The Skagway News - Jan. 20, 2023

THE SKAGWAY NEWS.

Sales tax increase headed to voters

By Melinda Munson

The assembly voted unanimously Dec. 15 to possibly increase the sales tax rate from its current 5% to 6.5% during second and third quarters (April through September). Ordinance 2210, proposed by Assemblymember Dan Henry, will be known as Proposition One on a special election ballot to be scheduled this spring.

“I don’t want to say that we are bleeding through every orifice at this point, but we certainly have significant challenges,” Henry said to describe the finances of the city.

Assemblymember Jay Burnham said that at first he was opposed to the increase, but after attending Alaska Municipal League and discovering other cities are discussing raising their rates, he changed his mind.

“...this would just be putting us on par with everyone else,” he said. “ So there’s no reason really, that I can see anymore, especially if other people are raising their sales tax, to not go to 6.5.”

Assemblymember Sam Bass agreed with raising the rate, but wanted to keep it lower than 6.5%.

“I think we are leaving a lot of revenue on the table with our current sales tax numbers,” Bass said. “I think we could get more sales tax and especially if we have the abatement for the second and third quarter. I think the majority of the sales tax that we gather, you know, is mainly from our visitors. And I think that’s appropriate. I think that’s okay.

My only concern is Juneau’s at 5%. Sitka is at 5%.

Two suspected overdose deaths, Skagway reacts, acts

By Melinda Munson

Late night Jan. 13, Skagway lost 28-year-old Anthony Bowers to a suspected overdose, possibly linked to fentanyl. Less than 24 hours later, James Cook, 44, also died of a suspected overdose, possibly linked to fentanyl.

Police have not released the names of the men but the identities of the deceased are common knowledge within the locality. Next of kin have been notified.

If the deaths are proven to be caused by fentanyl, they will be the first known fentanyl deaths in Skagway.

“Skagway municipal officials urge residents to dispose of any illegally obtained drugs immediately,” read a Jan. 14 release from Borough Manager Brad Ryan, shortly following the second death. “Two deaths within the last 24 hours are under investigation for possible drug overdose, but regard-

less of the outcome, municipal officials are urging a preponderance of caution. Our hearts go out to everyone in Skagway suffering from loss … check in on your family, friends and neighbors as we navigate this tragedy.”

On Jan 15, The Skagway Police Department (SPD) “seized a large number of pills that is believed to be fentanyl,” in part due to tips from the community, according to a SPD statement.

“For a long time, we felt like this was news, but now it’s here,” said Assemblymember Orion Hanson.

The brightly colored tablets found in Skagway are known as rainbow fentanyl and are designed to entice younger users.

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), “fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent

than morphine. Just two milligrams of fentanyl, which is equal to 10-15 grains of table salt, is considered a lethal dose. Without laboratory testing, there is no way to know how much fentanyl is concentrated in a pill or powder.”

The DEA states that the color of the pill does not indicate the concentration of fentanyl.

Police Chief Jerry Reddick said the investigation is ongoing and there is currently no one in custody. According to Reddick, SPD is working with the Southeast Alaska Cities Against Drugs task force and specifically Haines, “so both communities, as close as we are, are all on the same page.”

The Department of Health dispatched a nurse to address Skagway’s Jan. 18 crowded and emotional Public Safety Committee meeting. Nurse Megan Broklesby explained

when and how to administer naloxone (name brand Narcan) to reverse an opioid overdose. With her, she brought a supply of fentanyl test strips and naloxone kits, which she and Mayor Andrew Cremata placed around town the following day. A limited number of test stips and naloxone kits are available from the clinic and Skagway Traditional Council. All of the drinking establishments in town have trained staff and supplies to deal with an opioid overdose.

Cremata, who spent most of Tuesday on the phone arranging for mental health support, said he was “moved” by the number of entities within the state that responded to his request for help, with over 40 agencies offering assistance.

In-person mental health professionals are available at

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Photo by Melinda Munson

Mark Baker speaks at the Jan.18 Public Safety Committee meeting as Police Chief Jerry Reddick and Fire Chief Emily Rauscher listen. Public Safety Nurse Megan Broklesby gave a naloxone presentation to the crowded room.

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Jan. 20, 2023

New federal funding could aid Alaska Marine Highway System

By Frank H. Murkowski

It’s past time for the Southeast and coastal Alaska communities to be heard regarding the collapse of our ferry system. It’s time to more forcefully make our Alaska Marine Highway needs known by energizing the Southeast Conference, the Southeast Conference of Mayors and other organizations. Southeastern and coastal Alaska are entitled to have a highway functioning just like our roaded neighbors to the north. The newly passed Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill provides the federal funding to make this happen if we don’t let it slip away.

The AMHS (Alaska Marine Highway System) was created in the early 1960s. Our new state quickly recognized that Southeast Alaska’s transportation needs could only be served by ferry vessels connecting the major communities of the region. Under the stewardship of then-governor Bill Egan, three vessels were built: the Malaspina, the Taku and the Matanuska. They were in service for over 50 years serving the port of Prince Rupert, which was a Canadian highway connection accommodating communities to the north, including Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, Sitka, Juneau, Haines and Skagway. The AMHS was then a significant economic engine stimulating Southeast’s economy to function and prosper.

Under the current state administration, three of the vessels have recently been sold or scrapped.

While the administration says, “There is no plan to cut or destroy the Alaska Marine Highway system,” the real story is in the ridership. With fewer vessels, ridership which had been averaging over 250,000 in 2019 dropped to 135,000 in 2020 and 38,000 in the year 2021. Sailings to communities dropped down to one stop per week, when previously it had averaged every other day. The largest of the vessels, the M.V. Columbia has been berthed at the stateowned Vigor Shipyard in Ketchikan for the last two years.

Service to Prince Rupert is almost non-existent, even though negotiations with Canadian officials have resolved the long outstanding issue of repair to the Prince Rupert terminal.

Excuses offered by the administration for the decline in AMHS traffic include the impact of COVID-19, the shortage of trained crew members and funding for the system. Unfortunately, the mentality behind denying sufficient funding to support the AMHS is that it is not generating enough revenue to cover operations and maintenance costs. It should be obvious that our land highways also don’t collect sufficient revenue to cover operations and maintenance costs; rather, the return to the public is a vibrant and strong Alaskan economy. Southeast must continue to be included in our statewide transporta-

tion structure on an equal footing with the rest of Alaska.

The evidence is clear that the AMHS is in grave danger of failing and moving into Alaska’s history books, just as the timber industry did in the 1990s. Should Southeast Alaska lose its public transportation capacity, the impact upon its 32 communities, particularly the small communities, would be devastating.

With attention to management and sufficient funding, it doesn’t have to end that way. As a consequence of the recently passed federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, the AMHS is eligible for the following funds:

• $1 billion for a new program that establishes an essential ferry service to support rural communities. The funding money is only available for rural ferry routes over 50 miles in length, of which Alaska has many and other states very few. This program will provide funding to the Alaska Marine Highway System.

• $250 million for an electric or low-emitting ferry pilot program, with at least one pilot to be conducted in the state with the most marine highway System miles -- Alaska, which has more than 3,100 miles of marine highway, much of which is in Southeast Alaska.

• $342 million for the Construction of Ferry Boats and Ferry Terminal Facilities Program, of which Alaska should receive $73 million. It provides an authorization for recipients of funding under the program to spend on ferry “operating costs.” Alaska operators who previously received formula funds under this program in FY20 were the Alaska Marine Highway System, Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Inter-Island Ferry Authority and Seldovia Village Tribe.

•Authorizes federal-aid highway funds to the Alaska Marine Highway System to be spent on operation and repair.

Alaska is also eligible for the following funding for ports:

• $2.25 billion for the Port Infrastructure Development Program, which provides critical support to ports big and small throughout Alaska; and

• $250 million for remote and subsis-

tence harbor construction. This will go toward building ports in rural areas, many of which are not connected to a road system and in need of a port, similar to many rural communities in Alaska.

So, there are clearly federal funds available to restructure the ferry system, and those funds must not be diverted to other state projects.

To start off the new year, we should consider the following schedule which is achievable based on our long history in the Prince Rupert route structure: First, we should take the Colombia out of layup, and make it operational by April or thereabouts. It should have regularly scheduled weekly sailings departing Bellingham and proceeding north to serve the other Southeast communities along the route to Juneau.

Second, the motor vessel Matanuska should operate twice weekly from Prince Rupert to Ketchikan and southeastern communities en route to Juneau. From Juneau we could utilize the day ferries, Tazlina and Hubbard, to move people and vehicles north to Skagway and Haines. From there, they could connect to the Alaska highway system for routing onto the Anchorage-Fairbanks road and waypoints.

Third, the M.V Kennicott and Tustumena should be on a schedule in western Alaska among the communities of Kodiak, Cordova, Valdez, Homer, Seward, Unalaska, etc.

With a firm schedule, and advanced advertising that entices visitors to Alaska with their automobiles, the AMHS would be in a position to resume traffic levels on our vessels approaching the record of 280,000 we established in the early 2000s. Regaining these levels of public transport would benefit not only all of Alaska but particularly the economy of Southeast Alaska, which is currently in rapid decline. It is up to us.

Frank H. Murkowski is a former Alaska governor (2002-2006) and U.S. senator (1980-2002) and a resident of Wrangell.

Publishers Melinda Munson

Gretchen Wehmhoff

Managing Editor Melinda Munson

Production Editor/Sales Gretchen Wehmhoff

Editor Emeritus William J. “Jeff” Brady

Photo provided by Alaska Marine Highway System

MV LeConte

By Governor Mike Dunleavy

There has been a renaissance happening in the energy world that’s transformed carbon from a liability into an asset that can be monetized – if one has the ability to manage and store it.

No other state, and indeed few other countries, have the resources that Alaska does that will allow us to generate new revenue from these growing markets for carbon management, including carbon capture, utilization and storage, also known as CCUS.

Alaska has vast forests and coastlines that can provide natural carbon management. Just as our forests act as carbon “sinks,” so, too, can we host offshore kelp forests that can absorb carbon, reduce ocean acidification, and generate revenue and economic activity. We also have the ability to capture and sequester carbon in basins both in Cook Inlet and the North Slope.

The discovery of oil on the Kenai Peninsula some 65 years ago provided the driving force for statehood, and since then the Cook Inlet fields have provided energy and jobs for Alaskans along with nearly 50 years of LNG exports to Japan.

The era of Cook Inlet as a major oil and gas producer is behind us, even though the Basin remains an important source of in-state energy and feedstocks for in-state refining. However, a new era is upon us where Cook Inlet’s depleted fields have the potential to continue sustaining our economy and providing revenue to the State treasury for years to come.

The Cook Inlet basin represents the largest carbon sequestration resource on the U.S. West Coast with an estimated 50 gigatons of storage potential. For perspective, that represents 50 years of carbon emissions from the entire nation of Japan.

Our currently stranded North Slope natural gas is the key to replacing Cook Inlet supplies for Alaskans and shipping low carbon energy to our Asian allies. With the deployment of CCUS in Cook Inlet, the Kenai Peninsula has a major role to play in the future production of zero carbon hydrogen and ammonia fuels that are in demand from those same Asian customers as they pursue their internal net zero emissions targets.

In short, Alaska is blessed with nearly limitless assets that can be monetized in global markets for carbon offsets and carbon removal that have grown from just more than $20 billion in 2016 to $84 billion in 2021, according to the World Bank.

Our Alaska Native corporations have been capitalizing on these markets for years since qualifying for California’s carbon cap-andtrade program. As of 2019, the carbon offsets registered in Alaska were worth $370 million and were the biggest forestry participants in the California system.

The State of Alaska does not have the statutory and regulatory structure to capitalize on these emerging carbon markets currently, so I’ll be introducing legislation in the early days of the upcoming session to address this need.

I’m asking lawmakers to take up this legislation seriously and expeditiously as a revenue source that’s part of a long-term fiscal

carbon markets

solution that complements revenue from oil and gas and the Permanent Fund.

To those representing the backbone of our resource industry in oil and gas who may be worried that entering these carbon markets represents a shift in my support, be assured it does not. This is merely another opportunity that Alaska can capitalize on.

We will keep doing what we’ve always done: produce our resources with the highest environmental standards.

Oil and natural gas will remain in demand for decades, which will make production with the smallest carbon footprint the most attractive for investment. My vision is to make Alaska the most attractive place on the planet for those investments.

We’ve already seen this potential in the announcement by Santos and Repsol to proceed with the $2.6 billion Pikka project that will add 80,000 barrels to the pipeline, create 2,600 jobs during construction and require 500 jobs during operations.

In the announcement approving the first phase of the project, majority owner Santos committed to ensure Pikka is a net zero project by virtue of the low carbon footprint of its operations and through carbon offsets they are pursuing with Alaska Native corporations. In its Pikka announcement, Repsol stated the project has one of the lowest carbon intensity scores of any in its upstream portfolio.

The budget deficit for fiscal year 2024 as introduced on Dec. 15 will no doubt revive calls for cutting the PFD or imposing taxes on Alaskans. There will no doubt be those who find fault with what isn’t in the budget, and there are also many of my own priorities that aren’t included or fully funded.

I ran for governor twice on a pledge to monetize our shared resources before I will consider asking Alaskans to bear any financial burden from a reduced PFD or new taxes. This includes monetizing our immense carbon management resources.

That’s a pledge I intend to keep. With support from the Legislature for a statutory framework that will allow us to generate revenue from these expanding carbon markets, we can preserve the PFD, provide the services that Alaskans expect, invest in our shared future through education, maintain our status as a low-tax jurisdiction and be a global leader in low or zero carbon energy sources.

What we do in the next four months and four years will set our course for the next 50 years and beyond.

“North to the Future” isn’t just a catchy motto to me; it’s my guiding principle.

By working with like-minded legislators and stakeholders, we’ll turn that principle into policies, and in turn into a new era of prosperity for the Alaskans we serve.

Mike Dunleavy is the 12th Governor of Alaska.

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Alaska must act now to capitalize on

By Melinda Munson

My mom tells a story from decades ago about kneeling above a drug addict in a dirty men’s bathroom near Boston and administering mouth to mouth. It wasn’t what she expected to do that Saturday. She had a rare day off from her large brood and was looking for some relaxation. But after a request for assistance from a panicked librar-

Will there be judgment?

ian, my mother, who is not a medical professional, found herself staring at the yellow tiled floor assisting a bluefaced man no one else would help. Others were willing to do chest compressions but nobody wanted to touch the stranger’s mouth.

What my mother remembers most from that day is the judgment she felt from witnesses swirling above her. Was that man worth saving? Was he worth touching intimately, possibly risking the health of another person?

Her first response when she heard about Skagway’s first suspected fentanyl overdose deaths was to ask: Will there be judgment?

I immediately told her no

and I think I’m right. In this town of less than 800 yearround winter residents, everyone is someone’s uncle, brother, father, co-worker.

GoFundMe pages have sprung up to cover funeral expenses, flights and housing for family members. Meals have been delivered. Collection jars are out at local businesses. It probably won’t be long before there’s a Burger Feed at the Elks in support of the families whose loved one succumbed.

We all have family and friends who are addicted. Dear ones who consistently choose drugs over honesty, or eating or staying safe. I adopted a family member’s child for this very reason.

Birth mom forgets to call on her child’s birthday. She doesn’t take responsibility for the consequences her drug use has on her offspring’s body. It’s unfair and difficult, but she’s the one who truly suffers, trapped in a cycle of trauma and abuse that only she can exit. I worry that eventually she’ll end up on a bathroom floor, overdosed, with onlookers judging her, refusing aid.

The Skagway Traditional Council, the municipality and the clinic are working to get naloxone (Narcan) kits into the hands of anyone willing to learn how to use the drug to reverse an opioid overdose. Alaska residents can get two free kits

from Iknowmine.org after an online training that takes 15 minutes. The kit includes naloxone nasal spray (two doses), gloves, face shield for rescue breathing, fentanyl test strip and instructions.

This will treat the immediate symptoms of an overdose, but I hope our community can do more. I hope we embrace counseling for those affected by loved ones with addiction. I hope we offer mental health resources and support to those who are addicted. I hope we work with the police to combat drug dealers (P3Tips) and I hope we continue to lift up those families devastated by loss. Because it’s winter. And this isn’t over.

Making child care more affordable in Alaska is a win-win Congress should reenact the Child Tax Credit

By Lesil McGuire

During my time in service to the people of Alaska, I was mystified year after year that the debate around our support for children and families could often erupt into controversy. My experience showed me that the debates were around the edges when the sound discussions could have been in the middle. It is in the middle where most can agree and policies can be crafted that effectuate the support we all want to see.

At the federal level, I have watched a similar pattern transpire with Republican and Democratic members of the U.S. House and Senate fighting hard on the edges and not pulling together where American families need them most.

For a brief, six-month period in 2021, something life-changing happened for tens of millions of American families: They started receiving automatic monthly payments of as much as $300 per child to use for

whatever they needed. The tax credit was temporarily made fully refundable, allowing the lowest-income families to receive the full value of the credit even if they did not owe taxes. Before this change such families could not receive the full value of the credit that was available.

With the average cost of $11,300 per year to raise a child in Alaska, it provided tremendous relief for working families throughout our state, and in many cases literally lifted children out of poverty.

But Congress allowed the payments to expire in January, ending an expanded child tax credit that could have been a source of financial stability as inflation makes almost everything more expensive.

Whether the 2021 rules will be reenacted remains in flux as of this writing. Current policy proposals to amend the Child Tax Credit (CTC) in meaningful ways are before Congress right now that could benefit so

many families. If the 2021 changes to the credit were in place in a typical year, experts predict that child poverty could be reduced by 40% and income fluctuations could be smoothed somewhat—and both results could have significant implications for improving health, development and later life prospects for the beneficiaries of the Child Tax Credit.

Democrats in Congress have been in favor of including the enhanced child tax credit in legislation. It’s important for both parties to act now that control of the House has changed hands. When the child tax credit was expanded in 2021, it was part of the American Rescue Plan pandemic relief bill that passed without a single Republican vote. Lifting families out of poverty should not be a partisan issue.

It’s not outside the realm of possibility for some conservatives to join forces on an expanded child benefit. The initial CTC proposal came from the National Commission on Children, established under the waning years of the Reagan administration. Using the tax code to support at-risk families could garner bipartisan support at a time of greater emphasis on family values and effective government intervention. This challenges the GOP to make good on its newfound self-conception as a multi-ethnic, working-class party – one whose

economic and political interests would be ill-suited by objecting to putting more money in the pockets of working-class parents.

Clearly, the proposal to address the financial burdens facing working families will save money down the road – something that fiscal conservatives and moderates in Congress should appreciate.

In an increasingly competitive global economy, we need all of our children to reach their full potential so they are prepared for the jobs of tomorrow. Research shows that when children grow up experiencing poverty, they tend to grow up less healthy, complete less formal schooling and earn less as adults. But when we help families make ends meet, and enable parents to work, our children’s outcomes improve, and their futures brighten. That’s not just good for kids; it’s imperative for our overall economy, particularly here in Alaska. We also need Alaskan parents to be able to work, so they can support their families and grow our economy.

Making child care more affordable is a win-win. Our children and our families are Alaska’s most valuable resource.

Lesil McGuire is a lifelong Alaskan, mother and former state senator.

All of the money raised will go directly to purchasing new materials for Skagway School’s library. Additionally, Follet will match 10% of every dollar raised. The library will use the money to replace outdated non-fiction books as well as to increase the collection of fiction books for elementary school. To help meet the goal, visit https://www.titlewish.com/1094777 and click the Donate button.

Skagway Library’s Titlewish Fundraiser runs until January 21st.

Clinic sale/lease initiative heading toward ballot

By Melinda Munson

A group of Skagway residents collected enough signatures on an initiative petition that, if passed, requires voter permission for sale or lease of the Dahl Memorial Clinic. The following language will be on the October ballot if the assembly takes no action.

The petition reads: “The E.A. Jenny Rasmuson Community Health Center Building and the Dahl Memorial Clinic business shall not be leased or sold without ratification by public vote.”

A minimum of 125 valid signatures were needed, 149 verified signatures were collected.

The municipality has been in negotiations with Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) for a possible 25-year lease of the clinic building at $1 per year and sale of the clinic

business for $1. Previously, a special vote for the sale of the clinic to SEARHC was scheduled for July 12, 2022 but canceled after SEARHC’s offer price was far below the appraisal. In August, the assembly directed Borough Manager Brad Ryan to enter negotiations with SEARHC for a lease agreement, which would only require assembly approval.

“There are so many things that I can’t talk about, that the assembly members can’t talk about, that the board of clinic directors can’t talk about because they happened in an executive session,” said Assemblymember Deb Potter at the August 2022 assembly meeting. “I think what I can say is, if we could talk about those things, I think it would change a lot of people’s minds about how we move forward. It is an emergency situation…”

The clinic has struggled with maintaining staff and meeting patient satisfaction. The current temporary executive director costs the municipality approximately $150,000 for a three-month contract.

Dahl is one of the last remaining locally controlled clinics in the country, and residents have disputed if the municipality can continue to fund the clinic and if community members have the necessary expertise to function as board of directors.

Long-time resident Carol Nelson is firmly in the camp of keeping the clinic local. She and a group of friends brainstormed how to maintain control of the clinic and decided to get a vote of the people written into city code. They started with an opinion poll, then moved onto the official petition which took several months and a lot of

door-to-door visits in the cold weather.

“I never thought I would be doing anything like this,” Nelson said. The process included certifying sponsors who were then allowed to collect signatures, and lots of back and forth with the borough clerk to make sure the process was correctly followed. According to Nelson, although 161 sig-

natures were collected, 149 were verified. Some were thrown out because the signee wasn’t a registered voter or the address they wrote on the petition didn’t match their voter ID card.

“I support the public having a say,” Mayor Andrew Cremata told The Skagway News. “I appreciate the fact it was done the right way.”

New face on school board, former president resigns to counsel students

By Melinda Munson

Residents attending school board meetings this year will notice a few changes. The Skagway School Board added one new member and reassigned board positions.

School board president John Hischer resigned last October so his newly formed company, Taiya Counseling Services, LLC, could contract with the school to provide mental health treatment without a conflict of interest.

Previously, the school contracted mental health ser-

vices through Dahl Memorial Clinic, Hischer’s former employer, allowing Hischer to treat students and remain on the school board. Since Hischer’s departure from the clinic, Dahl was unable to provide a mental health professional to meet the school’s needs.

“The current difficulties in our community and across the country in hiring mental health professionals has made it necessary that I choose to resign so that I may serve the Skagway

School District in providing mental health services to students,” Hischer wrote in his resignation letter.

Hischer served on the school board for 10 years and in 2020 received the MacKinnon Educational Excellence and Human Recognition Award.

Hischer’s resignation and school board member Jaime Bricker’s decision not to run again left two open seats.

One position was filled by Luke Rauscher, who ran unopposed in the October election.

The school solicited letters of interest so they could appoint a replacement to Hischer’s seat. Bricker wrote a letter offering herself as a replacement. According to Superintendent Josh Coughran, Bricker’s correspondence is the only submission that met the dead-

line. Although Hischer had two years left in his term, Bricker will remain on the board until the next election. After reorganization, Cory Thole is now school board president, Jason Verhaeghe serves as vice-president, Jaime Bricker is clerk, Denise Sager is treasurer and Luke Rauscher is member-atlarge.

The next regular board meeting is Jan. 31 at 7 p.m.

Sales tax ordinance goes to voters

(Continued from front)

Ketchikan at 6.5. Seward’s at 7%. On the cruise ship route, I don’t know if I want to be the top.”

Some community members questioned the purpose for the increased funding. The assembly chose to address this issue by inserting the phrase “for increased operational and infrastructure demand” into the ordinance.

“We certainly discussed having specific reasons to raise it – the school, the clinic, a pool, etc.,” Assemblymember Orion Hanson said. “But with all of the different needs that the government is facing, this would not encumber the money in any one way. And I think that’s pretty important … that this allows flexibility, if this were to pass the voters, that the money could go to where the

needs are currently…”

The proposed start date of the increase was pushed back from the first day of the quarter following ratification to Jan. 1, 2024, which would leave unclaimed a potential $1.5 to $1.8 million in increased sales tax revenue.

Assemblymembers Deb Potter and Hanson discussed the importance of giving business members, particularly tour operators – who have already negotiated their 2023 rates – time to adjust if the sales tax rate changes.

“I fully realize our coffers are getting low,” said Potter. “...we are still officially in a declared financial emergency. And our tour operators are still in a state of recovery.”

“I’m particularly aware of the burdens that our local

businesses or local entrepreneurs are facing,” Hanson said. “This gives them time to adjust their prices, especially if they’ve pre-sold tours. That’s something that would then be coming out of their pockets if we don’t give them a season to adjust.”

“I am opposed to the sales tax increase,” said long-time local business owner Debbie Elliott Ackerman, noting it will increase rental rates. “I believe it will make an already expensive place to live year-round even more so … With the increase in groceries, fuel and utilities, this may well push more yearround people to leave.”

School Board President Cory Thole

Provided by Cory Thole

Fentanyl found in Skagway

Dahl Memorial Clinic Jan. 23-25. Call 907-983-2255 to schedule an appointment. Local provider John Hischer of Taiya Counseling Services, LLC, also provides services and is a certified chemical dependency counselor. The municipality provided the following list of mental health resources

Sixth to 12th graders at Skagway School attended an assembly about opioid safety on Jan. 19. A town hall will be scheduled at a later date to discuss mitigation efforts.

Fire Chief Emily Rauscher urged anyone who suspects an opioid overdose to call emergency responders, even if naloxone is administered by a lay person.

“We need to get respiration back up. Definitely

call 911,” Rauscher said.

Residents are urged not to touch suspicious substances and to call first responders.

The Skagway Traditional Council reminded Skagwegians to “not flush or throw away illicit drugs in the trash. This could be dangerous for public works, pets and wildlife. There is a disposal box at the clinic and police department.”

The SPD can also pick up drugs via tips from the P3Tips app. Anyone with information regarding illegal drug distribution in Skagway is encouraged to contact SPD.

“If you’re struggling with addiction, we can help you. If you’re dealing, the walls are closing in, you’re going to be caught and you’re going to be prosecuted,” Cremata said.

Lawsuit says Alaska Department of Health exposed thousands to hunger risk

By Lisa Phu The Alaska Beacon

Ten Alaskans are suing the state over its failure to provide food stamps within the time frames required by federal law. The complaint was filed Friday in Superior Court in Anchorage against Alaska Health Commissioner Heidi Hedberg. The lawsuit said that in her role as commissioner of a department that failed to provide needed services, Hedberg “has subjected thousands of Alaskans to ongoing hunger and continues to do so.”

Some families have waited four months to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, also known as food stamps, the complaint alleged. In the absence of these benefits, people have sought other means to get food or make food last longer.

“We’ve got people who

are relying on family members. We’ve got people who are relying on food pantries. We’ve got people who are eating less so they can feed their kids, trying to juggle their bills and decide whether they’re going to pay for their heat or their groceries,” said Saima Akhtar, senior attorney at the National Center for Law and Economic Justice, one of the firms representing the plaintiffs in this lawsuit.

“People are taking as many different avenues as they can to take care of their families and eat right now, and it shouldn’t be that hard,” Akhtar said.

The complaint asserted the delay is due to the “immense delays and chaos of the Alaska Department of Health,” and pointed to the unresolved “massive backlog of unprocessed SNAP cases that has left thousands

Police & Fire Blotter

of Alaskans without critical food assistance in the coldest months of the year.”

While 10 Alaskans are named in the class action suit – residents from Anchorage, Marshall, Petersburg, Wasilla, Bethel, Palmer, Nome and Delta Junction – they represent thousands of other Alaskans who are facing the same issue.

Under federal law, the Department of Health must provide ongoing SNAP benefits to eligible applicants no later than 30 days after the date of application. Households that qualify for expedited processing are required to get their benefits within seven days of the application being filed. Some families have been waiting months, the complaint said.

The lawsuit asked the court to find that the Alaska Department of Health has (continued on page 10)

Dec. 19

-Dispatch assisted SEARHC dispatch with contacting emergency services in Angoon.

-Police helped a resident gain access to their apartment.

Dec. 21

-Police responded to a hit and run accident that occurred in the parking lot at Fairway Market.

Dec. 22

-Dispatch assisted with contacting the on duty provider.

Dec. 23

-Dispatch received a report of a lost wallet. Owner and wallet were reunited.

Dec. 25

-EMS responded to a medical emergency.

-A complaint about fireworks was received.

Dec. 26

-Fire personnel responded to an automated fire alarm at a downtown location.

-Klondike Highway was closed due to an avalanche at Mile 14.3.

-Klondike Highway is open.

-Dispatch contacted the on duty provider.

A dog collar was turned in and the owner was located.

Dec. 28

-Dispatch alerted the public about winter driving conditions on Dyea Road.

Dec. 30

-Fire personnel responded to a feline stuck in a tree. The feline rescue was successful.

-Police conducted a welfare check.

Dec. 31 -Police conducted a follow-up welfare check.

-Police responded to a report of an injured goat. The goat was dispatched as per instructions from Fish and Game.

-Police assisted with a vehicle lock-out.

-Dispatch contacted the on duty provider.

Jan. 1

Max Jewell, 36, of Skagway, was cited for Violating Condi-

tions of Release.

Jan. 2

-Klondike Highway was closed.

-Klondike Highway is open.

-Fire personnel responded to a carbon monoxide alarm at a residential location.

Jan. 3

-Police responded to a report of a Public Works loader striking a parked vehicle. Minor damage was noted and the owner was contacted.

January 5

-Klondike Highway was closed due to an avalanche at Mile 14.3.

-Klondike Highway reopened.

January 8 -Dispatch contacted the On Duty Provider.

-Fire personnel responded to an automated sprinkler alarm at a downtown location.

Jan. 9

-Fire personnel responded to an automated fire alarm at a downtown location.

Submitted by Skagway Police Department

Obituary

Anthony M. Bowers

Jan. 28, 1994 - Jan. 13, 2023

Anthony M. Bowers, 28, of La Grande, Oregon, passed away Jan. 13 in Skagway, Alaska. Anthony, also known as Ant, was born Jan. 28, 1994, in Elmendorf Air Force Base, Anchorage, Alaska. Anthony attended Riviera Elementary, La Grande Middle School and La Grande High School. In high school, he wrestled and played football.

Anthony attended Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas, Nevada. He worked at Mamacita’s for a few years. He moved to Skagway in 2019 to follow his chef’s dream.

Anthony is survived by his mother Tammy Bowers, brother Matthew Bowers, father Scott Bowers of La Grande, Anthony’s girlfriend Alyssa Tromp of Florida, grandparents: Dora Hall and Don Carr of Steadman, North Carolina, Jack and Pat Bowers of Reedsport, Oregon, aunts and uncles: Kathy and Chuck Barham of Haw River, North Carolina, Jacquie Bowers of Reedsport, Oregon and Tiff and Joe Clifford of Canby, Oregon. Services and viewing are scheduled Feb. 4. The viewing is 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Loveland Funeral Chapel in La Grande. Services will be from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Nazarene Church in La Grande, followed by a reception.

Skagway Basketball

Community members participate in the Skagway Public Library light up your imagination book photo shoot.

Photos by Crystal Harris

Jacob Moncibaiz

Kerry, Scott and Lucy Raia

Scott Moncibaiz

Solomon and Chandra Thornburg

Skeeter, Katherine Moseley and Ivy

Cassidy Fairbanks maneuvers around a Hoonah opponent. Teammates Ava Myers and Kelsey Cox look for a pass.

LEFT Ryder Calver shoots as Charlie Deach looks on in a game against Hoonah. RIGHT Camden Lawson watches as Austin Bricker tussles with a Thunder Mountain player.

Photos by Jaime Bricker

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To play codeword, refer to the grid above with 26 spaces. Three boxes have letters. For instance, box 17 has an R. Find all of the boxes in the puzzle numbered 17 and place an R in them. Do the same for the other two clues. All number 12 boxes should be filled with a C. All number 26 boxes should be filled with an I. Once you fill the spaces, you should start to put together words. As you find new number codes, enter them in the grid above and fill them in on the puzzle. Good luck.

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PERSONALS-MISC. SERVICES

FOOD BANK DONATIONS

WELCOME. Donations may be sent to the Food Bank, PO Box 200, Skagway, AK 99840. The local Food Bank helps those in need with groceries. If you need assistance, or know anyone who needs assistance, at any time of year, call any pastor or 907-612-0313

JOBS

“Skagway Childcare Council is Hiring for Little Dippers Learning Center for several positions, in hopes to open January 2023. Little Dippers is a non profit learning center dedicated to serving children and families. The open positions include Administrator, Director and Lead teacher. For more information on how to apply please visit www. skagwaylittledippers.com “

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FREE Golden Retriever Puppies to Forever Homes! 1 Male,1 Female. Excellent temperament! House trained with very good trainable natures & perfect for families with children and other pets! I will not re home to just any-one. Please email me first at: staceymcclelland8@gmail.com and Text (917) 619-1667

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Mon. - Thurs. 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Fri. 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Weekends 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Call 983-2665 or email library@skagway.org

Dahl Clinic Winter Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Closed Sat. and Sun. 907-983-2255

For after-hours emergencies, dial 911.

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T, Th, Sa, Su. 1 - 3 p.m. Skagway Museum 907-983-2420

Border stations: 7 a.m. - 11 p.m. Call each station for specifics.

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Assembly of God Church 8th & State • 907-983-2350 Sun. Worship....................11 a.m. Wed. Bible Devotions & Prayer 7 p.m. Email skagwayag@outlook.com

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Sunday Worship 11 a.m. Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Women’s Prayer 10 a.m Tues. Bible Study time varies. Please inquire. Online access available to all events.

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St. Therese Catholic Church 9th & State • 983-2271 Sun. Mass.......................5 p.m. Mass Mon. & Tues.....12:10 p.m. (when a priest is available)

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Skagway Recreation Center • 12th & Main • 983-2679

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Tilton elected Alaska speaker of the House as rural legislators

By James Brooks The Alaska Beacon

The Alaska House of Representatives elected Rep. Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla, as speaker of the House, putting a predominantly Republican coalition in charge of the body.

The new majority flips control of the House from the predominantly Democratic coalition that has controlled it since 2017 and means that conservative priorities stalled for the past six years will have better odds of becoming law.

House lawmakers had been deadlocked, but the four-member Bush Caucus, a group of two independents and two Democrats who represent rural Alaska, agreed to back the House’s 19-member Republican caucus, creating the coalition that will now be in charge of the House.

“This is a very overwhelmingly happy day,” said Rep. George Rauscher, R-Sutton.

Tilton, speaking after she was selected in a 26-14 vote, said the majority’s top priority is a state fiscal plan.

“I think that we can all agree that a priority of this session is to deal with the fiscal stability of the state of Alaska. That is probably the No. 1 issue that we’ll be working on,” she said.

Before Wednesday’s vote, members of the new majority had introduced legislation on a variety of topics, including limits on school sports for transgender students and the elimination of the state’s new ranked choice voting system, to name just two controversial issues.

The state Senate is led by a coalition in which nine of the 17 members are Democrats and has pledged to table controversial legislation. But the new House majority could ensure those issues receive a hearing. For the past six years, they’ve been denied that in the House.

The names of committee chairs, who will dictate the flow of legislation, were not announced Wednesday and will be decided Thursday morning, lawmakers said.

Wednesday’s vote came on the second day of the 33rd Alaska State Legislature. It

was the third consecutive time the House was unable to agree on a speaker before (or on) the first day of the first legislative session of a two-year legislature.

In 2019, legislators needed 31 days to choose a leader. Two years ago, they needed 22 days.

Wednesday’s agreement was comparatively quick and came after overnight discussions, multiple lawmakers said.

Rep. Dan Ortiz, I-Ketchikan, said he learned about 20 minutes before Wednesday’s floor session that Tilton had enough votes. He voted for her.

The size of the new majority won’t be clear until later this week at the earliest.

Wednesday’s vote to name her speaker didn’t indicate who would be in the majority, Tilton said.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the new House coalition included 19 Republicans, two independents and two Democrats, she said.

The non-Republican members are all members of the House’s Bush Caucus, which represents rural districts whose residents are mostly Alaska Native.

Though mostly Democratic, the Bush Caucus frequently joined urban Republicans in legislative majorities before the creation of the mostly Democratic coalition majority in 2017.

One key difference this time: In those prior majorities, Republicans had the majority even without the addition of the Bush Caucus. This time around, the majority exists because the Bush Caucus was willing to join a coalition.

That could give rural legislators leverage to advance local priorities, including improved infrastructure.

Other lawmakers may yet join the new coalition. Ortiz said he is interested in joining, as did Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak.

For the past two years, Stutes has been speaker of the House for the predominantly Democratic coalition. Though nominated for a second term on Wednesday —

Tilton was elected before a vote on Stutes’ nomination — Stutes said she isn’t disappointed by the result.

“I didn’t really have any persuasion to be speaker again. And everybody says, ‘I’m sorry, you didn’t make it.’ Well, that’s not a problem for me,” Stutes said. “Some of these positions, people think they’re tenured, and they’re not. I think it’s good to move them around.”

Though there are 21 Re-

publicans in the 40-member House, she and Rep. David Eastman, R-Wasilla, were excluded from the Republican caucus before Tilton’s election.

Eastman didn’t immediately respond to a text message asking whether he would seek to join the new majority.

Stutes said she would like to join and has talked to Tilton about it.

“I’m a Republican. I’ve

always been a Republican,” she said.

Rep. Andi Story, D-Juneau, was one of the 26 votes in favor of Tilton for Speaker but was noncommittal about joining the new majority.

“The majority of people wanted to support a speaker, and so I said, ‘Yeah, I’m gonna work together with everybody.’ That’s where I’m coming from,” she said.

(Continued from page 6)

violated the federal SNAP Act and violated due process clauses of the federal and state constitutions. The suit wants the court to order the Department of Health to process people’s SNAP applications and recertifications within the timeframe required by federal law, to allow people to apply and seek benefits on the first day they contact the agency, and to ensure that there are adequate language interpretation services and translations of documents for those who need it.

Essentially, Akhtar said, the injunctive relief is asking the state to “do the things that they are legally obligated to in operating the program within the federal guidelines.”

The plaintiffs are not seeking monetary damages.

“They want to get fed,” Akhtar said. “And they also have the opportunity to try and influence the system so that this is not happening again, so that their siblings and their children and communities aren’t going hungry, too.”

In an email on Friday, a spokesperson for the Department of Health said, “The Commissioner and DOH cannot comment on the complaint or the lawsuit because we have not seen the complaint or been served in the lawsuit.” The spokesperson didn’t immediately answer other questions regarding the backlog or its cause, or availability of language translation services for SNAP applications and forms.

Chair of the Senate Health and Social Services Committee Sen. David Wilson, R-Wasilla, said his commit-

tee will hear from the Department of Health about the food stamp application backlog during its meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 24.

It’s a huge issue, he said: “We’re talking about, you know, people’s sustenance… It’s a health safety issue.”

“We want to know, basically, what can we do in the Legislature to help you fix this problem and how fast can it be fixed and resolved? And those are the issues that I want to focus on,” Wilson said.

The four members of the Alaska Bush Caucus, (from left to right) Reps. Neal Foster, D-Nome; C.J. McCormick, D-Bethel; Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham; and Josiah Patkotak, I-Utqiagvik, take their oaths of office on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023, at the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau. On Thursday, three of the four voted in favor of Rep. Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla, for speaker of the House. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Complaint filed Friday alleges some families have waited four months for nutrition assistance

join Republicans in new coalition