Alaska Landmine Radio

(This was previously recorded as a live stream, which can be found on our Facebook page, X account, or YouTube channel.) Watch Jeff talk about another nonsense poll that recently came out for the governor's race, the travel scandal involving Anchorage Assembly member George Martinez, and an update on what is happening with the special session on the gasline.

Jeff was joined by John Sims, President of Enstar Natural Gas. They discuss the lake John and Jeff are neighbors on near Big Lake, the Cook Inlet gas supply issue and what that means for Southcentral in the short term, the amount of investment Hilcorp has made in Cook Inlet since 2012, why gas storage could be an issue due to the cold winter we just had, what could happen if we have a cold winter again, what the gasline could mean for energy in Southcentral, some of Enstar's contingency plans if there is a gas crisis in the winter, and the negative effects of rising energy costs in Alaska. 

(This was previously recorded as a live stream, which can be found on our Facebook page, X account, or YouTube channel.)  Watch Jeff talk how the conference committee has still not reached a deal on the gasline bill, how Rep. Jamie Allard's (R) House race is getting very loose, and where the governor's race is now that the primary withdrawal deadline has passed.

Jeff was joined by former Senator and Republican gubernatorial candidate Shelley Hughes. They discuss why she decided to run for governor, the crowded field of Republicans in the race and how that could be a problem for Republicans, how she decided to pick her running mate Blake Gettys, why she moved to Southeast Alaska with her mom and siblings, the challenges the next governor is going to have, the recent passing of her husband of 48 years, how her campaign is going, and who may end up in the top four in the governor's race. 

Jeff was joined by singer songwriter Natalie Gelman, who is touring Alaska this summer. They discuss how she grew up in New York, how she got into music when she was young, playing in the subway, how she has toured all across the country and the world, the business of the music industry and setting up tours, how Covid affected the music industry, how having kids has affected her ability to tour, her life in California with her family, the inspirations behind her music, her current tour around Alaska, and she even plays a few songs! 

(This was previously recorded as a live stream, which can be found on our Facebook page, X account, or YouTube channel.) Watch Jeff talk about the situation involving Decoy Dan Sullivan from Petersburg trying to challenge Senator Dan Sullivan (R - Alaska) and the wild end of the special session in Juneau that failed to produce a gasline bill, resulting in another special session.

Jeff was joined by Juneau attorney Libby Bakalar. They discuss the Alaska Division of Elections recent decision to prevent Petersburg Dan Sullivan from challenging Senator Dan Sullivan (R - Alaska), why she thinks that decision is wrong, the political climate in the United States, the role social media plays in politics, the problems social media causes, the dangers of people consuming news that only validates their beliefs, why lawmakers are failing to police AI, and the Trump era. 

Jeff was joined by Fairbanks North Star Borough School Board candidate Dr. Robert Herrick. They discuss why he moved to Alaska in 2004 from Texas, his job at the University of Alaska Fairbanks as a geophysicist, where he obtained all of his degrees, his work studying space and planets, namely Venus, his thoughts on space travel, why he decided to run for the school board, some of the problems facing education in the state, the declining enrollment in public schools, and what his plan is for running for the school board. 

Jeff was joined by former Governor Bill Walker and Rand Hoffbeck, who recently filed to run as a ticker for governor and lieutenant governor. They discuss why they decided to jump in the race at the last minute, the Permanent Fund yearly draw and the dividend, their plan to pay out $10,000 to each qualified Alaskan to end the PFD, the current attempt at a gasline and his attempt to get it done in the past and as governor, Hoffbeck's time as Revenue commissioner, current issues with the Department of Revenue, and what their plan is to get to make the top four in the primary. 

(This was previously recorded as a live stream, which can be found on our Facebook page, X account, or YouTube channel.) Watch Jeff talk about the ongoing special session on the gasline bill and what the plan is for the next week, a letter Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom (R - Alaska) sent to Decoy Dan Sullivan - who is challenging Senator Dan Sullivan (R - Alaska) - and the crowded governor's race.

(This was previously recorded as a live stream, which can be found on our Facebook page, X account, or YouTube channel.) Watch Jeff talk about a press conference Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance held today on "public safety," Democrat gubernatorial candidate Tom Begich's running mate, and the June 1 filing deadline, which is just five days away.

Jeff was joined by Adam Prestidge, president of Glenfarne Alaska LNG. They discuss his background including obtaining his BA at BYU and his law degree at William & Mary Law School, his time working as a mergers and acquisitions lawyer, how he got into the energy sector, how he ended up at Glenfarne, how Glenfarne got involved in the Alaska LNG project, why it's crucial in his view the gasline bill is passed, the pros of the Alaska LNG project including disruptions in global LNG production, and how the gasline could solve the gas problem in Southcentral. 

Jeff was joined by naturopathic doctor Cameron O'Connell and lobbyist Gene Therriault. They discuss what naturopathic is and what it is not, the reliance in the United States on pills to solve medical problems, a naturopath bill in the House that is stuck in a committee, what the bill aims to do, why the Alaska State Medical Association and Representative Zack Fields (D - Anchorage) are against the bill, and how naturopathic doctors are treated in other states. 

(This was previously recorded as a live stream, which can be found on our Facebook page, X account, or YouTube channel.) Watch Jeff talk about how dirty Anchorage is with all the trash and homeless camps and give a Juneau update with under three weeks left until the constitutional end of session.

Jeff was joined by Attorney General-designee Stephen Cox. They discuss the recent Legislative Skits, how he ended up in Alaska, his background working as a lawyer in D.C., his time serving as a U.S. Attorney in East Texas, the problems with people using AI in the court system, the Alaska Department of Law, some of the things he has been working on as AG, his involvement in helping Alaska's senators find federal judges, and his upcoming confirmation vote by the Alaska Legislature. 

Jeff was joined by Representative Will Stapp (R - Fairbanks). They discuss his position on the finance committee and some flak he has taken for his position on the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD), the ongoing education debate and the battle between funding and accountability, the difficulty of putting a budget together, the vast majority of potential energy projects in Alaska, some of the revenue measures being considered, and the upcoming 2026 primary and general election. 

Jeff was joined by Juneau Assembly member Neil Steininger. They discuss the status of the operating budget in the House and the capital budget in the Senate, the ongoing fight surrounding the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD), the issue at Eaglecrest Ski Area with a gondola that was purchased from Austria, how the session is likely going to end, and what Juneau will be like next year with a new governor. 

(This was previously recorded as a live stream, which can be found on our Facebook page, X account, or YouTube channel.) Watch Jeff talk about the Landmine's prediction for the six Anchorage Assembly and two school board races as well as an update on how things are progressing in the Legislature.

Jeff was joined by Anthony Marnell, CEO of Marnell Gaming. They discuss his background growing up in Las Vegas, a summer playing baseball for the Anchorage Bucs, his family business Marnell Gaming, the boom and bust nature of Las Vegas, how higher prices have driven some people away, why Vegas is so good at building, the sports teams in Vegas, his involvement in the Native Village of Eklutna's casino, some of the problems he has dealt with the casino, and why he thinks it will be a success. 

Jeff was joined by U.S. Attorney for District of Alaska Michael Heyman. They discuss his background as an attorney for the Department of Justice in Nepal and the Maldives, the challenges of working abroad, the drug problem in the United States including the fentanyl issue, how he came to be the U.S. Attorney for District of Alaska, how the U.S. Attorney's office functions, the criminal issues facing in Alaska, the differences between the Biden and Trump administrations, and the morale in his office following some drama the last few years.  

Jeff was joined by Democratic gubernational candidate Tom Begich. They discuss why he is running for governor, the dynamics of the crowded field and ranked choice voting, the challenges of running for office, some of the issues in Juneau including the current mess with the supplemental budget, his time serving in the State Senate and being the minority leader, the dynamics between the majority and the minority, his thoughts on solving Alaska's fiscal challenges, and his families long history in Alaska politics. 

Jeff was joined by Matt Schultz, Democratic candidate for U.S. House. They discuss his background as a Presbyterian minister, why he decided to become a minister, why he decided to challenge Representative Nick Begich (R - Alaska), his thoughts on the homelessness issue in Anchorage, what he would do if elected to Congress, the lack of new infrastructure projects in Alaska, his appearance on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" in 2010, his thoughts on education and healthcare, and the divisiveness in politics.  

Jeff was joined by Trent Hartill, vice president of fisheries and sustainability at American Seafoods. They discuss his family's background in the fishing industry, the ten years he spent working at Alaska Department Fish & Game, some of the challenges the fishing industry faces in Alaska, why fish is such a hot political issue, the opposition to trawling and why some gubernatorial candidates have latched on to it, some of the myths the anti-trawling crowd promotes, and why he has challenged them to a debate. 

Jeff was joined by Representative Nick Begich (R - Alaska). They discuss how his first term in the Congress has gone and what he has learned, the narrow Republican majority in the House of Representatives, how he's managed to get so many bills passed, resource development opportunities in Alaska, the lack of infrastructure projects in Alaska, the rising costs of healthcare and how he thinks costs can be lowered, the governor's race, his upcoming election, and an interesting bill he just introduced. 

Jeff was joined by Jillian Simpson, president/CEO of the Alaska Travel Industry Association (ATIA). They discuss the role ATIA plays in Alaska tourism, the importance of tourism for the Alaska economy, what other states are doing to promote tourism, the different kinds of visitors who come to Alaska, some of the issues tourism faces from NIMBYs, the kind of tourism marketing ATIA does domestically and internationally, and the fight they have had in recent years about their funding level. 

(This was previously recorded as a live stream, which can be found on our Facebook page, X account, or YouTube channel.) Watch Jeff talk about an interesting car ride he took today with Assembly Chair Chris Constant and Mayor Suzanne LaFrance, the recent spike in oil prices due to the war in Iran, an update on what is happening in Juneau.

Jeff was joined by Juneau attorney and politico Joe Geldhof. They discuss a Juneau lobbyist they both know well, the rise in the price of oil after the United States attack on Iran, former Attorney General Craig Richards and his role on the Permanent Fund board, the crowded field in the governor's race, some of the main candidates in the race, who he thinks will make the top four, the Permanent Fund Dividend, and living in Alaska. 

Jeff was joined by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins. They discuss recent campaign finance reports filed by legislative and gubernatorial candidates, why he decided to run for governor, his ten years serving in the Alaska House, why he is against unlimited campaign contributions, the ongoing problem with the Permanent Fund Dividend fight and his thoughts on how to solve it, how his campaign has been going since he recently filed, and his thoughts on a running mate. 

Jeff was joined by Senator Dan Sullivan (R - Alaska). They discuss some protestors that were in the Capitol before his annual address to the Legislature, why some people are hesitant to run for office, the 2020 campaign incident where a woman stormed the stage with a caribou heart when he was giving a speech, why he thinks the gasline is closer than it has ever been, the culture in Alaska of not building things, why he feels so strongly about opening the military base on Adak, the contrast in the speech's that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance gave at the Munich Security Conference, and his thoughts about our relationship with Europe.  

Jeff was again joined by Scott McMurren from Alaska Travelgram. They talk about why he's in Juneau supporting tourism, the state money the Alaska Travel Industry Association uses for supporting tourism, the Alaska Airlines constituent fare, the rising cost of tickets between Anchorage and Juneau, some good deals on tickets to Europe, the new Atmos app, some issues Scott and Jeff have with bad travelers, and some good travel deals coming up this spring. 

Jeff was joined by independent U.S. House candidate Bill Hill. They discuss why he decided to run against Representative Nick Begich (R - Alaska), his background growing up in rural Alaska, his time working as a commercial fisherman, teacher, and eventually superintendent, the main reasons why he is running, why he has not said who he would caucus with if he won, the narrow margin in the U.S. House, the dynamic with he and Democrat Matt Schultz in the race against Begich, and how the campaign has gone since he filed to run in January. 

Jeff was joined by Loren Peterson, founder of Kusilvak Rising. They discuss his background in rural western Alaska, attending Mt. Edgcumbe, attending college out of state, why he came back to Alaska, his time working as a legislative staffer for Senator Donny Olson (D - Golovin), some of the challenges people living in rural Alaska face, his inspiration for founding Kusilvak Rising, what the mission of the group is, and what he hopes to accomplish for the 13 communities in his home region.  

(This was previously recorded as a live stream, which can be found on our Facebook page, X account, or YouTube channel.) Watch Jeff talk about Gov. Mike Dunleavy's recently introduced fiscal plan and the reception its gotten from legislators as well as another Democrat who just entered the crowded field for governor.

Jeff was joined by Department of Public Safety Deputy Commissioner Leon Morgan. They discuss his background in law enforcement in Alaska, problems with the bail schedule, how the Alaska State Troopers academy works, his thoughts on a pension verses a 401(k), and health insurance, for retirement, a ride along Jeff went on years ago, shifting attitudes in society about policing, the return of the Alaska State Troopers TV show, and the ongoing crime problems in Anchorage. 

Jeff was joined by Fairbanks resident Josh Church, who was recently chosen as the running mate of Republican gubernatorial candidate Dave Bronson. They discuss his family's background in Alaska, why he moved to the Philippines when he was a kid, why he decided to join the miliary, his time in the Marines, how he initially got into politics, what he's done in Fairbanks since getting out of the military, why he agreed to be Dave Bronson's running mate, and some of the issues facing the state and nation. 

(This was previously recorded as a live stream, which can be found on our Facebook page, X account, or YouTube channel.) Watch Jeff talk about a video Secretary of War Pete Hegesth just released where he says the Dept. of War is going after the 8(a) program used by many Alaska Native Corporations, another progressive candidate that is likely to enter the U.S House race, as well as other political happenings in Alaska.

(This was previously recorded as a live stream, which can be found on our Facebook page, X account, or YouTube channel.) Watch Jeff talk what the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro could mean for Alaska's budget and why House Speaker Bryce Edgmon (I - Dillingham) still has not decided if he will run for the open Senate seat.

Jeff was joined by videographer Cale Green. They discuss the advantages and disadvantages of being self-employed, problems with the American healthcare system, some past projects he has worked on with Jeff, a trip to Adak they both went on this summer, the geostrategic importance of Adak, how ranked choice will impact the governor's race, his thoughts on how some of the campaigns are using social media, and the Anchorage Assembly's recent decision to replace the city seal. 

(This was previously recorded as a live stream, which can be found on our Facebook page, X account, or YouTube channel.) Watch Jeff talk about a recent story he published that shows how thousands of police calls have been made from the Midtown Walmart and how the legislative session starts in just over three weeks.

(This was previously recorded as a live stream, which can be found on our Facebook page, X account, or YouTube channel.) Watch Jeff talk about how Mayor Suzanne LaFrance recently appointed Tasha Boyer Dunbar - wife of Senator Forest Dunbar (D - Anchorage) - to the Anchorage Sister Cities Commission in spite of her wishing death on President Donald Trump and how Senator Mike Cronk (R - Tok) was recently chosen as the new Senate minority leader.

Jeff was joined Kenny Petersen, one of the owners of Allen and Petersen. They discuss his cooking and home appliance business, which has been in business 58 years, the time he spent in Moscow, Russia in 1990 and 1991 during the collapse of the Soviet Union, what it was like living in Russia at that time, why he started getting involved in trying to solve the homelessness problem in Anchorage, the Good Neighbor Fund he started and what it does, some of the successes he has had with it, and how his model could be scaled to help more people. 

Jeff was joined by Dr. Matt Heilala, one of many Republicans running for governor. They discuss why he decided to become a podiatrist, why he moved back to Alaska after his residency, his career as a doctor in Alaska, the reasons for the high cost of healthcare in Alaska, his time serving on the State Medical Board, why he decided to run for governor, some of the challenges facing Alaska, some of the concerns with the rapid growth of AI, and the role money plays in campaigns. 

Jeff was joined by State Senate candidate Leo Schafer. They discuss why he decided to challenge Senator Cathy Giessel (R - Anchorage), his background growing up in the D.C. area, being in high school when Donald Trump ran for the first time in 2016, attending college during Covid, why he decided to move to Alaska, what he has done since moving to Alaska in 2023, and how he plans on running his campaign. 

Jeff was joined by Anchorage School Board member and current Anchorage Assembly candidate Dave Donley. They discuss why he's running the Assembly (open seat), his time on the Anchorage School Board, including many of the issues he's dealt with as the lone conservative, the problems with education in Alaska, his views on the public safety and vagrancy problems in Anchorage, and his time serving in the Legislature. 

(This was previously recorded as a live stream, which can be found on our Facebook page, X account, or YouTube channel.) Watch Jeff talk about several recent developments that show just how fractured the Republican minority is in the Alaska House.

(This was previously recorded as a live stream, which can be found on our Facebook page, X account, or YouTube channel.) Watch Jeff talk about how Dorene Lorenz recently filed a deranged and hilarious lawsuit against the Landmine (no one has been served but she posted about it on her five Facebook accounts). Her "lawsuit" and "affidavit" demonstrates she has lost grip of reality, if she ever had one. 

Jeff was joined by former senator and current Republican gubernatorial candidate Click Bishop. They discuss why he is running for governor, the crowded field, his time in the State Senate, his work background in Alaska including on the North Slope, the state budget, his thoughts on the Permanent Fund Dividend, the energy challenges in Alaska, and how his campaign for governor has been going. 

(This was previously recorded as a live stream, which can be found on our Facebook page, X account, or YouTube channel.) Watch Jeff talk about another Republican vacancy in the State Senate now that Shelley Hughes has resigned and a recent state funded trip Dorene Lorenz enjoyed to Switzerland that has her angry at the Landmine!

Jeff was joined by Jonathan White, owner of Steam Dot. They discuss how President Donald Trump's tariffs on Brazilian coffee has impacted his business, how crucial coffee imports are for coffee in the United States, how other tariffs have impacted his business, the intricacies of the coffee business, the negative role social media has played in preventing younger people from forming relationships, and the impacts of higher prices of goods and services. 

Jeff was joined by Kassandra Taggart from Real Property Management. They discuss what her company does, why dues for homeowner associations (HOA) have been on the rise since Covid, what has been driving the cost increases, why many HOAs don't have enough reserves to meet their maintenance obligations, what buyers should be aware of when buying a condo or townhouse in an HOA, why some HOAs are better than others, and how bad board members can cause major problems for an HOA.