Thumbs up, thumbs down

Thumbs Up

Uncle Ted: Bronze statue of former U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens is unveiled at his namesake airport to fanfare, nostalgia.

Icebreakers: First polar icebreaker in more than 40 years, more Coast Guard cutters funded by Congress.

Yup’ik masks: Alaska artifacts displayed together for the first time in a century.

Sobriety: Being sober is the cool new thing.

Thumbs Down

PFD payback: The governor’s bill to pay back PFD checks doomed to languish in legislative committees.

Southeast drought: Lack of precipitation leads to drought in the Panhandle.

Scammers: Ketchikan is out $20,000 after a fake invoice was paid.

– Sarah Erkmann Ward, Blueprint Alaska