Page 1613 – Must Read Alaska

Catch-and-release: Shane Muse is out again

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May 22, 2018

Catch-and-release: Shane Muse is out again

Shane Muse is out of jail as of Monday, on supervised release while he awaits trial.

Muse has been one of numerous repeat offenders who have cycled in and out of jail under the the State’s “give crooks a chance” law, SB 91.

He was singled out by Anchorage Assembly members Dick Traini, Fred Dyson, and Eric Croft in a letter drafted to state legislators, pleading with them to strengthen penalties for those repeatedly committing serious crimes.

Muse’s recent criminal career in Alaska includes an incident in October, when he was stopped by Anchorage police in a stolen silver 2003 Cadillac Escalade on West 44^th Ave., after careening through Midtown and ramming police vehicles in an attempt to escape.

Officers arrested him and two others in that incident. One person in the car, Crystal Tui, had been released several weeks ago. Muse was released by the judge after being charged with numerous Class C felonies.

On March 6, Muse was caught in a 2006 black GMC Yukon that had been reported stolen weeks earlier. The Yukon was parked next to two other occupied vehicles: a silver GMC pickup truck and a silver Chevy Malibu. The officer who spotted the Yukon knew it to be stolen.

As the officer waited for backup, the drivers of the three vehicles noticed him, and pulled away. With all three vehicles now evading the law, patrol units were dispatched to chase the Malibu and the GMC pickup, while another officer forced the Yukon into a snowbank at 10th and Juneau Streets.

At some point in the proceedings, numerous shots were fired not far from the police officers. No one was hit, but officers found a stolen handgun inside the Yukon, tucked beneath the seat where Muse had been sitting. There was a bullet in the chamber.

Muse was booked, but with the pretrial risk assessment tool the state uses, he scored a 2 out of 10, and qualified for mandatory release in spite of being charged with two counts of theft, vehicle theft 1, and being a felon in possession of a weapon. He also had a prior forgery charge and had been missing his court dates on that charge.

The Assistant District Attorney Kevin Bergt told the judge at the time that Muse was a serious risk to the public. But the judge wasn’t able to keep Muse in jail on the car theft and felon-in-posesssion charges, since he could not afford bail.

However, the judge was able to keep him locked up for the forgery incident, since it occurred before the lenient catch-and-release portion of SB 91 went into effect. The judge set bail at $5,000, which has now been paid. Muse left jail on Monday.

Didn’t the Legislature fix the quick-release bail system? Shouldn’t Muse be in jail for two car theft charges plus evading officers, plus the hand gun under the seat? Isn’t that enough to hold him?

“The short answer is, the ‘fix’ was superficial,” said Amy Demboski, a member of the Anchorage Assembly who also has a talk show on KVNT. “They put a Bandaid on SB 91 to make it through the election and didn’t even come close to fixing it. It is fundamentally flawed.”

The lenient arm of the law: More ‘catch-and-reoffend’ car thievery

Heads and Tails: Who’s filed for office?

Politics

Suzanne Downing

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May 21, 2018

3

THE FILING DEADLINE IS JUNE 1 – HERE ARE THE LATEST TO JUMP IN

ROSS BIELING has filed his letter of intent as a Republican for House District 28 against Rep. Jennifer Johnston. In 2016, he and Johnston were matched in the primary, and she polled 57 percent to Bieling’s 43 percent. This is the South Anchorage hillside area. Lee Amber, a hard Democrat, has also filed for the seat. Johnston, who has served one term in the seat vacated by Mike Hawker, filed this morning.

DR. RICHARD WEIN of Sitka is said to be filing for the seat now held by Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins of Sitka. Kenny Skaflestad of Hoonah already filed as a Republican for District 35 so the two will meet in the primary. Wein is a retired surgeon and is on the Sitka Assembly. Kreiss-Tomkins, a Democrat, faces no opponent yet in the primary.

EUGENE HARNETT of Eagle River has filed for House District 14, a seat now held by Lora Reinbold. Harnett has raised five children in Eagle River, owns his own business, and has been involved in local and state affairs since 1988.

JAMES “RICK” PHILLIPS joined two others in the Democrat primary for District 15, the seat now held by Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux, a Republican. Although he is undeclared, he has filed for the primary, which means he’ll go into the Democrats’ primary. Already filed for that seat is hard-Democrat Lyn Franks, and hard-Democrat Patrick McCormack. On the Republican side, Aaron Weaver has filed to take LeDoux on in the primary.

LOUISE STUTES filed to run for her Kodiak-based seat. Although registered a Republican, the Alaska Republican Party has kicked her off the ballot and is in a dispute with the Division of Elections about whether it has the authority to do that, or if the State of Alaska can force names on a party’s ballot against its objection. A nonpartisan had filed earlier: Sandra M. Katelnikoff-Lester.

SB26: ‘Diapering the Devil’ is in the details

Columns

Suzanne Downing

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May 21, 2018

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SB26: ‘Diapering the Devil’ is in the details

BY TODD SMOLDON
GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

The 2018 legislative session ended with many of us breathing a sigh of relief through clenched teeth, thankful the House Majority and Gov. Bill Walker were unable to saddle hard-working Alaskans with new taxes, but incredibly frustrated.

Once again, despite the fact that there are $18 billion in the Permanent Fund Earnings Reserve Account, the Legislature failed to pay the traditional 50/50 dividend. Three years in a row, our “leaders” have failed to give the private sector the economic stimulus it needs during this recession.

Let’s review.

In 2016, Governor Walker took $1,100 from each Alaskan with his veto pen.

Doubling down in 2017, a majority of the legislature voted to take another $1,300.

This October will see Alaskan families take a third financial gut punch. The lLegislature arbitrarily determined that every Alaskan will get $1,100 less than they should. The amount of money taken from Alaskan families and the private sector is staggering.

What’s really disturbing are the philosophical inconsistencies of those who are taking nearly $20,000 from the average Alaskan household. Republicans claim that they want small, limited government, but then vote to take money from small businesses and out of the private sector for government largess. Democrats and Independents claim to be “champions of the poor,” but continue to push the button for a de facto regressive income tax.

Alaskans have called, emailed, and testified with very little response from their elected representatives. Instead, like those former Gov. Jay Hammond warned about in his book Diapering the Devil, our politicians use the oil wealth we hold in common to curry favor and grow government.

Hammond’s hope as “Father of the PFD” was to limit the amount of wealth that politicians could waste. However, Gov. Walker and most who represent us in Juneau are bursting out of their Pampers.

As a further insult to constituents, many legislators also voted for Senate Bill 26. This new law allows the Legislature to spend a percentage of the overall value of the fund – a POMV, or percent of market value.

While celebrated by some as a way to protect the Permanent Fund and future dividends, there is absolutely nothing in this law that guarantees any protection.

Alaskans are intelligent people. We know how to read and analyze legislation, and we have discovered that SB26 is deceptive and terribly flawed. A POMV draw would create a more predictable amount of money available for dividends and government spending. However, SB26 isn’t a true POMV because it only draws from the Permanent Fund Earnings Reserve Account, not the value of both the principle and earnings. SB26 is just a statute. And based on how Walker and the Legislature have abused the traditional PFD statute, many of us are more than skeptical.

To create a real POMV, we would need to amend the constitution; something that legislative leadership and Gov. Walker know will never happen with their proposed split of 70 percent for government and 30 percent for dividends. As one member of Senate leadership put it, “The people will just vote with their pocket books.” He obviously needs a new diaper.

The truth is that SB26 doesn’t guarantee a dividend at all. SB26 does not force us to have real conversations about the proper size of government or to identify its essential functions. It only creates a new source of revenue for our legislators to tap. Forget diapers, SB26 allows the Legislature to go commando!

At the unsustainable rate Gov. Walker and our Legislature continue to spend, the PFD will soon be swallowed up by their insatiable appetite.

Sadly, with SB26, our leaders have defied the will of most Alaskans. They’ve also weakened the safeguards established to protect the Permanent Fund and Hammond’s vision of using the PFD to control government spending. Clearly, we must get active in campaigns and elect new people to represent us. Never has the following quote been more clear, “Politicians are like diapers: they should both be changed often and for the same reason.”

Todd Smoldon has taught high school economics for 20 years, resides in Willow, and has lived in Alaska for 31 years.

About that knife … and protective order

Politics

Suzanne Downing

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May 21, 2018

0

DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE HAS COMPLICATED HISTORY

All we know is what is on the record. We don’t know what actually happened between Hunter Dunn and Joshua Spring last year. But there was a knife, and it made Spring uncomfortable.

Dunn has filed for District 26 House as a Democrat. Dunn grew up in East Anchorage, attended Bartlett High School, and got started in politics in 2014, working to elect Mark Begich. Rough start in politics.

He was a field organizer for the Alaska Democratic Party’s coordinated campaign in 2016 and worked on Steve Lindbeck’s campaign for U.S. House, against Don Young.

He’s been with a few winning ones, too, mind you. The Assembly race of Suzanne LaFrance comes to mind. The young campaign operative has a lot of experience for a 23-year-old.

Another Democratic operative who worked with Dunn on the coordinated campaign for several candidates later that year said Dunn pulled a knife out and menaced him during the LaFrance race for Assembly. We’re sure it was innocent; he was cleaning his fingernails, right?

Joshua Spring later in the year took out a protective order against Dunn for stalking. The protective order was never served on Dunn, who evidently couldn’t be found by the server. And the petition was eventually withdrawn.

The whole thing had played out on Facebook months prior, during the Assembly campaign of Suzanne LaFrance, who represents South Anchorage.

The Facebook posting by Spring prompted comments, including one from now-congressional candidate Alyse Galvin. The posting brought a denial by the Alaska Democratic Party’s data director Matthew Greene, and a suggestion from the party’s former Communication Director Katie Bruggeman that Spring get ahold of her right away.

And then, in an instant, the whole exchange was taken off of Facebook. But not before it was captured:

Today, Spring works as a legislative aide to Sen. Tom Begich, Suzanne LaFrance has two more years on the Assembly, and Bruggeman is a stay-home mom. Dunn is running for a South Anchorage seat in the House of Representatives in a district that voted for Donald Trump 4,578 to Hillary Clinton’s 3,374 in the 2016 General Election.

As a Democrat, he’ll have an uphill battle against one of three Republicans who have filed so far for that seat: Al Fogle, Joe Riggs, and Laddie Shaw are interested in serving in the seat being vacated as Rep. Chris Birch runs for the Senate seat that opened up when Sen. Kevin Meyer threw his name in for lieutenant governor.

It will be a good experience for Dunn. Being a candidate is nothing like being a campaign worker, he’ll find. So some advice for him: When he goes door to door, he should make sure to keep his knives out of sight.

SWAT, standoff, and a den of thieves

Politics

Suzanne Downing

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May 20, 2018

2

CRIMINAL ROUND-UP

Seven were taken into custody and five ultimately arrested after the Anchorage Police Department SWAT team was brought in to deal with a group barricaded in an Russian Jack apartment on the 2600 block of Carroll Place on Saturday.

The day-long drama started in the morning, when a call was received by police about a carjacking on Debarr Road. A woman on the 4100 block had been getting into her purple Kia Optima when a man approached her, shoved her aside and stole her car.

Later, while police were investigating, shots were fired and several people were discovered to be holed up in the apartment on Carroll.

Police brought in K9 units and a crisis negotiation team, and the area was cordoned off as a major incident. The family in the apartment above was taken out by armored vehicle for their own safety.

Several suspects were said to be hiding inside the apartment, but the exact number was unclear. By 9:15 pm Saturday, police had seven in custody, and later had five of them under arrest. All are known to the law enforcement community:

Keith Tracey, age 38 faces a charge of Resist Arrest by Hiding/Barricading. He was also arrested on an outstanding warrant. His multiple priors are serious, and include charges of rape. Tracey, of Point Lay, had once been arrested in Anchorage after meeting up with a woman he met on the Internet in a hotel room, where the two eventually struggled. She said he choked and forced penetration. He was acquitted after trial.

Eti Sevetasimale, age 31. He was arrested on three outstanding warrants. APD has had him on their most-wanted list. Prior arrests include distributing drugs.

Steavin Martin, age 32. He was arrested on two outstanding warrants. Part of the catch-and-release club, Martin was also given two citations because he failed to appear in court on a previous drunk driving charge from March, when he had been stopped at 11:45 am while driving too fast and recklessly while southbound on Seward Highway. He refused to stop, according to APD, but was taken into custody near milepost 93. The 2011 Hyundai Sonata he was driving was reported stolen.

Isaiah Hank, age 19. He faces charges of Theft 2, Criminal Trespass and Violate Condition of Release for Felony — stealing a car in March, when he had been given a two-year suspended sentence. He was also arrested on an outstanding theft warrant. Hank on Saturday was found with the stolen car and had a syringe in one of his pockets and the car key in the other.

Merandarae Sheakley, age 22. She faces a charge of Resist Arrest by Hiding/Barricading. She was also arrested on an outstanding warrant, which had been issued on May 9 for an earlier charge of assault.

IN OTHER CATCH-AND-RELEASE NEWS

Police are searching for Jake Johnson, age 25, above. He has a no-bail DV felony warrant for Burglary II & Theft III and a misdemeanor warrant for Fail to Appear on a Misconduct Involving a Controlled Substance V charge. Call 311 if you spot him.

Police have in custody Rusty Tuuaga, who was arrested in connection with the shooting of two men last week in downtown Anchorage.

Tuuaga, age 24, faces Attempted Murder, Assault 1, Tampering with Evidence and Reckless Endangerment after two men were shot and laying injured on the pavement in the 600 block of East 5th Ave on May 16. The two were transported to the hospital, where they survived their injuries.

Police said the suspect and victims knew each other and that the shooting may have been drug-related.

Pitching in for power to Hope Willow Ranch

Suzanne Downing

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May 20, 2018

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Pitching in for power to Hope Willow Ranch

CONGRESSMAN YOUNG TO ATTEND SATURDAY FUNDRAISER

BY DONN LISTON
SPECIAL TO MUST READ ALASKA

A dream for many who have developmental disabilities is to do things most people take for granted. Too often they’re parked in “assisted living” venues to mark their days on a calendar.

Hope Community Resources’ Willow Ranch is different. And when Congressman Don Young heard about the remarkable model of living from the land, he had to see it.

“Representative Young is always interested in sustainable lifestyles and sustainable food sources,” said Roy Scheller, Hope executive director, who is credited with the sustainable ranch idea.

Scheller has a big worry, however: The ranch runs on generator power, and therefore it’s always at risk. In the winter, so are the lives of the disabled men who live at the ranch. Keeping the generator going keeps him awake, worried about the disabled men.

Willow Ranch needs to hook up to Matanuska Electric Association power — and that’s going to take some cash that neither government nor grants have been able to provide.

“The people who live at the ranch are relatively independent, with homes off to the side so all can live independently, doing things men like to do, with necessary assistance,” Scheller said.

Rep. Young was impressed enough with the operation that he has confirmed he will attend a barbecue fundraiser, Saturday, May 26 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan have also been invited.

*The blown-out generator. Willow Ranch needs permanent power.*

THE RANCH RUNS ON GENERATOR POWER

Last fall, Young met and formed a bond with Frank Forpahl, the original Hope Ranch manager.

“I’ve stayed awake nights knowing the generator can kick off at any time requiring immediate action to save our families and stock from the bitter cold,” said Forpahl, who was there 11 years ago when Hope purchased the 70-acre property that only had a modest house with a couple of out buildings.

“In December, the primary diesel generator blew–shooting its dipstick across the room–and spewing oil everywhere,” Forpahl said.

This was another in a long line of generators, a windmill, and solar panels, that have been inadequate for the needs of this growing enterprise seeking independent living and self-sufficiency.

Intrepid souls here live off the land and market products they produce. Over the years, as the program has expanded, Hope has built a large barn, a work building, a small saw mill, a duplex, and single-family home.

A backup generator has been providing electricity since the main one blew up. Previously a rental for NC Machinery, this generator served fine as backup, but it’s inadequate as a solution. Unpredictable energy needed for activities in woodworking, warming of buildings or basic computer operation, create hour-by-hour uncertainty.

To hear stories of how the three original managers of the ranch were able to survive and make progress toward their goals in temperatures as low as -54F, attend the fundraiser. RSVP to 907-355-2494 or [email protected].

COMMUNITY CAN HELP HOOK UP THE POWER

The area around West Kenny Blvd., off Willow Fish Hook Road, doesn’t have Matanuska Electric Association power.

Over the years of creating a sustainable ranch, electric power has required a huge investment in fuel, batteries, alternative energy sources, and constantly running generators to be marginally habitable and productive. The possibility of consistent power has been only a dream.

This is about to change. The goal of this fundraiser is to hook up to MEA power. Cost is expected to be $150,000 to $175,000 and surveyors are now marking the route for those lines. The annual savings for the ranch will be $25,000 to $35,000.

I met four of the five men who are currently residents and workers at the Willow Ranch during a May 18 visit. They are all characters, with unique needs and abilities. None has a criminal background and all are justifiably proud of what they are doing to create a sustainable enterprise as part of the Willow community. All have Alaska Native heritage and participate actively in hunting, fishing and trapping activities after training in necessary safety measures required for such outdoor pursuits.

The ranch promotes animal husbandry, gardening, wood-working, mechanics raising and selling livestock, as part of this living-off-the-land project. Hope has other regional service programs in Barrow, Dillingham, Kodiak, Kenai, Mat-Su and Seward.

As the largest investment of the Hope network, this ranch is also a destination for activities of many other agencies and individuals.

Donn Liston has lived in Alaska since 1962 and writes about Alaskans and the Alaskan experience since statehood.

Homeless services coming to a neighborhood near you

The 907

Suzanne Downing

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May 19, 2018

10

Homeless services coming to a neighborhood near you

HOMELESS NEED TO BE SPREAD ACROSS ANCHORAGE, COMMITTEEMAN SAYS

A resolution will come before the Anchorage Municipal Assembly at its June 12 meeting to make it the policy of the municipality to disburse services for the homeless throughout the community, rather than have them located primarily in the east downtown and Fairview areas, where Assembly member Chris Constant says they impact his neighborhood unfairly.

Constant took a moment out of the Committee on Homelessness’ meeting on Wednesday to decry the racist policies that dump homeless people in his district.

Constant’s neighborhood is overrun by the homeless, he said.

“People who live in the downtown recognize that the massive majority of these facilities are located here. The massive majority, not a simple majority. Now to the point of we should take this off [the agenda], because the services are there because it’s convenient, again the history lesson,” he said, jabbing his finger at Federation of Community Council representative Nikki Rose. “We have the system that we have now because of racist policy that we have from the 1930’s 40’s 50’s and 60’s.

“We changed the rules and we took away the right to enforce legal discrimination. But it became de facto discrimination.

“And the discriminatory policies we have now, we have neighborhoods outside of Anchorage driving all of their poverty, all of their suffering, and all of their sickness into one part of town,” said Constant, who is known as a liberal on a liberal Assembly.

“In fact, 20 years ago, when Mr. [Charles] Wohlforth sat in the seat I’m in, they passed a law that said those facilities have to be downtown. We’re now undoing the racist policy of the past. The discriminatory policy of the past. It’s fine that it’s introduced and we have this debate. Because. I am going to continue to let people know that redlining is over. Steering is over and we need to equitably distribute these services across this municipality,” Constant said.

Had Constant just accused prior assemblies of being racist, including by name one Charles Wohlforth, who served for six years on the Assembly in the 1990s and who is now one of the most liberal members of the media as a columnist for the Anchorage Daily News?

Constant’s comments were in response to a request to table and reconsider the resolution, a request made by a member of the committee, Nikki Rose, who said that making services scattered across the community could negatively impact people who need access to those services, and that the idea deserves greater scrutiny.

Concern that homeless will establish even more camps and then die in the cold, unable to get to services, is something the resolution doesn’t seem to consider.

The resolution was submitted by Suzanne LaFrance and Felix Rivera, with help from the municipal attorney. The public will have an opportunity to weigh in on the resolution on June 12 at the regular Assembly meeting of the whole.

In 2009, the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation rolled out a homelessness plan that promised to end homelessness in Alaska within 10 years. At the time, homeless in Anchorage was counted at 3,305.

Today’s Anchorage estimate is 3,135, about one percent of the population.

The 2009 AHFC report is here.

Rep. Mike Hawker now an ordained Catholic deacon

Suzanne Downing

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May 19, 2018

2

Rep. Mike Hawker now an ordained Catholic deacon

FRIDAY CEREMONY WAS APOLITICAL EVENT

Rep. Mike Hawker, who retired from the Alaska House since 2017, has been ordained as Permanent Deacon in the Catholic Church. A “high church” ceremony took place at Our Lady of Guadalupe on Friday, as Hawker and four other men said their vows.

Hawker may be the first Alaska legislator to ever be ordained to this religious position. It’s something Hawker has been working toward for five years, since first becoming an aspirant, then a candidate, acolyte, lector, and now a Permanent Deacon.

Anchorage Archbishop Paul Etienne presided over the hour and a half celebratory Mass and Eucharist, which included prayer, hymns, and Holy Communion. Hundreds of Catholics gathered for the important occasion, and a few non-Catholics as well.

However, very few political types were in attendance, but those who did attend included former Reps. Kurt Olson and Lindsey Holmes, former Commissioner of Revenue Randy Hoffbeck, and lobbyists Bob Evans and Michael Hurley, as well as retired lobbyist Paul Quesnel.

Congressman Don Young’s wife Ann Young was witness in the front, and Paulette Simpson of Juneau flew in for the ceremony. Eric Croft, Anchorage Assemblyman, also attended.

*The congregation at Our Lady of Guadalupe applauds as the new deacons are presented during Saturday’s ordination ceremony.*

Permanent Deacons are ordained offices of the Catholic Church who are men with no intention of becoming priests.

They may be single or married, but must be married before being ordained a deacon, as Hawker is. His wife, Carol Carlson, had to agree to his ordination; in fact every year of his course of study she had to provide handwritten approval to the Archbishop.

Typically, deacons also have secular jobs, and provide support to the local church through service to the sick, teaching the faith, or working in other parish functions. They’re like the priests’ “right-hand man.”

Deacons may baptize and perform funeral and burial services outside of Mass, can distribute Holy Communion, perform marriages, and preach sermons. The duties of prayer are fundamental to the office, as there are 150 Psalms and Scripture readings that deacons, priests, and bishops must pray every day. Hence, the life of a deacon is fairly structured around prayer.

Hawker represented District 28 (now represented by Jennifer Johnston), winning his first election in 2002 and retiring in 2017 after battling back to health from cancer.

“I had my first bought of cancer in 2010 and it almost killed me. And in 2016 I had a major reoccurrence, and miraculously we beat it back a second time, and it was then I chose to leave the Legislature and serve full time as a Deacon,” he said.

“When I was in the Legislature, I came within a hair of dying of cancer, and I truly only lived by a health miracle that medical science cannot explain. It reawakened my sleeping faith. That near-death experience brought me back to the Church and ultimately led me to pursuing the deaconate.” – Mike Hawker

The formation program to become a deacon is conducted by the Archdiocese of Anchorage as a five year program, where the candidates meet for three-day weekends once a month and progress through their levels until they are ordained. Hawker began his journey when he was still in the Legislature. He will serve his first Mass as the assistant to the priest tonight, and will give the Homily next Sunday, Trinity Sunday.

“That’s when I have eight minutes to explain the mystery of the Holy Trinity, and the nature of God,” he said.

His ministry will be centered at his home parish, St. Elizabeth’s, for two years, and he’ll be focused on hospital service, as a chaplain at St. Elias Hospital, a eucharist minister at Providence Hospital, and in charge of the Catholic chapel at the Prestige Center in Muldoon, a long-term care facility.

“I really view serving in the capacity of deacon, serving God, as a capstone activity in a life well lived,” Hawker said.

Red sky in the morning: China’s Arctic ambitions, Alaska’s LNG

Suzanne Downing

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May 17, 2018

0

Red sky in the morning: China’s Arctic ambitions, Alaska’s LNG

As Gov. Bill Walker and a delegation of business and government representatives embark on a trade mission to China on Saturday through May 26, Must Read Alaska brings you a cautionary view from scholars studying the growing influence of China on state politics in America, even while President Donald Trump is taking a more guarded path.

IF BEIJING GOES FORWARD WITH ALASKA LNG, IT WILL UNEVENLY BENEFIT CHINA

By ASHLEY FENG AND SAGATOM SAHA

THE DIPLOMAT MAGAZINE

For signs of Beijing’s Arctic ambition, Washington need look no further than Alaska.

After Chinese President Xi Jinping left the Mar-a-Lago summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in April 2017, he stopped in Alaska, not Silicon Valley, to talk business. Alaskan Governor Bill Walker pitched Xi on his state’s economic opportunities, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments. Before Trump’s trip to China a few months later, the White House announced multiple memoranda of understanding between U.S. and Chinese oil and gas corporations, including the $43 billion Alaska LNG project. In the months since these presidential visits, the U.S.-China relationship — now on the precipice of a trade war — has grown tense. But in Alaska, deals are still moving forward.

China’s energy interests are not limited to just Alaska, but include the entire Arctic, where climate change is opening up new shipping lanes and recoverable energy resources. As ice begins to melt, energy-insecure Beijing has begun to assert itself more forcefully in the region, investing in the economic, diplomatic, and strategic benefits that it believes the Arctic will bring. Unless the United States pays more attention to China’s Arctic ambitions, Beijing will strengthen its economic and strategic position in the world’s largest emerging frontier at America’s expense.

Beijing to Juneau

The flurry of deals between Beijing and Juneau stem from China’s frenzied rush to secure projected LNG demand. The world’s second largest LNG importer, China has already signed deals with Australia and Qatar, among others, for 40 million tons a year through 2030, but will still need an additional 20 million tons by the end of that period.

[Read the rest of this story at The Diplomat Magazine]

[Read: Governor announces roster of trade mission participants]

Catch-and-release: Shane Muse is out again

Heads and Tails: Who’s filed for office?

SB26: ‘Diapering the Devil’ is in the details

About that knife … and protective order

SWAT, standoff, and a den of thieves

Pitching in for power to Hope Willow Ranch

Homeless services coming to a neighborhood near you

Rep. Mike Hawker now an ordained Catholic deacon

Red sky in the morning: China’s Arctic ambitions, Alaska’s LNG

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