New space data center under construction in Mat-Su
A new $5 million space data center is under construction near Talkeetna in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough with the first phase expected to be operational by the end of 2019. The developer is Anchorage-based Pacific DataPort, an affiliate of MicroCom, a 35-year-old Alaska telecommunications service company. A 5,000-square-foot facility is being built on an 80-acre tract where in previous years AT&T operated a satellite data center. Microcom Communications Solutions is. Pacific DataPort closed on the land purchase in April and recently began building. The facility will access data from satellites and serve customers with support for Internet and other services. The company is also working on the launch of a new satellite with capacity dedicated to Alaska, which is expected to provide advanced Internet service at lower costs to institutional customers and consumers. Pacific Dataport has signed a contract with Astranis Space Technologies Corp. to design and build proprietary high-throughput telecommunications microsatellites in geostationary orbit. The satellite will launch in 2020 and provide 7.5 Gbps of capacity to roughly triple the currently available satellite capacity in Alaska.

Equity firms buy Vigor, Ketchikan shipyard operator, to merge with Virginia-based company
Vigor Industrial, owner of Vigor Alaska, which operates the Ketchikan shipyard, has been sold to two equity investment companies, Carlyle Group and Stellex Capital Management. The new owners will merge Vigor, which operates ship service facilities in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, into MHI Holdings, of Virginia, which operates marine support facilities on the east coast. MHI now employs about 800 compared with 2,300 in Vigor’s shipyards. MHI does extensive work for the U.S. Navy and Military Sealift Command. Vigor’s new owners are to explain benefits of the deal to the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, the state development corporation that owns the Ketchikan shipyard and leases it to Vigor. AIDEA was not informed in advance of the sale, the agency told reporters.

Earthquake-related Anchorage school-repairs and upgrades now expected to cost $150 million
Estimates for earthquake-related repairs and seismic upgrades at Anchorage schools are now at $150 million, Anchorage School District officials say. The new estimate includes repairs of actual damage and work needed to upgrade buildings to meet higher seismic standards. The new estimate is triple what was originally forecast. The federal government is expected to cover 75 percent of earthquake-related repairs with state funds covering the remainder, but it’s not certain how much of the seismic upgrades will be covered by the state and federal governments.

Mat-Su considers a sales tax to offset state cuts
The Matanuska-Susitna Borough is now considering a local sales tax to augment property tax revenues and offset reductions in state funds. A proposed 2 percent sales tax will be before local voters in the November municipal election if the borough assembly adopts the proposal. Sales, services and rentals would fall under the tax. Citizens spoke against the tax at a public hearing held by the assembly, arguing the tax is ill-timed. Mayors of both Wasilla, Palmer and Houston, which now have city sales taxes, also spoke in opposition. Palmer and Wasilla both have 3 percent sales taxes while Houston has a 2 percent tax. With purchases within the cities the taxes would double up, with a borough tax paid on top of the city tax. Another public hearing by the assembly is set for Aug. 20.

Pilot program offering financial services to marijuana businesses is ended
Credit Union 1 will end a pilot program to provide account services for marijuana-related businesses on Aug. 30 because of an inability for the financial institution to get liability coverage beyond the pilot stage. Because of federal banking restrictions the new industry is forced to operate mostly with cash. Four marijuana businesses have been using the services. State taxes are also paid in cash. Over $10 million in marijuana taxes were paid to the state in Fiscal Year 2018.

Three hits on missile targets by test interceptors launched from Kodiak
Three Israeli Arrow 3 anti-missile interceptors were tested from the Alaska Aerospace Corp. launch complex in Kodiak and all three hit their target missiles above the atmosphere. Arrow 3 is Israel’s newest and most advanced missile defense system and is designed to destroy incoming missiles at long ranges. It was tested in Kodiak because the Mediterranean testing areas are too restricted. Israel’s two other systems are Arrow 2 and Iron Dome, which operate at shorter ranges. The altitudes and speeds at which the intercepts occurred where not released.

Coast Guard’s Healy back in the Arctic
The Coast Guard’s medium icebreaker Healy is on its annual voyage to the Arctic. The Coast Guard is now working on securing six new “polar-class” cutters that, while not icebreakers, have the capability of operating in northern waters to do search and rescue and other tasks. $635 million has been appropriated for one vessel now under construction and $200 million is allocated for the start of work on a second. Four more are planned.

Anchorage extends declaration on homelessness, allowing emergency aid
Anchorage’s assembly extended an emergency declaration on homelessness for a second time. The declaration allows the municipality to take emergency steps to help keep shelters open that are threatened by state budget cuts. Under the first declaration $400,000 was appropriated to help local shelters.

“Red Flag” air training exercises underway
The annual “Red Flag” military air training exercises are underway at Eielson Air Force Base east of Fairbanks and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, or JBER, in Anchorage. One set of exercises was completed in June and a second set is underway now. Each exercise brings about 1,000 personnel and 60 aircraft to Eielson and about 500 personnel and 40 aircraft to JBER.

Fairbanks establishes climate change task force; Anchorage did so earlier
The Fairbanks North Star Borough has established a municipal climate change task force to work on mitigation and adaptation strategies. A similar group was established earlier by the Municipality of Anchorage. The state, at Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s direction, disbanded a climate task force established by former Gov. Bill Walker. First meeting of the Fairbanks task force is set for mid-November.