Statement from Coastal House Legislators and Legislators-Elect

Many conversations have taken place since the November 2018 elections in the effort to put together an effective working House coalition to serve the people of Alaska.

It is our goal to be part of a strong, hard-working majority whose highest priorities are the prosperity, safety, health, and well-being of the people of Alaska. We value practical policies and truly working together, an approach that prioritizes people’s needs over party.

As efforts to form a majority coalition in the House continue, we want fellow House members to know that we are, and will remain, united in our determination to join a coalition that is dedicated to passing a responsible budget, keeping Alaskans safe, and protecting the Permanent Fund and the Permanent Fund Dividend. We will only participate in a coalition that is committed to these goals.

Given that the upcoming session is fast approaching, it is time for the House to get organized and prepare for the work of the 31st Legislature.

Rep. Bryce Edgmon, Rep. Neal Foster, Rep. Louise Stutes, Rep. Dan Ortiz, Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux, Rep. John Lincoln, Rep. Tiffany Zulkosky, Rep. Sara Hannan

Rep.-Elect Andi Story
Alaska State LegislatureJuneau, Alaska

Adventures in remote places

Greetings from The Black Hills Of Western South Dakota,

I read your stories of the ‘Hairy Man’ up there with great interest. I am an outdoors man with two science degrees so I have a very open mind when contemplating the existence of this creature. I have spent many years in the Army and back in the day the Army transferred me from Ft. Wainwright to Ft. Greeley. I was then further transferred to the Gerstle Rive Test Station. This is a testing post quite literally out in the middle of nowhere.

As an outdoors guy I would spend every free minute out wandering the forest and following the rivers and streams. I found many strange things out there. The remains of old cabins and shelters, prospectors holes, many caches of tin cans (all with tooth holes) and bottles, traps, saws, axes, and old abandoned dog sleds.

I encountered all types of animals: bears (brown and black), wolverines, foxes, wolves and all types of birds. The best way to navigate through the forests and tundra is to follow animal trails. In the thick forest and brush I was often shadowed by large animals that would stay just beyond accurate vision. But, you could often see the outline of these taller upright creatures through the leaves and branches. I would never see their footprints on the trails I used.

I was never really bothered by these creatures as I ALWAYS carried the unit’s 30:06 and I would usually fire off a round when I got away from the post quite a ways. When I would camp out in the bush I would always surround my sleeping bag or tent, if I used it, by dried sticks and brush or even tin cans tied to fish line. This afforded me some warning if an animal would try to sneak up on me. As I mature I often think this would have been foolish as a certain big two-legged creature could just step over the brush!

Anyway, fast forward to my position with the BLM out of North Bend, Oregon. As a natural resources specialist I would work every day out in the forest and always by myself. Often when I arrived at my timber sale or resource area I would fire a round from my .41 magnum just to announce my presence.

The Sasquatch would determine my transect route through the forests and they would stay behind me and they would often shake the trees behind me. I would turn around suddenly but they would have ducked down and they could not be seen.

The undergrowth was so thick that visibility was limited to sometimes only 20 feet. But you could see their feet/leg outlines close to the ground where the leaves did not grow. I once found huge bare foot prints on the clay and silt on one of my stream crossings. I once found a huge pile of feces containing the remains of berries on the route in front of me where they would be sure I would find it. I also once found a pile of clam shells many miles from the ocean and rivers.

My tasks were so remote that I would leave the windows of my official vehicle rolled down. I would sometimes find fir tree cones and small stones on my seat and dash.

Early one morning when I was eating my breakfast of black berries, I looked up across the hill side and saw two adult Sasquatch doing the same thing in their respective berry patch! We continued to keep a wary eye on each other until we both moved off into the forest.

Finally one day, when coming down the logging road in my official Bronco a juvenile Sasquatch about 4 feet tall ran across the road in front of me. He appeared to have a daring expression on his face like you would expect a similar-sized homo sapiens to have!!

I am currently organizing a small very discrete Sasquatch investigatory group here in this area where there have been many sightings and my own related incidents. I continue to be wary of these creatures and I do not believe them to all be the benevolent ‘forest giants’ some unknowing, less-informed folks believe them to be.

I enjoy reading your news and stories from up north there. My great uncle went up there to seek gold in 1898 and he was never heard from again. But that is another story I have!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Kenneth C. Hargens
The Black Hills
Western South Dakota

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