The Anchorage Assembly passed an emergency ordinance on Tuesday afternoon to pay for the teardown of the old Trapline Escort Service building. The ordinance allocates $95,000 of taxpayer money to demolish what is left of the structure.

The building burned down under suspicious circumstances October 4th. A man locked inside the building suffered severe burns, a few days later, fire investigators determined the fire was intentionally set. Municipal building inspectors told the assembly and members of the Begich administration that the structure poses a hazard to public safety. The city is paying $1,200 dollars a day to a private security company to make sure no one enters the site. Full Story...