In Anchorage, a final scramble as Sullivan Arena shelter closes

Plus: Nearly 2 weeks after Yukon River floodwaters covered the runway, Russian Mission’s airport is still closed ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( Today's sponsor: [Today's Sponsor: Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities]( Support independent reporting on what Alaskans care about most. [Subscribe today.]( Good afternoon. It’s Thursday, June 1. In today's newsletter: - As the final remaining homeless clients in Anchorage’s Sullivan Arena shelter [packed up their belongings]( Wednesday and left, many still didn't know where they would go. - Alaska Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s adviser on “pro-family” policies [resigned this week]( after revelations that he made incendiary and offensive statements on a podcast. - Following destructive winter ice jam flooding along the Yukon River, the village of Russian Mission's [airport is still closed]( essentially stranding about 400 residents. Alaska summers are beautiful, but short. As gardening columnist Jeff Lowenfels points out, we don't have the luxury of a long enough growing season to take a weekend off because it's too cold or wet, or to go fishing or do anything else that might delay getting our gardens in. His advice: [plant seeds and starts now]( before the window closes. Anchorage weather It's overcast today with a high near 53 degrees and a slight chance of rain starting later this afternoon. Rain is likely overnight, and Friday is forecast to be cloudy. We should see at least partly sunny skies by the weekend, and daytime temperatures will hover in the high 50s and low 60s. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com [A final scramble as Anchorage’s Sullivan Arena homeless shelter closes →]( The arena has served as the city's only walk-in, low-barrier homeless shelter since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, even in the absence of other options, city officials say it’s time to close the arena as a shelter for good. Meanwhile, waitlists are long for private shelters, substance abuse treatment and housing vouchers. ADVERTISEMENT [Alaska Gov. Dunleavy’s policy adviser who said ‘divorce is worse than rape’ resigns →]( Jeremy Cubas resigned from his $110,000-a-year job as pro-family policy adviser for the governor after Alaska Public Media and APM Reports revealed that he defended Hitler, used racist slurs and said a man raping his wife is an “impossible act.” (via Alaska Public Media) [Nearly 2 weeks after Yukon River floodwaters covered the runway, Russian Mission’s airport is still closed →]( Outgoing winter ice dams triggered flooding in the village that as of today had shut down the low-lying runway for 11 days. Residents are stranded without fresh food, mail, or a way in or out. [Dunleavy appoints former adviser to University of Alaska regents after Legislature rejects his first pick →]( After the Legislature narrowly voted to reject Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s appointee to the University of Alaska Board of Regents, the governor appointed former chief of staff Tuckerman Babcock to the position. [2 more bodies found in wreckage of fishing charter boat near Sitka →]( The bodies of two sisters have been recovered from a vessel that capsized near Sitka Sunday night in the deadliest incident in the Alaska charter industry in decades. The boat captain and another passenger are still considered missing. [SPONSORED: Landmark mental health stabilization centers opening in Anchorage, Juneau →]( Presented by Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority: Urgent care facilities designed solely to treat behavioral health emergencies will soon offer Alaskans new options for timely mental health care. ADVERTISEMENT More from the ADN [Alaska Rep. Peltola joins Democrats supporting bipartisan deal to avert debt crisis →]( [Mat-Su teacher sentenced to 46 years in prison for sex offenses involving 11 children →]( [Body discovered near popular Anchorage trailhead; police investigating as potential homicide →]( [The new food stamp work requirements, explained →]( [Man accused of murder in stabbing death dies while awaiting trial →]( [A wave of retirements is leaving some US industries desperate to hire →]( The ADN relies on readers like you. [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. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Click here to unsubscribe and manage your email subscriptions.]( Anchorage Daily News, 300 W 31st Ave, Anchorage, AK 99503, United States