thevillage's blog

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

Best part of this U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service video, posted this week on YouTube? The dramatic score.

While the clip is new to the FWS YouTube feed, it was shot back in 2004 on Big Creek. That's part of the Naknek River watershed on Becharof National Wildlife Refuge, says Fish & Wildlife Service spokesman Bruce Woods.

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

Bubbling tension between Alaska's tribes and Native corporations is nothing new. There’s a reason this year’s AFN convention theme was “unity,” after all.

But here’s something I haven’t seen before: One tribe known for pushing the boundaries of its government sovereignty powers is attempting to levy a $500,000 on its regional Alaska Native corporation.

The Chickaloon Village Traditional Council on Oct. 5 sent the half-million-dollar bill to Cook Inlet Region Inc., threatening to seize the regional corporation’s property if CIRI didn’t pay up.

Hence: This lawsuit.

CIRI wants an order from a federal judge saying the Chickaloon tribe doesn’t have the authority to tax the corporation, following 1998 Venetie case.

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

The Alaska Statewide Suicide Prevention Council has released a draft five-year plan for reducing the staggering number of Alaskans who kill themselves in cities and villages across the state.

Among the recommendations:

-- State funding for suicide prevention training for school teachers.
-- Promoting programs that reduce unsafe access to firearms, such as installing gun lockers in village homes.

From Kyle Hopkins at the Dena'ina Center --

Meet 24-year-old Rebecca Wilbur, an entrepreneur with her eye on becoming the Michael’s crafts store of Quinhagak.

Artists in the cash-poor Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta need beads and bones, leather and carving tools to make projects, she said, but it can cost more than $600 to fly to Anchorage for supplies. Wilbur’s solution: Import the craft supplies or buy raw materials from hunters and trappers in the region, and sell to artists in nearby villages.

“I want to provide the supplies for kuspuk making, for putting bracelets together,” said Wilbur, whose business is called Yup’ik Originals. “The string, beads. (Supplies for) making earrings and hair pins, and everything that I guess defines who we are.”

Voters in the Alaska Marketplace competition – a contest to win seed money to start small rural businesses – awarded Wilbur the people’s choice award at this year’s Alaska Federation of Natives convention. She’ll take home $6,000 from the competition.

If the business model works, other supply shops could sprout up around the Y-K, she said.

“There aren’t many jobs in the community and we are hoping that with our business, we can help our artists flourish,” Wilbur said. “And at the same time, we want to encourage trappers to go trapping by purchasing their raw hides from them.”

Eventually, Wilbur hopes to buy art from artists across the region and sell the work at the Bethel Saturday market or at the AFN crafts fair.

“People spend so much time making their art that they don’t break even,” Wilbur said.

3 p.m. UPDATE: Worl named Citizen of the year

For the second time in three years, a Sealaska Corp. board member has been awarded AFN’s top honor.

Rosita Worl, vice chair for the Southeast Alaska regional corporation and president of the Sealaska Heritage Instiute, was named AFN’s Citizen of the Year today.

“I venture to say there’s probably nobody’s life that has not been touched by the efforts that she has put into her work helping the Native community over her lifetime,” AFN president Julie Kitka said.

Fellow Sealaska board member, chair Al Kookesh, won in 2009. Both Kookesh and Worl are also AFN board members.

Last year, Heartbeat Alaska host Jeanie Greene won the award.

This year's Denali award, which recognizes the achievements of non-Natives, went to John Katz, the outgoing director for the governor’s office in D.C.

1:10 p.m. UPDATE: Poll -- Can villages survive in the future?

Grab a seat at the AFN convention this year and someone might hand you a credit card-sized gadget that looks a little like a calculator. It allows the audience of hundreds to participate in informal, flash surveys and polls.

Today, more than 500 people were asked if they agree with this statement: "I think our rural communities can survive into the future.”

More than 70 percent said yes.

12:15 p.m. UPDATE: Business ideas: North Slope computer farm & kuspuks for everyone!

Former Bethel Rep. Mary Sattler has a question. Why is it that when tourists go to Hawaii, they all come home wearing a Hawaiian shirt, but when visitors leave Alaska, they're not wearing a traditional kuspuk?

Picture a cruise ship full of seniors wrapped in the lightweight parkas rather than jogging suits. Sattler told the crowd it's a business that needs to happen.

North Slope Borough Mayor Edward Itta pitched his own development idea. Somewhere in America, he said, there are "mega servers" comprised of fields of computers.

“Huge places that take acres and they take tons of energy to refrigerate and cool," Itta said. "I thought, ‘Hmm, you know, maybe we could try to bring some of these people up north, and they don’t have to spend so much money on refrigeration.”

Sattler, by the way, was recently elected to the Bethel City Council, she said. "I really want the pool to be built."

We've posted photo galleries from the opening day of the AFN convention on Thursday and from Wednesday night's "Quyana Alaska" dance/music performances.

From Kyle Hopkins at the Dena'ina Center --

4:45 p.m. UPDATE:

Among the other proposals scheduled for a vote this week at AFN: A call to abolish Columbus Day.

"It is unconscionable for the United States of America to celebrate and honor a person of such character of child molestation, degradation of women, genocide and enslavement of people," says a draft resolution proposed by the Bethel-based Association of Village Council Presidents.

The association is asking Alaska's congressional leaders to propose a national ban on Columbus Day celebration and replace it with a "holiday honoring the great Native American leaders who contributed to this country."

1:40 p.m. UPDATE:

Are you a registered Democrat? A Republican?

The board of directors for the Alaska Federation of Natives -- the non-profit representing nearly 180 villages across the state -- recommends dropping your party affiliation. At least on paper.

A draft resolution proposed by the board this week calls on voters, and Alaska Native voters in particular, to switch their registrations to "undeclared."

Undeclared voters can vote for either a Democrat or a Republican in primary elections, the board argues, "and thereby vote for the candidates that most support their views and standings on the issues."

Former AFN President Byron Mallott said he supports the proposal, which would allow voters to participate in the closed Republican primaries which typically favor more conservative candidates.

“Very conservative ideologies scare the hell out of us, because of our circumstance," Mallott said, emphasizing that he was speaking for himself and not all Alaska Natives. "Because of the range of issues that affect us ... I hope it passes with a huge vote.”

Delegates will vote on the proposed resolution and about 50 others on Saturday, the final day of the convention. AFN resolutions are non-binding but signal the collective will of the state's largest association of Alaska Natives.

Which candidates stand to gain, and which stand to lose, if voters follow the board's advice? Would it make AFN endorsements and regional corporation spending more influential in electing candidates?

One unofficial theme at this year's convention is a blooming recognition that efforts to re-elect Murkowski proved the Native vote and unrestricted Alaska Native corporation spending can sway an election.

“It may be in this day and age just an urban myth that most Alaska Natives are registered Democrats," Mallott said. "For example, I’ve been registered undeclared for at least a dozen years.”

Any registered voter can choose the primary ballot that includes Democrats, members of the Alaskan Independence Party and Libertarian candidates. Only registered non-partisan, undeclared and Republican voters can choose the Republican primary ballot, according to the Division of Elections.

12:15 p.m. UPDATE:

I caught up with Rep. Don Young to ask what he meant when he told the AFN crowd that he'd like to see an Alaska Native elected to the state's sole Congressional seat. (That is Young's job after all. But he told the crowd that he won't live forever.)

So did he have a replacement in mind?

Young isn't planning to step down any time soon. He's running for re-election in 2012 and plans to run again in 2014, a spokesman said.

Meantime, I spoke briefly with Sen. Al Kookesh about behind-the-scenes tension between Alaska tribes and corporations. Kookesh has called for corporations to be recognized as part of the National Congress of American Indians ... a notion that concerns some tribal leaders, APRN reports.

I'll post Kookesh's remarks later today. He said a resolution supporting inclusion of corporations in the National Congress of American Indians has been pulled from the agenda to avoid arguments at this year's unity-themed convention.

Kookesh, by the way, said he's not interested in running for Congress. People beat you up enough when you're running for the state House or Senate, let alone a statewide seat, he said.

10:30 a.m. UPDATE: Kotzebue musher John Baker, wearing Team Baker blue, told the crowd of hundreds that Alaska Natives collectively "prevented a disaster" by re-electing Lisa Murkowski to the U.S. Senate last year.

Alaska Natives had faced a candidate "who would not represent our interests," he said. Republican Joe Miller had defeated Murkowski in the primary and village voters were one of the big reasons -- along with financial support from Alaska Native corporations -- that Murkowski won an unprecedented write-in campaign.

Baker also showed his support for the regional corporations, which "provide more private sector jobs in Alaska than any outside company or industry," he told the crowd.

The foray into politics was brief, as Baker delivered a largely inspirational message.

“Too often, when things get difficult, there’s a temptation to see ourselves as victims. I’m here to tell you today, that we’re only victims if we allow ourselves to be," he said.

The Alaska Federation of Natives convention is underway. Still time to catch Iditarod musher John Baker’s keynote speech.

Among the highlight’s so far:

-- AFN President Julie Kitka told the crowd that the feds’ changes to subsistence oversight have fallen short. She is calling for a “Native-plus” subsistence priority.

AFN co-chairman Al Kookesh has said that a Native-plus-rural priority would mean that Alaska Natives who move from villages to the cities would still get first crack at subsistence hunting and fishing -- even in times of shortage. It would take Congressional action to make that happen.

-- Anticipated cuts to federal funding to Alaska Natives and Alaska Native programs is “nothing short of another form of termination by the United States,” Kitka said.

-- “I would be no more prouder in my life than to have an Alaska Native be a United States congressman,” says U.S. Rep. Don Young. (Does he have anyone in mind?)

I'll be posting updates on here and on Twitter through the day, and posting recaps and stories at adn.com and in print, so check back.

Kyle Hopkins / ADN

From Kyle Hopkins at the Dena'ina Center --

Iditarod champion John Baker told the story of his historic win to hundreds of young people from villages around the state earlier today at the First Alaskans Elders and Youth Conference.

Baker, who is part Inupiaq and lives and trains in Kotzebue, this year shattered the Iditarod speed record by three hours. It was the 48-year-old Baker's 16th try at the race and his first victory.

He will deliver the keynote speech at the annual Alaska Federation of Natives convention beginning Thursday.

“I won’t pretend that living in rural Alaska isn’t difficult at times. It just means that we have to work a lot harder,” Baker told the youth delegates, who gave the musher a pair of standing ovations.

Afterward, the audience peppered Baker with questions about his dogs, his future in the sport and even how a proposed road to Nome might change the race. Here’s a sampling of the musher’s responses, edited for length and clarity:

Q. Now that you’ve won the Iditarod, do you have another dream?

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

The First Alaskans Elders & Youth Conference continued today in downtown Anchorage, where kids from villages across the state huddled with elders to talk about Alaska's past, present and future. We asked some of the young delegates about why they're here and what's important to them.

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

Time to see some old friends. Alaskans from around the state are beginning to arrive in Anchorage for this year's AFN convention.

Read the agenda here.

Look for keynote speaker and 2011 Iditarod champ John Baker to hit town early next week. This will be the Inupiaq musher's first visit to the annual convention, which is the largest annual gathering of Alaska Natives in the state.

“This is actually a time of year that I’m normally training quite heavily," said Baker, who spent the day running 17 dogs, including leaders Snickers and Velvet, on roads circling Kotzebue.

Even before breaking the Iditarod speed record, Baker regularly spoke to rural Alaska students about perseverance and never giving up. That message may be something of a theme at this year's convention, where Sen. Lisa Murkowski plans to hold a Senate hearing about the state's devastating youth suicide rates.

The meeting will be a field hearing of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, Murkowski says:

As for his keynote speech Thursday, Baker said he doesn't plan to talk about suicide specifically.

“I can only share the experiences that I have as far as making sure that I’m willing to work hard even though sometimes it’s easier for me to give up in the Iditarod," he said. "I just keep trying hard and never quit.”

The convention theme this year is "Strength in Unity."

Baker said that idea will be part of his talk. "How the dog team’s success is always working together as a team," he said.

The North Slope Borough today issued the following statement on the mysterious outbreak that has killed dozens of seals along the North Slope.

Alaska Dispatch reports that the borough Department of Wildlife Management has never documented a similar outbreak in the region.

From the North Slope Borough:

Diseased Seals Found Along Arctic Coast

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

The National Weather Service is warning of potential coastal flooding today through Friday morning along the Chukchi Sea Coast, including Point Hope, Shishmaref and Kivalina:

Minor coastal flooding may inundate areas of Kivalina and Shishmaref while significant beach erosion may occur on the south and west facing areas of Kivalina and other coastal areas from Cape Krusenstern to Point Hope.

Forecasters today also are warning of gale winds all along the western coast of the state, from Cape Beaufort and Point Hope south toward Dall Point. That warning is in effect until Thursday morning.

A high-surf advisory has been issued for St. Lawrence Island and the Bering Strait coast through 4 p.m. Thursday.

Do you live along the coast? Can you tell us about the weather in your home town? Email khopkins@adn.com.

All photos courtesy of Mary Sage/Amaguq Media.

Mary Sage sends these pics from the Barrow Whalers 28-6 defeat of the Monroe Rams today in Barrow. Plus: Scroll down for a look at a bowhead landed by the Aiken crew. (They don't call them the Barrow Whalers for nothing.)

Whalers vs Monroe Coach Brad Igou high fives one of the Barrow Whalers small

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More photos after the jump!:

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

KYUK reports on an Election Day outburst by Bethel City Manager Lee Foley, who became angry when he learned he wasn't registered to vote at the City Hall precinct:

Instead of voting, Foley became enraged and yelled at election workers and at the city clerk. The behavior was witnessed by several people at City Hall.

Foley refused to vote a questioned ballot or head to another precinct. He never did cast a ballot, the radio station says.

Foley later apologized for what he called "stupid, aberrant and distasteful conduct," according to KYUK.

Note: This has been updated with a longer story on our homepage.

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

The state of Alaska has reached what rural school advocates are calling a historic agreement in the 14-year battle for equitable funding of school construction in remote towns and villages.

The settlement, announced today, calls for Gov. Sean Parnell to ask the Legislature for $146 million to build or renovate schools in five villages.

If the state lives up to its promises, the agreement will close the book on a 1997 lawsuit that prompted a state judge to declare Alaska funding of village schools “arbitrary, inadequate and racially discriminatory.”

The lawsuit was filed by a group of rural parents, including Willie Kasayulie of Akiachak, and school districts. They claimed the state’s method of financing school construction discriminated against rural students – a majority of whom were Alaska Native.

New from the Lower Kuskokwim School District:

"Fifth graders at Ayaprun practicing their dance moves!"

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

Today is payday in Barrow. But unless they planned ahead, residents in the North Slope city of 4,200 people can’t stop and buy a six pack of beer on the way home.

For now, Barrow has no liquor store.

That could change after Tuesday, when voters will be asked if they want to allow the city to own and operate its own package store. Read a sample ballot here.

From Kyle Hopkins --

Today from troopers:

Location: Anchorage
Type: MICS 4th

On 9/6/11, Investigators with the Western Alaska Alcohol & Narcotics Team investigated a postal package that was found to contain approximately 83.3 grams of marijuana sewed into a stuffed animal. The package was destined for an adult female in Mountain Village. Investigation is ongoing.

UPDATE: For more on the new Crooked Creek homes, check out our full story here.

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

Moose hoof Jell-O, root beer and fried chicken topped the cafeteria tables in the Crooked Creek school lunchroom today as the Kuskokwim River village celebrated an early Thanksgiving.

The occasion: Nine families plan to move into boxy new homes, designed by the Cold Climate Housing Research Center, in the next few days.

Volunteers for faith-based relief groups finished the housing just in time for winter. The mountains already are dusted with snow just south of the town.

Helen Macar, 37, was five months pregnant when the worst spring flooding in memory shoved her home from its foundation and floated it 100 feet back in May.

Here's what her old house looks like today, with a cold wind racing through the broken window and dusty Xbox games spilling down the shelves:

And here's a look at her new home, built by Samaritan's Purse and other volunteers with partial funding from the state:

Macar let me tag along today as she took her first look inside the new home. This is what she saw:

The state flew reporters to the village for a brief visit and to catch the potlatch celebrating the new housing. There was at least one surprise.

Donlin Gold, the company that ferried villagers to safety with a helicopter the night of the flood, presented traditional council president Evelyn Thomas with a foot-long, $50,000 check.

Thomas will finally be able to fix the health clinic door, she told the crowd.

Look for a more complete story later today.

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

The North Slope Borough has given at least $500,000 to the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission every year since 2005.

During much of that time, the former directors of the commission were stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the organization, according to federal indictments.

From today's trooper reports:

Location: Goodnews River / Goodnews Bay
Type: Accidental Gunshot

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

Jury selection was expected to begin today in the trial of Jeff Hout of Bethel and Harry Williams of Kwethluk, who are accused of torturing and murdering a Hooper Bay teenager last October.

Listen to the KYUK report here.

Hout, 47, and Williams, 32, are accused of tying 19-year-old Benjamin Kaiser to a table saw and beating him for at least a day, police say. The killing took place in Bethel. So will the trial, provided jury selection goes smoothly.

"Suffice it to say, in 31 years of investigating hundreds of homicides, this ranks in the top 10 for the amount of violence involved on another human being prior to his death," Bethel police chief Larry Elarton told Alaska Newspapers Inc. at the time.

Here's how police initially described the arrest in a statement published by ANI.

Jury selection is expected to take several days, KYUK says.

Hout and Williams also face a civil, wrongful death lawsuit that was filed in August, court records show.

In the criminal case, the pair face charges of first- and second-degree murder, kidnapping and tampering with evidence, according to court records.