Page 930 – Must Read Alaska

Edie Grunwald tapped for lieutenant governor for Charlie Pierce campaign at event in Kenai

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March 5, 2022

Edie Grunwald tapped for lieutenant governor for Charlie Pierce campaign at event in Kenai

Edie Grunwald of Palmer has joined the Charlie Pierce for Governor campaign as running mate and candidate for lieutenant governor.

Grunwald was, until Friday, the chairwoman of the Alaska Board of Parole. A well-known civic leader, she ran for lieutenant governor during the 2018 election, losing narrowly to Lt. Gov. Kevin Meyer.

Grunwald spent 31 years in the military, retiring with the rank of colonel. She has a master’s degrees in business organizational management, and strategy, national security and military. She has an advanced certificate in human resource management and is a certified firearms instructor.

Pierce said “I am thrilled to have Edie as my running mate in this election. In addition to the oversight of the Division of Elections, she will be assuming other executive duties and be an integral part of our promise to put ‘Alaskan’s First.’

Pierce introduced Grunwald as a campaign event at Pizza Paradiso in Kenai on Saturday, with about 50 people in attendance. Pierce, mayor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough, entered the campaign in January.

Russia blocks access to Facebook, Twitter

Suzanne Downing

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March 5, 2022

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Russia blocks access to Facebook, Twitter

The Russian government has blocked access to social media platforms Facebook and Twitter in all parts of the Russian Federation. The decision was announced Friday by the Russian federal government.

“Since October 2020, 26 cases of discrimination against Russian media and information resources by Facebook have been recorded. In recent days, the social network has restricted access to accounts: the Zvezda TV channel, the RIA Novosti news agency, Sputnik, Russia Today, the Lenta.ru and Gazeta.ru information resources,” the Russian government said.

"The above restrictions are prohibited by Federal Law No. 272-FZ “On measures to influence persons involved in violations of fundamental human rights and freedoms, the rights and freedoms of citizens of the Russian Federation”, adopted, among other things, to prevent violations of the key principles of the free flow of information and unhindered access Russian users to Russian media on foreign Internet platforms," the Russian government said.

A state communications agency Roskomnadzor had previously accused Twitter not deleting banned content. Twitter said it is “aware of reports” that it was blocked, but as of Friday had not been able to confirm it.

Critics see it as a way to tamp down growing dissent in the country over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Last week the government ordered Facebook to stop fact-checking the government posts, which Facebook and its parent company Meta then refused to do.

BBC, Bloomberg, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and CNN have all stopped broadcasting in Russia and say they are evaluating the situation. This is a rapidly changing situation. Reporting today may be quickly overtaken by events.

Dunbar says it is time to sue the state over ‘equity’ funding for Anchorage schools

Suzanne Downing

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March 4, 2022

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Dunbar says it is time to sue the state over ‘equity’ funding for Anchorage schools

In a joint meeting between the Anchorage Assembly and the Anchorage School Board on Friday, Assemblyman Forrest Dunbar went for the legal jugular. Now is the time to sue the State of Alaska for funding shortfalls that the school district expects to materialize in the 2024 budget, he said.

Dunbar explained to the group that when he was a law student in Connecticut, (Yale Law School), he and some professors helped high school students sue the State of Connecticut for more funding for schools, and succeeded in bringing in “significantly more funding for education.”

He’d see something similar in the works for Anchorage.

“I don’t think there is the political will in the Legislature to do what needs to be done in terms of equity for our kids,” Dunbar said. “If we’re looking at a fiscal cliff in 2024, litigation should start this year.”

Many parents removed their students from the public schools in Anchorage during and after the Covid pandemic shutdowns, after seeing firsthand the poor education their students receive from the Anchorage School District. There are fewer than 43,000 students in the Anchorage public schools this year, down from 46,734 in 2018-2019 — 3,734 fewer students, or an 8 percent decrease in enrollment.

“Dunbar wants tens of millions of more dollars. From the moment I was elected this has been an issue. And there has been no movement at all,” Dunbar said. He said that the school district should set aside tens of thousands of dollars for such a lawsuit.

“I see it differently,” said Stephanie Taylor, who is running against Dunbar for Anchorage Assembly. “It’s not about the money. Anchorage schools are at the bottom of the barrel nationwide in terms of outcomes, but have some of the highest expenditures per student.”

Listen to Dunbar gear up for a lawsuit at this link:

How to help: Samaritan’s Purse deploys field hospital to Ukraine

Suzanne Downing

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March 4, 2022

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How to help: Samaritan’s Purse deploys field hospital to Ukraine

Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian-based relief nonprofit organization, deployed a 30-bed emergency field hospital to Ukraine on Friday. The organization said that the first phase of the deployment began with a DC-8 cargo plane based in Greensboro, N.C. airlifting the initial stages of the hospital, along with a disaster response team. The plane will land in Poland, and the field hospital, and doctors, nurses, and other personnel will be transported overland to Ukraine to provide specialized trauma care to those being injured during the Russian invasion.

The field hospital has an operating room and capacity to handle up to 10 surgeries per day, an intensive care unit, an emergency room, a pharmacy, and its own water and sanitation system. As many as 100 patients a day can be seen at this hospital, and it will be operated by more than 50 staff (medical and non-medical), the group said.

“The situation on the ground is fluid and changing rapidly, but the hospital could be operational early next week,” Samaritan’s Purse reported.

“Ukrainian families are hurting and in desperate need of physical aid and prayer during this difficult time,” said Franklin Graham, president.“We are deploying life-saving medical care to aid people who are suffering. We want to meet the needs of these families in their darkest moments while pointing them to the light and hope of Jesus Christ.”

Samaritan’s Purse already has disaster response specialists on the ground in Poland, Romania, and Moldova, and will send two smaller medical clinics on an additional flight next week. The organization is working now to identify the best place for these units to be located to meet minor trauma needs and provide general medical care for some 200 patients each day.

Samaritan’s Purse reported people fleeing into Romania, where the group is already helping refugees.

The Ukraine crisis is widening as fighting continues in major cities. More than one million refugees, primarily women and children, have left the country seeking shelter in nearby nations.

Samaritan’s Purse has been working in Ukraine for years though its Operation Christmas Child program, and so has many contacts throughout the country.

“As conflict erupted, we were in the process of distributing 600,000 gift-filled shoeboxes this year. We remain in contact with churches in the country to see how we can assist in this volatile situation. Please pray for God to grant them strength and protection,” the group said.

The group also has many connections in Alaska, where it is well-known and maintains an office and aircraft in Soldotna. It operates Operation Heal Our Patriots at Port Alsworth every summer, where war veterans and their spouses come for healing and restoration. Also, the group sends many volunteers to villages every year to rebuild from disasters such as floods and fires.

One of the best ways to help Samaritan’s Purse is through a donation at the group’s website. There are positions open for those with specialized skills or for those who wish to join a disaster relief team at this link.

Randy Ruedrich: New ranked choice voting explained

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

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March 4, 2022

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Randy Ruedrich: New ranked choice voting explained

By RANDY RUEDRICH

Alaskans will soon encounter a new primary and general election process.

No Alaskan Republican primary exists to select a Republican nominee for the general election ballot. Primary battles are gone.

The Republican candidates who advance to the general election ballot need to view each other as team members. If not, Alaska may elect Democrats.

The Aug. 16, 2022, Alaska primary process will forward up to four candidates to the November general election ballot. If six candidates are running for an Alaska State House seat, the four candidates receiving the most primary votes advance to the general election ballot.

Those four may be any combination of Republicans, Democrats, and other candidates. For instance, a Kenai State House primary could send four Republicans to the general election ballot. Similarly, a Juneau State House primary could send four Democrats to the general election ballot.

Key detail for Alaska primary voters: Vote your conscience for your preferred primary primary candidate to get that candidate on the general election ballot. Think of the primary as a track meet’s qualifying heat. The top four primary vote-getters earn slots on the general election ballot.

These four candidates advance to a general election with Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV). Alaska voters may rank the four candidates from 1^st to 4^th. Initially, the 1^st choice votes are tallied.

If a candidate gets 50% +1 votes, Alaska has a winner, and the counting is done. If no candidate collects 50%+1 of the 1^st choice votes, the 2^nd choice votes come into play. Here’s how:

If your candidate finished fourth and you made no other selections, your ballot is exhausted and has no further impact in the election. That’s why each voter must select at least a 2^nd choice candidate to stay in this RCV counting.

The eliminated 4^th place candidate’s ballots are reprocessed to count these voters’ 2^nd choice votes. This second tabulation adds these 2^nd choice votes to generate new tallies of the remaining three candidates. If a candidate has 50% + 1 votes after the second tabulation, Alaska has a winner, and the count is complete.

Remember, ballots with no active remaining choices are gone from the tabulations. Only one conservative or moderate candidate in each race is the worst in your opinion. As an example, the 3^rd Republican team member that you dislike is your 3^rd choice. A Democrat is never your choice.

If no candidate has 50% + 1 votes after the second tabulation, the 3^rd place candidate’s ballots are reprocessed to count these voters’ next remaining choice for the remaining two candidates.

The State of Maine used a ranked choice voting system in 2018. Incumbent Republican Bruce Poliquin received 46.33% of the 1^st choice votes. Democrat Jared Golden took 45.58% of 1^st choice votes. Two Independents had 8.08%. The 2^nd Congressional District race was flipped in the Maine RCV counting process. When the 2^nd choice votes for the Independents were counted, Democrat Jared Golden gathered 50.62% of the vote and Republican Poliquin lost with 49.38% of the vote. The Democrat won by 3,539 votes.

Some 8,253 voters did not make a 2^nd choice. These 8,253 missing votes should have recruited to support the Republican team.

So remember, in the 2022 elections: Vote for your favorite candidate in the primary. Rank your conservative and moderate candidate team members on the general election ballot from first to last. A Democrat is never your choice.

Randy Ruedrich is president of Arctic E & P Advisors and former chairman of the Alaska Republican Party.

Anchorage reapportionment map hearing added for March 15

Suzanne Downing

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March 4, 2022

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Anchorage reapportionment map hearing added for March 15

The Anchorage Assembly has voted to move ahead with reapportionment Map 11v2, offered by Assemblyman John Weddleton. Assembly members have until March 7 to propose amendments to the map, which creates new boundaries for all 12 Anchorage Assembly seats.

Those amendments will be posted on the Reapportionment Committee’s website by March 14, and a public hearing on the map and amendments is scheduled for the Assembly meeting of March 15; the meeting begins at 6 pm. A final vote on the map is scheduled for a special Assembly meeting on March 23.

Reapportionment happens after the federal census is taken, whenever Anchorage’s population has shifted in such a way that the districts are no longer roughly equivalent in population. For the process, which is a political exercise bounded by some rules, the Assembly serves as the reapportionment committee.

Jim Wojciehowski: Vaccine mandates and the ‘silent nine’

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

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March 4, 2022

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Jim Wojciehowski: Vaccine mandates and the ‘silent nine’

By JIM WOJCIEHOWSKI

In November of 2020 I became active in attempting to communicate with the Anchorage Assembly and then-acting Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson concerning fresh data regarding Covid-19. The vast majority of my assembly meeting presentations and emails communications included scientific references, as well as peer-reviewed and medical journal articles with links to the source material.

Occasionally I would receive a reply asking specific questions concerning the data. Many times the replies would cite mainstream media opinion pieces in CNN, USA Today, or the New York Times, never actual source data. Over time, the responses dwindled.

Four months ago I began asking Mayor Dave Bronson and the 11 Assembly members two simple questions. I told them I would be happy with a simple “yes” or “no” answer.

1) Do you support mandatory Covid vaccination to maintain employment, enter businesses, receive healthcare, or fly (vaccine passports)?

2) Do you support mandatory Covid vaccination for school children to attend classes?

I received answers from Mayor Bronson, Assemblywoman Jamie Allard, and Assemblywoman Crystal Kennedy. The answers from all three could be summarized as a firm no for both questions.

Not understanding why the remaining nine members were reluctant to answer two simple questions I persisted asking in numerous emails. To this day I’ve yet to get a reply from the “silent nine.”

These are important questions, especially considering four of the nine members who remain silent are running for reelection this April.

I’m a resident of District 5 and neither of my Assembly representatives will answer. One, Forrest Dunbar, is running for reelection.

Last week I decided to reach out to other candidates running for assembly seats. At the time of this writing I’ve received answer from three candidates.

Stephanie Taylor, District 5 candidate replied, “For the record, I support freedom over force. No and No.”

Randy Sulte, District 6 candidate replied, “1) I am against vaccine mandates. It is a personal choice between you, your family and your physician. 2) I do not support mandatory Covid vaccination for school age children. Again, this is a matter for the child’s parents, guardian and physician.”

Kathy Henslee, District 4 Candidate replied, “These are important questions. I do not support vaccine mandates for adults or children. Adults can make informed decisions about their health and parents have the best information and intentions for their children. I support freedom, choice and medical privacy. These are some of the things that make America such a great place to live!”

Henslee, in her reply, asked me how I would answer the same two questions.

As a member of a higher-risk age category, I completed the two shot Moderna series in February 2021. My wife and I also volunteered at the Anchorage School District vaccination location in the spring of 2021. Obviously, I am not anti-vaxx. A couple of sitting members of the Assembly have, however, labeled me as both “anti-vaxx” and a “Covid denier.” These are labels thrown about by those not willing to have a civil debate.

I am emphatically against Covid vaccine mandates. I retired as a family practice physician assistant and throughout my career I always involved my patients in the discussion of a treatment plan. There is no place for a one-size-fits-all approach to medicine. You must always weigh the risks vs. the benefits on an individual basis. Mandates remove that ability for health care providers and patients alike.

Jim Wojciehowski is a retired physician assistant who has attended numerous Anchorage Assembly meetings and has testified about the Covid policies of the former mayors and Anchorage Assembly.

Win Gruening: Can Eaglecrest support itself with gondola?

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR

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March 4, 2022

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Win Gruening: Can Eaglecrest support itself with gondola?

By WIN GRUENING

To maximize the economic potential of Juneau’s municipally owned ski area, the City and Borough Assembly this week conditionally approved a $2 million investment in a used gondola system for year-round operations. An additional $6.2 million will be required for construction and installation.

This is a huge step on the road to Eaglecrest’s self-sufficiency.

Full disclosure: I’ve been a fan of Eaglecrest since its inception. Growing up in Juneau in the 1950-60’s, I hiked three miles up into the Douglas Ski Bowl to ski on a short tow rope staffed by volunteers. Decades later, when the Eaglecrest Ski Area was built, I served on its first board of directors. My kids learned to ski there and I spent many weekends driving them to lessons, working Mitey Mite races, and helping to raise money for the Juneau Ski Club.

Eaglecrest is unique in allowing families to participate in a sport together outdoors in Juneau’s natural surroundings. Skiing is a multi-generational activity enjoyed by residents and visitors alike and, with Juneau’s school programs, is available inexpensively to kids of all abilities and income levels.

Like other CBJ recreation venues; swimming pools, softball fields, hockey rink, trails and parks, it requires a subsidy from the city. Despite Juneau’s variable weather and snowfall, it has historically recouped 70% of its operational expenses.

Ever since its beginning, ideas to minimize Eaglecrest’s financial subsidy have been discussed. Privatization and housing developments were considered and discarded as impractical. However, as Juneau’s visitor industry has developed, it became clear that a summer operation was feasible.

In 2019, Juneau Mayor Beth Weldon formed an Eaglecrest Summer Operations Task Force comprised of members of the Eaglecrest Board and CBJ Assembly. Since then, over two dozen public meetings have been held while researching possible summer operation opportunities. This has resulted in a projected operations plan encompassing a number of adventure rides and amenities, including a gondola lift, which would complement Eaglecrest’s summer zipline tour that has operated since 2006.

A public meeting was held recently via Zoom hosted by Eaglecrest General Manager Dave Scanlan. He outlined the current request and answered questions from the public for almost two hours. Several important points were highlighted during this presentation.

The total $8.2 million gondola cost (installed including contingency) is approximately one-third the cost of purchasing a new turnkey system.
This wouldn’t just benefit visitors. A gondola ride would open up Eaglecrest to a whole new alpine experience for locals for hiking, snowshoeing, tubing, mountain biking, and other activities, such as a mountain coaster and expanded Nordic ski trails.
At historic visitor levels, an Eaglecrest summer program would not compete directly with existing visitor venues but would complement them. Local tour operators would partner on offerings. Eaglecrest will also be catering to a younger, more active visitor base than has been the norm in the past.
Additional summer bus traffic on North Douglas Highway would constitute a fraction of that generated by the hundreds of skiers who visit Eaglecrest on a winter day.
Planning has focused on confining summer tourism activities to an area that minimizes conflict with traditional local uses at Eaglecrest.
If the gondola project ultimately fails to materialize, the purchased system will still retain its value and could be re-sold to recover costs.
Extensive financial modeling and research indicate that a combination of grants, loans, and public/private partnerships could finance the venture and allow Eaglecrest to eliminate the current city subsidy. Information on the Eaglecrest summer development program and financial projections can be viewed at https://skieaglecrest.com/summer/.

The current $2 million appropriation only secures the purchase and delivery of the gondola system and the CBJ Assembly has requested additional financial information prior to its shipment to Juneau. As I have called for in other city-owned projects, Eaglecrest should expect a rigorous examination of its financial projections and any market studies before proceeding to the next level allowing construction and installation.

Nevertheless, the case made thus far is compelling and deserves serious consideration.

As envisioned, this concept would not only enhance Juneau as a travel destination and open up recreational opportunities for residents, but it would also free up precious tax dollars for other CBJ activities.

After retiring as the senior vice president in charge of business banking for Key Bank in Alaska, Win Gruening became a regular opinion page columnist for the Juneau Empire. He was born and raised in Juneau and graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1970. He is involved in various local and statewide organizations.

International atomic agency on watch as Europe’s largest nuclear power plant under attack by Russians

Suzanne Downing

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March 3, 2022

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International atomic agency on watch as Europe’s largest nuclear power plant under attack by Russians

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine had been shelled by Russian forces overnight and one building on the site was burned, although the fire appears to be extinguished. The agency describes it as a serious situation. Others said it was a training building, not the nuclear reactor itself.

News reports from agencies on the ground report Russian troops at the entrance of the power plant engaged in active combat with Ukrainians defending the plant.

IAEA official updates are at this link.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, “Europe must wake up now. The largest nuclear station in Europe is on fire. Right now Russian tanks are shelling nuclear units. These are the tanks that have thermal vision, so they know where they are shelling. They prepared for it,” according to translated reports.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi appealed for a halt of the use of force and warned of severe danger if any reactors were hit. He is expected to hold a press conference at 10:30 Central European Time on Friday.

The Ukraine regulatory authority said a fire had not affected essential equipment and plant personnel were mitigating the situation. So far, there are no reported change in radiation levels at the plant, it said.

The IAEA has put its Incident and Emergency Centre in full response mode due to the situation at the power plant, which is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.

It’s unclear who has control of the nuclear power plant at this point. Russians have already seized control of the mothballed Chernobyl nuclear plant, the site of the worst nuclear disaster in world history.

Edie Grunwald tapped for lieutenant governor for Charlie Pierce campaign at event in Kenai

Dunbar says it is time to sue the state over ‘equity’ funding for Anchorage schools

How to help: Samaritan’s Purse deploys field hospital to Ukraine

Randy Ruedrich: New ranked choice voting explained

Anchorage reapportionment map hearing added for March 15

Jim Wojciehowski: Vaccine mandates and the ‘silent nine’

Win Gruening: Can Eaglecrest support itself with gondola?

International atomic agency on watch as Europe’s largest nuclear power plant under attack by Russians

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