Jeff was joined by Alaska Department of Transportation Commissioner Ryan Anderson. They discuss why he decided to move to Alaska in 1993 to attend UAF, his time working at Greens Creek Mine near Juneau, his career at DOT, how he came to be appointed commissioner, some current DOT projects, the proposed Knik Arm crossing, the proposed Juneau Access Road, the Marine Highway System, and what future projects may be in store for DOT.
Jeff was joined by former Representative and current Anchorage mayoral candidate Chris Tuck. They discuss the 14 years he spent in the Legislature, why he decided not to run again last year, the dynamics of the House and Senate after the November election, why he decided to run for mayor, his response to some progressives that want him out of the race, and some of the issues facing Anchorage.
Jeff was joined by Juneau bar owner Jared Cure' and legislative staffer Forrest Wolfe. They discuss a myriad of topics including travel, Jared's bars in Juneau, Forrest's campaign for State House last year, life in Juneau during session, and a myriad of other random topics.
Jeff was joined by Anchorage Assembly member Kevin Cross. They talk about his time on the Assembly since being elected in April 2022, his background working in real estate, the housing problem Anchorage faces, an ordinance he recently cosponsored that aims to streamline zoning in Anchorage, this history of zoning in Anchorage, why there is more home building in the Mat-Su Valley, some of the opposition he's facing from conservatives, how the proposed Knik Arm bridge would help solve the housing ...
Jeff was joined by Anchorage attorney and political operative Scott Kendall. They discuss his role at the law firm Cashion Gilmore & Lindemuth, Republican Nick Begich's recent announcement that he will challenge Representative Mary Peltola (D - Anchorage) next year, the effort to repeal ranked choice voting in Alaska, a ballot initiative that aims to cap individual-to-candidate contributions, and the culture in Juneau during legislative session.
Jeff was joined by Jonny Lieberman, senior features editor for Motor Trend and Jeff's first cousin! They discuss his first trip to Alaska, how he got into writing about cars and into the car business, what his job entails, the car shortage problem that resulted from Covid, his thoughts on different car manufactures, the growth of electric vehicles, some great stories about his career, and what vehicles he would buy if he lived in Alaska.
Jeff was joined by Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson. They discuss the new dynamics between the Anchorage Assembly with the five new members who were elected in April, the growing homelessness problem in Anchorage and how it can be improved, some of his reflections after two years of being mayor, the snow plowing issues Anchorage experienced this winter, the high costs of housing in Anchorage, the Port of Alaska, and what is happening in Downtown Anchorage.
Jeff was joined by Anchorage Assembly member Chris Constant. They discuss the April Assembly election, the five new members who recently joined the 12-member Assembly, his new position as Assembly chair, the housing issue in Anchorage, the Knik Arm Bridge and the highway-to-highway plan, and the homelessness issue that continues to plague our city.
Jeff was joined by Rick Whitbeck from Power the Future. They discuss his past working for Alaska telecom companies, his past work on political campaigns, how he got the job at Power the Future, what they do, the decision by the Biden administration to approve the Willow project, the recent Chugach Electric board race, renewable energy, the importance of energy to the economy, and some issues facing the state and country.
Jeff was again joined by Scott McMurren from Alaska Travelgram. They discuss the new airline Northern Pacific Airways, his text message service called Airfare911, the high airline ticket prices this summer, when prices might be going down, some airfare deals starting in August, and some in state travel opportunities this summer.
Jeff was joined by Rob Cupples, owner of Cupples Cottages in Downtown Anchorage. They discuss the homelessness problem on 3rd Avenue, how it has negatively impacted his family business, how the problem improved with Covid and the opening of the Sullivan Arena as a mass shelter, how it worsened this year after the Sullivan Arena kicked out the majority of people staying there, the sheer number of tents and people that are now staying on 3rd Avenue, and the problems that businesses in the area are...
Jeff was joined by newly-elected Representative Jennie Armstrong (D - Anchorage). They discuss why she decided to run for the House, how the organization process went after the election, how she felt about her first session in Juneau, some of the challenges being in Juneau as a new parent, the controversial pay raise that happened this year, the high cost of childcare, some of the bills she tried to get passed this year, some of the odd dynamics in the House, the freshman caucus, and what she pl...
Jeff and Paxson from the Alaska Landmine break down what transpired over the last five months with the proposed Holtan Hills housing development in Girdwood. It started with a proposal from the Heritage Land Bank in 2021 to build housing in Girdwood. It heated up when many Girdwood residents opposed the development at an Anchorage Assembly meeting in December 2022. In February, the Assembly voted to table the development, preventing it from moving forward. Since, Paxson uncovered how a small gro...
Jeff was joined by Representatives Julie Coulombe (R - Anchorage) and Justin Ruffridge (R - Soldotna). They discuss how their first session as legislators has gone, their roles in the House majority this session, the concurrence vote the House took to agree with the Senate's turducken budget, some of their frustrations with the budget process, why the both voted against agreeing with the Senate's budget, some of the problems within their majority, and how next year's session might play out....
Jeff was joined by Alaska Landmine columnist Jacob Hersh. They discuss his time in Juneau during the start of session compared to the end of session, some political members of his family, his observations of the political process in Juneau, issues with Alaska fisheries, his plans for law school, some problems at the Driftwood hotel in Juneau, the state budget, and his thoughts on other issues facing Alaska.
Jeff was joined by Representative Will Stapp (R - Fairbanks). They discuss how the military brought him to Alaska, how we was awarded the Purple Heart fighting in Iraq, how he met his wife, why he got involved in Alaska politics, why he decided to run for the State House, the fiscal challenges facing Alaska, this year's operating budget, and his thoughts on how session might end this year.
Jeff was joined by Representative Jesse Sumner (R - Wasilla). They talk about his race and how there were four Republican candidates, Alaska's new voting system, how the House Republicans were able to take back power this year after six years of being in the minority, what the amount of the dividend may be this year, how he was able to get an artificial intelligence to draft a bill to legalize gambling on Alaska ferries, what the future of artificial intelligence could look like, and the propose...
Jeff was joined by Representative Ashley Carrick (D - Fairbanks). They discuss her time working as a legislative staffer for former Representative Adam Wool, the district in Fairbanks she represents, her race and how it was the only legislative race with more than four people, how she overcame a well-known opponent, the chaos that ensued in the Alaska House amid budget debate, her thoughts about some of the procedural moves the House majority made, the budget process, and the new freshman caucus...
Jeff was joined by Representative David Eastman (R - Wasilla). They discuss the chaos that ensued in the House on Wednesday (4/5/2023) amid debate on the budget, the factors that caused it, the fight between the House majority and House minority, Eastman's position in all of it as he is not in either caucus, the dynamics between the majority and minority in the Legislature, how the majority tabled several of Eastman's budget amendments, and how the budget process might play out this session....
Jeff was again joined by Senator Robb Myers (R - North Pole). They discuss the new 17-member Senate majority and why he did not join, some of the internal workings of the Senate, his position on key issues like the size of the Permanent Fund Dividend, his recent re-election, his position on the recent controversial pay increase issue, ranked choice voting, his job as a truck driver, and what a long term fiscal plan might look like.
Jeff was joined by newly elected Representative Justin Ruffridge (R - Soldotna). They talk about an early attempt to make him Speaker of the House (that he was unaware of), moving to the Kenai Peninsula when he was a kid, how he got to know Karl Malone, why he ended up becoming a pharmacist, the healthcare system, why he decided to run for the Legislature, the growing toxicity in politics, and his campaign.
Jeff was joined by Trevor Storrs, president and CEO of the Alaska Children's Trust. They discuss how he grew up in Canada, how he ended up in Alaska, the history and role of the Alaska Children's Trust, the importance of good role models for kids, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and a current bond proposition on the Anchorage ballot that would dedicate marijuana tax revenue for child care and early education.
Jeff was joined by Greta Wade, a nurse and healthcare representative with the Laborers Local 941. They discuss a recent encounter in the Capitol she had with Representative Jamie Allard (R - Eagle River). Wade was in town meeting with legislators and had a meeting setup with Allard. After Allard's office moved the appointment twice, Wade showed up for the third time. But when Wade walked into Allard's office, Allard told her, "I don't meet with laborers!" Allard ended up calling security when Wa...
Jeff was joined by Alaska Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Henderson. They discuss her background as a judge for the District Court and the Superior Court, the Judicial Council process in Alaska used to select judges, her background growing up in California and then attending Yale Law School, how she came to Alaska to clerk for the Alaska Supreme Court, what she did before she became a judge, her three judicial appointments, the different roles of Alaska's courts, and what it's like being a judge....
Jeff was joined by Jen Nelson, director of Rural Affairs for GCI and chair of the board for the Aleut Corporation. They discuss her role at GCI, some fiber projects GCI is working on, growing up in King Cove, the long sought after road from King Cove to Cold Bay, the cost of higher education, and the benefits fiber will bring to communities in the Aleutian chain.
Jeff was joined by Mat-Su Borough Assembly member and Vice-Mayor Rob Yundt. They discuss the good and bad of social media, his time working on the North Slope, why he left the slope to go into the building business, building in Anchorage compared to the Mat-Su Valley, why he decided to run for the Assembly, why he ran for the State House in 2020 but decided to withdraw, voting issues, the upcoming legislative session, the Permanent Fund Dividend, and his ideas about what makes an effective elect...
Jeff was joined by Bob Griffin, an Alaska Airlines pilot and member of the Alaska State Board of Education. They discuss his time in the military flying the Cobra, the A-10, and the F-15, his work as an Alaska Airlines pilot, the deficit the Anchorage School District is facing and why they are proposing closing six schools, why Alaska faces so many challenges with education, how he thinks the reading bill recently passed by the Legislature will improve reading scores, some of the ways he thinks ...
Jeff was joined by Alaska's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink. They discuss her job as an emergency room doctor in the Mat-Su, her high approval rating during COVID, how her friend Heidi Hedberg was just been appointed Health commissioner by Governor Mike Dunleavy (R - Alaska), the importance of getting a yearly physical, the medical equipment that every business should have, the rise in overdoes deaths, how a mini stroke she had years ago led to the discovery of a heart condition, the opioid ...
Jeff was joined by Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom (R - Alaska). They discuss her recent swearing in as lieutenant governor, the recounts of two legislative races, her time as a legislator and Corrections commissioner, how she came to be Governor Mike Dunleavy's (R - Alaska) running mate, the ups and downs of Alaska's budget, who she plans on choosing as the new Division of Elections director, and some of the election reform bills that will likely be introduced during session.
Jeff was joined by Landmine contributor Jacob Hersh. They discuss how he worked as a remote correspondent for the Landmine's election coverage, how he got connected with the Landmine, his time in college in Washington state, the role of alternative media, how technology has changed society, his plans for going to law school, the war in Ukraine, and the conflict between China and Taiwan.
