NOVEMBER 19, 2009 - 5:31 PM
The Matanuska Glacier, Hatcher Pass and a few longtime Palmer residents are key figures in a New York Times article that for a while today had top billing at the Times' Web site and was high on the newspaper's "Most E-mailed" story list.
The story is part of the Times' American Journeys series, which has featured several small(ish) towns around the nation, such as Marietta, Ohio, where several political dignitaries have been born, and the Hanford nuclear reactor site in Washington.
The author, Diana Bletter, describes a moulin on Matanuska Glacier, recaps Palmer's Depression-era history, sips coffee at Fireside Books and spots dall sheep from Gold Cord Lake in Hatcher Pass.
Neither Wasilla nor its currently most-famous resident are mentioned.
Check the story out here.
NOVEMBER 19, 2009 - 2:43 PM
Former Alaska Aces winger Matt Robinson, released by ECHL Johnstown earlier this week, found a soft landing -- ECHL Cincinnati picked him up.
That is all.
NOVEMBER 19, 2009 - 2:36 PM
Police say new information has prompted them to reopen a 9-year-old unsolved murder case.
Genevive Tetpon, 28, was found stabbed to death March 22, 2000, in brush along the Glenn Highway off Arctic Valley Road, about a quarter-mile from the Fort Richardson gate.
Police never publicly identified a suspect in the slaying and no arrests were ever made.
But now police say they have learned new information that has led them to crack open the file afresh.
Police spokesman Lt. Dave Parker said police were not releasing what that information is but that police are asking for additional tips.
NOVEMBER 19, 2009 - 1:33 PM
Use this space to discuss training issues, to brag about successes, lament a setback (see below) or pose a question to the group.
Jillie's housetraining went south a couple days after I bragged about her success last week. Had a couple more accidents. But she's also barked to go outside a couple times too. I'll put her success rate at about 80 percent right now, which still leaves me with hope she's on the brink.
What's up with your gang?
NOVEMBER 19, 2009 - 1:30 PM
From Erika Bolstad in Washington D.C. --
Don't expect Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski to cross party lines to vote for the health care bill released this week by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada.
Murkowski calls it "deeply disappointing and in many ways is even worse than the Senate Finance Committee-passed proposal."
"First and foremost, the American people have said, and both parties have agreed, that health care reform must reduce health care costs," she said. "But this bill doesn’t do that. In fact, it’s laden with budgetary gimmicks that would massively increase the size and reach of government and send federal spending into the stratosphere."
NOVEMBER 19, 2009 - 8:50 AM
No texting onboard aircraft at anytime during flight.
Q. I sat next to a woman who texted before we landed. Is that legal?...Larry
A. No, no and no. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations prohibit the use of wireless devices during flight. End of story. No use of items that receive or transmit signals period.
Scary, but I too have seen what appears to be passengers texting once the pilot announces that we will be landing in so many minutes. The same people don't reach for their cell phones after landing, leading me to believe that they already informed someone of their arrival. It frightens me that these people are ignoring the regulation and putting us all in potential danger.
The FCC says there is insufficient information to determine if wireless devices will interfere with an airplane's navigational and communication system. Maybe that is why some yahoos ignore the regulation. However, who wants to be the first person to find out that personal cell phone use does interfere?
If anyone sees a fellow passenger texting, s/he can give them the benefit of the doubt and tell them texting is prohibited and why. If this doesn't do the trick or the person gets nasty, immediately ring the call button and report the incident. Remember, it's your life too. Or course, you can bypass being nice and ring the button first.
Have a question? Post it to me directly through the question box. I will answer your e-mail or post a blog.
NOVEMBER 19, 2009 - 7:05 AM
This is the Thanksgiving season, not yet the Christmas season, despite what television shows, advertisements and store displays might suggest. So, I thought it might be fun to explore the history of Thanksgiving. The annual recognition of the celebration in North America has a rich history that dates back to as early as 1607 in Cape Henry, Virginia with the Jamestown Settlers, and some believe as far back as 1541 at Palo Duro Canyon, Texas with Coronado and 1,500 of his men. In 1564 a Thanksgiving celebration was held at St. Augustine, Florida with French Huguenot (Protestant) colonists. In 1598 at El Paso, Texas a Thanksgiving celebration was held by Juan de Oñate and his expedition. And, in 1619 a Thanksgiving celebration was held at Berkeley Plantation, Virginia. This list is not exhaustive, but the tradition has persisted and continued over the centuries until now.
NOVEMBER 18, 2009 - 11:16 PM
My health insurance premiums have not gone up 50% in the last 6 years but my property tax sure did.
It is a bit of a paraphrase but that was a comment made by an attendee at Senator Begich's town hall meeting at Bartlett High School. It seemed completely appropriate after Marky Mark seemed so concerned about the rising cost of health care premiums.
Perhaps it has escaped Begich that housing is a bigger expense for US households than health care. For people with higher incomes, taxes are the biggest expense.
NOVEMBER 18, 2009 - 9:24 PM
Tuesday morning at my local supermarket, I saw a copy of “Going Rogue” already reduced 25%. I couldn’t resist such a bargain, went home with the 400-page book, decided to do what's best for Alaska, read the first 250 pages and then quit.
Ronald W. Reagan decided to solve our country’s problems by throwing taxpayers’ money at them and outspent all his predecessors combined.
George W. Bush decided to solve our country’s problems by throwing taxpayers’ money at them and outspent all his predecessors combined.
The current occupant decided to solve our country’s problems by throwing taxpayers’ money at them and outspent all his predecessors combined. Shouldn’t we therefore refer to our president as Barack W. Obama?
NOVEMBER 18, 2009 - 8:44 PM
Forward Nick Curry, who grew up in Eagle River but now claims Bettendorf, Iowa, as home, has committed to begin playing college hockey next season at nationally-ranked UMass-Lowell.
Curry, 20, is third in the North American Hockey League in points, and second in assists, with 9-21--30 totals and a +6 rating in 22 games for the Springfield (Ill.) Jr. Blues. Last season, the 6-foot, 185-pounder, whose brother Mike played at Minnesota-Duluth and briefly for the Alaska Aces, finished fifth in the league in helpers and 12th in points with 15-41--56 totals in 55 games.
Lowell is currently ranked No.
NOVEMBER 18, 2009 - 7:02 PM
Vet examined Eddie today, the sixth day since he started limping after an unexpected romp in the snow. He found it to be painful and suspects a torn meniscus.
I'll have to call back tomorrow, because I didn't do a very good job asking questions after learning that the prescribed treatment is to remove the meniscus. Evidently, there's no artificial surface they can put in there to give the joint any cushion.
I asked if it meant for sure that his agility career is over, and he said it depends on how he heels. He says some dogs return to normal levels of activity. But how can a dog return to normal activity if there's no shock absorber in the knee?
NOVEMBER 18, 2009 - 6:43 PM
Erstwhile Alaska Aces winger Matt Stefanishion suited up for the Peoria Rivermen of the American Hockey League tonight, but put up zeroes across the board -- which was kind of how Peoria rolled in a 1-0 road loss to the Houston Aeros.
The Rivermen mustered just 16 shots on goal. 'Course, they only surrendered 21. In any event, Houston copped a power-play goal with about nine minutes to go to prosper.
Elsewhere in the 'A,' former UAF goaltender Chad Johnson, a rookie with the Hartford Wolf Pack, absorbed a 2-1 shootout loss to visiting Binghamton. Still, he stopped 35 shots. He's 8-4-1, with a 2.07 goals-against average, .928 save percentage and three shutouts. Hartford got to extra time courtesy of a late power-play strike by former UAA center Paul Crowder, another rookie, who bagged his third goal of the season but got denied in the shootout. Making his AHL debut for Binghamton was former UAA defenseman Mat Robinson, who rolled all zeroes.
NOVEMBER 18, 2009 - 6:36 PM
Katrina Larson-Markiewic working on a crepe: Photo by Gretchen Weiss / Anchorage Daily News
After spending time cooking and living in Sweden, Norway and Denmark, Katrina Larson-Markiewicz moved back to Alaska and missed European dining – especially real crepes and Belgian waffles. She took matters into her own hands, opening La Petite Creperie (2210 E. Northern Lights Blvd.) a week ago.
NOVEMBER 18, 2009 - 6:34 PM
I was sitting in a favorite café this week when an old friend and colleague in the book-publishing world came over to say hello and share news of an unexpected and untimely death. Sara Juday, longtime regional manager for Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company, put it bluntly: “I have some bad news. Graphic Arts has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.”
Initially I didn’t get it. I was thinking Chapter 11, the kind that results in a company’s re-organization. Graphic Arts had been down that road once before and I knew the company has again been hurting financially. More than a year has passed since the company paid me any royalties. But Chapter 7? Liquidation? The company was going out of business? Wow, bad news indeed, not only for its employees, but also for its many authors and Alaska’s book lovers.
NOVEMBER 18, 2009 - 5:58 PM
At least 40 tribes have signed up to join a new state transportation task force announced by Attorney General Dan Sullivan today.
The group is led by three chairmen representing the state, feds and tribes. It held its first meeting Oct. 26.
It’s a little unclear what the task force is going to do, beyond talk about transportation in Alaska. Will it set priorities for road construction spending? Write a blueprint for connecting remote communities?
Sullivan told the Alaska Municipal League today that the task force could take advantage of the federal Indian Reservation Roads program that has about $100 million for Alaska tribes, according to a copy of the speech. Twenty years ago many rural communities weren’t interested in being connected to the road system, the state says, but that’s changing as people look to lower the cost of food and fuel.
NOVEMBER 18, 2009 - 4:46 PM
November Garden Calendar
View Garden Gallery
Submit Your Garden Photos!
Now that we've had some time to reflect, what would you say have been your successes and/or failures of the past summer?. Please share your experiences in the comment section below.
NOVEMBER 18, 2009 - 4:26 PM
Former UAF defenseman Tyler Eckford, a second-year pro tearing up the American Hockey League, today was called up by the NHL's New Jersey Devils.
The Devils next play Thursday at Nashville, so that could be the site of Eckford's NHL debut.
Eckford, who is fourth among AHL defensemen in points with 5-10--15 totals and a +9 rating for the Lowell Devils, was a seventh-round draft pick of New Jersey's in 2004. He was taken 217th overall, which makes him seem like a longshot to make it to the NHL.
But nine guys from the seventh round in 2004 already have played in the NHL, not to mention five guys from the eighth round that year and six guys from the ninth, and final, round.
NOVEMBER 18, 2009 - 3:59 PM
From Sean Cockerham in Anchorage –
Gov. Sean Parnell just sent out a press release confirming that Noah resigned.
The release offers no details on the reason. It says Noah will stay on until a replacement is named and then "pursue a private-sector venture in Oregon."
The release said Parnell "remains committed to pursuing an in-state gas line."
(Update -- Here's the resignation email that Noah sent Parnell's chief of staff, Mike Nizich, this afternoon. In it, Noah says he needs to leave the state for a family farming business.
“It has been an interesting experience working on this project, however the family farming and food processing business we own in Oregon has grown and I just do not have time for both efforts,” said the e-mail released by the governor’s office.)
Here's the original post:
Fairbanks Rep. Jay Ramras says the governor’s in-state natural gas pipeline czar, Harry Noah, has resigned under pressure from a state agency that doesn't support the project. But the governor’s office says Noah is still on the job.
“Harry called me and said he resigned. Then (Gov. Sean Parnell’s legislative director) Jerry Gallagher called me and confirmed it as well,” Ramras told me in an email.
Parnell spokeswoman Sharon Leighow, however, said the governor’s office has not received a resignation letter and so considers him still in the job.
Leighow also said the governor has not asked for Noah to resign. Noah himself hasn’t returned my calls or an email about it.
(UPDATE -- Anchorage Rep. Mike Hawker said he confirmed this afternoon with a "senior member" of Parnell's administration that Noah was out.
Hawker said he believes it was under duress from the department of natural resources, officials of which were quoted in a "knife in the back" editorial in the Daily News making "discrediting comments" about the in-state pipeline project.
Hawker said Parnell's previous statement of policy was that all pipeline options were on the table and Noah's work would be allowed to finish. "It seems to me that the department of natural resources is now telling the governor what to do and the governor is not telling the department of natural resources what the policy is.")
Ramras today sent a letter (read it here) to the co-chairs of the Legislature's resources committees, suggesting that Noah was pushed to resign by a state department of natural resources that doesn't support the in-state gas pipeline project. Department commissioner Tom Irwin didn't respond.
Ramras wrote that state officials are "potentially compromising the future of our state with their bullying tactics and zealous behavior."
Ramras is asking the legislative committees to hold hearings on the project.
NOVEMBER 18, 2009 - 3:49 PM
It's as if Mat Robinson and Matt Robinson are linked not just by their Anchorage connections, but by time, too.
Today brought news on both Robinson fronts.
Mat, the former UAA defenseman, was promoted to the Binghamton Senators of the American Hockey League, getting called up from the ECHL's Elmira Jackals. Mat has furnished Elmira with four assists in 14 games, though he's a team-worst -9.
Meanwhile, Matt, the former Alaska Aces winger, was released by the ECHL's Johnstown Chiefs despite being tied for second in team scoring with 3-6--9 and -1 totals in 14 games. (This is the bad news part, unless Matt requested a release).
NOVEMBER 18, 2009 - 3:25 PM
From Erika Bolstad in Washington D.C. --
The fact checking of former Sarah Palin's new memoir continues, and now, questions have been raised about her role in the lawsuit against Exxon Mobil. People involved in the legal wrangling tell Reuters that they believe the former Alaska governor distorted her importance in the outcome of the two-decade lawsuit against ExxonMobile for the company's role in the 1989 oil spill in Prince William Sound.
Reuters: "Palin's claims of victory for the plaintiffs and of playing a role in achieving that victory are highly distorted, said the chief attorney for the approximately 32,000 plaintiffs that sued Exxon over damages from the worst oil-tanker spill in U.S. waters. 'That is the most cockamamie bull****,' said Dave Oesting of Anchorage, lead plaintiff attorney in the private litigants' civil case against Exxon and its successor, Exxon Mobil Corp. 'She didn't have a damn thing to do with it, and she didn’t know what it was about.'"
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