Thumbs up:
• Suicide prevention: 988 comes to Alaska (and the nation) as the dialing code for connecting callers to suicide-prevention professionals. Spread the word.
• Public use cabins: Kodiak has two new public use cabins, one on Woody Island and one in Pasagshak.
• Chena River State Recreation: Closed since 2020, the site is being cleaned up with goal of reopening the public campground.
• Tribal recognition: Governor signs legislation formally recognizing Alaska’s tribes.
Thumbs down:
• Monkeypox: First case of the virus arrives in Alaska.
• Overdoses: Alaska continues to struggle with overdose deaths.
• Wildfires: State’s wildfire season is one for the history books.
– Sarah Erkmann Ward, Blueprint Alaska