Page 1530 – Must Read Alaska

Gasline Corp. launches cheerleading squad

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July 2, 2018

Gasline Corp. launches cheerleading squad

UNIONS JOIN, BUT INDUSTRY GROUPS HOLD BACK, LOOKING FOR SPECIFICS

Last month, the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation rolled out a new entity to polish its brand: the Alaska Gasline Coalition, it’s called.

The initial members of the coalition include unions, quasi-governmental agencies, and regional groups with a dog in the fight: Alaska AFL-CIO, Alaska Laborers, Anchorage Economic Development Corporation, Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, Calista Corporation, Construction Industry Progress Fund, Kenai Peninsula Builders Association, Kenai Peninsula Economic Development District, National Electrical Contractors Association – Alaska, and the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce.

The coalition’s purpose is to support the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation’s Alaska LNG project.

Missing from the cheering squad is the Alaska Chamber of Commerce, the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, the Juneau Chamber of Commerce, and the Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce. Also not on the list is the Alaska Oil and Gas Association, the Associated General Contractors, the Alaska Support Industry Alliance and the Resource Development Council.

Why are the actual industry leaders not climbing on board the coalition to support the gasline?

They say it’s because they don’t know what the project actually is, how it will be paid for, and which entity will control it. While Alaskans generally want to monetize the state’s abundant natural gas, they are not aligned with Gov. Bill Walker on a deal with China at any cost.

The gasline, which Gov. Bill Walker claimed was not transparent under Gov. Sean Parnell, is an especially secretive project now. During the 2018 session of the Alaska Legislature, there was a lot of discussion about receipt authority that would allow AGDC to borrow billions of dollars, but there were no hearings about the project itself. The basic business decisions have not been revealed.

PROJECT MOVING FASTER, RUNNING SHORT OF TIME

Last month the governor attended another ‘world gas conference,” this time in Washington, D.C., with AGDC President Keith Meyer and with the governor’s communication director and deputy chief of staff Grace Jang.

Jang has been embedded at AGDC for several weeks, sources have told Must Read Alaska. Since Jang’s arrival, AGDC’s vice president for communications, Rosetta Alcantra, left the organization suddenly, just as the governor is closing in on a deal with Sinopec, the China Petrochemical Corporation, with which he signed a nonbinding joint development agreement in November to design, build, and operate Walker’s ambitious plan to commercialize the state’s gas.

Although much is not known, what the public has been told by Walker is that the Bank of China and China Investment Corporation would guarantee 75 percent of the funding, or about $32 billion to build the Alaska LNG project.

The state would, in exchange, promise China 75 percent of the gas for the life of the agreement. So far, this all is done via a memorandum of understanding, of which Walker has signed dozens in his 3.5 years as governor.

With his re-election prospects grim, the governor only has five months to finalize a binding agreement with the Chinese consortium of companies before either he wins another term of office or a new governor takes over.

With so little time left, Walker is trying to hasten the work on agreements with the Chinese entities. Over the next few weeks, insiders say Alaskans can expect to see a lot more Chinese officials in the state, where the governor is hoping to have discussions and signing ceremonies. Walker hopes to roll out a major announcement after the Aug. 21 primary election.

WHAT WOULD A BINDING AGREEMENT LOOK LIKE?

Some knowledgeable about the project worry that Walker is getting ready to sign a binding agreement laden with contingencies. Such an agreement could set forth conditions similar to the agreement Alaska had with TransCanada years ago, which the state had to pay handsomely to break. In 2015, Alaska paid TransCanada $65 million to get that company’s share of the project. Many thought that TransCanada let the state off easy.

The cautionary note being sounded is that Walker and Meyer are willing to sign away the first right of refusal for the next 10-20 years, giving China the right to build the gasline project, provide the steel and other components, and a future governor would be bound to that agreement, including the promised gas that would go into it. Even if the agreement was uneconomical and failed to proceed, Alaska would be on the hook to a foreign entity.

The Permanent Fund itself could be tapped if the project doesn’t pan out. Here’s how: With Gov. Walker so deeply involved in the formation of an agreement with China, the State can no longer claim that there is a clear separation between AGDC and the State itself.

China and other creditors could come after the Permanent Fund in the same way that creditors are going after former Alaska Dispatch News publisher Alice Rogoff, by claiming she had no separation between her businesses and her personal finances.

Such a lien on the Permanent Fund would only happen, of course, if costs were higher than expected and if the State of Alaska couldn’t break even.

Walker has so deeply engaged in the workings and agreements of AGDC, to the point of putting his deputy chief of staff inside the agency, that he has already “pierced the veil” that would keep the State of Alaska’s treasury off limits in court. Although AGDC has been designed as an independent agency that would protect the State, should something go wrong, Walker has not kept an “arm’s length” distance from the project, which AGDC president Keith Meyer claims will be turning dirt next year.

On July 11, some of this may be explained more fully in the Senate Natural Resources Committee, as Sen. Cathy Giessel, chair, convenes the quarterly review of the gasline agency’s work to date, its progress and commitments. That committee meeting starts at 9 a.m., and lawmakers will no doubt have many specific questions about the modeling and finances of the proposed gasline.

The cheerleading squad, “The Alaska Gasline Coalition,” hasn’t done much other than allow itself to be used as a publicity stunt. Its purpose was to simply provide some momentum to the project at a time when AGDC President Meyer has said quite publicly that he is done talking to the naysayers, and will engage only with people who support the project — whatever it is — from here on out. That means the Alaska Gasline Coalition is the group Meyer will be communicating with this year.

Subaru thefts are the new thing

The 907

Suzanne Downing

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July 2, 2018

1

PRISON SHIRTS FOR SIX WOMEN, ONE MAN AFTER VEHICLE HEISTS

Over the weekend, Anchorage police officers with the Patrol Division and detectives with Property Crimes Unit made seven arrests in connection with vehicle theft investigations.

They also issued a warning to car owners that thieves have started targeting older model Subarus.

Police arrested:

Chelsey Sallaffie, 24, who was booked for Vehicle Theft 1, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Reckless Driving, Harassment 1, Assault 4, Theft 2, and Resisting Arrest.

On Friday at 3:15 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 3900 block of Oregon Dr. for a report of a reckless driver. During the traffic stop, officers discovered the vehicle was reported stolen.

They took Sallaffie, the driver of the red Chevy pickup, in custody. Sallaffie was screaming and being uncooperative with officers while being detained. She was kicking at officers and spit in one officer’s face. Officers also discovered the she was wanted for a hit and run collision that occurred earlier that day at 5^th Ave. & Cordova St. This is APD Case: 18-26117 and 18-26125.

Lydia Barce, 25, also known as Lydia Anne Payne Barce, was arrested for Vehicle Theft 1, Theft 2, and Theft 4. On Saturday, at around 3:30 a.m., officers with the Patrol Division were in the area of the 4600 block of Spenard Rd. when they observed a 1991 red Subaru Legacy in the parking lot of the Alex Hotel with Barce in the driver’s seat. The Subaru was reported stolen. This is APD Case: 18-25961

Mary Waskey, 34, was arrested for Vehicle Theft 1 and Theft 2. On Saturday, at around 3:15 p.m., officers with the Patrol Division were dispatched to the 7500 block of Boundary Ave to recover a stolen 1999 green Subaru that was in Waskey’s possession. She was taken into custody. APD Case: 18-26158

Gwendalyn Brooks, 30, was arrested for two counts of Vehicle Theft 1, two counts of Theft 2, Eluding, and Resisting Arrest. On Sunday, at around 1:50 p.m., officers with the Patrol Division ran a license plate of a 1987 gray Toyota pickup in the Airport Heights area and the vehicle was listed as stolen.

When a traffic stop attempt was made, the driver – later identified as Brooks – refused to pull over and kept driving. When officers finally stopped the vehicle, Brooks exited and started to run; she was apprehended and the passengers were called out of the truck.

Brooks was uncooperative when being questioned by police. She was taken into custody along with the other passengers. Through the investigation, there was enough evidence to confirm that Brooks had stolen another vehicle as well – a 2005 red Chevy pickup that had been reported stolen the day before. This is APD Case: 18- 25444 and 18-26226

Tashia Lee Seton, 27, was a passenger in the stolen gray pickup with Gwendalyn Brooks. She was found to be in possession of meth at the time of the incident. Seton was arrested for Misconduct Involving a Controlled Substance 2, Criminal Mischief 5, and an existing Misdemeanor Warrant for Fail to Appear. This is APD Case: 18-25444

Florence Giannini, 50, was also a passenger in the stolen gray pickup with Gwendalyn Brooks. Giannini was arrested for Criminal Mischief 5. This is APD Case: 18-25444

Joseph Artz, 31, was arrested for Vehicle Theft 1 and Theft 2. On Sunday at around 3:55 p.m., officers with the Patrol Division located a stolen vehicle in the Carrs parking lot at 5600 Debarr Rd. The vehicle, a 2003 blue Toyota 4Runner, was unoccupied. When Artz returned to the vehicle, he was taken into custody. APD Case: 18-26395

Detectives have also discovered that car thieves are now targeting late 1990’s model Subarus. Criminals are shaving or filing down keys and using them to open the doors and start the vehicles.

Police provided this photo from the arrest of Lydia Barce in which multiple keys were found possibly connected to other investigations.

Dunleavy, Treadwell quotes on Hawkins exiting governor’s race

The Social

Suzanne Downing

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July 2, 2018

1

Dunleavy, Treadwell quotes on Hawkins exiting governor’s race

TWO CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR WEIGH IN

Mead Treadwell issued a statement regarding Scott Hawkins’ withdrawal from the governor’s race:

“Scott Hawkins is a good man, an accomplished business person, husband and father. Scott is someone, who like myself, genuinely cares about the future of Alaska. While he is leaving the raced,I encourage him to stay involved in building a sustainable future for our state, protecting the dividend and right-sizing the budget. He has huge ideas and experience to offer.”

“Many of Scott’s supporters have already called to join our campaign. Scott’s departure leaves me as the only Republican candidate with real world business experience that will enable us to meet the challenge of creating jobs and growing Alaska’s economy. I believe that the August 21st primary presents Alaskans with a clear choice of direction for our state.

“My family and I wish Scott and his family the best for the future.”

Candidate Mike Dunleavy also issued a statement:

“Scott Hawkins is a good man with a beautiful family. I’ve enjoyed the time I’ve spent with him at campaign events over the past few months, learning more about his conservative principles and free-market solutions to Alaska’s challenges. While we were technically opponents, Scott unquestionably elevated the debate, laying out a positive vision for Alaska’s future− I found that Scott and I often agreed on more issues than we disagreed.”

“While I understand his reasons for exiting the race, I welcome Scott’s continued involvement in Alaska politics, supporting candidates who share his firmly held belief that Alaska’s best days are ahead of us. Rose and I will keep Scott in our prayers, but we remain optimistic that his tenacity paired with a supportive, loving family will ensure a quick return to full health.”

Hawkins drops governor’s race to focus on business, policy work

Suzanne Downing

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July 2, 2018

5

Hawkins drops governor’s race to focus on business, policy work

Scott Hawkins left the governor’s race today to focus on growing his business and advancing his policy work he did prior to entering the race. He filed for governor in September, but today said that when Mead Treadwell entered the race, the math didn’t work any longer.

Hawkins is the president of Advanced Supply Chain International LLC, an oilfield services company with work on the North Slope as well as internationally. He also founded “Alaska Wins,” a group that works to engage the private sector in promoting pro-business policies, economic development, fiscal solutions and general prosperity by educating Alaskans on important public policy issues.

“In the fall of 2017, I jumped into this race to make a difference and to win. I believe our message of fiscal responsibility, changing Juneau, and promoting conservative policies to attract good jobs and retain good people indeed made a difference,” he said.

“I’m proud that this campaign had a positive impact on the race,” Hawkins said. “But I have concluded that recent developments in the race, particularly the last-minute entry of Mead Treadwell, significantly diminished my ability to win the primary. I was looking forward to facing Sen. Mike Dunleavy, head-to-head. The two of us offered Republican primary voters different visions for Alaska as we engaged in a friendly, respectful airing of our ideas on the campaign trail. Mead’s entry into the race significantly complicated this contrast,” he said.

Hawkins is a fiscal conservative with deep experience in job creation and a belief that the private sector should be the basis for Alaska’s economy. He spoke against an income tax and in favor of reining in state spending. His relationship with Dunleavy has been cordial on the campaign trail and although polls favored Dunleavy, Hawkins won people over with his strong economic background.

He said he’d keep his options open for 2022: “Without doubt, I will be supporting the eventual Republican nominee. Alaska is at a crossroads, and there is simply too much at stake. There is far more that unites Mike, Mead and me than divides us. Four more years of Bill Walker or four years of Mark Begich will do nothing to improve Alaska’s jobs climate and fiscal plight. I would like to thank my volunteers and financial supporters from the bottom of my heart. Your financial contributions and the time you devoted volunteering for the campaign mean so much to me. This has been a team effort.

“And this effort is far from over. We will continue to build a movement for positive, conservative change in Alaska. So please stay tuned,” he said. “In the coming months, I will be launching a new effort to promote conservative policies and change in Alaska.”

Earlier this year he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and has undergone chemotherapy, which has brought optimistic reports. The cancer was caught early, Hawkins said, and he has a good chance of recovery.

Walker flips: Offers Juneau Superior Court judgeship to lower candidate

Politics

Suzanne Downing

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July 1, 2018

8

Walker flips: Offers Juneau Superior Court judgeship to lower candidate

The Alaska Judicial Council recommended two people — criminal defense attorney Julie Willoughby or Juneau City Attorney Amy Mead — to be the next Juneau Superior Court judge, replacing Judge Louis James Menendez as he retires.

The Judicial Council was sending a clear message it wanted Willoughby.

But politics is funny business. And politics reared its head in the selection of the next Juneau judge.

Here’s what we know: The Judicial Council found Willoughby to be far-and-away the preferred candidate, and she had the highest score in the very intense judicial review process that candidates endure. In some cases, she earned a perfect 5.0 score from respondents.

The Alaska Judicial Council asks Alaska Bar Association members to evaluate applicants on six characteristics: Professional Competence, Integrity, Fairness, Judicial Temperament, Suitability of this Applicant’s Experience for this Vacancy, and Overall Rating for this Position. The rating scale ranged from Poor (1) to Excellent (5).

[Read the scores of the applicants here.]

Willoughby was the highest scoring in all categories, including temperament and experience. She had a 4.3 out of a possible 5, and the only candidate of the seven to get an overall score of higher than 4.0.

Mead, however, was down the list with the fourth-highest rating among candidates — 3.7. That is below applicants Kevin Andrew Higgins and Hanna Sebold, who both scored 3.9.

Gov. Bill Walker initially offered the judgeship to Willoughby. It was clear that the Judicial Council strongly preferred her and was only throwing Mead’s name in their to signal to the governor that Willoughby was their choice.

Then, someone got to the governor. Within 24 hours, he withdrew the offer from Willoughby, and called Mead to tell her she would be the next Superior Court judge.

None of this has been announced by the Governor’s Office, but he has two weeks to make his decision known.

Who got to Walker? Insiders say that Bruce Botelho, a political operative who has strong influence with the governor, got involved.

Botelho was part of forming the hybrid Walker-Mallott ticket back in 2014, was the head of his transition team to form the Walker government. He has been a ghost member of the Walker Cabinet for the entire three and a half years that Walker has been in office and is consulted in every major decision.

ABOUT MEAD

Amy Gurton Mead was appointed the City and Borough of Juneau’s Attorney in 2013. She earned a JD from Tulane Law School and a B.A. in psychology from Boston University. She served as a judicial clerk for the Hon. Thomas A. Jahnke, an assistant district attorney in Ketchikan from 1996 to 1998, and as an assistant attorney general in Juneau from 2000 to 2001. She was the City and Borough attorney for Wrangell from 2008 to 2010.

She was in private practice with Robertson, Monagle & Eastaugh (now Hoffman Blasco) from 1998 to 2000 and from 2001 to 2010. In 2010 she joined the City and Borough of Juneau Law Department as an assistant city attorney.

ABOUT WILLOUGHBY

Julie Willoughby is a Stanford Law School graduate, who has a B.S. from University of San Francisco. She is a former Alaska Supreme Court law clerk, Superior Court law clerk, constitutional law professor and former assistant district attorney. Now in private practice, she has many years of experience representing clients in the Alaska criminal justice system both in state and federal courts.

Walker to Army Corps of Engineers: Stop Pebble now

The 907

Suzanne Downing

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June 30, 2018

11

Walker to Army Corps of Engineers: Stop Pebble now

GOVERNOR WANTS FEDS TO ABORT ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF MINE

No sooner had the Friday deadline passed to help determine the range of an environmental impact statement, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was asked by Alaska’s governor to stop the Pebble Mine Project environmental review in its tracks.

Gov. Bill Walker on Saturday told the Corps to just say “no” to Pebble’s due process for an environmental impact statement process.

“The PLP (Pebble Limited Partnership) has yet to demonstrate to us or the Alaska public that they have proposed a feasible and realistic project. Without, at minimum a preliminary economic assessment, but preferably a pre-feasibility study, the corps will be unable to take a hard look at all the reasonable alternatives in the draft EIS,” the governor wrote in a letter to the Corps that was also signed by Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott.

That may be true, but especially so because the project hasn’t been able to go through an environmental review process to make its case for mine-watershed compatibility.

The Walker Administration has previously taken a stand against the Pebble Mine, even while the mine developer has scaled the project back to within a range of what the EPA had once said would be acceptable. But during a gubernatorial debate in Naknek earlier this month, Democratic challenger Mark Begich said Walker was not doing enough to oppose the mine. On Saturday, Walker responded to Begich’s election-year jibe and stepped up his game in challenging the Corps.

The objective of the scoping was simply to identify specific elements of the environment that might be affected by the copper and gold mine planned for 200 miles West of Anchorage.

This spring, the Walker Administration asked the Corps to delay the scoping deadline, which it did — from April 30 to June 29. It was a delay tactic by the Walker Administration, but it wouldn’t be his last word on the matter.

“Given the unique characteristics of the region, the mine proposed by Pebble Limited Partnership (PLP) must be held to an extraordinarily high standard,” Walker wrote. “I thank you for previously extending the scoping period, as requested in a letter from Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Mack to Colonel Michael Brooks.”

Walker said that the project should go through a “pre-feasibility study” before the Corps would be allowed to thoroughly review the environmental impact statement.

Pebble Partnership CEO Tom Collier issued a statement of his own on Saturday, in response to the governor’s letter:

“The governor has said we have a high bar to demonstrate how we can mine and protect the salmon in the area around Pebble. It is this Corps Environmental Impact Statement process that will give Alaskans answers and assurance to this very issue. We believe we can successfully and responsibly operate a mine at Pebble. This is what the Corps will evaluate and we can either meet this expectation or we cannot.

“The scoping process for Pebble has just concluded and we look forward to reviewing the scoping report outlining the many issues that the Corps will review in their evaluation of Pebble.

“We find it incredibly disappointing that the governor’s request to suspend the NEPA process is nearly identical to that brought forward by the anti-Alaska, anti-development Natural Resources Defense Council. We expect this type of stall tactic from ENGOs opposed to any kind of development but not from the Governor of Alaska and especially when the project is on Alaska land. Frankly, the governor does not make a compelling case to suspend the NEPA process.

“It is this type of behavior that makes many in the global investment community reluctant to invest in Alaska. Alaska is consistently ranked very high for our resource potential yet we continue to score poorly on political and permitting stability, frequently showing up with jurisdictions that have very little regard for the rule of law.

“Pebble is located on state land and as such is a potentially important asset for Alaska’s economic future. Pebble could provide jobs, revenue, and economic activity for the region and the rest of the state. As such, it must be thoroughly evaluated. We believe our technical and environmental work can meet Alaska’s standards for development and when we do that we can put thousands to work.

“We know that that vast majority of Alaskans, regardless of their views about our project, support the rule of law and a fair process for reviewing Pebble. The Governor of Alaska should believe in this process too,” Collier said.

During the scoping process, people were invited to recommend the kinds of topics that an environmental impact statement should include. A review of the comments made online reveal that the vast majority of comments were simply opposed to the project under any conditions, and were not actual recommendations to determine the scope of the environmental investigation.

Read the 15,044 comment made at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website here.

Pebble has been a lightning rod project, spawning ballot initiatives since 2008, when 57 percent of Alaskan voters said no to a ballot measure that would have killed the project. This year’s Stand for Salmon ballot initiative is strongly motivated by environmentalists’ desire to stop the Pebble Mine.

Kenai sport fishing group urges catch-and-release kings

The 907

Suzanne Downing

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June 29, 2018

2

GROUP URGES CONSERVATIVE APPROACH

The Kenai River Sportfishing Association has asked Fish and Game Commissioner Sam Cotten to restrict in-river fishing for late-run king salmon to catch-and-release. In a dramatic gesture to conserve kings, KRSA is also asking that commercial setnet fishing on the east side beaches be limited to no more than 24-hours per week.

The group’s board of directors passed a resolution on Thursday that said because salmon returns throughout Alaska in 2018 are struggling to meet minimum escapement goals, and because critically low numbers of king salmon in Cook Inlet have already required the closure of the Anchor, Deshka, Susitna and early-run Kenai River king salmon, the State should take a precautionary approach for Kenai kings this year. Beginning July 1, the State should designate a non-retention policy — catch-and-release.

“It’s time for action as currently fewer than 100 large king salmon are passing the counter each day and the forecast for the second run of Kenai kings is the third lowest run size on record,” said Ricky Gease, KRSA Executive Director. “We ask that these restrictions remain in place until in-season data warrants a more liberal approach.”

Meanwhile, starting Tuesday, July 3, Alaska Department of Fish and Game has issued an emergency closure to all Ship Creek sport fishing. The king salmon return appears to be both late and weak in this popular Anchorage rod and reel fishery.

Quote of the day: Planned Parenthood fights for those ‘ripped from their families’?

The Social

Suzanne Downing

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June 29, 2018

5

Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Northwest is used to getting up in your business, but is now planning to get you involved in their new business, which is about all-things immigration.

Must Read Alaska readers might encounter them in either Anchorage or Fairbanks on Saturday, as they start gearing up for the election season by focusing on their goals of both ending unplanned pregnancies and promoting unplanned immigration.

Curiously, PP is positioning itself as the savior of families.

In Anchorage, they’ll go door-to-door to identify abortion-friendly voters, while in Fairbanks you can meet up with them at Golden Heart Plaza in a “Fairbanks Families Belong Together Rally” at noon, to where “Planned Parenthood Votes will be joining with the ACLU of Alaska and the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Fairbanks to rally and show opposition to the separation and detention of families at the border.

“At Planned Parenthood, we believe that the rights to access health care and the ability to stay with your family are essential to living a happy and complete life. Part of honoring immigrant heritage in this country is fighting to protect immigrant rights so that immigrants who have and continue to enter our country are able to live a life of dignity — no matter what.”

Some observers note that Planned Parenthood is actually responsible for ripping families apart by removing children from the wombs of their mothers, and then destroying them as tissue. It’s the “complete life” part that kind of went over the edge, no?

But that’s not how Planned Parenthood sees it. For them, having secure borders is “inhumane.” The organization is in favor of all immigrants, “no matter what.” And having a happy and complete life is for those already born.

“The Trump-Pence administration has stepped up its attacks on immigrants and refugees in unimaginable ways over the past week, closing America’s doors to survivors of domestic violence and defending the inhumane separation of families.

“These un-American policies go against our values and Planned Parenthood will continue to stand with refugees, asylum seekers, and all immigrants in their quest for a better life. We condemn the administration’s callous attempts to divide our families, our country, and our world.

“We will not silently stand by as Dreamers, DACA recipients, and immigrants, many of whom are part of the Planned Parenthood community and rely on Planned Parenthood for health care, are ripped apart from their families and stripped of their rights and protections.

“Join us to call for an end to family separation,” the letter urges its readers.

The note is signed “in solidarity,” by the political and organizing director of Planned Parenthood’s Seattle office, a former union organizer and operative for Organizing for America, a subgroup founded by Barack Obama inside the Democratic National Committee.

Of course, if you are not interested in joining the fun with Planned Parenthood, find Suzanne Downing at the air show tomorrow, starting at 10:30 am.

Here are the details.

Public Safety publishes drug seizure numbers

Politics

Suzanne Downing

-

June 29, 2018

1

Public Safety publishes drug seizure numbers

NEW DATA TO BE RELEASED THIRD WEEK OF EACH MONTH

The Alaska Department of Public Safety has developed a set of dashboards to inform Alaskans about efforts that Alaska State Troopers are taking to stop drug trafficking.

The dashboards show total seizures made by the Alaska State Troopers’ Statewide Drug Enforcement Unit by month for the last three months, and all seizures made by the Trooper K9 units during the month of May.

K9s not only assist the Alaska State Troopers with investigations; they assist other agencies, such as federal, state, and local departments across the state.

“For years, the Alaska State Troopers, along with our partner agencies, have been working diligently to get illicit drugs off the streets, and publishing these numbers will allow the people of Alaska to see the results of our hard work,” Commissioner Walt Monegan said.

“Prevention remains an important focus in fighting the opioid epidemic; we can’t arrest our way out of this problem, and we encourage Alaskans to seek help if they or one of their friends or loved ones is misusing illicit substances,” he said.

The Drug Seizure Dashboard will be updated around the 20^th of each month, providing numbers for the previous month. Substance seizures include heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and U.S. currency.

Gasline Corp. launches cheerleading squad

Subaru thefts are the new thing

Hawkins drops governor’s race to focus on business, policy work

Walker flips: Offers Juneau Superior Court judgeship to lower candidate

Walker to Army Corps of Engineers: Stop Pebble now

Kenai sport fishing group urges catch-and-release kings

Public Safety publishes drug seizure numbers

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