Mayor green-lit $4.9M for Anchorage shelter without needed approval

Truck that hit Glenn Highway bridge was following permit, prompting overpass height review 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, October 14. In today's newsletter: - Mayor Dave Bronson’s administration pushed ahead with millions in construction work on a homeless shelter in East Anchorage without getting Assembly approval first, something that's required by city code. - Ben Stevens, a former Alaska lawmaker and son of the late U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, died Thursday after suffering a medical emergency while hiking, troopers said. - After a state permit required a semi driver to go under an Eagle River bridge that he struck and damaged, transportation officials are reviewing all overpass heights on the Glenn Highway. It’s homecoming weekend at the University of Alaska Anchorage. That means a handful of celebrations plus some home sporting events [this weekend]( featuring the Seawolves volleyball and hockey teams. Plus, fall is in full swing, so there are a number of seasonal events underway in Anchorage. 🌥️ Anchorage weather It's mostly cloudy today with a high of 39 degrees. Saturday calls for a mix of snow and rain, and showers will continue through the weekend and into next week. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com [Bronson administration approved $4.9 million for construction for East Anchorage homeless shelter without required Assembly approval]( [Bronson administration approved $4.9 million for construction for East Anchorage homeless shelter without required Assembly approval]( The municipality is now obligated to pay for the work the general construction manager has done so far — under a contract upgrade that hasn’t been approved — or face a lawsuit, city attorneys say. [Read More]( [Truck that hit Glenn Highway bridge was following permit, prompting overpass height review]( [Truck that hit Glenn Highway bridge was following permit, prompting overpass height review]( The state's transportation department is reviewing the heights of all the bridges on the Glenn Highway after a semi hit a highway overpass last month, triggering costly emergency repairs. The driver behind the wheel of the semi was required by a state permit to go beneath the bridge rather than around it. [Read More]( [Ben Stevens, former Alaska Senate president, dies at age 63]( [Ben Stevens, former Alaska Senate president, dies at age 63]( The son of the late U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens was hiking on the Lost Lake Trail near Seward when he suffered a medical emergency on Thursday, troopers said. Stevens worked most recently for ConocoPhillips Alaska after serving as chief of staff to Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy. [Read More]( ADVERTISEMENT [Mat-Su residents push for all-gender restroom at Colony High after school board limits transgender options]( [Mat-Su residents push for all-gender restroom at Colony High after school board limits transgender options]( To protect trans students from having to “out” themselves at school, a Mat-Su teen came up with an idea: turn one of the school’s boys’ or girls’ restrooms into an all-gender restroom. The effort comes after the borough school board voted last month to ban transgender students from using bathrooms that match their gender identity. (Via Alaska Public Media) [Read More]( [ADN Politics podcast: What happened to Trump’s candidates in Alaska?]( [ADN Politics podcast: What happened to Trump’s candidates in Alaska?]( This week on the podcast, host Elizabeth Harball talks with ADN reporter Iris Samuels about why, even with former President Trump's support, Alaska U.S. Senate and House candidates Kelly Tshibaka and Sarah Palin aren't finding a smooth path to victory. [Read More]( ADVERTISEMENT More from the ADN [Bycatch task force considers new rules, more research to protect Alaska fish intercepted at sea]( [Bycatch task force considers new rules, more research to protect Alaska fish intercepted at sea]( (Via Alaska Beacon) [Read More]( [Anchorage man fined $4,000 for illegally purchasing walrus tusks]( [Anchorage man fined $4,000 for illegally purchasing walrus tusks]( [Read More]( [Owners of Fred Meyer and Safeway grocery chains propose massive $24.6 billion merger]( [Owners of Fred Meyer and Safeway grocery chains propose massive $24.6 billion merger]( [Read More]( [Cyclist seriously injured in collision with SUV in East Anchorage]( [Cyclist seriously injured in collision with SUV in East Anchorage]( [Read More]( [Dimond dominates South to take Cook Inlet Conference flag football title]( [Dimond dominates South to take Cook Inlet Conference flag football title]( [Read More]( [After nearly a decade dominating Alaska’s Division II, the Soldotna football team has a new role — underdog]( [After nearly a decade dominating Alaska’s Division II, the Soldotna football team has a new role — underdog]( [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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