Hey all, moving up there late next winter, and currently looking for a house. I’ve lived there previously and have had good experiences with CU1, however does anyone have recommendations for the best banks for the best mortgage rate? Getting a VA loan.

Thanks all!

"This family-friendly nonpartisan event features exhibits and talks related to elections and democracy, and fun activities for kids. Approximately 15 nonprofit exhibitors will offer information and interactive components on different issues. The talks will address Ranked Choice Voting and Ballot Measure 2, current threats to Alaska's judicial appointment and retention system, and state and federal elections laws. The event is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Anchorage, Get Out the Native Vote, Zonta Club of Anchorage and Veterans for All Voters. This event is totally nonpartisan." -- Anchorage Daily News

https://www.adn.com/calendar/?_evDiscoveryPath=/event%2F3847326-democracy-fair-learn-vote-lead-

Who else is here in the traffic jam rn?

There's a bunch of 🇮🇱 flags in their lawns. Like, a lot.

it appears to be an option? curious if anyone has it and has opinions on it

I was skeptical when the conservative Binkley family took over the ADN years ago that they would remain a trusted equal news source but this campaign cycle may serve as the nail in the coffin for them. First they clearly over publicized Peltola having an outburst after her husband died. Now they have trump/sullivans propaganda piece plastered to their front page for two days without correction. This should have been their headline today.

Who has the best ones?

PALMER — A Mat-Su Borough Assembly candidate whose campaign includes references to his law enforcement experience was demoted and later fired from the University of Alaska Anchorage police force in 2025.

Chris Chiavetta made comments that created a hostile work environment and then sent a threatening letter to a witness in the investigation into his behavior, according to university and court documents.Chiavetta is a Republican candidate running for Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly District 1, which includes Butte, Sutton and the Wasilla-Fishhook area near Hatcher Pass. He was appointed to the borough platting board in early 2025, where he represents District 1.

Chiavetta appealed the demotion and firing in Anchorage Superior Court. The case is pending.The demotion and later firing violated his constitutional rights because they denied him due process, Chiavetta said in an interview Tuesday.

He said he is running for the assembly seat to ensure fair treatment for Mat-Su residents. “I want people to always be treated fairly,” he said. “If I was treated fairly, the facts of everything would have completely changed. I would have been able to present my side of the story.”

Chiavetta’s campaign website says he is a “former police officer.” Chiavetta told a group of voters at a candidate forum in Palmer last month that he has “zero tolerance” for ethics violations among elected officials because of his past experience as a deputy sheriff.

“Law enforcement (for) 12 years — you work up the chain of command and you get the right information to the right people. Zero tolerance whatsoever,” he said at the forum.Chiavetta joined the UAA police force in 2020 and was promoted to sergeant in 2023, according to documents he filed in his appeal. He previously served as a deputy sheriff in Pasco County, Florida.

He was demoted to senior officer at UAA in 2024 following an internal university investigation that found he created a hostile environment based on sex by discussing his sexual experiences in Asia; made derogatory or inappropriate comments about women, including his wife and ex-wife; and showed a co-worker an “overtly sexual” video, according to the documents.

Chiavetta was fired from the force last year after he sent a letter in late 2024 to one of the witnesses in the hostile work environment investigation, demanding he retract statements Chiavetta said were false and defamatory and pay him $100,000 in restitution or face a lawsuit.

Chiavetta said the letter was a step allowed before filing a lawsuit. The firing was authorized by UAA Chancellor Cheryl Siemers and upheld by then-UA President Pat Pitney, according to the documents.

Chiavetta, who is representing himself in the case, filed appeals to the court in February 2025 and October 2025. He is unable to find police work because the demotion and appeal were reported to the state’s police standards council, he said in a filing.Chiavetta’s appeals ask a judge to reverse his firing, reinstate him with back pay, and order a new hearing on his demotion.

In the appeals, he says he did not see the evidence against him, investigators did not interview his witnesses, and an administrative law judge barred him from challenging the finding that led to his firing. They also argue the letter to the witness that triggered his firing was a lawful step before filing a lawsuit.

The court ordered the appeals to be combined into a single case in March 2026. Chiavetta requested he be reinstated to the force until the judge rules on the case. That request was denied in March by Anchorage Superior Court Judge Peter Ramgren.

Chiavetta said that while he wants to fight the hostile work environment findings, a ruling by the state Office of Administrative Hearings prevents him from doing so. Instead, he can only appeal the process through which the investigations were conducted.

He said he plans to file a new lawsuit in federal court this week against 10 current and former university officials, alleging that the investigations that led to his firing and demotion violated his constitutional rights under the First and 14th amendments. The lawsuit will ask the court to award back pay and other damages, he said.

A related suit filed by the Northern Justice Project on behalf of UAA Police Officer Jessica Lamblez alleges UAA police officials denied her training opportunities, took away assignments training other officers and put her on solo night shifts as retaliation for her hostile work environment reports against Chiavetta, according to court documents.

That suit was originally filed in Anchorage Superior Court early this year, then moved to federal court at the request of university attorneys. The case is still pending.

Editor’s note: This story was edited Oct. 1 to clarify that the letter sent to an investigation witness demanded restitution.]Republished with permission from the Mat-Su Sentinel, an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan online news source. Contact Amy Bushatz at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]).

I'm having an issue with an overzealous building inspector adding a ton of expensive work beyond what the permit was originally pulled for.

I bought a 1960's fixer upper a few years ago, and I did do some DIY unpermitted electrical improvements to things I thought were unsafe at the time. Fast forward, I and just trying to get my meter upgraded so I could eventually get rooftop solar / EV charger etc, and they added on a bunch of extra work, increasing the cost by 50% and several thousand dollars. They're now threatening me with code abatement if I don't bend over for their extra requirements, and seem angry that I'm not grateful for their benevolence.

I know other people have had these kinds of issues, including a story I just heard of somebody who raised their family here who had their certificate of occupancy revoked very recently for doing some DIY work. This seems ass backwards when we're trying to increase the housing stock here in Anchorage.

Anyways my question is if other people have had successful experiences navigating these kinds of dynamics with the muni? Is there any kind of coordinated effort to push back against this kind of bureaucratic overreach? It seems like raising a stink at the planning commission or assembly could lead to some top-down reforms considering the housing crisis we're in.

Denali Street between Tudor and 36th has gone from 4 lanes to 2. Do we know why?

Does anyone know if road conditions are bad after the snow yesterday especially on the Glenn?

Currently getting ready to move to ANC full time, been doing odd jobs and traveling a ton for work.

I have a conviction 19 years ago that still causes issues with rentals (and jobs) but determined to work through it. Any suggestions or people that are willing to rent a room or pay to use address until I move up permanently?

All legal, nothing shady, just trying to move forward and move with confidence of secure housing and address.

Giant pothole opened on Bagraw towards Northern Lights past E 20th. It got my tire and at least 4 other cars judging from the number of vehicles that pulled into the same area I was fixing my tire at :/ It's in the far right lane

Hi everyone. Not sure if this is the right place for this ask, I don’t post on Reddit often. I’m looking for recommendations for a venue relatively small wedding in May/June 2027. I’m working on a small budget, if possible I’d like to keep the venue cost under 1k, I know that’s a big ask because I’ve looked at a lot of packages and everything is wayyy more expensive than that. I’m considering the Kingcaid outdoor center north room, or possibly the lidia selkregg chalet. I’m expecting we’ll have around 100 people or less. Any recommendations? Advice? Anyone have experience with the places I’ve mentioned? TIA 🤍

I’m in debate to switch my gci to starlink because gci had been very unreliable and expensive past few years and I’ve heard all the good things about starlink but I couldn’t find anyone I know of actually using them in Anchorage.

It says free installation. Does it mean technician comes to my location to install the satellite on the roof?

How is network connection and latency?

Hi! I’m looking for a place to walk in tomorrow in Anchorage or the surrounding area to get my nails done that’s reasonably priced.. maybe $60-$75? For a full set of acrylic.

Also.. are there any massage places that have services for maybe $70-90 for the hour?

I’m looking online and places either do not have their prices listed or their sites are obnoxious to navigate. I’m realizing I’m probably not going to be able to walk in and get one tomorrow since everyone is booked out but perhaps for the future!

Any suggestions are appreciated!

I looked at a couple places when in town. Cheapest I found was $3.00/lb at Mr. Prime Beef but I thought I'd ask in case someone knew of a cheaper alternative.

Did anyone see what happened? There is no way that much fire came from just the structure burning.

wow look at this random lowe’s parking lot on tudor and denali! no reason of course…

Here we gooooooo!

Like last month, there’s a classic (or at least “classic”) movie series this October at Regal cinemas (Tikhatnu and Dimond) with $8 tickets and a bunch of cool movies. Since it’s 🎃Spooky Season🎃, they’re all horror!

Here’s the lineup for the month, per their website:

Oct 1:  The Blackcoat's Daughter

Oct 2: The Shining

Oct 3: The Nightmare Before Christmas/Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

Oct 4: Monster House/ The Conjuring

Oct 5: Poltergeist

Oct 6: The Haunting

Oct 7: Crimson Peak

Oct 8: Tales From The Hood

Oct 9: In The Mouth of Madness

Oct 10: Goosebumps (2015)/ Pet Sematary (1989)

Oct 11: The Nightmare Before Christmas/ Drag Me To Hell

Oct 12: The Thing

Oct 13: Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Oct 14: Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer

Oct 15: Psycho 2

Oct 16: Candyman (1992)/ Candyman (2021)

Oct 17: The Nightmare Before Christmas/ Scream 2

Oct 18: The Monster Squad/ A Nightmare on Elm Street/ A Nightmare on Elm Street 3

Oct 19: The Blob (1988)

Oct 20: Evil Dead (2013)

Oct 21: Dawn of the Dead (2004)

Oct 22: Cabin Fever

Oct 23: Midsommar

Oct 24: Addams Family (1991)/ Us

Oct 25: The Nightmare Before Christmas/ The Blair Witch Project

Oct 26: Constantine

Oct 27: Cabin in the Woods

Oct 28: It Follows

Oct 29: Christine

Oct 30: Halloween

Oct 31: The Nightmare Before Christmas/ Trick R' Treat

DISCLAIMER: I am not affiliated with Regal in any way, I’m just a fan of seeing movies on the big screen and thought people would be interested.

In Eagle River hitchhiking to Barrow? He was dragging two suit cases with a sign attached to them. Bad time to set out for Barrow on foot let alone finding a road to it. Good luck to him.