Voice your concerns

Dear Readers,
When is the Dept. of Fish and Game going to quit letting the native subsistence gatherers and fishers use the same old 6-inch mesh size net even we know for a fact that is a factor in our diminishing stock of king salmon species?
In the past when I was growing up we’ve had dismal years of low numbers of kings returning to our mother river the Kuskokwim. Never did our native people resort to change their nets into something smaller to catch kings. They knew already for a fact that some years the king salmon species were smaller, mostly the females.
I would rather listen to our elders that have watched and observed through years of living and sharing information of the previous times, to know and pass down information that we natives know is true even though some of our elders are gone whom lived it.
We natives are not dumb and stupid to observe ourselves when something is said about our food ecosystem that we have to live by and let nature take its course that we have to live with.
My father and mother would tell us to quit hunting and gathering when the season for getting some was enough for the time being. The biologists and conservationists didn’t start this, our elders have known and lived it to pass it down to us with conviction and sincerity.
Dip netting was out of it but the 4-inch mesh size net that the Fish and Game suggested was a threat to our lifestyle. Start voicing your concerns and challenge regulations that will hurt our very livelihood. Thank you.
Michael “Joe” Nicolai
Wasilla, AK

Law of Subsistence and Way of Life
We have many different ways of life and we have our rights too, including our subsistence way of life. We have more than one tribe living in the great state of Alaska. To me Alaska is where you find all, that’s why people come to enjoy, view, find, work and when done they go home.
My question to Donlin Gold is, why are you building a mine in the middle of the great Kuskokwim River? Do you have plans to stop it when it spills? That will cause death to all my food which will end subsistence and our way of life. It is like in the center of Alaska and it is the hugest mine I ever saw. If it breaks and spills it will go to all nature. Life and food is better, it keeps us healthy and strong. That is way everyone lives longer from nature than from money. Please don’t jeopardize our subsistence and way of life, it is the law. Calista needs to form an Alaskan Elders Advisory Committee.
Christopher George
Nightmute, AK

Alcohol
This letter is a reminder. When AC Quickstop Liquor Store was open lots of our relatives and friends passed away from alcohol. Even suicides got worse and also accidents by alcohol. I hope I am not the only person to encourage everyone who has voters registration to vote on election day and vote.
I hope the City of Bethel and council members will post notification to the public before Election Day comes around to wake up all voters in the Yukon Kuskokwim delta. Also I hope KYUK will announce at news hour to remind all the voters to register before election day.
Every Native American has the right to fix what needs to be fixed for our safe living for our young generation. Thank you for the moment to read this letter for encouragement. God bless and have a safe year.
Jimmy S. Tony
Nightmute, AK

Sullivan Statement on Nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) released the following statement today after President Trump announced the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to serve as Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court:
I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Judge Brett Kavanaugh for some time – dating back to when we worked together in the Bush administration. He is very well regarded as a judge on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals – the second most important court in the country. In that role he is known for applying the law and Constitution as written, upholding our Second Amendment rights, and having a healthy skepticism concerning the powers of federal administrative agencies. In the coming weeks, I look forward to reviewing in further depth Judge Kavanaugh’s extensive record as a D.C. Circuit judge, and discussing these and other important issues with him. I expect the upcoming Senate confirmation process to be both rigorous and fair, one deserving of a Supreme Court nominee.
U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan
Washington D.C.

Dunleavy reacts to Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court
Republican gubernatorial candidate, Mike Dunleavy, today issued the following statement on President Trump’s nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
This is one of the most important things a president can do, and I know that for many Americans and Alaskans, the ability to create a more even-handed, constitutionally attuned Supreme Court was at the heart of their vote for Donald Trump for president. Mr. Kavanaugh has an outstanding career and has a long record of decisions to review in his upcoming confirmation process. Alaskans will want to know where he stands on core principles in the Constitution, such as our Second Amendment rights and federal overreach. I look forward to our senators giving him a full and respectful vetting as he moves through the advice and consent of the Senate. I’m very optimistic about his prospects for being confirmed.
Mike Dunleavy
Anchorage, AK