🌱 Anchorage Couple Creates Wildlife App + JBADD Free Services Return

Hello again, Anchorage! Important update: You all, as readers, have made the Anchorage Daily so successful that it is my honor to announce the next stage of the newsletter. Patch is looking for a local writer and entrepreneur to take the helm of the Anchorage Daily. Although I have loved getting to know this community, we want to pass the torch to someone truly local to write about Anchorage long term. So if you’re interested in earning extra income while making this newsletter a more valuable resource for your neighbors, learn more and apply here.

First, today's weather:

Times of clouds and sun. High: 48 Low: 35.

Here are the top 3 stories today in Anchorage:

1. Joint Base Against Drunk Driving (JBADD) has returned after a hiatus due to COVID-19 and they're looking for volunteers. JBADD is a volunteer program that provides rides to military members, including active duty and National Guard, as well as dependents, retirees, and contractors. The service is free to any Department of Defense ID holder and the organization's goal is to prevent drunk driving. They operate every Friday and Saturday from 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. and provide rides everywhere from south Anchorage to Chugiak. Those interested in volunteering should contact JBADD directly. (Anchorage Press)
2. An Anchorage couple has created an app to help educate others about increasing wildlife safety. Scott Keenan and his wife Ashlie created the app Repawts after moving to Anchorage from Australia and realizing that there was no information readily available to help them safely navigate Alaska's wildlife. On the app, users can share important information about wildlife sightings and also receive emergency alerts. (Alaska's News Source)
3. Angel's Italian Ice is more than just a delicious stop after dinner: it's a tribute to Calvin Gadson's love for Italian ice and for his late sister, Angel. The two shared a bond over their love for Italian ice and after several years of selling it out of his house, Gadson and his wife now own Angel's Frozen Treats in Anchorage. Ninety-eight percent of Angel’s Italian ice is non-dairy and is made with 100 percent cane sugar. (Anchorage Daily News)

Today in Anchorage:

• Mystery Book Club At Anchorage Public Library (2:00 PM)
• Tai Chi Basics At Oriental Healing Arts Center (6:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• All nonstop Alaska Airlines flights between the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport have been canceled from June until November, according to an Alaska Airlines spokesperson. (AlaskasNewsSource.com)
• It's happening this weekend at the Alaska Zoo: Star Wars Day is coming in for a landing on May 1! Don't forget to come in your favorite Star Wars costume. The zoo will have a visitor costume contest at 2:00 p.m. with prizes for best youth and adult! (Facebook)
• Superior Court Judge Thomas Matthews, who's examining a new map of state Senate districts in Anchorage after he ordered them to be redrawn, said he'll likely render a decision on the map's legality later this week. (Anchorage Daily News)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Thursday. I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow morning with your next update!

— Dominique-Noelle Rafael

About me: Dominique is a self taught UX/UI designer based in Princeton, NJ. She recently graduated from the University of Maryland last spring with a bachelor's degree in Information Science. She is excited to begin working on the Patch newsletter project this year!