Email from Alaska Senate Majority Senator Kawasaki's Juneau Note   October 29, 2025 View as Webpage Hey Neighbors, The Golden Heart City saw its first ‘sticking’ snow of the year and we have officially transitioned from fall to winter. We have many good things happening in our community. I would like to congratulate the Student Wrestling Development Program (SWDP) for winning the nine-man state football championship, defeating the reigning champions from Seward. Also, congratulations to the 21st ranked UAF Nanook Women’s Volleyball team for bringing excitement to the students, faculty, alumni and community members alike and I want to thank everyone who ran to represent our community in the recent local elections. Running to represent our friends and neighbors is both challenging and rewarding. I know our newly and returning elected officials will work to continue making the Interior a great place to live, work and raise a family. Federal Shutdown and How it Affects our Communities In the Fairbanks North Star Borough, we have over 3000 non-military workers affected by the federal shutdown, now in its fourth week. That number quickly multiplies when reviewing the services lost and the effect they have on daily lives of many Alaskans. We have military contractors, air traffic controllers, park rangers, fish and wildlife managers and many other hard-working employees whose primary goal are to work in Alaska and solve local issues on a national level. As a state legislator, I have no direct control over the impasse, I implore our federal leaders of both parties to work together. As in Alaska, our Congress in Washington should also work together instead of pointing fingers and causing this disruption that truly hurts seniors and those who are the margins of poverty and those who live in rural and remote Alaska. The cruelty will mean that 66,000 Alaskans might not have food assistance as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will not be disbursed to the states. Without these benefits, many Alaskans will go hungry and will need to turn to our local food banks and other charitable organizations for support. For those in need in our community, the Fairbanks Community Food Bank can provide support but is also limited by resources, time and money.  If SNAP benefits run out, our food banks will need our support more than ever! If you are able, please consider donating to our food bank. You can drop food off at the Fairbanks Community Food Bank located at 725 26th Ave. You can also drop food off at Mattress Ranch at 927 Old Steese Highway. You can also see a list of items that the food bank is most in-need-of online. Thank you to our local food bank for their service to our community! Typhoon Halong and Our Displaced Western Neighbors The disaster that hit Western Alaska on October 11th displaced 1,500 – 2,000 people from their communities and destroyed their homes. This is a chilling reminder that, despite all our technology, humanity is still beholden to Mother Nature. The state and local government is working to relocate the residents of these communities to Anchorage and Fairbanks. In response to this disaster, the state has established the Alaska Disaster Housing Task Force to help provide hotels and other accommodations for flood victims. While the federal government released $25 million in federal aid for recovery and relief assistance for the next 90 days, current trends have shown a complete lack of federal support when natural disasters strike in the US. President Trump said in June, “We want to wean off of FEMA and we want to bring it down to the state level.” Which is all well and good, except Alaska does not have a disaster fund. In fact, we are currently facing a budget crisis due to policy decisions made in 2013 concerning oil tax credits. (SB 21) The aid Alaska received will go a long way to help the victims of this tragedy put their lives back together, but it won’t be enough. The region is still recovering from Typhoon Merbok, which happened in 2022. This would be a good time for the legislature to consider what the State can do to better prepare for natural disasters. I’ve been concerned about this issue for some time, which is why I introduced SB195 earlier this year in an effort to update the Alaska Disaster Act to consider the effects of the changing global climate. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the displaced families of Western Alaska. The Western Alaska Disaster Relief 2025 Fund is currently accepting donations. If you know someone who has been affected by this tragedy, please direct them to the Alaska Individual Assistance Program. This resource helps people find housing, make repairs, and more. This program provides homeowners with 18 months and renters with three months of housing assistance and is the first step toward obtaining long-term housing for the victims of Typhoon Halong. Follow this link to apply. Government Should Not Ban You from Reading! I love books. It may be nerdy, but it’s true. It is a joy to be a homegrown Fairbanks boy, but by reading books, I was able to expand my horizons far beyond The Last Frontier. My parents were supportive of my educational pursuits, so they facilitated my scholarship by allowing me to read anything I wanted. They knew that the knowledge would only serve to make me a smarter, more empathetic person. Their grace in allowing me to access information freely allowed me to form a well-rounded worldview. My childhood reading habits were on my mind this month because October 5-11 was Banned Books Week. Communities across Alaska came together to discuss the current trend of removing library materials from shelves because a small group finds specific passages offensive. When I attended an event at Solstice Books, I was pleased to find a community of people who understand that good books challenge readers' perceptions. We also discussed the habit of these “Book Banners” to cherry-pick quotes from the book to create a deceptive depiction of a material’s intent. If you only pull the erotic sentences out of a 400-page book, of course that book will seem more sexually charged. The recent US trend of attacking and banning books simply because a specific group may not agree with the ideas they contain is disturbing. In 2015, only 233 books were challenged across the US. In 2024, that number was 5,813. That is an increase of 2,394%! In a country where freedom of expression is a value we all hold dear as Americans. It troubles me that there is a movement seeking to strip away those rights. As I researched the topic of Banned Books, I was dismayed to learn of a case in Alaska where a group tried to remove a substantial number of books from their shelves. Fortunately, the community in the area rallied and pursued justice through the court system. In the end, they were able to get most of the books back on library shelves, but that victory came at a cost. It was a lengthy and expensive process that left the community resentful of the whole matter. So, I wondered if there was a legislative solution. Rhode Island just passed Freedom to Read legislation in its state. This legislation requires that every book challenged undergo a rigorous vetting process to determine whether it has literary, artistic, political, scientific, or educational value. If the book exhibits value in any of those subjects, then it has the right to be accessed by the public. Another aspect of this legislation protects educators and librarians who uphold the First Amendment and allow their patrons to freely access whatever books they desire. These brave individuals should not be persecuted for preserving the right to access information. While reading through this legislation, I saw a real need for this type of policy in Alaska. If you agree with me, please follow this link to a survey where you can tell me why we should uphold the Freedom to Read for all Alaskans. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. A Rally for Democracy Over 2,000 of our local neighbors showed up to participate during the “No Kings Rally." Our founding fathers had the foresight to ensure that every citizen could be heard by their government, which is why the First Amendment guarantees the right to assemble peacefully. There were over 7 million people at more than 2,700 similar events who participated in similar protests across the country. While the culture at large may not see civic duty as “cool”, I firmly believe it is the cornerstone of our democracy. A democracy only works when the people actively participate. Abraham Lincoln resolved that, “Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from this Earth.” When I see so many citizens excited to give up their Saturday to stand in the snow to wave signs, I am hopeful that his resolution will continue to carry into the future. It may seem like an insignificant action to make a sign, bring it to a park and wave it to the cars driving by, but it isn’t. Peaceful protests remind our leaders that a representative government only works when every voice can be heard. As a local leader, I must recognize the efforts of my constituents when they take the time to make a political stand. It was a productive afternoon filled with many deep discussions about both federal and state politics. As the Senator for District P, it was inspiring to see so many of my constituents fully engaging in our democratic process. While the conversations were meaningful, the signs were just plain fun. The creativity of Fairbanks was on display in the vast, colorful, and funny protest signs our neighbors created. Click this link to see an online gallery of these signs. Want to Learn and Study in Juneau? The Ted Stevens Legislative Internship is a fantastic opportunity for students in the University of Alaska system to get experience in the Alaska State Legislature and to learn more about State policy. My office has been fortunate to house and have many interns over the years who have gone on to local government, law school and careers within the state and federal government with the experiences they received while in Juneau. If you or anyone you know attending the University of Alaska Fairbanks or another UA campus is interested in serving in a state legislative office, earning 12 credits, and gaining invaluable work experience that can supercharge their transition to a career after graduation, please learn more about this program. Any major is welcome! Applications are accepted online and are due on November 1st by 11:59 PM. To learn more and apply, please click here. Community Events Fort Wainwright Community Town Halls: Government Shutdown & Assistance Resources - Oct. 29 at 5:00 pm & Oct. 30 at 1:00 pm - Frontier Community Activity Center Ball Room Soldiers and families are invited to attend one of two community town halls regarding the lapse in appropriations, potential government shutdown impacts, and how to access available assistance. Gather & Treat - Oct. 30 from 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Gather Event Center, 719 & 721 2nd Ave, Downtown Fairbanks The Local Downtown businesses of Fairbanks are excited about Halloween! To celebrate, these shops are hosting a safe Trick-or-Treating event for families. Expect treats, community, and spooky fun! Trick or Treat at City Hall - Oct. 31 from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm - City Hall, 800 Cushman Street Creep on over to City Hall for a frightfully fun indoor Trick-or-Treat event. There will be candy for the kids and a contest for "Best Decorated Department". This is a free event! City Hall has never been scarier. Jurassic Park with LIVE Film Orchestration - Nov. 1 & Nov. 2 from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm - 1708 Tanana Loop Join the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra as they screen the film and play the iconic score Live. This is your chance to experience the classic movie like you have never before! Add a little culture to your day and remember, "Life will find a way." Film Screening of Revealed: How to Poison a Planet - Nov. 6 at 6:00 pm - Carlson Center: Prow Hall The Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT) is screening this documentary, which investigates the environmental impact of toxic chemicals, particularly the firefighting foam known as PFAS, and its contamination effects on communities worldwide. My Staff and I are Here for You  As always, I will continue to keep you updated on what I’m working on in Juneau throughout the session. If you have any questions about anything going on in the Capitol or at home, feel free to give me a call or shoot me an email – as always, my staff and I are working for you. We will assist you with the issues important to you and your family. Working Hard for Fairbanks Families, Senator Scott Kawasaki Alaska State Senator Serving the City of Fairbanks, Ft. Wainwright & Badger Road Share This Email Share This Email Share This Email   As your Senator, I am here to listen and help. Contact me anytime. Senator Lisa Murkowski Fairbanks Office: 250 Cushman St, Suite 2D Fairbanks, AK 99701 (907) 456-0233 or Email Senator Dan Sullivan Fairbanks Office: 101 12th Avenue, # 328 Fairbanks, AK 99701 (907) 456-0261 or Email Congressman Nick Begich Fairbanks Office: 542 4th Avenue #210 Fairbanks, AK 99701 (907) 251-4560 or Email     IN JUNEAU: Phone: (907) 465-3466 FAX: (907) 465-2937 State Capitol Building Juneau, AK 99801 IN FAIRBANKS: Phone: (907) 456-7423 1292 Sadler Way Suite 308 (AlaskaUSA Credit Building) Fairbanks, AK 99701 Toll Free: (866) 465-3466 EMAIL Sen.Scott.Kawasaki@ akleg.gov WEB aksenatedems.com/ sen-kawasaki Here are some ways to let your voice be heard regarding issues important to you. Write a Letter to the Editor: submit up to a 350 word letter to the Fairbanks News Miner via their website: [link removed] Contact the Governor: Governor Dunleavy's Fairbanks office may be reached at (907) 451-2920. You can also visit the state website at gov.alaska.gov   Senator Scott Kawasaki | Alaska State Capitol, Rm. 119 4th Avenue & Main Street | Juneau, AK 99801 US Unsubscribe | Constant Contact Data Notice