Anchorage paddler nearly knocked off board in close encounter with humpback

Plus: Alaska lawmakers push back against attorney general’s position on out-of-state abortion records ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( Support independent reporting on what Alaskans care about most. [Subscribe today.]( Good afternoon. It’s Thursday, July 20. In today's newsletter: - Several state legislators are [pushing back against the position of Attorney General Treg Taylor]( who joined other states in favoring a policy that would allow law enforcement to access information on abortions obtained across state lines. - An Anchorage man was nearly knocked off his paddleboard last week on the glassy waters of Passage Canal near Whittier when [a humpback whale surfaced right in front of him](. - Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy [fired two opponents of a mining road]( proposed in the Mat-Su from a state board that helps shape a land management plan for the area. There's a bit of sunshine in the forecast for the weekend — something Anchorage residents aren't used to seeing this summer. It's a great opportunity for a picnic, and food writer Mara Severin visited Anchorage's specialty markets to put together a perfect meal. From drinks and bread to meats, cheese, and even dessert, [here's our curated picnic basket]( for a sunny day outdoors. Anchorage weather It's partly sunny today with a high near 65 degrees. There's a slight chance of rain overnight, but we'll see mostly sunny skies on Friday. A mix of clouds and sun will last through the weekend, with daytime temperatures hovering in the low 70s. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com [Alaska lawmakers push back against attorney general’s position on out-of-state abortion records →]( Treg Taylor had [signed a letter]( last month opposing a proposed federal rule that would ban states from gaining access to records pertaining to abortion and other reproductive health care. ADVERTISEMENT [Humpback whale nearly knocks paddler off board near Whittier →]( “I dream about seeing whales up close. But not this close. Not while on a paddleboard,” Anchorage resident Kevin Williams said of the close encounter last week. Grown humpback whales can weigh 40 tons and are often more than 40 feet long. [Dunleavy fires two Susitna road opponents from land management advisory board →]( The governor fired the two men from the Susitna Basin Recreation Rivers Advisory Board. The Susitna watershed is the site of the proposed West Susitna Access Project, a 100-mile road that is a priority of Dunleavy’s. (via the Northern Journal) [Facial recognition remains unregulated in Alaska, even as it grows in use →]( Alaska Airlines is planning to use facial recognition technology by summer 2024, part of a system intended to speed preflight check-ins. (via Alaska Beacon) [How taekwondo became a youth sensation in the tiny Southeast Alaska town of Whale Pass →]( Despite living in a place where the population rarely crests 100 even during the busy summer season, Jesse Dempsey is one of 10 kids practicing taekwondo in the small Alaska town on Prince of Wales Island. ADVERTISEMENT More from the ADN [Anchor Point man who shot Alaska state trooper convicted of attempted murder →]( [As climate change transforms the Arctic, Homeland Security must adapt, official says →]( [Inmate dies at Palmer Correctional Center after medical emergency, troopers say →]( [After fitful starts, Trump election investigations hurtle toward charges →]( [The sea otter harassing California surfers eludes capture as her fan club grows →]( [Smoking weed after work? A growing number of employers don’t seem to mind. →]( 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