Appeals court sides with state in fishing case

Transcription

1 Cauyat the beat of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Bethel, Alaska 50 cents FREE in the villages Vol. 43, No. 1 April 2, 2015 Appeals court sides with state in fishing case Rachel D Oro ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) The Alaska Court of Appeals on Friday ruled against 13 Yup ik Eskimo fishermen who challenged their convictions of illegal king salmon fishing on the Kuskokwim River during a poor run in In siding with the state, the appellate court said protecting king salmon stocks supersedes the argument by plaintiffs that the state had a duty to accommodate their cultural and religious beliefs. The fishermen maintained they Annette Shacklett Drums Editor have a spiritual right to fish for king salmon when restrictions are in place a defense based on a free exercise clause of the Alaska Constitution. In its ruling, the appellate court said the religious exemption sought would have to apply to all Yup ik subsistence fishermen, an action that would have hurt the king run. The court noted that a Yup ik elder testified on behalf of defendants that subsistence fishing for kings is sacred to all Yup ik fishers and that whole families participate in that activity. Director paints sobering budget picture Becky Bohrer JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) The director of the Legislative Finance Division laid out a sobering picture of the state s budget outlook last week, saying the economic impact of cuts needed for a sustainable state budget would be far worse than the crash Alaska saw in the 1980s. David Teal made the comment in speaking to the challenge in focusing on cuts to achieve a sustainable budget. Teal delivered an interactive lunch-time presentation showing the potential impact a range of scenarios including oil prices, spending levels and new taxes on Alaskans would have on the budget and reserves. While Teal has said it s virtually impossible for the state to cut its way out of its budget situation, the focus in Juneau this session has been on cuts, or getting the state s fiscal house in order as lawmakers and Gov. Bill Walker have referred to it, before looking at additional revenue sources. The state Revenue Department last fall projected unrestricted general fund revenues of $2.2 billion for the upcoming fiscal year. To limit spending to that amount, the state would have to cut $1 billion from programs like Medicaid, education, debt service, retirement system payments and oil and gas tax credits plus eliminate agencies and non-formula programs, Teal s division wrote in a report earlier this year. Teal noted that spending cuts, taxes and other options exist for legislators in efforts to reclaim budget solvency. He said the model used wasn t predictive, and House Finance Committee co-chair Steve Thompson, R-Fairbanks, said the alternatives used shouldn t be seen as ideas being advocated. But the presentation highlighted the huge challenge in tackling the See State budget, Page 6 > Y-K women honored for role in shaping Alaska The Alaska Women s Hall of Fame named two Yukon-Kuskokwim women to their ranks last month. Marie Meade and Arlene Buddy Clay were recently inducted at a ceremony on March 6 in Anchorage. The purpose of the hall of fame is to honor the women who have shaped Alaska and Meade was honored for, among other achievements, her work in the Yup ik language and culture education while Clay was honored for her work in rural justice. L. Arlene Buddy Clay Arlene Buddy Clay was born in Maine, became a symphony musician and arrived in Alaska in 1944 to identify enemy airplanes from Nome. Clay and her husband moved to Aniak, working for the Civil Aeronautics Administration, in They built a house on the Kuskokwim River across from Aniak where she lived for 67 years. Their travel was by dog team and boat. She communicated by ham radio, and has been an avid ham radio operator since Her husband died 1966 and she became the first magistrate after statehood, a rural judge and the only woman at the time, for 12 villages in the Aniak area. She traveled to the villages to administer justice. She represented the new State of Alaska. During her 17 years as judge, she often held court at her house. When the new Aniak court facility was built recently, it was dedicated to Arlene Clay. Clay is known as a fair person and an advocate for women. During her years as magistrate, the strong-willed woman presided over many family disputes. As See Women honored, Page 6 > Given this record, we conclude that it was not error for the district court to find that the defendants had essentially asserted a religious right to unfettered subsistence fishing, the court wrote. Plaintiffs attorney, James J. Davis, said he believes an appeal to the Alaska Supreme Court is warranted, but will check with his clients to see how they want to proceed. Davis called Friday s ruling disappointing and said it ignored the state s decision to open up the river to all Alaskans later in the summer of 2012, with scores of Alaska Army National Guard Soldiers with the Alaska Army National Guard s 297th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade speak with elementary students at ZJ Williams Memorial School. Guard visits with Napaskiak students Alaska Army National Guardsmen Alaska Army National Guardsmen visited with students in Napaskiak March 25 while taking a break from the annual training that brought them to Bethel and outlying villages. Soldiers from the 297th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade conducted a portion of their training in Napaskiak. The soldiers were near ZJ Williams Memorial School while performing small unit support vehicle operator s training, and made sure to provide village L. Arlene Buddy Clay Marie (Nick) Meade Arnaq, Yup ik name kings caught incidentally. Davis also believes the state could have done a better job in future planning to prepare for low runs. The fishermen have long maintained that during low runs of kings, the state could allow a subsistence priority to Yup ik fishermen or press action against commercial pollock trawlers that catch thousands of kings each year as bycatch off Alaska s coast. Altogether, 60 fishermen from western Alaska originally faced misdemeanor charges of using restricted gear or fishing in closed O n the Y-K D elta Body of missing Platinum man found sections of the Kuskokwim during the 2012 king run. Most charges were later reduced to minor violations. Many of the fishermen pleaded guilty to the reduced counts and were ordered to pay $250 fines. About two dozen remaining fishermen were found guilty in May 2013 after trials before a judge in Bethel. In the convictions, Judge Bruce Ward imposed $250 fines for all but one fisherman, who was fined $500. The fishermen also were placed on probation for one year. residents with an interactive experience with the 10,000-pound vehicles. It s important for our students, for the children, to get these experiences with visitors from other places because as educators, we see it as part of their education, said Tolbert Bentley, principal of the school. The presence of the soldiers has given the kids a situation where they can ask questions and see opportunity beyond their world, all while ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The body of a 74-year-old Platinum man missing for nearly a month has been found in western Alaska. Anchorage television station KTUU ( reports the body of Henry Williams was found by a family friend Monday. Williams daughter, Georgianna, says his body was found near Carter Spit. Alaska State Troopers say Williams disappeared Feb. 27 after he left Goodnews Bay for Platinum on a snowmobile. An extensive air and ground search was launched after Williams failed to arrive at Platinum. Troopers said ice conditions and deteriorating weather limited the search effort. The search was suspended almost a week after Williams went missing. Man found dead on ice See Guard visits, Page 6 > Alaska State Troopers received a report on March 26 that a man was found lying on the ice of Tuluksak River. Elijah Napoka, 32 of Tuluksak, was found unresponsive near his 4-wheeler. Napoka was pronounced dead at the clinic in Tuluksak. Napoka s body was sent to the State See On the Y-K, Page 5 > Send your announcements and news tips to editor@thetundradrums.com

2 Page 2 April 2, 2015 The Tundra Drums Opinion & Ideas Alaska Natives explore the next 10,000 years What will Alaska look like in 10,000 years? Who will be here? What will they do? And, most important, what will preserved from the past kilennium? These are not easy questions. Even thinking about the next decade, let alone thousands of years, is interrupted by every crisis that requires attention. There is business to transact. Cell phones buzz. Unanswered s compound. And, so, we think about the now, not the next. What if we step back and only think about the future? We turn off our phones, don t answer , and ignore interruption. The First Alaskans Institute (firstalaskans. org) recently gathered a group of people together for a week in Bethel to have that very conversation. Elizabeth Medicine Crow said that very idea is a part of the institute s vision and came from the founding board members. I think intuitively it makes a lot of sense for Native people. But I also think for most people it s really hard to wrap their arms around, what does that mean? For 10,000 years. It s really not so much of a mystery for us because we can actually turn around and look directly at our past because we ve been here for longer than that. We know that as stewards of our time, on behalf of our people, that we have at minimum a trajectory of that much time to look forward to. Medicine Crow, who s president of the institute, said it was a chance to convene a I see this online from KYUK dated March 17 Governance Convention Asks Tribes to Vote on Advancing Regional Tribal Government and, it is followed by, Despite having no quorum and no vote, tribal members at the Calista-sponsored Yukon Kuskokwim Governance Convention Monday decided to move ahead with an interim toward unifying the region politically. In the next paragraph, it states, The group never formally convened due to travel issues. There was no quorum, which is required for a vote, according to draft rules set up for the conventions. I ve always thought a no quorum is a no quorum and a no vote is a no vote. No quorum then is no convention. What is the difference between a vote and a decision. I ve always thought that when there is a no quorum, no action is always the only legal move. A decision to move ahead in this case is invalid because there is no majority vote. Tribes, you are given 30 days to shape up and vote on whether to have a regional government or reshape AVCP that would be equivalent that of a regional government. Says who? I say, no one. There was no legal convention, no legal quorum, no legal vote and legal no action. Who would dare order or mandate our tribal councils? No one, I say. This was a gathering of people with no legal standing. There is no council without tribal members; no regional corporation without shareholders. The most important element, foundation and cornerstone of the council is its one member/shareholder for a corporation. Again, I say, we are left out. 30 days? Not nearly enough! For the tribal members to ponder over this, have a fair shot at participation, get informed diverse gathering of people who were eager to think deeply about where we re going. So it s not just corporations, it s not just tribes, it s not just non-profits, it s also artists, it s elders, it s young people, mothers and fathers, aunties and uncles, storytellers, performers, it was a real mix she said. It s non-hierarchical. So it s not just people who have a title. Leadership to us is our Native people who are stepping up to help our communities and to help our people. Medicine Crow is Tlingit and Haida from Kake. She told a story about a lesson she learned from Polynesian navigators. The traditional practice of sailing by the stars requires that they set their bow looking forward but they are navigating from the stars behind them because from that they can know the direction their bow is going. I think that is such a powerful analogy about the way our ancestors think about time. And the way we should think about it, too. The long story that reflects the Alaska Native experience or Native America s for that matter is mostly about the interruptions from the past century or two. So the current challenges are not the norm, certainly not over a 10,000-year history, but nonetheless require our and educated, it is a minute time; for the council to digest all the information and narrowing it down to more specifics, this time frame is minute. For the councils to give its fellow members and the tribal members to come up with other options to unify, this time frame is but a second in an hour. The same opportunities for AVCP and its delegates is equally important as is with the regional corporation shareholders. March 17 is a sad day, not a historic day. People there, insofar as I can determine, broke the draft rules already. Even a seemingly consensus is a violation of a democratic process. There is nothing to report back to the tribes except confusion and some comments that may very well be slowly, intelligently and wisely debated at village levels. Today is now day after you have 30 days! AVCP will need time to formula its educational/information material to its membership; all the pros and cons, etc; other viable forms or forms that would support AVCP preference(s). Op-Ed Mark Trahant Atwood Chair, University of Alaska Anchorage attention to get back on course. And some of this course correction requires immediate action. In less than 15 years, for example, Alaska will have a higher percentage of Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, Hispanics and African Americans than white people. The state is already super-diverse. It may not look or feel that way depending on where you re from in the state but as a whole the state is really diverse. As we continue to march through time, especially for Alaska Native populations, most of our population is under the age of 25 and that birth rate is only increasing. So if you apply that to all the other populations, the same thing is happening, plus we re having so many more people move up. What Alaska will look like on its face is going to be a lot different by the year 2040 than it does today. This means new sources of political power and coalitions will be formed to deliver change in Alaska (and in so many other parts of the country). Medicine Crow said people felt a sense of power, a recognition that it already exists, ready to walk out the door and do something. One conversation focused on ending sexual abuse and decided to find a way to create more involvement with the men s and women s Letters to the Editor The Tundra Drums welcomes letters to the editor. General interest letters should be no more than 300 words. Thank you letters should be no more than 150 words. All letters must include the writer s name, address and daytime telephone number. Only the writer s name, and city or village of residency is published. Every letter requires the name of a person for the signature. The Drums reserves the right to edit letters for content, length, clarity, grammar and taste. Submit letters before 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication for consideration in the next week s newspaper. Meeting the deadline does not guarantee that a letter will be published. Letter writers are encouraged to send letters by to editor@thetundradrums.com. Letters delivered by FAX, mail and hand are also accepted. Opinions expressed on this page are not necessarily those of The Tundra Drums owners or staff. houses. That was so powerful for the participants from the houses, Medicine Crow said. But they came out of it knowing that it was something that was good for our community to be able to talk about the issue and to really say, enough is enough. That was really exciting to see because they were not waiting for someone to say, We now deem you authorized to take care of this, this is not your territory, but rather, we re all Native people, it s all our responsibility and this is something we can do. What struck me about the Bethel gathering (and I was only there part of the time) was a sense of optimism about the future. The benefit of a 10,000-year horizon is that it makes every problem solvable because at the end of the arc is people who continue to live and survive in land of their ancestors. The goal of the Bethel meeting was not a detailed strategic plan, but a framework for conversations that will continue to make sure that we re culturally distinct people. Not the same. Not Alaska Natives being the all the same. But culturally distinct societies of people. And these aren t even my words, Medicine Crow says with a smile. They re my grandfather s words. Mark Trahant holds the Atwood Chair at the University of Alaska Anchorage. He is an independent journalist and a member of The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. For up-to-the-minute posts, download the freetrahant Reports app for your smart phone or tablet at tinyurl.com/trahantdl. Regional Governance: Take year to decide Op-Ed Nicholas C. Tucker, Sr. Emmonak Tribe member and Calista Shareholder Then, there could very well be other options by anyone of our individual members/shareholders, village corporations or tribal councils than the two choices forced upon us. Tribal members, tribal councils, AVCP and shareholders you have 30 days to do this! Our standing order remains: forget other options, forget you, you have 30 days to choose between AVCP and some regional tribal government (what kind? What form?) What is the rush? Did the President, BIA, State of Alaska, federal and state agencies give us a deadline so to say, get it or lose it? And, are we going to just make the motion and tax all village corporations? Some are barely existing while others are in deep deficit. We cannot compare our Wade Hampton district to those of resource-rich northern regions where some dish out thousands and thousand dollars each year in dividends? Us, zero to a few dollars a share! If a tribe can tell me that the weather is always right on the money, no post office delays, no unexpected events, tragedies, or emergencies; no village quorum problems; everyone s subsistence hunting and fishing is smooth and easy and everyone s schedule fits perfectly right into the called meetings and that other scheduled tribal business will not be delayed to prioritize this no-quorum mandate, I ll take the 30 days. Lastly, all tribes will be now preparing for their fiscal yearend grants and audits about this time of the year you meet them, I ll take the 30 days. Someone has lost touch with our people on the village level. Give everyone a year. You will have a region-wide much more informed individual membership/shareholders/stakeholders; more organized and well informed councils/ boards. Let s see what then is presented as options perhaps one or two might be far off better than the two options or one of the two current options may sail ahead of all other options. 5 6-tribe membership is far more diverse than just the regional board or a few villages advocating. This whole thing came out last November 2013 and if there is one that supposed was done by Calista, where is it? Any tribe or village corporation know about it? When anyone works on something as enormous and of this magnitude, the move is made only when the future has a reliable degree of certainty and high confidence level. It is not assumed on. I hope it works. KYUK reports further, The scope of a new tribal government is still nebulous, and the path to federal recognition is as uncertain. I believe in joining into something that will work and put all my efforts into it. Publishing the news of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta since 1974 Published each Thursday by The Tundra Drums, P.O. Box 103, Seward, AK publisher@thetundradrums.com Phone: Office: 232 Fourth Ave. Mail: The Tundra Drums, P.O. Box 103, Seward, AK Staff Publisher: Annette Shacklett, publisher@thesewardphoenixlog.com Editor: Annette Shacklett, editor@thesewardphoenixlog.com Advertising: advertising@thesewardphoenixlog.com Deadlines Letters to the editor & commentaries Noon Thursday News, announcements, photos Noon Thursday Advertising Deadline: Noon Friday ISSN / USPS Postmaster: Please send address changes to The Tundra Drums, P.O. Box 103, Seward, AK Subscriptions: Periodicals mail: $25 for one year, $15 for six months; first-class rates are $80 for one year, $45 for six months. The newsstand price: $.50 each. Periodicals postage is paid at Seward, AK The publisher reserves the right to reject or edit any advertisement submitted. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without the express permission of the publisher. 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3 Lawmakers urge study of tribal recognition changes Michael Melia HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) Several congressional members called on the U.S. Interior Department last week to slow down an overhaul of the rules for granting federal recognition to American Indian tribes, saying more study is needed of problems that could result from lowering the bar for the coveted status. U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop, a Utah Republican who recently became chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, sent a letter with four other lawmakers outlining their concerns to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell. We do not support the sweeping changes that have been proposed to the criteria, the lawmakers wrote. Federal recognition has been granted to 566 American tribes, and is sought because it brings increased health and education benefits to tribal members in addition to land protections and opportunities for commercial development. Tribes have been pushing for years for Congress or the Interior Department to revise the process. The overhaul would be the first in two decades. In Connecticut, the governor and the entire congressional delegation have spoken out against the rule changes, which could make it easier for three small tribes to win recognition and revive long-simmering land claims. Two Connecticut Democrats, Rep. Joe Courtney and Rep. Elizabeth Esty, are among the lawmakers who signed the letter. The lawmakers say other states may not grasp the significance of the changes proposed for the recognition process that has been criticized as slow, inconsistent and overly susceptible to political influence. We are concerned that the department s proposed rules fail to address many of the issues that have been identified and could create new problems that lead to unintended and unjustifiable outcomes, the lawmakers wrote. One of the more controversial changes is a new requirement that tribes demonstrate political authority since 1934, when they previously had to show continuity from historical times. Supporters of the rule change say it helps to remove unfair burdens. Advocates say that some tribes have been denied recognition because records were lost or burned over hundreds of years, and any tribe that was still together by 1934 had overcome histories To submit an event for the Kuskokwim Calendar, editor@thetundradrums.com. Bethel City Council - The Bethel City Council discusses and votes on various motions brought before them. Open to the public. 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 14 at City Hall. Information is at www. cityofbethel.org. Saturday Market - Vendors from around the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta gather to sell Alaskan goods and services from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, April 4 at Bethel Cultural Center. Information is at Bethel Chamber of Commerce Luncheon - Join the Bethel Chamber of Commerce and a guest speaker at the Mud Hut. Luncheons are open to the public. Noon to 1 p.m., every Thursday Mud Hut. Information is at The Winter Bear Y-K tour - A play that tells the story of an Alaska Native teenager who rises above the traumas of his past to become a leader tours the Y-K Delta April 8 through 24. The Winter Bear Project works in partnership with communities to change the climate of fear and hopelessness that breeds suicide, especially in rural Alaska. While in a community, the group visits at a Kuskokwim Calendar of mistreatment. The letter urges the Interior Department to hold off on putting out final regulations until issues with recognition can be evaluated more thoroughly. The other congressional members who signed the letter are Rep. Don Young, an Alaska Republican, and Rep. Mike Thompson, a California Democrat. A spokeswoman for the Interior Department said the agency is reviewing the letter. The Interior Department s Bureau of Indian Affairs proposed the new rules in 2013 to make tribal acknowledgment more transparent and the process more efficient. The department, which has held hearings around the country and received hundreds of comments from the public, proposed formal changes last May that were expected to be finalized soon. Sen. Sullivan talks federal regulations, military presence Molly Dischner JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan last month said fighting federal overreach and pushing for a continued military presence in Alaska are among his priorities. Sullivan made his comments in addressing a joint session of the state Legislature. Such addresses are tradition among Alaska s U.S. senators, and this was the first for Sullivan, a Republican who won election last November. Sullivan said his efforts to limit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency include support for a bill that provides fishing vessels with an exemption to certain discharge regulations, and hearings in Alaska on the Clean Water Act that he ll chair next month. Sullivan said the U.S. Senate has been working on a version of the federal budget over the past two months, with several votes planned this week. The budget being put forward will work toward balancing the budget over the next 10 years and developing the nation s economy, he said. We re going to work hard and pass a budget this year, something that has rarely happened in the last seven years of the United States Congress, he said. Sullivan said his committee assignments have also positioned him to work on other legislation, including a military suicide prevention act that passed in February, and a sportsman bill that would provide opportunity for hunting and fishing on federal lands. Young sponsors medical marijuana legislation with colleague JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) U.S. Rep. Don Young has introduced legislation that would provide federal recognition for states that allow medical marijuana. According to a press release from Young s office, the legislation, also sponsored by Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee, would prevent federal prosecution of medical marijuana patients, doctors and businesses in states that allow medical marijuana. It would also allow Veterans Administration doctors to recommend medical marijuana to their patients. The bill matches one introduced in the Senate last month. According to the press release, 23 states and the District of Columbia allow medical marijuana. Shareholder award nominees sought Calista Corp. is taking nominiations for its annual shareholder awards. The Calista awards are focused on the Calista region, shareholders and descendants of shareholders. Nominees must be currently living. All nominees submitted for the annual shareholder awards may be considered for the annual AFN President s Awards at the discretion of the Calista Corp. board of directors. The six award categories are Calista Culture Bearer, Axel C. Johnson Distinguished Shareholder, Calista Elder of the Year, Raymond C. Christiansen Community Service Scarlett Bell was born March 9, 2015 at Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage. She weighed 6 pounds 5 ounces and was B irths Award, Calista Youth/Educator of the Year and Calista Business of the Year. Nominations must be received by fax, or mail, at Calista no later than 5 p.m. Friday, April 17. Nomination forms and selection criteria is on the Calista website at com, by fax , calista@ calistacorp.com or through the mail (Calista Annual Shareholder Awards, 5015 Business Park Blvd, Suite 3000, Anchorage AK The award will be announced before the 2015 annual meeting July 11 in Kasigluk. inches long. Her mother is Patsy Bell and her father is Kenneth Chaliak of Hooper Bay. The Tundra Drums April 2, 2015 Page 3 He also talked about the need to maintain a military presence in Alaska, particularly as Russia beefs up its resources in the Arctic. You put military forces in forward places like Alaska so you don t have to use them, he said. Sullivan praised lawmakers for their work in fighting against areas in which it believes the federal government is overreaching, specifically referencing resolutions that supported drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and for pushing the federal government to get involved in Arctic issues. Lawmakers also questioned Sullivan on a variety of issues. In response to one question, Sullivan said he wanted to see a U.S. Supreme Court nominee who believed in limited government, and who would take a textualist approach to looking at the document, not one who believed in a living constitution. He also said he opposed the United States signing on to the international Law of the Sea treaty because it could result in the United Nations imposing taxes on American entities. In 2011, the Legislature passed a resolution urging federal support for the treaty. Sullivan also said he would continue trying to limit the EPA, Transportation Security Administration and executive power in general in response to several questions. potluck before the show. The cast sits down and talks to the audience after each show. The next day they offer performing and storytelling workshops to empower kids to harness their own creativity. Admission is free. Information about the project and play is online at winterbearproject.com. Y-K Delta Career Fair - The Y-K Delta Career Fair is set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday April 14 at Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center in Bethel. The fair is free and open to the public. Job seekers should bring their resumé and dress for an interview. Employers will be on hand and panel discussions are on topics to include careers in construction, healthcare, public safety, aviation, education and training. For information call Grant Writing Workshop/Using Census Data - Linda Clark, Census Bureau dissemination specialist will lead a workshop from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 21 at KuC. The workshop will highlight data from the main demographic programs of the Census Bureau. Participants will learn about the major uses of the data and gain tips on presenting data effectively. Register with lbellsworth@alaska.edu. Public Broadcasting in the Y-K Delta Bringing you News, Weather and Announcements Since 1971 Radio: 640 AM 90.3 FM TV: Channel Tickets Available Through April AN ALASKAN TRADITION Last year s Winner s Pot $ $350, ,500 $363,627 Ice Ticket Locations AC Co. Co. - Barrow - Barrow AC Co. - Kotzebue AC Co. Co. - St. - Marys Kotzebue Brooks Range Supply - Prudhoe Bay Range Supply - Prudhoe Bay Mountain Village store Unalakleet Native Native Corp. Corp. Ice Thickness thickness As as of 3/7/13 March 6th: Is: " Inches! INCHES! inches HOW TO TAKE PART Buy a $2.50 ticket for each guess Fill out with your date and time Drop it off in any Ice Classic can Mark your calendar Watch for breakup Tickets on sale through April 5 or iceclassic@alaska.net NENANA ICE CLASSIC

4 Page 4 April 2, 2015 The Tundra Drums USCG working on regulations for older boats Volunteers are needed to help craft new safety rules that are being written for older boats which includes the bulk of Alaska s fishing vessels. Called the Alternate Compliance Safety Program, it is part of the 2010 US Coast Guard Authorization Act and is aimed at vessels that will be 25 years old by 2020, are greater than 50 feet in length, and operate beyond three nautical miles. The program will include most of Alaska s fishing fleet -- a 2014 maritime study by the Juneau-based McDowell Group shows that the majority of Alaska s boats were built between 1970 and The requirements won t become mandatory until January 1 of 2020 for most vessels. However the Coast Guard needs to prescribe the program by January 1 of 2017, explained Troy Rentz, Alternate Safety Compliance Coordinator for the USCG13th District. Right now safety teams are compiling data on losses from fishing fatalities, injuries and vessel sinkings, Rentz said, and from that they will evaluate the risks based on the various regions and fisheries. That is going to have a big influence on these programs because we know that each fishery has different gear and risks in different operating environments specific to what they are doing, Rentz said. And that s where vessel volunteers come in. We re looking for volunteer vessels where we could get on board and talk about what their best practices are for preventing casualties from collisions or falls overboard, for instance, Rentz said. We have some pretty good ideas, and we want to talk with vessel owners about things that have been recommended and see if it s something that would be effective for their particular fishery and operating area. In fact, a Congressional requirement of the new safety compliance program, Rentz said, is that it be developed in cooperation with the industry. We want people to feel like this is their program, not the Coast Guard s program. It is Don t Miss a thing! Subscribe to The Drums today. Fish Factor Laine Welch a cooperative program that is specific to what they are doing and their operations. Between now and early 2016, safety planners will meet with regional work groups and fishing stakeholders to decide what the actual compliance requirements will be. Then they are set to be written up and in place by 2017, giving fishing operators three years to comply. Other safety compliance deadlines are happening faster: By Oct. 15 of this year, mandatory dockside vessel exams take effect. The requirement for survival craft that remove all parts of the body from the water has been extended to Feb. 16, Troy Rentz will be going over the Alternative Safety Compliance Program during ComFish, April 2-4 in Kodiak. (Troy.rentz@ uscg.mil Fish Watch Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan has selected fellow Ohioan Erik Elam as his fisheries advisor. Elam was a former legislative aide for Rep. Don Young. In an message, Sullivan said, Mr. Elam is the staff director for the Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife Subcommittee, upon which I chair. Additionally, he focuses on energy, federal lands, fisheries, the Coast Guard, and oceans. More millions were cut last week from the Alaska Department. of Fish and Game budget by a Senate finance committee chaired by Sen. Mike Dunleavy (R-Wasilla). The additional $2.1 million cut brings the total ADF&G reductions to $15 million. Juneau Resources Weekly reports that commercial fisheries are set to take the biggest hit at $815,000. A half million dollars of that sum comes from compliance efforts for the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The Sport Fish Division is set to lose more than $500,000; a dozen habitat conservation projects are set to be slashed, along with one habitat biologist. A $240,000 allotment for the state s sport fishing enhancement and hatchery program is also on the cutting room floor. Trollers wrapped up their winter king salmon season last week, the earliest closure ever. The fishery opened in October and continues until the fleet catches up to 47,000 kings or until the end of April, whichever comes first. Participation was above average this winter, with 396 permits fished. The average price per pound dropped to $8.73 per pound in the final weeks, after topping $10 per pound for much of the season. Slow but steady sums up the wrap of Alaska s first herring fishery at Sitka Sound. The week-long fishery yielded close to 8,700 tons of roe-rich herring, down by half from last year. Less than half of the Sound s 48 permit holders participated, instead opting for a cooperative fishery where boats split up the quota and each boat fished for a set amount. Sea farmers can grow lots more than fish and oysters. Growing less labor-intensive underwater ocean veggies is an exploding market around the world, especially for products made from kelp. Globally, kelp drives a $5 billion dollar industry. Some examples: Ocean Approved of Maine, which claims to be America s first and only commercial kelp farm, launched a line of kelp cubes this month at the Boston Seafood Show. The cubes are aimed at the popular smoothie market, which has expanded the use of green veggie in its juices. The company also sells kelp sea slaw, sea rounds and wraps. Ocean Approved began in 2009 and has been seeded with a half million dollars in grants from NOAA Fisheries and the Maine Technology Institute. The company produces 33,000 pounds per acre on five acres annually and business has increased 400 percent in two years, according to the Casco Times. Kelp also is the latest crop that Canada s fish farmers are cashing in on. The country s largest salmon grower Cooke Aquaculture, recently debuted its own brand of certified organically winged and sugar kelp. It can be cooked or served up fresh, and is sold under Cooke s True North brand. Chile also is getting into the kelp mix. Based on a 2013 economic study, Chile estimates a kelp industry in its northern fish farming region would bring in $540 million (U.S.) annually. The growing interest and uses for kelp is not lost on Alaska, where a mariculture initiative is building support for expansion, notably in Western Alaska. Currently, there are 31 sea farms operating in Alaska; five are growing kelp along with oysters and other shellfish. Alaska Tax Service celebrates 40 years Send your check for $25 (1 year) with Name Address Phone Number to The Tundra Drums P.O. Box 103 Seward, AK Alaska Tax Service Alaska Tax Service is celebrating their 40th year in business. Since opening its doors, they have provided tax preparation and accounting services for clients throughout Alaska, the Lower 48, and overseas. At the time of the 9.2 magnitude earthquake on March 27, 1964, Steve Audette was the manager of H&R Block in Great Falls, Montana. He saw an opportunity to provide accessible and affordable tax services to the people of Alaska. Steve and his wife, Jan, moved to Anchorage and opened the first H&R Block tax office in what is now the Northern Lights Fred Meyer store. In 1975 Steve and Jan started their own company and opened Alaska Tax Service in the parking lot of Fred Meyer. Their goal was to create a business that was personalized, family oriented, and where clients would be able to establish a trusting relationship with their tax consultants. This was a different approach from other tax offices which were only open to April 15, and tended to hire and train tax consultants each year. For the past 20 years, Alaska Tax Service has been in the mall directly behind Fred Meyer at 1106 East Northern Lights Boulevard. Their granddaughter, Shannon, began working for the company in 1995 and has since become part-owner. The company s staff consists of: Edith Barrowclough, business manager; tax consultants Shannon Smith, Tim Coon, Teresa Walle, Pamela Macon and Carter Ellis; Todd Hanthorn, office assistant and e-file coordinator; and Colleen Jepsen, administrative assistant. Alaska Tax Service assists current as well as new clients year round. ATS offers a 10 percent discount to seniors and to active military. 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5 Walker: Medicaid expansion, energy bill must-haves Becky Bohrer JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) Gov. Bill Walker said he considers Medicaid expansion and an Interior energy bill to be must-haves for the remainder of the legislative session. Walker told The in an interview last week that Medicaid expansion should be able to pass this session. Walker last week introduced a bill calling for expansion and reforms to the current Medicaid program. Walker initially put expansion-related issues in the budget, but the House rejected that approach, and lawmakers called on him to introduce a bill. For states accepting expansion, the federal government is expected to pay 100 percent of costs for newly eligible recipients through calendar year 2016, stepping down to 90 percent by Walker said he would rather not forgo another year of the 100 percent payment. He said upfront savings would be Akiak Akiachak Atmautluak Bethel Chefornak Eek Goodnews Bay Kalskag Kasigluk Kipnuk Kongiganak Kwigillingok Kwethluk Napakiak Napaskiak Newtok Nightmute Nunapitchuk Platinum Quinhagak Toksook Bay Tuluksak Tuntutuliak Tununak reduced by waiting another year. While minority Democrats have embraced expansion, other lawmakers have said they would like to see efforts to reduce and contain costs within Medicaid before expanding the system. Medicaid comprises about 60 percent of the state health department budget and is a driver of the state operating budget. As his committee takes up Walker s bill, Rep. Paul Seaton, R-Homer, is hoping to put in place timelines for reforms to be implemented. Seaton chairs the House Health and Social Services Committee, and thinks it s possible to pass a bill this session if fellow lawmakers believe the proposed reforms are real and that there s accountability in the system. Sen. Bert Stedman, who chairs the Senate Health and Social Services Committee, said an issue of this magnitude would normally take months to move through the process and he would be surprised if it could be resolved by the scheduled adjournment date. But he The wings of the people Running charters and scheduled flights 7 days a week said lawmakers would try. The Interior energy bill, which hasn t gotten a lot of attention over the last month, is scheduled for a hearing before a special Senate committee this week. The major issue this session has been the budget. The state faces projected multibilliondollar deficits amid the fall in oil prices, and considerable focus has been placed on cutting spending and looking at ways to downsize state government. It is seen as virtually impossible for the state to cut its way out of the situation, and Walker and state legislators expect to take a multi-year approach. The priority this year, Walker said, is finding where the most obvious adjustments to be made are. During the interim, the administration will continue to look for ways to consolidate services, he said. There is an ongoing look at services that could be privatized and he said he expects to begin soon a conversation on potential sources of additional revenue. Your Taxes, Our Solution For 40 years Alaska Tax Service has helped Alaskans with their tax preparation needs. Let us help you with yours. Serving All of Alaska for 40 Years He said his position has been that before the state looks at additional revenues, it makes adjustments to the budget. For now, he said he is not planning to revisit the state s oil production tax, which was overhauled in 2013 and withstood a referendum last summer. The prior tax system was credited with helping to fatten the state s coffers. The idea behind it was that the state would help oil companies on the front end with things like tax credits and share profits on the back end when oil flowed and prices were high. Walker acknowledged that the state s ability to replenish its constitutional budget reserve fund has been significantly modified. That s why we have to look at this significantly differently and also look toward the long game because we don t have that get-well card, so to speak, that we used to have, he said. House discusses backlog of untested sexual assault kits Molly Dischner JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) A state crime lab official said last week that it can take up to 1 1/2 years for sexual assault kits to be tested due to a backlog. Orin Dym testified before the House State Affairs Committee, which was hearing a bill from Rep. Geran Tarr, D-Anchorage, to address that backlog. The committee did not take immediate action on the bill. The kits provide tools to collect DNA evidence after an individual reports a sexual assault. It s unknown how many kits have been collected but not analyzed. Tarr s bill would direct the state Department of Public Safety to work with local law enforcement entities to prepare a report on those kits and develop a plan to get them tested. Such an effort would not require additional staff at the state level and had a zero fiscal note. Dym said the lab has about 150 untested kits right now, and it can take up to a year and a half to get a kit processed once it gets there. Dym said that it will likely take about two years to get through the current backlog. Dym said the lab generally has enough staff and funding, but that it takes time to get new staff up to speed on analysis, which is one of the reasons for the backlog and delay. In response to questions from committee members, he said that outsourcing analysis to a private crime lab for 111 of those kits, the ones for whom there is a suspect in the case, would enable the lab to get through the backlog in about one year; that would cost approximately $330,000. The lab doesn t have that much extra money in its annual budget of about $6 million, so such a project would require an appropriation from the Legislature, he said. There were more people signed up to testify than the committee had time for, but chair Rep. Bob Lynn, R-Anchorage, said he supported the bill and scheduled another hearing so the public could weigh in. Walker plans to introduce property tax bill for gas project Becky Bohrer JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) Gov. Bill Walker is expected to introduce legislation setting out a framework for calculating property-tax payments for the state and municipalities from a major liquefied natural gas project. Revenue Commissioner Randall Hoffbeck said in an interview that the formula will be more generic than what was approved by an advisory group that includes local and state officials or what came from a review by the project s sponsors. But he said it will lay out On the Y-K From Page 1 Medical Examiner s office in Anchorage for an autopsy. Foul play is not suspected. UA regents meet in Bethel The University of Alaska Board of Regents a structure so the parties know the variables that will be involved in calculating the payments. The state is pursuing the mega-project with BP, ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil Corp., TransCanada Corp. and the Alaska Gasline Development Corp. Members of the Senate majority have said they anticipated this session bills from the administration related to property taxes and right-of-way access for the project. A rightof-way bill was previously introduced by Walker. will meet the on April 9 and 10 at Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center. The agenda for the meetings is not yet available. Other than one executive session, the meetings are open to the public, and public testimony will be taken on both days. Information about the board is online at The Tundra Drums April 2, 2015 Page 5 Hoffbeck said he doesn t think there would be much impact on the negotiations for the project if a bill were not to pass this session because there seems to be a general consensus by the advisory group and the companies on the direction they want to go on the tax issue. Still to be decided, he said, are impact payments during construction of the project; how the total take from the property tax on the project when it is running would be divided between the state and municipalities; and whether there would need to be concessions by the state and municipalities on the tax issue to make the project s finances work. Active Military & Seniors (65+) 10 % OFF of Tax Preparation OFFICE TOLL-FREE FAX E Northern Lights Boulevard Anchorage AK alaskatax.net BETWEEN FRED MEYER AND VILLAGE INN ON NORTHERN LIGHTS

6 Page 6 April 2, 2015 The Tundra Drums Women honored From Page 1 magistrate she protected household members from abusive situations. She has received recognition from the Alaska Bar Association for her work as the person who kept the law in the rural area, and received the prestigious Nora Guinn award given to rural residents who have made an extraordinary or sustained effort to assist rural residents, especially the Native people, to overcome language and cultural barriers to obtain justice through the legal system. Clay and Nora Guinn were the only two women in the rural law system for many years. Clay recently moved to a Wasilla retirement home where she put up her ham antennas, and continues to participate every night on the ham sniper net. She checks everyone in each Thursday night. Marie (Nick) Meade Arnaq, Yup ik name Marie Meade is Yup ik Eskimo from Southwest Alaska and was born and raised in Nunapiciaq, between the Kuskokwim River and the Bering Sea. She is a humanities scholar, language expert, and educator and Yup ik tradition bearer. Meade teaches Central Yup ik language, orthography and Alaska Native dance at the University of Alaska Anchorage. For more than 20 years Meade has documented the cultural knowledge of Yup ik elders. Her publications and exhibitions have significantly contributed to the world s understanding of the values, language, and beliefs of the Yup ik people. In 1996 Meade researched and assisted with assembling the traveling mask exhibit called Agayuliyararput; Our Way of Making Prayer and translated first-person accounts of elders to produce the book for the exhibit titled, Kegginaqut, Kangiitllu/Yup ik Masks and the Stories They Tell. In 2005 she translated Yup ik Words of Wisdom: Yupiit Qanruyutait, which is a bilingual volume focused on teachings and wisdom of expert Native orators as they instruct a younger generation about their place in the world. In 2002 she received the Governor s Award for Distinguished Humanities Educator and in 2014 received the Meritorious Service Award from UAA. Meade s Yup ik name, Arnaq, means woman. Her community taught her the way of being Yup ik, including how to gather, harvest and prepare food, and how to be the heartbeat of an extended family. Meade is the mother of three grown sons and many grandchildren. She has experienced the healing power of Yup ik dance and trusts her intuition. When asked about advice to young women, she said, Come to know and own yourself. Trust yourself the way you are and follow your feelings. Information about all the honorees B early is online at alaskawomenshalloffame.org. Guard visits From Page 1 having fun. The soldiers carved time into their training schedule in order to visit with students for two hours. Soldiers ate lunch with the students in their cafeteria, acquainted them with medical, audiovisual and other military equipment and tactical gear. Six soldiers also provided an impromptu presentation to a classroom of first through fourth graders on what it means to be in the Alaska National Guard. We saw this as the perfect opportunity for community outreach for our soldiers, said 1st Sgt. Rodger Morrison of the 1-143rd Infantry Regiment Detachment from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. One thing we try and train our soldiers on is that there is so much more to Alaska than just Anchorage, Fairbanks and Wasilla and until our soldiers are able to visit with and connect with the members of these smaller villages firsthand, it s something that s hard to train and even harder to grasp. A significant amount of community involvement has been incorporated into the soldiers annual training this year, as a handful of smaller villages that surround Bethel have been coordinated with to provide the scene for military training scenarios. Being interactive with the com- munity like this has been fantastic for our soldiers, Morrison said. Watching the excited expressions on the children s faces as they were climbing on the equipment and trying on pieces of the uniform was a priceless experience for all involved, and definitely one of the highlights of my training this week. State budget From Page 1 state s projected multibillion-dollar deficit, a deficit exacerbated by low oil prices. Depending on spending levels and oil prices, the state s constitutional budget reserve could be depleted within the next few years. Another easier-to-access reserve fund is expected to be depleted this fiscal year. Those aren t the only source available to lawmakers; other options include endowment funds and the Alaska Permanent Fund s earnings reserve account, the pool from which annual dividends for most Alaskans are derived. Lawmakers also could revisit the oil tax issue, something Democratic Rep. Les Gara and Sen. Bill Wielechowski brought up in interviews after Teal s presentation. The Republican-controlled Legislature has shown no interest in that and Walker, who as a candidate supported efforts to repeal the current tax structure, said last week he has no plans right now to re-engage in that debate. Depending on spending and oil prices and production, the timeline T undra for a decision on filling the budget gap could be pushing up hard against the potential depletion of the constitutional budget reserve. Any proposal to raise or implement new taxes or impact the dividend is likely to need some level of buy-in from the public. And implementing any new tax, if lawmakers go that route, will take some time. Alaska currently does not have a personal income or state sales tax. For sense of scale, as part of the tax discussion, Teal said a tax based on 10 percent of a person s federal tax liability would generate $300 million a year. A one-percent sales tax would generate about $100 million. When Teal plugged in a hypothetical change in the motor fuel tax to 24 cents a gallon a threefold increase from the current level a bar indicated projected state revenue barely budged. It s scary, Thompson said in an interview after the presentation. He said he is encouraging fellow legislators to attend community meetings and share with constituents details about the state s budget situation and where things are headed if the state doesn t come up with alternatives. Subcommittees, during the interim, will be asked to continue to look for efficiencies with agencies, ways in which services could be delivered differently and at the impacts the cuts made this session are having, he said. Cuts proposed this year were painful and next year won t be any easier, he said. Spring in the Air ACROSS 1. Hawaiian island 6. opener 9. Actress Perlman 13. Olympian Jesse 14. Fertility clinic stock 15. None of these good ones go unpunished? 16. Blood line 17. Grazing area 18. Expression of pirate s displeasure 19. *Vacation destination 21. *Blooming tree 23. *Before it becomes one, corn is planted in spring 24. Computer solicitation 25. Communications org. 28. *Greek goddess of spring 30. Recipients of funds or benefits 35. Diving bird 37. Kuwaiti, e.g. 39. Mother-of-pearl 40. Fairy tale opener 41. Overthrow by argument 43. Bygone days 44. Jasmine and Basmati 46. Extinct bird 47. Musher s transport 48. Like lemon 50. Inquires 52. Driver s license and passports, e.g. 53. Cooking fat 55. To this day 57. *Resurrection celebration 60. * Spring, fall back 64. Jamaican national fruit 65. Don t waste 67. New World bird 68. A peddler who shouts to advertise 69. Lay down 70. Willow twig 71. Barrels or casks 72. Thrown in the Boston harbor 73. *Flower holder, often becomes visible in spring P uzzles DOWN 1. Baker s unit 2. Military no-show 3. Agrippina s slayer 4. Cavern 5. Old Testament prophet 6. Soft drink 7. Maria 8. Civil rights org. 9. Back of military formation 10. German mister 11. Avant-garde 12. * Wednesday 15. Demigod 20. Doom and gloom 22. Consumed or experienced 24. Seaworthy vessel 25. *Roman goddess of spring 26. Like a cone 27. Spherical bacteria 29. Ill- or unrefined 31. Thumbs-down votes 32. Food safety threat 33. Made a mistake 34. *Most need water 36. Financial aid criterion 38. *Signs of the season 42. Ginza locale 45. Kim to Kourtney, e.g. 49. Stage signal 51. Servomechanisms, for short 54. Do like Vesuvius 56. Unforeseen development 57. Shade of beige 58. Analogous 59. Gets the picture 60. Greek salad ingredient 61. Prima donna s song 62. Fishing rod attachment 63. Mr. Uncool 64. College readiness assessment 66. Johnny Cash s A Boy Named Solutions to previous puzzles