Juneau, Alaska (KINY) – The Might version of Alaska Financial Traits, Ready by the analysis and evaluation unit within the Alaska Division of Labor and Workforce improvement, appears at the place alaska residents migrate to throughout the state.
It was penned by Demographer Eric Sandberg.
In-state migration within the final 20 years declined by 25%.
Sandberg mentioned the pandemic impacted the decline.
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“About 20 years in the past, about 19,000 folks moved throughout a borough or census space in in regards to the 12 months 2000, 2001, and that has dropped to only over 14,000 in 2020 to 2021, and within the pandemic, that quantity dropped extra steeply than anytime within the final 20 years through the 2020 to 2021 12 months, it dropped about 1000 folks,” he mentioned.
Sandberg defined that rural communities within the state are likely to see extra instate migrants, whereas city communities see extra out of the migrants.
“Typically, they migrate to city areas, the locations are likely to intently match the state’s inhabitants, so, extra populous city areas obtain a proportionate share of migrants however for rural areas in state migration is a bigger issue, each in individuals who depart rural areas have a tendency to remain throughout the state and rural areas are likely to get migrants from in-state, versus city areas, whereas they obtain a lot of the in-state migrants, in state migrants make up a smaller share of the newcomers shifting into a spot like Juneau or Anchorage.”
Sandberg mentioned that southeast migration is an fascinating case, since migrants from cities throughout the area, keep within the area..
“In-state migration inside southeast, it tends to be extra localized,” he mentioned. “Individuals in southeast do not have a tendency to maneuver to different elements of the state, when you’re shifting in southeast and also you’re staying in state, you have a tendency to maneuver to a different a part of southeast so typically Petersburg to Juneau, or Haines to Juneau, or Prince of Wales to Ketchikan, so southeast is exclusive in that regard.”
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Sandberg mentioned that whereas males transfer out of the state at a better price, the gender ratio for in-state movers has skewed feminine.
“Ladies now have a tendency to maneuver extra inside Alaska than males, which is totally different from the motion of individuals into and out of the state. I did an article a few years in the past migration into Alaska and out of Alaska and it is nonetheless principally males, about 120 per 100 girls. However in state migration is now principally girls, about 96 males shifting per 400 girls, and it is not an enormous distinction in ratio, however it has modified during the last 20 years. In order that 20 years in the past continues to be about 110 Males shifting per 100 girls and I checked out it as a really fascinating outcome.”
Sandberg mentioned the Anchorage and Mat-su had the very best share of in-state movers at 54%. The inside was second at 13%, the Gulf Coast was 12%, southeast is at 10%.
News-Miner opinion: If you visited a Fairbanks grocery store in the last two weeks you may have noticed something. Or, that is, a lack of something: groceries. Milk, meat, produce, bread, paper goods, and other household staples were either in short supply or nowhere to be found.
This was largely due to mechanical issues which sidelined one of the cargo ships in TOTE Maritime’s fleet for two weeks. TOTE is one of the major commercial shipping enterprises that transports goods to Alaska from the Lower 48. To TOTE’s credit, they worked with one of their competitors, Matson, to get some of the stalled freight to Alaska while their ship underwent repairs. However, the shelves were still alarmingly bare. Granted, local shoppers prepping for Memorial Day weekend and an influx of summer tourists may have helped deplete store inventories, but it is also true that this is not the first time that our ability to buy food and other necessities has been sharply curtailed. This most recent incident serves as a stark reminder of Alaska’s precarious position at the end of the supply chain.
The unfortunate reality is that Alaska has a shipping problem. This is nothing new, and many factors contribute to the issue. Extreme weather, distance from manufacturing hubs, the occasional labor dispute, natural disasters, and global crises such as the Covid pandemic conspire to make the transportation of goods to Alaska a logistical headache. Ocean-going vessels are the most cost-effective carrier for these goods. Airline shipping is cost-prohibitive due to weight limits and fuel prices, though companies can, and do, use that method. Overland truck transport has its limits, with travel time and seasonal road closures being major constraints. Railroad shipping is perhaps the most economic way to move freight, but we currently lack a rail system connecting Alaska to Canada and the Lower 48. As such, Alaska’s shipping and supply issues are not likely to change unless a new and far more efficient, reliable and inexpensive form of transportation is developed.
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What, then, is the solution? The fact remains that Alaska needs more ports with more dock space. A full 50% of Alaska’s freight and fuel arrive via the Port of Alaska in Anchorage, and although the port is set to move forward with a massive multi-year modernization project, this does little to help us in the short term. We need to fully develop Port MacKenzie and take advantage of its deep water capacities and existing access to the road and rail corridors serving our major population centers. Alaska also needs to institute stronger policies to encourage and support in-state food production and general manufacturing. This requires legislative action and robust investment. In addition, companies that used to maintain large warehouses for the storage of extra inventory, thus enabling them to keep local stores stocked when shipping was interrupted, need to revisit their short-sighted decisions to end that practice. To do less leaves local merchants vulnerable to competition such as Amazon.
Until and unless these things happen, Alaska will continue to be plagued with bare shelves, prohibitive prices and a continued lack of the goods and services that those in the Lower 48 take for granted.
Nick Mavar, ‘Deadliest Catch’ veteran, dies in Alaska
Nick Mavar, a longtime deckhand on the Discovery Channel reality series Deadliest Catch, has passed away at the age of 59.
According to the Bristol Bay Borough Police Department in Alaska, Mavar died of natural causes on June 13 in a boat yard in Naknek.
He was a fixture on the show, appearing in 98 episodes across 17 seasons, and also featured in several spin-off specials.
Mavar’s family has been informed of his passing.
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Mavar left the show in December 2020 following the discovery of a malignant tumour when his appendix burst while production.
Sig Hansen, the owner of the boat, would eventually face a $1 million lawsuit from him for “failure to have an adequate plan in place” in the case of a medical emergency during the stringent COVID-19 quarantine.
Mavar faced two near-fatal incidents while filming the show. In the first incident, a hook struck him in the face during a storm, breaking his nose. Nine years later, he suffered an appendicitis attack, which was allegedly delayed due to production protocols.
Hansen, his family member, initially sued the hospital but later redirected the lawsuit to Original Productions Inc., the show’s production company, holding them responsible for the delayed care.
After over 15 years on the show, Mavar spent his final days captaining his salmon boat in Bristol Bay. Fans have taken to social media to pay tribute to his memory.
RVs are parked in the lot at Alaska Motor Home, an RV rental company, on Friday, June 14, 2024 in Anchorage. The state announced it was suing the company on Thursday, alleging that the company engaged in deceptive business practices. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
An Anchorage motor home rental business closed abruptly Friday, leaving hundreds of visitors outthousands of dollars and scrambling for replacements at the peak of Alaska’s summer tourism season.
The shutdown came a day after the state filed a civil lawsuit accusing the business, Alaska Motor Home Inc., of deceptive practices.
The state claims the company illegally charged customers for deposits before they picked up RVs, overcharged for taxes, and forged at least one customer’s signature, according to a complaint filed Thursday in Anchorage Superior Court.
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The complaint names owner Peter Harkovitch and his son, Cole Harkovitch, as defendants along with the business.
The company decided to close without intending to refund customers, yet was still accepting reservations and payments through July, the complaint said.
An Alaska Department of Law spokesman said officials believe there are hundreds of victims in the case, given the company’s anticipated fleet of 60 motor homes this summer.
Other RV companies in Anchorage this week reported a deluge of calls from visitors looking for last-minute rentals. Great Alaskan Holidays received about a hundred inquiries from Alaska Motor Home customers, according to marketing director Bob Johnson.
“It started yesterday morning as soon as we opened, and it has only probably within the last hour began to settle down,” Johnson said Friday afternoon, adding all requests have been accommodated.
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At Alaska Motor Home’s offices in South Anchorage on West 64th Avenue near C Street on Friday, two longtime employees expressed sadness over the sudden closing. One cleaned RVs still being returned by customers — the employees said they expected more to be returned through the month — while another said he was shuttling customers to cruise ships or the airport to catch flights home to the Lower 48.
Cole Harkovitch removed his name from the business in May, leaving his father as the sole officer, according to a state corporations database. Cole Harkovitch declined to comment when contacted by the Daily News at the business Friday, saying that “we’re still trying to hash things out. I’m just one of the people caught in the crossfire.”
In a letter to the state Department of Law Wednesday, an attorney representing the company said it was ceasing operations Friday because it was “impossible” to stay in business due to several factors, including the fact that Peter Harkovitch is incarcerated. The letter also references issues with cash reserves, restricted access to computer records, and financing for 20 new motor homes.
“As you are well aware, there will be numerous complaints filed with your office,” attorney Terry Draeger wrote. He was out of state and could not be reached for comment Friday.
Alaska Motor Home, an RV rental company, photographed Friday in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
This is the second time the state has filed suit against Alaska Motor Home on charges of unfair practices. The state sued the company and owners in 2019, citing similar problems.
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A judge in 2021 ordered a $110,000 fine but as of this week, the company had paid only half, state law officials said Friday. Customer complaints about Alaska Motor Home date back at least as far as 2014, when the company accused the Better Business Bureau of harassment, prompting a wave of criticism.
The state’s complaint also accuses 66-year-old Peter Harkovitch of “a history of using Alaska Motor Home’s assets as his personal assets” to pay for his mortgage, credit card bills, pool cleaning services as well as ATM withdrawals in Florida, Las Vegas, Spain, Italy and other locations. His wife was also able to pull money out of the company’s account, according to the state’s complaint.
Peter Harkovitch is currently incarcerated at Pinellas County Jail in Florida, according to online records. He is charged with aggravated battery, threatening a public servant and criminal mischief, according to online records. Harkovitch is accused of assaulting a family member in March, leaving them in critical condition, according to a complaint filed in that case. He is also accused of destroying the apartment where they lived and urinating on a police officer, according to a sworn affidavit.
The complaint against Alaska Motor Home names a number of customers reporting issues ranging from large fees put on credit cards without authorization to contracts promising insurance the company did not offer and charging taxes above the tax rate.
Peter Harkovitch sent a woman from Utah threatening messages and eventually asked for an “unconscionable” amount of more than $20,000 after a damages dispute, the complaint said. The woman was unable to recoup $7,500 in credit card charges because someone forged her signature on two receipts, it said.
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Another customer making his first trip to Alaska this summer told state consumer officials on Tuesday that he prepaid $3,700 for an RV rental and left several messages but no one returned his calls, according to the complaint.
Reynolds Holiman, a Florida engineer who owns property in Homer, said in an interview Friday that he paid $1,840 to drive a new RV from Indiana to Alaska. But in March, Alaska Motor Home put an unauthorized $2,500 deposit on his credit card, Holiman said. Then a few days before the trip was supposed to start in mid-May, he said, the business said the RV was no longer available. He asked for a refund.
Holiman said he had received about $1,400 and the attorney general’s office told him Thursday that the $2,500 deposit was illegal. He said he’s glad to have at least some of the money back.
“Fraud is a strong word, but if they charged me $2,500 they weren’t due yet for a motor home they weren’t paid for yet, that almost sounds like fraud,” Holiman said.
A temporary restraining order requested by the state asks a judge to require Alaska Motor Home to notify customers about the closure, halt new reservations, and preserve company assets and records.
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State officials encourage anyone who made reservations with Alaska Motor Home via credit card to check their eligibility for a chargeback and file a consumer complaint.
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