Anchorage jury sees video evidence of Alaska Native woman’s slaying

And: Homer legislator apologizes for suggesting Alaska Native justice advocates exclude white women ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( Good afternoon. It’s Tuesday, February 13. In today's newsletter: - Prosecutors presented more than 20 minutes of [video footage they say was filmed]( by defendant Brian Smith, the Anchorage man who is on trial in the deaths of two Alaska Native women. - A Homer state legislator [apologized on the House floor]( for suggesting last week that Alaska Native criminal justice advocates exclude white women. - Last year, Anchorage loosened rules for accessory dwelling units on residential properties. It’s [not yet clear]( whether that legislation is spurring more development of the units as intended. This week's history column dives into the early, often misguided efforts to portray Alaska on television. With dried salt for snow and glaciers in Fairbanks, [Alaska-themed TV shows]( like “The Alaskans,” “Klondike,” and “Kodiak” were little-loved, short-lived and reflected a limited understanding of the 49th state. But, as historian David Reamer writes, that wasn’t really the point. Anchorage weather It's partly sunny today and the recent trend of warmer weather continues, with a high near 40 degrees. A [high wind warning]( remains in effect for the Anchorage area through 9 p.m. tonight. The rest of the week should be sunny with daytime temperatures hovering in the 30s. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com [‘In my movies, everyone dies’: Anchorage jury sees horrific video evidence of woman’s slaying →]( Anchorage Superior Court Judge Kevin Saxby had weighed arguments over whether the video was so violent it should not be shown to the courtroom as a whole. The judge said he held a duty to ensure victims and their families are treated respectfully by the court system. ADVERTISEMENT [Homer legislator apologizes for suggesting Alaska Native justice advocates exclude white women →]( Rep. Sarah Vance, a Republican, made the comments during a House Tribal Affairs Committee hearing last week about the disproportionate rates of domestic and sexual violence experienced by Alaska Native women in rural Alaska. [A year after Anchorage loosened rules for accessory dwellings, the impacts are unclear →]( Accessory dwelling units are often seen as a small but meaningful aspect of potential solutions to Anchorage’s housing shortage, and city land use plans call for an additional 1,000 new ones constructed by 2040. [Anchorage woman accused of recruiting teens for Thunderbird Falls murder sentenced to 99 years →]( Prosecutors described Denali Brehmer, 18 at the time, as the local leader of five teens caught up in a catfishing scheme by an Indiana man who convinced her he was a handsome millionaire who would pay $9 million for a filmed killing. [Arctic Man snowmachine gathering canceled after permitting snafu →]( An annual snowmachine gathering that draws thousands of revelers to a parking pad off the Richardson Highway near Paxson in late spring has been canceled due to an issue with state permitting. ADVERTISEMENT More from the ADN [Anchorage School District reports tuberculosis case at middle school →]( [Anchorage Assembly proposal would ban right-on-red turns in much of downtown →]( [CDC plans to ease COVID isolation guidelines →]( [Bubonic plague is still around in 2024. How is that possible? →]( [After embarrassing failed vote, House Republicans will try again to impeach Homeland Security secretary →]( [Book review: Whitekeys uncovers a mostly unknown gold rush trek in ‘The Voyage of The Alaska Union’ →]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Click here to unsubscribe and manage your email subscriptions.]( Anchorage Daily News, 300 W 31st Ave, Anchorage, AK 99503, United States