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 Gold mine can never be a refuge, except for a big pile of refuse containing mercury, selenium and acid rock drainage, etc., etc,. We get so blinded by corporate PR and then it’s too late.
Grant Fairbanks, Bethel, AK
Love thy enemies
Took me a lifetime to learn; now I pray for enemies for their deliverance and thankful to them that they will be the reason for big rewards in heaven. Luke 6, Reason to love my enemies.
Gilbert Keywehak, Mt. Pleasant, MI
RavnAir Group update on cyber-attack — Update for 12/28/19
RavnAir Group continues to be impacted by the cyber-attack it experienced on Friday, December 20th; and the impact of this disruption now appears more extensive than initially reported.
While the Air Group continues to operate flights at all three of its airlines, company officials and outside experts have now determined that it may take as long as one month to have all affected IT systems fully restored and back to normal.
Given this news, customers should expect some additional cancellations and delays at all three airlines as recovery efforts continue in coordination with government officials and outside cyber crime experts.
RavnAir Group’s number one priority remains to ensure the safety of our passengers and employees, and this may cause operations to run at a slower pace while manual processes and back-up systems are in use.
The company will continue its efforts to provide advance notifications and re-bookings for passengers who may be affected, and we would like to thank everyone impacted by this cyber attack for their continued patience and understanding while we deal with this disruption during the busy holiday period.
Further updates will be provided as information becomes available.
RavnAir Group, Anchorage, AK
Making Alaska a Safer and More Prosperous Place for Women
At the beginning of his administration, Governor Mike Dunleavy observed, “Alaska’s current troubles are ‘equal opportunity problems,’ because all our residents are negatively affected.” Unfortunately, due to the state’s high crime levels, a weak economy, imprudent government spending, and underperforming schools, these factors pose a threat to Republicans and Democrats alike; men and women; and people of all races and backgrounds.
Governor Dunleavy also stated, “Because these problems affect every man, woman, and child in Alaska, we can proceed with confidence knowing that when we solve these challenges, life will be improved for all Alaskans. A rising tide will lift all boats.”
To implement his agenda for combatting crime, strengthening Alaska’s economy, and reforming government, Dunleavy has reached out to some of the state’s most accomplished women and entrusted them with control over several crucial departments of state government. More women currently serve in the governor’s cabinet than any administration in recent memory. Also, more than half of Governor Dunleavy’s appointments to boards and commissions have been women. It’s not a quota-driven process; rather, it reflects this governor’s commitment to appoint the most qualified Alaskans, regardless of gender.
After only one year, we’re pleased to share that tremendous progress has been made addressing some of Alaska’s most pressing issues.
Combatting crime remains this administration’s number one priority. The repeal of SB 91 was a significant accomplishment to make Alaska safer, but it is only a beginning. More State Troopers were hired in 2019, and the administration’s Fiscal Year 2021 budget calls for funding 15 additional Trooper positions as well as three new prosecutors. The expansion of Trooper positions will enable much-needed service to rural communities that have been underserved for far too long.
New resources are also being deployed to address the crisis of sexual assault and domestic violence, including record funding for emergency shelters and victim assistance programs. The Trump Administration has been an important ally in these efforts, issuing an emergency declaration that comes attached with $6 million in new funding to address critical public safety needs. Tremendous progress has also been made to solve the state’s unfortunate backlog of untested sexual assault kits.
The reforms needed to keep Alaskans safe have understandably added to the number of inmates housed by the Department of Corrections. The administration has proposed a 7 percent increase in general fund spending for Corrections, to ensure that dangerous criminals are kept off our streets.
Creating a more prosperous future for Alaskans is also a vital goal of the Dunleavy Administration. The “Alaska Development Team” has been created to bring special focus to the administration’s efforts to attract new businesses and economic investment to our state.
The administration has deployed many initiatives to promote development of Alaska’s natural resources, which hold the promise for creating thousands of family-wage jobs and reducing dependence on government programs. New regulations have been issued to modernize the process of handling applications, bids, and payments for oil and gas leases. Efforts are also underway to revitalize Alaska’s timber industry, advance development in ANWR, and promote further expansion of the mining sector, such as the Donlin Gold project.
The economy is reacting to these steps and is trending in a positive direction, with the lowest unemployment rate in Alaska history and GDP growth of 3.9 percent in the first half of 2019. Yet this is just a small taste of what can be expected when Alaska lives up to its full economic potential.
Another central focus of the Dunleavy Administration is to bring government spending under control. Considerable progress was made in the first year, with total reductions that closed the budget deficit by approximately one-third. Much more needs to be done. All department heads are exploring ways to reduce overhead and provide state services with greater efficiency. In the current budget climate, “doing more with less” isn’t just a catch phrase, it’s a financial necessity that is being implemented to ensure the resources of hard-working Alaskans are being spent responsibly.
The pathway to a secure future for Alaska’s families is to keep our communities safe from crime, greatly accelerate the growth of the private sector economy, and to re-tool state government so that it lives within its means and provides vital services with greater efficiency. We’re honored to play a part in pursuing these objectives, and we’re confident this will create the rising tide that improves the lives of ALL Alaskans.
Julie Anderson, Commissioner or the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development.
Nancy Dahlstrom, Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Corrections.
Corri A. Feige, Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources.
Dr. Tamika L. Ledbetter, Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
Amanda Price, Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Public Safety.
Kelly Tshibaka, Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Administration.
