Alaska News Digest 4/20/12

Every Vote Counts, Except the Ones That Don't Dept:  During the Municipal election on April 3, about 40 percent of Anchorage precincts ran out of paper ballots.  The Election Commission will be holding hearings to afford aggrieved voters their day, while the ever-predictable ACLU is demanding a special investigator be hired. The Muni Assembly had the good sense to reject that, saying that the Election Commission must have its chance first. Meanwhile, the chairman of the Assembly announces now that he's going to hire a retired judge to begin inquiry.

Can you say "grandstanding"?  I knew that you could.


News of the Weird Dept:  Another so-called reality show producer wants to base yet another show in Alaska, and says he wants to meet "weirder" Alaskans.  Well, to be fair, there are plenty of (ahem) big personalities up here.  To put it another way: the odds are good, but the goods are odd. :)


Random Factoid Dept: This is post number 2,400. Meh.


Don't Bogart That Bottle Dept: A Wasilla-based distillery is introducing a hemp-based vodka today. Okay, then.


He Was Really Thirsty Dept: A man who rammed a stolen truck into a Juneau brewery and stole beer has been sentenced to eight years and one month in prison. 
      
Superior Court Judge Louis Menendez on Wednesday sentenced 55-year-old Michael L. Rae for felony theft, burglary and criminal mischief.      

Rae in April 2011 stole a delivery truck from a convenience store, rammed it into an Alaskan Brewing Co. building and stole $350 worth of beer.  


One Last Thought Dept: