Sunshine, Fog, Cold and Politics - Must Be Alaska

The day started cold & frosty, with 4 degrees at the airport & 2 degrees in mid-town. Here on the south side, there were pockets of warm air surrounded by the cold. At my place, it was 14, although it must have been colder earlier on, based on the thickness and density of the frost I had to scrape.

The temps rose to a dizzying 12, but have dropped back to 9. The sun was shining in a clear blue sky before it went down, but it was foggy when I left work, and drove through alternating patches of fog and bright sunlight on the way home.

* * * * *
Here's the current crop of Alaskana from around the state:

Link: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner A Fairbanks man who turned his taco into a weapon has been sentenced to $100 in fines, one day in jail and one year probation. "Warren E. Strickland, 31, of Fairbanks, pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct Tuesday for throwing a double-decker taco at a manager of the Taco Bell restaurant," writes the News-Miner. Sounds messy.

Link: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner Field & Stream magazine calls Marty Meierotto of Two Rivers "Alaska's Toughest Trapper" "The Ultimate Survivor" and put him on the cover of its annual survival issue. ... But Randy Zarnke, president of the Alaska Trappers Association, confirms that Meierotto, 49, is a trapper in the fabled Bush Alaska mold -- complete with bushy beard and ratty outerwear. "He's doing what he loves and is willing to extend the extra effort to do it," Zarnke said. "The physical challenge of trapping in a remote location like that is something he looks forward to and is something most other people would run away from." See a photo of Meierotto (he also works as a smokejumper in summer) and family here.

Murkowski tries anew to block EPA regulators - Sen. Lisa Murkowski took her battle with the EPA to the floor of the Senate today, proposing a rarely used procedural move against a federal agency she believes is "contemplating regulations that will destroy jobs." At least three Democrats are backing her. ... Murkowski today re-emphasized her concern about an executive branch agency writing the rules rather than lawmakers.