The Must Read Alaska Show

What's Next for the Future of Anchorage: Anchorage Assembly Candidate Brian Flynn

In this must-listen episode, Todd Lindley sits down with Brian Flynn, the conservative private-sector candidate challenging incumbent Anna Brawley in the Anchorage Assembly District 3 West Anchorage rematch. Flynn pulls no punches on what residents are really seeing: 15-20 foot snow piles blocking cul-de-sacs while officials claim victory, skyrocketing property taxes, a homelessness system that “recycles” people from winter shelters to summer streets, and crime ordinances that exist on paper but never get enforced.
Flynn lays out his bold, no-nonsense plan: a forensic spending audit before any new taxes, a centralized triage hub that actually matches people to the right help (not just the nearest bed), real accountability for APD, protection of the Eklutna Dam, and a push for the Railbelt gas line to keep energy affordable. He also shares his elevator pitch for why adventurous Alaskans should choose Anchorage — and why it’s time to bring private-sector discipline to City Hall.
Plus: Flynn’s full slate of reform candidates and exactly how to vote before April 7 (in-person voting starts March 31 at City Hall and Loussac Library).
 
Links:
Brian Flynn’s campaign: flynnforanchorage.com
Follow on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube & TikTok
 
Sponsors:
MRAK = Get 10% off Must Read Alaska’s Infor News & All In subscriptions with promo code AKLEG26 (through May 20)
Seven Weeks Coffee = Fuel the pro-life movement and enjoy mold-free coffee: sevenweekscoffee.com — use code MRAK for 10% off
Don’t miss this timely, straight-talking conversation about the future of Anchorage. Subscribe, share, and vote informed!

A New School Choice for Anchorage Parents: Thomas More Classical School Opens in 2026

In this episode, the conversation centered on the launch of Thomas More Classical School in Anchorage, set to open in 2026. The guest, Headmaster Sarah Spaulding, explained the school’s mission to bring classical education to Alaska and described how the model emphasizes forming both intellect and character.
The discussion highlighted what sets classical education apart: its grounding in the seven liberal arts, its reliance on teacher-led classrooms, and its emphasis on virtue, truth, and beauty. Spaulding explained that the school is supported by Hillsdale College’s K–12 Education Office, which provides training and curriculum guidance, while the school itself remains locally governed and tuition-funded.
Listeners also heard about practical details, including the timeline for opening, the application process starting in October 2025, and the plan to begin with 120 students in kindergarten through sixth grade before expanding into a full K–12 program. Spaulding described how extracurricular activities will grow with enrollment and emphasized the school’s commitment to keeping tuition accessible with financial aid options.
A portion of the conversation explored the history of Thomas More, the school’s namesake, and how his devotion to education, integrity, and faith mirrors the school’s mission. The episode closed with encouragement for Anchorage families to learn more, visit the school’s website, and consider whether classical education is the right fit for their children.

After Charlie Kirk’s Assassination, What Comes Next? A Turning Point for This Generation.

After the shocking loss of Charlie Kirk, Ben Carpenter explores what this moment means—and why it could define an entire generation.

Teachers Have a Choice: The AAE Alternative—and Big Savings

Thought the teachers union was your only option? Think again. In this Must Read Alaska Show, host Ben Carpenter is joined by Kenai teacher Kim Bates, Anchorage teacher Aimee Sims, and Garry Sigle, Central Region Director for the Association of American Educators (AAE), to unpack what AAE is, who it serves, and how it stacks up against NEA-Alaska.
If you’ve never heard of AAE, you’re not alone. While NEA-Alaska dues can run over $1,400 a year, AAE membership costs just $19.50 a month—about $234 a year. That’s a savings of more than $1,100 annually—money that stays in your pocket while still giving you day-one legal protection and $2 million in professional liability coverage, double what NEA provides. And because AAE is non-union and non-partisan, your dues go entirely to supporting you as a professional—not to political campaigns. You stay covered under your district’s negotiated contract, but without paying union prices.
You’ll also hear how substitutes, paras, bus drivers, and other W-2 school employees can join AAE (with a low-cost option for retirees), and why—after the 2018 Janus v. AFSCME decision—membership is a choice, not a condition of employment. If you want options that align with your values and your wallet, this energetic conversation is your roadmap.

Who Controls Alaska’s Grand Jury? Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor Weighs In

Is Alaska’s grand jury still the people’s tool for oversight, or has it become another lever of government control? In this episode of the Must Read Alaska Show, host Ben Carpenter presses Attorney General Treg Taylor on the Supreme Court’s controversial move to make him the “gatekeeper” for public access to grand juries.
Taylor defends new procedures, acknowledges constitutional concerns, and reveals why he intends to be a “poor gatekeeper” in order to restore public trust. Together, Carpenter and Taylor debate the balance between secrecy and transparency, the risk of runaway grand juries versus weaponized complaints, and whether only a constitutional amendment can guarantee Alaskans’ right to use the grand jury to root out corruption.
This hard-hitting conversation digs into whether the state’s justice system protects the people — or itself.

Shelley Hughes on Alaska’s Future: Fiscal Reform, Energy Development, and the 2026 Governor’s Race

Alaska State Senator and gubernatorial candidate Shelley Hughes joins Ben Carpenter to share her remarkable journey from rural Alaska in the ’70s to the state legislature. She outlines her vision for fiscal reform, energy development, and protecting the PFD, while drawing on decades of experience across Alaska’s regions. Known for working across party lines without compromising her conservative principles, Hughes offers a grassroots, no-nonsense approach to leadership and governance.

Indicting Truth: Grand Juries, Prosecutorial Power, and Alaska’s Crisis of Justice

In this eye-opening episode of the Must Read Alaska Show, host Ben Carpenter sits down with forensic journalist and author David Ignell for a deep dive into the constitutional role of grand juries in Alaska—and how that role is being undermined by the Department of Law and the judiciary.
At the heart of their conversation is the case of former Ketchikan Police Chief Jeffrey Walls, who was targeted with felony charges by three different prosecutors across three grand juries in two different jurisdictions. Each attempt was thrown out by the court, culminating in a judge dismissing the third indictment with prejudice and expressing a loss of confidence in the Department of Law's integrity.
Ignell draws on historical and legal precedent—from the English roots of grand juries to U.S. Supreme Court rulings—to argue that today’s grand juries are being deliberately disempowered. He shares insights from his 131-page book and first-hand accounts of how grand jurors, witnesses, and even foremen have been silenced or threatened when attempting to investigate government misconduct.
This episode explores troubling patterns of institutional resistance to transparency, including a sealed grand jury report currently locked away in a judge’s desk and the state’s redefinition of "investigative grand juries" as a means to control outcomes. Carpenter and Ignell make the case for urgent reform—and potentially federal intervention—to restore the public’s trust in Alaska’s justice system.

From Alaska to the Final Table: Adam Hendrix’s World Series Poker Journey

In this episode of the Must Read Alaska Show podcast, host Ben Carpenter sits down with Adam Hendrix, Anchorage native and world-renowned poker professional, to unpack his extraordinary journey to a sixth-place finish at the 2025 World Series of Poker Main Event—netting him a $1.9 million prize and recognition as Alaska’s all-time top tournament earner.
Adam shares the intense mental and physical preparation behind the nine-day tournament, the evolving nature of professional poker—from napkin math to AI-based solvers—and how success in the game depends not just on theory, but also on reading people and adapting to unpredictable stress. He reveals how growing up in Alaska and early exposure to poker on ESPN sparked his passion, and discusses the role of family, discipline, and lifestyle in sustaining a career built on calculated risk.
The conversation also explores his aspirations beyond the poker table, including a potential foray into fashion and entrepreneurship. Adam offers candid advice to aspiring players and voices concern over a pending federal tax policy that could undermine the future of professional poker.
This wide-ranging conversation offers insight not just into the world of high-stakes competition, but into resilience, character, and the American entrepreneurial spirit.