Alaska Watchman News

Anchorage homeless shelter sparks ire over property damage, drugs and trash An Anchorage homeless shelter that opened last year in the former Fantasies on 5th strip club is the source of heated criticism from nearby business owners who say their properties are being degraded, trashed, vandalized, and used as open-air bathrooms. The shelter, located in a business district on East 5th Avenue, opened last fall as a 24/7, low-barrier, city-funded operation with about 100 beds. So far, it has operated under the city’s ongoing “emergency declaration” in response to insufficient shelter for Anchorage’s sprawling homeless population. Over the past year, local businesses have endured trash piles, trespassers, open drug use, slashed tires and people using outdoor property as a bathroom. Amid these ongoing problems, the Anchorage Assembly is considering granting the shelter a conditional use permit to continue operating long term. In response, a number of business owners submitted objections and concerns, which will... Read the whole story here --> alaskawatchman.com/2026/10/3…

Asia's LNG Benchmark Tops $30 as Winter Buying Meets War Asia's buyers have entered the heating season paying the highest prices for liquefied natural gas in nearly four years. A pivotal scene for anyone living and working in the State of Alaska to pay attention, the current energy situation is volatile. The war in the Middle East is one big reason. For Alaska, which has been pitching its gas line to those same buyers, the timing is notable for one plain reason: the project has no cargoes to sell for several more years. Platts JKM, the benchmark price for LNG delivered to Northeast Asia, rose above $30 per million British thermal units on Oct. 19 for the first time since December 2022, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights [also republished by Hellenic Shipping News]. Platts assessed December delivery at $30.761 on Oct. 22, up from $30.432 on Oct. 19. The benchmark was last higher on Dec. 21, 2022, at $32.171.... Read the whole story here --> alaskawatchman.com/2026/10/3…

Troopers committed to 'impartial enforcement of Alaska's criminal laws' as Peltola probe begins Alaska's public safety department is committed to enforcing Alaska criminal law as the state's Bureau of Investigation carries out Gov. Mike Dunleavy's order to investigate claims from a recent New York Times article that describes an organized effort by Mary Peltola's campaign to manipulate Alaska’s elections using a decoy candidate to confuse voters. “At the request of Governor Dunleavy, the Alaska Bureau of Investigation has initiated an investigation into the alleged conduct outlined in a recent New York Times article,” Public Safety Deputy Commissioner Austin McDaniel noted in an Oct. 29 statement. “The Alaska State Troopers are committed to the fair and impartial enforcement of Alaska's criminal laws, including those that protect the integrity of our elections.” McDaniel said the Troopers will work closely with partners at the Alaska Department of Law to ensure that the facts are “thoroughly examined and that anyone found to... Read the whole story here --> alaskawatchman.com/2026/10/2…

Young Alaskan leaves beloved friends and family to become a cloistered nun A young Alaska woman, whose quiet dedication and bubbly personality were long familiar to Saint Michael’s parishioners in Palmer, has found deep nourishment among a group of cloistered nuns who live in Anchorage’s little-known Blessed Sacrament Monastery off Lake Otis Boulevard. Tucked away from the frenzy of modern cultural life, this group of dedicated nuns from the Perpetual Adoration Sisters offer daily prayers and their very lives for the salvation of souls and the adoration of Jesus. Apart from rare occasions, they are only visible to the public from within their chapel or small gift shop. Sister Sarah Ruth Myers entered this monastery in 2023, beginning with 90 days of discernment, followed by a two-year novitiate and deepening commitment to cloistered monastic life. Having completed her initial postulancy phase, she is now set to make her first vows on November 1, during a Mass with Anchorage/Juneau Archbishop Andrew... Read the whole story here --> alaskawatchman.com/2026/10/2…

‘YES’ on Measure 2 would end the rise of Alaska’s decoy/felon candidates In a few days, Alaskans will decide whether to ditch its increasingly controversial ranked-choice voting scheme. If a majority votes “yes” on Ballot Measure 2, the confusing and easily manipulated system will end, and Alaska will restore its traditional – one person, one vote – practice. A “yes” vote on Ballot Measure 2 will also bring back Alaska’s longstanding party primary system in which Democrats, Republicans and other parties can carefully vet candidates and advance the most qualified to the general election. Since 2022, when Alaskans narrowly approved ranked-choice, that vetting system has been missing - and it shows. Instead, Alaska now employs a “jungle primary” that allows dozens of little-known, unvetted candidates to run for a single office without ever having to appeal to party ideals or political philosophies. Candidates can simply claim whatever party affiliation they like. If they are among the top four primary... Read the whole story here --> alaskawatchman.com/2026/10/2…

Pikka Pauses & Juneau's Forecast Counts on New North Slope Barrels Alaska's revenue picture is a product of two numbers: the price of a barrel and the number of barrels. The price has been spectacular. The barrel count just hit a speed bump on the North Slope's newest oil field. Santos, the Australian company that operates the Pikka field, said in its third-quarter report, released Oct. 22, that it will hold Pikka at about 70,000 barrels a day "for a short period of time" before ramping to its 80,000-barrel target. The company said the pause lets water injection "replenish reservoir voidage." "This is a deliberate decision, and part of our disciplined approach to reservoir management," Santos CEO Kevin Gallagher said in the report. The report does not say how long the hold will last. If Pikka reaches plateau on the revised timetable, I'd expect most of today's concern to fade... Santos said Pikka briefly topped 80,000 barrels a day before the quarter ended Sept. 30, then was curtailed twice. The... Read the whole story here --> alaskawatchman.com/2026/10/2…

Dunleavy orders probe into whether Peltola camp schemed to trick AK voters with ‘Decoy Dan’ In the wake of a New York Times article that details efforts by Mary Peltola aides and national Democratic groups to recruit a decoy “spoiler” candidate with the same last name as incumbent U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, Gov. Mike Dunleavy has ordered an investigation. According to the Oct. 28 Times article, Peltola allegedly directed campaign staffers to search voter records for Alaskans named Dan Sullivan. The mission was to recruit another candidate with the same name as Senator Dan Sullivan in order to sow confusion and siphon off support from the incumbent senator. According to the Times, this alleged recruiting effort succeeded when Dan J. Sullivan, a little-known retired teacher from the remote fishing community of Petersburg, entered the race in the spring. The Times article cites interviews with roughly a dozen people with inside knowledge of the activities, text messages, and related documents, reporting that Peltola’s team... Read the whole story here --> alaskawatchman.com/2026/10/2…

Trump says ‘Dumocrats are trying to steal’ Alaska’s U.S. Senate seat President Trump issued a scathing rebuke of Democrats – criticizing them for trying to steal Alaska’s hotly contested U.S. Senate seat by confusing voters with a spoiler candidate that shares the same first and last name as incumbent U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan. Trump’s Oct. 28 post on Truth Social takes issue with the fact that little-known Petersburg resident Daniel J. Sullivan, Jr. is listed among the final four candidates in Alaska Nov. 3 ranked-choice showdown. Both conservatives and liberals view the presence of Petersburg Dan as beneficial to Mary Peltola in her attempt to win the U.S. Senate seat. “The Dumocrats are trying to steal this Race by putting a FAKE Daniel J. Sullivan, Jr. on the Ballot,” the president said. “People will not be able to figure it out, and many Votes will be lost.” He added that “SULLIVAN, DAN S. (REGISTERED REPUBLICAN) INCUMBENT has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election — HE WILL NOT LET YOU... Read the whole story here --> alaskawatchman.com/2026/10/2…

Alaska’s gun show season is in full swing As winter snow settles over most of Alaska, the annual gun show season is heating up, offering Alaskans a chance to purchase new firearms, ammunition, optics, knives, outdoor gear, and collectibles while supporting local clubs and conservation groups and connecting with fellow 2A enthusiasts. While several shows occured last month, there are multiple events scheduled in the coming days, weeks and months ahead, giving Alaskans from Anchorage to Fairbanks and the Mat-Su Valley ample opportunities to upgrade their arsenals. ANCHORAGE The first major event kicks off this weekend with the Anchorage Fall Gun Show, hosted by the Alaska Gun Collectors Association. It takes place Saturday, October 31, and Sunday, November 1, at the Dena’ina Center (600 W. 7th Ave.) in Anchorage. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $5 for adults. Children 12 and under are free. For more information, visit... Read the whole story here --> alaskawatchman.com/2026/10/2…

OPINION: 20K acre giveaway in Mat-Su egregiously violates Alaska's Constitution Today, Eric Forrer and I filed suit against DNR (the Alaska Department of Natural Resources) over the 20,000 acre giveaway just across the Little Su River from Meadow Lakes. The Little Su is less than a mile from my house, but the planned giveaway to AIDEA (the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority) is so brazenly unconstitutional that Alaskans from every part of the state, and from all across the political spectrum, should stand against it. If you thought the idea of giving away 20,000 acres of state land to build a very large data center was a bad idea, the current plan is fundamentally worse. There are 42 days left in the Dunleavy Administration - only 42 days to dole out whatever political favors the current administration has promised or feels it owes to friends and supporters. We have seen how commonplace it has become for a president to issue thousands of presidential pardons in the last few days before leaving... Read the whole story here --> alaskawatchman.com/2026/10/2…

OPINION: Unprincipled Democrats manipulate Alaska voters Democrats believe they are the morally superior political party, and that gives them the right to impose their belief system on the rest of us. Unfortunately, since they also have no moral compass, they will try to win elections by any means necessary, even if they have to use unethical behavior to do so. A couple of stories from last week illustrate this perfectly. The first story relates to a Democrat challenge against two Republican candidates before the primary election back in June. Treg Taylor, running for governor, and Jose Tagle, running for Representative in House District 22, failed to file the correct campaign finance disclosure documentation with the Alaska Public Offices Commission by the June 1 filing deadline. Taylor was disqualified by the Division of Elections and then reinstated. Sensing an opportunity, the Democratic Party also filed an eligibility complaint in court on June 5, seeking to ban Tagle from the primary... Read the whole story here --> alaskawatchman.com/2026/10/2…

OPINION: Unprincipled Democrats manipulate Alaska voters Democrats believe they are the morally superior political party, and that gives them the right to impose their belief system on the rest of us. Unfortunately, since they also have no moral compass, they will try to win elections by any means necessary, even if they have to use unethical behavior to do so. A couple of stories from last week illustrate this perfectly. The first story relates to a Democrat challenge against two Republican candidates before the primary election back in June. Treg Taylor, running for governor, and Jose Tagle, running for Representative in House District 22, failed to file the correct campaign finance disclosure documentation with the Alaska Public Offices Commission by the June 1 filing deadline. Taylor was disqualified by the Division of Elections and then reinstated. Sensing an opportunity, the Democratic Party also filed an eligibility complaint in court on June 5, seeking to ban Tagle from the primary... Read the whole story here --> alaskawatchman.com/2026/10/2…

OPINION: Should you vaccinate your child? To vaccinate your child or not, that is the question – and it’s your choice. Dr. Bob Sears, a pediatrician with 28 years of clinical experience, recently presented on “Why are More Families Now Opting Out of Vaccines and Are They Right?” at our October 3 Alaskans For Personal Freedom event in Anchorage. He discussed several childhood diseases and the effectiveness of the specific vaccines on each disease. Did the vaccine prevent the disease? Did the vaccine prevent transmission of the disease? And what were the vaccine side effects? For example, the pertussis vaccine may not keep you from getting whooping cough, as it mainly reduces the symptoms. The vaccine might make your case milder, but you will still be just as contagious, and you could unknowingly spread it to your grandchild. As a matter of fact, the vaccine may make you more likely to get whooping cough, he noted.... Read the whole story here --> alaskawatchman.com/2026/10/2…

DOJ defends decision to sue Alaska over ‘Decoy Dan’ confusion With only a few days remaining before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche is defending a preemptive Justice Department lawsuit aimed at Alaska’s Senate race, insisting the move is required to protect federal law and the integrity of the vote in Alaska. Appearing on CBS’s Face the Nation, Blanche addressed Alaska’s muddled situation in which two candidates named Dan Sullivan appear on the ballot - incumbent Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan and unheralded challenger Dan J. Sullivan (also known as “Decoy Dan”). The DOJ suit seeks to prevent certification of results “impacted by voter confusion.” In particular, it warns that a close contest between Democrat Mary Peltola and U.S. Sen. Sullivan could hinge on a few percentage points. In the Oct. 26 CBS interview, Blanche cited statements from Alaska’s Division of Elections that the challenger – Daniel J. Sullivan, Jr. - is running “solely to confuse voters” and... Read the whole story here --> alaskawatchman.com/2026/10/2…

OPINION: If we reject our national symbols, we cannot be the 'United' States Throughout history, people have used rock drawings, language, a smile or handshake, music, songs, legends, national flags, and national anthems to communicate ideas, cultural values, national ideals, and behavioral norms. Culture is passed down by intentionally teaching these symbolic systems and shared values. As one generation imparts ideas and values to the next, faith, moral values, and local customs pass from one era to the next. Culture is an ongoing process that gradually changes and evolves through time - not as a biological process, but through learned behavior and inherited practices. We inherit biological and physical characteristics from our ancestors - hair color, blood type, and body shape. However, there are no genes for cultural practices like languages, basket making, hunting caribou, understanding kinship, or fishing for salmon. Language, religion, economics, technology, social organization, art, and political... Read the whole story here --> alaskawatchman.com/2026/10/2…

Conservative? Mat-Su School Board candidate Jesse Sumner backs leftist Dem for governor Former State Rep. Jesse Sumner has previously described himself as a conservative, pro-life, pro-family Republican, and yet he now proudly supports one of the most pro-abortion, LGBTQ activist candidates to ever run for Alaska governor. Sumner, who is currently attempting to unseat conservative Mat-Su School Board Member Ole Larson, has just formally endorsed hard-leftist Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for governor. While the endorsement from a longtime Republican might surprise some, Sumner has a history of supporting left-wing causes and abandoning conservative ones. A lifelong resident of the Mat-Su, Sumner represented Wasilla in the Alaska House of Representatives from 2023 to 2025. Before that he served on the Mat-Su Borough Assembly in 2018, representing North Palmer and Wasilla. This past year, he ran as lieutenant governor alongside Republican Matt Heilala before being eliminated in the August primary.... Read the whole story here --> alaskawatchman.com/2026/10/2…

U.S. government sues Alaska for letting ‘Decoy Dan’ run against Sen. Sullivan The U.S. government filed a lawsuit on Oct. 22, in the U.S. District Court for Alaska seeking relief against the State of Alaska and election officials for allowing a candidate with the same first and last name as U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan to appear on the Nov. 3 ballot. The complaint aims to prevent certification of results in the U.S. Senate election if those results could be affected by voter confusion stemming from the presence of little-known Petersburg resident, Daniel J. Sullivan, who will appear alongside the more well-known incumbent Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan. According to the complaint, Sen. Dan S. Sullivan has represented Alaska in the Senate since 2015 and is seeking reelection as a Republican against his chief challenger, Democrat Mary Peltola, in what is described as a potentially close race. Petersburg Sullivan – who is often referred to as “Decoy Dan,” had never previously run for political office, but filed to run... Read the whole story here --> alaskawatchman.com/2026/10/2…

One-stop guide for conservative Alaska voters who don’t have much time The Alaska Watchman is inundated this time of year with emails, texts, phone calls and online comments about who conservatives should vote for. In the lead up to this election, we have published dozens of articles about who conservative and leftist groups are endorsing for U.S. Senate and U.S. House, as well as the governor’s race and dozens of contests for the State Legislature. Below, we’ve consolidated links to many of those articles for readers to review before filling out their mail-in ballots or heading to the polls. We recommend browsing these articles to find out which candidates are backed by pro-family, pro-life and pro-freedom groups and which are supported by hard-leftist organizations that promote abortion, LGBTQ agendas, DEI dogma and a host of other so-called “progressive” causes. Additionally, we’ve created a sample ballot that explains how we think conservative voters should fill out their ballot with regard to the... Read the whole story here --> alaskawatchman.com/2026/10/2…

Hard-left teachers’ union wants these candidates to shape Alaska's schools Alaska’s supposedly “nonpartisan” teachers’ union has once again released a list of political endorsements that almost exclusively backs leftist and Democratic candidates, along with a few allied Republicans who are widely regarded as “RINOs” by most conservatives across the state. NEA-Alaska, the statewide affiliate of the National Education Association, represents roughly 10,000 government educators and support staff in Alaska. Annually, union staffers walk the halls of Juneau to lobby lawmakers to drastically increase school spending without accountability measures, while opposing nearly all efforts to boost school choice options such as homeschooling or alternative education paths in private or religious settings. The union also has a long history of pushing the radical LGBTQ agenda in public schools, including gender-neutral bathrooms and sports, graphic and comprehensive sex education, LGBTQ pride celebrations, transgender... Read the whole story here --> alaskawatchman.com/2026/10/2…

October News Update - 10/23/26 Welcome to our new Watchman studio, where will be doing updates regarding stories we have reported on, and other interesting tidbits as they arise. Currently the studio is un-sponsored, but after the recent upgrades to the website, and our new studio, and eight straight years of reliable reporting, we hope to have one soon. These are the stories covered in the video. Trumps Visit to Wasilla President Trump arrived in Wasilla on the 13th, packed the Menard Sports Center, and told the crowd to back Sullivan, Begich, and Bernadette Wilson. He announced another seventy to eighty billion in commitments for the Alaska gas line—Korean infrastructure money and a massive Taiwan offtake deal for an addition 5 Billion. He called it the greatest project in Alaska history and noted, not subtly, that it only happens with him in the White House. The full write-up covers what he actually said about the pipeline, who he pardoned, and why the timing... Read the whole story here --> alaskawatchman.com/2026/10/2…