West

National Guard delays Alaska staffing changes that threatened national security, civilian rescues

Published

2 years ago

April 20, 2024

National Guard delays Alaska staffing changes that threatened national security, civilian rescues

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The Air National Guard has delayed its plan to downgrade the status of about 80 members of its Alaska unit, a move that would have threatened national security and civilian rescues in the nation’s most remote state.

The Alaska Air National Guard confirmed the delay in an email to The Associated Press on Friday.

AIR NATIONAL GUARD CHANGES IN ALASKA COULD AFFECT NATIONAL SECURITY, CIVILIAN RESCUES, STAFFERS SAY

Efforts by the state’s politicians and Alaskans “have been instrumental in getting this delay which will allow everyone involved the time to conduct more thorough research and analysis,” wrote Alan Brown, an Alaska guard spokesperson.

The Air National Guard headquarters in Virginia did not respond to emails from the AP seeking comment.

The Air National Guard has delayed personnel changes in Alaska that could have threatened national security and civilian rescue missions. (Fox News)

The changes to balance top-earning positions among the other 53 state and territorial units will still be completed by Oct. 1.

Alaska was slated to convert 80 of the highly paid Active Guard and Reserve members — who are essentially the equivalent of full-time active-duty military — to dual status tech positions, a classification with lower wages, less appealing benefits and different duties.

Many say they will quit rather than accept the changes, which could include seeing their pay cut by more than 50%.

Local guard leaders argued Alaska needed the personnel in the higher classification to fulfill its requirements to conduct national security missions that other units don’t have, such as monitoring for ballistic missile launches from nations such as Russia, North Korea and China.

The Alaska guard also said its ability to fly refueling tankers to accompany U.S. and Canadian fighter jets when they intercept Russian bombers that come close to Alaska or Canada would be greatly curtailed.

The guard also plays a vital role in conducting civilian search-and-rescue missions in Alaska, sending military helicopters and cargo planes through violent storms to rescue people from small Alaska Native villages when weather prevents air ambulances from flying.

Last year, the guard conducted 159 such missions, including flying to an Alaska island just 2 miles from a Russian island to pick up a pregnant woman with abdominal pains. In one recent rescue, two paramedics parachuted into an Alaska Native village because that was the fastest way to reach a critically ill woman with internal bleeding. Another involved flying to a western Alaska village to pick up a pregnant woman who began bleeding when her water broke and delivering her to a hospital in Anchorage, more than 400 miles (644 kilometers) away.

If the staff conversions went through, the guard estimated the number of rescues would drop to about 50 a year.

The downgrades in Alaska have been delayed until Sept. 30, 2025, giving the service more time to study how the changes would affect its Alaska operations and if the changes should be made at all, according to a joint statement from the state’s congressional delegation.

“The strain this uncertainty put on Alaska Air National Guard members –- who Alaskans depend on in the most dire of emergencies –- for them to worry about their jobs, their benefits, their ability to provide for their families, is unacceptable,” U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican, said in the statement.

“Delaying the implementation of the misguided directives is a win -– but it should never have come to this,” she said.

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Hawaii

Kolekole Pass cleared for emergency evacuations out of West Oahu

Published

26 minutes ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Kolekole Pass cleared for emergency evacuations out of West Oahu

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The Kolekole Pass is officially allowed to be used as an evacuation route in the event of an emergency on West Oahu.

U.S. military and civilian officials signed an updated official memorandum of understanding Wednesday, opening Kolekole Pass for emergency use.

The first document was signed just prior to July 29, 2025, when Hawaii faced a tsunami warning, and the pass was opened for West Oahu residents to evacuate.

Nearly 500 vehicles made their way through the pass that day as many evacuated the Leeward Coast, officials said.

Maj. Gen. James Batholomees, U.S. Army Commander, Hawaii, was joined by his counterparts from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and the state Department of Transportation officers for Wednesday’s signing.

Batholomees said he took command the day before the tsunami warning.

“The next day, the first order that I had the blessing of giving was in conjunction with the Navy opening the pass during the tsunami,” he said.

Kupuna from the Leeward Coast also attended the signing, saying they were happy for a much-needed secondary route in the event that Farrington Highway is shut down.

Leeward Coast resident William Aila recalled when Farrington Highway was closed for 11 days due to Hurricane Iwa in 1982.

“We need an opportunity to bring in first aid, to bring in food, and to bring in other emergency supplies,” said Aila.

Officials say they are committed to conducting a mass evacuation rehearsal using Kolekole Pass every year.

Ed Sniffen, director of the state Department of Transportation, said it’s the key to a successful activation to use the route.

“The road is safe,” said Sniffen. “When we rode through this, and we did this twice with large operations, the road is safe.”

He added, “That being said, there are improvements that we still want to make.”

HDOT continues to work with the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy on upgrading the roadway, which may total $20 million in improvements.

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Idaho

Local woman having ‘closet revival’ with new consignment store – East Idaho News

Published

32 minutes ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Local woman having ‘closet revival’ with new consignment store – East Idaho News

Shanea Fulks is the owner of Seven Sisters Closet Revival, a new consignment store at 260 South Woodruff in Idaho Falls. Take a look inside in the video above. | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

Do you want to know what’s happening in the eastern Idaho business scene? We’ve got you covered. Here is a rundown of this week’s business news across the valley.

BIZ BUZZ

IDAHO FALLS

New consignment shop in Idaho Falls offers vintage clothes for customers and booth space for sellers

Clothes on display at Seven Sisters Closet Revival | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

IDAHO FALLS – Curating vintage clothing is Shanea Fulks’s passion, and she’s sharing it with the community through a new business venture.

Seven Sisters Closet Revival opens Saturday at 260 South Woodruff inside Parkwood Plaza in Idaho Falls. It offers racks of vintage clothes for customers and booth space for others to sell their items.

“You get a rack with shelves, and you can come in throughout the week and sell things,” Fulks tells EastIdahoNews.com. “The things you’ll see in the middle of the store are pieces that I have curated. I hand-pick all the things I bring to the store.”

See some of the items in the video above.

Fulks says she’s had multiple people walk in already who are excited about the shop.

The store will have a grand opening this weekend. Fulks is partnering with the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce for a ribbon-cutting and open house at noon on Friday. A local band will be performing during the event.

Then on Saturday, a grand opening celebration will begin at 2 p.m. Several vendors and live entertainment will be available. Fulks says she’s looking forward to interacting with the community.

Fulks has been selling items from her personal collection online for years. After helping a mother and daughter find a formal dress during an interaction at another shop in town several years ago, Fulks says she realized there was a need for a store like this.

After about a year of working with real estate agents, Fulks says the Parkwood Plaza space formerly occupied by a beauty salon called Blush became available, and it was an ideal fit.

“It’s just been a whirlwind and we’re just trying to get it going,” says Fulks.

A rack of sweaters at Seven Sisters Closet Revival | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

Fulks’ interest in fashion stems back to childhood. She lost her dad and stepdad to suicide at a young age and grew up in a household that struggled to make ends meet. As a result, she says they bought clothes at Goodwill and other secondhand stores.

She remembers being made fun of because of the clothes she wore. In time, she learned to embrace her uniqueness and developed an interest in vintage clothes.

“I’ve just always been attracted to old sweaters, military jackets (her dad served in Vietnam),” Fulks says. “I like to help people feel confident wearing something unique, even if it’s not trendy. Be bold and wear whatever you want.”

The idea of making the most of your circumstances and embracing who you are is inspired by her experience with suicide, and it’s reflected in the art that’s on display in her store.

“Part of the theme in my store is ‘Stay. We need you,’” she says.

Art on display at Seven Sisters Closet Revival | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

The business name refers to her family. She comes from a blended family of six girls and four boys. When she and her husband were married, they had a daughter — the seventh sister.

Fulks says she’s looking forward to offering great deals to customers. She has two sons with autism who love art, and she wants to host art-themed events for people with special needs. She’d also like to host tea parties and other events in the future.

“I want people to come and feel like they belong,” she says. “I’m going to allow people to do karaoke. When you’re here, I want you to feel like you can have fun.”

Seven Sisters Closet Revival will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

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National Guard delays Alaska staffing changes that threatened national security, civilian rescues

West

National Guard delays Alaska staffing changes that threatened national security, civilian rescues