Body Camera Draft Plan + COVID Testing Scaled Back

Hello, people of Anchorage! Miranda Fraraccio here with your Saturday issue of the Anchorage Daily.

First, today's weather:

A morning shower; cloudy. High: 46 Low: 38.

Here are the top stories in Anchorage today:

1. The Anchorage Police Department has released a new draft policy stating how body cameras will be used, almost six months after Anchorage voters approved the purchase of the cameras for police officers. The ACLU of Alaska has criticized the draft plan, saying it lacks transparency and accountability, and pointed out that the original draft stated that officers who misuse the body cameras could be subject to discipline, but the new draft doesn’t. The police department is taking public comments on the draft policy until Nov. 6. (Alaska Public Media News)
2. Anchorage is scaling back testing hours amid a coronavirus surge that's stressing hospitals. Visit Healthcare, the city’s testing contractor, will be reducing its hours, totaling 108 hours a week, starting Friday at three of its testing sites. The change comes as Visit Healthcare’s COVID-19 testing contract is set to run out at the end of the month. (KTOO)
3. The Anchorage Assembly and Mayor Dave Bronson’s administration battled over proceedings during the sixth chaotic night of public comment on the proposed mask mandate. (Anchorage Daily News)
4. Alaska Airlines announced the addition of new nonstop service between Anchorage and Salt Lake City on Friday. (American Journal of Transportation)
5. Elective procedures have become a flashpoint in the debate over Anchorage's hospital capacity, as staff and resources continue to be strained due to the current COVID-19 surge. (Anchorage Daily News)

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Today in Anchorage:

• Self Guided Storytime Journey - Anchorage Public Library (10:00 AM)
• Virtual Teen Advisory Board - Anchorage Public Library (4:00 PM)

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You're all caught up for today! I'll see you around. If you're into these newsletters, consider bringing some friends and neighbors on board. 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.