Since March 30, an opossum has been running loose in Homer. Grubby, as she came to be known, arrived in a container ship from Washington, and was free for a couple months before being caught by Homer police on May 24. Grubby was sent to the Alaska Zoo, where she will live out her life. She is doing fine and enjoyed a big dinner of salmon! The news of Grubby's safety and that she will have a long and happy life here in Anchorage was great news to those in Homer who advocated for her rescue. Others think she should still run for mayor and apply for her PFD — ‘Possum Fund Dividend’. Either way, Grubby is a bit of a unicorn as she is the only known opossum residing here in the state of Alaska. Considered an invasive species, opossums are of course not welcome here in Alaska … but it was Grubby’s cult following and social media pages advocating for her safety that in the end probably saved her life. Grubby does have her own fund set up at the Alaska Zoo, to donate just head to their website: AlaskaZoo.org
If you have an idea for an Allgood News story, just email Dave: AllgoodNews@KTUU.com
/do0bihdskp9dy.cloudfront.net/06-08-2023/t_6722fdc095c449e4b53cea6f0e845a03_name_file_1280x720_2000_v3_1_.jpg)
Under the assembly proposal the site would have room for 30 - 60 people to camp in vehicles and tents and eventually, small structures called pallet shelters.
/do0bihdskp9dy.cloudfront.net/06-08-2023/t_7f7e4daca1004d1d8f9b64ec350c4a62_name_file_1280x720_2000_v3_1_.jpg)
The Anchorage fire, police, and health departments are all facing critical shortages, which some may say can mean the difference between life and death during an emergency. An Anchorage Assembly member says the problem lies with the city administration and — due to what they call the toxic environment at City Hall — few people want to work for the City of Anchorage. As a result, the public suffers.
/do0bihdskp9dy.cloudfront.net/06-08-2023/t_aba0744efd3747cb866c9a9fd1eab029_name_file_1280x720_2000_v3_1_.jpg)
This year's point-in-time count in Anchorage showed 335 individuals living outdoors. That number is not considered a full, accurate count of the unsheltered, but it is the number used when communities report the number of people living on their streets to the federal government. There are other estimates that up to 700 individuals might be living on Anchorage's streets at times.
/do0bihdskp9dy.cloudfront.net/06-08-2023/t_fd4291229cf5414fa9a839b311b6a989_name_file_1280x720_2000_v3_1_.jpg)
/do0bihdskp9dy.cloudfront.net/06-08-2023/t_aea6fdeca9c7420f83b549eb8c930ad4_name_file_1280x720_2000_v3_1_.jpg)
APD is estimating that they will have a fully equipped staff by either the end of the year or early 2024.
/do0bihdskp9dy.cloudfront.net/06-08-2023/t_808a02b376e142b7b40e3d847e15d689_name_347449023_562861659374345_6902765265531360695_n.jpg)
Moments after the vote, however, meeting attendees burst out in applause after borough Mayor Edna DeVries vetoed the ordinance calling it “bad public policy.”