🌱 Bear Valley House Fire + Anchorage’s Credit Rating Dropped

Get on up, Anchorage! It's Tuesday, so let's get you started with everything you need to know going on today in town.

First, today's weather:

Snow showers. High: 21. Low: 16.

Here are the top stories in Anchorage today:

1. Firefighters battled a blaze at a home in Anchorage's Bear Valley neighborhood early Sunday morning and worked into the afternoon to control the fire. According to Assistant Chief Alex Boyd, crews were called to a large home on the 7900 block of Hazel Court at 7:10 a.m. and arrived about nine minutes later. Although there were people inside the home when the fire began, they were able to get out safely and no injuries were reported. (Anchorage Daily News)
2. S&P Global Ratings dropped Anchorage’s credit rating from AAA to AA+ last week, citing a decline in the city’s available funds during recovery from the 2018 earthquake and the coronavirus pandemic. Lower credit ratings mean the city will have to pay more on its debts, however, it's unclear how much. The report notes that the city could improve its rating if it recoups some earthquake-related spending that is covered by FEMA, but it warns that a trend of gradual population decline could reduce the tax base. (KTOO)
3. While a homeowner was on vacation, a thief was caught on camera taking beers and chips from inside their Anchorage home. Homeowner Dustin Stanley watched security footage from Ring cameras placed throughout his home and confirmed a man broke in Nov. 22 around 2:30 p.m. Footage shows the thief looking directly at multiple cameras, which were meant to be a deterrent, and also shows that nothing of value was taken. Police pulled the man's fingerprint from the thermostat and are investigating. Stanley is offering a $1,000 reward to anyone who can identify him. (WDRB)

Today's Anchorage Daily is brought to you by our friends at Ring, the home security company. Ring does a lot more than doorbells: check out their full suite of smart home products at Ring.com. And thank you Ring for helping to make local news happen in Anchorage!

Today in Anchorage:

• Family Storytime - Mountain View Branch Library (6:00 PM)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Tuesday off right. See you all tomorrow morning for another update! If you're liking these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to follow along. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a born and raised Rhode Islander. She works as a freelance copywriter for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and as an assistant producer for a live-lit storytelling show in Chicago. She holds a degree in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies from The University of Rhode Island. In her free time, you can find her traveling, hiking, or photographing her neighborhood as a street photographer.