Larry Persily

President Donald Trump has a lot of irresponsible ideas: Igniting a trade war with Canada because I figure he never liked hockey; declaring that Lake Ontario should forever more be called Lake America because it’s easier to spell; and taking much of Venezuela’s oil because no one can stop him and he loves the idea of the U.S. government owning shares in private businesses.

Newspapers used to stand tall in their communities across the country, Alaska included. But now they stand like stricken spruce trees, falling victim to declining revenue and readership, much like trees decimated by spruce beetles that feed on the vital, inner layer of wood.

Economists talk about “new money” and “old money,” but not always in the sense of old, like long-time rich families, or new, like tech startup multi-millionaires.