Sorted by date Results 951 - 975 of 1098
To the Editor: I viewed your dance group on North 360 during celebration and they were truly an inspiration. The Unity of Youth dancing with Elders was just lovely. The colors and regalia were stunning and the hats were outstanding. Well done, Wrangell. Once again, you’ve done yourselves proud. Christina Sakamoto...
To the Editor: In this day of wanting everything given to us, reality often is overlooked. Here is a case: both responses to the question posed to Chuck residents reflect both sides of this concern. In the end as it affects this marine traveler, I will adjust as I have all my adult life, living on what I can afford or do. As I did when the Wrangell moorage began increasing, I reduced the times and days of moorage in Wrangell. Nothing personal in that action, just a case of living within my means recognizing cost increases are a living...
Here we are into the month of May. Easter has passed by and we are moving into the family season. Bright outdoor playground weather, baseball, Mother’s Day and graduation. It is with a renewed spirit we take on the fun times ahead. Children are happy to be playing baseball with parents, grandparents cheering them on. Children are so excited to present their mom’s with that special item to show their undying love for them. We will all gather in our high school to witness our young adults make a major step into a completely new world as they gra...
To the Editor: A May 1 letter authored by Kip Valvoda gives readers the impression that Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) is neglecting lead-based paint in its public housing properties. This is not the case. The health and safety of our tenants is a top priority since AHFC’s very mission is “to provide Alaskans access to safe, quality and affordable housing. Lead based paint was banned for use in the United States in 1978, and AHFC has worked to address the issue of old lead based paint. Etolin Heights in Wrangell is a good exa...
To the Editor: I have another question for all people in public housing within the state of Alaska: Do you have headaches? Rashes? Are your kids underachievers, lethargic? This could be a sign of lead poisoning. The federal government enacted laws for the identification and removal of harmful lead in housing, similar to asbestos. However the nepotism rampant within the state’s administration has ignored this fact, ignoring federal law. This does put your children as well as yourself at risk. The build up of lead in a child’s system will lea...
The Thomas Bay Power Authority needs to censure its president, James Stough, for his action two weeks ago that ordered, via letter, the end of negotiations to allow the Southeast Alaska Power Agency to take over operations at the Tyee Lake Hydroelectric Project. Stough took the action without the approval and in some cases without the knowledge of his fellow commission members. It was an irresponsible move and he had no authority to carry it out without the joint approval of his fellow TBPA commissioners. Again, without the support of fellow...
Welcome to my last Peggy’s Corner for the 2014 session. We have worked diligently in both houses of the Legislature on many pieces of legislation that will affect our state for many years. Throughout the process this year we have been trying to keep our eye to Alaska’s future. State employees will be happy to learn that the legislature put in place a long term plan to pay down the unfunded liability in the PERS/TRS retirement systems. $2 billion will be moved from our constitutional budget reser...
To the Editor: First off, it was my grandson Trey Torvend, home from the Navy, after a two-year leave, not my son. Yes, I did address the nine-foot graves. What I didn’t know was ordinance 15.16.080 allows that. (Sorry, Two-Story). Also ordinance of 1966 says a 3.5-by-9 foot was determined by a plan to maximize capacity. Well, I’m not the smartest in math, but if you make a grave size only to six feet, that size of cemetery you should get 3 to 4 more rows for burial. That would maximize capacity. Also with the larger and longer sites, you can...
To the Editor: In reference to your photo in the March 20 edition showing a water main repair on St. Michael’s Street: Where’s the steel cage to protect the worker from a cave in? Do they use them? Mel Bailey...
Hello and welcome to week twelve of Peggy’s Corner of the House. I am pleased to report that the House Resources Committee, of which I am vice-chair, unanimously moved SB 138 onto the next committee. SB 138 is the Governor’s bill that will authorize the administration to continue negotiations on firm contracts for the development of a natural gas pipeline. Following almost a week of very detailed discussions on amendments, I believe a much better bill has moved forward. The House Finance Committee has now taken up the bill for further eva...
To the Editor: I have 3 questions to the public, and don’t know who to ask, so here goes. #1 Why is the legislature going after the Marine Highway system? When these same legislatures break state law and transport their personal vehicles without drivers to and from the capitol, as well as trying to destroy jobs in this economy by dismantling a system with the lowest paid members of any state union. #2 Why has there been no mention of the Federal Investigation, of Rich Rhodes and our school system? #3 What is our Energy department doing about th...
By Representative Peggy Wilson Hello and welcome to week eleven of Peggy’s Corner of the House. If you are following the legislature at any level right now you will see that bills are moving rapidly as much of the behind the scenes work and committee deliberations have been completed. Committee meetings have expanded hours and weekend meetings are regularly happening to be sure that everyone has adequate information on all of the matters before us. This is in addition to the major session issues such as education, gasline, omnibus crime b...
Hello and welcome to week ten of Peggy’s Corner of the House. Every year I look forward to the House Majority poll on issues pertinent to Alaskans. I was personally very pleased to see that the majority of the public opinion indicates that both sides of the Legislature are on the right track. There were, of course, many questions in the survey dealing with all kinds of issues that the Legislature is working on that will affect all of us. I also know that it is important for those of us in rural and Southeast Alaska to always take these r...
Hello and welcome to week nine of Peggy’s Corner of the House. Although the deadline has passed for all personal legislation to be introduced, committees still have the ability to introduce legislation that is specific to a committee. This has happened in my Transportation Committee. The Department of Administration, that oversees the Department of Motor Vehicles, (DMV) has asked that we carry HB 378 which relates to keeping Alaska compliant with federal regulations pertaining to our commercial driver license (CDL) program. This bill is i...
Hello everyone! Welcome to week eight of our Legislative Session. We have entered the downside of the session so, as in past years, the pace has quickened and night meetings will continue to happen more and more in order for us to get all of the work done in the allotted 90 days. I am excited to report that this past week my House Joint Resolution 10 (HJR10) passed from the House over to the Senate. For the past five years I have been advocating for an Alaska Transportation Infrastructure Fund (ATIF). In Fiscal Year 2014, 79 percent of...
The past couple of weeks we have had alternating views of what is happening in Washington DC – House leadership spent time with Senator Murkowski. She spoke of one of the primary issues we continue to fight as a state – federal over-reach on our lands, waters and resources. She is also working very hard to ensure Alaska is represented in all Arctic discussions. Senator Begich was also here this past week and provided his outlook on education, taxes and health issues. Several legislators headed back to Washington DC this past week to attend Ene...
By Representative Peggy Wilson Hello and welcome to Peggy’s Corner of the House. It was great to be able to get to Ketchikan to meet with folks. It did my heart good! The sunshine that Ketchikan enjoyed followed me to Juneau and now I’m enjoying it again. This week at the Capitol has been like old home week. I had constituents drop in from Coffman Cove, City of Ketchikan, City of Saxman, Ketchikan Gateway Borough and Thorne Bay. Additionally several other business folks made the effort to come to Juneau to provide me with their perspective on...
To the Editor: I want to tell the people of this community that I absolutely loved the time I was here in Wrangell. I have met so many wonderful and friendly folks here. Where else could one take a walk on the dock and end up in conversation with someone time after time. Not only is this a pretty town it is a gracious town. Unfortunately, due to my job with AICS being outsourced to a California company I am forced to leave to find work. This community needs jobs kept local. Since being “outsourced” the beginning of Feb., I have encountered no...
Hello and welcome to Peggy’s Corner of the House. This week I’d like to review a few of the many education bills that are making their way through the Legislature. In the House Education Committee we are continuing an in-depth review of the Governor’s omnibus education bill HB 278. Last week there was attention given to the three sections that included increasing the stipend for boarding school students, repealing the high school exit exam, and technical-vocational educational programs. This week we focused on the education tax credit secti...
Wrangell Ministerial Reflection Last year my father died and left us with a wonderful gift. During the last years of his life he became a writer. He wrote stories from his childhood. He wrote about our mother, his love for her, and the things he found endearing in their relationship. He wrote about things he observed in the world and what they meant to him. One of the most precious parts of his collection is the ponderings of his heart which he addressed to my son, lessons about the struggles of life and his words of encouragement and advice...
To the Editor: It is my understanding that the city is considering changing Brueger Street to a one-way street. Brueger Street, located right in front of city hall, begins at the north end of Campbell Drive (formally known as Outer Drive) and ends at the south end of Campbell Drive. I have seen this street become a little congested in areas, however, I would rather look at other options than changing this street to a one-way. I would rather the city consider parking only on one side or the other. Parking space is not a problem. There is plenty...
Excitement was high that day as we prepared our first Christmas program for the indigenous tribe we had been sent to evangelize. They knew that the lowlanders celebrated Christmas by giving gifts and partying, but they had no idea why. This was our perfect opportunity to share the Christmas story with them. We had learned that if we wanted to get a large turnout all we had to do was announce by word of mouth that we would be providing a feast or gifts to all that came and natives would come out of nowhere. This afternoon’s program would be a...
To the Editor: I think the recent cutting of trees on the Volunteer Park nature trail, apparently just to take the tops for Christmas trees, deserves some consideration. This is a heavily used recreational walk, with interpretive signs and doggy bag dispensers, not a remote area. There has been considerable effort and money put into developing this trail, with gravel path and benches. Obviously all who go there do so by choice, to enjoy the natural beauty, and get out for a little exercise. Footprints in the snow reveal many users come here eac...
Christmas! What images come to your mind when you think about it? Christmas trees, mistletoe, gifts, snow, shopping, or family? Maybe you think of shepherds, an angel choir, wise men, a stable, or a pregnant mother on a donkey? We all enjoy the first list of things I mentioned. It seems that the whole world has jumped on that band wagon. How many of us really focus our attention on the second list and what Christmas is really all about? Most of the world has rejected the belief in moral absolutes or sin. “If it feels good, do it,” they say...
The focus of Christmas these days seems to be the debates…whether it’s Christmas or Holidays, if X takes Christ out of Christmas, if we spend this much or that much, and what if they bring this or make that, how am I going to beat that, to travel or not, or how many parties do I go to, and…I hope I get what I want or my Christmas will be ruined. None of this even starts to include what we are bombarded with once we turn on the TV or get online. In the midst of ALL the Christmas of society, Christmas is getting lost. Christmas of Hope, Christmas...