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Wednesday
October 26, 2022
Fitting for October: Spooky Tree
SitNews Front Page Photo By MELINA GLOVER©2022
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November 8, 2022
General Election
• Official AK Election Pamphlets
• Region 1 Election Pamphlet
• Region 1 Official Sample Ballot
• Federal Official Sample Ballot
• Ballot Measure 1: Constitutional Convention Question -
Shall there be a constitutional convention?
• Alaska Dividion of Elections
Early & Absentee Voting Begins October 24, 2022.
Deadline to request an Absentee By-Mail ballot: Saturday, October 29, 2022
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Alaska Gubernatorial Debate: October 19, 2022 - Les Gara (D), Charlie Pierce (R),Bill Walker (I), and Governor Mike Dunleavy (R), candidates in Alaska’s 2022 gubernatorial race, took part in a debated hosted by Alaska Public Media. They answered questions on various issues, including abortion, education, and inflation. Gov.Dunleavy was favored to win the race, which is the first general election gubernatorial race in the state to use Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report with Amy Walter rated the race “likely Republican.” - Watch the debate on C-Span.
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Alaska - Nationwide: Nation’s Report Card Shows Math and Reading Scores of 4th and 8th Graders Declined in Most States Including Alaska Posted & Edited By MARY KAUFFMAN - A majority of states saw scores decline for fourth- and eighth-graders in mathematics and reading between 2019 and 2022, according to the latest results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as The Nation’s Report Card, released this week by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The national average score declines in mathematics for 4th and 8th graders were the largest ever recorded in that subject.
“The results show the profound toll on student learning during the pandemic, as the size and scope of the declines are the largest ever in mathematics,” said NCES Commissioner Peggy G. Carr.
Carr said, “The results also underscore the importance of instruction and the role of schools in both students’ academic growth and their overall wellbeing. It’s clear we all need to come together - policymakers and community leaders at every level - as partners in helping our educators, children, and families succeed.”
There were no improvements in mathematics in any state or large urban district, and eighth-grade mathematics scores declined in 51 participating states and jurisdictions since the assessment was last given in 2019, the year prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Eighth-grade mathematics scores did not change in Utah or the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity schools.
“Eighth grade is a pivotal moment in students’ mathematics education, as they develop key mathematics skills for further learning and potential careers in mathematics and science,” said Daniel J. McGrath, acting as NCES associate commissioner for assessment.
McGrath said, “If left unaddressed, this could alter the trajectories and life opportunities of a whole cohort of young people, potentially reducing their abilities to pursue rewarding and productive careers in mathematics, science, and technology.”
“Despite the countless obstacles that students faced over the course of the pandemic - including instability at home, decreased access to resources, teacher shortages, cyberbullying, and an uptick in violence once schools reopened - we also see pockets of remarkable resilience across the country, particularly in the country’s urban districts,” said Commissioner Carr.
Carr said, “But academic recovery cannot simply be about returning to what was ‘normal’ before the pandemic, as the pandemic laid bare an ‘opportunity gap’ that has long existed. It also showed how every student was vulnerable to the pandemic’s disruptions. We do not have a moment to waste.”
The data from The Nation’s Report Card released this week offers the first look at the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on what the nation’s 4th and 8th graders know and can do using a common measure of student achievement and the first student-level achievement data for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Schools, Puerto Rico, and 26 large urban districts that volunteered to participate in the assessment.
In a press release responding to the release of the National Report Card, NEA President Becky Pringle said, “While some will try to cherry-pick the NAEP results to serve their own political agenda, we know that student success should not be politicized. The results confirm what educators have been sounding the alarm about for more than two years: the pandemic exacerbated existing gaps in opportunity and learning experiences between white students and students of color, as well as between well-funded schools and chronically underfunded ones. The impacts were also felt by our English language learners and students with disabilities."
Pringle said, “To accelerate student learning and truly close opportunity gaps, our public schools require sustained and equitable resources that meet the unique needs of the communities and students they serve. NAEP scores are only one piece of a complex puzzle. We should view these scores alongside indicators that tell us about student learning conditions and life experiences so we can identify how to best support student success.”
National Results
Nationally, the average mathematics score for fourth-graders fell five points since 2019 (from 241 to 236), while the score for eighth-graders dropped eight points (from 282 to 274). In reading, average scores for both grades fell three points (from 220 to 217 at fourth grade and from 263 to 260 at eighth grade).
The percentage of students performing below the NAEP Basic level increased across both subjects and grade levels. In mathematics, 25 percent of fourth-graders were below the NAEP Basic level in 2022 (an increase from 19 percent in 2019) and 38 percent of eighth-graders were below NAEP Basic (an increase from 31 percent in 2019).
In reading, the percentage of fourth-graders below the NAEP Basic level increased from 34 percent in 2019 to 37 percent in 2022, and the percentage of eighth-graders below NAEP Basic increased from 27 percent in 2019 to 30 percent in 2022. The NAEP Basic achievement level represents partial mastery of the prerequisite knowledge and skills that are fundamental for performance at the NAEP Proficient level, which represents competency over challenging subject matter. The NAEP Basic level is the least stringent of the three achievement level goals for American students that are set by the National Assessment Governing Board.
Declines were most widespread on the eighth-grade mathematics assessment, where scores declined across most racial and ethnic groups and for students across the performance distribution (lower-, middle-, and higher-performing students). Fourth-grade mathematics scores declined for all racial and ethnic groups except native Hawaiian-Pacific Islander students.
In eighth-grade reading, scores declined only for White students among the racial/ethnic groups, by four points. Scores declined in fourth-grade reading for American Indian/Alaska Native, Black, Hispanic, and White students.
State Results
A majority of states saw lower scores, on average, across grades and subjects since 2019. There were no improvements in fourth- and eighth-grade mathematics, as average fourth-grade mathematics scores declined in 43 states and jurisdictions and did not change in 10, and eighth-grade mathematics scores declined in 51 states and jurisdictions and remained steady in two. There were no improvements in fourth-grade reading, as average fourth-grade reading scores declined in 30 states and jurisdictions and did not change in 22. At eighth grade, reading scores declined in 33 states and jurisdictions, did not change in 18, and rose in one (the Department of Defense Education Activity).
According to the Institute of Education Sciences' Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary Schools May 2022 report, the US National Average expenditures per pupil nationwide was $13,489.
IIn May 2022, the U.S. Census Bureau reported the average pupil expenditure in the western region was $12,802 with Alaska reporting the highest expenditure in the region of $18.313. The highest per pupil expenditure in the nation was in the northeast region with New York spending $25,518 per pupil. Alaska reported 129,872 students enrolled in the 2022 report. In October 1, 2018, NCES reports there were 130,963 students enrolled in Alaska, and for each, $18,393 was spent in the 2018–2019 school year.
According to Alaska Policy Forum, in 2018-2019, Alaska was reported to be the sixth-highest per student expenditure nationwide; 63% of revenues for education came from the state of Alaska; Alaska had one of the highest percentages of revenues coming from federal sources; and $1.28 billion (53%) was spent in Alaska on instruction and $1 billion on support (43%).
The 50 states and the District of Columbia reported $794.6 billion in revenues collected for public elementary and secondary education in FY 20 vs. $783.0 billion in FY 19, which was a 1.5 percent increase after adjusting for inflation.
Alaska 2022 Results (129,872 students enrolled) - More...
Wednesday - October 26, 2022
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Fitting for October: Spider Web
SitNews Front Page Photo By ROBERT HOLSTON ©2022
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Alaska: APOC SENDS CLEAR WARNING TO REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION: SPEND IN ALASKA “AT YOUR OWN PERIL” - Today, the Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) issued an initial order on the expedited complaint filed by the Alaska Public Interest Research Group (AKPIRG) and the 907 Initiative, finding the complaint credible, substantial, and supported by the evidence. APOC largely agreed that the evidence showed A Stronger Alaska (ASA) to be nothing but a shell obscuring the Republican Governors Association’s (RGA) electoral activities.
The Commission refrained from enjoining ASA from all activity and remanded the case to the Executive Director for further investigation. However, the Commission specifically told ASA that if it continues to engage in election activities, it does so “at its own peril.” Furthermore, the Commission warned the RGA that the evidence at last week’s hearings indicated the two entities are “one in the same” –meaning any further activity by ASA in this election “could expose the Republican Governors Association to penalties during the pendency of the investigation.”
As part of this order, the Commission issued a stern warning to the RGA’s attorneys to preserve all emails, texts, and any other information. Additionally, to the extent the RGA wishes to engage in Alaska’s elections, the Commission encouraged the RGA to do so “in its own name … provided it complies with all campaign finance laws.” AKPIRG and the 907 Initiative agree wholeheartedly: If the RGA wanted to campaign, it always had the right to do so, but it must do so transparently and in its own name.
“This is a huge win for transparency in Alaska’s campaign finances and a reminder of the importance of having oversight in this process,” said Veri di Suvero, Executive Director, AKPIRG. “Although APOC stopped short of specifically enjoining all action by the RGA’s false front, shedding light on this issue underscores the importance of a strong regulatory process to prevent major dark money schemes and their unchecked influence on Alaska’s elections.”
“With this ruling, APOC is standing up for the integrity of our elections,” 907 Initiative Executive Director Aubrey Wieber said. “The RGA should stop illegally spending money in Alaska today. If it wants to campaign, it needs to do so in its own name and in compliance with donor transparency laws. Then, APOC can take the time necessary to finish its investigation and issue the appropriate penalties. Those penalties are likely to be substantial, if not record-breaking.”
In recent weeks, the RGA spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on mailers trying to influence the outcome of the election. These mailers are illegal, containing defective disclosures by, among other things, wrongly stating that they were paid for by a group called A Stronger Alaska. They were not. This blatant attempt to conceal donors and misrepresent the entity funding elections communications has no place in our electoral system.
- More...
Wednesday - October 26, 2022 |
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Alaska: Alaska minimum wage to increase to $10.85 in 2023 - The Alaska minimum wage will increase from $10.34 to $10.85 in 2023. Voters passed a ballot initiative in 2014 to adjust the minimum wage annually for inflation.
Alaska Statute 23.10.065(a) requires the Alaska minimum wage to be adjusted using the Consumer Price Index for urban consumers in the Anchorage metropolitan area (Anchorage CPI-U) for the preceding calendar year. The Anchorage CPI-U increased 4.9 percent in 2021. As a result, the minimum wage will rise from $10.34 to $10.85 effective Jan. 1, 2023. - More...
Wednesday - October 26, 2022
Alaska: The Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission sent 6 delegates to the Mining Accountability Conference - The Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission (SEITC) represented southeast Alaska at the Western Mining Action Network (WMAN) conference held in Reno, Nevada from October 13 through 16th.
The Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission is a commission formed by 15 Tribes located in southeast Alaska seeking the right of consent for their member Tribes over almost a dozen operating and proposed mines in the British Columbia (BC) in the headwaters of the Stikine, Unuk and Taku rivers that nourish these communities through food and cultural practices. Western Mining Action Network (WMAN) is made up of Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples from international frontline communities affected by mining.
According to a news release, the purpose of the conference was to share experiences, to develop a vision for a future with a truly just transition to renewable energy sources without the need for destructive and disruptive mining. The Conference was held in the traditional homelands of the Paiute, Washoe and Shoshone peoples.
SEITC’s vice-Chair Esther Asthon from the Wrangell Cooperative Association (Tribe) was elected to the WMAN Steering Committee.
The theme of the conference focused on the energy transition and the role of mining. A clear consequence of mining is the disproportionate effects to Indigenous communities adjacent or downstream to mining operations. The communities in southeast Alaska are under enormous threats from fast tracked mining proposals in BC. Some of the mines upstream from our Alaskan communities will be among the largest in the world.
Quoting the news release, modern mining is inherently destructive to natural ecosystems including salmon populations already in decline due to climate change. The idea of fixing climate change by increasing mining in salmon-bearing watersheds would spell disaster for the tribes and communities in southeast Alaska that rely on healthy salmon populations and clean water for their continued survival. - More...
Wednesday - October 26, 2022
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HAARP conducting largest set of experiments at its new observatory
By ROD BOYCE
The High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program near Gakona, Alaska, includes a phased array of 180 high-frequency crossed-dipole antennas spread across 33 acres and capable of radiating 3.6 megawatts into the upper atmosphere and ionosphere.
Photo courtesy of HAARP |
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Alaska: HAARP conducting largest set of experiments at its new observatory By ROD BOYCE - Bouncing a signal off the moon.
Learning more about a mysterious polar light.
Sending a beam to Jupiter.
Those are just some of the 13 experiments for a packed 10 days of science that begain on October 19, 2022 at the High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program. The University of Alaska Fairbanks operates the facility located near Gakona.
The number of experiments is the highest so far under a five-year, $9.3 million grant awarded last year by the National Science Foundation to establish the Subauroral Geophysical Observatory at HAARP. The observatory’s purpose is the exploration of Earth’s upper atmosphere and geospace environment.
“The October research campaign is our largest and most diverse to date, with researchers and citizen scientists collaborating from across the globe,” said Jessica Matthews, HAARP’s program manager.
The 10 days of operation includes researchers and others from UAF; NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California; Naval Research Laboratory; Cornell University; University of California, Berkeley; Canada Council for the Arts; John Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory; Virginia Tech; Los Alamos National Lab; and Aerospace Corp.
Among the experiments is the Moon Bounce, a joint operation of the JPL, Owens Valley Radio Observatory in California and the University of New Mexico Long Wavelength Array.
The purpose is to test the coordination of the three facilities for the eventual study of near-Earth asteroids, especially those that can be a hazard to Earth. Knowing an asteroid’s composition can influence the type of defense to be used.
The experiment consists of transmitting a signal from HAARP to the moon and receiving the reflected signal at the California and New Mexico sites.
University of California, Berkeley, scientists will try to learn what causes the unusual polar light known as a strong thermal emission velocity enhancement, or STEVE. This light, which is mostly a white or mauve color, appears at lower latitudes than the aurora. Most scientists studying the aurora believe a STEVE occurs from a mechanism different from what creates the aurora.
The Jupiter experiment, run by Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, aims to prove a method of observing planetary ionospheres by using Earth-based radio transmitters.
Scientists have little information about the ionospheres of planets other than Earth but believe them to be rich with information. On Earth, the ionosphere is a place within the upper atmosphere, extending to the interface with space, that is filled with particles that become electrically charged from interaction with the sun’s energy. - More...
Wednesday - October 26, 2022
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Southeast Alaska: Research reveals magma activity beneath Mount Edgecumbe By ROD BOYCE - Magma beneath long-dormant Mount Edgecumbe volcano in Southeast Alaska has been moving upward through Earth’s crust, according to research the Alaska Volcano Observatory rapidly produced using a new method.
The new approach at the observatory could lead to earlier detection of volcanic unrest in Alaska.
At Mount Edgecumbe, computer modeling based on satellite imagery shows magma is rising to about 6 miles from a depth of about 12 miles and has caused earthquakes and significant surface deformation.
“That's the fastest rate of volcanic deformation that we currently have in Alaska,”said the research paper’s lead author, Ronni Grapenthin, a University of Alaska Fairbanks associate professor of geodesy.
“And while it is not uncommon for volcanoes to deform, the activity at Edgecumbe is unusual because reactivation of dormant volcanic systems is rarely observed,” he said.
An eruption is not imminent, Grapenthin said.
The findings by researchers at the UAF Geophysical Institute and the U.S. Geological Survey were published Oct. 10 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.
The Alaska Volcano Observatory collaborated with the Alaska Satellite Facility, another Geophysical Institute unit, to process data in the cloud — a first for the volcano team.
Cloud computing uses remote servers to store data and provide computing services so a researcher does not have to download and sort data to process it, something that can take weeks or months.
The research team began its work as soon as a swarm of earthquakes was noticed at Mount Edgecumbe on April 11, 2022. Researchers analyzed the previous 7 1/2 years of ground deformation detected in satellite radar data.
Four days later, on April 15, the team had a preliminary result: An intrusion of new magma was causing the earthquakes. A small number of earthquakes began under Edgecumbe in 2020, but the cause was ambiguous until the deformation results were produced.
Additional data processing confirmed the preliminary finding. The Alaska Volcano Observatory informed the public on April 22, less than two weeks after the latest batch of Edgecumbe earthquakes was reported.
“We've done these kinds of analyses before, but new streamlined cloud-based workflows cut weeks or months of analysis down to just days,” said David Fee, the Alaska Volcano Observatory’s coordinating scientist at the Geophysical Institute.
Mount Edgecumbe, at 3,200 feet, is on Kruzof Island on the west side of Sitka Sound. It is part of the Mount Edgecumbe Volcanic Field, which includes the domes and crater of adjacent Crater Ridge. - More...
Wednesday - October 26, 2022
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DAVE KIFFER: A Southeast Cruise, Circa 2025' On board the SS MegaMinnow, November 17, 2025 - Dear Auntie Ethylene,
I just wanted to take a minute to tell you how much we are enjoying our cruise to Alaska, the one you suggested we take last year. We were a little concerned about going so late in the year, but you were absolutely right, we saved a ton of money. I can’t believe it but we snagged the seven-day tour for $150, mostly inclusive, and they even upgraded us to a “captains suite” with not one, but two outside windows!
Of course, the weather has been less than optimal, but your suggestion that we bring extra dimenhydrinate pills was a life saver. I have never slept better than when we bucked into that 110-mile-per-hour hurricane between Juneau and Ketchikan last night. Talk about rock a bye baby, I felt snugger than a seabug in a searug. Wouldn't have even known about the chancy weather except that the lifeboat outside our window was gone when we woke up. Buddy says they don't make those davits like they used to. - More...
Wednesday - October 26, 2022
RODNEY DIAL: Every day is a test, and we will be graded at the end - Now that the local election is past us, I want to share a story of one of the most profound experiences in my life that occurred while serving the Ketchikan Gateway Borough in 2019. Before I begin, I need to give a little back story about me to put this in the proper context.
I spent my early years growing up in Anchorage Alaska. We lived in an area called Nunaka valley; a collection of hundreds of small old homes in the city, surrounded by hills. Our house was within walking distance of the elementary school and my sister and I would make the trek to and from school every day.
One day, when I was very young, I remember walking home from school, entering the house and seeing my mother hunched over a roll top desk, hands on her face crying. I have very few memories from those days, but I can still remember many of the details of this event, such as sunlight shining into the house from the screen door. - More...
Wednesday - October 26, 2022
FINANCIAL FOCUS: Don’t overlook importance of cash Provided By BEN EDWARDS, AAMS® - If you’re an investor, you no doubt pay a great deal of attention to your stocks, bonds and mutual funds. But you shouldn’t forget another key element of your financial strategy: cash.
Cash is part of any financial strategy and investment portfolio, but how much have you thought about the different uses of cash, and how much you really need? Consider these four key purposes:
• Unexpected expenses and emergencies – If you face an interruption in employment, you need an extensive home repair or you encounter an unplanned medical expense, you may need access to cash. If you’re not retired, it’s a good idea to have three to six months of living expenses in cash, possibly supplemented by access to a line of credit. If you’re already retired, keeping up to three months of living expenses in cash, possibly supplemented by a credit line, is a good rule of thumb. - More....
Wednesday - October 26, 2022
TAYLOR KOVAR: Ask Taylor: Online Banks, Yay or Nay? - Hi Taylor - I saw that Square launched a new bank. What’s the deal there? Can any business become a bank? Are they trustworthy? How do I decide where to keep my money?
Hey Lauren - When you step back to look at it, the evolution of banking and finance has been nuts over the last decade. Depositing checks on our phones, taking payments with personal credit card readers, and doing all of our banking through companies that exist entirely online. It’s a far cry from the days of piggy banks at home and cash in a credit union vault.
There’s no reason to be afraid of the Square bank. In fact, like so many digital banking options, there are some serious benefits to consider, assuming you qualify for their services. - More...
Wednesday - October 26, 2022 |
POLITICAL CARTOONS
Political Cartoon: While it still matters
by John Darkow©2022, Columbia Missourian
Distributed to subscribers for publication by CagleCartoons.com
Political Cartoon: Accepting the results
by John Darkow©2022, Columbia Missourian
Distributed to subscribers for publication by CagleCartoons.com
Political Cartoon: Pelosi and Midterms
by Dick Wright©2022, PoliticalCartoons.com
Distributed to subscribers for publication by CagleCartoons.com
Political Cartoons: There's Always 2024
by Bill Day©2022, FloridaPolitics.com
Distributed to subscribers for publication by CagleCartoons.com
Political Cartoons: Retraining required
by Rivers©2022, CagleCartoons.com
Distributed to subscribers for publication by CagleCartoons.com
Political Cartoon: Student test scores drop
by Dave Granlund©2022, PoliticalCartoons.com
Distributed to subscribers for publication by CagleCartoons.com |
Please send any candidates' support letters in for publication by November 4th. Send letters in text, pdf, or doc formats. Please, no photo scanned/saved letters.
Jeremy Bynum for State Rep By Sharyl E. Yeisley - I will be voting for Jeremy Bynum for District 1 State Representative in our upcoming election, November 8th. Over time, I have been able to get to know Jeremy and his wife, Carolyn, which has provided me the opportunity to ask him questions that pertain to Alaska and get to know his background.
Mr. Bynum is a US Air Force Veteran. He served in both the Bosina-Herzegovina and Kosovo wars for nearly six years including time stationed in Europe. He was Air National Guard while in college, briefly returning to active duty after 9/11 before graduating from college with an Electrical Engineering degree. He is currently a licensed Professional Engineer in Alaska and Washington. He also had a civilian service career as an engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers working in hydro-power across the U.S. and abroad, to include civil support missions in Afghanistan.
He is the Acting Electric Division Manager with Ketchikan Public Utilities. Recently he advocated and helped develop the Power Sales Agreement between Ketchikan and Metlakatla, providing a power connection between our cities known as the Metlakatla-Ketchikan Intertie (MKI). MKI is no longer a discussion spanning over 57 years, it is a reality. - More...
Thursday - October 27, 2022
Let's Vote Dan Ortiz to another term By Richard H. Smith - After watching the Ted Ferry civic Center candidate debate event virtually, I am compelled to again express my support for Representative Dan Ortiz. Watching my community in Ketchikan, indeed Alaska realign solely along party line is discouraging.
Alaska voters, especially in Ketchikan have a strong history of voting for the person we believe can do the best job representing us. Ketchikan has been a tolerant and inclusive community. Party affiliations are not always important and in the fall race for representative, it is less important than ever.
We need to elect the man who has a proven track record and has made his life in Ketchikan. relative newcomers have high ideals, fueled in part by youth, but especially by ignorance of how politics function in the legislative sense and how the work is accomplished in Juneau for our state. We don't always agree, but that is part of the process. - More...
Thursday - October 27, 2022
Despite Murkowski’s claims, Alaska won’t see benefits of infrastructure bill By By Kelly Tshibaka - According to an old adage, if you stand in the middle of the road, sooner or later you’ll get run over. That’s exactly what happened when Sen. Lisa Murkowski decided to work with the radical environmentalists in the Biden administration. Murkowski helped write an "infrastructure" bill that was immediately hijacked by Biden administration extremists who are imposing smothering regulations that will likely leave Alaska without the new projects Murkowski promised.
If you call Murkowski out on this, she gets “combative,” according to the Anchorage Daily News, and it’s little wonder why. After 21 years in a Senate seat she was given by her father when he became governor, she doesn’t like to be questioned, much less criticized.
But we don’t elect monarchs, we elect public servants we expect to be effective. And the record clearly shows that on the infrastructure bill, as in many other important areas, Lisa Murkowski simply was ineffective. - More...
Thursday - October 27, 2022
Vote for your children’s future. Vote because it’s patriotic. By Rob Okun - Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves. The only way they could do this is by not voting. - Franklin D. Roosevelt
Since midterm elections rarely have the pizazz of a presidential c dontest, a lot of eligible citizens don’t bother to vote in them. To a growing number of those citizens who do vote, failing to cast a ballot this year would be comparable to crewmembers of the Titanic abandoning their posts as the ship approached the iceberg. I’m not being hyperbolic.
Choose your own definition: we’re in a crisis, we’re at an inflection point, the shift has hit the fan. However you characterize this moment in the United States of Disruption, people across the political spectrum agree: staying on the sidelines this election is a cop out. - More...
Thursday - October 27, 2022
Your brain on elections By Melinda Burrell - “I’m afraid what Thanksgiving will be like, no matter how the election turns out,” a friend commented. She’s not wrong to be worried. Elections bring up all sorts of emotions and behaviors that create division. Understanding our “brains on elections” can help.
Psychologists note that we all have many identities. Some of mine include writer, trainer, wife, and daughter. When my father had a health crisis, being a daughter became far more important to me than being a writer. Yet later, when I saw poor communication at a board meeting, my identity as a conflict trainer came to the fore.
Now, as we are deluged with election-season news, our political identities not only are triggered but also affect our behaviors even beyond politics. As Stanford political scientist Shanto Iyengar found, we’re less likely to hire someone from the other party, definitely don’t want our children marrying across the political divide, and all of this is worsening because we don’t have norms to control negative political speech. In democratic terms, we’re losing opportunities for conversations to understand others’ ideas about the problems we share. - More...
Thursday - October 27, 2022
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Vote Dan Ortiz for House Representative By Barbara L Bigelow and Richard H. Smith - My spouse (Richard H. Smith) and I write this letter of dedicated support for House Representative Dan Ortiz. Dan has been serving the communities in his district for several years and is what we call a seasoned leader. Others desire to serve, but we choose to put our vote where one leader stands out among others and has an extraordinarily strong record of commitment to the overall best interests of his constituency. - More...
Monday - October 17, 2022
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DAN ORTIZ ENDORSEMENT FOR ALASKA STATE HOUSE, 2022 By Jim and Mary Lynne Dahl - The upcoming Alaska state election will be critical to the future of our state. As retired financial planners with 25 and 43 years in Ketchikan, we have always taken a broad and long-term view of how to solve problems and plan for a prosperous future. It is for this reason that we will vote for Dan Ortiz for District 1, Alaska State House this coming November. - More...
Monday - October 17, 2022
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Actions set an example of civic pride without fanfare By A.M.Johnson - While driving home this afternoon, I witnessed what I have been seeing for the past several months swearing to comment on it. It is the gentleman who is wandering along the streets of Ketchikan picking up trash. I cheered him on silently reflecting on past history of Ketchikan when the court would allow folks arrested for minor issues resulting in short jail time, to acquire a city provided garbage can on wheels and implements, of which they would clear the street gutters much as this apparent volunteer is employing. - More...
Monday - October 17, 2022
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AMHS Season Change Update By Rep. Dan Ortiz - As your state representative, one of the concerns I hear most frequently about is our Alaska Marine Highway System. I am thankful for the educated, vocal, and committed constituency we have here in southern Southeast. Continuing to speak up about what we need from the ferry system is vital.. - More...
Monday - October 17, 2022
RE: Reconciliations took decades to come By A.M.(Al) Johnson - I was a young vestry member of St. Johns during this decision. It was heart rendering, tremulous and yes, it was a fiscal decision, the decision was as I recall, which of the two church buildings would be shuttered. The logical answer was to retain St. Johns in part, to the location. This decision followed the advocation of the then viewed, fiscal condition of the Alaska Episcopalian diocese's conditions where funds to maintain the two churches argued with the needs of the over all of the diocese. - More...
Monday - October 17, 2022
Getting people back into the Ketchikan workforce By Michael Hosley - We here at First City Haven shelter in Ketchikan are reaching out to members of the community to gauge interest in a community work program we are working on to help those who are able and willing to work to reintegrate into the workforce and gain more current work experience. - More...
Monday- October 17, 2022
November Election Issues By Donald Moskowitz - The upcoming mid-term election and possibly the general election in 2024 could revolve around three major issues ------ internal threats to our democracy, abortion and inflation. - More...
Monday - October 17, 2022
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