Alaska Public Media
By Zachariah Hughes

The U.S. military is looking for new ways to expand its presence in Arctic waters. Last week saw the first ever Arctic Maritime Symposium to be hosted by Alaskan Command at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage. The three-day event brought together senior military officials, academics and civilian leaders to discuss what shifting geopolitics and a changing environment could mean for the nation’s military presence in Alaska.

One of the main reasons the U.S. needs a better understanding of the Arctic is Russia’s expanding presence in the region and interest in the Northern Sea Route, according to Gen. Terrence O’Shaughnessy, commander for NORAD and defense assets throughout North America.

Read Full Story Here:
https://www.alaskapublic.org/2018/08/21/new-symposium-brings-militarys-attention-to-the-arctic/

KTVA News
By Chris Klint

A U.S. Navy destroyer is visiting Anchorage this week, as part of an event being held on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson highlighting changes in the Arctic.

The USS Momsen, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer homeported in Everett, Wash., was tied up at the Port of Alaska Wednesday. Port director Steve Ribuffo said the Momsen docked at about 7:30 a.m.

Officials with the Alaskan Command said the Momsen and its crew of about 280 were in port for the next two days as part of the three-day Arctic Maritime Symposium wrapping up Thursday. A logo for the event features a quote from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis: “The U.S. must ensure that our adversaries do not dominate the Arctic region.”

Read Full Story Here:
http://www.ktva.com/story/38893039/destroyer-stops-in-anchorage-during-arctic-symposium

KTVA News
By Scott Gross

For the first time since 2015, a Navy Destroyer made it's way to the Port of Alaska.

"Right now, we know that the environment is changing," Director for Operations for Alaska Command Col. Mark Schmidt said. "What that means to us? We don't know. We want to understand and get after what capabilities and requirements are needed in this changing environment."

To do that, Alaska Command is hosting the first ever Arctic Maritime Symposium at JBER and the Port of Alaska. The event is designed to bring together senior military leaders to discuss strategic challenges in maritime operations in the Arctic.

"General Wilsbach specifically designed this to get the right minds and leaders here," Col. Schmidt said. "It's to get after the challenges and opportunities. We have Admiral Samuel Locklear here talked about his view from strategic points with leaders from the Navy and Coast Guard."

Read Full Story Here:
http://www.ktva.com/story/38895043/inside-the-gates-uss-momsen-ports-in-anchorage

Military.com
By Amy Bushatz

PORT OF ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Just 20 U.S. sailors are currently stationed in Alaska. But thanks to a shift in how the U.S. is thinking about Arctic defense, that could be about to change.

That, at least, is what this week's first-ever Arctic Maritime Symposium aims to explore, said Navy Capt. Layne McDowell, who directs plans, policy and resources for North American Aerospace Defense Command's (NORAD) Alaska region.

View Full Story Here:
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/08/16/navy-could-send-more-sailors-alaska.html

Aves Thompson, Executive Director of the Alaska Trucking Association (ATA), and a long-time friend and colleague of WTC Anchorage, has received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM). Since 1905, NCWM's primary function has been to develop the national standards for weights and measures. Prior to that, there was no uniformity among the various states, counties and cities for testing and approving weighing and measuring devices used in commerce.

Thompson, prior to joining the ATA, was chief and director of the State of Alaska Division of Measurement Standards in Anchorage. The award comes for his 19 years of service to NCWM in several leadership roles.

He was chairman of the 3,500 member conference in 1998-99 during a time of dramatic change. He helped usher the NCWM into the 21st Century through business model changes and outsourcing. He also represented the NCWM at the Asia Pacific Legal Metrology Forum in Bali, Indonesia and the International Organization of Legal Metrology in Paris. He has been head of the Alaska Trucking Association since 2006.

To learn more about Alaska Trucking Association visit their website: www.aktrucks.org

Anchorage Daily News
Author: Marc Lester

Zaandam, a 780-foot Holland America cruise ship, arrived in Anchorage early Monday, May 14. Passengers aboard it are on a two-week cruise that originated in Seattle and traveled to several ports in Southeast Alaska before coming here. The ship has 716 staterooms and can carry more than 1,800 passengers.
In Anchorage, tour buses carried travelers into the city. Their journey continues on to Homer and Kodiak before the return trip to Seattle. Port of Anchorage external affairs director Jim Jager said the Zaandam will visit Anchorage 10 times in 2018. No other cruise ships are scheduled to come here, he said.

Read Full Story Here:
https://www.adn.com/business-economy/2018/05/14/take-a-look-around-the-only-cruise-ship-scheduled-to-visit-anchorage-this-season/

KTVA News
by Mary Simton

A record number of visitors came to Alaska in 2017 and experts predict that number will keep growing. This year, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is expecting 34 ships with more than 500 voyages and more than one million passengers to make their way to Alaska. That translates into dollar signs for our economy.

CLIA says there will be an increase of more than $137 million in annual passenger spending in the next two years which generates significant revenues for local communities.

Read Full Story Here:
http://www.ktva.com/story/38184517/anchorage-welcomes-first-cruise-ship-of-the-season

KTUU News
By: Kortnie Horazdovsky

The Alaska Senate Finance committee rolled out its version of the state’s capital budget Wednesday afternoon – making more than $280 million in reductions to the version proposed by Gov. Bill Walker.

The capital budget, which provides for the state’s infrastructure like roads, airports and buildings, came in at $1.4 billion. Of that, nearly $142.5 million is in unrestricted general funds. Most of the rest is from federal and other sources.

Read Full Story Here:
http://www.ktuu.com/content/news/Alaska-Senate-Finance-proposes-capital-budget-480880161.html

Anchorage Daily News
By: Annie Zak

It's not an uncommon problem in Alaska groceries: A whole shelf meant for bananas was almost completely empty one day last week at the Fred Meyer store in Midtown Anchorage.

Keeping fresh produce that's grown thousands of miles away in stock here is a delicate system that grocers have been perfecting for years. Still, one 24-hour delay — recently, a cargo ship needing a repair and stuck in Tacoma, Washington  — can send swift ripples through the food supply chain.

Read Full Story Here:
https://www.adn.com/business-economy/2018/02/10/how-one-cargo-ship-delay-sends-ripples-through-alaskas-food-supply-chain/

BY CRAIGMEDRED

At 12:39 a.m. on the night of the great Alaska tsunami that wasn’t, the Anchorage Office of Emergency Management sent out an email of a “tsunami warning until 01:35 a.m.”

It was fake news, but most of the residents of Alaska’s largest urban area would be unaware for at least the next 26 minutes.

Not until 1:01 a.m. would come another e-mail notifying them that “there is no tsunami warning for the Anchorage area and vicinity. We are *outside*  the danger zone. Please do not call 911 unless you have an emergency. Thank you, APD Dispatch.”

Read Full Story Here:
https://craigmedred.news/2018/01/26/dont-worry/