On Memorial Day I look at a few Alaska headlines: a new borough board to review kennel rules after a deadly incident, a comical but concerning report of intoxicated people handcuffing one another to a tree, and a moving Gold Star Peak climb by paratroopers honoring fallen comrades.
This Memorial Day piece opens by asking readers to pause and remember those who paid the ultimate price for our freedoms. Take a moment for the fallen and the families who carry their losses every day. That respect sets the tone for the local stories that follow.
A brutal kennel tragedy in the Caswell Lakes area prompted local officials to form a temporary advisory board to examine rules and oversight for dog facilities. The borough brought together mushers and kennel owners to weigh in, people who actually handle and understand sled dogs and kennels. That kind of local, experienced input is exactly what this situation needed instead of top-down mandates from distant offices.
- A new temporary borough advisory board made up of mushers and kennel owners will recommend updates to kennel rules and oversight after 25 dogs were found dead near Caswell Lakes this spring.
- The board will review the borough’s kennel laws, regulations, and enforcement policies and prepare a report recommending updates by mid-December.
- The Mat-Su Assembly unanimously approved the board. Independent and internal investigations into the borough’s handling of the Caswell dog deaths are expected to be released by mid-June, Borough Manager Mike Brown said Tuesday.
It’s encouraging to see local authorities lean on subject-matter experts when tackling a problem like this. People who live and work with sled dogs know the realities of cold-weather care, facility needs, and emergency responses. Expecting practical, experience-driven fixes is sensible and fair to owners, mushers, and the animals involved.
Alaska Man score: 5 happy pooches.
On a lighter but eyebrow-raising note, Alaska State Troopers reported an incident involving intoxicated people and missing handcuff keys. The situation sounded more like an unfortunate prank than criminal intent, but it still required trooper time and attention. The details were messy, silly, and a little alarming all at once.
On May 19, 2026, at 8:38 PM, Alaska State Troopers received a report that one male had handcuffed another to a tree in the Tok area. A subsequent response by troopers showed that two intoxicated individuals had a pair of handcuffs and lost the key after one was locked to a tree. No criminal activity was reported.
I won’t speculate on whatever stunt led to that scenario, because some things you don’t want to know and even less want repeated. The report does underscore how alcohol and poor judgment can create needless calls for law enforcement. It’s an amusing anecdote until you remember public servants had to respond.
Alaska Man score: 2.5 moose nuggets. Points for comic relief, deductions for wasting trooper time.
Memorial Day itself brought a much more solemn and inspiring moment when roughly 400 paratroopers from the 11th Airborne Division climbed Gold Star Peak. They reached the 4,100-foot summit to honor service members who died in combat or during service, a tradition supported by a nonprofit that cares for the trail and memorials at the top. The climb ties physical sacrifice to memory in a way that feels right for the day.
Gold Star Peak serves as a living tribute for families who have lost loved ones in uniform, and the annual presence of the airborne community helps keep those remembrances active. When soldiers pause at the summit, it’s a public act of acknowledgment and gratitude that resonates beyond ceremonies. Moments like that remind us why Memorial Day exists and why we should treat it with seriousness.
Alaska Man score: All the moose nuggets there are. Hooah!
Finally, a short reflection on local smarts and plain old common sense, shared with a touch more humor than doom. Alaska is full of tough, practical people, and when mistakes happen we laugh, learn, and try to do better. That combination of grit and self-awareness is what keeps communities moving forward.
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