By AlaskaWatchman.com

Acting Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson has issued a stringent new emergency order that will shut down or severely limit scores of Anchorage businesses in the lead up to Christmas.

An emotional Quinn-Davison read a prepared statement, her voice cracking several times as she announced that she has “done everything she could” to bring Anchorage’s COVID cases down. She blamed the lack of “behavior change” for her need to impose some of the most stringent mandates the city has seen over the past year.

At city of 290,000 residents, Anchorage has 82 COVID positive patients in the hospital. Not all of these patients are hospitalized because of COVID symptoms but they have tested positive. In terms hospital availability there are still 584 inpatient beds, 92 ICU beds and 295 ventilators.

The new order, which begins Dec. 1, limits indoor gatherings to six people and outdoor gathering to 10. There are some exceptions for religious and political gatherings. The law even applies to personal households.

Bars, restaurants and cafes will be shut down for in-person dining for all of December. Gyms, bingo halls, theaters and many other businesses will be completely shuttered.

“The order will affect every individual and business in the municipality,” Quinn-Davidson said. “I know this is incredibly difficult news.”

She said her actions were personally “hard but necessary.”

Many area businesses have just barely clung on during the litany of 16 emergency mandates that former Mayor Ethan Berkowitz and now Acting Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson have imposed on residents. In addressing the economic impact, Quinn-Davidson said she is calling on Congress to pour millions of additional federal stimulus funds into the state. She plans to meet with Alaska’s Washington, D.C. delegation.

To enforce her mandates, Quinn-Davidson said the city is hiring three new code enforcement officers. She said Anchorage police would also be available to issue fines and remove unmasked people from businesses.

The new order has more onerous consequences for business that fail to comply follow. With past mandates the city only issued temporary stop-work orders. It can now shut businesses down for up to two weeks as punishment.

“In addition to fines and other penalties currently provided by law, violations of this emergency order may result in mandatory suspension of activities or closure of individual businesses, non-profits and other entities for a period of up to two weeks,” the order states.

While the city is not planning to issue fines in private homes, it does apply those places as well.

“We are asking people to not gather for the holidays,” she said. “I know my wife and I are spending Thanksgiving by ourselves.”

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Individuals: Outside of private homes, everyone “shall maintain” at least a six foot distance from everyone else. Everyone must wear a mask in public. If anyone has been in “close contact” with someone who is COVID positive, they “shall quarantine for the length of time directed by public health official,” even if they have no symptoms. Those who test positive for COIVD must quarantine for 10 days.
  • Gatherings: Masks are required at all gatherings – indoors and out. Indoor gatherings are limited to six people and outdoor gathering 10 people.
  • Gathering Exceptions: Pre-K through 12th grade educational gatherings are limited to 50% of classroom occupancy. Day cares and day camps are not under this emergency order. Wedding and funerals can have up to 20 people, but only six if indoors with food and drink and only 10 if outdoors with food and drink.
  • Worship and political gatherings: Masks must be worn at all times and only 50% of indoor capacity allowed. All gatherings must have COVID mitigation plans in place with hard copies on site.
  • Gathering limitations don’t apply to Indoor shopping special events like holiday bazaars.
  • University classrooms may have 15 people in a gathering.
  • No indoor service allowed at bars, breweries, restaurants or nightclubs.
  • Bingo halls, theaters, private clubs and all other recreational and entertainment facilities must be completely closed.
  • Sports teams: No organized indoor games. Practices may not take place unless players can keep 10 feet away at all times.
  • Indoor gyms, recreation and fitness centers: These are all capped at 25% capacity and require a 10-foot separation between people.
  • Salons and personal care: These are limited to 25% capacity and masks must be worn at all times.
  • Retail and public-facing businesses: These are limited to 25% capacity.
  • Visitor logs: All businesses that deal with the public in-person must keep a log that has the full name, phone number and email address of customers.

The new order is posted on the municipality website.

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Much of Anchorage headed to lockdown for all of December

Joel Davidson
Joel is Editor-in-Chief of the Alaska Watchman. Joel is an award winning journalist and has been reporting for over 24 years, He is a proud father of 8 children, and lives in Palmer, Alaska.


50 Comments

  • Alaska Voter says:

    There is no law to charge anyone on this Unconstitutional serration of the Law. Any APD officer Approaches me in Anchorage I will tell them to walk away I do not live in an Communist’s State.

    • Esther says:

      You can go to the Crow Bar Motel then. There is a whole section from APD on the online reporting that distinguishes citizens that are refusing to comply and endangering others.

    • Casey B says:

      I agree, this is not a punishable offense. I will not allow myself or my family to be oppressed in this manner. If I choose to not wear a mask that is my right. Last I checked this was a FREE country! If you are afraid of COVID or if you are “at risk” stay home but don’t dictate what my behavior should be to not “endanger” you Esther.

  • Vicki Riendl says:

    So, we can crowd into busy box stores but can’t dine out over the holidays! THIS IS NOT SCIENCE, THIS IS TYRANNY!!! People are losing their livelihoods as we are starting the holiday season, suicides are up across the board, this mandate is outrageous and cruel and certainly not in keeping with our rights. The Constitution is NOT suspended during pandemics!

    • Esther says:

      Mrs. Riendl,

      If you are really in a crowded box store without social distancing than that is ultimately your choice, and all the other
      people who refuse to wear a mask. This is a temporary thing, not the end of Democracy as we know it?

      • Casey B says:

        You’re wrong, if you let big government have control you lose your freedoms. This should be a choice not a mandate.

  • Michael S Totten says:

    If anchorage residents don’t defy this order en masse I will say this right now,, YOU have allowed this to happen. The liberal sheep that go along with this shit and never speak up or fight deserve everything you get. Good job residents of anchorage. Your city just finished dying. All of these business owners will pack up and leave and the entire city will turn into a ghetto. Pretty much already has since 2010. There won’t be a city left to rule over. Just the LGBTQ community who supports just about everything retarded. Revenue in that city is gone and increasing policing. Haha! Are you kidding me. The APD doesnt have it in the budget to keep this shit up. God damn this bitch is dumb!

    • MICHAEL HUGHES says:

      Agreed! Now is the time for all of us to rise up, especially the business owners that are losing EVERYTHING they have worked so hard for; not to mention the thousands of employees who now have no income and no expectations of one for how long???I know people that have committed suicide. I know people who are victims of domestic abuse. I know a LOT of people who are almost at the edge of suicide. How about the physical damage of the stress caused by these dictators? I have a bad heart, stage 4 cancer, and AIDS, amoung other things, I am SO stressed out I am considering stopping all treatments as I don’t know how much longer I can live like this. No exercise; my physical therapy is crucial to my health.
      And in October the WHO said that lockdowns so more harm than good, especially the poor (projections now say that poverty will double in the next year, and all the other societal and economic damage to the entire world.
      Wednesday night I was refused service for medical supplies because I would not cover my nose; which I can’t do due to breathing problems. Aargh, there is so much more but….enough for now, except that, Wednesday night, the US Supreme Court ruled that limiting or closing religious services is unconstitutional. How can this new petty dictator now tell us she is restricting them even more? And there are lawsuits they are looking at that say the forced restricting and closing of businesses is also unconstitutional. Why are we letting this happen? REVOLT

    • Esther says:

      Rise up? Why? This is not the Boston Tea Party. If you want to avoid suicide, then walk your dog, take care of your grand-kids, go buy a couple frappes and keep local businesses afloat. Business owners have a choice to apply for Cares Act money or not. An accounting firm said that depending on the circumstances the money may/may not have to be paid back. Door Dash Drivers are making good money right now. Business owners have to adapt. As for domestic violence, go shovel your driveway, clean your house, leave your house, organize your pantry sew or better yet don’t drink! No political member is trying to exploit your gender choices. If you are alive after cancer, Aids and a bad heart then there must be a reason your still alive. Just cover your face and get your medical supplies and stop acting like you failed kindergarten!

  • Lonny says:

    Austin you have just revealed the height of your depravity! Like yours or anyone’s pseudo leadership can curb the plague…news flash for you, its called a plague for a reason! We need to protect the most vulnerable, but press on with life! Your communist lockdowns will not work, but will in fact be more counter productive than you can ever imagine in that limited leftist mind of yours! I am FREE! I am an American Patriot who has sworn an oath and I will not let small minds like yours infringe on those Constitutional rights that guarantee all Americans Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness! Frame this how you want Austin, your so called “science” does not support lock downs! Hope you enjoy your little power trip!

    • Mike Burdick says:

      If these Liberal Leftist keep on it’s going to be the Guillotine for them. The let them eat cake folks are about to see something worse than Antifa. It won’t be businesses looted and mom and pop stores burned to the ground.
      I hate to see it end up that way but when a political party has to cheat and scare innocent law abiding people to vote there way or else is the reason our Forefathers wrote the Constitution in the manner it was written. Guess what ‼️
      There’s a Storm coming. 1776 fashion but in 21st century terms.

      • Esther says:

        Everyone voted the way they wanted. It was a fair vote. There is no liberal agenda, we are in the middle of a plague. The best thing people can do is remember kindness, and nature, and the friendships and little things that make us human. Our Constitution is a Living Document. It was meant to stretch and
        grow amidst chaos. The best thing we can do is practice upholding patriotism verses downing our government. Put a flag in front of your house, put up Christmas lights, walk your dog, anything to take your mind off negative thoughts.

    • Casey B says:

      Exactly! This I will defend against all enemies foreign and domestic. I am an American Patriot I have served my Country and when I received my DD214 that did not void my oath. I will not be told the science supports masks and lockdowns when it clearly has not “flattened the curve” If our numbers have truly gone from 2 or 15 per day to 500 + per day (likely not real numbers) then that shows that a lockdown did not flatten the curve. Open up our Municipality and let us get on with our lives.

  • Barbara says:

    Please go to REI on Black Friday to sign the recall petition for Felix Rivera. Somebody will be their with the MOA paperwork. ONLY people who are registered to vote in Assembly District 4 are eligible to sign the petition. This is important! Please, District 4 voters, drop by to sign!

  • Mike Burdick says:

    I’m glad that I don’t live in Anchorage. Your temp Hitler is a very POWER HUNGARY person. Watch out what you wish for. Soon your friends who are neighbors will become enemies just like what happened in Germany.

    • Michael S Totten says:

      Now is the time for citizens to get acquainted with mein kamf. He laid it all out in 1929.

      • Karl Liggins says:

        These guys had two outlets. They are completely linked. You should also read Color, Commuism, and Common Sense by Manning Johnson.

  • FedUP says:

    Rampant voter fraud is how we got to this point. Elections are no longer a possible route to fix the leftist takeover of Anchorage and soon enough all of Alaska.

    The experiment that was the USA is over. Now we know that allowing guns is pointless with a populace too cowardly to use them. All it took was a mildly bad flu season to show them how easily cowed the population is.

    • Mike Burdick says:

      I agree with you 100 %.

    • Degosh Reed says:

      I think Americans as a whole wanted to do the right thing and if this was the real deal its was good to be cautious but now we know the truth about this thing and it’s time to move on and live life. They haven’t taken our guns yet.

    • MICHAEL HUGHES says:

      Did you know that Alaska uses Dominion voting machines…..

  • everett walton says:

    acting mayor needs to be recalled with all speed possible

    • FedUP says:

      What good would recalling her do? There are plenty of other equally tyrannical leftists the city council would replace her with.

      What good will the next election do? We know the elections are rigged now, traitor RINOs stood by and let dominion systems be installed and did nothing when verifications were removed completely for mail-in voting.

  • Notcomplying says:

    Im not complying. The assembly can kids my ass. And so can APD. I refuse to be controlled under a tyrant. And all of Anchored should rebel and defy this insane bullshit!

    • Esther says:

      We have a month on lockdown, during December in Alaska which is proving to be full of weather. Instead of acting like a 19 year old testosterone pumped up adolescent how about practicing being a citizen? Do your share by wearing a mask, keeping yourself mentally healthy, staying away from alcohol, and just being nice? Why be hater? APD Officers are doing their job. Remind all of us where it says, “In case of plague or pandemic in the job description?” Yes, there are times when it is unbearable, but we are alive!”

  • Caterina says:

    Our most immediate need in Anchorage and Alaska as a whole is too get rid of the Venezuelan computer voting system and go back to hand Marked ballots and hand counting with one Democrat and Republican present to witness signatures and dates stamps. After that we need to vote all these progressive losers out of office.

  • Mike Burdick says:

    If these Liberal Leftist keep on it’s going to be the Guillotine for them. The let them eat cake folks are about to see something worse than Antifa. It won’t be businesses looted and mom and pop stores burned to the ground.
    I hate to see it end up that way but when a political party has to cheat and scare innocent law abiding people to vote there way or else is the reason our Forefathers wrote the Constitution in the manner it was written. Guess what ‼️
    There’s a Storm coming. 1776 fashion but in 21st century terms.

  • Degosh Reed says:

    So we are nowhere near out of beds or vents but we need a lock down…. My ass

  • Michael S Totten says:

    Not all gun owners in alaska are afraid to use them. Ever wonder why troopers hate going out to the rural areas to fuck with people? Thats right,, troopers disappear all the time. It just seems to be the city dwellers that have these problems. HMMM i wonder why that is. Shit troopers don’t even like going out to north kenai. There is a reason. Again this seems to be a trend with city dwellers.

    • Esther says:

      Mr. Totten,
      You are really stretching it for those of us who support the second amendment and understant that it is within the constitution for the militia to occupy our homes during times of unrest. If you want to go nutty and start picking off your neighbors, do it in a dream please, because your employer will fire you after the swat team members have trashed your house. AND DON’T DRINK!

  • Nina says:

    This is BULLSUGAR at its worst!! Why can the stores be over crowded with 7 to 8 in an aisle but I cant go to CHURCH!! WHERE DID YOU COME UP WOTH THIS CRAP ACTING MAYOR!! NOT MY MAYOR, NOT MY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS FOR YOU TO TREAD UPON!! ITS THE FLU FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES. FUNNY HOW THE CLOSURE COISIDES WITH THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND ITS VOTE!! TEUMP IS OUR PRESIDENT, JUST BECAUSE YA ALL BOTCHED THE STEAL…AS MOSES SAID TO PHARAOH,
    “LET MY PEOPLE GO!!!”
    LADY MAYOR YOU ARE AN ABOMINATION TO DREEDOM AND OTHERS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS!! HOPE YOU SLEEP WELL AT NIGHT FOR DESTORYING WHAT LEFT OF ANCHORAGE.

    • Esther says:

      Nina,
      Nina wake up, you can worship virtually. Every church has a virtual program now. It is you that needs the self-discipline to sit and worship or however you practice. Find your King James Bible, your Mormon Bible or your Jehovah Witness Bible or your Orthodox Bible and take a mental break. Remember, we are all in this together, this is not a plot. Being militant is not a part of God’s Plan. And, as for encouraging dissent against another mayor, who took over after the last mess of the other mayor, we need a government and she won’t be there very long and expresses regret over choices that are difficult for everyone. There is a mayoral election coming up. Find peace in your heart. We cannot lose our faith.

  • Jim Scott says:

    Doesn’t occur to people who only understand CONTROLLING others that it is the purpose of an elected representative to assure and empower the RIGHTS OF THE GOVERNED to their own risk, even in the face of mortality. The Anchorage Assembly and this mayor is a model of putting a person devoid the understanding of the fundamental rights to self determination, in a position of power over people. The greatest testament of responsibility in the face of an unseen threat is to restrain ones own nature to REACT, maybe even at all. From the start, it is the governments responsibility to educate and inform. Not impose and oppress. Inflicting force on people to address a threat by treating them AS the threat, not based on KNOWLEDGE that they ARE, or even suspicion of it, but because YOU DON’T KNOW ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. Sounds exactly like how the same political party reacts to the gun violence virus – gun control on all to affect the problem (at least on the surface). And how is it that assigning exclusivity to one business to prosper to record levels, and deliberately destroy another – protecting your image with feigned justifications by way of fluidly defined, arbitrated ‘safety’ reasoning – “of, by and for the People?” Like Costco’s C. Jelenko, enjoying record profits whole others died off. Then appointing himself safety Caesar and ‘mandating’ masks. Private business can do what they want? NOT when they’ve been afforded a protected operating status. Why not, then, body searches for weapons, in the name of customer safety? And these elected, touting ‘science’, are now ignoring their own bleets. The most obscene thing in all of this is these elected people deferring to the unelected brandishing a ‘scientist’, ‘doctor’ or ‘specialist’ badge. As if the substance of our liberties are ‘provided’ and ‘distributed’ at the discretion of elected rather than upheld and protected and preserved as intrinsically integrated with life itself. When did ‘life’ and ‘living’, and any perceived threat to it, get elevated to the status that transcends this principle, that many died to preserve? All the science and data vomited throughout this scamdemic is immaterial to the one and first thing these elected abandoned from the beginning. Stop treading on the People, Anchorage Assembly, Mayor, Governor, Senator, Representative, President, ‘President-elect’, and worst of all, NEIGHBOR.

    • Esther says:

      Mr. Scott,
      Any elected official in the SOA that has incurred the wrath of the people, has not been relected. It’s sad that good people like Scott Ogan (R) and Charisse Millett (R) made choices that frustrated people who voted for them. These were issues regarding private land usage and someone pretending to be in session when they were in Hawaii. Most elected officials have not private life, are threatened and now refused service at establishments for their political choices. If you live in MOA then vote for the candidate you wish. But, imagining and romaticizing that any business on propriety alone is above applying for Covid-Relief Funds is a farce. When speaking to an accountant, depending on where you are financially on the scale, that Covid-Money is supposed to be paid back. The stimulous money is coming out of our taxes.
      If you graduated from Med-School with and emphasis in Infectious Diseases, you were supposed to be in a lab somewhere, practicing nerdship, bonding with your Petri-dishes and wearing a lab-coat every day, and only coming out during flu-season and Tuberculosis outbreaks. Most of these specialists are seriously shy academic people who were not popular because they were committed to higher learning. Give it a break and Love Thy Neighbor.

  • Joe Blow says:

    Where’s the proof the data that small businesses are spreading covid? Wheres the proof that Fred Meyers, Walmart, and CARRS isnt? I haven’t seen one not one graph one statistic that this pandemic is out of control because of a restaurant. Seen more evidence its being spread in homes, visitors from out of state etc.

    • MICHAEL HUGHES says:

      And if PPD’s are supposed to protect health care workers (I have been in the hospital Covid areas and they are almost dressed in HAZMAT suits) and they are still catching the virus, how are these little masks which most of us don’t wear correctly supposed to protect us. They don’t; remember when all of this started and we were told the masks were , somewhat, effective on stopping any large droplets from escaping when one coughs. Now it is the end all for protecting us from catching it; I guess those making these unconstitutional decisions aren’t following the science they say they are. NOTE: viruses, including this one, can enter through the mouth, nose and eyes. So how is a little flimsy mask supposed to protect anything?

  • DeAnn says:

    You Austin are not even a mayor!!! You have no authority under the law to lockdown anyone.
    You need to read the constitution. What you are doing is cruel, heartless and just plain EVIL!!’ Buisnesss will never make it through another lockdown and to do it at Christmas time is really dispicable!!! You are a bold face liar this is not about our health or Covid. It’s about control and the people of anchorage have had whoughnof it and of YOU!!! It is time to have an election and elect a mayor who is for the people of anchorage, for freedom and the constitution!!!’ You people work for us and you are NOT there to control!! Freedom in this country is still alive and well. This will backfire on you and you will end up paying a huge price for it. Wait and see. Biden will never be president and the mayors and governors who have done this to their citizens will have to pay a price for it. They are already talking about that. Evil never wins out on the end!!! So you and you’re wife go back to California because Alaskans aren’t putting up with this shit any longer.

    • Esther says:

      DeAnn,
      What else could the MOA Assembly have done? No one wanted that role. As it is, the people are ready to expell Rivera. And why have people so quickly forgotten Berkowitz? If your credit card is alive, and well than you can order from door dash for food, and you can order from AIH or any other Alaskan Business. If you are not working, you can apply for Pandemic Assistance, Unemployment or other programs that are out there to help. But, being militant and angry at a future President is not going to help anyone. Your attitude is how America felt after Kennedy was assasinated, after Truman took over after Roosevelt. Our society is never going to be the same. It is always a persons choice not to wear a mask and face their own consequences. But, defining someone as evil is just ignorance.

  • CR says:

    Elected or Appointed Governors or Mayors!! Have no (Powers) to make a single (Law)s in our State or any State!! Our States Constitution is crystal clear stating that our (Legislative) Body only and (Soley) has the (Authority) to make (Law)s!! We The People!! Of our Great State have had our (Rights)!! 1st Amendment!! 2nd Amendment!! and now 4th Amendment Rights!! According to this new pathetic attempt of how we conduct our selves inside our own homes!! We the People are a Constitutional (Republic)!! Which in our States Constitution Clearly States in the 1st Amendment we have the rights!! Of (Life)!! ( Liberty)!! (Happiness)!! and (Prosperity)!! Period!! Our United States Constitution is the (Supreme Law of the Land)!! That gives us American Citizens (Unaliable) (Rights) Protecting is from this (Non Elected) Individuals Ideology!!
    We need to call out the Attorney General of our State!! Our Governor of our State and our States Legislature to do the Job they were (Elected) to do and represent us the Citizens of Alaska the 49th State of the United States that they are not going to allow any more (Violations) of our God given Rights!! And defend us as they swore an Oath too!!

  • Shane says:

    If you businesses will unite under one frontal attack I can show you that the battle has already been won! The case in Michigan proves it. One law firm willing to take a stand against these unconstitutional mandates and I will bring to the table real constitutional lawyers as consultants and you will win and those from the govenor to the former mayor to the unelected mayor who have imposed these mandates and violated your civil liberties and Bill of rights can be held liable$$$$$$ Their political position doesn’t protect them while in office like your congressman or senator.

    • MICHAEL HUGHES says:

      Do it, do it, do it. I would have already sued but don’t have the resources to do so…so I pray (which is the most effective thing we can do anyway) for God to return the evil being perpetuated on us back to those practicing it!!! A lot of people are praying and look what God did with the US Supreme Court ruling Wednesday night that restricting religions services goes against the 1st Amendment to the Constitution. Hopefully our religious shepherds will open up our places of worship to allow as many that want to attend do so; we all need to confront those that don’t.

    • Esther says:

      Yes, you should go to an attorney. There are seven cases thus far sitting there waiting for a judge to hear the cases and I bet they are all in their chambers fighting over the opportunity to hear the case against the MOA. Where is plague written in any Indemity Clause?

  • Cmorgan says:

    Onviously Quinn- Davison has no plans on running for a full term because she has just put the final nail in her coffin. She is continuing with the same sorry policies as her predecessor. You and your partner can go ahead and stay locked in during the holidays. My family will be together as usual. You dont control us and your policy neans nothing. I hope Kriners defies your ruling. If so i will be there for lunch.

  • Doug Glenn says:

    My company has boycotted Anchorage for everything possible. We will not shop there again. I can spend my $$ in a non socialist area. Sorry to the conservatives I’m not shopping with but you need to take control of that crappy town you are living in.