Landmine Radio

Jeff was joined by Anchorage resident Lois Epstein. They discuss how a tree falling in her house in the spring of 2024 during a windstorm led to a nightmare situation with her homeowners insurance, the damage the tree caused to the house, the issues she had with USAA covering the costs of the damage, how long it ended up taking to get it all fixed, and the challenges she had navigating the situation. 

Jeff was again joined by Senator Bill Wielechowski (D - Anchorage). They talk about the education issue that has dominated the last two sessions, Governor Mike Dunleavy's (R - Alaska) veto of HB 69, their plan on education going forward, the budget problems plaguing our state, what he learned last year on a trip he took to Iceland, his ideas on how we can better fund our state, how he thinks session will end, and some problems with lack of transparency in our tax laws.   

Jeff was joined by Juneau attorney Joe Geldhof. They discuss a recent anti-Trump protest outside the Capitol in Juneau, how Alaska used to attract people, the contrast of addresses to the Legislature from Senator Lisa Murkowski (R - Alaska) and Dan Sullivan (R - Alaska), some of the challenges of Governor Mike Dunleavy's (R - Alaska) administration, issues with the growth of the Permanent Fund, chronic homelessness, and some Alaska political history. 

Jeff was joined by Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance. They discuss her time as mayor since taking office last July 1, the lack of snowfall this winter in Anchorage, the potential fire danger this summer due to the lack of snow, what the city is doing to mitigate the fire danger, the growing homeless and public camping problem in Anchorage, her thoughts on what to do about it, her plan to have 10,000 housing units built in ten years, a proposed sales tax from the Assembly that was tabled, and where she thinks the city is headed. 

Jeff was again joined by Representative Will Stapp (R - Fairbanks). They discuss the problems with the budget that include the amount of the Permanent Fund Dividend, increased education spending, and other budget additions, what is happening this year compared to the last two years when he was in the majority, some of the current tensions between the Republican minority and the coalition majority, some interesting bills he recently filed including renting out the Governor's Mansion, and his ideas on how he would solve the budget mess. 

Jeff was joined by Juneau Assembly member Neil Steininger. They discuss his election to the Assembly last year, his time as director of the Office of Management and Budget under Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R - Alaska), the precarious fiscal situation the Legislature is in due to the Permanent Fund Dividend, increased education funding, other budget additions Dunleavy and the Legislature want, decreased revenues, and the fact that the Senate majority has said they do not want to tap into savings despite a large deficit based on what everyone wants. 

Jeff was joined by Anchorage resident Brandon Kennedy. They discuss a medical event his son Marcus had at the Mountain View Boys and Girls Club during a basketball game last August, his son's time at Alaska Regional Hospital, the start of the problems he had with Aetna when his son needed to go to a brain injury facility outside of Alaska, how his son eventually ended up at Shirley Ryan in Chicago, the insurance nightmare he has had to deal with since his son went to Chicago, and some of the help he and his family have gotten along the way. You can view the GoFundMe and more information here. 

Jeff was joined by Jon Glover, Wildfire Division Chief for the Anchorage Fire Department. They discuss his background in wildland fire fighting with the state and federal government, the bad fire season in the summer of 2019, the fire risks facing Anchorage, some of the techniques to mitigate wildfire damage, the fire risks homelessness and public camping create, what property owners can do for fire mitigation, how fire prevention is so much cheaper than fire damage to property, and the amount of fire personnel we have in Alaska. 

Jeff was joined by stuntman and Anchorage resident Peter Wallack. They discuss his growing up in Anchorage, why he decided to join the Marines after high school, his time in the Marines, his thoughts about how warfare is changing, hoe he ended up becoming a stuntman, some of the movies and shows he has worked on, some of the risks of being a stuntman, and his thoughts on the old film tax credit program in Alaska. 

Jeff was joined by Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) President Frank Richards. They discuss a recent announcement about a deal between AGDC, Enstar, and Glenfarne to potentially construct a gasline, the different gasline ideas from former governors, the issues with building a line to Fairbanks and the railing LNG to the Valley, the sheer amount of gas on the North Slope, the problems with relying on imported LNG for our energy needs, the obstacles to getting a gasline built, how their new deal is structured, and his take on how likely this project is to be successful. 

Jeff was joined by Jacob Hersh. They discuss his summer internship at the Alaska Department of Law, the recent tragedy in New York City where a woman was set on fire, the homelessness problem in Anchorage, Alaska's continued population loss, his halfway mark through law school, his plans for his next summer internship, the importance of the First Amendment, and Donald Trump's incoming presidency.  

Jeff was joined by Representative Andrew Gray (D - Anchorage). They discuss his podcast, East Anchorage Book Club, his recent re-election victory, his last two years serving in the House minority, the history of how Mt. McKinley was changed to Denali, the incoming 21-member majority he is a member of, Gov. Mike Dunleavy's (R - Alaska) recent proposed budget, and some of the challenges facing Alaska. 

Jeff was joined by Tyler Arnold from the Alaska Small Business Development Center (SBDC). They discuss his background growing up in Anchorage, how he got into web development and investing in startups, some past speeding tickets, why Anchorage is failing to attract more remote workers, some of the issues new business owners face, the number of older Alaska businesses that are coming up for sale, and the advantages of buying a business rather than working for someone. 

Jeff was joined by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R - Alaska). They discuss the upcoming changes to the U.S. Senate after Republicans took back the majority, the filibuster issue, her policy goals going forward, some of the problems Alaska has faced over the last decade, how the Alaska House and Senate organized so quickly, the possibility of Governor Mike Dunleavy (R- Alaska) taking a job in the Trump administration, and her thoughts on Donald Trump's big comeback win.  

Jeff was joined by Scott McMurren, owner of Alaska Travelgram. They discuss a recent trip he took to Juneau, the high demand for early voting (this podcast was recorded on Oct. 25), a big announcement Alaska Airlines recently made about their mileage program, his thoughts on what the changes mean, the Alaska Airlines Visa card and how much Bank of America pays Alaska Airlines for the program, and some travel tips and deals. 

Jeff was joined by megadonor Justin Weaver, who has donated nearly $200,000 to progressive and moderate legislative candidates this cycle. They discuss growing up in Texas, why he decided to move to Alaska, how his family in Texas made money when they struck oil, why he decided to start making large political donations, how he decided who to donate to, and some of the issues that have plagued Juneau over the years. 

Jeff was joined by Anchorage attorney and author Don Mitchell. They discuss why he came to Bethel in 1971, why he decided to stay in Alaska, his time working in Washington D.C. during the implementation of ANCSA, some of Alaska's political history around statehood, the books he has written about Alaska history, a book he wrote on the history of Indian gaming, the historical misconceptions about tribes in Alaska, how a decision by a former federal official in 1993 changed that, and how some entities, including the Native Village of Eklutna, are trying to bring gaming to Alaska. 

Jeff was joined by Cherokee Savage and Princess Sabrina from the Great Alaskan Bush Company. They discuss a podcast they recently started, how strip clubs have recovered since Covid, working in Alaska compared working at strip clubs in different parts of the country, some life tips on keeping motivated, and what it's like working as a dancer at a strip club. 

Jeff was joined by West Anchorage Democratic State House candidate Carolyn Hall. They discuss her time working for the Boston Red Sox from 2003-2007 and the World Series ring she got when they won in 2004, growing up in Boston, why she moved to Alaska in 2008, her time working as a photojournalist with KTUU and KTVA, her time working in communications roles for former Governor Bill Walker and former Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz, why she decided to run for the State House, and some of the problems facing Alaska. 

Jeff was joined by former Republican Representative and current State House candidate Chuck Kopp. They discuss the homelessness problem facing Anchorage, Alaska's new voting system, why he is running against Representative Craig Johnson (R - Anchorage), his 2020 loss to now-Representative Tom McKay (R - Anchorage), how his district changed after redistricting, his time as rules chair in a previous House coalition, his thoughts on how the House might organize next year, and some of the craziness that happens in Juneau. 

Jeff was joined by Enstar Natural Gas Company President John Sims. They discuss being neighbors on Crooked Lake after Jeff and his buddy Lee Baxter bought a lot on the lake, the looming shortage of Cook Inlet gas for Southcentral, the idea of importing LNG to fill the gap, the downsides of doing that, the reasons for the dwindling supply of gas in Cook Inlet, why some companies want state assistance to explore in Cook Inlet, how a gasline would solve the gas problem not only in Southcentral but also the Interior, his thoughts on energy delivery this winter, and what might happen during the legislative session. 

Jeff was joined by Representative Kevin McCabe (R - Big Lake). They discuss his property near Big Lake, the logging industry, his time serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, his career as a commercial pilot, some infrastructure projects in the Mat-Su Valley, building an Alaska gasline, his time in Juneau since first being elected in 2020, some of the major issues facing Alaska, and the upcoming November general election. 

Jeff was joined by Dennis Young, president of the ILWU Alaska Longshore Division. They discuss a ballot initiative in Juneau that aims to stop cruise ships on Saturday and the Fourth of July, why he thinks it's a bad idea for the Juneau economy, some economic statistics on what cruise ship passengers bring to Juneau and other Alaska communities, the effort to oppose the ballot initiative, a joint effort by the City and Borough of Juneau and the Cruise Lines International Association Alaska on cruise ships in Juneau, and the NIMBYs in Juneau who want to shut down tourism. 

Jeff was again joined by Scott McMurren from Alaska Travelgram. They discuss his airfare discount alert service, Airfare 911, some good deals currently on domestic and international air travel, why airfares have been higher this summer to and from Alaska, some updates on different mileage plans, some in state travel deals, and a wild bachelor party Scott had in Anchorage in the 80s. 

Jeff was joined by Aaron Saunders, owner of Drumfire Public Affairs. They discuss his time working as a staffer for the late Senator Ted Stevens in Washington D.C., including during the bogus FBI/DOJ investigation into him, a bit of talk on sports betting, why he decided to move to Seward, Alaska after college, his time working at the Sea Life Center, how he ended up getting a job with Senator Stevens, and some of his thoughts and experiences with the investigation into Senator Stevens before the 2008 election.  

Jeff was joined by legislative staffer Clark Bickford. They discuss his work over the years as a legislative staffer in Juneau for Representative Jesse Sumner (R - Wasilla) and former Representative Gabrielle LeDoux, his father and brother who also work in politics, his thoughts on Jesse Sumner's decision to withdraw after the primary, how wild Juneau can get, how he got involved in poker years ago, and some poker stories about Anchorage and Vegas. 

Jeff was joined by Republican House candidate Brandy Pennington, who is running for the open South Anchorage House seat. They discuss why she decided to run for office, her background in real estate and the housing problem in Anchorage, her three opponents, her thoughts on education, why Alaska needs more infrastructure built, the interesting dynamics of her race with three Republicans, and why she thinks the legislative session should be moved to Anchorage. 

Jeff was joined by Jacob Hersh. They discuss his first year of law school at the University of Idaho, his internship this summer in Anchorage with the Department of Law, his upcoming second year of law school, his cousin Kristen Faulkner's two gold medals for cycling in the Paris Olympics, the challenges for young people moving to Alaska, the 2024 presidential election, and the upcoming Alaska primary. 

Jeff was joined by former FBI agent Tyler Vose. They discuss his educational background, why he decided to join the Army and his job in the Army, why he decided to join the FBI, the process he had to go through to become an FBI agent, his time working as an agent in Detroit, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, and Anchorage, why he became disillusioned with FBI leadership, and some of the actions of leadership that led him to resign from the FBI.

Jeff was joined by Trevor Storrs and Jen Griffis from the Alaska Children's Trust. They discuss the recent KIDS COUNT, which track the well-being of children, youth, and families and ranks each state, why Alaska continues to rank near the bottom, the problems in the state that contribute to that, why the state government has been unable to fix these problems, and what they think needs to be done to turn things around. 

Jeff was joined by Republican U.S. House candidate Nick Begich. They discuss the race for Alaska's sole U.S. House seat, how the dynamics of this race are different from when he ran in 2022, why he doesn't like Alaska's new voting system, Donald Trump's endorsement of Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom (R - Alaska) in the race, President Joe Biden's abysmal debate performance, some of the issues facing our country, and the upcoming election. 

Jeff was joined by House District 16 candidate Nick Moe. They discuss Nick and Jeff's long friendship, his 2013 write-in race for the Anchorage Assembly that he barely lost, why he decided to file at the last minute to run for the House, the dynamics of the race that include it being an open seat and just one other candidate, Democrat Carolyn Hall, his time working as a legislative staffer in Juneau, the problems facing Alaska, and his strategy for winning the race. 

Jeff was joined by Corey DeAngelis, a senior fellow at the American Federation for Children and a visiting fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. They discuss his new book "The Parent Revolution: Rescuing Your Kids from the Radicals Ruining Our Schools," why he supports school choice, the reasons education scores and outcomes are declining in America, some of the arguments against school choice, what happened to schools during Covid, and his upcoming trip to Anchorage. 

Jeff was joined by Republican House candidate Lee Ellis, who is running for the South Anchorage seat being vacated by Representative Laddie Shaw (R - Anchorage). They discuss how he got into the brewing business, the story of how he met his wife at the Haines Brew Fest, how he ended up moving to Alaska in 2007, the growing homelessness issue, the lack of big projects in Alaska, why he decided to run for the Legislature, how his campaign is going, and the dynamics of his race with four candidates running for an open seat. 

Jeff was joined by Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom (R - Alaska), who is one of several candidates challenging Representative Mary Peltola (D - Alaska). They discuss the end of the legislative session, the importance of Alaska's resources, why she is supporting Donald Trump for president, her time as Corrections commissioner, the crisis at the border, and the national debt. 

Jeff was joined by Heeze-Leende (town in Holland) Mayor Teun Heldens. Jeff met Teun in the Alaska State Capitol while he was in town on a cruise ship. They discuss how mayors are chosen in Holland, which involves being appointed by King of the Netherlands, his time serving as the equivalent of a state legislator in Holland, his role as mayor, the politics in Holland including the swing to the right in last November's election, the differences in politics between the United States and Europe, and his thoughts about American politics. 

Jeff was joined by Nick Tomboulides and Constantine Querard from U.S. Term Limits. They discuss why their group supports congressional term limits, the different ways term limits could be implemented, the arguments for and against term limits, why so many incumbents get re-elected in our system, and why it takes so long to get power in Congress. 

Jeff was joined by Representative Jennie Armstrong (D - Anchorage). They discuss a recent joke she told on the House floor, a bill she has to form a task force for psychedelics, the benefits of psychedelic medical treatment for addiction,  how her time has been this session compared to her first one last year, a recent House Resources Committee hearing that went off the rails, her thoughts on how the state can support more energy, and why she decided not to run for re-election. 

Jeff was joined by Michael Parker from the independent oil company Narwhal. They discuss an explosive House Resources Committee hearing that he and his co-worker presented at about some leases they hold in West Harrison Bay on the North Slope, his background and how he got into the oil business, the issues they are having with Shell and the Department of Natural Resources in the West Harrison Bay Unit, why he thinks Shell is not holding up to the terms of their leases, why he believes the area has big potential, and their plans for the development of their leases. 

Jeff was joined by John-Henry Heckendorn from Ship Creek Group. They discuss his trip to Juneau to ski and attend Folk Fest, his wedding last summer, how his wife, Katie Scovic, is now the campaign manager for Suzanne LaFrance's mayoral campaign, his thoughts on the upcoming Anchorage mayoral run-off, some of the problems facing Anchorage and Alaska, the upcoming legislative races later this year, the ranked choice voting ballot repeal, and the chances Representative Mary Peltola (R - Alaska) has for re-election. 

Jeff was joined by Representative Andrew Gray (D - Anchorage). They discuss the operating budget process in the House, how this session has gone compared to his first session last year, a recent hearing on a bill that aims to ban biological boys from competing against girls in sports, and how an interaction in that hearing between Gray and Riley Gaines went viral on Twitter, the transgender issue and how it has has become part of the culture wars, and an amendment he was able to pass to raise the age of consent in Alaska from 16 to 18. 

Jeff was joined by Juneau attorney Joe Geldhof. They discuss what is happening in the Capitol more than halfway through the legislative session, how the Legislature has changed since the 2022 election, many of the problems Alaska is currently facing including energy and infrastructure, how oil prices affect the state budget, their differences of opinion on how to solve Alaska's energy problems, some Alaska political history, and a big case before the U.S. Supreme Court. 

Jeff was joined by Neil Steininger. They discuss his time as director of the Office of Management and Budget, his time working for a defense contractor in Nevada, why he decided to move back to Alaska, some of the state jobs he had before he became OMD director, working as the OMB director during Covid, the uniqueness of Alaska's budget and revenues, his current perspective now that he's no longer a state employee, and how the session may play out. 

Jeff was joined by Keith McGee, Alaska's only professional NASCAR driver. They discuss how Olympians qualify for the PFD but not professional athletes, his time in the military and how they brought him to Alaska in 2005, how he got into racecar driving, how he became a NASCAR driver, what it's like being a professional racecar driver, and the wild story of how we woke up in 2021 with $181 million dollars in his crypto account. 

Jeff was joined by Dr. Jermoe List, an ear, nose, and throat doctor practicing in Anchorage. They discuss his ecent decision to close down his practice after 32 years of being in business, some of the issues healthcare providers are dealing with, how Covid impacted the healthcare industry, growing up in Costa Rica, his dental training in the Soviet Union, and some of the reasons people see ENT doctors. 

Jeff was joined by Mark Begich. They discuss his company, Northern Compass Group, some of the work he is doing with homelessness, his wife Deborah's businesses in the Anchorage airport, his take on building in Anchorage, why he supports a sales tax, why snow plowing has been such a challenge in recent years and his ideas to improve it, the challenges of finding workers, his ideas on solving the homeless crisis, and the upcoming Anchorage mayoral election. 

Jeff was joined by Jacob Hersh. They discuss his first semester of law school at the University of Idaho, the craziness that is happening at many American universities, the war in Gaza, why vaccine rates are down, his uncle John Faulkner's purchase of Must Read Alaska, his time in Juneau last session for the Landmine, some ideas for Jeff's 40th birthday next December, the upcoming legislative session, and the chaos surrounding next year's precedential election. 

Jeff was joined by Anchorage Assembly member Anna Brawley Eric Visser, owner of Visser Construction. They discuss a recent Anchorage housing summit, some reasons for the housing crisis in Anchorage, the regulatory barriers to building in Anchorage, the Knik Arm crossing, their ideas for how to improve housing, and the upcoming Anchorage mayoral race. 

Jeff was joined by Bethany Marcum and Sarah Hetemi from Americans for Prosperity Alaska. They discuss the mission of Americans for Prosperity, the role they have played in Alaska since 2014, how they each got involved in AFP, what happens in Juneau during the legislative session, Bethany's recent trip to Iowa, the upcoming presidential election, and the lunacy during Covid. 

Jeff was joined via Zoom by former NCAA swimmer turned women's activist Riley Gaines. They discuss her upcoming trip to Anchorage to speak at an event hosted by Alaska Family Council, the swimming race she was in with Lia Thomas, a transgender man (biological male), how she and other women had to share a locker room with Thomas, why she decided to speak up for women, some of the backlash she has faces, and her rise to national prominence after she started publicly speaking against transgender women in women's sports. 

Jeff was joined by Representative Will Stapp (R - Fairbanks). They discuss an attempt by the Harding Lake Mafia to stop a gold mining project in Fairbanks, how building an in-state gasline would reduce the high cost of energy in Alaska, issues facing Alaska schools, some of his ideas for the next legislative session, and his wife's connection to the late Vic Fischer.