Talk Of Alaska

Food runner Amanda prepares to deliver entrées at 49th State Brewing in downtown Anchorage. The wait to be seated on a Wednesday evening in July was roughly 1.5- to 2-hours, according to staff and patrons. (Jeff Chen/Alaska Public Media) With no more federal relief coming, what do economists see on the horizon for Alaska’s labor shortage? How much did tourism’s return over the summer make up for the last year of deep loss? Was it enough to help businesses survive the winter? How does the pandemic continue to affect supply lines and commerce? Listen here: HOST: Lori Townsend GUESTS: Sarah Leonard, President & CEO, Alaska Travel Industry Association Neal Fried, Economist, Alaska Department of Labor Nolan Klouda, Executive Director, University of Alaska Anchorage Center for Economic Development PARTICIPATE: Call 907-550-8422 (Anchorage) or 1-800-478-8255 (statewide) during the live broadcast. Send an email to talk@alaskapublic.org (Comments may be read on air). Post your