{
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    "slug": "ten-years-in-the-making",
    "headline": "ten years in the making",
    "deck": "After more than a decade of talk, Fairbanks broke ground on a new animal shelter for residents and their pets.",
    "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com/story/ten-years-in-the-making",
    "section": "Life",
    "area": "Fairbanks",
    "published_at": "2026-06-20T20:00:00+00:00",
    "updated_at": "2026-10-02T06:11:51.547269+00:00",
    "body_md": "The Fairbanks North Star Borough broke ground on a new animal shelter on Leasure Street in South Fairbanks, behind American Tire and Auto just off South Cushman Street, ending more than ten years of discussion about replacing the facility. Borough staff, contractors, animal control employees and the mayor attended the groundbreaking, along with an adoptable dog named Iris.\n\nThe project moved forward after the winning contractor submitted a bid about nine point four million dollars below the estimate prepared by the borough's own engineers, a significant savings for taxpayers.\n\nConstruction is expected to take a few years, with the new shelter set to open sometime in the spring or summer of 2028.\n\nThe new facility will serve Fairbanks area families who adopt pets or need help with lost or stray animals, replacing a plan that had stalled for more than a decade.",
    "sources": [
      {
        "url": "https://www.youralaskalink.com/news/local/ground-broken-on-long-awaited-new-fairbanks-animal-shelter-project/article_acfdfe68-bc46-4180-bc53-6561a72afb21.html",
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    "story_id": "5fbf8cf4-84e2-4b36-8d97-51b6e2940aba",
    "slug": "ten-years-in-the-making",
    "summary": "Fairbanks North Star Borough broke ground on a new animal shelter on Leasure Street in South Fairbanks after more than ten years of planning. The winning bid came in about $9.4 million under the engineer's estimate. Construction will take a few years, with opening expected spring or summer 2028.",
    "key_facts": [
      "New animal shelter is being built on Leasure Street in South Fairbanks, behind American Tire and Auto off South Cushman Street",
      "The project had been discussed for more than ten years before groundbreaking",
      "The winning contractor's bid came in about $9.4 million under the borough engineers' cost estimate",
      "Construction is expected to take a few years, with opening planned for spring or summer of 2028",
      "An adoptable dog named Iris attended the groundbreaking ceremony"
    ],
    "faq": [
      {
        "a": "On Leasure Street in South Fairbanks, behind American Tire and Auto just off South Cushman Street.",
        "q": "Where is Fairbanks building its new animal shelter?"
      },
      {
        "a": "Construction is expected to take a few years, with the shelter set to open in spring or summer of 2028.",
        "q": "When will the new Fairbanks animal shelter open?"
      },
      {
        "a": "The winning contractor's bid came in about 9.4 million dollars under what the borough's engineers estimated, saving that amount on the project.",
        "q": "How much did the shelter project save taxpayers?"
      },
      {
        "a": "Borough staff, contractors, animal control employees and the mayor attended, along with an adoptable dog named Iris.",
        "q": "Who attended the groundbreaking for the new shelter?"
      }
    ],
    "claims": [
      {
        "claim": "Fairbanks broke ground on a new animal shelter on Leasure Street in South Fairbanks after more than ten years of discussion.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://www.youralaskalink.com/news/local/ground-broken-on-long-awaited-new-fairbanks-animal-shelter-project/article_acfdfe68-bc46-4180-bc53-6561a72afb21.html",
        "source_label": "youralaskalink.com"
      },
      {
        "claim": "The winning contractor's bid came in about $9.4 million under the borough engineers' cost estimate.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://www.youralaskalink.com/news/local/ground-broken-on-long-awaited-new-fairbanks-animal-shelter-project/article_acfdfe68-bc46-4180-bc53-6561a72afb21.html",
        "source_label": "youralaskalink.com"
      },
      {
        "claim": "The new shelter is expected to open in spring or summer of 2028.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://www.youralaskalink.com/news/local/ground-broken-on-long-awaited-new-fairbanks-animal-shelter-project/article_acfdfe68-bc46-4180-bc53-6561a72afb21.html",
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    "locations": [
      {
        "area": "Fairbanks",
        "kind": "road",
        "name": "Leasure Street"
      },
      {
        "area": "Fairbanks",
        "kind": "neighborhood",
        "name": "South Fairbanks"
      },
      {
        "area": "Fairbanks",
        "kind": "road",
        "name": "South Cushman Street"
      }
    ],
    "people": [
      {
        "org": null,
        "name": "Iris",
        "title": "adoptable dog"
      }
    ],
    "organizations": [
      {
        "kind": "government",
        "name": "Fairbanks North Star Borough"
      },
      {
        "kind": "company",
        "name": "American Tire and Auto"
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    ],
    "event_dates": [
      {
        "date": "2026-06",
        "label": "Groundbreaking ceremony"
      },
      {
        "date": "2028",
        "label": "Expected shelter opening"
      }
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    "disclosure": "Produced with AI assistance, narrated with Slav Lund's voice clone with his consent, and reviewed by a person before publishing.",
    "generated_at": "2026-10-01T05:19:30.568+00:00",
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    "updated_at": "2026-10-02T06:11:51.547269+00:00"
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    "abstract": "Fairbanks North Star Borough broke ground on a new animal shelter on Leasure Street in South Fairbanks after more than ten years of planning. The winning bid came in about $9.4 million under the engineer's estimate. Construction will take a few years, with opening expected spring or summer 2028.",
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