Murkowski Responds to Accusations
Sunday afternoon Senator Lisa Murkowski borrowed a move from Sarah Palin and responded on her Facebook page to an article I wrote yesterday which first appeared in The Anchorage Daily News, and on The Mudflats. “It’s incredibly important to clear up the confusion created by Shannyn Moore’s piece today — and I want Alaskans to hear it directly from me. The amendment she misconstrued focused on tribal jurisdiction over non-Natives who are accused of domestic or sexual assault on reservation land. Of Alaska’s 229 federally-recognized tribes, Alaska only has one reservation: Metlakatla. My amendment was introduced to spell out in…
Mike Dunleavy… AK Poseur?!
As I was swooping around the Twitterverse the other day, I happened to notice something… Something thad made me go, “Hmm.” It was a tweet from Senator Mike Dunleavy (R-The Valley). Mr. Dunleavy SAYS he’s a long-time Alaskan. (See Exhibit A) He SAYS he’s an outdoorsman. (Also See Exhibit A) The Alaska Dispatch even says he’s been here since 1983. (See Exhibit B) I pace across the floor, hands behind my back and brow furrowed. I give Mr. Dunleavy a Clint Eastwood squint. You SAY you are a long-time Alaskan outdoorsman. You SAY you live in the Valley… Then how,…
Murkowski Excludes Native Women from Protection
President Obama signed the Violence Against Women Act this week. Finally, something bipartisan passed! American women are better protected from coast to coast — but all the way up north? Left out in the cold. First, you should know a few facts. Native American and Alaska Native women are 2.5 times more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted than other American women. The vastness of Alaska works against victims here. We have about 140 villages with no state law enforcement. Gov. Sean Parnell believes he can get some help to them in the next 10 years. In the meantime,…
Music in Our Schools (VIDEOS)
March has been officially designated as Music In Our Schools Month, and music education has become the focus of schools across the nation. Music in Our Schools Month began in 1973, celebrated only in New York State, but has grown over the decades. In 1985 it became a month long celebration of music in schools. It reminds us of the importance of music education for all children, and that schools are the places where all children have access. It’s the time for music departments in schools to shine, and to share with students, faculty, families, and the community their beautiful…
Poke’s on You!
Look! We got a poke suggestion from Facebook. This is not photoshopped, we promise. It’s Rep. Lindsey Holmes (D—>R – Anchorage)! May it be in the virtual eye?
ACLU: Assembly Cannot End Testimony
Jeffrey Mittman, Executive Director of the ACLU of Alaska Foundation submitted a letter to Ernie Hall, Chairman of the Anchorage Assembly on Friday. Mittman cites the Municipal Charter, Assembly Practice, and the rights inherent in public fora to state that any Anchorage citizens still waiting to testify on Ordinance 37 at the end of Monday’s meeting, must have the right to do so, and the Assembly must schedule another meeting for further public testimony. Hall had stated that testimony would be cut off at 11:00pm on Monday, regardless of whether citizens remained in line wishing to testify. Earlier in the…
AO37 Testimony Still Going Strong
After 15 combined hours of testimony, the line of people waiting to address Assembly members stretched to the back of the room, and the auditorium was more than half full. It was 11:00 at night on a Wednesday. There is no doubt that the issue of Ordinance 37, which would radically alter the collective bargaining rights, and benefits of city workers, has hit Alaskans close to home. Longevity and performance bonuses, the right to strike, binding arbitration, and who exactly will decide the outcome of contract negotiations all hang in the balance. For the last week and a half, the…
The Cost of Doing More
By Jeff Friedman The Anchorage School Board has passed its budget, and the state legislature will soon be voting on school funding. It is that time of year when people like to ask “why is education so expensive?” As a parent and school board member, I have been active in education issues at the school, district, state, and national level for nearly 20 years. Like most of you, I also went to school myself as a child. Of course, that was nearly 40 years ago, and a few things have changed since then. When I was in school, algebra was…
$8.3 Million to be Cut from Health Budget
In its ongoing quest to make Alaska an unpleasant place to live, the House Health & Social Services Finance Subcommittee has recommended an $8.3 million reduction to critical Behavioral Health Services. The Republicans are trying to teach us slow-learners that the best way to deal with a problem is to ignore it, and then it will go away. If we don’t allow abortion, women just won’t have them. If we don’t fund public schools, then we can all just be rid of them and send our kids to church 6 days a week. And, if we don’t fund local, community…