Longtime lawmaker Johnny Ellis dies at 61. Plus: Will Anchorage take over a 2nd airport?

Also: Coast Guard petty officer sentenced to 6 years in prison for daughter’s crib death in Kodiak. 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 Friday, February 11. In today's newsletter: - The Municipality of Anchorage is in talks to take over a second airport, the Birchwood Airport, from the state. - Johnny Ellis, a longtime Anchorage state senator, has died at age 61. - A Coast Guard petty officer was sentenced to 6 years in prison for her infant daughter’s crib death in Kodiak. Kim Sunée this week has an unfussy, adaptable recipe to satisfy your craving for something sweet without too much trouble. Her [cornmeal snacking cake]( with cream cheese frosting welcomes the addition of your favorite flavors, like lemon or orange zest, cardamom or vanilla. ☁️ Anchorage weather It's an overcast day in Anchorage this Friday, with a slight chance of snow and an expected high of 29 degrees. Snow is in the forecast tonight, with 1 to 2 inches of possible accumulation. High temperatures this weekend are expected at around 30 degrees. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Elizabeth Harball, eharball@adn.com [Anchorage in talks to take over a second airport from the state]( [Anchorage in talks to take over a second airport from the state]( The Municipality of Anchorage and the Alaska Department of Transportation are moving toward an agreement to transfer ownership and management of the Birchwood Airport from the state to the city. [Read More]( [Johnny Ellis, longtime Anchorage state senator, dies at age 61]( [Johnny Ellis, longtime Anchorage state senator, dies at age 61]( Ellis was elected to the Alaska House in 1986 and to the state Senate in 1992, serving in the Senate until 2016. Colleagues described him as a regular moviegoer, fastidious in his habits, and an active participant in Democratic politics. [Read More]( [Coast Guard petty officer sentenced to 6 years in prison for daughter’s crib death in Kodiak]( [Coast Guard petty officer sentenced to 6 years in prison for daughter’s crib death in Kodiak]( In a case that centered on the young mother’s mental health and postpartum depression, Katie Richard, 25, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter last week. Richard, a Coast Guard petty officer, was sentenced to six years in prison for the death of her 5-month-old daughter in Kodiak. [Read More]( [Alaska reports 1,870 COVID-19 cases over 2 days, fewer hospitalizations]( [Alaska reports 1,870 COVID-19 cases over 2 days, fewer hospitalizations]( Alaska health officials also confirmed this week that cases of a new coronavirus subvariant have been identified in the state. [Life inside the closed loop of the Beijing Winter Olympics]( [Life inside the closed loop of the Beijing Winter Olympics]( The latest Olympic journal from Daily News reporter Nathaniel Herz: "While I can travel and mingle at the Olympics with relatively little concern, I can’t walk across the street: Participants at the Games are confined to the hotels, restaurants and competition venues that are part of what organizers call a 'closed loop' system that’s completely sealed off from the rest of China." More from the ADN [Canadian judge orders an end to blockade at border bridge]( [Canadian judge orders an end to blockade at border bridge]( [Read More]( [A partnership in Mat-Su sends more than 60,000 salvaged and donated books to Alaskans across the state]( [A partnership in Mat-Su sends more than 60,000 salvaged and donated books to Alaskans across the state]( [Read More]( [Jury hears closing arguments in Palin defamation lawsuit against the New York Times]( [Jury hears closing arguments in Palin defamation lawsuit against the New York Times]( [Read More]( [Anchorage skier Scott Patterson hits his stride after injury, with high hopes for top 10 Olympic finish]( [Anchorage Olympic skier Scott Patterson hits his stride after injury]( [Read More]( [Bethel man charged with murder after fatal fight]( [Bethel man charged with murder after fatal fight]( [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