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Gov. Dunleavy says state opens on Friday

Suzanne Downing
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25
Gov. Dunleavy says state opens on Friday

The state of Alaska will be opened back up on Friday, May 22, Gov. Mike Dunleavy said today. All businesses will be able to be open, including churches, libraries, gyms, and other facilities.

There’s no mandate from the state to the individual communities that they must open, however. Anchorage has lagged in opening businesses, for instance.

Mayor Ethan Berkowitz will not be briefing the community on his decision about when Anchorage will open until Friday.

The governor said today it’s time to rely on Alaskans to take personal responsibility.

“We believe we can manage this virus. There was a time when we thought this virus was going to manage us,” Dunleavy said. “We need to get our economy up and running, our society up and running.”

He acknowledged the wear and tear on people’s mental, emotional, and spiritual health, and the need for people to have access to social opportunities that contribute to a good life. He also noted that the state is better prepared for spikes in cases of coronavirus, and that the personal protective gear and testing is in place.

Dunleavy said the state will embark on a robust education campaign and he’ll be doing town hall meetings around the state to get feedback from people of Alaska.

“We are entering a new phase in Alaska,” he said.

In that phase, the 14-day quarantine for out-of-state travelers is still in effect, and so are restrictions for visitors at senior homes and prisons. Health mandates 15 (elective medical/dental), 17 (commercial fishing), and 18 (intrastate travel) remain in effect. Gatherings and festivals should be scheduled only after consulting with public health officials.

The disaster declaration for COVID-19 is still in effect, Dunleavy said.

COVID update: Zero cases, border remains ‘closed,’ while Costco eases up

Suzanne Downing
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18
COVID update: Zero cases, border remains ‘closed,’ while Costco eases up

No new cases of coronavirus were detected in Alaska during the past 24-hour reporting period, according to the State of Alaska Department of Health and Social Services.

Meanwhile, Canada and the US have extended the agreement keeping the border closed to non-essential travel until June 21. Essential travel includes residents of Alaska going to and from the Lower 48, as well as workers who are transiting through Canada.

Costco has changed its rules again and will now allow more than two customers per membership card into its stores. The warehouse had a rule last month that allowed just two people per membership card, but that rule has been removed from its website.

Alaska Judicial Council forwards names for Supreme Court vacancy

Suzanne Downing
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5
Alaska Judicial Council forwards names for Supreme Court vacancy

Alaska Judicial Council voted on their selection of candidates who had applied for a vacancy on the Alaska Supreme Court. The names, reported by the Alaska Family Council in an email today, will now be forwarded to Gov. Dunleavy.

Eight people applied for the vacant Supreme Court seat. The names forwarded by the council were Dario Borghesan, Dani Crosby, Jennifer Stuart Henderson and Yvonne Lamoureux.

Dario Borghesan: Borghesan has been an Alaska resident for 11½ years, and has practiced law for 9½ years. He graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 2008, and is currently a chief assistant attorney general in Anchorage.

Dani Crosby: Judge Crosby has been an Alaska resident for 33½ years, and has practiced law for 23½ years. She graduated from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1996, and is currently a superior court judge in Anchorage.

Jennifer Stuart Henderson: Judge Henderson has been an Alaska resident for 16½ years, and has practiced law for 16½ years. She graduated from Yale Law School in 2001, and is currently a superior court judge in Anchorage.

Yvonne Lamoureux: Judge Lamoureux has been an Alaska resident for 15½ years, and has practiced law for 16½ years. She graduated from University of Virginia School of Law in 2003, and is currently a superior court judge in Anchorage.

The governor has 45 days to make the appointment for who will replace Justice Craig Stowers, one of the more conservative members of the Alaska Supreme Court.

House adjourns, leaves Juneau after CARES vote

Suzanne Downing
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8
House adjourns, leaves Juneau after CARES vote

DID SPEAKER EDGMON LEAVE SENATE PRESIDENT GIESSEL AT ALTAR?

The Alaska House adjourned sine die after voting for the CARES Act funding as proposed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy. Now, the Senate will take action on it on Wednesday morning.

It was unclear whether the House or Senate would finish their work first, but the House raced through its agenda this morning and passed HB313, while the Senate took its time on the look-alike legislation.

Senators are scheduled to vote on the CARES Act funding on Wednesday, but with the House now adjourned, it is unlikely there will be changes.

There didn’t seem to be any strategy at play about which body would move its bill first and get out of town, but many House members were heading for the airport in early afternoon, having apparently anticipated the hasty adjournment.

But not the Sitka representative. After the House adjourned, Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins held a hearing on his vote-by-mail bill, but he was the only one in the room, and the audio link to the other committee members was problematic.

Only Democrat Reps. Grier Hopkins, Zack Fields, and Andi Story attended online. The hearing was moot because the bill died when the House adjourned earlier in the day.

What will Phase 3 look like in Alaska?

Suzanne Downing
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12
What will Phase 3 look like in Alaska?

Alaskans appear to be done with the closures and the ever-changing mandates, and the governor of Alaska appears to be right there with him.

At a news conference on Tuesday, he said he’s ready to move to Phase 3, which is a sort-of normal economy, but not quite.

There won’t be concerts or big crowds allowed in Phase 3, that much was said by Gov. Mike Dunleavy.

Beyond that, the public will have to wait until he makes his announcement on Wednesday about things like quarantines and crowd sizes. But by looking around the country, Alaskans can get a sense of how open is open.

Here’s what Phase 3 recommendations look like from the White House perspective and from the state of Indiana:

WHITE HOUSE ADVICE

VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS can resume public interactions, but should practice physical distancing, minimizing exposure to social settings where distancing may not be practical, unless precautionary measures are observed.

LOW-RISK POPULATIONS should consider minimizing time spent in crowded environments.

EMPLOYERS may resume unrestricted staffing of worksites.

VISITS TO SENIOR CARE FACILITIES AND HOSPITALS can resume. Those who interact with residents and patients must be diligent regarding hygiene.

LARGE VENUES (e.g., sit-down dining, movie theaters, sporting venues, places of worship) can operate under limited physical distancing protocols.

GYMS can remain open if they adhere to standard sanitation protocols.

BARS may operate with increased standing room occupancy, where applicable.

INDIANA – Stage 3 begins May 24

  • Indianans (Hoosiers) 65 and older and those with known high-risk medical conditions should limit exposure at work and in their communities
  • Continue remote work when possible
  • Face coverings are recommended
  • Social gatherings of up to 100 people
    may take place following the CDC social distancing guidelines. The coronavirus
    is often spread among groups of people who are in close contact in a confined space for an extended period of time. This limit applies to wedding receptions, parties,and other events where people are in close physical contact for extended periods of time
  • Nursing homes remain closed to visitors; nursing home guidance will continue to be evaluated
  • No travel restrictions
  • Retail stores and malls may move to 75% of capacity while maintaining social distancing
  • Mall common areas, such as food courts and sitting areas, are limited to 50% capacity
  • Gyms and fitness centers may open with restrictions. Class sizes and equipment must be spaced to accommodate social distancing. Limited class sizes. Equipment must be cleaned after each use, and employees are required to wear face coverings
  • Playgrounds, tennis courts, basketball courts, and similar facilities may open with social distancing guidelines in place
  • Community pools may open according to CDC guidance
  • Campgrounds may open with social distancing limitations and sanitation precautions
  • Movie theaters may open at 50% capacity; some theater companies have identified specific hygiene and social distancing guidelines
  • The CDC will provide guidance about day camps and overnight camps

WHAT REMAINS CLOSED IN INDIANA

  • Bars and nightclubs
  • Cultural, entertainment, sports venues
  • K-12 facilities and activities

Traveling to Seattle? Mask rule effective in King County

Suzanne Downing
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17
Traveling to Seattle? Mask rule effective in King County

Alaskans heading through the Seattle area should know that there are new rules that have taken effect: SeaTac Airport requires passengers to wear face masks, as does all of King County to the north of the airport. These directives went into effect on Monday.

King County’s directive is that people must wear a face covering when they are at any indoor or outdoor public space where they may be within 6 feet of someone who does not live with them.

A face covering is not needed when people are outside walking, exercising, or otherwise outdoors if they are able to regularly stay 6 feet away from other people who do not live with them. The instructions from the county specify cloth masks, not medical masks.

Read the rules for King County here.

At SeaTac Airport, all passengers, visitors, and workers in the public areas are required to wear face coverings. You’ll see signage and reminders to honor physical distancing.

By June 1, new plastic barriers will separate travelers and airport employees, and the spaces will be reconfigured to create more physical distancing in queues.

SeaTac has an aggressive frequent sanitizing program with medical-grade cleaning products. By June 9 the airport will be requesting approval from the Port of Seattle to implement temperature checks for all departing and arriving international travelers.

COVID update: Three cases

Suzanne Downing
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26
COVID update: Three cases

Three new cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed in Anchorage (2) and Willow (1). This brings the total Alaska case count to 399. 

These cases reflect data from 12a.m. until 11:59 p.m. on May 17 that posted at noon today on the Alaska Coronavirus Response Hub. 

Of the new Alaska cases, one is male and two are female. One is aged 10-19; one is aged 20-29; and one is aged 30-39. There have been a total of 43 hospitalizations and 10 deaths with no new hospitalizations or deaths reported yesterday. Recovered cases now total 345, including one new recovered case recorded yesterday.

A total of 35,611 tests have been conducted in Alaska.

Currently, there are nine persons hospitalized for treatment of COVID-19 in Alaska; only one person is on a ventilator.

Make Alaska Great Again: MRAK launches initiative

Suzanne Downing
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12
Make Alaska Great Again: MRAK launches initiative

ADVERTISING, MARKETING OPPORTUNITY FOR ALASKA’S SMALL BUSINESSES

Must Read Alaska’s “stay-standing model” is built on the 70 hours a week that this producer puts into holding fast for smart public policy in Alaska and keeping the mainstream media on its toes.

All small businesses in Alaska are doing likewise — working hard in uncertain times, trying to be Alaska’s makers, not takers. There’s a lot less money to go around.

Yes, things are tough for small businesses, this one included. Advertising is down, but thankfully donors are helping out because good public policy is what is going to save our economy. (Your donations are so appreciated, more than I can express.)

Today, MRAK launches the Make Alaska Great Again Initiative. It starts with you, the reader. It’s your chance to help support businesses in our communities.

You can order this hoodie at the MRAK store. MRAK gets 10 percent from these sales.

We all are aware of businesses in Alaska that have been dealt a terrible blow by the economy we suddenly find ourselves in. But not all have been forced to close for good. It’s time for us to jump in and save a few.

There are SBA loans and PPP grants, but these are hard to get and are not going to be enough. We can use the power of the Must Read Alaska platform to do more.

Do you know of a small business that could use some advertising? 

Must Read Alaska has a few slots open for free ads — send MRAK the name and contact information for a business you think deserves and needs an ad, and that has a shot of staying alive if only they had some advertising and help with marketing. 

It could be a hair salon or a restaurant or a gift store. Maybe it’s a business the government said was non-essential, and is now struggling to keep the doors open with all the extra-helpful government mandates.

When MRAK runs out of space for the ads, we’ll call on other bloggers to take as many as they can.

Bloggers and webmasters can reach us at [email protected] to be part of this Make Alaska Great Again Initiative.

Must Read Alaska is devoted to helping the private sector economy in Alaska avoid catastrophic failure over coming weeks. The Make Alaska Great Again Initiative is our way to help pump life back into the hearts of our communities and the American Dream. 

There’s no catch, and no contract. If a business needs an ad built for them, our contract designer can do that for a modest fee.

MRAK Nation helped keep Ammo-Can Coffee alive during the worst of this regulatory storm with a super-successful GoFundMe campaign. Who else needs a boost?

A rising tide lifts all boats, and MRAK is here, fighting alongside you to help restore our economy.

Review of AK National Guard says improvements continue

Suzanne Downing
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0
Review of AK National Guard says improvements continue

DUNLEAVY ASKED FOR A REPORT ON PROGRESS IN CULTURE OF GUARD

Things have improved in the Alaska National Guard in terms of the culture of the force and its treatment of women members, according to a new report.

The Department of Administration’s Oversight & Review Unit has completed its statewide assessment of the Alaska National Guard findings and recommendations about sexual assault, equal opportunity, coordination with local law enforcement, misconduct, command climate and the Alaska National Guard administration. Did the Guard improve and are the standards being met that were set forth in 2015?

“We found that the AKNG command has fully addressed and implemented recommendations made by Patricia Collins in 2015, and the National Guard Bureau’s Office of Complex Investigations (OCI) in 2014 regarding Equal Opportunity, Sexual Harassment, Discrimination and Retaliation issues,” according to the summary at the Department of Administration.

The report states that Major General Torrence Saxe continues to implement the recommendations of the Collins that the Alaska National Guard command “adequately and appropriately responds to allegations of sexual assault or harassment by Guard members.”

Although the Guard trains and educates its members and command staff about misconduct and how to handle allegations, the review found that retention of the knowledge has declined in the three years since the recommendations took effect.

“We believe the AKNG would benefit from requiring its command staff to participate in additional training on sexual assault reporting and in advanced Sexual Harassment/Assault Prevention and Response Program (SHARP) scenario training to develop their abilities to respond to sexual misconduct cases,” the report states.

The entire report can be found at the Department of Administration’s page.

In 2014, a scandal erupted at the Alaska National Guard, which led to allegations that Gov. Sean Parnell had not paid close enough attention to allegations being made by a few women. That scandal was electrified by the fact that it was an election year, and both the Democrats and the mainstream media used it as a battering ram against the sitting governor, who eventually lost to Gov. Bill Walker. Walker had fed the scandal during his campaign, as did the Anchorage Daily News, which was under the direction of pro-Walker publisher Alice Rogoff.

In the events that ensued, the Alaska National Guard commander was forced out after a six-month federal review by the National Guard Bureau Office of Complex Investigations found that some members of the Guard had been mistreated after reporting sex assaults. Guard members lacked trust and confidence in the Guard leadership.

We also reviewed several records pertaining to sexual assault disciplinary proceedings from 2016 to September 2019. In all the cases that we reviewed, the AKNG responded quickly and appropriately to allegations of misconduct.

The Dunleavy Administration review of progress has made six recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the AKNG:

1. Require advanced SHARP Training for Leadership.

  1. Increase efforts to educate Guard members onsexual assault reporting knowledge.
  2. Establish an official channel of information sharingwith civil authorities.
  3. The AKNG continues to work with the NationalGuard Bureau to retain a full-time Military Judge.
  4. Consider mirroring active duty SARC staffing forthe AKNG.
  5. Establish an e-mail address for AKNG members tocommunicate directly with the Adjutant General (TAG) for allegations not handled or allegations not reported for fear of reprisal
  6. Add “Quick Links” for the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response and Suicide Prevention Program sites to the DMVA main website.

Gov. Dunleavy had directed the review to ensure the State of Alaska is properly addressing any allegations of sexual assaults, sexual harassment or retaliation occurring in the Department of Military and Veteran Affairs. The Department of Administration Oversight & Review Unit conducted this review with the assistance of the Alaska National Guard.

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