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Good afternoon. It’s Thursday, July 30.

In today's newsletter:

Poor pilot control in severe icing conditions on an overloaded plane caused a Bering Air plane to stall and crash on sea ice near Nome in February 2025, killing all aboard, according to a probable cause finding issued by federal officials.
Depending on the severity of this winter, some Southcentral Alaska utilities may run low on natural gas, and elected officials this week said they believe the proposed Alaska LNG megaproject would help stabilize the region’s energy grid.
Voters in Alaska's Aug. 18 primary election will decide whether to restore campaign contribution limits that have been absent since 2021.

With pleasant summer weather on the horizon, there's plenty to draw you out to various Anchorage events this week, including concerts, running races and a bike tour today featuring tales from history and a focus on Spenard. Check out our roundup of weekend events here.

Anchorage weather

It's mostly sunny today with a high around 70 degrees. We can expect sunny conditions and daytime highs between 68 and 70 degrees to stick around through the rest of this week, before a chance of showers return to the forecast Monday.

Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today.

— Vicky Ho, vho@adn.com

NTSB: Pilot’s management of overweight plane in icy weather led to Bering Air crash that killed 10 →

“The tragedy of Flight 445 was not the result of a single failure, but a series of preventable breakdowns that eroded critical safety margins,” NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said.

Mayors warn of increased utility costs as Southcentral Alaska natural gas shortage becomes more ‘urgent’ →

Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance and Southcentral Alaska utility representatives have expressed a growing worry that declining natural gas production in the Cook Inlet will cause an eventual local surge in utility costs and decrease the reliability of electricity.

Alaskans to vote on campaign finance limits after 4 years of uncapped contributions →

Legislative and gubernatorial elections have been shaped by uncapped contributions since 2021, when a federal court invalidated the state’s previous limits. Alaska has had a long history of implementing some of the stricter contribution limits in the nation.

Anchorage’s Obed Vargas Sr. reflects on watching trailblazing son compete in World Cup →

Obed Vargas Jr. represented Mexico on soccer’s biggest stage this summer. His dad, who works with the Cook Inlet Soccer Club, was able to watch his son's World Cup experience unfold in person.

Wastewater in Anchorage signals warning about measles →

Samples taken from a plant in the state’s largest city revealed genetic material from measles, a highly contagious disease that is particularly dangerous for young children. (via Alaska Beacon)

Police identify remains found in freezer of Juneau home →

Juneau police said they are investigating whether money or another factor may have driven someone to conceal the death of a man whose remains were found in a freezer last week in Alaska’s capital city.