Heavy snowfall in Southcentral Alaska Friday has caused Gov. Sean Parnell to order a staggered closure of most state offices in Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula, while the Municipality of Anchorage is allowing employees to go home early using personal leave.
Sharon Leighow, a press secretary for Parnell, says the state office closures began at 2 p.m., with about a third of workers dismissed each hour until 4 p.m. Supervisors had discretion over who left when, but were asked to give preference to those with the longest commutes home.
"State offices not involved in protecting the health and safety of Alaskans (certain offices of the Departments of Public Safety, Corrections, and the Alaska Pioneer Homes and the Alaska Psychiatric Institute) will be closed at 4 p.m.," Leighow wrote in a statement Friday.
City offices in Anchorage remain open according to Lindsey Spinelli, a spokesperson for Mayor Dan Sullivan, but as of 2 p.m. employees were allowed to go home on a voluntary basis, using personal leave.
Channel 2 has not received word of any federal office closures in Anchorage Friday afternoon.
