Today, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a ground stop advisory for Alaska Airlines due to a technological issue. This advisory impacted all mainline and subcarrier flights of Alaska Airlines but excluded SkyWest, which provides regional service for the airline.
The grounding lasted for about an hour. During this time, Alaska Airlines worked to resolve the issue that arose during a system upgrade related to calculating the weight and balance of its planes. As a precautionary measure, the airline requested the ground stop, which was put in place around 7:30 a.m. PT and lifted by 8:30 a.m. PT.
Flights are now resuming, but passengers should anticipate some delays throughout the day. The airline encourages travelers to check the status of their flights on the Alaska Airlines website or app before heading to the airport.
This incident comes after a recent safety concern involving Alaska Airlines. On Jan. 5, flight 1282 traveling from Portland, Oregon to Ontario, California, experienced a window panel breaking away shortly after take-off. Despite the frightening incident, the plane successfully made an emergency landing at Portland International Airport with no reported injuries to passengers or crew.
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Following this event, Alaska Airlines grounded its fleet of Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes. CEO Ben Minicucci issued an apology in response to the incident. Legal actions are ongoing, including a lawsuit filed by passengers against Boeing, the manufacturer of the 737 MAX 9 aircraft.
In addition to these safety concerns, Alaska Airlines faces scrutiny regarding its proposed $1.9 billion acquisition of rival Hawaiian Airlines. A consumer lawsuit filed in federal court claims that this merger could lead to higher prices, job layoffs, and fewer flights.
Despite these challenges, Alaska Airlines continues to work toward maintaining the safety and satisfaction of its passengers, ensuring that flights resume as quickly and safely as possible after any disruptions.
Just as Vice President Kamala Harris has been assigned to shore up the black vote for President Joe Biden by headlining events for African-American voters, Alaska Rep. Mary Peltola was stumping for the Native vote on her most recent trip back home to Alaska, in an effort to shore up support.
Flanked by her chief of staff Anton McParland, who also serves as her campaign manager, she appeared at a campaign event over the weekend in Anchorage that targeted Natives, where she has started to see wearing support. According to her slide presentation, the goal is to register more Native voters and “get them set up with absentee ballots” in August, when the Alaska primary election is held.
She doesn’t actually need cash from Alaska Natives because her campaign treasury has millions of dollars from donors primarily outside Alaska. She has over $2.5 million in available campaign cash.
But she does need to invigorate and motivate her base. According to the Alaska Federation of Natives, “Our people make up approximately 20% of the state’s general population. If we vote early (in-person or by mail) or on Election Day, we can determine the direction of Alaska.” AFN believes Natives vote as block.
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According to left-leaning polling group Data for Progress, Peltola is slipping with Native voters, thus her focus on using her Native affiliation to restore confidence. In the latest poll, conservative candidate Nick Begich is actually doing better with Native voters than Peltola, although overall, the two are in a 50-50 tie in the March poll among all Alaskans, in a ranked choice match up, with Nancy Dahlstrom eliminated in the first round.
According to the Peltola campaign, “door to door activity is the most fundamental aspect of this plan” to get Natives reengaged, including the strategy to “push youth in their households to vote with them and have more civically engaged youth assist elders in their households.”
In addition to her campaign account, Peltola has a launched political action committee called the “Cache PAC,” which has raised $100,000 so far to support her campaign. Major donors to Peltola’s Cache PAC include people like John Arnold of Texas, whose foundation was one of the main donors to the ballot initiative that brought ranked-choice voting to Alaska. Also donating to the Cache PAC is Melinda Gates, former wife of billionaire Bill Gates. Top Cache PAC donors include:
STALLINGS, NANCY ANCHORAGE, AK 99507
NOT EMPLOYED
$5,000
STALLINGS, MICHAEL ANCHORAGE, AK 99507
UAA
$5,000
WOMER, ROD NEWBURY PARK, CA 91320
Not Employed
$5,000
KARPLUS, BARBARA NEWBURY PARK, CA 91320
Tax Practitioner
$5,000
ARNOLD, JOHN HOUSTON, TX 77019
Not Employed
$5,000
PUYALLUP TRIBE OF INDIANS TACOMA, WA 98404
$5,000
DUNCAN, RONALD ANCHORAGE, AK 99503
GCI
$5,000
CHAPADOS, GREGORY ANCHORAGE, AK 99501
GCI
$5,000
FRENCH GATES, MELINDA REDMOND, WA 98052
Pivotal Ventures
$1,000
PAWLOWSKI, MICHAEL ANCHORAGE, AK 99504
NOT EMPLOYED
$500
HALL, JOELLE EAGLE RIVER, AK 99577
NOT EMPLOYED
$500
CARTER, PATRICK ANCHORAGE, AK 99515
CONSULTANT
$500
JOULE, REGINALD KOTZEBUE, AK 99752
J AND H CONSULTING
$500
The Cache PAC is funding a lot of the campaign airline travel and on-the-ground fundraising expenses, according to FEC reports. Some of Cache’s donated funds went to the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. United Airlines, American Airlines, and the Alaska Democratic Party were the biggest recipients of the Cache PAC payments since the leadership PAC was launched.
Peltola has also received over $20,000 from the Fair Shot PAC, an East Coast political action committee that supports congressional Democrats exclusively. Some of the major donors to that PAC include John Donahue of Arabella Advisors, one of the dark money groups that has been changing the political landscape of Alaska, and billionaire Bill Gates.
AARP agrees with the Anchorage Daily News’ April 13 editorial, “Why won’t legislators act on a tool to ease Alaska’s nurse shortage?” Alaska should pursue an “all of the above” solution to get more nurses to work in Alaska, from joining the Nurse Licensure Compact to expanding nursing program graduate capacity in-state.
Alaska has the fastest growing senior population in the country, and seniors are staying in Alaska, which is good for our state. However, the increase in our senior population vastly outpaces health care workforce growth. High nurse vacancy rates result in less access to care for Alaskans, clinic and facility closures, and longer wait times at hospitals and ERs.
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Without the compact, Alaska is at a disadvantage in competing with the 80% of states that are members, making it harder for Alaska to attract the traveling nurses we rely on, retain our nursing graduates and recruit nurses from other states. Joining the compact will make Alaska competitive for qualified nurses and support our seniors and family caregivers.
Let’s not let politics get in the way of improving access to quality health care. Time is running out. We need this bill heard and passed now. Tell your legislators it’s time for Alaska to join the Nurse Licensure Compact!
— Marge Stoneking
Advocacy Director, AARP Alaska
Anchorage
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Monday on Alaska News Nightly:
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The Alaska Senate passed a pension bill weeks ago, but it’s stuck in limbo in the House. Plus, the climbing community mourns the loss of a pioneer of LGBTQ+ mountaineering. And, fans of Native Youth Olympics cheer their way for competitors.
Reports tonight from:
Wesley Early, Chris Klint and Rhonda McBride in Anchorage Evan Erickson in Bethel Emily Russell in Canton, New York Dan Bross in Fairbanks Clarise Larson and Eric Stone in Juneau Ben Townsend in Nome
This episode of Alaska News Nightly is hosted by Casey Grove, with audio engineering from Toben Shelby and producing from Tim Rockey.
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Tim Rockey is the producer of Alaska News Nightly and covers education for Alaska Public Media. Reach him at trockey@alaskapublic.org or 907-550-8487. Read more about Tim here.