🌱 Anchorage Man Sentenced For Child Porn + Anchorage Airport

Happy Wednesday, people of Anchorage! Here's everything you need to know to get this day started. Here's what's happening in town today.

First, today's weather:

Mostly cloudy. High: 35 Low: 27.

Here are the top three stories in Anchorage today:

1. Anchorage airport officials are preparing for the possibility of airlines using the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport to bypass Russian airspace. Although officials say the airport has not been contacted by any airline in that regard, some of the airlines have been contacting the airport’s ground handlers about the possibility of using Anchorage as a stopover to avoid flying through Russian airspace. Trudy Wassel, business manager at the airport, says at this time, it's business as usual. However, officials are communicating with airport ground crews to see if they could handle the extra load, should that become a reality. (Alaska's News Source)
2. An Anchorage man was sentenced to 69 months in prison on child pornography charges. 56-year-old Shannon Robert Bell, knowingly possessed, accessed, and distributed child pornography involving prepubescent minors (minors who have not attained 12 years of age), according to court documents. He has been ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release and pay $5,000 in restitution and a $3,000 fine under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act (AVAA). (Alaska Native News)
3. On Friday, an Anchorage man was indicted on a murder charge in connection to a fatal shooting in West Anchorage in 2018. According to a press release from the Alaska Department of Law, 36-year-old Tristan Grant was indicted on charges of second-degree murder, robbery, and kidnapping in connection to the death of 53-year-old Carl Bowie on Jan. 28, 2018, in the Spenard neighborhood. Grant is also one of three men recently sentenced in Anchorage for sex and human trafficking and has received 35 years in federal prison on five counts of sex trafficking minors, three counts of production of child pornography, and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms. (Alaska's News Source)

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Today in Anchorage:

• Preschool Storytime At Loussac, At Anchorage Public Library (11:00 AM)
• Art Lab, At Muldoon Branch Library (4:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Join the Alaska Zoo this weekend, Mar. 4-6 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. for the last hurrah of the 2021/2022 Zoo Lights season! This is your final chance to walk the zoo trails while you admire the custom light displays and look to see which animals are really night owls. (Instagram)
• Spring break is coming up, and the Anchorage Museum has several workshops designed for teens. During "Teen Seed Lab Studio: Sewing Repair and Embroidery Embellishment," learn basic hand-sewing repair techniques and bring your designs to life through embroidery. Best for teens ages 14-18. (Instagram)
• Are you registered to vote? Mar. 6 is the last day to register in time for Anchorage park bond elections! (Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Wednesday. I'll see you soon!

— Dominique-Noelle Rafael

About me: Dominique is a self taught UX/UI designer based in Princeton, NJ. She recently graduated from the University of Maryland last spring with a bachelor's degree in Information Science. She is excited to begin working on the Patch newsletter project this year!