Worker exodus tightens pressure on Anchorage employers

Anchorage police officers violated policy in traffic stop where woman used ‘white privilege card,’ deputy chief says 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 Thursday, August 4. In today's newsletter: - As more people leave Anchorage and Alaska to work elsewhere, employers are scrambling to adjust to the labor shortage and hiring more workers from outside the city and state. - The Anchorage Police Department found that two officers violated policy during a traffic stop in which a woman showed them a “white privilege card” instead of a driver’s license. - A former correctional officer at a Mat-Su prison was sentenced to two years in prison for smuggling drugs and cellphones into the facility. Invasive trees and tree varieties susceptible to insect infestation are going out of fashion in Anchorage — the sweeping [spruce beetle infestation]( being one example. But what should those trees be replaced with? Gardener Jeff Lownefels has some thoughts and suggestions on the matter in his [latest column](. 🌧️ Anchorage weather Today is cloudy with a chance of scattered showers this afternoon, and a high around 72 degrees. Friday will be rainy, and a chance of rain persists through the weekend and into next week. Temperatures will range from the low to mid 60s. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com [A shrinking workforce is holding back Anchorage’s economic recovery after COVID-19, report finds]( [A shrinking workforce is holding back Anchorage’s economic recovery after COVID-19, report finds]( Anchorage employers are hiring more workers from outside the city and state to adjust to a severe labor shortage that’s holding back the city’s economic recovery, according to a new report. People — especially young people — leaving Alaska to work elsewhere is a major contributor to the issue. [Read More]( [Anchorage police officers violated policy in traffic stop where woman used ‘white privilege card,’ deputy chief says]( [Anchorage police officers violated policy in traffic stop where woman used ‘white privilege card,’ deputy chief says]( The Anchorage Police Department found that two officers violated policy during a July traffic stop in which a woman showed them a “white privilege card” instead of a driver’s license — an incident that drew outcry from community members. The department wouldn't say what part of their policy was violated, or what, if any, disciplinary actions resulted for the officers. [Read More]( [Former Mat-Su correctional officer sentenced for smuggling drugs into prison]( [Former Mat-Su correctional officer sentenced for smuggling drugs into prison]( A former correctional officer at a Mat-Su prison was sentenced to two years in prison for smuggling narcotics and phones into Goose Creek Correctional Center. Prosecutors say that over about a year, she pocketed roughly $30,000 in bribes. [Read More]( [Wasilla lawmaker who holds Oath Keepers membership faces lawsuit challenging eligibility for office]( [Wasilla lawmaker who holds Oath Keepers membership faces lawsuit challenging eligibility for office]( A former member of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly is challenging the eligibility of Republican Rep. David Eastman for state office, saying that Eastman’s membership in the Oath Keepers militia violates the disloyalty clause of the Alaska Constitution. (via Alaska Beacon) [Read More]( [Windy the wolf dies at 16, marking the end of an era at Alaska Zoo]( [Windy the wolf dies at 16, marking the end of an era at Alaska Zoo]( Windy, the eldest member of a wolf pack that was a fixture at the Alaska Zoo for millions of visitors, has died. “It leaves a hole in the zoo right now, and in our hearts," said executive director Patrick Lampi. [Read More]( More from the ADN [US declares public health emergency over monkeypox outbreak]( [US declares public health emergency over monkeypox outbreak]( [Read More]( [Tracking COVID-19 in Alaska: State reports more cases but fewer hospitalizations than previous week]( [Tracking COVID-19 in Alaska: State reports more cases but fewer hospitalizations than previous week]( [Read More]( [Ex-police chief moved between Army base roles amid Fort Wainwright harassment claims, other allegations]( [Ex-police chief moved between Army base roles amid Fort Wainwright harassment claims, other allegations]( [Read More]( [Youth softball players receive rare exposure and next-level coaching at the Great Alaska Showcase]( [Youth softball players receive rare exposure and next-level coaching at the Great Alaska Showcase]( [Read More]( [Justice Department charges 4 police officers with civil rights violations in fatal Breonna Taylor raid]( [Justice Department charges 4 police officers with civil rights violations in fatal Breonna Taylor raid]( [Read More]( [Egg tortilla rolls make a great quick breakfast or a snack on the go]( [Egg tortilla rolls make a great quick breakfast or a snack on the go]( [Read More]( [Get digital access to the ADN for as low as $1.99 for the first month]( and help us cover the news that matters most here in Alaska. 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