Anchorage's public health manager resigns, and the Assembly braces for debate on a mask requirement

Plus: Delayed shipments of monoclonal antibodies are stressing the state's supply of the time-dependent COVID-19 drug. 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 Tuesday, September 28. In today's newsletter: - Anchorage’s public health manager resigns as the city faces its worst COVID-19 surge of the pandemic. - The Anchorage Assembly is considering a mask requirement for indoor public spaces and large, crowded outdoor events. - Delayed shipments of monoclonal antibodies are stressing the state's supply of the time-dependent COVID-19 drug. Are you ready for Fat Bear Week? The March Madness-style tournament of Katmai National Park and Preserve's girthiest grizzlies begins tomorrow. Fans can vote every day between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. AKDT for their favorite, fattest bears at Brooks River. [Here's how fat bear fans can celebrate all week long.]( ☀️ Anchorage weather A sunny afternoon, with a high near 48. Expect mostly clear skies for the next couple of days, then some rain could move into the area late Thursday. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Ryan Cunningham, rcunningham@adn.com [Anchorage’s public health manager resigns as city faces worst COVID-19 surge of the pandemic]( [Anchorage’s public health manager resigns as city faces worst COVID-19 surge of the pandemic]( Christy Lawton is the fourth Anchorage Health Department staffer to leave their job since July, when Mayor Dave Bronson was sworn in. In a statement, she said she was proud of the work done by public health professionals, and she strongly encouraged residents “to set aside politics and focus on what it’s going to take to truly get back to ‘normal’." [Read More]( [Extensive public testimony expected as Anchorage Assembly weighs mask requirement]( [Anchorage Assembly considers mask requirement for indoor public spaces, crowded outdoor events]( Assembly leaders say their Tuesday evening meeting could stretch over several days, as they expect to be inundated with public testimony. Assembly members don’t expect Mayor Dave Bronson would enforce a mask requirement, but a new version of the proposal includes a private enforcement action, in which a resident could submit a written complaint. [Read More]( [Delayed shipments of monoclonal antibodies stress supply of time-dependent COVID-19 drug for some in Alaska]( [Delayed shipments of monoclonal antibodies stress supply of time-dependent COVID-19 drug for some in Alaska]( Nationwide, the process for supplying [monoclonal antibody treatments]( to states is overwhelmed right now, Alaska's state pharmacist says. According to a manager at one Anchorage treatment center, the facility had already turned away over 100 people due to lack of supply by Tuesday afternoon. [Read More]( [Ground search suspended for hiker missing on Crow Pass Trail between Girdwood and Eagle River]( [Ground search suspended for hiker missing on Crow Pass Trail between Girdwood and Eagle River]( Troopers say aerial search efforts are expected to continue as weather and equipment availability allows. Gary Fisk, 74, left Tuesday morning to hike Crow Pass, a trail that runs about 21 miles and typically takes two to three days to complete. Search teams have been looking for Fisk since Friday. [Read More]( [Qualifying Alaskans can receive rent and utility aid for 3 months, and the last day to sign up is Friday]( [Qualifying Alaskans can receive rent and utility aid for 3 months, and the last day to sign up is Friday]( With a federal moratorium on evictions no longer in place, the Alaska Housing Finance Corp. continues to provide relief to households struggling during the pandemic. The state agency is opening up a second round of assistance that’s expected to support additional families who are having trouble paying their rent and utility bills. [Read More]( More from the ADN [Man charged with murder in death of woman on St. Paul Island]( [Man charged with murder in death of woman on St. Paul Island]( [Read More]( [‘Into the Wild’ author torn over removal of iconic bus: ‘I wrote the book that ruined it’]( [‘Into the Wild’ author torn over removal of iconic bus: ‘I wrote the book that ruined it’]( [Read More]( [Senate Republicans block measure to fund government and prevent U.S. debt default]( [Senate Republicans block measure to fund government and prevent U.S. debt default]( [Read More]( [You’re starting to worry your coworker might be suicidal. Now what?]( [You’re starting to worry your coworker might be suicidal. Now what?]( [Read More]( [In 1940, the artist Sydney Laurence predicted his own death. He was only off by hours. ]( [In 1940, the artist Sydney Laurence predicted his own death. He was only off by hours.]( [Read More]( The ADN relies on readers like you. [Get digital access to the ADN for about $4 per week]( and help us cover the news that matters most here in Alaska. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Click here to unsubscribe and manage your email subscriptions.]( Anchorage Daily News Anchorage Daily News 300 W 31st Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99503