Inside Opinion

If you have questions about how the Daily News makes editorial decisions, this blog has the answers. Editorial page editor Matt Zencey and writers Frank Gerjevic and Rosemary Shinohara will discuss what they're working on, answer questions and ask your perspective on issues facing Alaska.


Matt Zencey

Matt Zencey joined the Daily News as an editorial writer in 1985 and was named editorial page editor in May 2007. He has won several. "Best editorial writing" awards from the Alaska Press Club and was a Nieman Fellow in Journalism at Harvard University. He lives on the west side of Anchorage, where he enjoys the best weather in town and easy access to the Coastal Trail. E-mail Matt at mzencey@adn.com

Frank Gerjevic

Frank Gerjevic has worked at the Daily News since 1978, where he's been sports editor, copy editor, reporter and columnist. He's been an editorial writer since 1998. He began his newspaper career with the Anchorage Times in 1975. E-mail Frank at fgerjevic@adn.com

Rosemary Shinohara

Rosemary Shinohara is an editorial writer who has lived most of her life in Alaska. She has spent most of her career as a reporter or editor at the Daily News. She covered construction of the Alaska oil pipeline, the Legislature, schools and urban affairs. She has also been an editor for NPR's All Things Considered, and has written for the Associated Press. E-mail Rosemary at rshinohara.com

"I dare ADN to publish this." - 5/13/2008 8:42 am

Looking to save on gas and ride the bus? - 5/12/2008 9:35 am

Joe Contraire's latest, coming soon - 5/9/2008 2:41 pm

Sarcasm? Hah! A non-fan writes in.... - 5/9/2008 11:48 am

Who's accountable for ADN editorials? - 5/7/2008 11:14 am

Talk radio: Dittoheads vs liberals - 5/7/2008 11:01 am

More info and commentary on John McCain's health care 'plan' - 5/1/2008 6:29 pm

Join the dialogue on race and diversity - 4/30/2008 4:44 pm

How can our community as a whole combat prejudice and discrimination? - 4/30/2008 4:42 pm

What can an individual do about prejudice? - 4/30/2008 4:39 pm

Prejudice here - getting better or worse? - 4/30/2008 4:37 pm

Prejudice and discrimination: How are we doing in Anchorage? - 4/30/2008 4:36 pm

Not-so elevated discourse - 4/28/2008 4:20 pm

Elevated discourse - 4/28/2008 10:44 am

Yin and Yang - 4/25/2008 6:00 pm

UAA vs UAF - 4/24/2008 3:59 pm

Arctic Power demands retraction re Liddy - 4/23/2008 6:04 pm

Airport expansion vs. Kincaid trails - 4/23/2008 10:20 am

About the First Amendment - 4/23/2008 9:52 am

Irwin rips Exxon, partners on Point Thomson - 4/22/2008 5:25 pm

Tesche heads into the sunset - 4/22/2008 4:52 pm

Good words from Leonard Pitts - 4/22/2008 3:25 pm

The cost of a better-designed city

From Rosemary Shinohara:

A long-awaited economic report on what a proposed upgrade of zoning rules in Anchorage would cost developers is out. You can find it here.

It should ease some concerns developers have about whether the changes will make it too expensive to build.

In sum: "As it turns out, the economic consequences of the latest draft ... do not appear to be as dramatic as might have been feared with, say, the first draft....generally in most cases, there would not be significant economic impacts caused by zoning codes and zoning districts."

The study authors point out these are scaled-back rules from many other cities, but since Anchorage is starting out with few zoning rules, we need to step up gradually. It makes sense.


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  2     March 12, 2008 - 3:51pm | smilingfool

Yet another...

Yet another attempt at elitists trying to tell people how they should live their lives. I highly doubt any one of the bunch making up the zoning laws will live in the affected areas. All they want is to stick their snooty noses into other people's lives so they can feel they're better than everyone else.

Personally, I like "snout" houses. It puts more money towards useful things like backyards (you know, where families spend time together) instead of a useless facade all so some stuckup lady on the hillside doesn't have to be "offended" when she drives by.

For those of you who have lived up here your whole lives, here's a wake up call - the "Alaska spirit" died years ago. Since moving up all I see is Seattle-lite.

  March 12, 2008 - 4:08pm | rfn

This is not entirely true.

To get to Alaska one flies into Ted Stevens Airport in Seattle-North. Once upon a time it was necessary to drive only 40-miles to escape to Alaska. Now, with The Mat-Su Valley becoming Portland North, it's more like 100 miles.

Munz Northern Airlines used to hand out promotional wooden yardsticks that had printed on them: "See the arctic before they pave it over". Old Bill Munz had it pretty close to right. Even Nome (fercrissake) is trying to enact ZONING. Next thing, they'll vote to go dry. Then they'll have to end Iditarod at Dexter unless they get Begich lessons and annex that, too!

  1     March 6, 2008 - 4:43pm | rfn

It has been many years

since we've been able to add to the list!

* There would not be significant economic impacts caused by zoning codes and zoning districts.

* The new computer software will not change the way your company does business.

* You're going to LOVE the "new" Coca-Cola!

* I'm from the government and I'm here to help you.

* The check is in the mail.

* Not tonight, I have a headache.

And everybody thought creativity had died!

  March 7, 2008 - 11:12pm | TheSdog

Don't worry

This won't hurt a bit.