UPDATE: Live Blogging The WI Recall
Editor’s Note: Although Shannyn and I are at Netroots in Providence, The Mudflats has boots on the ground in Wisconsin for today’s critical recall election. Our correspondent Thomas Dewar took the redeye to Madison last night and will be posting updates throughout the day and late into the night as results roll in. The importance of this election, and what it portends for America’s democracy and middle class, is hard to overstate. In solidarity with the people of Wisconsin—AKM 9:54pm CDT Your correspondent will now beg your leave and excuse himself to go drink too much Scotch. Departing a somber…
Open Thread – Netroots Nation
Greetings, Mudflatters! I write to you from 29,000 feet in the air, somewhere over the midwest. Shannyn and I are heading to Providence by way of Boston, and Linda is holding down the fort at home. Sadly, I had to catch a plane just as Schaeffer Cox was taking the stand in his own defense at the militia trial today. And double sadly, both Shannyn and I missed the EPA hearing on Pebble Mine this evening. Tickets were bought long ago, and who could have predicted our incredibly bad timing. But, all that behind us, I will be posting…
All Hands On Deck! EPA Public Hearing TODAY at 5:00 PM
by Jeanne Devon and Linda Kellen Biegel Today is the day. The EPA findings tell us that Pebble Mine is an unacceptable risk to thousands of sustainable jobs, and the last great wild salmon fishery on earth. With the stroke of a pen, the EPA can assure that this special place remains safe from development, and intact for generations to come. One of the most, if not THE most important meetings there will ever be on mining in the Bristol Bay Watershed will be held today at the Wendy Williamson Auditorium on the UAA Campus. The EPA will be hearing…
In My Alaska Garden — Progress & Solutions
This week is a bit of a grumpy week for me. The temperature here keeps dipping below 45 degrees at night and we’ve seen it below 50 in the hoop house. Some of the plants are not happy, specifically the tomatoes and the basil. Here’s hoping the warmer forcast for this week is accurate, although today is not a great start. Since we talked a great deal about the hoop house last week, I figured we’d take a look at what is going on outside this week. (OK, I’ll admit it…it’s because we actually got some weeding done.) In the…
Bipartisanship is Not on the Map
By Shannyn Moore My friends, once again, Alaska is charting new waters. The GOP-heavy redistricting board, in its zeal to break up the bipartisan coalition in charge of the Alaska Senate, has made Joe Hazelwood look like a model seaman. Let’s see how the entire state “fetched up.” Alaska’s Supreme Court, listing like a dinghy in 20-foot seas, decided by a 3-2 vote that we can run this year’s election on an unconstitutional map of election districts. Why? No time to do a constitutional version. The board’s map still has one last hurdle to clear: the Department of Justice, which…
Militia Trial: Cox’s 2nd in Command Testifies
FBI informant Bill Fulton was the star of the show on the last day of court this week, no doubt about that. But, we shouldn’t overlook the rest of the witnesses because there were some good ones. The morning started with motions from the defense, which the judge resolved by mid-morning. I wrote about that HERE. Next up were a string of witnesses for the defense, beginning with Mr. Harold M. Hume, Jr. of Fairbanks who was completely adorable, and I basically wanted to adopt him as my grandpa. He’s actually probably closer to being the age of my dad,…
Open Thread – Dog Days of Summer
Buf the Dog is a fan of many things – salmon skin, Kraft singles, being scratched between the eyes. But she is definitely NOT a fan of having her picture taken. So, when I saw her lazing about in the grass, I knew I had to work quickly, without being seen, and from inside the house. I got many good shots, but this one was my favorite. Golden sun, smelling the air, and generally just being happy to be a dog.
Open Thread – Brian!
Well. I have to say, I was beginning to wonder when he was going to show up! After a very snowy, and mooseless winter when our fine ungulate friends had the sense to head to lower elevations, Brian has finally showed up! His antlers seem off to a beautiful start, and he is currently munching happily, enjoying the tender new grass, and leaves.
Goodbye Rats, Hello… Hawadax?
Hawadax Island. It doesn’t conjure up images of umbrella drinks, and moonlit strolls on the sand. It sounds more like one of those islands where they sent large groups of people with contagious and incurable diseases, but it’s actually quite lovely. “Hawadax” means “those two over there” in the Alaskan Unungan language, (referring to two knolls that dominate the island’s topography) which isn’t really that thrilling either – until you get the whole story. Because however unappealing Hawadax “Those Two Over There” Island may sound, it could have been a lot worse. In fact, it was a lot worse until…
Militia Trial – FBI Informant Bill Fulton Speaks
Next up for the defense: Bill Fulton This is the one I’d been hoping for. Insider turned state’s evidence for immunity Michael Anderson, FBI informant for leniency in another case JR Olson, and FBI informant Bill Fulton were the three big witnesses for the prosecution. Or so we thought. It turned out that the prosecution did not call Fulton as a witness. This seemed rather odd. Why not call your own informant as a witness? There were disturbing tales of Fulton’s behavior. Nobody seemed to like him. He was described as abrasive, a drunkard, nasty, violent and mean. Michael Anderson…