Traveling to see family is always fun, but it’s great to get back to the Susitna Valley. While we were gone there was some freezing rain and sleet, which had a predictably bad effect on the roads; bad enough, in fact, that some area schools were closed. In Alaska. But we got home OK, back to our accustomed peace and quiet.  

Speaking of peace and quiet, we may be getting rather more of it. This is sad, but it seems people are leaving the Great Land.

After 11 straight years with more residents leaving Alaska than arriving, the state for the first time projects a long-term population decline, according to a report released Monday from the state’s demographer.

And as Alaskans keep getting older, the number of deaths will rise while births keep falling, adding to the population decline looking out to 2050, according to David Howell, state demographer, writing in the state’s latest Alaska Economic Trends magazine.

It’s a little baffling. Sure, plenty of people can’t take the winters here, and that’s somewhat understandable. But there’s change afoot in Washington next month, in case you hadn’t noticed, which may result in some new, good-paying jobs on the North Slope and elsewhere. That may make a difference.

In the meantime, maybe prices on recreational land out in the boonies will drop some.

Alaska Man score: 2 of 5 moose nuggets. Sad to see folks leaving the Great Land.

In happier news: Here’s an update on Alaska’s Christmas gift to the United States. The U.S. Capitol Christmas tree has arrived in Washington. So has Kenai’s Rose Burke, who won the Christmas Tree Essay contest – and the trip to the Capitol.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy and the members of the state’s congressional delegation celebrated the lighting ceremony for this year’s U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree — which came from Alaska — on Tuesday in Washington, D.C.

This year’s tree, an 80-foot Sitka spruce, came from the Tongass National Forest. The only other Capitol Christmas Tree to come from Alaska was taken from the Chugach National Forest in 2015.

A fourth grader from Kenai, Rose Burke, also attended the ceremony alongside U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Alaska Man score: 5 moose nuggets. Well done, Rose. You’ve made Alaska proud.

See Related: Alaska Man Monday - National Christmas Tree, Highway Flagging, and the Alaska Highway

And finally, this one is just plain weird, to begin with, and being in Alaska makes if even weirder.

On 12/4/24 at approximately 1908 hours, the Alaska State Troopers in Wasilla received a report of a disturbance at an apartment on Caryshea Street. The 30-year-old complainant reported he’d driven several miles to another location after a disturbance with his 33-year-old brother. Troopers responded to both locations and interviewed the brothers. Investigation revealed the brothers had an argument which resulted in a physical altercation. Following the altercation, the 33-year-old brother threw the complainant’s pet alligator outside into the snow. The complainant then proceeded to throw the 33-year-old brother’s pet crocodile outside into the snow as well before leaving the scene with his two-year-old child. Troopers located and rescued the alligator but were unable to locate the crocodile and suspect it died from the cold exposure.

Uh, an alligator? And the other brother had a pet crocodile? We presume from the report that both critters were on the small side, given that the poor crocodile couldn’t be located and presumably died. But seriously, who keeps an alligator or a crocodile in Alaska?

Alaska Man score: 2.5 of 5 moose nuggets. Points for strange/amusing. Demerits for being a pain in the butt to the Alaska State Troopers and for callous disregard of the reptile pets.

See Related: Alaska Man Monday - a Protest That Wasn't, a Dumb Crook, and Wascally Wabbits

Now then: Let’s go Outside this week, with some history on county courthouses.