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Concerns raised over potential conflict of interest in Alaska’s review of private education reimbursement

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Concerns raised over potential conflict of interest in Alaska’s review of private education reimbursement


By Lisa Phu, Alaska Beacon

Up to date: 58 minutes in the past Revealed: 4 hours in the past

Alaska Lawyer Normal Treg Taylor might have a battle of curiosity because the state Division of Regulation that he oversees seems into the legality of utilizing public funds for personal schooling via the state’s correspondence faculty, or homeschool, allotment program.

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His spouse is a serious proponent of the idea and wrote publicly about her plan to hunt as much as $8,000 in reimbursement from public funding for his or her two children attending an Anchorage personal faculty.

The problem raises issues for the pinnacle of a nonprofit that advocates for accountability in authorities.

“That appears massively regarding for state spending, for presidency oversight and for transparency and accountability for a way state applications are being promoted,” mentioned Veri di Suvero, government director for the Alaska Public Curiosity Analysis Group, noting the group doesn’t have experience on the subject of schooling coverage. “I might be actually curious to know whether or not the legal professional normal plans to recuse himself from this assessment, or has reported it as a battle on his public filings to APOC.”

[Can public funds be used for private school classes? Alaska’s education department isn’t sure.]

On the query of whether or not it’s authorized for households enrolled in a state-funded correspondence program to make use of their allotment to pay for personal faculty lessons, each the Division of Training and Early Improvement and the Division of Regulation say the problem is at present being reviewed by Regulation. In the meantime, no less than one correspondence faculty in Alaska is already permitting households to be reimbursed for secular personal faculty lessons and no less than yet one more plans to start out the apply this coming faculty yr.

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Taylor’s spouse, Jodi Taylor, is board president of the Alaska Coverage Discussion board. In an op-ed final month that was revealed on varied information web sites and blogs, Taylor provides directions for a way households can use state-funded correspondence faculty allotment for lessons at personal faculties. She wrote that their two youngest kids attend an Anchorage personal faculty and are additionally enrolled in a public correspondence faculty that provides an allotment of $4,000 per scholar. She plans to request the allotment as reimbursement for personal faculty lessons.

The Division of Regulation didn’t return requests for feedback on a possible battle or whether or not Lawyer Normal Taylor is concerned within the assessment.

The Division of Regulation is a part of the manager department of Alaska state authorities and operates underneath the Alaska Government Department Ethics Act, which says, “A public officer might not take or withhold official motion in an effort to have an effect on a matter wherein the general public officer has a private or monetary curiosity.”

Initially revealed by the Alaska Beacon, an unbiased, nonpartisan information group that covers Alaska state authorities.





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Alaska

Alaska Republicans bring in national lawyer, will ask for recount on Ballot Measure 2

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Alaska Republicans bring in national lawyer, will ask for recount on Ballot Measure 2


The Alaska Republican Party said on Sunday that it will be asking the Division of Elections for a recount of the votes on Ballot Measure 2, which gave Alaskans the option of repealing ranked-choice voting.

Although dark money from Outside Alaska overwhelmed proponents of the repeal, it ended up failing to be repealed by just 664 votes, a tiny margin.

Of the 340,110 votes cast on the measure, the margin of “No” votes to “Yes” votes was 160,619 to 159,955, or 50.1% to 49.9%. The state must cover the costs of a recount when the margin is this close.

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“We will submit this request, along with the names of the requisite Alaskan voters required to initiate this process, once the election is certified, which is scheduled for November 30, 2024,” said the statement issued by the Alaska Republican Party.

The party has hired the Dhillon Law Group, led by Harmeet K. Dhillon, to be on the ground during the recount and review, along with Alaska-based party counsel and observers.

“Ms. Dhillon and her firm are a nationally recognized, seasoned election integrity legal team, and bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to this recount process. Ms. Dhillon is an expert in election law. She and her colleagues Michael Columbo and Mark Meuser were recently on the legal teams in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and other crucial locations nationally to ensure a fair, transparent, and thorough process,” said Party Chairwoman Carmela Warfield. “Our Party Counsel, Ms. Stacey Stone and her team, are experienced Alaskan election law practitioners, and in September 2024, they successfully intervened on the Alaska Republican Party’s behalf in the case of Alaska Democratic Party v. State of Alaska Division of Elections, ultimately prevailing in the Alaska Supreme Court.”



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101-year-old woman shares her birthday reflections with Alaska’s News Source

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101-year-old woman shares her birthday reflections with Alaska’s News Source


ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Norma Aldefer didn’t expect to turn 100. Now, one day after her 101st birthday, she’s even more surprised.

Inside her pristine apartment, Aldefer’s table is full of cards wishing her a happy birthday. She points out a favorite, which reads “You’re how old?”

Celebratory messages from loved ones, along with congratulations from state officials Senator Lisa Murkowski and Governor Mike Dunleavy. Aldefer said last year’s centennial birthday even brought in regards from President Joe Biden.

Aldefer moved to Alaska to marry her husband, who was originally from her hometown. The photograph she has at her side is of her as a younger woman posing with her mother in 1948.

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Norma and her parents pose “all dressed up” for family photos.(Olivia Nordyke)

“We took pictures of ourselves and and I’m all dressed up in high heels and a hat and a purse. And my little bag that I was carrying.” Aldefer said she was scared leaving the small farm she grew up on, but by working as a telephone operator for Southwestern Bell, she expanded her horizons.

Multiple times Aldefer stated she’s remained curious all her years. She said it’s the reason she’s been able to maintain herself rather than losing her faculties, and believes it’s the way to feel fulfilled.

“Sometimes people get into things they don’t enjoy, but they think, ‘Oh, I have to make a living.’ Don’t do that. If you’re not comfortable, go do something else,” Aldefer said.

“May not make a good living for a while, but you might enjoy life.”

Aldefer says she still enjoys life, and continues to enjoy a nightly martini alongside cheese and crackers before she begins to cook dinner.

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Over the course of the interview, she marveled at her gratitude for her world – calling herself blessed.

“I know I’m not going to be here much probably much longer, but I’ve had such a good life, you know. I’m not afraid of it.”

See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com



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Moderate earthquake strikes south-central Alaska

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Moderate earthquake strikes south-central Alaska


ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – A moderate earthquake occurred in south-central Alaska Sunday afternoon, striking at 2:42 p.m.

Its epicenter was located about 24 miles due east of Anchorage with a depth of 18 miles.

No damage or injuries were reported.

See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com

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