An Alaska lawmaker's controversial Facebook post, and the Winner Creek hand tram's uncertain future

Also, this week's Curious Alaska dives into the question: Does Alaska have snakes? And could Alaska's climate ever be hospitable enough for snakes to exist in the wild? Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( [Anchorage Daily News]( Support independent reporting on what Alaskans care about most. [Subscribe today.]( Good afternoon. It’s Wednesday, June 30. In today's newsletter: - A state lawmaker shared a Facebook post comparing media and medical professionals who share vaccine information to Nazis executed for war crimes. - The Winner Creek hand tram in Girdwood is unlikely to reopen — but the community is considering other options, like a bridge. - This week's Curious Alaska dives into the question: Does Alaska have snakes? What's happening in the world of Alaska politics: Gov. Dunleavy is expected to sign the state budget today, and Anchorage Mayor-elect Dave Bronson takes office tomorrow. We'll be following those developments with more coverage at ADN.com, so stay tuned.☀️ Anchorage weather Today's forecast calls for plenty of sunshine and a high near 74 degrees, and skies should stay pretty clear tonight with a low around 50. Enjoy this sunny spell while you can — clouds (and perhaps some rain) are expected to roll in Friday. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Vicky Ho, vho@adn.com [Alaska lawmaker shares social media post comparing media and medical professionals to Nazi war criminals]( [Alaska lawmaker shares social media post comparing media and medical professionals to Nazi war criminals]( State Rep. Ron Gillham shared, and later deleted, a Facebook post on his personal page that compares members of the news media and medical experts who share information about COVID-19 vaccines with Nazis who were executed for war crimes. When asked about the post, Gillham said, “I forwarded a post that I believed was a historical incident. That was it.” He also said he was "not an advocate for violence.” [Read More]( [Winner Creek Trail hand tram in Girdwood unlikely to be reopened, officials say]( [Winner Creek Trail hand tram in Girdwood unlikely to be reopened, officials say]( The Winner Creek Trail hand tram, whose novelty attracted hikers in Girdwood for nearly two decades, is closed for the foreseeable future and is unlikely to be reopened. Someone cut through the tram’s locks earlier this year, according to an official, bringing into focus for many residents just how difficult effectively managing the hand tram would be. Reopening the tram would require several changes, including finding a willing insurance agency. Now the community is considering replacement options, such as a suspension-type bridge. [Read More]( [Curious Alaska: Are there snakes in Alaska?]( [Curious Alaska: Are there snakes in Alaska?]( It’s a question that Josh Ream, the president of the Alaska Herpetological Society, gets all the time. And the answer is a little more complicated than a simple yes or no. While there aren’t any natural snake populations here because of how cold it gets, people do spot them occasionally — but experts think those are likely released pets or escapees. That brings us to another question: Could Alaska’s climate ever be hospitable enough for snakes to exist in the wild? 🐍 [Read More]( [Crews find more partial human remains from 1952 plane crash on Southcentral Alaska glacier]( [Crews find more partial human remains from 1952 plane crash on Southcentral Alaska glacier]( The solemn task of sifting through rocks, twigs and ice to find human remains as small as a fingernail continued this month on Colony Glacier north of Anchorage, nearly 69 years after all 52 members of a military transport flight were killed when the plane slammed into a mountain. Following previous recovery missions that have occurred since the crash wreckage was spotted in 2012, crews recently finished a two-week search at Colony Glacier with the intent of providing closure to more families. They recovered over 460 bags of remains and nearly 100 bags of personal effects. [Read More]( [Anchorage RV rental company ordered to pay $110,000 over unfair treatment of tourists]( [Anchorage RV rental company ordered to pay $110,000 over unfair treatment of tourists]( An Anchorage RV rental company was ordered by a judge to pay $110,000 over unfair and deceptive business practices, including charging exorbitant fees or canceling on short notice to rent vehicles to customers willing to pay higher prices, according to prosecutors. An attorney representing the company denied that the owners intentionally violated trade practices or harmed consumers, and said that "there were some growing pains in the initial years, they worked out those kinks and were incredibly honest about areas where they needed improvement.” [Read More]( More from the ADN [Bill Cosby freed from prison after sex assault conviction overturned by Pennsylvania Supreme Court]( [Bill Cosby freed from prison after sex assault conviction overturned by Pennsylvania Supreme Court]( [Read More]( [Court case may decide whether situation that led Alaska to brink of shutdown could happen again]( [Court case may decide whether situation that led Alaska to brink of shutdown could happen again]( [Read More]( [No one injured when small plane flips during emergency landing in Kenai wildlife refuge]( [No one injured when small plane flips during emergency landing in Kenai wildlife refuge]( [Read More]( [Heat wave linked to sudden deaths in western Canada as temperature hits 121 in B.C. town]( [Heat wave linked to sudden deaths in western Canada as temperature hits 121 in B.C. town]( [Read More]( [Covenant House breaks ground on new transitional housing for young adults in Anchorage]( [Covenant House breaks ground on new transitional housing for young adults in Anchorage]( [Read More]( The ADN relies on readers like you. 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