Alaska's pharmacies struggle to keep workers amid low pay and customer hostility.

Also: Continuing supply shortages in Alaska are forcing retailers to stock up on goods and hope for the best. And former Anchorage Assembly members say that in nearly five decades, there's never been a fight as nasty as the mask debate. Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( [Anchorage Daily News]( Today's sponsor: [Today's sponsor: Northrim Bank]( Support independent reporting on what Alaskans care about most. [Subscribe today.]( Good afternoon. It’s Monday, October 18. In today's newsletter: - Alaska's pharmacies struggle to keep workers amid low pay and customer hostility. - Continuing supply shortages in Alaska are forcing retailers to stock up on goods and hope for the best. - In nearly five decades, there's never been an Anchorage Assembly fight as nasty as the mask debate, former members say. It's state championship season for high school football in Alaska, and two teams won their first state titles over the weekend: Redington High in Wasilla [claimed the Division III crown](, and Fairbanks' Lathrop High [beat perennial powerhouse Soldotna]( for the Division II championship. (Those photos of teammates celebrating are everything.) Meanwhile, East High punched its ticket to this weekend's Division I title game by [beating West in overtime](, 34-32. East plays Juneau-Douglas, which beat Bartlett. 🌥️ Anchorage weather Today's forecast calls for partly sunny skies with a high of around 43 degrees. The next couple days will likely bring some precipitation to Anchorage — there's a 30% chance of snow early Tuesday and a 50% chance of rain Wednesday — so be sure to watch for slippery road conditions. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Vicky Ho, vho@adn.com [Alaska’s pharmacies struggle to keep workers amid low pay and customer hostility]( [Alaska’s pharmacies struggle to keep workers amid low pay and customer hostility]( Customers may see long lines and delayed services as a shortage of workers bogs down pharmacies navigating a complicated workplace environment. Working at a pharmacy already combines the busy pace of a fast-food gig, the customer service pressure of retail and the stress and precision of working around medicines, Add in the charged atmosphere surrounding the pandemic, and recruiting pharmacy employees becomes even more of a challenge. [Read More]( [Supply shortages in Alaska continue, forcing retailers to stock up on goods and hope for the best]( [Supply shortages in Alaska continue, forcing retailers to stock up on goods and hope for the best]( Clogged U.S. ports during a time of surging demand for products have led to a complicated series of supply-chain glitches affecting everything from stuffed animals to skis. Anchorage business owners say they’ve kept their shelves largely full, but they’re increasingly anxious about future shipments that may or may not arrive as holiday spending ramps up. [Read More]( [Trident Seafoods’ Chuck Bundrant, a pioneer of U.S. fisheries off Alaska, dies at age 79]( [Trident Seafoods’ Chuck Bundrant, a pioneer of U.S. fisheries off Alaska, dies at age 79]( Chuck Bundrant, an epic figure in North Pacific fisheries who started his career as a deckhand on a crabber and went on to cofound Trident Seafoods, died Sunday at his home in Washington state. He played a pivotal role in ushering in a new era in harvests as foreign fleets were pushed out of the 200-mile zone and Americans rushed in to catch pollock, crab, black cod and more. [Read More]( [In nearly five decades there’s never been an Anchorage Assembly fight this nasty, say former members]( [In nearly five decades there’s never been an Anchorage Assembly fight this nasty, say former members]( “It is the most acrimonious that I’ve ever seen.” “It is totally out of control.” “The anger and hatred level is kind of over the top." In interviews with nine past Assembly members, whose time on the body spans from the late 1970s through 2017, there were myriad causes offered for why recent public meetings on a mask ordinance descended into unruly affairs. But everyone agreed it represents a low in the city’s political and civic history. [Read More]( [ Wolverines hockey team brings a mix of new and old to Ben Boeke Arena]( [Anchorage Wolverines junior hockey team brings a mix of new and old to Ben Boeke Arena]( Time will ultimately determine where exactly the Anchorage Wolverines fit into the community’s long-term sports landscape, but they showed promise in a 4-1 win Sunday night over the visiting Springfield Junior Blues. “Obviously, there is some pressure to build this into something,” said Raythan Robbins, 19, the evening’s winning goalie. “But at the end of the day, we’re just all good hockey players playing hockey.” [Read More]( More from the ADN [Anchorage woman dies in head-on collision on Parks Highway Saturday]( [Anchorage woman dies in head-on collision on Parks Highway over the weekend]( [Read More]( [Coast Guard, search teams look for man missing in Southeast Alaska]( [Coast Guard, search teams look for man missing in Southeast Alaska]( [Read More]( [NTSB seeks plane that reportedly collided with another in midair near Sutton and kept flying]( [NTSB seeks plane that reportedly collided with another in midair near Sutton and kept flying]( [Read More]( [Alaska will allow ATVs on roads starting Jan. 1, but snowmachines and hovercraft aren’t included]( [Alaska will allow ATVs on roads starting Jan. 1, but snowmachines and hovercraft aren’t included]( [Read More]( [Alaska hasn’t seen a major decrease in COVID-19 testing but is still falling behind other states]( [Alaska hasn’t seen a major decrease in COVID-19 testing but is still falling behind other states]( [Read More]( [New volume explores the seldom-told story of Valdez’s relocation after the 1964 Alaska Earthquake]( [New volume explores the seldom-told story of Valdez’s relocation after the 1964 Alaska Earthquake]( [Read more]( The ADN relies on readers like you. 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