Alaska Landmine Radio

Jeff was joined by Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson's Chief of Staff Alexis Johnson and his Communications Director Corey Allen Young. They discuss how they were both born and raised in Anchorage, their work backgrounds, how they came to work for Mayor Bronson, the relationship between Bronson and the Anchorage Assembly, why Bronson decided to close down the Sullivan Arena as a shelter, allowing peopl...

Jeff was joined by former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. They discuss the dysfunction in the Alaska Legislature, how her fame since being John McCain's running mate in 2008 has impacted her life, being a creator on Cameo, why she decided to run for Alaska's sole U.S. House seat after former Congressman Don Young passed away, her issues with the Biden administration, why we need increased energy prod...

Jeff was joined by Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson. They discuss his first year in office, his contentious relationship with the Anchorage Assembly, moving on from COVID-19, the ongoing homelessness problem in Anchorage, his plans to solve it, the housing crisis in the city, and the Assembly's recent approval of an ordinance that allows them to remove the mayor. 

Jeff was joined by Republican U.S House candidate Tara Sweeney and her campaign manager Karina Waller. They discuss Al Gross' withdrawal from the special election and how the Supreme Court ruled that Sweeney would not be on the ballot, why she decided to run for the late Don Young's seat, her time working as an assistant secretary of Interior for the Trump administration, oil and gas production in...

Jeff was joined by attorney Brett Frazer. They discuss the history of the Alaska Judicial Council, why it's unique from most other states for how judges are selected, the federal system to select judges, the history of the judicial system in the United States, the role the judiciary plays, why some people don't like the Alaska Judicial Council, why Brett thinks it's the best possible system, and s...

Jeff was joined by Democratic U.S. House candidate Mary Peltola and her campaign manager, Kim Jones. They discuss Peltoa's time serving in the Alaska Legislature, growing up in rural Alaska, her dad's longtime friendship with the late Congressman Don Young, how her campaign got her into the top-four in a 48 person race, Al Gross' withdrawal from the race, some of the issues facing Alaska, her stra...

Jeff was joined by Rob Forbes, who is running in the special election for the Downtown Anchorage Assembly seat. They discuss his former business Shred Alaska, his new business the Eureka Space, the challenges of running a small business, why he decided to run for the Anchorage Assembly, some of the issues facing Anchorage and the state, and the acrimony between the Assembly and Mayor Dave Bronson....

Jeff was again joined by Scott McMurren from Alaska Travelgram. They discuss the high airfare prices that are still on the rise, some deals that are out there within the United States and abroad, the new airline flying direct from Anchorage to Frankfurt, some of the ways to use credit cards for travel benefits, and some clever ways to earn more elite qualifying miles. 

Jeff was joined by Mike Craig from Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. They discuss how he grew up in Valdez and Glenallen, how he turned a temporary one month job at Alyeska into a career that has lasted 39 years, his work at Alyeska since the early 1980s, keeping the Trans-Alaska Pipeline safe, and the upcoming 45th anniversary of the pipeline being in service. 

Jeff was joined by Jodi Taylor, board chair of the Alaska Policy Forum. They discuss why her family moved to Alaska, how she met her husband Treg Taylor (the current attorney general), a recent article about the state reimbursing parents for some private school classes, how this has been going on for several years, the benefits of the program, and how education can be improved in our country. 

Jeff was joined by former Anchorage Homeless Coordinator Dr. John Morris. They discuss the rules when drinking moonshine, his upbringing in West Virginia, why he decided to move to Alaska, why he decided to become an anesthesiologist, some of the science and history behind anesthesia, his time as homeless coordinator under Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson, some of his thoughts on solving homelessness,...

Jeff was joined by Senator Bill Wielechowski (D - Anchorage). They discuss the transgender girls in sports bill being debated in the Senate, the organizational problems in the Senate, his time in the old bipartisan Senate majority, the chaos with the budget on the Senate floor, the possibility of the House concurring with the Senate's colossal budget, how things have changed during his 16 years in...

Jeff was joined by Lael Oldmixon, the program director Alaska 529. They discuss how Alaska 529 - a savings plan that lets people save for their education - works, how and what the money can be used for, how they were established, the ability to use part of your dividend for Alaska 529, the rising cost of tuition and the student loan problem in the United States, some of the incentives they are cur...

Jeff was joined by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R - Alaska) and Senator Joe Manchin (D - West Virginia). They discuss the recent confirmation vote of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, their role in getting the infrastructure bill passed, the media attention he got when he came out against the Build Back Better bill, the Senate voting to ban Russian energy imports, increasing American energy p...

Jeff was joined by former KTVA employees Trent McNelly and Jason Sear. They discuss the story of when Charlo Greene infamously said "Fuck it, I quit" live on air in 2014 when she was a KTVA reporter, the roles Trent and Jason played in the immediate aftermath, how the situation quickly went global, their background in news and at KTVA, and the challenges the news media is facing. 

Jeff was joined by Jacqueline Tinetti from Council of State Governments (CSG) West. They discuss the history and role of CSG, how she got the job with CSG West, her background in California state government, some of the unique issues facing western states, how state governments handled COVID-19, and her thoughts about Alaska. 

Jeff was joined by Dr. Cathy Cahill and James Parish from the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration with the University of Alaska Fairbanks. They discuss their group's work on drones, how the drone industry has changed over the last several years, the applications of expanded drone use in Alaska, how they are working with the state and federal government, and the future of their...

Jeff was joined by Representative James Kaufman (R - Anchorage). They discuss his background working in oil and gas, why he decided to run for the House, how it was running against the co-chair of the House Finance Committee, some of the bills he has been working on, his idea about a strategic management plan for the state, his time in the Capitol since being elected in 2020 including how COVID-19...

Jeff was joined by Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner Jim Cockrell. They discuss his background as an Alaska State Trooper, his time as head of the State Troopers and the Wildlife Troopers, why he decided to cancel the Alaska State Troopers TV show, public safety issues in Alaska, recruitment challenges in Alaska, this history of the State Troopers, how he became commissioner, and his...

Jeff was joined by Representative Calvin Schrage (I - Anchorage). They talk about why he decided to run for the Legislature in 2020, how COVID-19 impacted his race, how things are different in the Capitol this year now that it's open to the public, the challenges of having a job and being in the Legislature, what it's like being in a narrow majority, Alaska's fiscal challenges, unlimited campaign...

Jeff was joined by Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly member Mindy O'Neall. They discuss why she decided to move to Alaska from Iowa, some jobs she worked when she first moved to Anchorage, how she got a job working as a staffer in the Alaska Legislature, why she moved to Fairbanks, how she got on the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly and became presiding officer, politics in Fairbanks, Ala...

Jeff was joined by Juneau KTOO reporter Rashah McChesney. They discuss her work in journalism in Alaska, her time at KTOO in Juneau, how the media landscape has changed over the decades, the challenges facing the media, the different approaches to journalism and getting stories, the relationship between the press and the government, COVID mandates, and a new job she just accepted. 

Jeff was joined by Kara Moriarty from the Alaska Oil & Gas Association (AOGA) and Sarah Erkmann Ward from Blueprint Alaska. They discuss how things are in Juneau now that the Capitol is reopen, a reality show Kara's husband - an Alaska Airlines pilot - appeared in, Sarah leaving AOGA and staring her own PR firm, how Juneau has changed over the years, and Alaska's new voting system. 

Jeff was joined by Juneau attorney Libby Bakalar. They discuss the recent decision in her case against Governor Mike Dunleavy (R - Alaska), how her case has been going the last three years, the press and the First Amendment, the situation involving Representative David Eastman (R - Wasilla), Alaska's new voting system, how contemporary life has changed since the early 20th century, and how technol...

Jeff was joined by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R - Alaska). This was first recorded as a video interview . They discuss the one-year anniversary of the January 6 Capitol riot, former President Donald Trump's odd conditional endorsement of Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy (R - Alaska), the federal infrastructure bill, and what's happening in D.C.