A bold new entrant into the journalism scene in Alaska is led by the former editor of the Catholic Anchor, who in partnership with the president of Crystal Clear Creative, has launched the Alaska Watchman, a news organization that will be covering mainly social issues from a Judeo-Christian perspective.
Joel Davidson had been with the Catholic Anchor for 13 years, but had long dreamed of starting the Alaska Watchman, he told Must Read Alaska. He wants to cover issues that are hot-button items for people of faith, and issues that pertain to the attack on family values.
With video and web, the Alaska Watchman will explore social issues including free speech, religious freedom, marriage, abortion, LGBTQ controversies, and more.
Davidson and Jake Libbey are raising money for the project with this video, released today:
Davidson is a life-long Alaska who lives in Palmer with his wife and children. Besides his longtime experience at the Catholic Anchor, he was a reporter for the Frontiersman from 2004-2006.
The website for the news organization is already launched and populated with several stories, including a story on Drag Queen Story Hour, Planned Parenthood sex-ed materials, Alaska Bar Association freedom of speech issues, and more.
Davidson will appear on Wednesday at 5 pm with Jim Minnery on the Family Mattersradio show on KVNT 92.5FM or 1020AM to discuss the project and its unique niche in the Alaska news landscape.
A letter sent by 19 Democratic legislators and one Republican, criticizing Gov. Michael Dunleavy for supporting due process in the Pebble Project, lacked the signatures of the vast majority of Republicans, with the exception of Sen. Gary Stevens of Kodiak.
The letter was in response to a letter written by Dunleavy to the chief executive officer of Wheaton Precious Metals Corporation, which stated the state would defend the mine against unfair interference and “frivolous and scurrilous attacks.” Dunleavy has said often that he supports due process,
According to the Democrats’ letter, which was also sent to the CEO of Wheaton, the mining project is on the “edge of Bristol Bay.” In fact, the Pebble Project is 230 miles by river from Bristol Bay, or about the same distance by air as Anchorage is from Homer.
“Opposition to this project is both local and statewide, and is not frivolous, slanderous or interference. As individual Alaskans, our opposition to this project arises from the potentially severe social, economic, and cultural risks that the Pebble Mine represents,” according to the lawmakers who signed the letter that was released on Monday.
“Alaskans will vigorously defend their existing cultural and economic interests, and assuming that permitting will be pro forma carries substantial risk. As Alaskans, we refuse to jeopardize an existing, sustainable resource for the sake of an economically dubious project,” they wrote.
A few days earlier, Rep. Chuck Kopp, a Republican, penned an op-ed that ran in Alaska newspapers in which he supported mining as a way to end the despair that has led to lawlessness throughout rural Alaska and he called for an end to divisive and “caustic rhetoric, inaccurate information, and a false dichotomy that says it’s either mining jobs and infrastructure or protection of the environment.”
Suffice it to say, Kopp did not sign the letter to the Wheaton company CEO but stayed on the side of the fair permitting process of a State of Alaska asset.
Mining projects across Alaska.
Alaska’s mining industry breathes new life into our communities
By REP. CHUCK KOPP
A lot of news lately has focused on the very real concerns we have about our future here in Alaska. Lack of public safety, job opportunities, education funding and a weak economy all present challenges that are bringing people together in unprecedented ways to realize a more secure future for our state.
For the first time since statehood, we are seeing year-over-year declines in our population as working-age adults and their families leave Alaska in search of work, taking their expertise with them. The Anchorage Economic Development Corp. reports a loss of 900 jobs just in Anchorage in 2018, and projects another 700 in 2019, as well as 1,000 in 2020. The statewide job loss numbers are much bleaker.
This situation underscores the importance of taking seriously every opportunity to turn this around. A recent announcement of a major oil producer leaving Alaska is a poignant reminder of how critical it is for us to have a stable investment climate, and that the oil and gas sector alone can no longer carry the freight for us. More diversity to our revenue stream is needed, and we do not have the luxury we once had to dismiss viable prospects right in front of us.
The economic strain has a direct nexus to our public safety crisis in rural Alaska. The Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica special report ‘Lawless’ is an astounding observation of just how many of our rural communities are desperate for public safety and other resources necessary to thrive. Numerous cash-poor villages and towns are in terrible predicaments without any public safety presence and few options.
Is there any good news? Yes. Alaska’s mining industry. It continues to weather severe and often unwarranted criticism, while providing almost 15,000 jobs in communities around our state. Just six producing mines, two development projects and several advanced exploration projects are each the single largest property taxpayers in their regions, pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into local economies and providing critically needed infrastructure and high-paying jobs that are breathing new life into rural communities long deprived of hope to improve their economic condition.
It has been said that labor rids us of three great evils — idleness, vice and poverty. Strong and vibrant communities, healthy families and good mining industry jobs are all inextricably linked together, opening paths to freedom, opportunity and a thriving self-sufficiency. The only losers are suicide, crime and substance abuse.
It’s important to remember the abundance of our natural resources and our commitment to market them was key to our gaining statehood 60 years ago. Congress feared that Alaska would be unable to raise enough taxes due to its small population and end up as a welfare state. The tide finally began to turn in favor of statehood with the discovery of gold and other natural resources. We were able to prove we could “pay our own way” and that our value to the U.S. was significant.
Alaska has been a natural resource extraction state for well more than 150 years, with the mining industry as the bedrock of our economy for nearly a century. Most of our population centers, from Juneau to Fairbanks to Nome, were founded by miners. Oil and gas are relative newcomers, and while the energy sector has a bright future, so does our mining industry. Today more than ever, Alaska needs this industry to realize its potential to help stabilize our economy, strengthen our communities and move Alaska forward into a more secure and prosperous future.
The simple truth is, we are no less desperate today for the hope, opportunity and economic freedom brought to us by the mining industry than we were 150 years ago. If a development project is awarded a permit because it has incorporated significant public input and met the necessary and stringent permit process requirements, then we should enthusiastically welcome the jobs, economic freedom, and family stability that flows from a well-developed, well-planned, community supported project that breathes new life into absolutely desperate areas of our state.
What does such a project look like? As recently reported by KTOO, the Donlin Gold project is currently busier renovating a century-old church in Chuathbaluk than building a mine because caring for their neighbor is a high priority. Eric Morgan Sr., subdeacon of the Russian Orthodox church said, “we can’t express our thanks (to Donlin) … like thanks from the heart from the whole village.” Donlin spokesperson Kristina Woolston simply stated, “It was the right thing to do.” Friends, this is generous, peaceful and life-renewing service in cooperation with the community.
Alaska’s mining industry employs Alaskans, whose concerns and burdens for the environment and a better life are the same as our own. Our mining industry routinely works with their neighbors to help alleviate suffering and improve the lives of their region.
I think it is fair to say most Alaskans want a well-regulated mining industry to flourish in our state, and desire to encourage more of this type of investment. But it will be necessary to stop the polarization and divisiveness that comes from caustic rhetoric, inaccurate information, and a false dichotomy that says it’s either mining jobs and infrastructure or protection of the environment. Our modern-day mines in Alaska have repeatedly shown that both needs can be well accommodated. The future of our state depends on the effort of multiple industries and entrepreneurs working together to move us forward into a more secure future.
Every successful mine is an exciting story of new life being breathed into Alaska. We need more of these stories today.
Rep. Chuck Kopp, R-Anchorage, was elected to the state House of Representatives in 2016. This commentary is dedicated to the memory of his friend, the late Alaska Sen. Chris Birch, a mining engineer and a strong champion of responsible natural resource development.
From the Alaska Support Industry Alliance: TheWillow Master Development Plan Draft EIS public meeting will be held on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2019, 6-8 PM at the Crown Plaza Midtown in Anchorage.
FERC sticks to strict guidelines about public comment, so you should have time to give verbal input, should you choose.
You may submit a personal statement via online comment form, emailor mail by October 29, 2019. Letters may be sent to Willow MDP DEIS Comments, Bureau of Land Management, 222 West 7th Ave., Stop #13, Anchorage, AK 99513.
The Willow Project provides for up to five drill sites, a central processing facility, an operations center, gravel roads, ice roads, ice pads, one airstrip, a nearshore staging area for module transfer, pipelines, and a gravel mine site. Construction activities could span more than seven years and at its peak, construction and design activities could employ as many as 2,000 people. Long-term, the project will create more than 300 jobs for operation of the field. Of the various development alternatives discussed in the EIS, ConocoPhillips prefers development Alternative B and module transfer Option 1. The BLM also prefers Alternative B and Option 1. Public comments in support of the selection of Alternative B and Option 1 will be helpful in ensuring these are selected in the Final EIS.
Willow will be the first development in the Bear Tooth Unit in the Northeast NPR-A (National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska) on Alaska’s North Slope. Willow is approximately 30 miles west of the Alpine Central Processing Facility. Willow could be under construction in 2021 with first oil in the 2025-2026 time frame. Willow will be a stand-alone development capable of producing in excess of 100,000 barrels of oil per day (BOPD). The project is estimated to cost $4 billion to $6 billion.
The attached sheet from ConocoPhillips outlines 10 Key Facts which can be helpful in your drafting of a public comment.
DEBATE WATCHING PARTY IN JUNEAU, ANCHORAGE, FAIRBANKS
The top polling candidates in the Democratic 2020 presidential primary will face off on Thursday, Sept. 12, on the debate stage in Houston, Texas, at an event hosted by ABC News and Univision.
Since there are only 10 top candidates who met the threshold, that means only half of the Democratic field is invited, and the debate will last just one night, for three hours, rather than two nights.
The players in the Sept. 12 Democratic Presidential Debate.
The Democratic Party is hosting a Bingo event. If you text 43367 with the word BINGO you’ll receive an electronic Bingo card in advance of the debate. The Democratic Party will also then have your phone number, so only do this if you want your information mined by Democrats and their associated causes.
In Alaska, debate parties will be held by Democrats starting at 3:30 pm:
Peanut Farm, 5227 Old Seward Highway, Anchorage
Roundup Steakhouse, 2701 S Cushman St, Fairbanks
TK Maguire, 375 Whittier Street (Prospector), Juneau, starts at 4 pm
The frontrunners to be on stage are:
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar
New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker
South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders
Former Vice President Joe Biden
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren
California Sen. Kamala Harris
Entrepreneur Andrew Yang
Former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke
Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro
Biden and Warren, vying for the top spot, will be on stage at the same time for the first time.
Warren is polling well in Alaska with Democrats. She, Sanders, and Harris have all said they will end natural gas “fracking” if elected president.
“On my first day as president, I will sign an executive order that puts a total moratorium on all new fossil fuel leases for drilling offshore and on public lands. And I will ban fracking—everywhere,” Warren proclaimed on Twitter on Sept. 6.
“If you think Alaska’s budget woes are tough now, think about the Alaska situation under a Warren presidency, shutting down our entire resource-based economy” said Glenn Clary, chairman of the the Alaska Republican Party.
Striking back, the National Rifle Association has sued San Francisco over the city and county’s declaration that the Second Amendment organization is a “domestic terrorist organization.”
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on Monday, after last week the city and county of San Francisco and its Board of Supervisors designated the NRA a domestic terrorist organization.
The NRA lawsuit says the city is discriminating against people “based on the viewpoint of their political speech.”
This, according to the lawsuit, is an attempt to curb the NRA’s free speech rights, and is a way to blacklist anyone in the city who is associated with the NRA through membership. The resolution also encourages other city and county governments and the federal government to also blacklist the NRA as a terrorist organization.
The lawsuit asks the court to “to instruct elected officials that freedom of speech means you cannot silence or punish those with whom you disagree.”
San Francisco Mayor London Breed has not signed yet signed the resolution, but it would take effect within 10 days if she doesn’t sign it or veto it.
Wayne LaPierre, the executive vice president of the NRA, said that the organization’s 5 million members are not terrorists. After gun rights are attacked, the NRA usually sees a spike in membership.
The NRA annual report distributed earlier this year showed that dues went from $128,209,303 in 2017 to $170,391,374 in 2018, a 33 percent increase year over year. During the same period contributions rose from $132,879,299 to $165,075,288 for an increase of 24 percent.
Former Mat-Su Borough Assemblyman Randall Kowalke, a Republican challenger for Rep. David Eastman, says he’s in favor of recalling Gov. Michael Dunleavy, because the candidate Dunleavy is not the same as the governor Dunleavy.
Kowalke, who lives in Willow, took to social media to disclose his opinion (and to save Must Read Alaska some time, evidently). He’s taking on Eastman in House District 10 likely because he sees himself as an anti-Dunleavy Republican, while Eastman is more in line with the governor on issues such as spending and the Constitution.
Kowalke wrote, “Let the doxxing begin.” Doxxing is publishing private or identifying information about a person on the Internet, typically with malicious intent, according to Wikipedia.
Anyone who has been through a divorce knows this: It’s a death in the family. It’s a painful death, and when children are involved, it’s a death for them, too.
When there are children, the death just keeps happening throughout their lives as they try to navigate the birthdays, the holidays, and the other big moments, creating an emotional state of grieving that seems to last a lifetime. Because kids want their parents together — they just do.
But in politics, divorce is fair game. It’s a moral flaw. It’s fodder, and there is no escaping it. Especially if your last name is Palin; there’s nothing like Palin to sell clicks on a website, and try as we may, even Must Read Alaska cannot avert its eyes from the news of this pending divorce.
What Todd and Sarah Palin have been through in their marriage, no one really knows. They’ve had good times, rocky times, and tragedy, much played out in the public eye and some of it of their own making. As with almost all couples, what the world sees and what the world thinks it knows is not the whole story. Not even close.
Craig Medred broke the story on his news site CraigMedred.news. He updated it hours later with information that indicated a court clerk may have fudged a bit by allowing the Palin divorce to be filed by their initials only, while the rest of the divorcing public must file using their full names. That is a small sin, perhaps, but annoying to everyday Alaskans who tsk at such privilege. Rules should be applied evenly and Alaska royalty should not get special treatment. Their lawyer should have advised them better.
Todd filed on a Friday, hoping perhaps to stay out of the limelight. No such luck. Sarah Palin is the favorite punching bag for the liberal media, and she gives it back in spades, typically. She seems to have thrived on the battle with the “lame stream media,” as she has been known to call it.
Living in the spotlight is hard on a marriage, and harder on a divorce. If they get it right, they’ll remain friends, and they are the type of people who can get it right, even while breaking up the camp and going separate ways.
For now, the real sin committed is by those who throw stones at a marriage that has fascinated the world, a marriage that has simply ended sadly. The sin is committed by those who drag the children into it and use them as a battering ram against their parents.
In the beginning, the two were high school sweethearts who eloped in August of 1988 after Sarah finished college and had started a career in sports reporting. The first of their five children was born the following April. She ran for city council of Wasilla, and started a political career that eventually led to a nomination for the vice presidency of the United States. Todd was seemingly always Todd, the sportsman, the businessman, the steady husband coping with the churn of fame and fortune of his wife, who was governor, television star, author, and icon.
In the end, the years and the realities of All Things Palin wore down the love.
The end of the marriage isn’t the end, however. The couple has children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews, parents, sisters, and brothers. These are ties that bind forever, especially around holidays, birthdays, and those big life events, such as birth and death.
You never know … Todd and Sarah could get back together someday. Couples do. But for now, there’s been a death in the family, and plenty of heartache to go around, and some voyeuristic handwringing: Even the beautiful people, it turns out, don’t really live charmed lives.
As for the news cycle, there’s the 24 hours when this is grist for the mill, and then we’ll all be off to another piece of salacious fascination — until the Palins do something else that captures us once again. Because we cannot get enough of them, can we?
The City of Juneau this morning was outbid for the Juneau “Subport” property, a section of valuable waterfront along Egan Drive in downtown Juneau. The winning bid was $20 million from Norwegian Cruise Lines during the bid opening this morning by the Alaska Mental Health Trust land office.
The property is located approximately across from the Prospector Hotel, now owned by Ramada Inn.
The 2.9 acre waterfront Subport parcel will stretch out Juneau’s visitor industry corridor and take the pressure off of the core of downtown. It’s also located far from the bar scene, and would allow Norwegian to develop its own tourism orbit and likely increase the visitors to the new Alaska State Museum nearby.
Because the property isn’t staying in government ownership, it will also be a significant source of property tax revenue for the Capital City, as much as $200,000 in property taxes per year, according to some estimates.
The other bids came in well below Norwegian Cruise Lines.
Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. – $13,000,000
Godspeed, Inc. – $12,800,000
Survey Point Holdings, Inc. – $5,265,000
The City and Borough of Juneau – $4,250,049
In Juneau, such undeveloped waterfront property that has the capacity to handle a cruise ship dock, close to downtown, represents a tremendous development opportunity.
The sale was handled by the Trust Land Office, an office within the Department of Natural Resources that manages land assets owned by the Trust.
Revenue generated from the Subport sale will go into the Mental Health Trust Fund, which is like a Permanent Fund for the Mental Health services in the state. Earnings from the Trust Fund allow the Trust to pay for programs that support Trust beneficiaries across the state. These include Alaskans who experience mental illness, developmental disabilities, substance related disorders, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia, and traumatic brain injuries.
The Trust could get as much as $850,000 a year off of the investments from the $20 million, Must Read Alaska estimates.
“The apparent proceeds of the Subport sale will go a long way in serving Trust beneficiaries,” said Wyn Menefee, Trust Land Office Executive Director. “We knew this parcel represented an opportunity to monetize an unique and valuable Trust land asset, and are pleased that our process to determine how and when to sell the Subport has apparently resulted in significant proceeds that will support the work of the Trust today and well into the future.”
Following today’s opening of the sealed bids, the apparent high bidder has 15 business days to make a deposit of 10% of the sale price and complete a purchase and sale agreement with the Trust Land Office.
Alaska Wildlife Troopers reported a bear attack Friday evening in the Eureka Summit area near Gunsight Mountain.
Two hunters were looking for moose when they happened upon a grizzly sow with two large cubs. The sow attacked one of the hunters, causing serious injuries to his head, torso, and legs, but the second hunter had the presence of mind — and the skill — to drop the grizzly with a kill shot through her chest. Both hunters are described as being in their mid-20s.
Glenn and Samantha Marlin were not far from where the incident occurred and wrote about it on Facebook. Glenn reflected on the lesson of picking a good hunting partner, one that you can trust to not panic.
Here’s a lightly edited version of Glenn Marlin’s account:
HUNTING BUDDY THOUGHTS
I was a part of the first aid and recovery effort for last night’s bear mauling in Eureka.
I’ve been processing all that happened and how the attack went down. Both hunters were 25-28 years old, in fantastic shape and experienced hunters. They did nothing to bring it on themselves. Right place, bad timing.
My thoughts about the guy who saved his buddy: They weren’t walking so close that he could have been attacked too. He had to suddenly process what was going on. Decide fight or flight. Load a round, run up to the ground battle, and correctly place a shot that not only kills her, but does not shoot his buddy.
All the while, she had cubs close by that were nearly her size and she measured 7 feet.
He had to now get himself and injured and barely ambulatory friend back to their wheelers about 1/3 mile away. Get him on his wheeler and bog their way out. Injured hunter has a rollover along the way and he has to right it. He had the smarts to recognize when he had signal and called to his parent’s cabin to arrange immediate help on the trail as they came back.
I met the injured hunter on the trail and he was was operating on pure adrenaline. By the time we get to my cabin and off his wheeler, the pain kicked in. Luckily there was also a nurse and EMT also at their cabin who met up with us. From there we got the helicopter called and we got him to the landing zone at his cabin about 2 miles away.
Today we recovered his rifle and the bear. Big reality check for me and got me thinking about his hunting buddy who saved his life.
What do you expect from those you hunt with?Are those expectations assumed or discussed?Are you that kind of partner?
HUNTER MEDEVACED TO PROVIDENCE
Samantha Larsen Marlin also wrote about the experience on her Facebook page:
“We were able to drive our truck up the ATV trail to load the injured hunter and transport to a cabin that could be accessed by life flight, which happened to be the cabin he was staying at,” she wrote. She said a nurse and medic were able to provide first aid before a helicopter took the hunter to Anchorage.
Glenn Marlin, who is a State Farm agent at Glenn Marlin State Farm in Wasilla, later wrote that the experience was enough for him to buy a life flight insurance policy for his family. “At $125 per year and 3 people covered, it’s a no brainer,” he said.
