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Rise and shine, Anchorage!
Before we get into today’s email… I’m excited to share that we quietly launched BaseLocal Business last week, and 400+ businesses have already signed up 🥹 If you own or manage a local business and want to see what the platform’s all about, you can sign up for free in less than five minutes (if you haven’t already).
We launched the platform to make it easier for the community to connect with local businesses in a meaningful way that benefits everyone… and so far it’s going great.
So I just wanted to say THANK YOU to each and every one of you for being here and helping us make this newsletter better every day.
— Cait Baker
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📰 In the news
Impacts on classrooms and programs: Mayor LaFrance has proposed a $12 million levy to ease Anchorage schools’ $83 million shortfall. The Assembly is expected to send it to April voters, costing $110 per $400,000 home — get all the details.
Seasonal wildlife safety concerns: After recent heavy snowfall, more moose are moving into Anchorage neighborhoods. Fish and Game urges caution around stressed, hungry animals and reminds drivers to watch for moose on local roads — learn how to stay safe.
Campus impact earns acclaim: UAA has been awarded the 2026 Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement, a national honor recognizing strong campus community partnerships. The designation underscores Anchorage ties and is valid through 2032 — learn more about the designation.
Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.
Gold & silver are hot: Gold just had its best year since 1979. Silver did even better, climbing nearly 150% in 2025… and analysts expect the momentum to continue. If you’re curious about adding precious metals to your portfolio as a market hedge, American Hartford has a helpful guide that covers everything you need to know. It’s free — and definitely worth a read.
*We do our best to avoid paywalled articles. If any slip through, let me know which ones and I’ll permanently remove them from our source list!
Highlights this week:
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🫶 We got your back
Bridging the justice gap: Today on MLK Day, Alaskans can get free legal help for civil issues like family law, landlord tenant, probate, consumer or debt, public benefits, and disaster relief applications. The Alaska Court System is offering filing fee waivers for those who qualify, and free transportation is available to the Anchorage clinic. Get all the details.
Warm your noggin: If your ears are staging a coup, Oomingmak Musk Ox Producers’ Co-operative handknits qiviut caps and other winter staples, ultralight and seriously warm, made by Alaska Native artisans. The result makes itchy beanies obsolete… cloud-soft insulation that laughs at wind and keeps your mood thawed.
Treat your lashes right: For flutter without fuss, LILA Lounge offers classic, hybrid, and volume sets tailored to your natural lashes. Anchorage-based and esthetician-run, it’s quality-first comfort, the kind of appointment where you recline, drift off, and wake up to an easy weekday upgrade.
A new haircare solution: My hair’s been thinning and I’ve been quietly ignoring it, hoping it’ll fix itself. Plot twist… it hasn’t. When I finally started looking into what I should do, there were so many options I didn’t know where to start. I stumbled on Keranique, and its simplicity really sold me. One kit, no pills, no choosing products, and no confusion whatsoever. It’s also on sale with a money-back guarantee (although I doubt you’ll need it).
An emergency vet visit could cost you $7,000+ (ask me how I know 🙃). From the initial fee just to be seen to x-rays, surgery, medicine, and aftercare, it adds up quicker than a chew toy turns into a crime scene. The good news? You could get up to 90% cash back on your vet bill with this pet insurance plan.
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📆 Around town this week
Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →
All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.
🐻 Looking Back – Looking Forward; Alaska National Wildlife Refuges – Purpose, Place, & Promise @ REI | Tuesday (1/20) at 5:00 PM – REI’s community room is hosting a watch party for Robin West, the biologist who turned 30 years in Alaska’s refuges into campfire stories. Expect canoe tales, a solo paddle through wildfire, and how our refuges came to be. Zoom is fine, but the camaraderie’s here.
🍽 Winter Dinner @ South Restaurant + Coffeehouse | Tuesday (1/20) at 6:30 PM – If you’ve been waiting for an excuse to trade your streaming queue for real conversation, Executive Chef Carlos Walker is serving a cozy winter dinner built for grown-ups. Think comfort without the clichés, thoughtful courses, and wine you actually want to finish.
🎬 Twilight Zone Double Feature: Cold War Paranoia @ Anchorage Museum | Tuesday (1/20) at 6:30 PM – This Twilight Zone double feature channels peak Cold War jitters, as Monsters Are Due on Maple Street and The Shelter turn suburbia into a rumor mill with flashlights. It ties into the museum’s Cold War exhibit; tickets are $10, $8 for members.
🛷 Frosty Fun Family Sledding @ Kincaid Chalet | Wednesday (1/21) at 6:00 PM – Nothing says Anchorage like sliding down a hill in the dark, then thawing out by the fire with hot chocolate, s’mores, and feeling in your toes. Bring a sled, the kids or your inner child, and enjoy a free, everyone-welcome evening with Parks and Rec.
🍄 Needle Felted Mushrooms Class for Beginners @ The Art Lounge | Wednesday (1/21) at 6:00 PM – Swap screen time for stabby therapy in a beginner needle felting class making mushrooms in any color, perched on driftwood, with a tiny frog, a smug ladybug, or other riffraff. All materials included, tea’s on, snacks welcome, and it’s 50 bucks, last-minute discounts, no experience.
🚴 Women’s Hot Chocolate Ride @ Trek Bicycle Store | Wednesday (1/21) at 6:30 PM – Grab your fat bike and meet crew at Abbott Loop for a women’s all-levels winter ride that ends with hot chocolate and riding buddies. Free rentals with code HOTDEMO, reserve online, and bring charged lights, a travel mug, and layers, because daylight is overrated.
🎉 AK Live Well Grand Opening @ AK Live Well | Thursday (1/22) at 12:00 PM – If you’ve needed an excuse to snoop a refreshed wellness space, this is it. AK Live Well is celebrating with an Anchorage Chamber ribbon cutting, because nothing says new chapter like giant scissors, plus snacks, refreshments, giveaways, and specials running through the end of January.
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
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📻 Anchorage report
Weather forecast
Today – High: 27°F – Low: 19°F – Precip: 0%
Patchy freezing fog before 9am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 27. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Later: Areas of freezing fog. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 19. Northeast wind around 0 mph.
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Tomorrow – High: 28°F – Low: 15°F – Precip: 6%
Partly sunny, with a high near 28. Northeast wind around 0 mph. Later: Partly cloudy, with a low around 15. Northeast wind 0 to 5 mph.
This house is wild
Three years old, this hillside ranch pairs main-level living with a walkout lower level totaling 1,534 square feet. The plan has 4 bedrooms plus a den and 2.75 baths, including an 851 square foot family room, two bedrooms, and a bath. South windows pour in light. The great room has LVP flooring, a gas fireplace, and Chugach views. The kitchen adds an 8 foot island and quartz counters.
High-end finishes pair with a 5 Star+ energy rating. The primary suite has mountain views, a walk-in closet, dual vanities, and a large walk-in shower.
Fenced, landscaped corner lot near Kincaid Park, trails, and Sand Lake, minutes to airport and shopping.
Take a peek inside →
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Thanks for reading! If you know someone who’d love BaseLocal, send ’em here so they can sign up too 🙂
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