Commentary
It is time for Alaska to just say ‘no’ to bad carbon math
Gov. Mike Dunleavy is deliberately bad at carbon math. He “needs” all Alaskans to ignore the math and just say “yes” to everything, including development projects that will collectively emit a lot more greenhouse gases, while touting a state carbon offset program that will alter the amount of emissions already in the atmosphere by zero. […]
A glaringly obvious answer to America’s truck driver shortage
Seemingly intractable problems sometimes have an obvious solution standing right in front of them. Our nation’s dire shortage of long-haul truck drivers, for example. Wrangling big rigs across the country is difficult and dangerous work, and the corporate giants that dominate the industry have long been wailing that they can’t find people willing to do […]
When things seem hopeless in Middle East, an Alaska memory provides glimmer
Jews in Israel and Palestinians in Gaza are embroiled in the deadliest fighting in decades, prompted by an organized assault by Hamas soldiers who murdered innocent Israelis on Oct. 7 and also took hostages. Israel has followed the Hamas raid with deadly retaliatory attacks on Gaza — military targets but also more innocent civilians caught […]
Canceling school lunch debt would have meaningful impact for children’s health
Pandemic, epidemic – these words have become part of our everyday vocabulary in the light of COVID-19 over the past few years. However, we cannot forget the other illness that plagues our society, threatening the wellbeing and growth of our younger generations. Childhood obesity is an ever-growing problem that is affecting our communities, leading to […]
Gangsters are ‘Flower Moon’ villains, but U.S. government was biggest thief of Native wealth
Director Martin Scorsese’s new movie, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” tells the true story of a string of murders on the Osage Nation’s land in Oklahoma in the 1920s. Based on David Grann’s meticulously researched 2017 book, the movie delves into racial and family dynamics that rocked Oklahoma to the core when oil was discovered […]
Restaurant owner pleads guilty in Kachemak Bay seaplane case while state contracts with McKinsey
I took a break earlier this month, but now I’m back in full force for the fall, with some fun stories on my agenda. This edition covers subjects including a plea deal in a high-profile criminal case; a contract between Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration and the consulting firm McKinsey & Company; an array of […]
Book excerpt: ‘Accountability in State Legislatures’
The following is an excerpt from the 2023 book “Accountability in State Legislatures.” More information can be found here. State lawmakers decide who can bear arms, join arms in matrimony, and even participate in our democracy. Formally, the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the […]
Policies barring coverage of anti-obesity care are outdated
Millions of Americans suffer from obesity. They are blamed for their weight; constantly being told they are not making good decisions. From friends and family to their own health care providers, they experience discrimination and bias from all sides. Many have searched high and low for affordable options and treatments to help manage what the […]
Rising oil prices, surging inflation: sound familiar?
Fifty years ago, a secret deal among Arab governments triggered one of the most traumatic economic crises to afflict the United States and other big oil importers. Saudi King Faisal and other Arab leaders launched an oil embargo on Oct. 17, 1973, as payback for Washington siding with Israel in its war with neighboring Egypt […]
Glacial lake outburst floods in Alaska and the Himalayas show evolving hazards in a warming world
In August 2023, residents of Juneau, Alaska, watched as the Mendenhall River swelled to historic levels in a matter of hours. The rushing water undercut the riverbank and swallowed whole stands of trees and multiple buildings. The source for the flood was not heavy rainfall – it was a small glacial lake located in a […]
I’m working to revitalize an Indigenous language and bring it into the future
Language is foundational to Indigenous communities, including my own, and a vital connection to our cultures. It is well documented how residential schools in Canada and boarding schools in the U.S. devastated Indigenous languages and severed cultural connections. While our languages are in decline, efforts to sustain them are ongoing, and I am taking part […]
The burden of limiting physician assistants would fall on rural Alaska
This commentary is adapted from a letter submitted to the Alaska State Medical Board. I am a proud Alaska Native woman of the Gwich’in Nành and I am a proud physician assistant. As an Alaska Native who grew up in Aniak on the Kuskokwim River, I chose a very specific path of training in order […]