February 19, 2024 – The Dena’ina Center in Anchorage, Alaska, was a hive of activity as thousands of enthusiasts, businesses, and curious onlookers thronged the Anchorage Boat Show 2024. The annual event, which has been a staple for Alaska’s outdoor enthusiasts and boating industry for 15 years, drew about 5,000 attendees. Featuring over 100 businesses from across the state, the event showcased not only boating but also outdoor recreation, fishing gear, and ATVs.
Boating: An Economic Powerhouse
In his address, Mark Weissler, the Anchorage Boat Show Director, highlighted the significant economic benefits of boating. He asserted that the industry has seen substantial growth over the years. “Boating is a significant contributor to Alaska’s economy,” Weissler stated. He further noted that despite the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the boating industry has seen an increased demand, which is a testament to its resilience and adaptability.
More than Just Boats
While boats were the primary focus, the event was not just about boating. It was a celebration of outdoor recreation as a whole. Attendees were treated to a display of fishing gear, ATVs, and a multitude of other outdoor gear. This diversity not only reflects the multifaceted nature of outdoor pursuits in Alaska but also underscores the interconnectedness of these industries and their collective contribution to Alaska’s economy.
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Boat Demand Outpaces Harbor Space
The increased demand for boats has also led to an interesting challenge – a shortage of dock and harbor space across many communities in Alaska. This situation demonstrates the popularity of boating as not only a leisure activity but also as a means of social distancing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. As Weissler pointed out, this burgeoning demand underscores the need for additional infrastructure to accommodate the growth of the boating sector.
In conclusion, the 2024 Anchorage Boat Show was not only a showcase of Alaska’s thriving boating industry and outdoor recreation sector. It was also a vivid demonstration of the economic and social impact of these sectors on Alaska’s communities. The event highlighted the resilience of these industries amidst a global pandemic and their potential to drive growth and prosperity in the future. It’s clear that as the tide of Alaska’s boating industry rises, so too does the prosperity of its communities.
JUNEAU, Alaska (KTUU) – The Supreme Court of Alaska will be taking up the case of the State of Alaska, Division of Elections v. Daniel J. Sullivan, Jr.
The oral arguments will be held Monday at 10 a.m. via Zoom, according to an order and opening notice.
The document also specifies that a decision is expected to be made before noon on Tuesday.
According to documents from the Division of Elections, the state must start printing ballots at noon on the same day.
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This comes after an Anchorage Superior Court Judge ordered Dan J. Sullivan on to the ballot Friday.
See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com
A new home under construction in Potter Valley in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
This June, two very different offers reach Alaska families, and both amount to the same thing: $10,000. The difference is everything.
Bill Walker, running for governor, would hand every eligible Alaskan a one-time $10,000 check and then end the Permanent Fund dividend for good. Ask one question: Where does his $10,000 come from?
It comes from the Permanent Fund, the people’s own money and the savings Alaskans built for their children. Walker would spend that endowment once to pay Alaskans to give up the yearly dividend forever.
Think about what that does. It cancels the annual check that gives a family a reason to keep an Alaska address and replaces it with a single payout. You hand people their own savings, call it a gift and cut the tie that held them here in the same motion. It is the oldest mistake in governing money: raid what you have saved to buy a moment’s applause and call the spending generosity.
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A plan that spends the people’s savings to send the people away is not bold. It is foolish.
Now consider the other $10,000. Through Alaska Housing Finance Corp., the state offers families up to $10,000 to build a new, energy-efficient home. AHFC raids nothing. It earns its own way. Over the years, it has returned more than $2 billion to the state treasury, and it spends some of that income the way any good business does: to win a customer.
Here, the customer is an Alaskan who wants to own a home, put down roots and stay.
That is the oldest sound move in business: Invest a little of what you earn to bring in someone who stays. The homeowner remains, the community gains a family and the corporation keeps earning. The money spent comes back. A plan that puts earnings to work to bring people home is not charity. It is clever.
Same amount. Opposite source. Opposite wisdom. One spends savings; the other spends earnings. One pays Alaskans to leave; the other pays them to stay. One empties the state; the other fills it.
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This Homeownership Month, the choice is the size of a single check, and the whole question is where the check comes from and what it asks of you. Ten thousand dollars of your own fund, to wave you goodbye. Or $10,000, earned and reinvested, to help you stay and build.
Evan Swensen is the publisher of Publication Consultants in Anchorage and the author of “What’s the Money For: A Permanent Fund Mortgage Proposal.”
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