Audit finds high rate of problems in Alaska's small business COVID aid program

New Mat-Su school policy threatens transgender students, advocates say. It may also be illegal. Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( [Anchorage Daily News]( Today's sponsor: [Today's sponsor: Alaska Navigator]( Support independent reporting on what Alaskans care about most. [Subscribe today.]( Good afternoon. It’s Friday, September 16. In today's newsletter: - Alaska's coronavirus aid program for small businesses had a high rate of grants paid out to recipients who weren't eligible, among other issues, a legislative audit found. - Advocates for transgender students say a new school bathroom policy in Mat-Su poses threats to transitioning students, and that it may not be legal. - An Anchorage family is still recovering after a landslide prompted by extended wet weather slammed into their apartment, knocking their daughter unconcious. The onset of autumn can bring with it a general slowing down of life and activities. But for those who seek it out, there's still plenty of entertainment and things to do in Anchorage. [This weekend](: a pirate-themed pub crawl, a cabaret show and the Great Alaska Quilt Show come to town. ☁️ Anchorage weather It's overcast today with a high of 58 degrees. There's a slight chance of rain this afternoon, and rain becomes likely this evening. Saturday will start out rainy before the sun breaks through, and we'll get a break on Sunday with sunny skies. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com [Alaska’s $290M COVID aid program for small businesses was slow to act and had ‘high rate’ of issues, audit finds]( [Alaska’s $290M COVID aid program for small businesses was slow to act and had ‘high rate’ of issues, audit finds]( A legislative audit of Alaska’s small business coronavirus aid program found “a high rate” of grants paid to ineligible recipients, the rate at which the grants were issued “fell far short of expectations,” and there was a “materially deficient” monitoring process once they were distributed. It’s unclear if $1.2 million identified as misused public funds will be recouped. [Read More]( [New Mat-Su school policy threatens transgender students, advocates say. It may also be illegal. ]( [New Mat-Su school policy threatens transgender students, advocates say. It may also be illegal.]( Last week, Matanuska-Susitna Borough school officials banned transgender students from using bathrooms that match their chosen gender identity. Transgender advocates say that, rather than increasing school safety, the abrupt shift to an outdated practice poses real risks to students in the midst of transitioning. [Read More]( [A landslide left an Anchorage 10-year-old unconscious and trapped in her room. Her parents pulled her from the debris.]( [A landslide left an Anchorage 10-year-old unconscious and trapped in her room. Her parents pulled her from the debris.]( A landslide slammed into the wall of 10-year-old Palmer Charles’ West Anchorage bedroom last week, leaving her with a concussion and upending normal life for her family. “You don’t prepare for this," her mother Tanisha Charles said. "You think of fires, you think of earthquakes, but you never think of a mudslide in the middle of town.” [Read More]( ADVERTISEMENT [ADN Politics podcast: What’s at stake in this year’s Alaska legislative elections ]( [ADN Politics podcast: What’s at stake in this year’s Alaska legislative elections]( On this episode of the ADN Politics podcast: Nearly every seat in the Alaska Legislature is up for election in November. The potential ramifications are big as the state continues to grapple with issues including the budget, abortion and the future of ranked choice voting. You can subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, or find other episodes [here](. [Read More]( [Dimond’s ‘core four’ aim to uphold the program’s gold standard in girls swimming]( [Dimond High's ‘core four’ aim to uphold the program’s gold standard in girls swimming]( It’s been nearly a decade since a swimming team other than the Dimond High Lynx captured an Alaska state championship. A core group of four on this year's girls team aims to uphold the standard of excellence that has been in place since before they were in middle school. [Read More]( ADVERTISEMENT More from the ADN [Election in West Anchorage could be key to control of Alaska Senate]( [Election in West Anchorage could be key to control of Alaska Senate]( (Via Alaska Beacon) [Read More]( [From ‘catastrophe’ to competitor, West High’s Ari Kaufman is breaking swimming records with a balanced approach]( [From ‘catastrophe’ to competitor, West High’s Ari Kaufman is breaking swimming records with a balanced approach]( [Read More]( [Mass burial site contains victims of torture, Ukrainian president says]( [Mass burial site contains victims of torture, Ukrainian president says]( [Read More]( [Whether they’re store-bought or foraged, try adding mushrooms to this classic Roman dish]( [Whether they’re store-bought or foraged, try adding mushrooms to this classic Roman dish]( [Read More]( [Migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard are moving to mainland military base]( [Migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard are moving to mainland military base]( [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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