Good morning, Anchorage.

David Jensen, the creator of 907Chip, installed six pet microchip scanning stations across Anchorage and Mat-Su to help reunite lost pets with their owners—one station reunited a dog in just 30 minutes.

Jensen plans to expand his 24/7 stations to more community locations—he is already scouting sites in Fairbanks, Soldotna, Kenai and West Anchorage.

Drone footage taken in late July shows that a growing vagrant encampment in a wooded greenbelt near Northwood/Strawberry/Raspberry Road has expanded with more makeshift shelters, trash and debris.

Neighbors report that the permanent occupation continues—local officials have not taken visible steps to clear the area despite repeated complaints.

The nonprofit In Our Backyard has provided six tiny homes near West 15th Avenue to help people transition from homelessness since 2024, and its model is showing a way forward in Anchorage.

The city plans to build between 16 and 30 low-barrier units later this year (an approach adapted from the nonprofit) to offer more permanent housing options.

Anchorage Police Department expanded its drone initiative to boost aerial monitoring and response times.

Officials said the new program will cover key areas—more details are expected soon.

Anchorage Police Department is expanding its drone program by equipping eleven certified drone pilots with both indoor and outdoor drones—helping officers gather critical information safely as part of tech-driven policing, according to Chief Sean Case.

The new initiative aims to enhance public safety through innovative technology.

Today the Anchorage Assembly will deliberate two contract awards totaling over $18 million for congregate shelter services for chronically homeless individuals, with one contract proposed to allocate up to $11,115,360 to MASH Property Management and the other up to $7,147,126 to Henning Inc.—both managed by the Anchorage Health Department. The awards aim to provide safe, supervised shelter environments for those who do not adapt to more structured housing options.

Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance announced the Beyond the Beige public art grants—a $100,000 initiative that funds five projects including a $25,000 downtown mural, a $30,000 open-air art project, a $23,000 welcome mural, $12,000 for animal bike racks, and $10,000 for an outdoor gallery. The announcement comes as residents see a rise in tent camps, discarded needles, and boarded-up businesses, fueling concerns about public safety in the city.

Homer native Kristen Faulkner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, faced a collision and a 10-day illness as she finished Stage 2 of the Tour de France Femmes just seconds above the elimination cutoff.

She vowed to support her teammates and continues racing in the nine-stage event that wraps up on Aug. 3—despite the setbacks she has encountered.

Alaska's cyclist Kristen Faulkner struggled to maintain her run in the Tour de France Femmes after battling tough weather and fatigue on a challenging stage.

She finished with a narrow margin—leaving her determined to improve her position in upcoming rounds.

Neil deGrasse Tyson

7:30-11:30 p.m. — Atwood Concert Hall — Tickets available — Engage with an astrophysicist on the wonders of the universe in a captivating evening.

Candlelight Concert: Rings and Dragons

6:30-7:30 p.m. — 49th State Brewing — Ticketed event — Experience a magical live music performance under candlelight at an iconic Anchorage venue.

Hawthorne Heights Live Concert

6:30-8 p.m. — SteamDot Williwaw — Tickets available — Experience the emotional sounds of Hawthorne Heights as they celebrate their latest album ‘The Rain Just Follows Me’.

Uniform Residential Appraisal Report Course

9 a.m. - 5 p.m. — Alaska Aviation Museum — $200.00 ($175 for AI members) — Delve into the new URAR training while enjoying a unique setting at the largest seaplane base in the world.

Battle of the Bands: Bike Week

5-11 p.m. — House of Harley-Davidson — Free entry — Experience local talent battling it out on stage during Anchorage's favorite bike week celebration.

Race Judicata 5K Fun-Run

10 AM – 2 PM — Westchester Lagoon Nature Trail — $35 entry — Support the Anchorage Youth Court while enjoying a community-themed run/walk.

ASA Alaska Chapter Annual Workshop and Meeting 2025

9 a.m. – 5 p.m. — USGS Alaska Science Center — $400 — Explore spatial linear modeling concepts in environmental data analysis at this informative two-day workshop.

Power of Hope Cancer Support Group

Noon to 1 p.m. — Anchorage Native Primary Care Center — Free entry — A supportive learning circle for cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers to discover educational resources and management strategies.

Meet the 4-H Horses

11 a.m. — France Equestrian Center — FREE — Experience a daily rendezvous with 4-H horses and learn more about their care and training.

Rainbow Kitten Surprise Concert

11 AM – 8 PM — Alaska State Fair — Ticket prices vary — Experience a genre-defying performance by Rainbow Kitten Surprise at the Alaskan Fair.