Opinion: Who could the SAVE America Act block from voting? Eligible Alaskans, including me I am a U.S. citizen, an Alaskan, and a registered voter who has participated in local, state, and federal elections for over five decades. However, if the SAVE America Act becomes law without being overturned, I could be denied the right to vote in the 2026 federal primary or general election. Several years ago, I legally combined my last name with my wife’s to create a new family surname. To update my records, I submitted my Ohio birth certificate, Social Security card, and Alaska marriage certificate to the Social Security Administration. I received a revised Social Security record in my new name, obtained a new Alaska driver’s license, and updated my voter registration. Despite these steps, my Alaska driver’s license does not confirm citizenship, my birth certificate does not reflect my new name, and my marriage certificate does not show the surname change, as it occurred after our wedding. I hold a passport, which I first received at age 15 as a Rotary exchange student and have renewed multiple times. However, it still lists my original name. I also have a Global Entry card for TSA PreCheck. After my name change, I followed the State Department’s instructions to update my passport information, uploading the same documents I provided to the Social Security Administration. When my Global Entry card expired, I attempted to renew it using my new legal name, but both applications were rejected due to a mismatch between my passport and new name. I then visited the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport to meet with Customs and Border Protection staff, who advised me to renew my Global Entry card using my old name, which I did.#save_america_act #alaska #john_stainerhain #customs_border_protection #anchorage_school_board
Heavy Snow Warning Issued Amid Blizzard Conditions: 'Travel Could Be Impossible' Two states are bracing for severe winter storms this week, with heavy snowfall expected to exceed a foot in some areas, just days after the official start of spring. The National Weather Service has issued warnings for dangerous conditions, highlighting the potential for travel disruptions and extreme weather. In Washington, the Cascades region, including Mount Baker and Stevens Pass, is forecast to receive significant snowfall. The National Weather Service predicts accumulations between eight and 12 inches across the area, with Mount Baker possibly seeing up to 57 inches of snow over the next three days. A convergence zone is expected to develop Wednesday afternoon, leading to locally heavier snowfall, particularly at Stevens Pass. Officials warned that travel could become "very difficult to impossible" due to the snow and reduced visibility. Alaska is also facing blizzard conditions, with blowing snow and winds gusting up to 45 mph. The National Weather Service defines blizzards as storms featuring blowing snow and winds exceeding 35 mph, combined with visibility below a quarter mile for an extended period. While heavy snowfall and severe cold often accompany such events, the criteria for a blizzard focus on wind and visibility. Alaska’s storm is expected to persist from Wednesday morning through Wednesday night, creating hazardous driving conditions and potential power outages. The National Weather Service explained that a strong cold front will bring relief from recent heatwaves, originating from a Pacific low-pressure system moving onshore in the Northwest. This system will drive a cold front southward across the Intermountain West and into the central and eastern U.S. later this week.#national_weather_service #alaska #mount_baker #stevens_pass
Alaska accuses crowdfunding websites of violating law, using charities’ names without their consent The state of Alaska filed civil lawsuits Tuesday against six crowdfunding websites, accusing them of illegally soliciting donations for thousands of Alaska charities without consent. In complaints filed at Anchorage Superior Court, the consumer protection unit of the Alaska Department of Law said GoFundMe, PayPal, Charity Navigator, Pledgling Technologies, JustGiving and Network For Good each violated the Alaska Charitable Solicitations Act thousands of times. That act, in place since 1993, requires state registration for anyone who seeks donations on behalf of a charity. The suits ask a judge to order the sites shut down the pages devoted to Alaska nonprofits and immediately disburse any donations to those nonprofits. It also asks for “separate civil penalties … of not less than $1,000 and not more than $25,000 per violation.” According to the complaints, the six crowdfunding sites scraped IRS data to obtain the information of thousands of Alaska nonprofits, then set up donation pages for each of those nonprofits without their consent. That scraping was part of a nationwide campaign that encompassed almost a million and a half federally registered organizations. In some cases, the sites charged fees or encouraged “tips” to themselves during the donation process. In many cases, they poured donations into a third-party account and only released donations to charities who stepped forward to claim them, according to the complaints. Attorney General-designee Stephen Cox said the state became aware of the issue after California reporters and state officials began investigating why GoFundMe created donation pages for 1.4 million nonprofits without their consent or knowledge.#gofundme #alaska #paypal #charity_navigator #pledgling_technologies
Strait of Hormuz Energy Crisis Offers Another Reason to Repeal the Jones Act The ongoing disruption of global oil and gas supplies through the Strait of Hormuz has highlighted the urgent need to reconsider the Jones Act, a 1920 law that imposes strict regulations on maritime trade between U.S. ports. Critics argue that the law’s outdated provisions are hindering the ability of American energy producers to stabilize prices in key regional markets such as New England, the West Coast, and Alaska. With Iran laying mines in the strait to threaten shipping lanes, the Jones Act’s restrictions are seen as a barrier to addressing domestic energy needs and mitigating the impact of the crisis on consumers. The Jones Act mandates that all goods transported between U.S. ports must be carried on vessels built, owned, and operated by American companies. These ships must also be crewed by at least 75% U.S. citizens and comply with stringent U.S. regulations. Such requirements have led to significantly higher costs compared to international alternatives, as U.S. shipyards face higher labor and regulatory expenses. Additionally, the law discourages the adoption of modern technologies and operational efficiencies, further inflating transportation costs. The economic consequences of the Jones Act are particularly acute in the energy sector. For instance, there are currently no Jones Act-compliant liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels capable of transporting natural gas from the Gulf to New England or Puerto Rico. This lack of infrastructure has made it prohibitively expensive to supply West Coast markets with oil from Alaska and has limited the ability of Gulf ports to serve domestic energy demand. Analysts, including Philip G. Hoxie and Vincent H.#strait_of_hormuz #jones_act #philip_g_hoxie #vincent_h_smith #alaska
