Debt and dysfunction: Alaska turned to private agency to care for vulnerable residents

Plus: Group sues state of Alaska to stop mining company from trucking ore on Interior public roads ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 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 27. In today's newsletter: - Alaska's Office of Public Advocacy, facing a staffing crisis, relied on a fledgling nonprofit to lighten its caseload. Some transferred clients, among the state's most vulnerable, [lost critical benefits](. - A new group has filed a lawsuit in Alaska Superior Court seeking to [stop a mining company from hauling double-trailer trucks]( filled with gold ore across a wide swath of Alaska’s public highways, citing safety concerns. - Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy and members of his administration plan to introduce a bill during the upcoming legislative session to [increase incentives for producers]( to help address a looming shortage of natural gas production in Cook Inlet. Halloween is almost here, and there are [lots of spooky ways to celebrate]( in Anchorage. But for those who might want a break from the ghouls and ghosts, there are plenty of other options, including an electronic orchestra. Here are [four non-Halloween things to do]( in Anchorage this weekend. Anchorage weather It's sunny with a high near 41 degrees today. Saturday will bring mostly cloudy skies, and then a chance of rain enters the forecast and hangs around through early next week. Daytime temperatures will remain in the low 40s for the next several days. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com [Alaska turned to a private guardianship agency to care for some of its most vulnerable residents. The result: dysfunction and debt. →]( Some of Alaska’s most vulnerable people were left ailing, indebted, at risk of losing their housing and with their public benefits lapsed — including Social Security payments and Medicaid — after dozens of guardianship cases were transferred from a public agency to a fledgling nonprofit. ADVERTISEMENT [Group sues state of Alaska to stop mining company from trucking ore on Interior public roads →]( [The Committee for Safe Communities says the Manh Choh hauling project will endanger drivers and children at school bus stops. Officials with the state and]( Kinross Gold mining company[ say they’re taking precautions to ensure public safety.]( [Gov. Dunleavy plans legislation to boost incentives for Cook Inlet gas production →]( The proposal comes as utilities along the Alaska Railbelt that rely on natural gas consider new energy alternatives to fill a looming gap, including importing liquefied natural gas, a potentially expensive option that could boost what many Alaskans pay for heat and power. [Alaska governor’s staff blocked publication of state agency’s analysis of teacher pay →]( The report, which had been planned as the cover article in this month’s edition of Alaska Economic Trends, concludes that the state's teachers are paid more than the national average but that Alaska's “pay premium” has declined significantly. (via Alaska Beacon) [Exhibit celebrating Filipinos in Alaska history debuts at Anchorage Museum →]( “Mana: The History We Inherit” is a collection of stories from Filipino elders living in Alaska. It includes portraits, photo archives and stories pulled from oral accounts gathered over the last year. ADVERTISEMENT More from the ADN [Israeli army says ground forces are ‘expanding’ activities in Gaza →]( [Anchorage Wolverines’ international players parlay unique opportunity into team success →]( [Alaska gardening: Longer nights and lower temperatures make Alaska ideal for holiday plants and cacti →]( [Charlottesville’s Lee statue meets its end, in a 2,250-degree furnace →]( [Searching for seasonal sweets? These white chocolate candied apples invoke the flavors of fall →]( [Millions work as content creators. In official records, they barely exist. →]( 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