Dear People of the Great State of Alaska,
Hello! I am a third-grade student in Northern Virginia. Our class is learning about the United States, and I will be teaching our school about the state of Alaska. In the month of May, I will create a display for our State Fair that I hope will make you proud.
Although I have gathered facts about your state from books and websites, I think that I can receive the best information from the people who live there. This is why I am writing to you. I am hoping that you would be willing to send me some items to help me learn more about the best things in your state. You might consider sending items such as postcards, pictures, souveniers, this newspaper article, or any other unique items that would be useful to show your state pride. Here are a few questions:
Why do you live in your state? What first brought your family there?
How do you make money? What is your job?
What does your state look like?
What do people do for fun?
What animals live there?
What traditional food/recipes does your state have?
What type of music is native to your state?
Do you have a state athletic team?
What geographic features are unique to your state?
I will need to gather all of my information by the first week of May. You can mail items to the address below. I really appreciate your help!
Sincerely, Carson
***
Mrs. B.’s Class
The Langley School
McLean, Virginia 22101
Vote Yes For Alaska’s Fair Share will be on the ballot!
Vote Yes for Alaska’s Fair Share will be giving Alaskans a chance to fix the budget crisis. On February 26, the Alaska Division of Elections (ADOE) posted that more than enough signatures have been qualified to meet the requirements for the initiative petition to be on the ballot in 2020.
During the winter, the Fair Share team collected more than 44,000 signatures from across the state in less than 3 months. ADOE has to date reviewed 36,252 of these signatures and qualified 32,378. The Fair Share team expects that close to 40,000 signatures will finally be qualified, exceeding the requirement of 28,501 by 40%.
Additionally, Fair Share has already qualified 37 of the 40 House districts, far exceeding the minimum threshold of 30 qualified districts.
Jane Angvik, co-sponsor states, “The rapid and broad based public support for the Fair Share Act signature gathering effort is a demonstration that the public understands that the initiative is the way to stop giving away our oil. With a fair share of petroleum revenues, Alaska can restore basic services, sustain a permanent fund dividend and adopt a robust capital budget for the first time in six years.”
While getting on the ballot is a key step, it is only the beginning of the process. In order to attract voters, Vote Yes is ramping up a grass roots campaign throughout the state. We will build upon our base of supporters and volunteers, so Alaskans will hear the facts from their neighbors, not just the usual special interest corporate sponsored industry spin.
“As Gov. Dunleavy and the Alaska Legislature prepare to spend the last of the savings we built up under ACES, it is imperative that we end the SB-21 corporate welfare that has destroyed Alaska’s finances and is harming the Alaska economy. Alaskans are doing the job that our elected officials are supposed to be doing,” said Merrick Peirce, co-sponsor.
“We are just giving away our oil–$744 million per year through $8 per barrel credits for production from Prudhoe Bay alone, even though the producers have a legal duty to produce the oil under their leases, have been producing the oil for over three decades with no subsidy, and are making over $40 per barrel in net income (which is over twice as much as they make anywhere else in the world). We are getting nothing for giving away our oil–revenue, investment, production, and jobs are all down. We need to get our fair share and keep it in Alaska so we can save Alaskan jobs and more fully fund essential services, PFDs, and capital budgets,” added Robin Brena co-sponsor.
Please go to voteyesforalaskasfairshare.com to learn more and help pass the Fair Share Act.
Vote Yes for Alaska’s Fair Share
Anchorage, Alaska
Substance abuse is deadly
I’ve lost friends and relatives to alcohol abuse and addiction over the years, and that issue is a continuing factor of life. People are aware that continual abuse of alcohol and drugs can shorten and take their life and yet the people continue with their substance abuse.
We do not continually jump from ice floe to ice floe in the river or the bay, nor do we drive our snowmachines without following the trail. I did that and went through the snow into the creek on a muskoxen hunt; fortunately the snowmachine landed on the bank and not into the water.
Gilbert Keywehak
Mt. Pleasant, MI
Wrongfully charged
Alex Okitkun was arrested in Emmonak, Alaska, for, self defense on 12-18-2019. I (Rosemary Okitkun) had written several letters to State of Alaska and nothing has been done. I had talked with John (DA) over the phone, and he takes the side of the Officer(s). I am seeking help for Alex Okitkun, being wrongfully charged with alleged crimes. Case # 4EM-19-00256CR.
Rosemary Okitkun
Emmonak, AK
