Giving Thanks and Digging Deep.

• Author: Mackenzie, Kathryn
• Position: FROM THE EDITOR

It's officially my favorite time of year. I know that far more people get excited about the Midnight Sun than the (what's the opposite of a midnight sun?) long, cold days of winter. But come on, what's not to love about the Northern Lights against a velvet-black night sky? Or a fresh blanket of untouched snow glistening in the noon sunrise? Year after year I find myself bedazzled by winter here and continue to be grateful that I get to experience all that Alaska has to offer by just stepping outside.

And over the past several months I've found myself revisiting again and again the idea of gratitude and resilience. To be resilient, by definition, requires a challenge to overcome--and right now we all face one of the most demanding, impactful challenges of our lifetime. As taxing as 2020 has been--and no doubt, it has been exhausting--I'm also deeply grateful to be here still, helping to support businesses in our communities with news and information about the industries important to you.

One of those industries is mining, featured prominently in this month's Natural Resource Development special section. Accounting for some 9,400 jobs (direct and indirect) and more than $700 million in payroll taxes annually, mining is a key economic driver in Alaska...