Sen. Murkowski conducts
Energy Hearing in Bethel
9-4-08
by K.J. Lincoln
In a historical and very significant event for rural Alaska, Senator Lisa Murkowski conducted the first ever Committee on Indian Affairs field hearing in Bethel last Thursday. The hearing was to collect information on the impact of high energy costs in rural Alaskan native communities and to gather ideas from rural leaders on what she should take back with her to her colleagues in Washington.
Senator Murkowski is a ranking member on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Should the republicans regain a majority of the US Senate, Murkowski would be next in line to be Chairwoman, said Michael Brumas, Communications Director for the Senator.
What does that mean for ANWR and opening it up for oil exploration?
“She works every opportunity she gets to put it on the table,” said Brumas. “She tries hard to convince people that we can do ANWR safely.”
She is also the Vice Chair of the Indian Affairs Committee. She also serves on the Senate Foreign Affairs and the committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Lisa Murkowski’s term will be up in 2010 and she has plans to run for reelection, said Brumas. Born before Alaska Statehood, Lisa Murkowski is 51.
While cruising around town the day before the energy hearing, Murkowski stopped in at the ANICA, Swanson’s, and AC stores. She was appalled at the $9.49 for a gallon of milk, and the $113,000 a month light bill AC was paying. Laundry detergent is $45 and formula for babies is $25.
“If you’re not on WIC, how can you afford that?” Murkowski asked.
Murkowski also learned that folks living in the villages are having such financial hardship that they put their own health at risk by delaying flying into Bethel to go to the hospital because of the high prices of airfare.
“When people get sick they can’t afford to come to the YK Hospital for care. They wait until it’s an emergency and are medevaced,” said Murkowski. “They are jeopardizing their own safety and making decisions that are very risky.”
In the village of Tuntutuliak, the village pumphouse for water has been shut off, said Murkowski, because it is too expensive to keep it open.
“When you have no water or sewer, it is a health hazard,” she said. “In the villages people are making the choice of whether to purchase stove oil or to pay for water and sewer.”
It is like going backwards and back to the honey bucket, which is supposed to be in a museum. She met a lady from one of the villages who said that it is so bad that she is doing without toilet paper.
“They are shaking their heads and trying to think how they’re going to get through the winter,” Murkowski said.
Gas for vehicles for subsistence is unaffordable – $5.99 a gallon for gas in Bethel and more in villages. What do you feed your family for protein? Fuel is shipped by barge and it is a tough situation, said Murkowski. “Out here you’ve always paid higher prices. Now it’s at the tipping point.”
Others living in Bethel are packing up and moving out of town. They are being forced to make personal life decisions. But some stay and people not from rural Alaska have been known to ask – why don’t they just move? It’s your choice to live where you live – deal with it.
But no says Murkowski, people don’t understand or appreciate what is going on in rural Alaska.
“The culture is rich in tradition and heritage,” she said. “Moving people to urban Alaska is not reasonable. The way is to find reasonable services for them.”
Moving beyond the dependency on diesel, harnessing energy from rivers and ocean currents, and utilizing wind is the answer, she said. “Alaska is rich in renewable resources – hydro, wind, geothermal. We’ve got the potential to do more…I’m hopeful - before too many people do something they don’t want to do.”
What is she planning on doing to combat these high costs?
“I want to focus on Indian energy programs – weatherization, LIHEAP… it is always a matter of appropriating sufficient funds at the federal level,” she said. “They put into law the Renewable Energy Deployment Law for renewable energy projects. It is authorized but no appropriations yet. There are funds out there but you need to be able to access them.”
At the beginning of the hearing, Murkowski asked the 10 witnesses who were invited for their testimonies on how the resources in our native lands can be tapped and of the effects of the high energy prices in rural Alaska. She also wanted suggestions on what she could do at the federal level to ease energy costs. The testimonies would be established on record.
The first panel of witnesses included Ralph Anderson - CEO of the Bristol Bay Native Association and Chair of the Alaska Federation of Natives Energy Committee; Janie Leask – President and CEO of First Alaskan Institute Board of Trustees; Mike Williams of Akiak – Alaska Area Vice President of the National Congress of American Indians; Chris Mello – Program Manager of the Alaska Energy Authority.
The second panel had Myron Naneng of Bethel – President of the Association of Village Council Presidents; Matthew Nicolai – President and CEO of the Calista Corporation; and Gene Peltola – President and CEO of the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation; and Ron Hoffman – CEO of AVCP Regional Housing Authority and President of the Association of Alaska Housing Authorities.
The final panel had Steve Morello – Director of Indian Energy Policy and Programs of the US Dept. of Energy; and Robert Middleton – Director of Indian Energy and Economic Development of the US Dept. of Energy.
Murkowski assured the panel of witnesses and those in attendance that she would take back her report to her colleagues and help them gain an understanding of what is going on in rural Alaska.
Concerned citizens meet
to discuss sustainability
8-29-08
by Katrina Baldwin
Increasing fuel prices, high food-costs and a shaky local economy have many Bethel citizens concerned about the sustainability of the community. At a meeting on Wednesday, August 13 at Meyer’s Farm, participant’s brainstormed ideas to confront these concerns ranging from efficient housing design to alternative energy.
One idea discussed at length is to increase local food production by creating a farming community in Bethel.
“It would be extremely exciting to put in a sustainable community that would be a model for the rest of the state,” said long-time Bethel resident Tim Meyers.
Meyers farms a 3.5-acre plot of land off of Ptarmigan Road, producing a variety of vegetables including lettuce, kale, carrots, beets, turnips, collard greens and potatoes. Meyer’s approximates that he produces enough food to feed 30 people year-round.
Leah Walsh, an Advocate and Program Assistant at the Tundra Women’s Coalition, introduced the idea of creating a Community Land Trust through which the sustainable farming community could be established.
Community Land Trusts (CLT) are a concept developed by Robert Swann, founder of the E.F. Schumacher Society. The Society describes CLTs as “a form of common land ownership with a charter based on the principles of sustainable and ecologically-sound stewardship and use. The land in a CLT is held in trust by a democratically-governed non-profit corporation.” There are currently more than 200 CLTs in the United States.
“CLTs are an incredible tool for communities to creatively address local needs while simultaneously developing affordable housing and establishing community values,” Walsh said.
The next meeting will feature a short presentation on Community Land Trusts followed by an open discussion on creating a local land trust for a farming and sustainable community. The meeting, which is open to the public, will be held on Wednesday, August 27 at 6:30 PM at the Yuut Elitnaurviat Shop.
**For more info on the E.F. Schumacher Society, please visit:
www.smallisbeautiful.org.
Seven to vie for open
city council seats
The deadline to file for the Bethel City Council was last Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at 4pm. So far, seven candidates have filed to run for city office. They are: Lamont Albertson, G. Patrick Fife, Beverly Hoffman, Willie Keppel, Joseph Klejka, Stanley “Tundy” Rodgers, and Mark Springer.
The 2-year seats currently held by Councilmen Willie Keppel and Tundy Rodgers are up. The election will be on October 7, 2008 along with the Regional Education Attendance Area (REAA) and the Coastal Resources Service Area (CRSA) elections.
2008 Summer
Reading Program winners
by Hector Teran
I would like to take this time to thank: Doug Staller and Christine McCaffery at U.S. Fish and Wildlife for their help with the backpacks and the program, Lisa Wimmer at Wells Fargo with the Gift Cards, Alaska Airlines for their donation and time, Alaska Commercial and David Hicks for the generous amount of food and refreshments throughout the summer, and The Delta Discovery as well as the Lincoln family for the publicity.
I urge the community to support the sponsors who have shown generosity and care in helping out with the program that benefits the children. I would also like to thank the families who participated in this year’s Summer Reading Program. Although the summer is over, the reading and learning should not be. If there are any questions, comments, or concerns please feel free to contact the library at 4516. Have a great school year students and families! Thank you.
Participants for the 2008 Summer Reading Program
Preschool-6th were: Bashar Al-Shaar, Batool Al-Shaar, Claire Applebee, Liam Baez-Terry, Tess Baez-Terry, Ricmerto A. Clark, Maire Hartman, Rowan Hartman, Aaron Hippler, Allen Hippler, Perpetua Hippler, Joan Klejka, Victoria Lake, Conrad McCormick, Tierney McCormick, Ruth Pearson, Stephen Pearson, Earl A. Polk IV, Ashley Ponsness, Karlyn Ponsness, Lars Ponsness, Ethan Sundown, Haley Sundown, Gabriella Tews, Suzi Twitchell, Joseph Valcarce, Jordan Wheeler, Elenor Whitney, and Greta Whitney.
The winners of the $100 Wells Fargo Gift Cards (6th-9th grades): Nate Davis, Joshua Klejka, and Jesse Klejka
Winner of Alaska Airlines miles (high school): Jeremiah Klejka
Hector Teran is the Library Technician at the Kuskokwim Consortium Library.
Bethel sex offender program
8-24-08
by K.J. Lincoln
About 40% of criminal cases in the YK delta region are sex offenses. Commissioner of Corrections for the State of Alaska spoke about the new sex offender program that will help offenders get the treatment they need before reintegrating back into the community.
Tell us about the new sex offender program at the Tundra Center.
We don’t let sex offenders out of jail early, we don’t furlough them. There’s no treatment available in Bethel in facility or out. So when someone finishes their time we kick them out the front door, untreated. And they live wherever they can live. While that’s happening, we have a halfway house with 85 beds that we pay for every day and 30 of those beds are empty.
Our first reaction a year ago was to talk to the contractor and say, why don’t we limit our contract because we cannot afford to pay for 30 empty beds all the time. The answer was if we cut their contract by that much, they couldn’t afford to do business here.
We’re paying for these empty beds and we don’t want to release sex offenders early, but we are releasing them at the end of their time. We have no legal authority to hold them after that. So we’re finding a group of 6 prisoners that we can put in the halfway house that have already finished their jail time, they’re out on supervision and they need treatment. We bring a contractor in to the halfway house.
I hope the message I can get out is these sex offenders are already out and are living in the community and we have a place where they can get treatment locally and a place to live and stay in Bethel to get treatment.
These sex offenders, are their crimes mostly alcohol related?
Yes. I know statewide 92% of our people brought in have alcohol issues. I don’t have the statistics for sex offenders but a high percentage of them do and right now they are living unstructured. What this will do is take people who need structure and give it to them.
What should the community know about this new program?
There’s a couple of things the community should know: It is at the halfway house with supervision. We are not importing sex offenders, only offenders from this region, and we are not letting anyone out of jail early. These are folks who are already out the door.
Any closing comments?
What we’ve been doing and what we’re doing today is probably the most risky and most dangerous thing we can do – is push them out the front door untreated with no resources. What we’re doing now is we’re trying to mitigate that through this new program. The reasons for Bethel – 40% are sex offenses, Bethel supports reentry, and this is the place where we have 30 empty beds we need to do something with. Those things all came together for what I think will be a very good program. We are being very selective of who goes in there and it should start in a week. It is very structure.
Quyana!
Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell visits Bethel
by K.J. Lincoln
Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell made a visit to Bethel to speak to the Bethel Chamber of Commerce a couple weeks ago and to also visit other places in town. Although the Chamber announcement listed him as a candidate for US Congress on their speaker schedule, he made it clear that he was here only as the Lt. Governor, and not as a candidate for US House of Representatives and requested that we refrain from asking him campaign questions.
“I made it clear when I got there this was a Lt. Gov.’s meeting and I did not speak on any federal issues,” said the Lt. Governor. “I did not take any questions related to my candidacy and I spoke clearly and only on state issues.”
So what was on your agenda?
I had a chance to visit the Trooper detachment, I went to the Office of Children’s Services, and the public health center, went to Yuut Elitnaurviat, and spoke at the Chamber of Commerce. I also visited the fire station and crawled underneath and looked at the beams under the flooring that are rotting. The City recently made it their top priority for replacement, they wanted me to see it as a state official and I’m going to carry the word back to the Governor that a new floor is needed at the fire station before it collapses on you.
While meeting with the Troopers here in Bethel, they told us of the need for additional help in Bethel and in the villages. They talked about the issues of domestic violence and sexual assault, they talked about incredible alcohol use and abuse and what they’re doing to try to stem the tide there. We’re very supportive of them, helping and working with them.
You spoke about suicide prevention at the Chamber…
Suicide just rips families and communities apart. One of my messages is, let’s take the time as people to ask our friends and family if they are doing well and take the time to really listen. If someone expresses suicidal thoughts we need to help persuade them to stay alive, that life has meaning and get them help as well. Let’s get courageous about stepping into people’s lives and ask them how they’re doing.
How did you respond to questions about high energy costs?
There were mostly questions about dealing with the high cost of fuel, pointing out that this winter when our elders who are on a fixed income or low income have no other means of payment that they’re going to need emergency assistance from the state. That is something I want to alert other state officials to. The legislature can attempt a one time fix but we also need longer term solutions and we need to be ready for a hard winter together. If we’re communicating well as people and as families with our local and state leaders, we’re going to get through this.
Do you agree with the Governor’s decision to fire former Dept. of Public Safety Commission Walt Monegan?
You know, I think that’s the Governor’s decision to make. When you hire a commissioner or hire a cabinet they serve at the will and discretion of the Governor. So yes, I think that’s her decision to make.
Quyana!
ONC Youth & Elders Conference
by Peter Twitchell
Day 1: Elders/Youth Conference
Rose Domnick began her “Ellangcarnariuq” (time to become aware) presentation. It covered the “great death” long ago from Tuberculosis and the flu epidemic when many natives in Alaska died and left children without parents and family. She discussed the boarding schools of the BIA, lost language, identity and culture. These are some of the problems people had to deal with and still have a hard time with today many decades later.
Elders were the “stabilizers” of the family and the community. They were the keepers of traditional knowledge and customs. They were wise and considered to be leaders in the village. Their word was “law.” They were respected and revered.
The Youth were considered treasures and as such were held in high regard. They were considered future leaders and were taught in the Qasgiq, or men’s house. Only the men of the community gathered there to instruct the youth. The Elders taught the men their roles in the family and community. The women taught the females a woman’s roles within the family. The instruction of the youth is not widely practiced today.
Day two:
Rose Domnick started the second half of her “Ellangcarnariuq” presentation.
The youth were asked what their grandparents had taught them, and some of the boys shared that they had been instructed in the ways of hunting. Some of the girls shared about being taught how to sew and cook. About half of the young people present did not have a thing to say about what they had been taught.
This was a clear indicator that the Elders and Youth are losing touch with one another. An Elder comment was made that the “Youth don’t listen.” One of the Youth made the comment, “Grandparents don’t talk to them anymore.” An Elder told me, “Our young people of today are just like strangers.” A sad fact that many Youth are going their separate ways, or gravitating towards, and identifying with the western culture.
Day three:
It was heartwarming for me to see our Youth and our Elders working together, smiling and laughing - each one benefiting from the other and learning from each other. The Elders realizing that Youth can listen and are very intelligent. The Youth gained more understanding about their Native Culture and Alaskan History.
The exercise with the tree, its roots, branches and leaves was a good one. It left much to one’s imagination and they took advantage of it. Using its roots as their foundation as in parents, grandparents, and school. Goals were set using this paradigm with the branches and leaves being the acquired goals.
It was really an exhilarating experience to see our Youth come around to talking and participating with their Elders as their advisors and guiding compass, and both of them completing their tasks and objectives.
Peter Twitchell is ONC’s Family Navigator.
Alaska inmates to be charged for local calls
8-14-08
Beginning September 1, prisoners in Alaska’s correctional facilities will be charged $2 to make a local telephone call. Until now, local calls have been free.
Prisoners being booked will not be charged to place a local phone call.
In March, the Department of Corrections approved a contract for inmate telephone service with Evercom Systems, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Securus Technologies, Inc.
Under contract terms, Evercom/Securus owns, installs and maintains the telephone equipment at no cost to the department and provides specialized equipment needed to record and track all phone conversations for security purposes. Evercom/Securus also provides billing service and the ability to block phone numbers as required by the courts or by the recipients of calls.
The $2 fee will appear on the phone bill of the receiving party. The contractor has a pre-pay account service for call recipients as well.
The department at first issued an RFP for telephone service which required the successful bidder to provide free local calls for inmates. After receiving no responsive bids, the department issued an RFP without the free local calls stipulation. Evercom/Securus was the only bidder.
“The context of how we got here is cost control. The contractor owns, installs and maintains the phone system used by inmates. For that service they get a portion of the revenue phone calls generate,” said deputy commissioner Dwayne Peeples. “We’d prefer to keep the free local calls, but this is the industry norm and we’ve held off as best we could.”
Inmate telephone rates are approved by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska.
The department inaugurated contracting for inmate telephone service in May, 1997.
Most, if not all, correctional facilities charge for local calls. Among unified systems (state corrections departments which, like Alaska, operate pretrial jails as well as prisons), Delaware and Connecticut charge $2 for a local call, New Hampshire $1.10 plus 10 cents per minute, and Maryland 85 cents per minute.
Arkansas charges its inmates $4.40 in-state for 15 minutes, Rhode Island 70 cents per minute, North Dakota 50 cents for 15 minutes, Montana $2.75 plus 20 cents per minute, Wyoming $1.24, New Jersey $2.50 for 15 minutes, Idaho $3.40 to $3.80 for 30 minutes, Mecklenburg County (Charlotte, NC) Sheriffs Dept. $1.10 for 15 minutes. Prisoners in Great Britain are charged around 22 cents per minute according to recent report on the BBC news web site.
Rearden flies 1st solo
7-30-08
1st solo!! It was one of those summer evenings, the sun had lost its battle and was fading away hiding behind a veil of clouds. Like any other training flights, the blue and orange Cessna 172 - N73605 - would test the student’s nerves, unspoken argument between the beast and the pilot. But tonight things were different, Sterling Rearden is in charge. 605 has been tamed, what used to be an arrival is now a beautiful landing. Stalls, steep turns, go-arounds, have no more secrets for the young pilot.
The time has come. Leaving the safety of Bethel airspace and the reassuring voice of the controller, we head for Kwethluk. The rest is just a vague blur - taxing off the runway, being told to shut down, last minute details. A couple of endorsements later, Sterling is airborne by himself. Flaps 10, radio calls, pre-take off checklists, the routine takes over, soon the student will be back on the ground with his first solo behind his belt. After three impeccable landings, Sterling taxis back on the ramp to pick up the relieved instructor. Let’s fly back to Bethel and celebrate!
Whether Sterling will fly hundreds of passengers to Tokyo or land Cubs on sand bars, this day will clearly remain a milestone in his aeronautical endeavors. With a written test already out of the way, Sterling needs to finish up his cross country training and the light will start to shine at the end of the not so long tunnel, the young man will be a licensed pilot.
If you are interested in pursuing a career as a Professional Pilot, contact Thad Tikiun, Student Services Manager at Yuut Yaqungviat, LLC at 907-543-7209, or toll free, 1-888-543-7209 to request a student pilot application, or visit our website at www.yuutyaqungviat.org.
Local restaurant opens under new management
by K.J. Lincoln
The Family Restaurant in Bethel is now the new Oriental Garden, and a Grand Opening seafood buffet is scheduled for August 1st.
The new owner is Danny Parks, originally of Korea. The head chef is Bruce Kim. Kim worked as the head chef for Peking Palace and was the China Lights Restaurant owner for over 10 years in Anchorage. He was voted the Best Cook twice by the Anchorage Times and has been cooking for 28 years.
Kim learned to cook from master chef Mr. Liu from Sang Dong, China. According to Kim, Liu was the head chef for the royal palace in China. He immigrated to Korea and then to Los Angeles.
“I can cook more than 500 chinese dishes,” said Kim. He specializes in northern style cuisine – Schezwan, Mandarin, and Hunan. He’s catered for former Governors Hickel and Knowles, and for Congressman Don Young. He’s even fed singer/songwriter John Denver before he passed away. His cooking is real, authentic oriental food and does not contain MSG.
The Oriental Garden Restaurant buffet will be open Mon-Fri, 12-2pm. Open hours on Friday and Saturday will be until 2am along with a Chef’s Midnight Special. See advertisement on page 19.
Bethel District Attorney announced
The Department of Law is pleased to announce that Andrew Grannik has been chosen to fill the position of Bethel District Attorney.
Grannik has worked for the department since 2005. He received his law degree from Northeastern University School of Law and received a B.S. in physics and chemistry of the ocean and environmental studies from Leningrad Hydro-Meteorological Institute. He replaces Lance Joanis who was recently named Kenai District Attorney.
“I am honored to have this opportunity,” said Grannik, “and I look forward to being a part of and serving the Bethel community and Yukon-Kuskokwim region.”
“Grannik is a dedicated public servant who handles complex cases with confidence and energy,” said Deputy Attorney General Rick Svobodny. “He has passion for his job and will be diligent in his efforts to help provide Bethel and the surrounding communities with a safe place to live.”
RFQ released for Swimming Pool and Multi-Use Recreation Center
7-16-08
The long-awaited swimming pool and multi-use recreation center project is making steps toward becoming a reality after many years of effort. The City of Bethel released the request for qualifications (RFQ) to architectural firms for the design and construction of the facility on June 23.
“This is truly an exciting time for the City of Bethel,” said avid proponent and Councilmember Yolonda Jorgensen. “Efforts for this type of project date back to the 1980s. Young people of the community have been writing letters to the editor in local papers for years and several community members have been donating hundreds of hours to raise money for this project. The RFQ release is yet another success.”
In November 2007, City Manager Wally Baird established an ad hoc committee following the direction of the City Council and a sales tax increase approved by Bethel voters in the 2007 General Election to support the construction and operation of a swimming pool and multi-use facility. The committee consists of: Beverly Hoffman, Tiffany Zulkosky, Rick Abboud, Martin Leonard, Yolonda Jorgensen, Kerri Fulton, Ted Berry, Susan Taylor, Pam Twitchell, John Sargent, Rick Robb, Janet Athanas, and Ronda Sargent.
The proposed 10-acre site for the facility is located in City Subdivision by Yuut Elitnaurviat: The People’s Learning Center and across the street from the ONC multi-purpose building.
Responses for the RFQ are due July 23. The ad hoc committee meets the first and third Thursday of every month in City Council Chambers. The next planning meeting is scheduled for July 17 at 5:15 p.m. For more information contact committee chair Beverly Hoffman at 543-3239 or log on to the Bethel Parks & Recreation website at www.cityofbethel.org.
Commercial Fishing
prohibited for minors under 16
School is out, summer has arrived and the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development is reminding employers that child labor laws exist to protect young workers in the fishing industry.
Under state and federal law, minors under the age of 16 are not allowed to work on a fishing boat, unless a minor is employed by a parent who also owns and operates the boat.
“We want to get young people out working, but their safety on the job comes first,” Labor Commissioner Click Bishop said.
According to Grey Mitchell, director of the Labor Standards and Safety Division, “The last Alaska workplace fatality involving a worker under 16 years old involved commercial fishing. This tragedy could have been avoided by simply following the law.”
Additional information is available at the Alaska Wage and Hour Administration website http://labor.state.ak.us/lss/whhome.htm or by contacting a regional Wage and Hour office.
Bethel Chamber scholarship
The Bethel Chamber of Commerce Board has announced a one-time $750 scholarship to be awarded to a selected undergraduate college student in September 2008. The scholarship was adopted as part of the Chamber Board’s 2008 Goals at the annual banquet.
“We believe that investing in this region’s business owners and leaders of tomorrow will promote sustainability for Bethel’s economy,” said Board Vice President Jerry Drake.
Applicants for the scholarship must be college sophomores or above and provide official transcripts and proof of enrollment in a business-related major. The application, and all supporting documentation, must be received no later than 6:00 p.m. on Friday, August 15, 2008. Applications postmarked August 15, 2008 or later will not be considered.
For more information, or to pick up an application, contact Tish Guinn at 907-543-3773 or by e-mail at lguinn@bethelclinic.org.
Group Breaks Ground on New Aviation Mechanics Site
7-9-08
by Tommy Wells
The Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta leaders moved a step closer to an economic boost on July 1 as leaders from several local organizations broke ground on a multi-million dollar aviation facility.
During a ground-breaking ceremony, officials from the AVCP, the Yukon-Kuskokwim Hospital Corp., the University of Alaska-Kuskokwim Campus and Yuut Elitnaurviat indicated a new Aviation Mechanics Training Institute will be built in Bethel with the hopes of bring jobs to western Alaska.
“The new school will bring more opportunities to hire local people to fill jobs within the region,” said AVCP President Myron Naneng Sr. in a release.
Attending the ground-breaking ceremong with Naneng were YKHC President Gene Peltola, KuC-UAF Director Mary Pete, Yuut Elitnaurviat Director Lamont Albertson, AVCP Legal Counsel Lauren Berdow and AVCP Transportation Director Michael Hoffman
The $2.9-million plant, which is also being constructed in association with the U.S. Economic Development Administration, will be approximately 9,000 square feet in size and give local residents the opportunity to become licensed aviation and power plant mechanics.
Officals expect the building to be completed this fall.
SKW/ Eskimos, Inc., a Native-owned contractor, has been hired to construct the new school. SKW/Eskimos is currently employing four local people on the job site, and could be adding positions the in the future
According to Naneng, the aviation mechanics school will be a vital addition to the area because of the jobs it can provide for residents of western Alaska.
“The Aviation Mechanics Training Institute will produce local aviation and power plant licensed mechanics,” he said. “Organizations from around the Yukon-Kuskokwim Region support and understand the need for locally-trained Aviation Mechanics in a region where aviation is the main mode of transportation and where no roads connect villages to one another.”
Western Alaska is characterized by the lowest per capita income and the highest unemployment rate in the state.
Council names Foley as
interim city manager in Bethel
by Tommy Wells
The Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta gained a new leader last week … even if it might only be for a while.
Members of the Bethel City Council appointed Bethel Port Director Lee Foley as the interim city manager during a special meeting on June 30. The council approved the appointment by a 4-2 margin.
Foley, who has applied for the position on a permanent basis, was chosen from three candidates. Also considered for the interim position were Bethel Fire Chief George Young and Wendy Acosta, a former city employee in Spokane.
Councilman Dan Leinberger said naming Foley as the interim city manager was a necessary move so that he could work with current city manager Wally Baird before he leaves. Baird submitted his resignation and is scheduled to depart Bethel later this month.
“We need to have someone walking side-by-side our current city manager for the next two weeks to try and learn as much as he can. Once he (Baird) is gone, he’s gone. It would be irresponsible of us not to do this.”
Tiffany Zulkosky, Yolanda Jorgensen, Mayor Eric Middlebrook and Leinberger all voted for the appointment. Councilmen Stanley Rodgers and Thor Williams against the appointment, noting the city should take more time to review the situation – and deciding at its June 9 meeting.
Neither Williams or Rodgers objected their any of the candidates for the position – only wanting a few days to review the candidates and gauge the community’s opinion.
Council members decided to appoint Foley to the position due to his lengthy experience with the city, and the fact he had a capable person who could assume the day-to-day operations at the harbor. With Foley’s move into the city manager role, Bethel Harbormaster Peter Williams will shoulder much of the harbor’s operations, although Foley will still retain his position as director.
The council decided against Young due to the improvements being planned for the fire department this summer. The additional duties, they feared, would be unfair to the longtime Bethel city employee.
Acosta, a 27-year city worker in Washington, submitted her application for the position prior to the stat of the meeting.
Council members said they would re-examine all applicants in the near future in an effort to fill Baird’s position permanently.
“Obviously our long-term goal is to hire a city manager,” said Leinberger. “Our short-term strategy is how do we get there. I’d be comfortable with appointing an interim city manager for now and then coming back later to choose a permanent city manager.”
CT services at Bethel hospital opens for patients
6-18-08
A ten-year vision to offer Computed Axial Tomography, known as CAT or CT scanning, at the Bethel hospital has now unveiled. Until now, patients in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region had to travel to Anchorage to receive the advanced x-ray services.
The long anticipated Siemens 16-slice CT scanning machine is in full operation at the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Regional Hospital and served its first patient Harold Kitsick, 13, of Kotlik, June 9. The CT scanner was used to rule out the possibility of appendicitis. “We are heading home tomorrow and are happy we don’t have to go to Anchorage to make the trip longer,” said Harold’s mother, Carolyn, who summed up the reason YKHC has invested in the CT machine.
“YKHC faces unique challenges in health care forcing many family members to travel hundreds of miles away from home to receive necessary medical services,” said Ray Alstrom, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “CT services are now closer to home for our patients and our medical teams can detect and diagnose for cancer and other severe ailments much quicker.”
A CT Scanner is a complex machine used to take detail pictures of specific parts of the body. The technology displays cross-sections through the body of specific bones, muscles, organs and blood vessels. This imaging capability is much like seeing a picture of a single slice of bread from a whole loaf.
While general conventional x-ray machines take pictures in one plane, a helical CT machine can rotate clear around the body while taking pictures from all angles. It is the chief imaging method used in diagnosing and detecting a variety of cancers, the size of tumors and if it has spread to surrounding tissues.
Annually, nearly 2,000 CT scan studies are conducted on patients who have had to travel to Anchorage until now. “We know that our patients will benefit from these services at our hospital,” said Ronnie Fitzpatrick, Director of Diagnostic Imaging. “This enhances the level of services we provide from screening to diagnosis.”
The state-of-the art technology also useful for a large range of musculoskeletal disorders and injuries, back problems, fractures or a damaged disk in the spine, and injuries to internal organs.
The need for a CT Scan evolved more than 10 years ago among the YKHC Board of Directors and Tribal Gathering Conference delegates who ranked the CT Scanner as a high priority for improving health services for people in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region.
With key funding totaling nearly $2 million from the Alaska State Hospital & Nursing Home Association, Indian Health Service, Rasmuson Foundation, Denali Commission, and Bethel Community Service Foundation, the planning, design and construction to install a CT scanner was initiated. A complete space renovation and construction phase began in the fall of 2007.
YKHC’s Construction team transformed a 14-year old equipment room into the new CT Scanning room, completing construction in May. The $1.2 million machine was unwrapped during a special ceremony by Congressman Don Young and YKHC Board Member Kathy Chase of Holy Cross.
“Our Board of Directors, tribal leaders, management and funding agencies, deserve much appreciation for making this vision now a reality,” said Gene Peltola, YKHC CEO/President. “This realization is the result of many dedicated people working together to improve health care for the people of the YK Delta.”
Former K300 Race Manager arrested for embezzlement
5-28-08
Former Kuskokwim 300 Race Manager Staci J. Gillilan of Bethel was arrested for embezzling money from the Kuskokwim 300’s race committee funds.
Bethel Police Department officers concluded an extensive investigation that revealed that Gillilan had embezzled a significant amount of money between the periods of March 2, 2007 and March 1, 2008 while she was the race manager for the K300. She was arrested on May 20, 2008 for one count of theft in the second degree and one count of theft in the third degree.
Myron Angstman, the current race manager for the K300, made a complaint to the Bethel Police Department on March 7, 2008, reporting that the non-profit organization had reason to believe that Gillilan had embezzled an unknown amount of money from the K300 rippie gaming account.
An investigation was conducted and the K300 books were audited revealing that rippie money was collected by Gillilan. A receipt was generated and Gillilan would log the money into a spreadsheet to acknowledge the receipt of the money. Gillilan would hold the money, then make deposits into the K300’s bank account.
The money that Gillilan deposited into the bank account should have matched the money received from the seller of the rippies, but on several occasions came up short by several thousand dollars. On one such occasion around April 2007, Gillilan was $2050.00 dollars short on the deposit to the bank.
Investigation further revealed that on occasion, Gillilan would purchase items for the K300 from her personal money and then get reimbursed. On one occasion in January 2008, Gillilan claimed a reimbursement of $250 for barricade fencing purchased for the K300 race from Warning Lights of Alaska. Gillilan paid herself from K300 funds for the claimed reimbursement in December 2006.
Further investigation revealed that the barricade fencing had in fact been purchased by Wells Fargo and given to the K300 as a donation. A copy of the invoice and receipt from Warning Lights of Alaska show the payment made by a Wells Fargo employee.
Gillilan stated that she could see how the books and paper trail showed money was missing but denied stealing the money and claimed the missing money had to have been the result of mistakes and innocent errors.
Gillilan did say that she would pay back K300 back any missing money.
“She recognizes that the paper trail shows the missing money…she has no explanation to where it went but she offered to pay it back,” said Angstman.
Angstman reports that Gillilan was not authorized to take additional cash other than her earnings or approved reimbursements from K300 funds.
“We are sure sad that this whole event occurred and we are glad that it is finally out in the open, because we’ve had to keep in under wraps here for a couple months as the investigation went forward,” said Angstman. “There were lots of rumors going around town and we weren’t really able to comment on those things but now it is clear what was going on.”
A warrant for Gillilan’s arrest was requested because Gillilan was leaving Bethel on or about June 1st for an extended period. She is currently out on $10,000 bail.
“It is a bad day for the K300 but it a start rebuilding and we expect to be back next year in good shape for the 30th running of the race,” Angstman said.
YKCC inmates
on highway clean-up duty
As part of the YKCC community service work program, six inmates under the supervision of a Correctional Officer began picking up trash and items along the Chief Eddie Hoffman Highway on Tuesday, May 20.
The crew started clearing both sides of the road from the Alaska State Troopers Office Complex to the end of the Northern Runway fence. For Tuesday, from 12:30 to 4:15 pm, the inmate volunteers picked up a total of 42 bags of trash and miscellaneous items. The same crew went was out picking up trash on Wednesday afternoon as well.
“Council Member Leinberger, a local business owner commented on the remarkable difference before and after the clean up,” said YKCC Superintendent Chris Liu. “He donated a case of water to the work crew for their hard work. A few Bethel residents also joined in picking up trash and items along the highway. As of the end of the day, the crew cleared the area from the northern runway fence to YKCC driveway, and collected a total of 96 bags of trash and items. The YKCC staff strives to clean up the side of the highway within the next few weeks.”
Eric Middlebrook campaign
is on for Alaska State House
5-20-08
Eric Middlebrook has announced his candidacy for Alaska State House, District 38, submitting the required form to the Division of Elections this week.
He currently dedicates time to his role as mayor of Bethel and wants to work for a larger area of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Middlebrook has lived in the Delta for over 26 years and is familiar with the challenges of living away from the road system and the rail belt.
A particular concern of Middlebrook’s is the that the people of the YK Delta can have continued access to all the subsistence resources of the delta with the least amount of interference from the state and federal governments.
Eric Middlebrook is also known as “The Refrigerator Man” to the people of the villages, where his business, Southwestern Technical Specialties, serves the schools, stores and fisheries of the region. He is recognized as a hard worker who has repaired commercial freezers and refrigerators for more than 22 years, flying his plane to all the villages throughout the Delta.
Middlebrook has a strong base of supporters who know and trust him and have encouraged his campaign and, of course, he has also received support from his family members in California.
Jody Malus of Bethel, campaign manager, encourages voters to contact her or Eric with any questions you have about Middlebrook’s stand on issues and to give him your opinions.
For more information contact Jody Malus, jodyformiddlebrook08@gmail.com 907-543-5716 Campaign for Middlebrook08, P.O. Box 1466, Bethel, AK 99559.
City Council Challenge
by Niles A. Short
On Friday the 9th of May 2008, the city council, various other city employees, nine volunteer students, Sephora Jones, and myself from Ayaprun Elementary School picked up refuse on a cold rainy morning.
The total bag count at the end of the thirty-minute period was 26 bags. A rough estimate of the plethora of items picked up was approximately 5,000 plus.
The idea to challenge the city council came about when a student of mine expressed her concern of the amount of litter that she had noticed as the winter snow began to recede. Other students and I agreed that there was a problem: we began to brainstorm ideas to build community awareness of the litter problem and how we as a team could help.
We decided to challenge the city council to a pick-up day. We relayed our challenge to Thor Williams of the city council. Immediately, we had a reply from the city clerk and the plan was put into action. The immediate reaction from the city employees was very much appreciated and words cannot express our gratitude for stepping up and making a difference in our community.
Many vehicles drove by the area we were cleaning, waved and smiled to the students as they worked to help their city. The kids were ecstatic about their accomplishment and being part of the community that they are proud to be part of.
The volunteer students, staff, and I want to thank the city council for their instantaneous and friendly response to a situation that needs immediate and continued attention.
In the future, we would like to see the city pass a resolution for an annual “Clean Up Week.” During that week all Bethel residents will be encouraged and be allowed to place all unnecessary trash, such as tires, wood, paint, bikes, snowmobiles, washers and dryers, etc., on their boulevard. The city would remove these items free of charge.
Once again, a big warm “thank you” to the city employees that set an example for the residents and children of this beautiful city.
Boat Harbor
approaches to be replaced
Beginning sometime in late June, and continuing throughout the summer season of 2008, the Port of Bethel will be working on replacing all of the approaches in the small boat harbor. Consequently, the Port staff will have to shift floats around as the work progresses. The Port apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause, but would like to assure the Public that the repairing of the approaches in the small boat harbor is for the benefit of the public to ensure safety and provide better access to all users of this facility.
We appreciate your patience and understanding.
Mining and
Tribal Well-Being forum
The Orutsararmiut Native Council (ONC), based in Bethel, plans to host an educational forum titled “Mining and Tribal Well-being: Building Capacity for Effective Tribal Participation in the Regulation and Permitting of Large Mines. The meeting is being planned in cooperation with the Alaska Inter-Tribal Council.
The forum will take place in Bethel ONC building on May 20, 21, 2008, beginning at 8 a.m. with registration and call to order at 9:00 a.m. both days.
This forum is intended for Tribal leaders, Elders, and future Tribal leaders. It will focus on opportunities to protect and promote community health and well-being through active participation in the environmental impact statement (EIS) process.
The training will introduce participants to Health Impact Assessment (HIA). HIA is used commonly outside the U.S. to evaluate and manage the positive and adverse health effects of industrial development. A recent collaborative effort between the BLM, AITC and North Slope communities represents one of the first times that HIA has been used in a federal EIS in the U.S.; EPA, AITC and Maniilaq Association are also collaborating to use HIA in an EIS for a mine permitting EIS.
“Tribes need to be at the table to discuss issues of health and our environment during the planning and evaluation of large projects such as mines,” said AITC Chairman Mike Williams. “I invite the Tribal leaders to attend this critical meeting.”
Keynote speaker Honorable Norm Harry of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe from Nevada will be speaking on their experiences and participation in mine permitting process. Presenters include: Aaron Wernham, MD, MS and Mike Brubaker, MS of the Alaska Collaborative for HIA and Juliana Grant, MD, MPH of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
For information on the agenda and discussion topics please contact the Alaska Intertribal Council at 907.563.9334.
Ordinance for sales tax
exemption to be introduced
5-13-08
Councilman Willie Keppel will be introducing an ordinance authorizing a sales tax exemption from city sales tax on fuel purchased from the combined tank farm, serving Bethel, to Bethel Utility Corporation. The ordinance will be first introduced during the May 13, 2008 City Council meeting. The ordinance reads as follows:
ORDINANCE #08-07
AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING A SALES TAX EXEMPTION FROM CITY SALES TAX ON FUEL PURCHASED FROM THE COMBINED TANK FARM, SERVING BETHEL, TO BETHEL UTILITY CORPORATION.
Whereas, The people desire relief from the devastating cost of living, and;
Whereas, The cost of living in Bethel has driven residents to relocate to different areas of the State of Alaska, or even the lower 48 States, and;
Whereas, The State demographer has shown a substantial decrease in the population of Bethel, and;
Whereas, The value of residential property continues to decline, to the point that homes are sitting open, rentals are sitting vacant, the City loses income from lost sales of public utilities and all the other usual avenues provided by services or sales from licensed City vendors or landlords, and;
Whereas, The City makes revenue on each gallon of refined fuel that passes through the City Dock Header in the following ways, 4% thru put fee, 6% on retail cost and 6% on gallons delivered, and;
Whereas, The City compounds all of these taxes on the cost of fuel sold to Bethel Utilities Corporation (BUC), that does nothing more than take a product that has three forms of income to the City and produce another product which is a public necessity and then taxes the end product, with all of BUC’s production costs inclusive, another 6% sales tax, and;
Whereas, The public can not afford all of the multiple taxation’s on the cost of electricity, which is a necessity of life,
Now, Therefore Be It ordained by the City Council of Bethel Alaska as follows:
Section 1. Classification. The City of Bethel herby grants a permanent, specific tax exemption to Bethel Utilities Corporation, from taxation on the purchase of fuel used to power the generators that produce the power for the public utility grid.
Section 2. Authority is granted and guaranteed in the Bethel Municipal Code 4.16.040, paragraph K.
Section 3. Effective Date. This section shall become effective upon passage by the Bethel City Council.
Massive trashy tundra
clean up effort planned
5-6-08
A group of concerned citizens of Bethel met last Thursday afternoon at the Lomack Building conference room to take action to address the problem of the countless plastic bags and debris from the Bethel dump that are creeping over the tundra toward the Mikelnguut Elitnaurviat and Bethel Regional High schools.
A “Sad Commentary” was made on DDC’s Community Talkback earlier in the week on plastic bags and other debris dotting the tundra like “thousands of white geese” spreading out from the dump.
Myron Naneng, President of the Association of Village Council Presidents, called for the meeting in response to the complaints made. Also in attendance were YKHC President Gene Peltola and City of Bethel Utility Foreman Gary Koester.
The plan of action agreed upon was to meeting on May 9, 2008, at 1:30pm at the Maintenance Shop by the City Dump to begin the much needed clean up of trash blown on to the tundra.
Garbage bags will be supplied by the City and gloves by YKHC. Hotdogs, hamburgers, and even pizza will be donated by local vendors and will be available for anyone before, during, and after the clean-up. A boy’s bike (provided by AVCP) and a girl’s bike (provided by YKHC) will be given out to the person(s) collecting the most trash.
Also discussed was the requesting of an ordinance to ban plastic shopping bags and to encourage local stores to offer reusable shopping bags to their customers.
Everyone is welcome to come by and help out to work together to make Bethel cleaner for all of us. For further information on this event, contact AVCP at 543-7300 or City Utility Foreman Gary Koester at 543-2023.
AEA Energy Plan Town Hall Meetings
The Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) announced Energy Plan Town Hall meetings to be held in twenty-five communities throughout Alaska, starting April 28 in Palmer and concluding June 4 in Anchorage.
“Our goal is simple: We must reduce the cost of energy in Alaska by using locally available energy resources,” said AEA Executive Director and Energy Coordinator Steve Haagenson. “To reach that goal we are engaging Alaskans in the process of creating and deploying solutions that will not only provide stable-cost energy now, but will help ensure affordable, reliable energy for our children and grandchildren as well.”
Teams comprised of representatives from AEA, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development (DCCED) and the Denali Commission will be traveling throughout Alaska to meet with the public, business, community and regional leaders and utility managers.
“We are holding these Town Hall meetings to gain answers for two fundamental questions,” Haagenson said. “First, we want to ask Alaskans what they know about local energy resources and which resources they think could possibly be developed to help lower costs. Second, we want to ask residents which resources they prefer not to develop, and why.”
Alaskans are invited and encouraged to participate in this process by attending a Town Hall meeting or by e-mailing comments to energycoordinator@aidea.org. Comments may also be sent to Alaska Energy Authority, Attn: Steven Haagenson, 813 West Northern Lights Blvd., Anchorage, Alaska 99503.
The Energy Plan Town Hall Meeting for Bethel will be on May 6, 4-8 PM, at the Cultural Center and in Aniak on May 7, 4-8 PM, at the Community Hall.
More information on the Alaska Energy Plan and updates to the Town Hall meeting schedule are available at www.akenergyauthority.org.
Guilty in the Courts reviewed
by Krystin Beebe
4-30-08
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| This graph shows the total number of crimes committed each month in 2006 that were processed through the Bethel Court System. The data is from the "Guilty in the Courts" section and were compiled and categorized by Krystin Beebe of Quinhagak. |
Have you ever wondered which month has the most crime on the Delta? Well, I thought I’d look into that and find out myself. I took all the newspapers from 2006 and graphed the total number of crimes. I got the information from Guilty in the Courts, from The Delta Discovery. To the right is the graph of my data. I also asked Trooper Roberts the following questions.
What month do most crimes happen on the Delta?
Summer time or around the holiday’s like Christmas and New Years. More crimes happen in the summer.
Do you notice an increase or decrease of crimes during different months?
Yes, Crimes increase during summer time and during the holidays.
What do you do when the crimes increase rapidly?
We try to respond to the crimes in an even manner, but we address to the most severe first.
Why do you think there are more crimes during some months?
During the summer there is more daylight and the weather is warmer, therefore there are more people out. There are more activities going on than winter time, also.
This is the result: You can see that in the month of May, more males committed crimes, and in the month of February, the most crimes committed by females occurred.
I broke down every crime into Alcohol, Violation, Assault, Sex Crime, Abuse, Burglary, Murder, Harassment, Trespassing, and Other (Probation, Disorderly Conduct, etc.) These graphs will be posted on the bulletin board outside the office. CHECK THEM OUT!!!...Please!
Total Number of crimes graphed monthly. Green is male and red is female.
State hunting licenses and duck stamps
4-22-08
by AVCP
We have received a number of calls from our people in the villages regarding the requirement to possess state hunting licenses and duck stamps for the spring and summer migratory bird hunt.
Although the requirement is posted in the 2008 Alaska Migratory Bird Co-management Council (AMBCC) regulation book, the AMBCC has not authorized its placement in the book. It was placed in the book by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service on their own initiative. The Alaska Native representatives to the AMBCC still overwhelmingly oppose this requirement and are working on a congressional exemption for Alaska Natives.
Both the state and federal law enforcement personnel will likely ask if you have a hunting license and duck stamps when you have an encounter with them. Both organizations have indicated that this is not their priority for the 2008 spring and summer migratory bird hunt.
If you are threatened in any way of a citation for not possession a state hunting license by either a state or federal law enforcement officer, please call us as soon as you return to your village. It is important that you get the time, date, location, aircraft tail number, name of the officer and which law enforcement agency he/she represents. If you receive a written warning or citation, please send us a copy as well. This information is important to us for documentation purposes. You can reach us by calling 1-800-478-3521 extension 7301 for Myron and extension 7340 for Tim.
We wish you the best and a safe spring and summer migratory bird hunt.
-Raymond Watson, Chairman; Myron Naneng, President and Chairman of the AVCP Waterfowl Conservation Committee and Representative to the Alaska Migratory Bird Co-management Council
Kuskokwim 300 new fundraising drive
The Kuskokwim 300 has announced a new fund raising drive, which involves selling miles along the K-300 trail. The race committee will sell three hundred individual miles for $100 each, which includes a membership in the race as well as a discount on race merchandise. People purchasing miles will have their name posted on a board mounted at Wells Fargo in the BNC complex, and perhaps at other locations around town.
The committee is cash-strapped at the moment as a result of management woes for the past year. This fundraising effort, if successful, will get the race committee back on track to host the 30th running of the Kuskokwim 300 next year, along with the other races sponsored by the committee. It is hoped that this effort will be an annual event, hopefully with individuals purchasing the same mile for years in the future.
Race chairman Myron Angstman indicated the committee will allow only people to purchase the miles, asking that businesses support the race in other ways, or by purchasing miles for their employees. “We want people to feel ownership of this event,” Angstman stated. He showed his interest in the program by purchasing three of the miles, one for himself, his wife, and his granddaughter. “My granddaughter owns mile 300, I hope she still does 30 years from now.”
The race just now paid the last of the lingering debts from the 2008 race. A few appointments were made for 2009 positions. Suzi Israelsson, who is about to return from Sweden where she spent the last year, will be handling merchandise sales, and former manager Gabe Gomes has agreed to handle fundraising. Joe Klejka and Aileen Haviland will handle the website. The race is still seeking volunteers for a number of positions. To purchase K-300 miles, or to volunteer for a major position with the race, call Myron at 543-2972 or stop by Angstman Law Office.
Largest College Class for
KuC’s 35th Anniversary
The Kuskokwim Campus will graduate its largest college class on Friday, May 2, 2008. The celebration will be held at 1:00 pm at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center and will also include festivities marking the 35th anniversary of the college.
Eleven students will walk across the stage to receive diplomas for Associate of Arts degrees, twelve have earned Associate of Applied Science degrees, one student has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, and KuC’s own Registrar, Kevin Kristof, has earned a Master’s of Business Administration degree.
The Adult Basic Education program, which is housed at KuC, will award General Education Diplomas to approximately 30 students, bringing the total to ninety-eight participants. This will be the first year students will be awarded certificates in the Yup’ik Language Proficiency program, and seven students will be receiving those.
Students and their families, faculty, and staff and will be participating in the 34th celebration of learning at the Kuskokwim Campus of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. KuC is organized under the College of Rural and Community Development (CRCD), and Campus Director Mary C. Pete has confirmed that CRCD Vice Chancellor Bernice Joseph will be in attendance. Representing the University of Alaska will be Regents Timothy C. Brady of Anchorage and Patricia Jacobson of Kodiak.
Representative Mary Nelson was chosen by the students to be the guest speaker during the ceremony. Student speaker representing the associate’s degree students will be John John of Kwigillingok and the bachelor’s degree student speaker will be Diane Therchik of Toksook Bay. John John was also selected as KuC’s Student of the Year for 2007-2008.
The May 2nd graduation date will be the culmination of 35 days of celebration marking KuC’s long history of growth and service to the residents of the state. In the years since its inception in October 1972, KuC has served thousands of people of all ages by being thoughtful in its offerings, innovative in its delivery techniques, and passionate about education.
The public is invited to attend the graduation ceremony at 1:00 pm, to congratulate the students over refreshments, and then to join the Kuskokwim Campus 35th Anniversary celebration with a retrospective multimedia slideshow and balloon drop in the cultural center.
Murphy bestowed with
2008 Bill Bivin Award
4-15-08
by K.J. Lincoln
Bethel resident Kevin Murphy is this year’s Bill Bivin Award recipient. He was honored at the annual Chamber of Commerce banquet last Saturday for his exemplary volunteerism and citizenship.
Murphy taught for 30 years and was a volunteer at the Bethel Fire Department for 41 years. He also volunteers at the Senior Center shop. He is married to Susan.
Bill Bivin, for whom the award is named, was the Executive Director of Bethel Native Corporation during the late 80’s and 90’s. He had just become Chairman of the Board of the State Chamber of Commerce when he was killed in a plane crash in 1993.
Bivin was a very active member of the Bethel Chamber of Commerce. He was a very effective leader and promoted small business. It is in his honor that each year the Bethel Chamber gives an award to a local citizen for their contribution to the community.
Prior recipients of the award are: Harold Sparck 1995, Allen Auxier 1996, David Trantham 1997, Bev Hoffman 1998, Denny Strom 1999, Ken Eggleston 2000, Janet Athanas 2001, Linda Curda 2002, Susan Taylor 2003, Peter Atchak 2004, Gary Samuelson 2005, Bruce Perry 2006, and John Malone 2007.
Also reelected to the Chamber board are: Allen Hippler, Tiffany Zulkosky, and Norma Wyckoff.
Subsistence hunters encouraged to aid YK Delta’s Avian Flu surveillance effort
The US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation (YKHC) Office of Environmental Health and Engineering (OEHE) will collaborate for the third consecutive year to screen for the Highly Pathogenic H5N1 strain of Avian Influenza in migratory birds arriving on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta this spring.
The goal is to collect a total of 3,000 samples throughout the spring subsistence-hunting season. Ten villages have been selected for the study: Chefornak, Eek, Hooper Bay, Kipnuk, Kotlik, Kwethluk, Mekoryuk, Pilot Station, Toksook Bay and Quinhagak. The villages were chosen for a second year based on their geological location and the species of birds typically hunted for subsistence.
The USFWS identified 29 priority species they are most interested in obtaining samples from. The species were selected based on their migratory patterns traveling through areas known to have Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza detected in domesticated birds.
Hunters in the selected villages are asked to bring subsistence-caught birds to their designated village Testing Manager. Two swabs will be taken from each bird and then returned to the hunter. For participating in the surveillance effort, two twelve-gauge shotgun shells will be given for each bird sampled.
There have been no cases of the Highly Pathogenic H5N1 strain of Avian Influenza virus detected anywhere in Alaska or the United States. In addition, there have been no cases of a person contracting the H5N1 virus from wild birds. The USFWS and OEHE will continue their surveillance for any possibility of the virus surfacing in Alaska.
YKHC will provide regular updates to the people of the YK Delta about the surveillance efforts, including prompt notification of any positive identification of the H5N1 virus.
When handling wild game, YKHC encourages the following safe handling procedures:
• Do not eat, drink or smoke while cleaning birds.
• Wash your hands and knife thoroughly with soap after cleaning or handling any birds or eggs.
• Cook wild birds or eggs thoroughly before eating them.
For more information concerning the surveillance effort, contact Kelsey Hustedt, YKHC Avian Influenza Coordinator, toll free at, 1-800-478-6599, or direct at 543-6421.
Begich explores rural Alaska issues
4-8-08
by K.J. Lincoln
Mark Begich came to Bethel on March 29, 2008 to test the waters to see if the time and conditions are ripe for him to run for U.S. Senate against Senator Ted Stevens.
Mark Begich: My name is Mark Begich, I am the current Mayor of Anchorage, Alaska. I’m in Bethel today, meeting folks and learning about the region and some of the issues and challenges that the Bethel region faces. I am considering a run for United States Senate. Part of my process is to get out and talk with people and learn about the issues and kind of get a good feel of what’s going on in the communities.
DD: What about your family?
MB: My wife and I have a young son who’s almost 6. I was born and raised in Alaska. We have been married now for 18 years. My wife owns several businesses. As a matter of fact, she does mostly Alaskan artifacts and gifts from around the state and she retails and resales throughout her stores. I come from the real estate industry but I have been in public service for well over 20 years now, served on the city council for 10, and now Mayor for little over 5 years.
DD: What would you consider to be the top issues for Western Alaska at the federal level? And if you become a senator, what issues do you expect to be brought to you?
MB: The exploratory committee is to learn about the issues, but some of the issues I’ve already been hearing about is issues of high energy costs in the area and the impact it’s having on the economic survival of some of our villages as well as the ability for young people to consider staying and living and working in their communities. Also education, which is a huge piece of the equation of rural Alaska and making sure the resources are here and that the education abilities are here in our communities. I will be at the women’s shelter later today and will hear about some of the issues around substance abuse and some of the other social concerns.
DD: A lot of people from our region are in the National Guard and were in Kuwait. As a democrat thinking of being in the Senate, what is your position on the war in Iraq?
MB: The war in Iraq is one that at some point we will have withdraw out of the area, the question will be on our timetable and with our conditions, which will be important. The most important part of that area is the surrounding countries that support, should show more strength and support to Iraq because as we continue to move, as we will over time, withdraw from the area, Iraq needs to be a much more stable government and the surrounding countries need to participate. But our war on Al-Qaida cannot stop. We need to redeploy in areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan where the real threat is.
The big tragedy and concern we are going to have with the war continuing and without the war is what we do with veterans. We have an enormous amount of a new generation of veterans that no one is talking on a national level of how we ensure they have the proper medical care and services they need when they return, the educational opportunities they should have, if they want to be retrained in the new future, and the families that are left now in some cases without their spouse and the work that needs to be done.
DD: How much support have you been getting from Alaskans to run for Senate against Senator Stevens?
MG: What I’ve been hearing all across the state we’re getting a lot of positive feedback. People have a lot of suggestions on concerns and how we should campaign if I get into the race. It has been very heartwarming, the support we’ve gotten throughout the community. We’ve even seen a statewide poll that was done about two weeks ago that showed this race at 46% and Ted Stevens at 42% and that is an unbelievable position to be in. We’re getting great support from people, very enthusiastic support. And what people are saying is they respect the work Ted has done but they see that Alaska is moving and changing and new fresh ideas and new dynamic leadership is what people are interested in. No one discounts the work that Senator Stevens has done but I think people are recognizing that Alaska needs to prepare for its next generation.
DD: How satisfied are you with the level of funding for American Indian and Alaska health care?
MB: In the broader sense of health care, I think it will continue to be a national agenda in the sense of what we need to be doing, not only in Alaska but across this country. Some of the areas within Indian Health care, one for example, which I am very happy and excited about - the dental assistants, a huge plus to rural communities. (I’m) very supportive of the program, one that needs to be expanded, I believe. Clearly the dental component was a new addition that was sorely needed. In the Bethel region I saw the statistics and the amount of amount of exams and tooth extractions is amazing. I cannot imagine what that was like before that program was in existence. When you’re only graduating 4-6 at a time, it seems demand is going to be much higher than that. And I think we need to figure out how we can support that. In reality if we don’t have good dental care, your health will deteriorate very rapidly. We need to see what we can do to focus more on that arena.
DD: Can you give us an update on the new convention center?
MG: It is about 80% completed and we’ll open it up end of September. That is a facility I am excited about in a lot of ways but the most exciting part is the name of the center – the Den’aina Convention and Civic Center – named for the Den’aina Athabascans, the first people of Anchorage. It is really a gathering place for people to get together not only for Alaskans but internationally.
DD: A lot of people from our area go to Anchorage to go shopping…
MG: …and we have no sales tax! When I first became Mayor 5 years ago I created the Rural Affairs Coordinator – to help us in our own community of Anchorage how we can ensure we are doing the best for our diverse communities. We wanted to reconnect Anchorage with rural Alaska. As for shopping – we love it. We love people coming to the community but we have to do more and that is what we strive to do to make sure visitors who are coming to go shopping have a good, safe experience so that they feel comfortable with coming back to Anchorage. We love people shopping and we want to make them feel welcome.
DD: Whenever we go to Anchorage we see a lot of homeless people who look like they are from rural Alaska.
MG: It is actually a growing percentage from rural Alaska and part of it is the economic well being of rural Alaska. When you think of the energy costs alone and when you are having heating bills as exorbitant as they are here or fuel costs, it’s very expensive. And what’s happening is people are determining that they can no longer afford to live in the villages so they end up in Anchorage. The reality in Anchorage is there is a limitation of capacity. About two years ago we put together a 10 year homeless plan and the goal is to figure out how to create housing. We think it’s important that people should not be living on the streets or panhandling or being out there and the most important thing you can do is provide housing as a first step. We are working aggressively with Cook Inlet Housing Authority. In Mountain View we will celebrate the 100th affordable home built there in less than 4 years. Very exciting. But it is a growing challenge for us, it’s a growing challenge really for the state. When you don’t have an energy plan to deal with the high cost of energy…and yet we are reaping billions of dollars from the price of oil and our own villages and our own communities are suffering from that. The resources that are making the state so wealthy are coming from the rural communities and yet the rural communities are struggling to survive because they don’t have the resources necessary. No one is really saying it loudly, but I do quite a bit with the issues of revenue sharing and municipal sharing.
DD: Quyana.
Everyday Math
by Allen Hippler
Our family has lived in Bethel for 4.5 years and we have enjoyed a positive experience with the LKSD schools. We are writing at this time to voice our concerns over Everyday Math, the proposed new curriculum currently offered for review by the community. To follow are some of our concerns that we feel the community at large should be aware of.
Calculators in the Curriculum
Everyday Math makes calculators part of the curriculum from Kindergarten up. They appear to favor group activities in place of individual practice and repetition. Games such as, for instance, “Broken Calculator” (suggested for grades 4-6). In “Broken Calculator” groups of children are supposed to learn about basic algebra by randomly generating equations in hopes of hitting a chosen number. The player who uses the fewest calculator key strokes “wins” the game. I fail to see how this type of approach is superior to simple repetition and guided exposure to numbers, addition and equations in an orderly fashion.
Our sons, ages 7 and 5, have no business with a calculator in their math classes. Whether it’s presented as a tool to “expose” them to a “new” way of finding old answers, it takes away from the presentation on paper and individuality. Calculator use emphasizes the ease of punching a few buttons to get an answer, not hands on computation or mental acuity and recall.
“The authors of Everyday Math do not believe it is worth the time and effort to develop highly efficient paper-and-pencil algorithms for all possible whole number, fractions and decimal division problems… It is simply counterproductive to invest hours of precious class time on such algorithms. The math payoff is not worth the cost, particularly because quotients can be found quickly and accurately with a calculator.” (From Everyday Math Teachers Reference Manual -http://www.lit.net/orschools/critique5_too.pdf (page 28))
I could not have come up with a better refutation of Everyday Math than the above quote from its own reference guide.
Introduction of Multiple Unfamiliar Algorithms while abandoning traditional teaching methods
I am most disturbed by the abandonment of the tried and true methods of teaching mathematics that the very authors of everyday Math were beneficiaries of during their education. These algorithms are adequate only after a firm foundation of basic math has been established, and are best employed after fully understanding the concepts that give rise to them.
“The bottom line of the new approach is that 2000 years of mathematical discovery are to be abandoned in favor of self discovery through trial and error and observations made based upon a few simple concrete examples. No general principals are derived, proved and extrapolated. Several key skills are not learned. The devastating effects of not covering some key mathematical concept and skills are not apparent until the students enter college and pursue a science or engineering related curriculum where concepts and skills learned in grade schools become the back bone of the skills needed to do further work. A concrete example is not learning the skill of dividing by a fraction and longhand division.” (Dr. Wang Univ of TN)
Lack of mastery of facts necessary for higher education
Everyday Math appears to treat much too lightly very important subjects, such as long division:
‘In fact, long division has particular importance, not because of its ability to increase computational fluency, but because what makes it work (the distributive property) is an important concept that students will use later in algebra. It also plays an important role in uncovering another significant math concept: why fractions give rise to repeating decimals. Working out the division of numbers like 1/3 and 1/7 helps students see this; using a calculator does not. “(Barry Garelick, Hoover Institution)
Once again, Everyday Math seems to take the position that it is fruitless to duplicate what a calculator can do. Why then learn math at all?
“Other people do it, so why don’t we?” is not an explanation worthy of the LKSD teachers.
It is true that Anchorage and Fairbanks use a sometimes modified version of Everyday Math, but, nationwide, less than 15% of schools (only 2.8 million children) use this math program. Additionally, Anchorage and Fairbanks enjoy a higher retention of students than LKSD. Moving out of Everyday Math into a conventional math program would leave a child significantly behinds his classmates. Additionally, other school districts and entire states have eschewed the use of the Everyday Math curriculum: The Texas Board of Education rejected the “Everyday Math” 3rd grade curriculum on the basis that it did not adequately cover acceptable standards already set forth. (see http://www.tea.state.tx.us/sboe/summary/2007/nov07sum.pdf, page 3, item 5).
In conclusion, we would like to urge parents to review the Everyday Math curriculum and submit a Public Comment form so that the LKSD Math Committee and School Board have your input to consider when deciding this important issue.
Allen & Christine Hippler are residents of Bethel, Alaska.
YKHC hosts 15th annual
Tribal Unity Gathering
4-1-08
The Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation (YKHC) will host its annual Tribal Unity Gathering on April 1 and 2 at theYupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center in Bethel. Representatives will meet with the 58 tribes of the region to discuss health-related matters. Nearly 100 tribal delegates are expected to attend.
The Gathering draws tribal council members and YKHC representatives in one arena to have an open discussion concerning health care. While each conference concentrates on specific theme-related topics, tribal delegates establish health care priorities that directly impact YKHC services.
“Tribal Gathering is the most important event for our organization to collaborate with our tribal members,” said Gene Peltola, President/CEO. “YKHC operates on behalf of our tribes and communities and it’s through their leadership and representation that allows us to work together to improve services and advance in health care.”
Projects such as the construction of sub-regional clinics, installation of a Computed Axial Tomography (CT/CAT) Scan machine at the hospital, and the Long Term Care living facility have been pursued as a result of priority setting.
The focus of the two-day conference surrounds the health and future of YK Delta’s children with the theme: “Our Children, Their Future,” or translated into Yup’ik, “Irniamta Ciunerkaat.”
Dr. Joseph Klejka, Medical Director for YKHC, will deliver the YK Delta Health Status Report on Tuesday morning, which will be followed by the 2007 priority reports which include: CT Scan, Long Term Care, Sanitation Projects, Alcohol & and Detox Alternatives, and Outpatient Clinic Operations.
The afternoon focuses on the health and wellness of children with special presentations that on nutrition, childhood development, dance and traditional diet.
Evening activities will include a community potluck beginning at 6:30 p.m. and entertainment by the Detour Band of Anchorage, featuring Michael Faubion.
On Wednesday morning, the final day of the conference, special presentations on Alaska Native workforce development and particular health topics facing children and adolescents will be discussed. Dr. Ros Singleton, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, will deliver an exclusive report on Respiratory Synctial Virus (RSV), the number one cause of bronchitis and pneumonia affecting a high percentage of children in the YK Delta. Singleton will also share a special immunization initiative to prevent pneumonia infections in children.
The afternoon will conclude with the health priority session and delivery of the 2008 priority report from tribal members.
To access more information about the conference, visit the YKHC website at www.ykhc.org or call 1-800-478-3321 ext. 6038 or 543-6038.
Bethel Volunteers in Public Schools Program to be cut
Funding for the Bethel Volunteers in Public Schools program has been cut according to LKSD, Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Programs, Les Daenzer. VIPS was started in 1998 as one of the community responses to the tragic school shootings at BRHS. One of the programs primary missions was to create safer schools with a greater presence of adult volunteers. Daenzer said they received word Friday March 21 that the program would not be funded for the 2008-08 school year.
VIPS focus has been to get more parent/community volunteers in our schools. It was federally funded under the Title V Innovative Programs.
Federal funding for the VIPS program has suffered cuts in recent years. In 2006/2007 the program lost 2 positions as funding was cut 50%. This left two part time positions, one at the Bethel High School and one at Mikelnguut Elitnaurviat Primary School.
Both schools have very successful programs. In the 2006/07 school year over 2,000 volunteer hours were documented at M.E. Through February 2008 there were 1618.5 volunteer hours documented at the primary school. Bethel High School VIPS program has been instrumental in creating Friday Clubs using all local volunteers in addition to supporting other programs as Big Brothers/Big Sisters with M.E. students.
With those positions eliminated BRHS & M.E. VIPS programs will dissolve unless other funding is found.
City proclaims March 28 Jessica Klejka Day
During the March 25, 2008 Bethel City Council meeting, the Council voted to proclaim March 28 as Jessica Klejka Day in recognition for her outstanding first place performance during the 2008 Jr. Iditarod Sled Dog Race.
Community Farming Meeting
There will be a Community Meeting for Farming and Gardening in Bethel at the Log Cabin on April 8, 2008 from 6-7pm. Call Janet Athanas at 543-2248 or Ryan Maroney at 543-7157 for more information.
Begich to visit Bethel
about Senate Run
Anchorage Mayor Wants to Hear from AYK Residents
3-26-08
Mark Begich travels to Bethel Friday (3/28) to meet with residents about seeking the U.S. Senate seat held for 40 years by Senator Ted Stevens. Begich, who is currently in his fifth year as mayor of Anchorage, will hold a community open house, attend the opening of the Cama-i Festival and meet with local leaders.
Begich, 45, recently announced formation of an “exploratory committee” to enable him to visit Alaskans to discuss whether he should run for the Senate. Bethel is among the first communities Begich will have visited as part of an effort over the next few months to travel across Alaska listening to Alaskans.
“The AYK Delta will play a major role in setting the agenda for the upcoming election for Alaska’s U.S. Senate seat,” Begich said. “I want to hear from area residents about what they believe are the major federal issues facing our state and whether they think I can help move Alaska forward.”
Begich will spend Friday in Bethel. He plans to host a community open house, tentatively scheduled at the Bethel Long House from noon to 1:30 p.m. In the afternoon, he plans to meet with community leaders and hopes to visit a nearby village before attending the Cama-i Festival at Bethel High School.
Begich, Anchorage’s first mayor born in Anchorage, is the son of Alaska’s third congressman, Nick Begich, whose airplane disappeared in the Gulf of Alaska during his 1972 re-election bid.
As mayor, Begich has worked to honor the contributions of Alaska’s Native people to the community and state. He oversaw naming Anchorage’s new civic and convention center after the Dena’ina people of the Cook Inlet area. The Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center will host this year’s Alaska Federation of Natives convention.
K300 in financial hardship,
seeking volunteers
The Kuskokwim 300 Race Committee has recently learned that it is in serious financial and operational jeopardy. This is due to management and oversight deficiencies. We have begun steps to correct these problems but fully expect it to take more than a year.
We are committed to be back for the 30th Anniversary race and its sister race next year. The 30th anniversary race will require more volunteers, sponsorships, financial and moral support than ever before. We thank everybody for their past support and request patience and understanding as we rebuild the K-300 organization.
We are seeking volunteers for several key positions, including merchandise sales, gaming, bookkeeping, and fundraising. If you have any interest in these or other positions, contact us at 543-2972.
-Kuskokwim Race Committee
TWC Yukegtaaraak
The Tundra Womens’ Coalition will be honoring State Representative Mary Nelson and Blanche Jacobs as this year’s Yukegtaaraak.
TWC’s annual Yukegtaaraak Banquet is Saturday April 26th 2008 at the Cultural Center. Doors open at 5:30 pm Dinner begins at 6:00pm. Cost is $25.00 per person. Dinner includes Halibut & Caribou. Tickets are available at TWC 543-3444 and will be made available at the door.
2008 Kuskokwim 300
Rookie Race Results
The Kuskokwim 300 Race Committee sponsored their annual Rookie Race on Saturday, March 22, 2008. The race had 8 entrants running the 7 mile dog race through Straight Slough, around the island and back to the finish.
Results:
1 Aaron Fortner, Klejka Kennel
2 David McGowan, Kaiser Kennel
3 George Mirzashvia, Angstman Kennel
4 Kenny Steele, Hoffman Kennel
5 Kelly Lincoln, Hoffman Kennel
6 Chris Pekar, Klejka Kennel
7 Danita Hard, Angstman Kennel
8 Jim Deitle, Klejka Kennel
Thank you to the sponsors and kennels for putting on a great race.
AVCP Resolution requests more Alaska Natives on Board of Game
3-20-08
RESOLUTION 08-02-01
TITLE: Requesting Governor Sarah Palin to increase the amount of Alaska Natives on the Alaska Board of Game
WHEREAS The Association of Village Council Presidents, Inc. (AVCP) is the recognized tribal organization and non-profit Alaska Native regional corporation for its fifty-six member indigenous Native villages within Western Alaska and supports the endeavors of its member villages; and
WHEREAS AVCP fully supports its member villages in all aspects of their self-determination, health and well-being; and
WHEREAS On February 1, 2008, Governor Sarah Palin announced the appointment of Teresa Sager-Albaugh of Tok, Lew Bradley of Palmer, and the reappointment of Ted Spraker to the Alaska Board of Game; and
WHEREAS Over thirty years have lapsed since there has been no one from the rural areas of the state appointed to the Alaska Board of Game; and
WHEREAS The lone Alaska Native on the Board of Game, Paul Johnson, was not reappointed and the current Board does not have even on Alaska Native member; and
WHEREAS After considerable outcry from the general populations of Alaska, Teresa Sager-Albaugh withdrew her name for consideration from the Alaska Board of Game; and
WHEREAS Much of the Alaska Native lands, corporate and individual native allotments provide the best habitat for our game resources; and
WHEREAS Our people depend on the wild game resources that the land provides; and
WHEREAS Only people from the rural areas of the state, primarily Alaska Natives, understand the importance of the subsistence way of life; and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the AVCP Executive Board requests the Governor of Alaska to increase appointments to Alaska Natives to at least three out of seven Alaska Board of Game seats.
ADOPTED by the Association of Village Council Presidents Executive Board at a meeting held in Bethel, Alaska, where a duly constituted quorum was present on this 19th day of February 2008.
CERTIFIED: Raymond Watson, Chairman; Myron P. Naneng, Sr., President
Jones wins K300 Sponsors Race
The Kuskokwim 300 held its annual sponsor race Sunday, March 8th, 2008, with 7 teams taking part.
Jerrol Jones from Alaska Commercial, won the race with a team from the McDonald-Hoffman kennel. The rest of the finishers were Peter Evon from Wells Fargo and Dan Wibe from First National Bank with teams from the Old Friendly Dog Farm; Allen Hippler from First National Bank, Brandon Leary and Jerry Jung from Crowley with teams from the Klejka Kennel; and Kit Eischen from YKHC Diabetes Prevention with a team from the Kaiser Kennel.
The race is held each year to recognize some of the sponsors who make the Kuskokwim 300 Race possible.
The Beauty of Bethel Art Show
“The Beauty of Bethel” Art Show by Bethel resident and artist Anne Kosacheff will open on March 21, 2008 at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center. Doors open at 7:00 pm on March 21st and again on March 22nd from 11:00-3:00. The show consists of framed and matted photos taken by Kosacheff over the years. Refreshments will be available. All works are for available for purchase.
Bethel Actor’s Guild to Meet
The Bethel Actor’s Guild will meet on Thursday, March 20th from 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at the Shogun Restaurant. Please come and join as we celebrate the rebirth of community theatre in Bethel! Bring your ideas for the upcoming season and shows you’d like to see. We want your ideas, your enthusiasm, and your talent!
Bethel Town Hall Meeting
The City of Bethel is holding a Town Hall Meeting on March 18th, 6:00pm-8:00pm at the Log Cabin, 326 Akiachak. Come and go as you please, everyone is welcome and encouraged to voice their thoughts. This will be an informal gathering, Council members will be present to listen.
Bethel and My Scarf
by Kholoud Al-Shaar
It was odd and unusual to be the only woman in the town who covered her hair.
Since coming to Bethel, I had been overwhelmed with many questions about my scarf. There are many Muslim women in the town, and you are the only one who is covering her head. Is it a new kind of Islam? Are you covering to protect yourself from the mosquitoes? Is this veil just for winter? All these questions and others I faced during my three years living in Bethel. Furthermore, many funny stories happened to me because of my scarf.
One day while I was shopping with my kids, a man walked towards us. He shook my hands. First I thought that he knew me, but I couldn’t remember him because I always have problems with names. Suddenly, he kissed my hand and started begging me to pray for him. Please, please, sister, pray for me. I thought he was drunk, but later I recognized that he was sober. My scarf led him to think that I was a priestess. I was shocked and embarrassed at the same time because many people were looking at us. I stood still as if I were a statue; moreover, I could not tell him that I was not a nun.
In the same store, while I was waiting for my turn in the cash register line, an elderly woman in the other line was staring at my scarf. “I like your scarf. Are you wearing this cover to keep yourself safe from mosquitoes?” she asked. With a smile, I told her that I wear this scarf for religious reasons. A suspicious look appeared on her face; she did not add anything. I felt that she wanted to ask what kind of religion this is.
As a matter of fact, I was accustomed to that kind of look. Even the kids in the town had been attracted by my scarf. Whenever I went to my son’s kindergarten class, the kids always stared at my head. They asked me questions such as “why are you covering your head with this cloth?” Trying to discover what kind of cloth it was, some of the kids touched my scarf with their innocent hands.
The funniest story about my scarf happened with my daughter in her writing class. In her free writing article, she picked her mother to write about and drew a picture of me at the end of her paper without a scarf. After the teacher hung all the articles on the wall, some of the girls asked her about the woman she drew even though she wrote about her mother. One question almost all the girls asked, “Does your mother have hair under her scarf?” The next day I went to my daughter’s class. I asked the teacher if I could take off my scarf in order to prove that I am not bald. I told them that I cover my hair because I am Muslim. I will never forget how the girls acted when I revealed my head. Almost all of them screamed, “You really have hair!” After that, the teacher helped me answer the girls’ questions about Muslim women and customs.
These stories are just a sample of the many stories which happened to me because of my head cover during my three years in Bethel. In conclusion, when people forget my name, they name me by using my scarf: the woman with the scarf, the woman who covers her hair, or the lady with the white scarf. (I have been wearing different color of scarves, though.)
Kholoud Al-Shaar is a Jordanian woman who lives in Bethel with her physician husband and three children, ages 10, 7, and 3 months. She is writing about their lives in Bethel to share with her children when they get older.
Catholic Bishop of Northern Alaska files for reorganization
3-13-08
Bishop Donald J. Kettler, Catholic Bishop of Northern Alaska, announced today that a petition for Chapter 11 reorganization was filed Saturday, March 1, 2008, in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Alaska.
The case is filed under the corporate name of the civil entity, Catholic Bishop of Northern Alaska (“CBNA”). Along with its petition, CBNA has filed standard first day motions to allow it to operate in the usual course of business while the Chapter 11 case is pending.
As he stated several weeks ago, Bishop Kettler is hoping that the parties can seek a consensual resolution that is both fair and just to victims of past sexual abuse while at the same time allowing the Diocese continue serving the mission of the Catholic Church in northern Alaska.
“It is through the Reorganization Case that the Diocese seeks to finally and comprehensively address the issues resulting from the abuse crisis that has caused great harm to the victims, has plunged CBNA into an even more dire financial condition, and has interfered with the Catholic Church’s traditional ministries in the communities within the Diocese.”
The Fairbanks Diocese is the nation’s largest geographically, extending to more than 400 thousand square miles. It is also among the poorest; only 8 of its 46 parishes are financially self-sustaining.
The Diocese is represented in the proceeding by the Quarles & Brady law firm based in Arizona, with Alaska counsel Michael Mills of Anchorage.
TWC Activities Program
by Joseph Green
TWC’s first winter activities program was a success thanks to Jerry Drake of Bethel Community Services (BCS) for helping to support the program by providing and donating two snowmachines.
Two girls from the TAAV program were chosen to go on their first Caribou hunt along with two TWC staff members and one young man from the community. They first had to obtain Caribou tags from the AK Dept. of Fish & Game. People in the workplace and community members were called to let them now where we were going and when to expect us back.
The weather was warm, air damp and at times wet from the wet snow, visibility was poor and the trail condition was soft and cushiony but nobody complained. We came to a stop to let the girls shoot and to get to know the gun for safety reasons. We brought one gun - a mini 30 for the girls to share.
Along the way we spotted a small group of caribou and decided to pass on them, thinking ahead that there may be more on the other side. We went to a big high hill where we stopped to have lunch and wait for the weather to clear just enough to scope the area. We didn’t see anything so after an hour we all decided to hunt the few BOU that we saw earlier.
Two other herds emerged. Our young companion and one of the girls shot, each shooting one away from the herd. After teaching them how to skin and butcher the animals, we proceeded in the direction the caribou went. It was the other girl’s turn to catch.
After several times of unsuccessfully trying to get close enough and picking one separate from the group she finally had a chance to shoot. She shot and it was a good hit. Both girls had to shoot a second time to finish off the animal but were reminded that to respect the animal and so it doesn’t suffer their lives need to come to an end.
One of the girls with family members worked on the meat the following day. It warms the heart to see families doing things together and giving praise that promotes positive personal growth to any individual.
The girls each donated portions of their catch to the shelter and to the community. TWC is planning a first catch ceremony to celebrate the girls’ first catch. The family and community will be encouraged to attend.
Activities such as Ptarmigan hunting, snaring/trapping, and ice fishing are listed for the winter activities. The community is invited to participate in activities that promote healthy individual, family, and community lifestyles.
Joseph Green is the Community Outreach & Activities Coordinator for the Tundra Women’s Coalition.
RCA advises Alaskans about
digital TV broadcasting
The Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA), in partnership with the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and among other groups, advises Alaskan consumers that the era of analog broadcast television will end February 17, 2009. This Digital Television (DTV) transition will affect those who watch free over-the air television (through a roof-top antenna or “rabbit ears”).
Congress mandated the conversion to DTV because all-digital broadcasting will free up frequencies for public safety communications (such as police, fire, and emergency rescue).
For those consumers who watch over-the-air programs, they need to consider one of the following options and take action before February 17, 2009:
•Purchase a digital-to-analog converter box that plugs into an existing television. The boxes, which are expected to cost $50 - $70 are available for purchase this year. Each household can request up to two coupons valued at $40 each. Each coupon can go toward the purchase of a single set-top converter box that will allow you to continue watching FREE “over-the-air” television on an analog set. For more information about the coupon, contact the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) at 1-888-388-2009 or visit www.ntia.doc.gov.
•Subscribe to a cable, satellite or telecommunications service provider if all desired local broadcast stations are carried by that service.
•Purchase a new television set with a built in digital tuner.
For more information, please visit www.dtv.gov.
St. Mary’s Subregional Clinic
inaccessible to Marshall Residents
from the Ohogamiut Traditional Council
The John Afcan Memorial Subregional Clinic in St. Mary’s opened in April, 2001 that provides health care services to residents in St. Mary’s, Andreafski, Pitka’s Point, Mountain Village, Pilot Station, Marshall, and Ohogamiut.
However, to date there are no scheduled connecting air carrier flights which displaces our community members when visiting dentists, doctors, and other medical specialists are visiting St. Mary’s.
At the present time, patients that require medical specialists are chartered roundtrip Marshall – St. Mary’s at the expense of YKHC. Others who chose to travel to St. Mary’s rather than flying to Bethel, including elders and small children, travel by boat or snow machine which takes about two (2) hours both ways, and at times in inclement weather.
As concerned residents of Marshall, we have expressed our concerns to the YKHC Administration and the local air carriers to no avail since 2001. As a federally recognized tribe with jurisdiction in Marshall, we are advocating for our village to begin utilizing the Subregional Clinic in St. Mary’s.
We have been told by the area air carriers in the past that it was not feasible to maintain a flight schedule from Marshall to St. Mary’s and return. However, we are once more petitioning the air carriers to reconsider rerouting flights to connect Marshall to St. Mary’s on a scheduled basis.
The YKHC Subregional Clinics were planned and established for the continued health, safety, and welfare of our people, and as YKHC stated, “The Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation is dedicated to bringing health care closer to the villages. The goal is to improve the quality of health care and access to services for the people of the region. Many of the services found at the Bethel Hospital are now available at the subregional clinics. Patients may receive preventative and urgent care, diagnostic review, physical exams, prenatal care, minor surgery, laboratory tests, X-rays, and medications all right there, close to home.”
The main intent of this open letter is to gain access to professional medical care and treatment “closer to home.” This letter is by no means a criticism on the integrity of the vital service providers of the YKHC service region, rather an urgent plea for acknowledgement and support. Thank you.
-Jason S. Isaac, President; Nick P. Andrew, Administrator
Civil Air Patrol sports new aircraft
3-6-08
by Richard Dennis
Bethel’s Civil Air Patrol Squadron upgraded its Alaska Wing issued aircraft this past week (see photo). Major Ken Eggleston returned the former Squadron aircraft for its annual inspection, catching a weather window early this past week. He returned with another newly annualled aircraft this weekend. The aircraft a Cessna 172, sports the corporate colors of red, white and blue.
Under FAA regulations, aircraft within the fleet are required to have annual inspections. Major Eggleston notes that all commercial operators are required to conform to this requirement, including 100 hour inspections that are nearly as intensive as the annual inspection.
While Civil Air Patrol is not considered a commercial operation, still it has made a corporate decision to maintain their aircraft to commercial standards. He further notes that these regular inspections are very important for flight safety. Aircraft, unlike their ground transportation cousins, cannot be parked in mid-flight when a mechanical problem occurs.
The aircraft (a Cessna 182), was due for its annual in December, but various problems prevented its return until now and under a specially issued FAA Ferry Permit. While the replacement aircraft is a smaller 172, it fits into a different class of aircraft and is equipped with different features such as fuel injection, an autopilot and the latest electronic direction finding equipment designed to locate downed aircraft.
Civil Air Patrol is an auxiliary of the USAF. One of its missions is to respond when there is a need for a search - whether a lost hiker, a missing snowmobiler or an overdue aircraft, such as the large scale search that was launched for world famous aviator Steve Fossett in Nevada this past fall. There CAP flew hundreds of hours.
With the new aircraft arriving just this weekend, Major Eggleston wasted no time in utilizing the aircraft for training. While rated to fly a Cessna 172, he did need to undergo recurrency certification as a Mission Pilot with Capt. Mike Lucas. This included visual and electronic search pattern & procedures, mountain terrain and emergency procedures, and mission flight maneuvers and general flight safety.
Commander Steve Hayden says all requests to activate a search must come from RCC (Rescue Coordination Center) at Elmendorf Air Force Base. RCC in turn would generally require a request from the Alaska State Troopers. He notes that some years the Bethel Squadron has flown as many as 50 searches.
The Bethel Squadron can always use additional members. While some pilots are needed, perhaps the biggest need is for support staff. Achieving the objectives of Civil Air Patrol requires a team effort. If you feel a need to give a little of yourself, consider community service with the Bethel Squadron, Civil Air Patrol. Monthly meetings are held on the first Monday of each month at 7:00PM in the CAP/Trooper Hanger on the North Ramp at the Bethel Airport. Call Commander Steve Hayden for further information at 543-2359.
Richard Dennis, an aviator and educator, writes from Bethel.
K300 Race Committee short on funds
Lack of money has forced the Kuskokwim 300 Race Committee to reorganize. Race chairman Myron Angstman announced last week that the committee doesn’t have sufficient funds to pay a race manager.
“I will be taking over the position on a volunteer basis,” Angstman stated.
Angstman earlier served as race manager for many years before the committee started paying someone to do that job. His term as manager is expected to last until the financial situation improves enough so that the committee can think about another paid position. Angstman pointed out that many events in Bethel are done totally by volunteers, and said he is looking forward to the challenge.
“I won’t be doing it alone. I have asked several people to help, and all have said they would,” said Angstman.
Already the K300 was forced to cancel its Camp Out Race because of the funds shortage. Its goad is to have money in place to have all races go forward next year. The upcoming race will be the 30th annual running of the 300.
For further information, you may call Myron Angstman at 907-543-2972.
Burley appointed as Bethel Magistrate
Presiding Judge Douglas L. Blankenship has appointed PATTY BURLEY as Magistrate for the Alaska Court System in Bethel.
Ms. Burley received her law degree from Washburn University School of Law in Topeka, Kansas. She first came to Bethel in 2001 to clerk for Superior Court Judge Dale O. Curda. After completing the clerkship, she went to work for the Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP), the local tribal consortium as their Indian Child Welfare Attorney. Most recently Ms. Burley worked for the State of Alaska as an Assistant District Attorney.
Ms. Burley has resided in Bethel for the last seven years, having married long-time Bethel resident Michael Burley. She is excited about assuming her new duties as magistrate, and looks forward to continuing her many years of public service in her new role.
Injunction filed against Bethel City Council
Bethel resident Harry Faulkner filed an injunction last week against Bethel City Council – stating that the way the Council appointed councilman Willy Keppel was not in compliance with municipal code.
Faulkner is asking the Alaska Superior Court to put a restraining order on City Council, arguing that the votes cast were not read aloud during the appointment process – therefore deeming the City Council illegitimate.
Bethel City Council is currently without legal representation after they recently dismissed their attorney Sharon Sigmon.
The City Manager, Wally Baird was able to secure an Anchorage-based law firm - Wohlforth, Johnson, Brecht, Cartledge, and Brooking to represent them in the Faulkner vs. the City of Bethel case.
According to Alaska Public Entity Insurance, the City violated the termination clause when they fired Sigmon, an at-will employee. The clause, which was added on two years ago, states that the Council must get a legal opinion before firing an at-will employee.
One of the council members who voted to end Sigmon’s employment stated that he did not know about the clause, otherwise he would have voted differently.
The City is currently seeking a new attorney.
In another case, council member Willy Keppel plead not guilty to charges brought against him by the City of Bethel for not having a sewer subscription for half a year beginning on August 2, 2007 and failure to comply with Bethel Sanitation code for 189 days. Keppel owes $100 per day.
Keppel was arraigned last Wednesday where he requested a trail by jury. Judge Dennis Cummings said since the case is non-criminal that it is not eligible for trial by jury and will be decided by a judge or magistrate.
The trial is scheduled for April 7th, 2008 at 9am at the Bethel Courthouse.
AVCP and ONC to discuss
moose and caribou proposals
2-28-08
Beginning at 1:00 PM on February 25 through noon on the 26th, the Association of Village Council Presidents in co-sponsorship with Orutsararmiut Native Council, will host a meeting of regional State Fish & Game Advisory Committee representatives to discuss Alaska Board of Game deferred moose and caribou proposals.
This meeting will be held at the ONC Multi-purpose Building located at the old bowling alley in Pinky’s Park. These proposals seek to make changes to caribou seasons and the current Amounts Necessary for Subsistence (ANS) for moose in Unit 18.
Current amounts needed for subsistence moose is extremely low at 80-100, which was established in 1992 when the moose populations and harvest reporting were relatively low in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.
Since the 1990s, mainly through locally supported moose hunt conservation efforts, the moose population has boomed in the Lower Yukon from Paimiut Slough to the mouth of the Yukon River.
According to the Alaska Department of Fish & Game Wildlife Conservation Division, over 4,000 moose currently reside in the Lower Yukon area. A more recent count conducted in the Lower Kuskokwim moose census area would increase the moose population in all of Unit 18.
With increasing moose populations, increased hunting demands and opportunity has driven the amounts needed for subsistence to an undetermined amount. Additional hunting pressures are also starting to infiltrate the area, with several commercial outfitters operating in the Lower Yukon area last fall, primarily between Marshall and Russian Mission.
“As of now, we are operating on the basis of outdated information that does not reflect the true subsistence needs of the people of the Y-K Delta for moose,” said Tim Andrew, Director of Natural Resources for AVCP. “Without the best available science, we are not able to determine what the need for moose is if the populations were to fall.”
Looming on the horizon is the scheduled opener for the Lower Kuskokwim moose hunt scheduled to occur in the fall of 2009.
“People need to realize what these ANS numbers mean for the administration of future moose hunting in our region,” said Greg Roczicka. “They will control whether we will be forced to live with Tier II drawing hunts only, or whether an open hunt for all subsistence hunters can occur. In addition, the Board stated its intent to consider surrounding management units of 19A in the middle Kuskokwim, and 21E that includes Paimiut and Innoko areas on the Yukon into these deliberations.”
We strongly encourage people who are interested in the moose resources of Unit 18 to attend this important meeting.
If anyone has questions regarding this press release, please contact Timothy Andrew at 543-7340 or Greg Roczicka at 543-2608. People in the villages can call 1-800-478-3521 and ask for Tim.
Rodgers receives Ellanak award
On Tuesday February 12, at the Alaska Forum on the Environment in Anchorage, ONC Tribal Council member Stanley “Tundy” Rodgers was awarded the first ever Ellanak Environmental Excellence Award for the State of Alaska.
This award was given to him by the Regional Tribal Operations Committee of the Environmental Protection Agency Region 10, which serves Alaska, Oregon, Idaho and Washington.
The Ellanak Award was created in honor and recognition of Tribal Leader Daniel Ellanak from the village of Ouzinkie on Kodiak Island, who passed on Christmas Eve of 2006. He was married to Katherine Ellanak, originally from Hooper Bay Alaska.
Daniel was strongly involved with the EPA’s Regional Tribal Operations Committee and also served on the National Tribal Operations Committee. His efforts to advocate for the Tribes in Alaska focused on the maintaining the long term protections for the lands, air and water of our pristine state.
Another of his accomplishments for rural Alaska was his instrumental work in obtaining the free heating oil program from CITGO during recent years. Thanks to Daniel’s commitment and love for his Alaska Tribes.
Tundy was chosen as the first recipient of this award in recognition for his work and service to our community as one of the first council members within the State of Alaska that presented the Tobacco Alliance for Bethel to be tobacco free in public places, spearheaded the effort introducing the ban of cyanide within our Kuskokwim River, and continues as a long-time advocate in efforts promoting alternative energy within our region.
He has worked tirelessly for many years as a Tribal Council member, City Council Member, and Bethel Native Corporation Board Member along with his 22 years of military service from which he has now retired.
Troopers meet with Aniak Traditional Council
After receiving the letter from the Aniak Traditional Council voicing its concerns regarding the Aniak Trooper Post, Alaska State Troopers immediately took action and sent a representative to the village to talk to the council and residents.
Alaska State Troopers take seriously any complaints regarding our service to the public.
Meantime, AST has been looking into the allegations and found the complaints came from a small group of people who do not have the entire backing of the traditional council, nor the city council. In fact, an overwhelming number of Aniak residents turned out in support of the troopers during the representative’s visit.
AST is still looking into the identified complaints, but indications are that the complainants were mistaken in the allegations. We also strongly oppose the statement by traditional council members that any interaction between troopers and villagers is racially motivated.
AST is still in the process of gathering facts to address the tribal council’s concerns. A written response will be sent to the council at the conclusion of our inquiry.
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