Episode 7: The All Alaska Episode! Yakutat alpacas, musician census, glacial flooding, cabinet member visits, geopolitical conflicts, interns take selfies, and so much more! Recorded August 24th, 2023

We discuss all things Alaska! We cover a few news stories you might have missed from our home state, starting with a new electric vehicle called an "Alaska." Next, our local police department bought an armored vehicle, what does that mean for the rest of us? A nonprofit is trying to do a music census of the state. We try to figure out the impact of music, economically that is. A gift shop gets in trouble for trying to sell "Yakutat Alpaca" products and products from nonexistent native groups. Then Derik's basement gets flooded, and it makes national news. Pete Buttigieg visits the state and promotes infrastructure. We catch up with each other for a bit, some of us have more exciting life updates than others. China and Russia do joint military patrols near Alaska. Finally, we discuss Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski's interns accomplishment of taking a selfie with all 100 US senators.

Sources used in this episode:

Alaska EV: https://gizmodo.com.au/2023/08/the-fisker-alaska-ev-features-the-worlds-biggest-cup-holder/

JPD Armored Vehicle:

https://www.juneauempire.com/news/police-departments-new-347k-armored-vehicle-arrived-in-march/

AK Music Census:

https://alaskabeacon.com/briefs/music-census-aims-to-count-alaskas-musicians-and-measure-their-impact/?emci=3ef8e4d2-6740-ee11-a3f1-00224832eb73&emdi=cca6962c-f440-ee11-a3f1-00224832eb73&ceid=148052

Gift Shop Selling Yakutat Alpaca: https://alaskabeacon.com/briefs/alaska-accuses-souvenir-store-of-selling-fake-native-art-and-products-from-yakutat-alpacas/?emci=304526f7-572b-ee11-b8f0-00224832eb73&emdi=e08355bc-bc2b-ee11-b8f0-00224832eb73&ceid=148052

Mendenhall Flooding:

https://abcnews.go.com/US/glacial-break-causes-major-flooding-alaska-destroys-structures/story?id=102056193

https://www.ktoo.org/2018/06/04/little-slice-of-heaven-juneau-subdivision-threatened-by-river-erosion/
https://www.juneauempire.com/news/governor-issues-state-disaster-declaration-for-suicide-basin-flood/
https://juneau.org/newsroom-item/state-of-alaska-individual-assistance-open-for-mendenhall-river-flood-event?s=09
https://www.juneauempire.com/news/disaster-assistance-center-opens-at-mendenhall-library-for-suicide-basin-flood-victims/
https://www.juneauempire.com/news/fema-officials-arrive-in-juneau-to-assess-flood-damage/

Secretary of Transportation Visits Alaska: https://www.juneauempire.com/news/u-s-transportation-secretary-pete-buttigieg-to-arrive-in-juneau-next-week/
https://alaskapublic.org/2023/08/08/buttigieg-announces-alaska-trip-next-week/ https://alaskabeacon.com/2023/08/15/on-alaska-tour-buttigieg-encounters-extreme-conditions-and-touts-federal-investments/

https://alaskabeacon.com/2023/08/16/transportation-secretary-pete-buttigieg-ends-alaska-visit-with-emphasis-on-ferries/ https://alaskabeacon.com/briefs/u-s-dot-labels-many-alaska-barge-routes-as-federal-marine-highway/?emci=d22dad79-5e3d-ee11-a3f1-00224832eb73&emdi=8b465489-cf3d-ee11-a3f1-00224832eb73&ceid=148052 https://alaskabeacon.com/briefs/infrastructure-law-supported-by-alaska-delegation-in-turn-brings-big-payout-to-the-state/?emci=d9747d9f-5d41-ee11-a3f1-00224832eb73&emdi=9f233558-bd41-ee11-a3f1-00224832eb73&ceid=148052 https://alaskabeacon.com/briefs/u-s-attorney-general-vows-continued-support-to-address-rural-alaska-public-safety/

China and Russia Joint Patrol:

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/russian-chinese-ships-patrolled-alaska-threat-us-officials/story?id=102058344

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/4151560-russian-military-planes-detected-and-tracked-in-alaska-air-defense-zone/ https://www.19fortyfive.com/2023/08/china-freaked-air-force-launched-24-f-22-stealth-fighters-in-massive-raptor-walk/

Intern Selfies:

https://www.npr.org/2023/08/16/1192818855/senate-politics-selfie-interns