As AFN convention begins, advocates call for expanded subsistence protection

Plus: COVID deaths in Alaska down significantly in 2022 but still the 4th leading cause of death ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( Support independent reporting on what Alaskans care about most. [Subscribe today.]( Good afternoon. It’s Friday, October 20. In today's newsletter: - Advocates for Alaska Native interests say they see an opening to [significantly broaden]( a key federal subsistence fishing protection across the state. The effort comes as thousands of Alaska Natives gather for the [annual Alaska Federation of Natives convention](. - COVID-19 deaths in Alaska were down significantly in 2022 compared to the previous year, but the coronavirus [was still one of the leading causes of death]( according to a new report. - On this week's ADN Politics podcast, hear from an Anchorage Assembly member with a background in city planning about [efforts to address the city’s housing crisis]( and challenges that are coming up along the way. Anchorage is officially in full fall mode. That means it's time to embrace the traditions of October. Halloween events are already filling the calendar, with a mummy-themed theater production and a haunted trails event happening this weekend. There's also the AK Ski Swap for those who are ready for snow. See what else is happening in Anchorage this weekend [here](. Anchorage weather It's sunny today with a high of 35 degrees. Crisp, clear days are set to continue through the weekend and into next week, with mostly sunny skies and daytime temperatures hovering in the low to mid-30s. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com [Photos: AFN convention opens in Anchorage →]( The annual convention for the Alaska Federation of Natives — the state’s largest Alaska Native organization, representing more than 140,000 Indigenous people — kicked off Thursday in Anchorage. The convention is free to attend and open to the public. Check out this [schedule of events]( that continue through Saturday. ADVERTISEMENT [Alaska Native advocates and leaders call for expanded federal subsistence protection →]( Advocates want the protection, which provides a fishing priority in times of shortage for rural residents who are typically Native, to expand beyond sections of rivers associated with federal lands such as refuges, where the law currently applies. [COVID deaths in Alaska down significantly in 2022 but still the 4th leading cause of death →]( Among Alaska residents, there were 265 COVID-19 deaths reported in the state last year. That’s significantly fewer than the virus-related deaths reported in 2021, when the delta wave of the pandemic swept through Alaska into the fall and winter. [ADN Politics podcast: How one Assembly member sees Anchorage’s housing crisis — and where we go from here →]( Anyone who has tried to buy or rent a home in Anchorage recently has been faced with the realities of the city’s housing crisis. The issue is impacting everything from attracting and retaining workers to efforts to address homelessness. [Rep. Peltola returns to the U.S. Capitol amid House speaker gridlock →]( Rep. Mary Peltola, Alaska’s lone representative in the U.S. House, returned to Congress this week for the first time since her husband Eugene “Buzzy” Peltola Jr. died last month in a plane crash. ADVERTISEMENT More from the ADN [Alaska Air trims plan for fleet growth as traveler momentum slows →]( [American mother and daughter held hostage by Hamas have been released, Israel says →]( [House Republicans drop Jordan as nominee for speaker, falling back to square one →]( [Judge fines Trump $5,000 after social post maligning court staffer is found on campaign website →]( [UAA volleyball settles for progress over payback in loss to Simon Fraser →]( [‘Teaming With Microbes’ podcast: First frost →]( 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