Alaska virus strategy shifts to at-home test kits, but they’re not always affordable or easy to fi nd

Also: The Bronson administration is changing the minimum qualifications for the Anchorage library director position after criticism over the mayor's previous appointees. Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( [Anchorage Daily News]( Today's sponsor: [Today's sponsor: Pipers Restaurant and Sports Lounge]( Support independent reporting on what Alaskans care about most. [Subscribe today.]( Good afternoon. It’s Thursday, December 30. In today's newsletter: - Alaska’s COVID-19 strategy is shifting to at-home test kits, but they’re not always affordable or easy to find. - Interior Alaska travel is "improving but still difficult" after an icy Christmas weekend storm followed by snow. - Coronavirus cases in Alaska have again begun to rise, and the omicron variant is likely responsible, according to the state epidemiologist. Do you have a dish you eat on New Year's Eve to help bring good fortune in the year to come? Black-eyed peas are one of the most popular good-luck dishes in the U.S. If you're looking for recipe inspiration, [try this flavorful black-eyed peas and greens soup]( to kick-start a healthy new year. 🌤️ Anchorage weather Today's partly cloudy skies (with a high near 24 degrees) are expected to give way to snow starting early Friday. Looking ahead to the weekend, winds will likely pick up Saturday, with temperatures expected to dip below zero Saturday night before we see clearer skies Sunday. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Vicky Ho, vho@adn.com [Alaska’s COVID-19 strategy is shifting to at-home test kits, but they’re not always affordable or easy to find]( [Alaska’s COVID-19 strategy is shifting to at-home test kits, but they’re not always affordable or easy to find]( Authorities say home tests are convenient enough that they can help stall the spread of the virus if they're widely available and affordable. Recently, they weren’t — at least in Anchorage and Mat-Su — but that started to change somewhat this week: Municipal officials in both areas announce large shipments that arrived recently, though many retail outlets in Southcentral seemed to have few if any at-home tests in stock. [Read More]( [Interior Alaska travel ‘improving but still difficult’ after icy Christmas weekend storm followed by snow]( [Interior Alaska travel ‘improving but still difficult’ after icy Christmas weekend storm followed by snow]( Challenging road conditions persisted and several hundred people were still without power after a Christmas weekend storm brought snow and freezing rain and a subsequent snowfall blanketed the Interior. [Read More]( [Alaska reports 996 virus cases over 2 days in uptick likely caused by omicron, state epidemiologist says]( [Alaska reports 996 virus cases over 2 days in uptick likely caused by omicron, state epidemiologist says]( COVID-19 cases in Alaska have again begun to rise, and the highly transmissible omicron variant is likely responsible, according to state epidemiologist Dr. Joe McLaughlin.The state on Wednesday reported 996 new COVID-19 cases over two days as part of a 66% rise in new cases over the last week. [Read More]( [Bronson administration changes library director requirements after criticism over appointees’ qualifications]( [Bronson administration changes library director requirements after criticism over appointees’ qualifications]( The minimum requirements for the Anchorage library director position were a point of contention for Mayor Bronson’s two previous nominees: Sami Graham, whose confirmation the Assembly opposed, and Judy Norton Eledge, who resigned before a confirmation vote was held. Those standards are now less restrictive in a job posting updated by Bronson's administration. [Read More]( [Driver charged with DUI and manslaughter in death of family member standing behind her SUV, Anchorage police say]( [Driver charged with DUI and manslaughter in death of family member standing behind her SUV, Anchorage police say]( A 33-year-old Anchorage woman was arrested after she fatally struck a family member with an SUV while backing out of her Mountain View driveway Wednesday, police said. [Read More]( More from the ADN [Why are so many flights being canceled, and when will things improve?]( [Why are so many flights being canceled, and when will things improve?]( [Read More]( [Congress failed to extend child tax credit expansion, but Murkowski says she’s open to negotiations]( [Congress failed to extend child tax credit expansion, but Murkowski says she’s open to negotiations]( [Read More]( [CDC warns Americans against taking cruises, even those who are vaccinated]( [CDC warns Americans against taking cruises, even those who are vaccinated]( [Read More]( [In 2022, gardeners can help ease political divisiveness by sharing, working together and respecting one another]( [In 2022, gardeners can help ease political divisiveness by sharing, working together and respecting one another]( [Read More]( [COVID-19 protocols force postponement of UAA women’s basketball games this week]( [COVID-19 protocols force postponement of UAA women’s basketball games this week]( [Read More]( The ADN relies on readers like you. 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