Wesley Early

That doesn't include the group of 39 detainees brought up from the Lower 48 because there wasn't enough space for them.

Just got a batch of info from the Alaska Department of Corrections re: the number of people detained by ICE in the state.

Last year, there were 101 people detained by ICE and held in Alaska.

This year, there have been another 14 people held, with four still in custody.

No. I was a web editor/producer/education reporter at Alaska Public Media for a lil over three years before that.

Started as an intern my last semester at UAA and got hired full time after I graduated.

Shameless self-plug, but today marks 10 years to the day that I’ve been on Alaskans’ radios.

I feel genuinely privileged to still be on the air in the Last Frontier.

On Anchorage crime, city and state announce new partnership During his State of the State address, Gov. Mike Dunleavy singled out Anchorage as he noted that crime rates across the rest of the state had dropped during his tenure.

During his final State of the State address last week, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced a partnership between the state and Anchorage aimed at addressing the city's crime rates.

alaskapublic.org/news/anchora...

That was one of my first radio pieces ever, as an intern.

WOW! I just read this, not expecting a callback to a 49 Voices segment I did nearly a decade ago!

Great read about Anchorage's jazz age

Alumni, former staff sound alarm on mental health crisis at Mt. Edgecumbe High School - KCAW Alumni and former staff members at Mt. Edgecumbe High School are raising serious concerns about safety and student support at the state-run boarding school in Sitka that serves Alaska Native students ...

Don't worry. Katherine Rose at KCAW wrote about this a month ago: www.kcaw.org/2025/12/04/a...

Anchorage leaders propose one-time tax hike to send millions to schools Mayor Suzanne LaFrance wants the Assembly to pause other revenue proposals, including her 3% sales tax, to focus on the $12 million education tax levy.

Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance is putting a pause on her proposal for a 3% sales tax. Instead she’s pushing city leaders to focus on a one-time $12M tax hike for the Anchorage School District. alaskapublic.org/news/anchora...

Anchorage officials say online survey for new municipal seal was manipulated Anchorage IT staff say over 2,100 responses were logged in under an hour, leading officials to believe they were fraudulent.

File under Anchorage municipal seal drama:

In a survey where locals could vote on a new municipal seal, city IT staff say over 2,100 *very similar* responses were submitted in a 52-minute period earlier this week, leading officials to suspect they were fraudulent. alaskapublic.org/news/anchora...

Boys and Girls Club to abruptly close 2 Anchorage child care programs Officials wrote that afterschool care at Turnagain Elementary and the Woodland Park child development center will cease operations on Dec. 24.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Southcentral Alaska announced last night that two Anchorage programs (the Turnagian Elementary afterschool program and the Woodland Park child development center) will cease operations on Dec. 24.

alaskapublic.org/news/anchora...

‘I’m glad I survived’: Anchorage hiker thanks rescuers after summer bear attack “I do remember laying there being chewed on and trying to play dead,” Victoria Lydle said, recounting the July attack while surrounded by many public safety workers who saved her.

An Anchorage woman who survived a bear mauling this summer says she’s so grateful to the rescuers who scrambled to save her life.

“I don't remember being down, but I do remember laying there being chewed on and trying to play dead,” Victoria Lydle said.

Food Bank of Alaska officials say demand is high this holiday season Officials say Typhoon Halong, the federal government shutdown and SNAP delays have made this holiday season a particularly fraught time for people struggling to stay fed.

Food Bank of Alaska officials say this holiday season is proving especially tough for people struggling to afford groceries.

Earthquake Center amended it to a 6.0.

Haha I literally had just hopped out of the shower when the 2018 quake started.

Seeing a lack of Alaskans posting about the earthquake on my X (Twitter) feed lets me know that site is washed.

That boy strong.

Well… “26 miles SW of Willow”

Alaska Earthquake Center measured a 6.2 magnitude quake near Willow at 8:11 this morning.

Definitely felt that one

Group working to separate Eagle River-Chugiak area from Anchorage gains ground The Eaglexit movement gained momentum this week when it submitted a draft detachment petition to the state boundary commission. “This is definitely the furthest we've gotten,” says the group’s chair.

Advocates for separating the Eagle River-Chugiak area from the Municipality of Anchorage sent a draft detachment petition to the state Local Boundary Commission this week.

“This is definitely the furthest we've gotten,” says Eaglexit's chair.

alaskapublic.org/news/anchora...

Anchorage School Board votes to spare two elementary schools The district had recommended closing Fire Lake and Lake Otis Elementary schools at the end of the school year. The vote was a disappointment to two charter schools that would have moved into the vacated buildings.

The school district had recommended closing Fire Lake and Lake Otis Elementary schools at the end of the school year to address declining state support and lower birth rates in Anchorage. https://akpub.io/3LKO99K

‘Inaccurate’ New York Times piece spotlights Anchorage’s electronic voting system, officials say Anchorage election administrator Liz Edwards said the voting system has been in place since April, and was not a “first of its scale” experiment the city was about to conduct, as the Times reported.

Anchorage election administrator Liz Edwards said the voting system has been in place since April, and was not a “first of its scale” experiment the city was about to conduct, as the Times reported. https://akpub.io/3LMkM6J

Anchorage man struck by pickup in late October died 10 days later Carl Schmidt, 65, was struck by a pickup Oct. 28 near Minnesota Drive. He died Nov. 7 at a hospital.

Sad update today:

A man who was struck by a pickup truck in Anchorage on Oct. 28 died ten days later on Nov. 7. Eric Schmidt, 65, is the 14th of 15 pedestrians killed by vehicles in Anchorage this year, matching last year's total. alaskapublic.org/news/public-...

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Learn more and apply at alaskapublic.org/careers.

Anchorage Mayor LaFrance to propose 3% sales tax The proposal is aimed at investing in public safety, infrastructure, housing and child care, while easing property taxes. Officials estimate the tax would generate between $150 and $180 million annually.

Anchorage Mayor LaFrance is proposing a 3% sales tax.

“It’s very clear that if we don’t have new revenue, we’re going to face service cuts and other tough choices,” she said.

The Assembly will decide whether to put the tax proposal on the spring ballot.

Lucrative ICE detention centers bring money — and anger — to an Alaska Native community NANA Regional Corp. is supposed to uphold Iñupiat values. Some shareholders say its role in Trump’s deportation machinery makes a mockery of that.

An Alaska Native company started with a vision for how it could make a profit and do good.

Then it became an ICE detention giant.

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy says President Trump has signed a federal disaster declaration for the Western Alaska storms and flooding that has forced thousands to relocate.

Anchorage officials focus on housing and schooling for Western Alaska evacuees City officials are hoping to transition people from mass shelter into more private housing, while the school district prioritizes supporting students.

Anchorage officials say they're working to transition Western Alaska evacuees from mass shelters into more private housing, while the school district focuses on supporting students.

FWIW, over 2,000 was an estimate from the organizers.

Rep. Begich touts ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ in first address to AFN since being elected to Congress Begich spent much of his 14-minute speech touting what he believes to be economic benefits that Alaska Native communities will reap from the budget reconciliation bill.

Alaska Rep. Nick Begich delivered his 1st address to the Alaska Federation of Natives convention since being sworn in.

Right before his speech, AFN delegates unanimously approved a resolution opposing changes Begich floated to the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

alaskapublic.org/news/politic...