ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Welcoming folks into Grant Hall on the Alaska Pacific University campus Friday was a picture of the Nordic Ski team with the slogan, “Olympians Made Here.”

That certainly rings true at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics with eight of the 16 Team USA cross-country skiers being part of the APU program.

“If Alaska were it’s own nation in the parade of nations, we would be well-represented in the sport of cross-country skiing,” APU program coach Forrest Mahlen said with a laugh.

Many supporters filtered in and out of the campus’ theater Friday morning to afternoon for the live airing of the opening ceremonies, with an eruption of cheers and chants when Team USA was introduced in Italy.

APU skiers representing the state and country at the Winter Games are Rosie Brennan (37, third Olympics), Hunter Wonders (27, first Olympics), Hailey Swirbul, 27, second Olympics), Gus Schumacher (25, second Olympics), JC Schoonmaker (25, second Olympics), Zanden McMullen (24, first Olympics), Novie McCabe (24, second Olympics) and Kendall Kramer (23, first Olympics).

“It’s definitely pretty incredible to have so many people from our team make the Olympics, it is wild,” said fellow APU Nordic ski member Hatcher Menkens, 19. ″It’s a big driving force on our team, seeing the accomplishments that our men’s team and women’s team are making, just proves the work we are doing works.”

“I think it speaks to how good Alaska is for Nordic skiing,” Mahlen added. “We love it here, it’s got everything you need to be a Nordic skier at the highest level.”

Participating skiers may not know if they are racing until the day before or even day of. The first cross-country ski race will be the women’s skiathlon taking place at 3 a.m. AKST Saturday. The men will race in the 20-kilometer skiathlon event the following day while more cross-country medals will be up for grabs throughout the week. Monitor our website for updates on the Alaska Olympians.

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The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced Friday it had suspended more than 100,000 California borrowers amid suspected fraud, with the alleged abuse totaling nearly $9 billion.

SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said the agency suspended 111,620 California borrowers linked to suspected fraudulent activity across SBA pandemic-era loan programs. Those borrowers received 118,489 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loans totaling more than $8.6 billion.

“Once again, the Trump SBA is taking decisive action to deliver accountability in a state whose unaccountable welfare policies have created a culture of fraud and abuse at the expense of law-abiding taxpayers and small business owners,” Loeffler said in a statement.

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“Today, we announced we have suspended nearly 112,000 borrowers tied to at least $9 billion in suspected fraud,” she said. “This staggering number represents the most significant crackdown on those who defrauded pandemic programs, and it illuminates the scale of corruption that the Biden administration tolerated for years.”

Loeffler referenced the Trump administration’s fraud crackdown in another blue state, saying, “As we did in Minnesota, we are actively working with federal law enforcement to identify the criminals who defrauded American taxpayers, hold them to account and recoup the stolen funds.

“As we continue our state-by-state work, our message is clear: Pandemic-era fraudsters will not get a pass under this administration.”

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The announcement comes after the SBA said last month it had suspended 6,900 Minnesota borrowers after uncovering what it said was widespread suspected fraud.

The agency previously reviewed thousands of PPP and EIDL loans approved in Minnesota, identifying nearly $400 million in potentially fraudulent loans tied to borrowers.

That suspected activity included 7,900 PPP and EIDL loans approved during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Loeffler.

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The SBA previously said at least $2.5 million in PPP and EIDL funds issued during the pandemic era were connected to a Somali-linked fraud scheme based in Minneapolis.