Labor shortage saddles Alaska construction industry with delays, outsourcing

Plus: Anchorage Assembly revises laws for bicyclists and other non-motorized road users ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( Support independent reporting on what Alaskans care about most. [Subscribe today.]( Good afternoon. It’s Wednesday, August 9. In today's newsletter: - A lack of construction workers, skilled laborers and even architects and engineers is a problem across the economy. But it’s raising [unique concerns in Alaska’s construction industry](. - The U.S. Navy is [naming a ship after a decorated Alaska Native veteran]( who was one of the first Navy SEALs and served as the mayor of Metlakatla. - The Anchorage Assembly [approved an overhaul of the city’s rules]( for bicyclists and pedestrians in an effort to improve safety and set the stage for making the city friendlier to multiple types of transportation. When the weather's less than ideal (as it has been for much of this summer) you can skip the road trip and still find a bit of fun and adventure without leaving Anchorage. The Alaska Zoo, for example, has an energetic new resident: Kova, the young polar bear that moved in this summer. Check out [some of our favorite photos]( of Kova and the zoo's other animals from a visit this week. Anchorage weather It's cloudy with a high of 65 degrees today, and rain showers are likely to continue throughout the day. Rain is likely overnight as well, and Thursday's forecast calls for more scattered showers. Daytime temperatures will hover in the high 60s the rest of this week. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com [Amid a statewide labor shortage, Alaska builders are delaying projects and relying on Outside workers →]( Billions of dollars in federal projects have begun flooding into Alaska from the $1.2 trillion infrastructure measure and other bills. But with workers in short supply, many economic observers are wondering if the state will get the full economic benefit of those dollars. ADVERTISEMENT [U.S. Navy names ship for late Alaska Native veteran →]( The U.S. Navy is naming a ship after decorated Alaska Native veteran Solomon Atkinson, who was one of the first Navy SEALs, trained astronauts and was mayor of Metlakatla, among his other acts of service. [Anchorage Assembly revises laws for bicyclists and other non-motorized road users, but keeps youth helmet requirement →]( Pedestrians will no longer face tickets for jaywalking and bicyclists can treat stop signs as yield signs, among many other changes made by the measure approved Tuesday. [Citing market volatility and Russia’s war in Ukraine, Trident plans to halt salmon buying early →]( The company said it plans to stop buying salmon in all parts of Alaska “on or about September 1st,” except for the coho fisheries in Petersburg and Cordova South. Nor will Trident “be participating in the Puget Sound or Fall salmon fisheries,” the letter said. [NTSB: Helicopter involved in deadly North Slope flight was flying low over lake before crash →]( A helicopter that crashed on the North Slope last month, killing four people, wasn’t reported overdue for more than nine hours despite tracking technology indicating the flight had stopped after flying low over a remote lake, according to a new federal report. ADVERTISEMENT More from the ADN [Alaska regulators ease immediate pressure of suddenly astronomical electricity bills in Aniak →]( [Chitina man dies after being struck by hit-and-run driver on Edgerton Highway →]( [Alaska rugby stars share goal to inspire Alaska’s next generation of players →]( [At least 6 dead as wildfires tear through heart of Maui →](adn.com/nation-world/2023/08/09/people-flee-into-ocean-to-escape-wildfire-in-maui-tourist-town/) [Airfare enters its cheaper era. But for how long? →]( [She invited four people over for lunch. A week later, three were dead. →]( 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