Alaska House spending plan includes funding for experimental reading institute

And: Murkowski says she remains a Republican after drawing attention for anti-Trump stance ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( Good afternoon. It’s Tuesday, March 26. In today's newsletter: - The Alaska House majority has included in its spending plan $5 million for an [experimental reading institute]( despite concerns raised by lawmakers and delays in the opening of a planned Anchorage facility. - Alaska telecommunications company GCI has reversed course and [no longer plans to end]( its longtime email service. - Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski made headlines over the weekend with comments on [her unwillingness to vote for former president Donald Trump]( which put her in an ever-shrinking group of GOP members opposing the party’s presumptive nominee for president. In his latest column, Alaska historian David Reamer went back more than a century to answer a question: [Was Anchorage funny]( How has humor evolved in the city? That is, would current residents find the jokes of more than 100 years ago amusing? Reamer dug deep back into the archives in search of quips and gags of the time. Anchorage weather It's cloudy today with a high near 43 degrees. The forecast calls for rain mixed with snow overnight that will continue into Wednesday. We'll continue to see cloudy skies and chances for precipitation for the rest of this week, and daytime temperatures will hover in the high 30s and low 40s. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com [House spending plan includes funding for experimental Alaska reading institute despite lawmakers’ misgivings →]( Lawmakers last year approved a request from Gov. Mike Dunleavy to create the institute with a one-time $5 million appropriation. This year’s plan would make the institute permanent, despite continued changes in the institute’s stated goals. ADVERTISEMENT [GCI reverses course, decides not to shut down longtime email service →]( The company had said last summer it would end the service sometime in mid-2024. The announcement upset many customers who had used GCI for their email for decades. [Murkowski says she remains a Republican after drawing attention for anti-Trump stance →]( Sen. Lisa Murkowski is one of a small group of Senate Republicans who have been open about their opposition to Trump’s 2024 presidential run. [Alaska House committee advances bill to expand state trans girls’ sports ban →]( The bill would expand the current ban, which prohibits trans girls from competing in high school girls sports, to all public school students in Alaska. All four yes votes to advance the measure were from members of the Republican-led House majority. [Rural internet bill approved by Alaska Senate; Gov. Dunleavy plans to sign it →]( Gov. Mike Dunleavy said he intends to sign a bill that overwhelmingly passed the Senate to increase internet download speeds for rural schools. The bill was fast-tracked through the Legislature so eligible schools could apply for funding before the deadline. [Anchorage voter turnout so far higher than last regular mayoral election →]( It’s not yet clear whether the slightly higher voter turnout means more people are voting this year, if Anchorage voters are casting their ballots earlier, or possibly both. ADVERTISEMENT More from the ADN [Junior-senior high school on Eielson Air Force Base will be closed for good →]( [Anchorage’s Alissa Pili scores 35 in her final collegiate game, as Gonzaga knocks Utah out of NCAA Tournament →]( [Cargo ship lost power, issued mayday before hitting Baltimore bridge →]( [Grace Christian standouts highlight 2024 Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches All-State teams →]( [Book review: ‘A Complex Coast’ details a youthful journey approached with an open mind and heart →]( [Workplace: My high-paying, high-stress job is ruining my life →]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Click here to unsubscribe and manage your email subscriptions.]( Anchorage Daily News, 300 W 31st Ave, Anchorage, AK 99503, United States