Letters to the Editor

I would like to take this opportunity, and also on behalf of the twenty four other flight school students, all from the Yukon Kuskokwim delta of 1999, to thank Mr. Francis Reich publicly, with a […]

Dear Governor Dunleavy, Hundreds of Alaskans in the community of Tuluksak have been forced to live without access to drinkable water after the water treatment plant and washeteria caught fire on January 16. Despite the […]

Hi, I’m Mary, recovering alcoholic. Currently residing in Anchorage. Grew up in Bethel and Pilot Station. My heart is in the YK Delta, where I’ve made lifelong friends. Alcohol is my drug of choice. Although […]

The James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation was established by Congress in 1986 to honor the legacy of James Madison by funding graduate study focused on the Constitution. The Foundation’s goal is to improve the teaching […]

I am writing this letter concerning the health care given to our village. Too many people are being put on narcotics/pain killers/opioids for unnecessary ailments. These meds are distributed haphazardly. Most are then siphoned off […]

In the light of the events of January 6, we are reminded that words matter, stories matter, art matters. Truth, Equity and Justice matter. Leadership is speaking truth to power, clearly and strongly setting out […]

Dear Iditarod Volunteers, Mushers and Staff, It seems that there isn’t a person on this planet who hasn’t been affected by COVID19 in some way. I couldn’t start this letter without first saying that our […]

Last week, I introduced a budget containing a $5 billion recovery package to get Alaska back on its feet. There is no doubt we are facing a once-in-a-generation challenge. With 40,000 Alaskans on unemployment and […]

In the Yukon-Kuskokwim we are suffering from spikes in COVID-19 case numbers and have been in lockdown mode for over a month now and some dear elders have departed. Despite the fact that residents and […]

It’s really sad about what I just heard today (December 5th, 2020). It’s about a young guy that I personally know and I can attest to the fact that he has a mental illness. He […]

Bristol Bay Native Corporation (BBNC) President and CEO Jason Metrokin made the following statement today in reaction to the Army Corps of Engineers’ Alaska District’s decision to deny a permit to Pebble mine: A permit […]

Dear Editor and Fellow Americans. So now what folks? Respected national election officials keep telling everyone that it was an honest/free election with few examples of fraud. Definitely not enough fake votes to reverse the […]

“Is Calista partnering to create a subsistence committee made up of residents from the YK Region to provide feedback and comments to Donlin and Calista? Yes. Does Calista prioritize using the best-available environmental protections and […]

As of 10:30pm on Election Day, over 110,000 votes have been counted in the race for Alaska’s At-Large Congressional District, with many more to go. Since at least 87,000 mail-in ballots will not be counted […]

This 25-page initiative would replace our simple method of voting with a complicated scheme financed by Lower-48 billionaires, without Alaska’s unique diversity in mind. One year after all Alaska Natives were granted US citizenship, the […]

I have voted for decades for those candidates who truly cared about the people of the YK region. People who worked to protect our land and our water in our region, in our State and […]

While I honor the work around domestic violence and sexual assault done by the women who penned the Oct 13, ADN commentary, “Native Women Vote for a Leader Who Chooses Respect,” I do not think […]

This election season, we are strongly urging our fellow Alaskans to VOTE NO ON BALLOT MEASURE 2. This initiative would get rid of our simple one person, one vote system and replace it with a […]

I just finished reading a wonderful article in the New York Times (“Overlooked No More,” March 20, 2019) about Elizabeth Peratrovich, and started to think, “Who would Elizabeth have voted for if she were alive […]

My name is Mike Williams, Sr. From Akiak, Alaska – a hunter, fisherman. Gatherer of our foods. I am urging you to vote for Tiffany Zulkosky for State Representative, Alyse Galvin for US House of […]

Prohibition 1. The action of forbidding something, especially by law. •a law or regulation forbidding something. 2. The prevention by law of the manufacture and sale of alcohol, especially in the US between 1920 and […]

We used to go to Umkumiut for my dad to visit his relatives on Nelson Island by boat when I was growing up; the village moved to the new location named Toksook Bay a few […]

Bristol Bay Native Corporation (BBNC) President and CEO Jason Metrokin made the following statement after the Army Corps of Engineers announced the proposed Pebble mine “cannot be permitted.” BBNC has formally opposed Pebble since 2009. […]

Re: Deadline on Vote to form Regional Tribal Government extended to October 31, 2020 August 21, 2020 Dear Tribal Leader: For many years, the People of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Region have considered the question of […]

With global concerns about the effects of this virus, many are not seeing the physical, mental, family, relationship destructions of our communities by the use of alcohol. People are crying out in fear of this […]

Hello Delta Discovery, – IN the most recent FORUM, The Magazine of the Alaska Humanities Forum (Summer 2020), reading from an article informed by Don Rearden’s book, The Raven’s Gift, Joe Yelerton quoted Mr. Rearden […]

The Federal Subsistence Board recently closed federal lands occupied by the Nelchina caribou herd to non-federally qualified users. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is the principle manager of this herd and strongly opposed […]

Skagway, AK., The only city within the state that had passed a resolution to disburse it’s cares act money to its people by $2000.00 a month, till December. The whole idea beyond that is to […]

Hunting, fishing, and trapping activities are important to many Alaskans and non-residents. Hunters, anglers, and trappers are reminded that all seasons remain open as scheduled during the COVID-19 pandemic unless changed by emergency order. All […]

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today shared the following Fourth of July message with Alaskans: Happy Fourth of July! A day to celebrate America’s independence, freedom, and the ideals and values upon which our nation […]

Dear Editor and Fellow Calista Shareholders; In February of 2019 over 300 Calista women shareholders signed a letter to Calista CEO Andrew Guy and Calista Board of Directors concerned about the development of the proposed […]

Dear Calista Shareholders, I learned about an opportunity to sign a petition titled, “Calista Shareholders Right to Meaningful Dialogue on Donlin Gold Mine”. It seems for years or decades, this issue of the development of […]

Scammon Bay had a successful 2020 Youth Litter Patrol. 4th grade through high school participated in our Youth Litter Patrol. The kids picked up 337 bags of trash from around the village. Thank you to […]

My grandparents immigrated from Sweden to Yakutat in the early 1900s. My grandmother, Jenny was a Christian missionary and my grandfather, E.A., an educator and missionary. Faith was their guiding light, and they believed strongly […]

I agree whole heartedly with this letter. There is no real reason, or need for this mine (Donlin), other than making a lot of money for a very few people. The untold devastation of the […]

In mid-April, damage to the fiber optic cable between the microwave tower on Pilcher Mountain and the community of Marshall threatened to limit connectivity to the Western Alaska village. As an essential services provider, GCI […]

The end of the school year is coming up and so is graduation! Our seniors have until the 14th of this month to complete their school work which will finalize their grades. Ending the school […]

Hello All! I hope you’re enjoying this beautiful weather because I am. Also, try and make the best out of this quarantine. Ever wonder what it would be like if the virus didn’t break out? […]

How COVID-19 has affected me is mainly with school. I get my school work from the school here in Chefornak, which comes in packets. I am still enrolled at Bethel Regional High School, so my […]

While Governor Dunleavy and Doctor Zink are being praised for their clear and open communication throughout the development of the COVID-19, their plan for Alaska’s rural communities is vague and under-developed. After a careful analysis […]

I write to supplement my Tribe’s earlier comments and to oppose the award of any portion of the Coronavirus Relief Fund to private for-profit corporations organized under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA). The […]

Howdy y’all it’s Caleb Kim, and I’m going to tell you about how Covid-19 (Coronavirus) is affecting the state of California. I am currently writing this article in California, so I guess you can say […]

Fellow Alaskans, The hard-working men and women of this state will not weather this storm alone. With a singular focus, the Legislature is exploring every avenue and will dedicate vast resources to support Alaskans during […]

Alyse Galvin who is running against Don Young and should win is someone whom will fight for us out here in the delta. I personally know her and we talk regularly. She is against Pebble […]

As the world community initiates response to increasing number of coronavirus outbreaks, ICC expresses concern about how our rural, remote communities are potentially at much higher risk and exposure to such epidemics due to the […]

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 […]

My name is John Simon and I’ve lived in YK Delta my entire life. I’m writing about the dog roundup that was recently in in the news. I agree with the communities that we have […]

It makes me wonder what the mindset is with the federal government, the state government, local governments, when in 2010, there was $1.2 billion dollars spent only in Alaska, from the ripple effects of alcohol. […]

This Black History Month I’ve been reflecting on powerful Black leaders in Alaska’s history. Today, I want to tell you about Senator Bettye Davis. A woman whose life truly exemplifies public service to me. Bettye […]

I am writing in response to the KYUK article about the Tuntutuliak dogs being rescued from the village and taken to Bethel and Anchorage. This is not the first time one of the villages has […]

Hello, I am so impressed and very thankful. This was the first time in 41 years of volunteering for the K-300 that I attended the banquet. I never expected anything, I just wanted to check […]

It is the State that’s responsible for protecting our constitutional rights. It is the State officials duty to protect our speedy trial rights. I have seen many cases that get “continued” because the State did […]

I would like to commend and thank the youth who put together the informative radio ad concerning the negative consequences of the use of alcohol. It’s a very informative ad bringing out how it affects […]

Anyone that has taken the time to read the full Donlin Environmental Impact Statement, EIS, and also understand the current permitting and regulation enforcement in this state and country will know that the proposed Donlin […]

We’ve all seen students in school running in the halls–sometimes they’re full on sprinting, like mom cooked Totino’s pizza rolls and you want some, or them all. Some of us still see it to this […]

Although NIDA’s (National Institute on Drug Abuse) annual Monitoring the Future survey shows that daily marijuana use in teens is mostly steady, the survey also shows that as cigarette smoking rates drop, daily marijuana smoking […]

Camai Dance Festival planning meeting: Thursday, December 12 at 7 PM. Location: UAF Kuskokwim Campus Room 118. Cama-i is a community organized event. All are welcome to the planning meetings. Nicholai Joekay, Bethel, AK What […]

Your Excellencies, We write to you as bipartisan members of the United States Senate and as strong supporters of the U.S. bilateral alliances with Japan and the Republic of Korea. We believe it is important […]

Our next planning meeting will be on Tuesday, November 26th at 7PM in Room 118 at Kuskokwim Campus. These meetings only last an hour. Camai Dance Festival is a grassroots event: community and volunteer driven. […]

Alaska’s already high rate of sexual assault surged by 11% between 2017 and 2018 — to nearly four times the national rate. 1,100 rapes and 88 attempted rapes were reported in Alaska in 2018. If […]

I am deeply humbled by this opportunity to continue serving my neighbors in District M and the State of Alaska in the State Senate. I want to thank the Governor for nominating me. I appreciate […]

I first noticed the crackers holes get bigger was when I was in 6th grade, like a little over 10 years ago. Me and my friend were making cookies on the table by a big […]

Spirit of Youth calls for nominations in honor of Alaska Day. Spirit of Youth encourages community members to celebrate Alaska Day on October 18 by celebrating Alaska’s youth. Spirit of Youth is an organization that […]

The Green family on behalf of (their dearly departed) Elizabeth Doris Green would like to thank first of all, Bethel’s first responders for their prompt response and executing their duties with professionalism in their valiant […]

Dear Cama-i Team, BCA Members and New Community Volunteers, We hope each of you had a great summer. It is time once again to start planning for our community festival. Cama-i Dance Festival 2020 March […]

I am citing what Carl Smith spoke in New York on behalf of Alaskan land and animals. Just hearing the testimonies of all the youth, I am deeply humbled. We are fortunate to have youth […]

Hi there, I’m a television producer who once had a strange experience out in Craig, AK that people told me was a Kushtaka. Ever since, I’ve been obsessed with this creature and am currently working […]

Recently the Anchorage Daily News printed an editorial column slamming Governor Dunleavy’s plan to pay the full PFD by law and calling for the legislature to reject another special session. Soon after the ADN opinion […]

There are terrible things happening in our world today. Some can be prevented. Like the one I’m writing about. I was in Bethel recently and something very disturbing happened. Something that will cause much heartbreak […]

The final round of vetoes by the Governor also included one that gets little mention in the main news articles but has a huge impact on rural Emergency Medical Services (EMS). He vetoed the funding […]

I wrote a letter to the person who was in charge of the Yup’ik language department in LKSD, Lower Kuskokwim School District. The letter stated that speaking, learning Yup’ik would be contrary to the prominent […]

Life happens. Whether we want it to or not, it happens. There is no going around it, no speeding up the things we want to, or slowing down the things we’d like. It goes at […]

About 3 in 5 US teenagers say they’ve been bullied online and, let’s be honest, we’ve all seen it happen to someone else. Sometimes hateful comments just hurt. Other times they could contribute to depression, […]

You see in the News that the tourist are not seeing Denali wolves like they used to. One of the reasons is that the state allows wolves to be hunted/trapped close to the Denali area […]

July 23, 2019: Representative George Rauscher (R-Sutton) was previously excused by his peers to undergo a series of planned medical procedures this summer. Complications from those procedures and additional injuries sustained at home prevented him […]

It becomes an inspiration to put up an opinion or comment on matters that touch or have some influence over the lives that may be affected, if that would particularly involve the vast locality. Our […]

Dear Alaska Legislators, It is imperative that the Alaska legislature reverse the sweep of the Power Cost Equalization (PCE) Endowment Fund so Alaskans in rural areas can afford their electricity. The sweep of the endowment, […]

Dear Governor Dunleavy, We acknowledge that transportation infrastructure is of critical importance to our state, and that we rely heavily on air and sea transportation for our state’s supply of commodities. As you know, 90 […]

June 24, 2019 (Wasilla) The Mat-Su Delegation asserts that the presiding officers’ decision to move the location of the special session from Wasilla to Juneau is in clear violation of the law. Co-Chair of the […]

A letter to the Honorable Sonny Perdue, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, dated June 11, 2019. We appreciate and support the Administration’s long-term goal of rebalancing the trade environment and establishing free, fair, […]

The destruction of subsistence food and activity is the destruction an annihilation of a culture and people as will happen with the Pebble Mine and Donlin Creek Mine. The wipeout of the fish with the […]

Concerning the legislature in Juneau needing to understand the position of the Governor and the permanent fund amount. It is common sense to realize the true need for the majority of the residents in Alaska; […]

This year, I’ll be supporting Anna Sattler, William Kanuk and Wayne Don for the Calista Corporation Board of Directors. They will ensure the highest ethical and competency standards for the key leaders that are responsible […]

We want experience, transparency and shareholder support. We will vote Option 1 for Paul George Guy, who I call George, and Johnnie Evan for the Calista board. We remember when Calista made $100 million for […]

Dear Mom, Today we would have celebrated your eighty-fifth birthday and perhaps as many as ten more if you had not been misled by your surgeon. As much as I am sorry for the unnecessary […]

A riot occurred last night (May 8th, 2019) at Spring Creek Correctional Center in Seward, AK. There was extensive damage to a housing unit, but no Officers were injured. Recognized institutional gangs were involved. SORT […]

We’ve heard people spreading stories lately about how Alaska lags behind the nation in K-12 public school performance, so why throw good money after bad? They want you to believe what we’re doing isn’t working […]

We really appreciate all that helped with the annual Lions Club Easter Egg Hunt. Thank you LKSD for the use of the M.E. School playground.  Thank you Swanson’s, A.C Store, Sammy’s Market, Bethel Fire Station, […]

Regarding, Charlie Don Spud Sr.: Mr. Spud’s three children, eight grandchildren and three great-grand children would like to thank, Mr. & Mrs. Richard Seebold, Barbara Amos & Children, Mr. & Mrs. James Whitman, Adam Whitman […]

This afternoon, on the eve of Cama-i’s opening festival, reaching out from Berkeley, CA, I renew my sincere enthusiasm for Alaska—especially for the Cama-i Dance Festival. Gazing on line at the listing by the Bethel […]

TO: Governor Mike Dunleavy Good morning Governor Dunleavy, The March 20, 21, 2019 session of the Nunavut Alaska Provisional Government, a consortium of Tribal Governments in Western Alaska, reviewed your proposed 24% cuts to K-12 […]

As Alaskans, we have a constitutional and moral responsibility to provide the best education possible for our children. Yet we remain one of the only states that do not provide affordable pre-kindergarten on a statewide […]

Dear Governor Mike Dunleavey, The Unit 4 villages, Akiak, Akiachak, Kwethluk, and Tuluksak are letting you know that we are totally opposed to your budget proposal that cuts deep into essential services without considering raising […]

Our ancestors moved around according to the seasons, we know that and during the summer we know they occupied the banks of our Kuskoqfaq River to fish and put away the abundance of salmon and […]

Our Ancestors taught us to respect the people, Mother Nature, and in this case… the land. Not only will this destroy the animals that roam the waters, and the animals that seek water… it will […]

I just checked Bethel-Mekoryuk air passenger flight price $514 round trip for a short flight. It used to be about $60 one way, outrageous pricing but apparently a fact of life in 2019. You can […]

The proposed $20M cut from Alaska’s education budget, I feel, is a bad idea! As an Alaska resident who has supported the education of our children in our communities, I am speaking up to be […]

Hi there, I’m just writing to thank our Kalskag donators who donated for the K300 this year. To the ANICA Store of Kalskag, they donated $400 worth of goods, they donate every year, which we […]

Congratulations on receiving the Association of Village Council Presidents’ 2018 Small Business Award. This is a tremendous accomplishment of which I am sure you are very proud. It is no small feat to provide over […]