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Dunleavy declares disaster in Southeast due to non-stop snow and rain cycle

Suzanne Downing
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Dunleavy declares disaster in Southeast due to non-stop snow and rain cycle

Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued a disaster declaration for the Jan. 11 Southeast Alaska Storm, which activated emergency response options and the state’s Public Assistance disaster recovery program.

“As Governor my administration will move quickly to address disaster events and help overwhelmed communities,” said Dunleavy said. “Many Alaskan communities have struggled this winter as we experience some of the most challenging weather in long time. Alaskans are tough, and together we will overcome.”

The areas included in the disaster declaration are the City and Borough of Yakutat, City and Borough of Juneau, Haines Borough, Municipality of Skagway Borough.

Between Jan. 8 and 11 a storm system deposited up to six feet of snow in the disaster area. This was followed by warmer temperatures and rain which, when combined, created treacherous road conditions, interrupted power distribution, and compromised or damaged structures in Yakutat and Juneau, with the potential for additional damages in other communities.

After exhausting all local resources, the City and Borough of Yakutat issued a Declaration of Local Disaster Emergency and requested state assistance for emergency snow and ice clearance from public structures and emergency access routes.

In coordination with the City and Borough of Yakutat, the State Emergency Operations Center requested the Alaska National Guard respond to assist the community.  On January 12, the Guard deployed a Taskforce of  personnel to Yakutat and are currently engaged in emergency snow and ice clearance operations under Yakutat Incident Command.

For the declared disaster area, the state’s public assistance disaster recovery program reimburses communities for certain emergency protective measures and helps fund critical infrastructure repair. State Disaster Public Assistance can fund the repair, restoration, reconstruction, or replacement of a public facility or infrastructure damaged or destroyed in a disaster. Eligible applicants include state and local governments, political subdivision of the state, federally recognized tribal organizations, and eligible private nonprofit organizations.

Dunleavy has issued disaster declarations for other parts of the state for other weather related hardships, including the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Delta/Greely REAA, and Copper River REAA, Fairbanks North Star Borough, including Nenana, and Denali Borough.

Governor declares disasters in Mat-Su, Fairbanks, Delta, Denali boroughs

Breaking: Supreme Court nixes Biden Covid vaccine mandate

Suzanne Downing
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Breaking: Supreme Court nixes Biden Covid vaccine mandate

The United States Supreme Court has stopped President Joe Biden from having his agencies enforce his vaccine mandate for employees of businesses that have more than 100 workers.

The mandate, which came from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, forced everyone to be vaccinated or undergo weekly testing and wear a mask during work hours.

But the court allowed the Biden Administration to enforce the Covid vaccination mandate on most health care workers. the Biden administration from enforcing a requirement that employees at large businesses be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing and wear a mask on the job.

“The Solicitor General does not dispute that OSHA is limited to regulating “work-related dangers.” Response Brief for OSHA in No. 21A244 etc., p. 45 (OSHA Response). She instead argues that the risk of contracting COVID–19 qualifies as such a danger. We cannot agree. Although COVID– 19 is a risk that occurs in many workplaces, it is not an occupational hazard in most. COVID–19 can and does spread at home, in schools, during sporting events, and everywhere else that people gather. That kind of universal risk is no different from the day-to-day dangers that all face from crime, air pollution, or any number of communicable diseases. Permitting OSHA to regulate the hazards of daily life—simply because most Americans have jobs and face those same risks while on the clock—would significantly expand OSHA’s regulatory authority without clear congressional authorization,” the decision says.

“Although Congress has indisputably given OSHA the power to regulate occupational dangers, it has not given that agency the power to regulate public health more broadly. Requiring the vaccination of 84 million Americans, selected simply because they work for employers with more than 100 employees, certainly falls in the latter category,” the majority concluded.

At the same time, the court is allowing the administration to proceed with a vaccine mandate for most health care workers in the U.S. Only those that don’t receive federal funds are exempt from the mandate, an exemption that applies primarily to concierge doctors who see the wealthiest people in America and accept no Medicare or Medicaid patients.

The court issued the orders on Friday, with the court’s conservatives saying the Administration has overstepped its authority.

Read the court order here. The vote in the employer mandate case was 6 to 3, with liberal justices Sonia Sotomayor, Stephen Breyer, and Elena Kagan dissenting.

Read the court decision on the healthcare worker mandate here.

The vote in the health care case was 5 to 4, with Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh joining Sotomayor, Breyer, and Kagan in the majority.

This is a breaking story and will be updated.

Fritz Pettyjohn: What to expect — or not to expect — from Juneau this session

Suzanne Downing
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Fritz Pettyjohn: What to expect — or not to expect — from Juneau this session

By FRITZ PETTYJOHN

We know what the big issue will be when the legislature convenes next week. It’s been the same fight for last five years. For four months (or five, or six) they’ll debate, “How big will the PFD be?”

There’s no reason to expect that this will be the last such fight. The legislature is divided, and both political parties are divided. The people of Alaska are divided. The only way to resolve the issue, once and for all, is by amending the Alaska Constitution. Putting a formula into law won’t help, as we learned in 2016. Gov. Bill Walker’s veto of the dividend amount was in violation of the law, but the Supreme Court said that didn’t matter. Passing a new law wouldn’t accomplish a thing.

And a new statute is the best we can expect, according to Senate President Pete Micciche. He said as much in a recent podcast with MRAK. He wants a 50-50 split of Permanent Fund earnings, with half going to the dividend. He said getting eleven votes in the Senate and 21 in the House will be a challenge. He’s in a position to know. That means getting 14 in the Senate, and 27 in the House to propose a constitutional amendment just isn’t going to be possible.

Since the legislature has proven itself incapable of settling this dispute, it’s up to the people. Do they trust themselves with such a decision? Or would they rather let Alaska’s politicians continue to deal with it? If they have faith in their own judgement, they’ll vote for a constitutional convention in November.

If they do vote yes, the legislature will decide when and where the convention would be held, how long it would last, and how the delegates will be elected. Parts of the law in effect today, SLA Alaska 1955 ch. 46, are obsolete.

The old statute did set up a system which resulted in an outstanding cross section of Alaska’s most thoughtful citizens (only eight of them legislators). They proposed a model Constitution, which Alaskans have been generally satisfied with, up to now. But the men and women who wrote our Constitution didn’t know there was going to be a Permanent Fund, much less a dividend. 

They did realize that situations might arise in the future which required amending the Constitution. And they understood that such needed amendments might never get the 2/3 vote needed for the legislature to propose it. In this case, the legislature itself is the problem, and it can’t fix itself. Because of the foresight of the framers of Alaska’s Constitution, we’ve had a chance every ten years to vote for a convention, to break the legislative gridlock. When they gave voters this power, they necessarily believed they could be trusted with it. Do we?

The opponents of the dividend will try to convince voters that a convention simply can’t be trusted. It might propose something radical, which would be ratified by the people, because the people can’t be trusted. 

Alaskan voters have a right to know where candidates for the Legislature, and governor, stand on this issue. They also need to know how the the 1955 law currently in place will be amended. Such legislation should be introduced, and debated, this year. People need to know what to expect if they do vote yes.

It’s not entirely clear where Gov. Mike Dunleavy stands on this issue. Perhaps he still hopes that somehow the Legislature will propose a constitutional solution to this problem. Since that’s almost certain not to happen, he should introduce a bill setting out the procedures he would prefer for the convention, so that voters will have some idea of what to expect if the call for a convention is approved. 

As governor of this state, he has an obligation to lead.

Fritz Pettyjohn served in the Alaska legislature in the 1980’s, and has practiced law in Alaska since 1974.

Launch: Kenai’s ‘Home Port’ phase one of residential development on legendary river

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Launch: Kenai’s ‘Home Port’ phase one of residential development on legendary river

The owners of Land’s End and Kenai Landing proudly announce Phase One of their waterfront residential development in Kenai, Alaska, known as Home Port. Two units are now under construction, and eight new “Front Street Loft” models are planned for 2022.

Located at the mouth of the Kenai River on the former Wards Cove Cannery site, Home Port is a 60-acre themed community offering a range of housing options within a residential condominium.

“We’re creating an Alaskan fishing town,” said Jon Faulkner, President of Kenai Landing, Inc., the development entity. “This location has thrived for centuries, first as a seasonal fish camp for Native Alaskans, then later as a massive cannery. The beauty of this location is stunning–unique in all of Alaska–and our Master Plan seeks to capture every element of a rich fishing tradition and the natural amenities that surround us”.

In 2021, Carroll Construction de-constructed what remained on the 100-yearold cannery, clearing the old waterfront of the 30,000-square-foot processing plant and two-story “Beachgang Bunkhouse”. 

“It’s not too late to acquire some of the reclaimed lumber and steel from these teardowns,” said Faulkner. “You can’t find wood like this anywhere. Most of it is 100-year old Douglas Fir, heartwood, from the northwest.” 

Carroll is now the lead contractor for KLI, the same entity that owns Land’s End Resort in Homer and constructed the successful Land’s End Lodges next door. After several attempts to re-develop the Kenai Landing waterfront, the owners feel confident they have assembled all the ingredients for success.  

The City of Kenai agrees. In March, 2021, the Kenai Planning Commission voted unanimously to permit the development, recognizing the need for revitalization of lower Kenai River area. The initial permits allow roughly 60 units in what is called a “Planned Unit Development”, which allows the developer flexibility with land use and density in exchange for development controls.

“It’s a win-win,” said President Jon Faulkner. “With the PUD, we are able to justify a higher level of risk and investment in order to make this a truly attractive destination—a community of distinction and lasting value. Ideally, the City of Kenai wins by building it’s tax base and permanent residency.”

The Home Port web site is now live and can be explored at www.KenaiHomeport.com.

Assembly confirms two, but denies one to the Anchorage Election Commission

Suzanne Downing
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Assembly confirms two, but denies one to the Anchorage Election Commission

Two former lieutenant governors — Mead Treadwell and Loren Leman — were confirmed by the Anchorage Assembly on Tuesday. But one person, who has called out the municipal clerk for being deceitful on Election Night last year, was voted down, 7-4.

Assembly Vice Chair Chris Constant tried to delay the confirmation of Treadwell and Leman, but finally made the political calculation that two Alaskans who had run the state Division of Elections were probably not ones to mess with for confirmation to a local election commission; the optics would have been difficult for Constant to explain.

Then it came to Bee Hanson, the third appointee by the mayor to the Election Commission. Hanson was asked by Assemblyman Forrest Dunbar to explain why she had said in previous commentaries that Municipal Clerk Barbara Jones, who is in charge of elections, had lied to her.

Hanson was one of the observers on Election Night during the mayoral runoff in 2021, on behalf of the Dave Bronson campaign. Hanson explained to Dunbar and the Assembly that she and other election observers had been advised by Jones on that night that work was done for the night and everyone was going home.

Hanson and the other observers left the Election building at Ship Creek, as instructed by Jones. Hanson then spoke to a person on the Bronson campaign who had decided to do a late-night drive by of the Election Office to see if, in fact, everyone was gone. That person, Bernadette Wilson, noted people working inside the building and a person opening an unsecured door to the building.

At that point, explained Hanson, she decided to go back to the Election Office and, upon arriving she saw that election workers were leaving the parking lot in their cars. One of them rolled down her window of her car and asked Hanson what she was doing back at the Election Office. Hanson replied that she had the same question of the election workers, since all the observers had been told the workers were heading home 40 minutes prior.

View the Assembly grilling Hanson here.

The description Hanson gave the Assembly was exactly how it happened on Election night, and can be corroborated by witnesses.

Hanson had arrived at the after-election party for Mayor Bronson at an event center, and told people there that Barb Jones had sent the observers home. Must Read Alaska’s Suzanne Downing was talking to Hanson when she got the call from Bernadette Wilson, who had driven back to the Election building to double check that it was really shut down for the night. Wilson called from the parking lot of that building and described she could see workers continuing to work in the building.

Hanson, who was shocked that people were still working in the building, left Downing’s office and returned to the election office. There were multiple witnesses to these events.

Watch the Wilson video here.https://fb.watch/aveXH59kdl/

The event was recorded and posted on the Must Read Alaska Facebook page the next day with the following account:

“How secure are Anchorage Elections? In this video by a citizen monitor, a woman approaches the Election Office in Anchorage on Election night, Tuesday, May 11, at 10:58 pm and opens the door, and appears to look or speak to people inside. In an earlier video she has a parcel of some sort nearby and under her arm. In this clip, she leaves. An election worker then comes to the door once, and then again and appears to set the lock. This was after all observers had been sent home and told there was no more work being done at the Election Office on Election night, clearly not the case. For this reason and others, the Bronson for Mayor team has taken a recreational vehicle to the Election Office parking lot to keep a closer eye on what is going on with the counting of ballots in the mayor’s election, and they are staying there 24-7 in shifts.”

After that incident, the Bronson campaign brought in a recreational vehicle and kept it in the parking lot in order to keep closer tabs on the comings and goings at the building.

Hanson, in her testimony Tuesday, also detailed other irregularities she witnessed at the Election Office.

She was voted down by the Assembly on Tuesday as not qualified to be a member of the Election Commission.

The takeaway is that if you challenge the Municipal Clerk, you need not apply for the Election Commission, said a member of the Bronson Administration.

Police Chief McCoy announces he is going to work for Providence Alaska

Suzanne Downing
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Police Chief McCoy announces he is going to work for Providence Alaska

The suspense is over: Anchorage Police Chief Ken McCoy has announced on social media that he is going to work for Providence Alaska, a major hospital in Anchorage and the state. He will join the organization as its first-ever chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer on Feb. 14, two weeks after he retires from the Anchorage Police Department on Feb. 1.

The announcement was also made on the Providence Alaska blog on Wednesday.

“Ken brings to this role a track record of forward-thinking leadership with a gift for discovering and molding talent and motivating inclusive, equitable teams,” Preston M. Simmons, Providence Alaska CEO, said in a press release.

McCoy’s job includes identifying, developing, and maintaining relationships to “integrate diversity and inclusion with health initiatives that advance health status,” as well as access and awareness in the community, the release said.

“McCoy will be responsible for coordinating efforts to promote culturally competent, patient-centered care as well as diversity and inclusion within the Providence Alaska workforce.

“Diversity, equity and inclusion, grounded in justice and integrated into all aspects of health care, are vital for improving patient health outcomes and quality of life,” said Simmons. “Thirty-eight percent of the Providence Alaska workforce identifies as people of color, and we serve some of the country’s most diverse communities. Ensuring Providence continues creating a diverse and equitable workforce while providing equitably delivered services is essential to our mission of serving all.”

McCoy is joining Providence after serving as chief of police of the Anchorage Police Department. He was with the force for 27 years.

McCoy earned a bachelor’s degree in justice from the University of Alaska Anchorage and a certificate in criminal justice from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. He is also an active member of a variety of local and national boards focused on justice and law enforcement, including a role as vice chairman of the board of directors for Standing Together Against Rape (STAR).

“After serving the public for nearly three decades, it was important for me to continue to make an impact in our community,” said McCoy. “Joining Providence allows me to continue my work guiding teams and organizations with diplomacy, dignity and fairness.”

Leftist members of the Anchorage Assembly and the Anchorage Daily News have race-baited over McCoy’s announced departure in recent weeks, insinuating that he did not want to work for the current mayor. Until today, McCoy has been mum about his plans.

ADN race-baits over resignation of Anchorage Police Chief McCoy

Mayor Dave Bronson introduces ballot prop to ask voters if they want Muni Clerk elected, but Assembly puts it on ice until August

Suzanne Downing
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Mayor Dave Bronson introduces ballot prop to ask voters if they want Muni Clerk elected, but Assembly puts it on ice until August

Anchorage Assembly Mayor Dave Bronson on Tuesday night offered a ballot proposition to ask voters if they wish to change the municipal charter and have the Municipal Clerk elected by the people. It’s a system that is done in many other large cities around the nation, while in smaller communities, the clerk is often an appointed role.

The clerk oversees elections, takes and keeps minutes of Assembly meetings and performs other official functions at the direction and oversight of the Assembly. The mayor has no authority over her, and yet yer position is extremely power, as evidenced in the handling of the last municipal election, when many ballots were rejected over signature issues.

Immediately after the mayor introduced the measure, Assemblyman Felix Rivera moved to have a public hearing on it in August — seven months from now. Vice Chair Chris Constant seconded the motion and in an unusual move, even for him, Assemblyman Forrest Dunbar “third-ed” the motion. That makes so it is not debatable.

The move to essentially table the ballot proposition means will not be considered by the Assembly for inclusion on the April 5 ballot. With the likelihood that the liberal majority on the Assembly opposes having its power over the clerk stripped from it, it’s unlikely to be presented to voters ever, unless there is a voter petition.

Oops, we did it again — Alaska gonorrhea rate increased 200% in a decade

Suzanne Downing
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Oops, we did it again — Alaska gonorrhea rate increased 200% in a decade

Alaska has been experiencing a significant gonorrhea outbreak since October 2017, says the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. In 2019, Alaska ranked 2nd nationally for gonorrhea cases, second only to Mississippi.

From 2009 to 2019, the national gonorrhea rate increased by 92%, while Alaska’s rate increased by nearly 200% in the same period. While the number of Alaska cases dropped by 10% in 2020, health experts think it’s because there were fewer in-person health services due to the pandemic, and therefore cases might have gone undetected. Also, since there is a high level of syphilis in Alaska, “reduced partner services activities were conducted for GC cases.” Syphilis, more serious of the two, is often treated with medication that takes out gonorrhea at the same time.

No numbers are yet available for 2021, but if there are many undiagnosed cases due to lack of in-person healthcare services being provided in Alaska, it’s likely the number of cases is remaining high. Right now, the stats reveal that about one of every 300 Alaskans could be carrying the sexually transmitted disease.

Of the 1,982 gonorrhea cases in Alaska during 2019:

  • 1,005 (51%) were in males and 977 (49%) were in females;
  • the age range was 14–82 years;
  • rates by age were highest in persons aged 20–24 years and 25–29 years (1,087 and 749 per 100,000 persons, respectively);
  • Alaska Natives/American Indians had more than twice the rate of the disease as the overall population, with 816 cases per 100,000 persons. African Americans had 719 cases per 100,000 and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders had 256 per 100,000 persons.
  • rates by region were highest in the Northern, Anchorage/Mat- Su, and Southwest regions (785, 341, 223 cases per 100,000 persons, respectively).

Untreated gonorrhea can cause serious and permanent health problems in both women and men. In women, gonorrhea can spread to the uterus or fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease. The symptoms may be quite mild or can be very severe and can include abdominal pain and fever, according to the CDC. The infection can lead to infertility, if untreated, and can also spread to the bloodstream and affect joints, heart valves, and the brain.

Dunleavy hires former Wasilla Mayor Cottle to help with local issues

Suzanne Downing
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Dunleavy hires former Wasilla Mayor Cottle to help with local issues

Former Wasilla Mayor Bert Cottle is now a member of Team Dunleavy. Cottle, who was mayor and assemblyman in Valdez, is also the former chief of police for Valdez. H graduated from Wasilla High School in 1972 and Trinidad State College.

After serving as mayor of Wasilla, he ran for Mat-Su Borough mayor but withdrew late in the race due to a health issue.

In his new role with the Dunleavy Administration, it appears he will be doing out reach with mayors around the state and helping to coordinate and resolve the issues surrounding the federal relief funds sent to Alaska, so that local governments can maximize the dollars and communities can move ahead after the pandemic economic slowdown of the past two years.

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