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The Kotzebue police department in Alaska has stated that they will not reopen the investigation into the death of Jennifer Kirk, who died in 2018 on the property of a former mayor. The case had been the subject of an investigation by the Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica. The police chief's open letter to the community contradicts previous information released by the department. The police department has faced criticism for their handling of the case, including allegations of failure to properly communicate with the family and failure to interview certain witnesses. The death of another woman on the same property in 2020 is currently being investigated as a homicide. [Extracted from the article]

This article examines the deaths of Jennifer Kirk and Sue Sue Norton, two Indigenous women who were victims of domestic violence in Alaska. The article raises concerns about the lack of action taken by elected leaders and the flawed investigations into their deaths. It also discusses the leniency shown towards individuals accused of domestic violence and the need for better support and prioritization of cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous people. The article provides a detailed account of the investigation into the death of Emily Mesner, highlighting the challenges faced by law enforcement in solving cases with limited evidence or witnesses. [Extracted from the article]

As a result, any lawsuit settlements or judgments against the city of Anchorage, based on Baker's actions on behalf of the mayor, would be paid by the public rather than Baker himself. A Business Partner Accused of Domestic Violence Though Baker and Bronson are close political allies, Baker's closest business associate is Brandon Spoerhase. Demboski alleges that with the mayor's "support and blessing", Baker tried to get the city attorney to drop domestic violence charges filed against Spoerhase. Bronson and Baker are so close that the mayor boasted to employees that he personally drove to Baker's home with a gun to help with a trespassing call on Nov. 26. [Extracted from the article]

Administration officials also said that the utility's manager had asked the mayor to shut it off -- which the manager denied in a public statement to the Assembly and in an email to the city manager. Since Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson took office in July 2021, he and his administration have been criticized for their words and their deeds. [Extracted from the article]