Tag: coronavirus and churches

Unelected Anchorage mayor imposes mask mandate, restricts gatherings increases enforcement

FeaturedNovember 6, 2020

Anchorage’s unelected acting mayor, Austin Quinn-Davidson has decided to wield her newly inherited emergency powers to impose city-wide mask mandates and tighter restrictions on gatherings. She announced her new mandates during a Nov. 6 press conference.

Anchorage churches restricted to 50% capacity under mayor’s latest order

CultureAugust 28, 2020

Beginning Monday, Aug. 31, Anchorage area churches will be allowed to open at 50% capacity. This is up from the 15-person limit which had been in effect for the past month. Mayor Ethan Berkowitz announced the pending changes during his weekly press briefing

Another church refuses to follow Anchorage mayor’s restriction on group size

CultureAugust 17, 2020

Yet another prominent Anchorage church has chosen to remain open for communal worship in the face of Mayor Ethan Berkowitz’s latest emergency order limiting all religious gatherings to 15 people or less. Cornerstone Church was open for Sunday worship on

Republicans far more likely to attend church during COVID

FaithAugust 14, 2020

The more conservative one’s political views, the more comfortable they are with attending religious services over the past few months. Republicans and Democrats hold vastly different views on COVID-19, including how worried they are about the virus. These

Hundreds of protesters oppose Anchorage Assembly and mayor’s COVID-19 actions

PoliticsAugust 12, 2020

Several hundred energized protesters gathered outside the Anchorage Assembly chambers on Tuesday night, including former Mayor Dan Sullivan and several state legislators. Demonstrators expressed frustration and anger at Mayor Ethan Berkowitz and many of the

Prominent Alaska church defies mayor’s order restricting religious services

FaithAugust 10, 2020

Anchorage Baptist Temple is standing up to Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz’s latest emergency order that bans churches from having more than 15 people in attendance. On Sunday, Aug. 9, Pastor Ron Hoffman gave an inspired sermon to a large gathering inside

Protests loom as Anchorage mayor imposes new round of COVID restrictions

CultureAugust 3, 2020

As of Aug. 3, all indoor gatherings in Anchorage, including religious services, are restricted to 15 people or fewer. The new emergency order was imposed by Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz in response to COVID-19. The sweeping order imposes far greater

The bizarre inconsistency of our Catholic bishops

AbortionJuly 25, 2020

In these days of Alphabet Madness (COVID, LGBTQ, BLM, CHAZ), many Catholic bishops of the Western world fall lockstep into bizarre inconsistencies. Despite their oft-displayed role as shepherds with their mitre-and-crook and ceremonial affairs, many often

Municipal Attorney: Anchorage mayor’s new order doesn’t apply to churches

CultureJuly 23, 2020

In imposing his latest COVID-19 mandate Mayor Ethan Berkowitz’s emergency order made no mention of religious entities. According to July 24 email Municipal Attorney Kathryn Vogel, however, churches are still under a previous order in which gatherings of 500

Mayor’s latest emergency order again treats Anchorage churches as non-essential

CrimeJuly 22, 2020

Update from editor: While the actual text of Mayor Berkowitz’s latest emergency order makes no mention of churches or religious exemptions, his legal department clarified on July 23 that churches will be allowed to operate under a previous order which

coronavirus and churches