska.gov/ocs 2. Volunteer as a CASA court advocate. Sign up at alaskacasa.org 3. Volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters and be a trusted friend. See bbbsak.org

On East Anchorage Book Club podcast, I’ve been interviewing media figures about AK media. Check out episodes with Pat Dougherty, Tom Hewitt, & Ryan Binkley of Anchorage Daily News; James Brooks of Alaska Beacon, & Wesley Early of AK public media, & Dermot Cole of Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. #akleg

Rep. Ted Eischeid is the #akleg House representative for North Muldoon in Anchorage, & his wife Hedy Eischeid is President of the Anchorage Democrats. Both were teachers in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, before moving to AK. Listen to their podcast episode: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r...

Heard from Alaskans during Townhall on the Tustumena ferry between Chignik & Old Harbor. Some issues of concern: the importance of AK Marine Highway, high cost of energy, & need for additional revenue. Grateful to Rep. Stutes, Rep. Edgmon Representative Dibert & Representative Eischeid & Cpt. Mayer.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! AK Office of Public Advocacy is seeking volunteer court-appointed special advocates (CASA) in Southcentral AK, Fairbanks, Juneau & Ketchikan. CASAs are trained, committed adults helping kids in state custody going through the courts. Learn more and apply: alaskacasa.org

Last week I chaired a meeting of the Joint Armed Services Committee (JASC). JASC was created by the Legislature in 1999 to advise on military base closures, a now-defunct process called BRAC. It is time to realign JASC's mission to today's needs. #akleg

Organized labor is under attack. We see this acutely in the VA system. As a former healthcare provider at the #Alaska VA, I know how badly the severing of union contracts will hurt our veterans. #laborday STAND UP FOR UNIONS. Read more: www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol... #UnionStrong #akleg

Dermot Cole has been a powerful voice in Fairbanks & Alaska for almost 50 years. @dermotcole.bsky.social continues to influence our state through his blog, “Reporting from Alaska.” Listen to our conversation on East Anchorage Book Club Podcast: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e... #akleg #akgov

The 5th annual Alaska Military Defense Forum happened in Fairbanks this past week. It was an amazing event with a great line-up of speakers. So grateful to founder Brittany Smart for her hard work. #akleg #AKGov

Alaska needs more health care providers. Physician Assistants help fill the gap. Our local Medex program grows Alaska-based PAs. It was an honor to speak at Friday's 2025 Medex graduation, and send another well-qualified crew of medical providers out to care for Alaskans. #akleg

On Friday morning I joined students, teachers & staff at Wendler Middle School to celebrate the new school year & give a legislative citation to Jenny McAvoy-Anteau, a longtime special education teacher who retired from Wendler in May. Thank you for your service, Jenny! #akleg

KCHU public radio based in Valdez has a service area bigger than Ohio, the only local media in much of that area. KCHU cannot survive recent federal budget cuts. Listen to station director James Devens, who is also a Valdez City Council member. #akleg podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/j...

On Friday the Alaska State Medical Board unanimously approved 2 resolutions. 1. Asking the legislature to limit abortions later in pregnancy 2. Describing providers who prescribe gender affirming care for adolescents “unprofessional.” The Board is not tasked with political statements. #akleg #akgov

7 years ago, the Legislature passed major reforms in HB151 to meaningfully improve our foster system, and do better for youth in OCS care. Since then, the State has continually failed to actually reform. The state needs to follow the law. #akleg #alaska www.adn.com/opinions/202...

This morning the Alaska State Medical Board is taking up 2 resolutions: 1. Limits on abortions later in pregnancy 2. Penalties for providing gender-affirming care for adolescents Both seek to limit Alaskans’ freedom. Sen. Löki Tobin & I discuss: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e... #akleg #akgov

David Hagen conducts his 30th Season with Alaska Chamber Singers this year. He leads Anchorage Youth Symphony & spent 28 years at ASD as a band teacher & planning the music curriculum. Sen. Cathy Giessel & I surprised him with a legislative citation for his lifelong contributions. #akleg

If you believe Alaskans should have the FREEDOM to make their own healthcare decisions, if you believe parents should have the FREEDOM to decide what’s best for their own children, tell the unelected MatSu Bureaucrats (ie AK Medical Board). Email: [email protected] (see comment). #akleg #akgov

Wesley Early started his journalism career at UAA. He found radio and became news director at KOTZ, then returned to Anchorage to cover local issues at AK Public Media. We discuss devastating funding cuts to public media, especially rural stations. #akleg Listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w...

Alaska Literacy Program is celebrating its 50th anniversary, new leadership and retirement of ED Lori Pickett. I presented Lori a legislative citation at ALP's potluck celebration, with Reps. Galvin & @repmina.bsky.social, many friends and colleagues. Congratulations to ALP! #akleg

My thoughts on the Trump-Putin summit can best be summed up by the speech I gave on the House floor on March 5, 2025. The whole speech can be heard in a bonus episode of East Anchorage Book Club Podcast. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e... #akleg #Ukraine #AlaskaSummit #Alaska

Author Dan O'Neill has been published in most AK newspapers, including a Fairbanks Daily News-Miner column. His latest book: The Impertinent Question: Words & Adventures of a Liberal Columnist at a Conservative Newspaper in the Red State of Alaska. #akleg Listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d...

An audit of the Alaska Office of Children's Services (OCS) was made public on June 30, 2025. It shows that OCS failed to implement most of the required reforms. Listen to former Rep. Les Gara & Director of Facing Foster Care Alaska Amanda Metivier explain: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/l...

Trump to meet Putin next week in Alaska, he says on social media, reports James Brooks for the @alaskabeacon.com This is a developing story, check back for updates.

James Brooks is a familiar face at the #akleg Capitol, reporting with @alaskabeacon.com since its founding in 2022, and previously writing for several Alaska news outlets. We talk about writing, editing, and independent nonprofit news. Listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/j...

Larry Persily is the owner of the Wrangell Sentinel. Larry and his wife Leslie Murray first purchased that newspaper in 1976 when they moved to Wrangell; they sold it in 1984, but Larry re-purchased it in 2021. Hear about his eventful life. Listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e... #akleg

Owner & publisher of the Anchorage Daily News Ryan Binkley & his 3 siblings purchased AK’s largest newspaper in 2017. Ryan talks about the media landscape in our state, ADN’s place in it, and their future. Listen to the East Anchorage Book Club podcast: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e... #akleg

Rep. Gray, who really has a great interim look, cites the actually important part of the rules that says the governor can’t run the same executive order again. iirc, Gray supported the Department of Agriculture.

This afternoon the Alaska Legislature exercised its Constitutional powers to invest in education. The governor with his first-ever veto of BSA funding was strongly rebuked by #akleg, with a vote of 45-14.

Starting today, consumers at Alaska bars, restaurants and package stores will see new health warning signs about the cancer risks of drinking alcohol, thanks to a new state law taking effect August 1. #akleg

BONUS EPISODE: Open Enrollment is a Gov. Dunleavy education priority, allowing any Alaska student to enroll in any AK school. In a short East Anchorage Book Club podcast, Sen. Wielechowski & Rep. Himschoot discuss consequences of this proposal. #akleg Listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

Nathaniel Herz is a freelance reporter who in 2022 founded Northern Journal. Nat is on the show to provide a counter perspective to the doom & gloom attitude of recent podcast episodes about media in AK, and ways forward for independent news. #akleg Listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

In 10 days the Alaska Legislature will be meeting in special session at the request of Gov. Dunleavy. Senate Rules Chair Bill Wielechowski explains what’s happening on today's special podcast episode, and the veto of SB183. #akleg Listen here: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/u...

Gabe Rottman is VP of Policy for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. He explainswhat resources are available to journalists who might find themselves in the crosshairs of the government. Listen to the East Anchorage Book Club Podcast: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e... #akleg

Yesterday, POTUS said a former President is guilty of treason, a crime punishable by death. “It’s time to go after people.” Trump singled out Obama, who he said had been “caught directly.” This is dangerous rhetoric that cannot be ignored; it must be repudiated.

Former editor of @adn.com Pat Dougherty was the editor of the ADN’s 1989 Pulitzer Prize winning series on rural suicide. The ADN has won 3 Pulitzer prizes - only 3 US papers have won more - but Dougherty fears the best days are behind it. #akleg Listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p...

The latest episode looks back on my earlier conversation with Rep. Genevieve Mina, my neighboring representative on District 19. Her journey to public service began with her family's health care business, losing her father, and thriving at UAA. #akleg #alaska www.buzzsprout.com/1875228/epis...

Ideology is the enemy of intelligence. If you’re an ideologue, you don’t care what intelligence says; your mind is made up. Why be confused with facts?” -Tim Weiner, author of “The Mission: the CIA in the 21st Century”