Politics

Oct. 1, 2020 marks a strict deadline. After that date, Alaskans will need federally acceptable identification to board commercial airlines, access military bases, and enter federal facilities. These IDs can include passports, federally recognized tribal IDs, and REAL ID-compliant licenses or identifications. Getting a REAL ID isn’t easy for people living in rural communities, but one rural city is doing everything it can to get REAL IDs for its residents.

On Tuesday, Dec. 10, Bethel City Council approved the sale of property for a marijuana store. For the past few months, council has been grappling with this potential sale. Council members understand that in agreeing to the sale of property to the owners of Kusko Kush, they came to a conclusion that may be unpopular with the public.

Marijuana store Kusko Kush may not be dead yet. The City of Bethel’s proposed property sale to the marijuana store will go back on the agenda for the Dec. 10 regular city council meeting. 

The City of Bethel now has bragging rights over every other town in Alaska. Last week, Bethel City Clerk Lori Strickler was named Municipal Employee of the Year by Alaska Municipal League. 

The City of Bethel has another problem that’s going to get expensive: the floor in the city’s Public Works building is rotting. Fixing the building will cost anywhere from $1 million to $30 million.