Commercial chum fishery postponed

Cauyat — the beat of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta
Bethel, Alaska | 50 cents | FREE in the villages
Vol. 42, No. 42 | July 17, 2014
www.TheTundraDrums.com
Commercial
chum fishery
postponed
Back When
Fish Camp 1959
Zachariah Bryan
For The Drums
AMRC | Steve McCutcheon Collection
Fish hang to dry in the summer of 1959 at a camp upriver from Pilot Station.
Governor signs bill that
will ease grieving
A bill providing compassionate
aid and reforms to state law for
grieving families was signed by
Gov. Sean Parnell July 13 in Bethel
at the Yukon Kuskokwim Health
Corporation.
House Bill 301, sponsored by
Rep. Bob Herron, unanimously
passed both the House and the
Senate during the 2014 legislative session. “We’re looking out
for grieving families, and for
that I am thankful,” Herron said.
“We’ve had good conversations
with the State Medical Examiner’s
office, with tribal health providers
and others,” he added.
“Losing a loved one is an emo-
“We’re looking out for
grieving families, and for
that I am thankful.”
—Bob Herron,
Dist. 37 Respresentative
tional and life-changing time for
family and friends. That impact is
exacerbated in rural Alaska,” he
said. “The body or remains have
to be flown in to Anchorage, taken
from the community and family
who are still processing their loss
and grief. House Bill 301 offers a
new path for grieving families,
hopefully one day allowing them
to save the expense and time lost
with the movement of the body,
and by raising the level of communication between the ME and
the family.”
Rep. Herron expressed his
thanks to Sen. Donny Olson, (DGolovin), for carrying the bill on
the Senate side, and to Director
Kerre Shelton of the Alaska Division of Public Health, for her good
work on the ME’s “Authorization
for Release of Remains” form.
House Bill 301 makes small but
important changes to state law
authorizing the transportation
of human remains brought into
■ See Bill, Page 8
New early voting sites
established
Native groups work
with state to ease
rural voting
AFN
A Native leadership team working to establish new absentee inperson and early voting sites has
completed its work and released
the final list of new sites. In 11
business days, 128 villages were
added.
The team, with representatives
from the Alaska Federation of
Natives, the ANCSA Regional Association and Get Out The Native
Vote, agreed on June 19 to partner
with the Division of Elections
to establish absentee in-person
voting sites in villages that either
did not have one or needed to
reestablish themselves officially
with the state.
“This is just one step in ensuring the Native community is able
to exercise our fundamental right
to vote,” said Julie Kitka, president of AFN. “The team’s next ef-
Last week, members of the
Kuskokwim River Salmon
Management Working Group
successfully staved off an early
commercial opening for chum
salmon in the Kuskokwim River.
If only for a few days.
The commercial opener could
have started as early as Friday,
July 11, according to Alaska
Department of Fish and Game
Manager Aaron Potter. Potter
said that the data shows a strong
chum run and that there should
be no problem reaching escapement.
However, members of the
KRSMWG were not necessarily
concerned about conservation,
but rather meeting the subsistence needs of Kuskokwim resi-
54159 00003
Bethel names police chief
The City of Bethel appointed Lt. Andre Achee as chief of police,
effective July 11.
Lt. Achee has served the Bethel Police Department for over 20
years; 9 years as lieutenant. He is currently serving the community as Acting Police Chief.
According to Greg Moyer, interim city manager, “Lt. Achee is
the right person to lead the Bethel Police Department forward. He
has the education, experience and community involvement to be
a great chief of police. The Bethel community should be proud of
its dedicated police officers, CSOs and dispatchers, and Lt. Achee,
as chief, will promote and maintain the professional reputation of
the Bethel Police Department.”
In accepting the appointment, Lt. Achee said, “I appreciate
your confidence and trust in appointing me as chief and will
strive to serve the dedicated employees of the department and
the community of Bethel with integrity, pride and professionalism.”
Atlanta firm hired to manage new
Bethel pool, gym
BETHEL, Alaska (AP) — The Bethel City Council has hired a
Georgia firm to manage the city’s new six-lane pool and exercise
facility.
KYUK reports (http://bit.ly/1zqnwI9) USA Pools of Atlanta
has been awarded the contract to manage the pool, named Kuimarvik (KWEEM’-uh-vik).
Kuimarvik is Yup’ik Eskimo for “place to swim.”
USA Pools actually finished second in the city’s scoring process, but still got the contract worth about $1.2 million annually
when the city couldn’t get the top-scoring process to provide
plans or verify its physical address.
USA Pools will send staff members to western Alaska this
month to start hiring.
User fees are expected to bring in hundreds of thousands
■ See Voting, Page 8
to editor@TheTundraDrums.com
5
■ See Fishery, Page 12
On the Y-K Delta
Send your announcements and news tips
8
dents, especially in the middle
and upper river. Ultimately, the
department decided to postpone
the commercial opener until
Monday, July 14. Another opening was hosted on Wednesday,
July 16.
“If we’re taking away that
opportunity from people in the
middle and the upper river to
get their subsistence needs met
… our word next year is gonna
be jack shit when we talk about
kings. If people go hungry –
they’ve gone hungry two years in
a row in the middle river – if they
go hungry a third year, it will be
extremely hard to get a conservation message out there, and I’ll
feel like a hypocrite,” she said.
Working group member Mary
Sattler wanted the department to
■ See On The Y-K, Page 12
Page 2 • July 17, 2014 • The Tundra Drums
Opinion & Ideas
Take advantage of new health insurance policy
So, you’re covered. Now what? By the
time the federal enrollment period for health
insurance closed on March 31, more than
12,800 Alaskans had become newly insured
by one of many new policies. But getting
insured is only the first step!
Learning to navigate your new health
insurance policy may seem daunting, but
it will bring you huge financial and health
benefits. Now is the time to familiarize
yourself with your plan, learn important
insurance terms and take some simple steps
toward better health.
Every plan varies and offers something
a little different when it comes to coverage,
deductibles, copays and benefits. Take the
time to learn your own plan and be sure to
review your insurance policy annually for
any changes, or to make sure it is still meeting your needs.
These new health insurance policies arrive
with stacks of paperwork, and the language
is often hard to decipher. Here are five basic
insurance terms that are important to know:
• Benefits - The health care items or
services covered under your health insurance plan. Covered benefits and excluded
that are subject to the deductservices are outlined in your
ible. The deductible may not
policy’s coverage documents.
apply to all services.
• Copay - The fixed dollar
• In-network - In-network
amount you are expected to
providers have agreed to offer
pay for a covered health care
medical services at a discountservice, or per prescription.
ed cost to insurance plan memThe amount varies from policy
bers, saving you money.
to policy.
Now that you understand
• Coinsurance - Your share
your coverage, here are three
of the costs of a covered health
simple steps toward better
care service, calculated as a
Op-Ed
health.
percent of the allowed amount
Cherise
• Medical care is important,
for the service. You pay coinFowler
but the best thing you can do
surance plus any deductibles
Alaska Primary Care
for yourself is to live a healthy
you owe. For example, if the
Associationr
lifestyle. Eating a balanced
health insurance or plan’s
diet, making good lifestyle
allowed amount for an office
choices and getting regular exercise will
visit is $100 and you’ve met your deductible, your coinsurance payment of 20 percent increase your chances of long-term health.
• Don’t wait until you’re sick to find a
would be $20. The health insurance or plan
doctor. Take advantage of the annual checkpays the rest of the allowed amount.
ups and preventive care offered by most
• Deductible - The specified amount of
policies to stay healthy and avoid some of
money you owe for health care services
the more costly interventions down the road.
before your plan begins to pay. For example,
Find an in-network doctor and establish a
if your deductible is $1,000, your plan won’t
relationship with them early. For help findpay anything until you’ve met your $1,000
ing these providers in Alaska, check your
deductible for covered health care services
plan’s list of providers or contact the Alaska
Primary Care Association.
• Keep a medical history. Keeping all
your health information in one place will
help you take charge of your health as well
as help your physician provide better care.
Maintain a list of surgeries, conditions,
medications and family history, and keep
track of all documents or medical records. A
simple file folder is an effective way to keep
everything organized.
Open enrollment has closed, but some
Alaskans may still qualify for a special
enrollment period, Medicaid or Denali Kid
Care. Visit www.healthcare.gov or a Community Health Center nearest you to find
out if you qualify, or contact Alaska 211 at
211. To speak with the Alaska Medicaid
office, call 907-269-6529. The next open
enrollment period is projected to be Nov. 15
to Feb. 15.
Cherise Fowler is the outreach and enrollment
coordinator for Alaska Primary Care Association.
She provides training and technical assistance
in implementing the Affordable Care Act for
Alaska.
Are we doomed to polarization?
We Americans are trapped in a political
dilemma. We all like representative democracy, but we don’t much like the way it’s
performing.
The reason for this dissatisfaction is clear.
Polls in recent years detail a polarized nation,
divided both ideologically and politically.
This is, as the Pew Research Center put it recently, “a defining feature of politics today.”
In the public’s eye, Washington gets most of
the blame for this.
Yet Congress and the political world
around it reflect the rest of the country
more than we’d like to believe. Our nation
is divided ideologically. It’s also segregated
politically, with many Americans preferring
to associate with and live near people who
share their views; gerrymandered districts
and closed primaries intensify the effect.
Our media is more partisan than it used to
be. Interest groups – many of them funded
by ordinary Americans who want their
voices magnified — are more engaged than
they were a generation ago. And though we
deplore negative politics, we respond to it
and even encourage our favorite partisans to
engage in it.
Anyone who becomes President today
does so with nearly half the country opposed
to him the day he takes office. Moreover, we
face a long list of issues where decisive action
may be impossible: abortion, gun control,
climate change, a host of budgetary and
economic problems, the death penalty, tax
reform, immigration, drug laws. These issues
don’t just divide Congress; they divide the
nation, with no clear path forward.
Our admired political system, in other
moderate the nation’s politics,
words, is not working well.
as would bipartisan redistrictIn Pew’s survey, the extremes
ing commissions capable of
make up just over a third of the
doing away with gerrymanAmerican public, but because
dered districts. Increasing voter
they’re disproportionately
participation and improving
active they drive our politics.
the integrity of our elections
The larger, more diverse center
would also help. Limiting the
can’t agree on a direction for
Senate filibuster and allowing
the country, but its members
minority parties in both chamare united by their distaste
bers more of an opportunity to
for the tone of politics and the
Op-Ed
offer amendments, would open
unwillingness of politicians
Lee H.
up debate and forestall endless
to compromise and break the
Hamilton
stalemates.
stalemate. We are not getting
Director,
But resolving our dilemma is
the politics we want.
Center on Congress
unlikely to happen quickly. It’s
So how do we resolve our
hard to see either side in this
dilemma?
partisan divide winning or losing decisively
There are many procedural steps that can
in the elections immediately ahead. Even if
ease the gridlock on Capitol Hill. Among
one party wins both houses in Congress, it’s
them, the House and Senate could schednot easy to move when the White House is
ule themselves so that they’re in session at
in the control of another party. With the need
the same time. Congressional leaders and
for 60 votes in the Senate, the minority party
the President ought to meet at least once a
can always find ways to slow things down.
month. Congress needs to work the same
Still, it’s worth remembering that Amerifive-day week that the rest of us do, and recan politics is dynamic, not static. Change
duce its centralized leadership by empoweroccurs, sometimes quickly, but more often
ing committees. Open primaries would help
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
signiture. 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 e-mail 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.
Publisher
Annette Shacklett
publisher@TheTundraDrums.com • 907-224-4888
Publishing the news of
the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta
since 1974
E-mail
publisher@TheTundraDrums.com
Editor
Annette Shacklett
editor@TheTundraDrums.com • 907-224-4888
Deadlines
Phone
Letters to the editor & commentaries
5 p.m. Friday
224-4888 (Seward)
News, announcements, photos
Mail
The Tundra Drums
Noon Friday
P.O. Box 103, 232 Fourth Ave.
Seward, AK 99664
slowly. We won’t forever be this evenly
divided, because public opinion will eventually evolve and the system will respond.
Which raises my final point. Even when
our frustration with division and discord
spills over into impatience with the system
itself, our obligations as American citizens
remain the same. We face complex problems
that don’t have simple solutions. They demand a willingness to exercise the values of
representative democracy: tolerance, mutual
respect, accepting ideological differences,
working to build consensus.
Our core values accept that the differences
in opinions among us will continue, but also
compel us to find a way through them so
the country can move forward. By accepting the challenges that come with living in a
representative democracy and renewing our
confidence in it, we can lay the groundwork
for change. In the end, we created our political dilemma and are responsible for working
our way through it.
Lee Hamilton is Director of the Center on Congress at Indiana University. He was a member of
the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years.
Published eACH Thursday by
The Tundra Drums, P.O. Box 103, Seward, AK 99664
Advertising
Deadline: Noon Friday
Advertising contact in Seward
advertising@TheTundraDrums.com
907-224-4888
Advertising contact in Anchorage
Alaska Adventure Media
advertising@alaskaadventuremedia.com
907-677-2900
ISSN 1937-2183/
USPS 424850
Postmaster: Please send address changes to The
Tundra Drums, P.O. Box 103, Seward, AK 99664
Subscriptions: Periodicals mail: $25 for one year, $15
Speak your piece
in a
letter to the editor.
editor@TheTundraDrums.com
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 99664.
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.
Copyright 2014
The Tundra Drums
All rights reserved
All Associated Press content is copyrighted by
the Associated Press, Copyright 2014 . All rights
reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The Tundra Drums • July 17, 2014 • Page 3
New system provides 24/7
aviation fuel access in McGrath
Kuskokwim Calendar
To submit an event for the Kuskokwim Calendar, email editor@thetundradrums.com
Crowley Maritime
Crowley’s Alaska fuel sales and distribution group has unveiled McGrath Airport’s first
aviation fuel card lock system, offering pilots the convenience of 24-hour refueling services
at one of the region’s busiest airfields. The implementation of the new, fully automated
system means that aviators can access Crowley fuel pumps with the swipe of a credit card
or proprietary card the same way that drivers would at a local gas station. Moreover, the
system eliminates extra fees previously associated with after-hours transactions.
McGrath Airport is popular amongst pilots flying across the state because of its central location. Before Crowley installed the card lock system aviators had to purchase fuel
during regular business hours or arrange to have a Crowley employee meet them at the
airport. Now, automated sales transactions save pilots time and money.
“The 24-hour availability of our top-quality jet fuel and avgas was something that our
customers had been asking about for a while now,” said Sean Thomas, Crowley vice president. “Not only are pilots able to access Crowley fuel around the clock with the card lock
system now in place, they’re paying less for that convenience.”
Crowley’s card lock refueling pumps are at the McGrath Airport on the tarmac east of
Runway 25, directly in front of Crowley’s office. Call 907-524-3019 for more information.
Chevak organizes Imagination Library
Chevak now has its own Imagination Library, bringing to 34 the number of local Imagination Libraries in Alaska. All together, those 34 Imagination Libraries serve more than
22,000 children in 111 Alaska communities.
Imagination Library mails a brand new, age appropriate book each month to every
child from birth to age 5 who signs up in participating communities, regardless of family
income. There is no charge to the families. Contrary to popular belief, Dolly Parton doesn’t
pay for the books. Best Beginnings and local communities raise funds to pay for the books
and mailing, and family engagement activities. Each local Imagination Library relies on a
band of volunteers to manage their program. The Dollywood Foundation handles the book
delivery system.
Organizing a local Imagination Library takes work. Five volunteers are responsible for
various tasks, including enrollment, data processing and fund raising. The children’s literacy program now reaches 41 percent of the estimated 53,996 children in Alaska under age
5. Founded by Dolly Parton, Imagination Library has been growing in Alaska since 2009,
when Best Beginnings took on the mission to expand it throughout Alaska.
“The evidence is overwhelming that when young children are exposed to books early
and often, they develop a love for books and reading. Those positive early experiences help
prepare them to succeed in school and in life,” said Abbe Hensley, Executive Director at
Best Beginnings. “We’re thrilled to now be reaching 41 percent of Alaska’s young children,
but we won’t be satisfied until Imagination Library is available to every child under 5 in
Alaska. New communities are always invited to come on board.”
This year, 20 Alaska Imagination Libraries will receive grants from Best Beginnings totaling $325,516.
Alaska Department of Education & Early Development, Gov. Sean Parnell, and the
Alaska Legislature provided funds that are helping Best Beginnings continue to support
Imagination Library all over the state.
Federal Subsistence Board to hold
work session in Anchorage
The Federal Subsistence Board will hold a work session Wednesday, July 30 beginning at
8:30 a.m. in the Gordon Watson Conference Room located in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 7 Office, 1011 E. Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska. During the work session, the
board will discuss its annual report replies to the Regional Advisory Councils; discuss the
status of the Memorandum of Understanding with the state that is set to expire in November; finalize the board field trip details to the Kuskokwim drainage and other issues related
to federal subsistence management. Additionally, during an executive session closed to
the public, the board will discuss the Regional Advisory Council nominations and develop
recommendations to the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture for appointments.
The full agenda and any available meeting materials will be posted to the Federal Subsistence Management Program’s website (www.doi.gov/subsistence/board/index.cfm) prior
to this meeting.
The public is welcome to attend the work session in person or by teleconference. To
teleconference, dial 1-888-455-5897, the passcode is 3344290. If attending in person, photo
identification, such as a driver’s license, must be presented at the building reception desk.
For information regarding this meeting contact the Office of Subsistence Management
at 800-478-1456 or 907-786-3888 or by e-mail, subsistence@fws.gov. Contact the Office of
Subsistence Management about special accommodations for disabilities.
Send your announcements
and
news tips
to
editor@TheTundraDrums.com
Best in the West Weekend
Finalist Workshop
Where: Cultural Center
When: Saturday, July 19, exact time TBA
More info: www.bethelculturalcenter.
com
Bluegrass Concert
Where: Cultural Center
When: Saturday, July 19, 5 p.m.
More info: www.bethelcuturalcenter.
com
What: The City Council discusses and
votes on various motions brought
before them. Open to the public.
Where: City Hall
When: Tuesday, July 22, 6:30 p.m.
More info: www.cityofbethel.org
Bethel Chamber of
Commerce Luncheon
What: Join the Bethel Chamber of
Commerce and a guest speaker every
week at the Mud Hut. The luncheons
are open to the public and you do not
have to be a member of the chamber
to attend.
Where: Mud Hut
When: Every Thursday, noon-1 p.m.
More info: http://www.bethelakchamber.org/news-events.php
Saturday Market
What: Vendors from around the Yukon
Kuskokwim Delta gather to sell Alaskan goods and services.
Where: Bethel Cultural Center
When: Saturday, July 26, 10 a.m.
More info: www.bethelculturalcenter.
com
The Children’s Home
exhibit
What: Learn more about the Moravian
Tentative schedule announced for
Bethel Fair
The Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center has announced the dates for the 2014 Bethel Fair. It
will take place from Aug. 20 to Aug. 24.
The fair will feature food and non-food exhibitions, a photography show, a cribbage
tournament, a bird show, a fun run, a kids fair fun day, a BMX bike contest and a concert
performed by Paul Basil.
Activities will take place primarily at the cultural center, but also the Log Cabin, the
River Park and the Bike Park.
To volunteer for the Bethel Fair, contact Reyne at 907-543-4538.
For more information, visit www.bethelculturalcenter.com.
Election deadlines approaching
U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Chaz Buddy Dick Gump was born June
15, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. He weighed 8 pounds
9 counces and was 19 1/2 inches long.
His parents are Alison and Pete Gump of
Hooper Bay. He joins his brothers Skyler,
Javen and Knight.
Where: Cultural Center
When: Friday, July 18, exact time TBA
More info: www.ykhc.org
Bethel City Council
Best Beginnings
Births
YKHC Years of Service
event
Children’s Home through photos, art
and video at the Yup’ik Museum.
Where: Yup’ik Museum
When: Tuesday-Saturday, Noon-4 p.m.,
June 11-Aug. 31
More info: Call (907) 543-1819
Primary elections are coming up, which means if you want to vote, you have to register.
Below is a timeline of what the voting process will look like. Information can be found at
www.elections.alaska.gov.
July 3, the first absentee ballots were sent to active military, spouses and dependents,
U.S. overseas citizens and remote Alaska civilian voters.
On July 20, voter registration closes down.
July 25 is the target date for the first mailing of absentee ballots to civilian voters.
Aug. 2 is the deadline to mail the primary ballot measures ballot to voting households.
Aug. 4, early and absentee in-person voting begins at many locations throughout Alaska.
Civilian voters may also begin to apply for absentee ballots by electronic transmission on
this day.
Aug. 9 is the deadline to apply for an absentee ballot by mail.
Aug. 18, 5 p.m. Alaska Standard Time, is the deadline to apply for an absentee ballot by
electronic transimission.
Aug. 19 is primary election day: Polls will open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 19 is also the
deadline to postmark absentee-by-mail ballots. By 8 p.m., electronic transmission absentee
ballots must be received.
The right choice for Marine Transportation to Western Alaska!
Seward - Bethel - Nome - Dillingham - Naknek
V14-05 - Seward Departure - July 20
V14-06 - Seattle Cutoff - Aug. 8
V14-06 - Seattle Departure - Aug. 12
Alaska Logistics, LLC
1-866-585-3281
info@Alaska-Logistics.com
www.Alaska-Logistics.com
The
right choice for
Marine
Transportation
to
Western
Alaska!
Page 4 • July 17, 2014 • The Tundra Drums
Ocean-going drones measure water
It is changing the chemistry
Ocean chemists are calling
of the entire ocean at a slow,
it “revolutionary technology”
methodical pace.
as unmanned gliders track
“So now we have this
how melting glaciers may be
anthropogenic (manmade)
intensifying corrosive waters
process combining with
in Prince William Sound.
natural process, and it makes
“It’s been hugely successsome regions more vulnerful. We’ve flown these things
able to the impacts of ocean
all over inside and outside of
acidification than others. And
Prince William Sound, we’ve
Fish
Prince William Sound is very
had great control over them,
high up on that list because of
we’ve been able to move them
Factor
the processes that go on inside
to exactly where we want
Laine Welch
of it.”
them to be. They are makwww.alaskafishradio.com
Since May two Carbon
ing thousands of measureWave Gliders resembling
ments all over,” said Jeremy
yellow surfboards have been
Mathis, director of the Ocean
propelled around the Sound by wave moEnvironment Research Division at the Pations to test surface water conditions. The
cific Marine Environmental Lab in Seattle.
gliders are controlled remotely back in the
Mathis also is an affiliate faculty member
Seattle lab with an iPad.
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and
Another so-called Slocum Glider, also
oversees studies at Newport, Ore.
controlled remotely, resembles a yellow
In different regions of the world, natural
torpedo and makes dives down to 600 feet
processes (like glacial melt) are worsening
the effects of ocean acidification so that a re- and then resurfaces.
“It makes these gliding, up and down
gion like Prince William Sound may already
profiles and when it breaks the surface, all
be preconditioned, Mathis explained.
the data is transmitted via satellite back
Ocean acidification is a global phenomto the labs. It’s been working flawlessly,”
enon being driven by increased, human
Mathis said.
produced levels of carbon dioxide in the
Prior to using the gliders, researchers
atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels.
Order and Notice of Election
REAA# 4
Lower Kuskokwim School District
Declaration of Candidacy Deadline
The following four seats on the Lower Kuskokwim School District
Board of Education will be filled through the election process on
October 1, 2014:
SECTION / SEAT
Section I, Seat A
TERM OF OFFICE
NOMINATING SECTION
1 year
(To complete
Mertarvik, Newtok, Nightmute,
Toksook Bay, Tununak
3 year
Chefornak, Kipnuk,
Kwigillingok, Mekoryuk
3 years
Bethel
Section IV, Seat H 3 years
Bethel
Section II, Seat B
Section IV, Seat E
the term)
Those wishing to file must:
1) be a citizen of the United States,
2) be a resident of the section from which he/she is running for
30 days preceding the election,
3) be 18 years of age or older by the time of the election, and
4) be a registered voter in the State of Alaska.
HOW TO FILE:
Fill out a Declaration of Candidacy form that may be obtained from
the LKSD Office of the Superintendent, local school, City or Tribal
Offices, in your community. Declaration of Candidacy forms are also
available at the following web site: www.elections.state.ak.us
DEADLINE:
Declaration of Candidacy forms must be hand delivered or
postmarked no later than Friday, August 1, 2014.
If postmarked and mailed, it must be received by the
Division of Elections no later than August 11, 2014.
LOG File Photo
In May, NOAA prepares two Liquid Robotics Wave Riders for their solo missions in Prince William
Sound. The two, along with a third are riding the waves in the Gulf of Alaska over the summer, can
be controlled and monitored remotely anywhere in the world as they collect data from wavetop and
transmit it to satellites.
were limited to contracting with boats and
crews and taking only about four water
samples each year.
“This is a revolution. I’ve been working on ocean acidification in Prince William Sound for six years and ship time is
so expensive, that’s all we could afford to
do. That has severely limited our ability to
understand what’s going on because we
don’t have the opportunity to collect more
than a few data points every year. These
gliders are a fraction of the cost and we can
leave them out for five months,” he added.
“It will change the way we collect data, the
way we can understand ecosystem environmental processes. The ultimate goal is to
make sure we understand what is going on
with the fisheries and the biology and communicate that back to the fishing communities and stakeholders in Alaska.”
The gliders were tested once off the West
Coast, but the PWS project is the first time
they’ve really been let loose, Mathis said.
“To hedge our bets, we have people we
can call with fast boats in Valdez, Seward
and Whittier if a glider gets run over by
a tanker, or it dies for some reason. So we
have this human insurance policy if we do
have trouble and they can get to them for
us,” he said.
The data is already showing some preliminary results.
“We are seeing that the glacial plume inside and moving out into the Gulf of Alaska
is far more extensive than we thought it
was going to be. One of our conclusions
is that the glaciers are having quite an
extensive impact on the water chemistry of
Prince William Sound,” Mathis said.
The unmanned gliders will soon be
deployed throughout the entire Gulf, the
Bering Sea and the Arctic Ocean.
Crabs can hear – Creepy soundtracks of
noises made by predators had mud crabs
running for shelter and proved, for the first
time, that the animals can hear. Marine
acoustic experts at Boston’s Northeastern
University made the discovery in lab tests
on 200 mud crabs during a two-year study.
When they piped in certain noises, the crabs
didn’t dare venture out to eat juicy clams
placed in their tanks and
Their skittishness lasted for several
hours. The scientists said the crabs hear
through a small sac at the base of their
antennae called a statocyst. It contains thousands of sensory hairs important for the
animal’s balance but also, the study found,
for responding to sounds.
Might it be the same for Alaska crab?
“That’s unknown. I’m not aware of any
studies that have gone into that level of detail on the sensory organs or abilities of any
of the commercial crab species in Alaska,”
said Bob Foy, director of NOAA Fisheries
top crab lab at Kodiak.
“I would not be surprised if it was the
same,” he added. “Sound is just a pressure
wave, so I’m not surprised that the crab
can hear the sound. The interesting fact is
how they are reacting to a predator or to
another organism being there, and being
able to measure that stress that the animal
is undergoing at the same time.”
■ See Fish Factor, Page 9
The Tundra Drums • July 17, 2014 • Page 5
Feds doubt climate change’s impact on wolverines
Matthew Brown
Associated Press
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A top federal
wildlife official said there’s too much
uncertainty about climate change to prove
it threatens the snow-loving wolverine –
overruling agency scientists who warned
of impending habitat loss for the “mountain devil.”
There’s no doubt the high-elevation
range of wolverines is getting warmer,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional
Director Noreen Walsh said. But any
assumption about how that will change
snowfall patterns is “speculation,” she
said.
Walsh told her staff to prepare to withdraw a proposal to protect the animals
under the Endangered Species Act.
Wildlife advocates said the move was a
bow to pressure from Western states that
don’t want wolverines protected. Walsh
said her stance “has not been influenced in
any way by a state representative.”
More broadly, it points to the potential
limitations in the use of long-range climate
forecasts to predict what will happen to
individual plant and animal species as
global temperatures rise.
Walsh’s comments were contained in
a May 30 memo obtained by the Center
for Biological Diversity, an environmental
group. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman Chris Tollefson confirmed that Walsh
authored the document.
Agency Director Dan Ashe will have the
final say, with a decision due Aug. 4.
Wolverines max out at 40 pounds and
are tough enough to stand up to grizzly
bears. Yet some scientists warn they will
be no match for anticipated declines in
deep mountain snows, which female wolverines need to establish dens and raise
their young.
Federal biologists last year proposed
protections for an estimated 300 wolverines in the Lower 48 states. At that time,
Walsh said “scientific evidence suggests
that a warming climate will greatly reduce
the wolverine’s snowpack habitat.”
In the recent memo, she expressed the
opposite view: “Due to the uncertainty of
climate models, I cannot accept the conclusion about wolverine habitat loss that
forms the basis of our recommendation to
list the species.”
Walsh, also a biologist, said she reached
that conclusion after reviewing the latest
science on wolverines and consulting with
other agency officials.
Most of that science already was available when protections were first proposed,
leading the Center for Biological Diversity
to criticize the about-face.
The likelihood of climate change harming wolverines was too great to delay
action because of any lingering uncertainties, said the group’s climate science director, Shaye Wolf.
The government already has declared
that global warming imperils other species, including polar bears, ringed seals
and bearded seals.
“Climate change is driving some iconic
species toward extinction, and many
species are in trouble,” Wolf said. “It’s a
very bad turn of events that the Fish and
Wildlife Service has chosen to ignore the
expertise of its own scientists” on wolverines.
Agency officials said July 7 that Walsh’s
memo was just one step in its deliberations on the animal.
Once found throughout the Rocky
Mountains and in California’s Sierra
Nevada mountain range, wolverines were
wiped out across most of the U.S. by the
1930s due to unregulated trapping and
poisoning campaigns. In the decades
since, they have largely recovered in the
Northern Rockies but not in other parts of
their historical range.
In some areas, such as central Idaho, researchers have said suitable habitat could
disappear entirely.
Wolverines are found in the North
Cascades in Washington and the Northern Rocky Mountains in Idaho, Montana,
Oregon and Wyoming. Individual wolverines have also moved into California
and Colorado but have not established
breeding populations. Larger populations
persist in Alaska and Canada.
Officials from states including Montana,
Utah and Idaho have objected to more
protections, saying the animal’s population has been increasing in some areas.
Two members of an independent peer
review panel also raised questions about
the science behind last year’s proposal.
They suggested that no direct link could
be made between warming temperatures
and less habitat.
Panelist Audrey Magoun, a researcher
based in Alaska, said shifting weather
patterns could mean more snowfall, not
less, in the mountains where most wolverines den. She said July 7 that she was not
taking a position on whether protections
were needed and that there was enough
time to determine that through additional
research before any long-range threats
come to pass.
Wolverines were twice denied protections under the Bush administration. In
2010, the Obama administration delayed
action and said other imperiled animals
and plants had priority over wolverines.
Public Broadcasting in the Y-K Delta
Bringing you News, Weather and Announcements
Since 1971
Radio: 640 AM • 90.3 FM
TV: Channel 15.4
907-543-3131
www.kyuk.org
Irwin Chou
Production Engineer
BP Alaska
➢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
The wings of the people
Our Commitment to Alaska:
More Investment. More Jobs.
Thanks to a more competitive economic climate, we are adding
two more rigs to our drilling fleet and will drill dozens of new oil
wells on the North Slope. That means more investment. More
production. And more jobs for Alaskans. It’s an exciting time for
BP and Alaska.
Running
charters
and
scheduled flights
7 days a week
907-543-3003
Find out more about BP Alaska at alaska.bp.com
Page 6 • July 17, 2014 • The Tundra Drums
The Tundra Drums • July 17, 2014 • Page 7
FIGURE OUT
HOW TO TELL
YOUR GRANDKIDS
YOU WON’T BE
AROUND ANYMORE.
Michael, Age 57
Alaska
Smoking gave Michael COPD, a disease that makes it harder and harder to breathe and can cause death.
You can quit. For free help, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.
#CDCTips
Page 8 • July 17, 2014 • The Tundra Drums
New Ravn Alaska website is now live
Ravn Alaska, formerly Era Alaska, has
announced the launch of a new website.
The ongoing rebranding process is still
underway, and the website reflects the company’s new identity and provides a more
user-friendly browsing experience.
“We’re all very excited to launch the new
FlyRavn.com website,” said Charlotte Sieg-
green, Ravn Alaska marketing manager.
“With its responsive design and userfriendly features, I think we’ve made a lot
of improvements to better suit the needs of
our customers.”
The launch of the site is an important initial phase of the company’s overall website
redesign project. This first step showcases
their new branding, organizes content in a
way that is easy to navigate and is mobile
compatible. The next step for the website is
to revamp the ticketing system to streamline the process of purchasing tickets and
checking-in for flights. In addition, Ravn
Alaska has created a Flickr page, which will
showcase pictures of the airline’s updated
fleet.
“At Ravn Alaska, we’re dedicated to
providing the best service possible. The
new website is a big part of that effort,”
said Steve Smith, Director of Sales and
Marketing. “Customer satisfaction is our
top priority.”
Voting
approved.
What is the difference between absentee
in-person voting and early voting?
When voting absentee in-person, the
voter’s eligibility to vote is verified after
the voter is issued a ballot. Since the voter’s
eligibility can not be verified at the time of
voting, the voter’s voted ballot is placed
inside an absentee voting envelope prior to
being placed in the ballot box.
When voting early, the voter’s eligibil-
ity to vote is verified at the time of voting
through the Division of Elections statewide
voter registration system. A voter is eligible
to vote early if the voter is voting at the
Regional Elections Office where the voter
is registered and if the voter’s registration record is active and current. Since the
voter’s eligibility to vote could be verified,
the voter simply signs a certificate and the
voted ballot is placed directly into the ballot
box.
Below is the list of new absentee early
voting sites in the Yukon-Kuskokwim
region:
Akiachak, Akiak, Alakanuk, Anvik,
Atmautluak, Chefornak, Chevak, Chuathbaluk, Crooked Creek, Eek and Egegik.
Emmonak, Goodnews Bay, Holy Cross,
Hooper Bay, Kasigluk, Kipnuk, Kongiganak, Kotlik, Kwethluk, Kwigillingok and
Lower Kalskag.
Manokotak, Marshall, Mountain Village,
Napakiak, Napaskiak, Newtok, Nightmute,
Nunam Iqua, Nunapitchuk and Oscarville.
Pilot Station, Quinhagak, Russian Mission, Scammon Bay, Shageluk, Sleetmute,
Stony River, Toksook Bay, Tununak, Tuntutuliak and Upper Kalskag.
Bill
by Rep. Herron. House Joint Resolution 24
urges the United States Department of State
to consider the priorities of Alaska while
it holds the position of chair of the Arctic
Council, requests that the United States
Department of State work in partnership
with state officials to appoint a chair of the
Arctic Council, and supports the strategic
recommendation of the Jan. 30 preliminary
report of the Alaska Arctic Policy Commission. House Concurrent Resolution 19
supports Recover Alaska in its efforts to
reduce excessive alcohol consumption and
its effects.
From Page 1
forts will be to continue non-partisan voter
registration, and to educate voters on the
issues and candidate races.”
In all, the team contacted some 180 villages. Some of the villages were already
permanent absentee in-person voting sites.
The team established new sites in 128
villages, which the Division of Election
From Page 1
Anchorage for examination by the State
Medical Examiner’s office, and encourages
cooperation between the state and regional
health partners. In addition, the measure
sets clear guidelines for written communication between the ME’s office and families,
offering information on the processes, options, and resources available to them in a
neutral and respectful manner.
In addition to signing House Bill 301, the
Governor signed two resolutions sponsored
www.TheTundraDrums.com
Fish Fotos 2014
Don’t Miss
a thing!
Send your photos of fishing
in 2014 to The Drums.
We’ll publish at least one a week for the season.
• Subsistence
• Commercial
• Sport
• Any sort of fishing
Email you photo, with a brief description and the date
the photo was taken to
Subscribe to
The Drums
today.
Send your check for $25 (1 year) with
• Name • Address
• E-mail • Phone Number
to
The Tundra Drums
P.O. Box 103
editor@TheTundraDrums.com
Seward, AK 99664
The Tundra Drums • July 17, 2014 • Page 9
Salmon find home in deep blue maze of ocean
Birch Foster
ADF&G
On a remote Southwest cape of Kodiak
Island in 2013, the skipper of a commercial
tender buying salmon from fishermen near
the mouth of the Ayakulik River noticed
something out of the ordinary. On one of
the thousands of fish he sees in a season, a
single fish, otherwise robust and healthy
looking, had unusually large pupils. Curious, he set the salmon aside and sent it to a
fishery biologist in Kodiak who forwarded
it to the state’s fish pathology lab in Anchorage for disease testing. Interestingly enough,
it was determined that there was nothing
wrong with the fish except that it was simply born with extremely poor vision in both
eyes. This salmon had been in the ocean for
two years migrating with other fish. How
did this salmon survive the vast expanse
of the North Pacific Ocean and return to
Kodiak Island as a mature adult without
good eyesight? The answer is technology –
fish technology! Salmon have developed an
incredibly complex mechanism for navigating not only the freshwater but the marine
environment as well, and a large portion has
little to do with the eyes.
Throughout all stages of their development and movement through freshwater
lakes and rivers,
have imprinted on are
chinook salmon, like
simply too diluted to
all salmon, imprint
detect, especially conon (that is learn and
sidering the dynamic
remember) smells and/
nature of the currents
or the chemical nature
in the ocean. Recently,
of their surroundit has been discovings. Not only do they
ered that salmon also
imprint on the smells
imprint on the earth’s
of their freshwater
magnetic field that
ADF&G
environment, they also A salmon in Chester Creek. Salmon use a exists where they first
combination of talents to home in on their enter the sea. While
imprint on the smells
of their ocean environ- natal stream.
humans can’t sense the
ment in the vicinity
magnetic field that diof their natal (home) stream. Due in part to
rects a compass, a salmon can detect minute
this, salmon are able to migrate thousands
variations in the field. In fact, other marine
of miles, taking advantage of the abundant
creatures that migrate long distances have
food resources of the North Pacific Ocean
demonstrated a unique ability for this, like
and subsequently returning as a mature fish
sea turtles and blue fin tuna.
to the exact location they were spawned.
While the exact mechanism of geomagThis incredible homing instinct (ability to
netic homing by salmon is a mystery, it is
return to their original location) is inherited
thought the salmon’s lateral line (a sensory
by all salmon. Even a salmon’s run timing
organ that runs down the side of the fish
(internal time mechanism that determines
from the gill plate to the tail fin) has the ultra
what time of the year they will return to
sensitive ability to not only detect magnetic
the river) is inherited through their genetic
variation but other things like vibrations and
makeup.
electrical current in the water. As salmon
What’s not inherited by salmon is a set mi- migrate and feed in the dark blue ocean,
gration pattern. As salmon get farther away
they sense minute variations in the magfrom their home stream, the smells they
netic field to determine their location. As if
salmon weren’t fascinating enough, recent
studies have shown slight natural movement
(drift) of the earth’s magnetic field causes
slight shifts in migration route of returning
salmon! This evidence of variable migration
routes by salmon originating from the same
streams suggests that the salmon essentially
have their own internal global positioning
system (GPS) via the magnetic field. Not
only do they know where they are, they
know when they have to start back in order
to return to spawn on time. While other cues
to migration are likely incorporated by the
salmon’s sophisticated navigation system,
like temperature, tides, and the solar/lunar
cycle, vision plays a small role compared to
their other amazing senses.
The truth is, the presence of a salmon
having limited eyesight but still being able
to migrate normally is probably not that
unique, especially considering the abundance of salmon in Alaska. This one example
demonstrates why the salmon is not only
reliable and steadfast to its place of origin,
but also adaptable to the constantly changing conditions of the climate, making it one
of Alaska’s most sustainable and impressive
resources
From the online magazine Alaska Fish and
Wildlife News (wildlifenews. alaska.gov)
Fish Factor
From Page 4
Other studies showed that ship sounds
affected foraging behavior of shore crabs.
Foy said all of the findings can be important for crab scientists and managers on a
couple of fronts.
“Just knowing that the animals have that
additional sensory capability is huge for
us to understand how they are interacting
with their environment. Crab communication is very important,” he explained. “We
are trying to understand the behavior of the
crab, such as how the males and females
find each other. Crabs don’t broadcast
spawn like a fish does; they have to find
each other in a very large ocean. So knowing more about their behaviors at that level
would be critical for understanding how
these animals are moving throughout their
environment. Another thing is how the
impacts of sonar from oil drilling or ship
noises and other kinds of sensory environmental impacts may or may not affect these
animals. Knowing that they do have this
(hearing) sensitivity helps us think about
how we might test for these things.”
Foy called the crab hearing studies “fascinating” and hopes they continue. Foy says
he hopes the crab hearing studies continue.
“If you had asked me if crabs can hear
prior to this, I probably would have said
they probably have a way of detecting
sound,” he said. “But seeing how they are
detecting it and then responding to noises
and other predators is very intriguing in
terms of how we might be able to use this
in the future.”
Why all Alaskans should care about fish
prices – The various business and landing
taxes on fish usually equal 3–5 percent of
the dockside values, and are shared 50/50
between state coffers and the local areas
where the fish is delivered.
Seafood economist Andy Wink with the
McDowell Group in Juneau points out that
with commercial catches on the order of 5
to 6 billion pounds per year, even adding or
losing one penny per pound makes a difference of nearly a million dollars for the state
and local governments each.
The industry also pays other taxes and
fees which cover management, marketing, hatcheries and other costs. Wink said
Alaska’s seafood industry accounts for the
vast majority of hatchery funding, allowing
both sport and commercial fishermen the
benefit of more salmon.
YKHC BOARD TERMS EXPIRING IN 2014
This year Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation announces the board terms
expiring in Units 5C, 5D, 8B, and 9B. This year’s elected board members
will serve from November 2014 to the year 2019:
UNIT 5, SEAT C
NOW FILLED BY GLEN WATSON, Sr. of BETHEL,
SERVES THE VILLAGES OF:
Bethel
UNIT 5, SEAT D
NOW FILLED BY CHRIS LARSON of NAPASKIAK,
SERVES THE VILLAGES OF:
Napakiak
Oscarville
Napaskiak
UNIT 8, SEAT B
NOW FILLED BY JAMES R. CHARLIE,Sr. of TOKSOOK BAY,
SERVES THE VILLAGES OF:
Newtok
Tununak Toksook Bay
Umkumuit
Nightmute
Mekoryuk
Chefornak
UNIT 9, SEAT B
NOW FILLED BY BYRON ULAK of SCAMMON BAY,
SERVES THE VILLAGES OF:
Paimute
Scammon Bay Chevak
Hooper Bay
Qualifications as defined in the YKHC Bylaws state:
1. Must be at least 21 years or older
2. Native, as that term is used in P. L. 93-638
3. Living or working in the Bethel Service Area of the Indian Health Service
4. Agrees to be bound by the YKHC Bylaws
5. Must be a resident of that Unit at the time of nomination and continuously
maintain such residency through the election and service on board.
Those interested in being considered for these seats must fulfill the above qualifications.
Nominations have been mailed to each of the Tribal Council offices. Nominations can be
submitted by mail or fax. You may also send a letter of interest to: Yukon Kuskokwim
Health Corporation, Attn: Donna Gibbons, Executive Assistant, PO Box 528, Bethel,
Alaska 99559. For more information call 1-800-478-3321 x 6020 or FAX 543-6006.
Candidates will be accepted until September 1, 2014.
Page 10 • July 17, 2014 • The Tundra Drums
Weather Permitting
Zachariah Bryan | The Tundra Drums
It’s been a mixed week of rain, clouds and sunshine. More of the same is in store with temperatures remaining mile. With the days getting shorter later sunrises are in store.
Bearly
FINISH THE LYRICS
ACROSS
1. Raccoon’s cousin
6. Western tribesman
9. Rigatoni relative
13. Deposit the ashes
14. Computer simulation
15. Courted
16. In-place, legally speaking
17. Common Market initials
18. Repetitions
19. *”Should old
acquaintance be forgot
and never brought __
____...”
21. Swellings
23. *”The day my Mama
socked it to the Harper
Valley ___”
24. Confined
25. Financing acronym
28. *”Back in the U.S., back
in the U.S., back in the
____”
30. Tree of Life to ancient
Egyptians
35. They will inherit the
earth?
37. *The O’Jays, “Ship
____”
39. You can be fined for
hitting these in NYC
40. Vigor
41. Specific site
43. Warsaw Pact opponent
44. “The Raven” author
46. *”It was rare, I was
there, I remember it all
too ____”
47. *”____ the nights are
better”
48. Small stream
50. Scorch
52. Bard’s “before”
53. Oration station
55. Hawaiian Mauna
57. *”Good times never
seemed __ ____”
60. *”Where ______ is
heard a discouraging
word...”
63. Vessel pointed at both
ends
64. *”You ain’t seen nothing
___”
66. Musical duo Hall &
_____
Tundra
Puzzles
68. Makes eyes at
69. Caustic chemical
70. Anti-elderly
71. *”Father Christmas...
Don’t mess around with
those silly ____”
72. *”___ it be”
73. Tooth trouble
DOWN
1. Belarus + Russia +
Ukraine, originally
2. *”Get down __ __”
3. Camera setting
4. Donald or Ivanka
5. Unmoved
6. Hand-me-down
7. *”I keep the ends out
for the ___ that binds.
Because you’re mine...”
8. Mike holder
9. Camera feature
10. Bit
11. Found in a caddie’s
pocket
12. Dog tags, e.g.
15. *”How sweet the sound
that saved a ______ like
me...”
20. Like Fran Drescher’s
voice
22. Chain letters
24. A particular course of
action
25. *”Oh beautiful for
spacious skies, for
_____ waves of grain...”
26. Hidden or placed on
watch
27. Monarch’s duration
29. *”One for the money,
two for the ____...”
31. Top notch
32. Hunger for
33. Lay to rest
34. *”I hope some day you’ll
join us, and the world
will be __ ___”
36. Riddle without solution
38. Christmas season
42. Satisfy, as in thirst
45. Does over again
49. ___ Tsu
51. Load again
54. Tennyson poem, e.g.
56. “Haste makes waste,”
e.g.
57. Kind of palm
58. *”____ the good die
young”
59. *”There ____ my baby”
60. Editor’s mark
61. Auricular
62. Tableland
63. Soldier’s bed
65. *”It’s the ___ of the
tiger. It’s the thrill of the
fight.”
67. Chester White’s home
Solutions to previous puzzles
The Tundra Drums • July 17, 2014 • Page 11
Trooper Report
The following is from the dispatches of the
Alaska State Troopers. Those who have been
arrested, cited or summoned are presumed
innocent until found guilty in court.
On June 19 at about 10:11 a.m., Alaska State
Troopers received a report that a juvenile
assaulted family members in Holy Cross.
Investigation revealed that after an argument
the juvenile assaulted three family members
causing injury. The Juvenile was arrested for
three counts of Assault IV DV and transported
to Bethel where she was remanded into the
Bethel Youth Facility.
On June 30, Troopers received a report of
sexual assault in a Yukon-Kuskokwim area
village. The case was being investigated.
On June 30, Alaska Wildlife Troopers served
Rudolf Metz, 62 of Sterling, a summons for
making a false statement of a material fact
on his application for a 2013 AK resident
sportfish license. His mandatory court date
was set for July 16 in Aniak District Court.
On June 30, Alaska Wildlife Troopers in Bethel
received an anonymous complaint that two
moose were shot near Chefornak. AWT responded and contacted Patrick Matthew, 25,
Jack Wiseman, 25 and Timothy Tirchick, 35
all of Chefornak. Investigation revealed that
the three suspects shot a bull moose near
Dall Lake and claimed that it charged them.
AWT was never contacted by the suspects
reporting that they had shot the moose in
defense of life and property and the meat
was not surrendered to the state. All three
suspects were charged with Failing to Report
DLP and issued a misdemeanor summons for
Unlawful Possession/Transportation. Bail for
failing to report a DLP is set at $85 and the
three were given a court in the Bethel District
Court for the charge of Unlawful Possession/
Transportation on July 28.
On July 2, Alaska Wildlife Troopers served a
minor offense summons to Klimenta Chernishoff, 43 of Keizer Ore. Investigation previously revealed that Chernishoff made a false
statement of a material fact on his application
for his 2013 AK sportfish resident license on
May 24, 2013. The mandatory court date was
set in Aniak District Court. On July 4 at about
08:44 a.m., Aniak troopers received a report
that Jeremy Mike, 20 of Lower Kalskag, broke
windows in a family member’s residence.
Troopers responded and investigation revealed that Mike assaulted a family member
and broke two large residence windows and
smashed a TV in another family member’s
residence. Mike was arrested for Criminal
Mischief III DV, Assault IV DV and Criminal
Mischief IV DV. Mike was transported to Bethel
YKCC where he was remanded.
On July 4 at about 12:40 a.m., 43-year-old
McGrath residence Neil Rosander was ar-
rested for Assault IV and Prohibited Operation
after the VPSO in McGrath received a REDDI
report. Investigation showed that Rosander
was driving a boat near the mouth of the
Takotna River and Kuskokwim River in a
reckless manner. When he was confronted
by the McGrath VPSO, Rosander advanced
towards the VPSO in a threatening manner,
raising his fist. Rosander was arrested and
transported to the McGrath Holding Facility
pending arraignment.
On July 5, Troopers received a sexual assault
happened in a Yukon-Kuskokwim village. A
suspect was identified and the case was
under investigation. No arrests have been
made at this time.
Classified Ads & Public Notices
Rates: 65 cents per word, minimum $6.50 per ad. • Deadline: Noon, Friday for Thursday publication • advertising@TheTundraDrums.com • 907-224-4888
The Drums does not evaluate or endorse the
representations made by these advertisers.
For possible information, contact BBB at 5620704 or the Alaska Dept. of Labor at 907269-4900.
Business for Sale
For Sale by Owner
Reduced to sell asking $75,000 OBO
Turn key operation. Restaurant/Bed and
Breakfast located at St. Marys airport on
state lease lot. Everything included to operate. Location ideal and lots of possibilities.
Serious inquires only please. contact Roz
phone 509-230-3379 or email rozsbnb@
hotmail.com.
(6/5-7/31)
Wanted
Wanted: Unrestricted Native land to lease
near Bethel for a certified propane dispensing operation. Will pay competitive land
lease rate. Does not have to be on the Kuskokwim River. Please call George at 907246-3362.
(7/3-24)
Housing
Alaska West Freight will have housing for
Housing
Public Notices
fishermen and boat repair personnel in
2015. 10 minutes from Leader Fish Fisheries. Please contact 907-246-3360 for information.
(7/17-24)
West Seward Meridian.
The public is invited to review and comment
on this Decision. A copy of the Decision can
be found at www.dnr.alaska.gov/commis/
pic/pubnotfrm.htm or is available in hardcopy upon request. Questions concerning
how to comment should be directed to John
Cotenas at (907) 269-8479 or by e-mail at
john.cotenas@alaska.gov or by fax to (907)
269-8913. All comments must be received
in writing at the above listed mailing address
or e-mail on or before 5:00 PM on August 18,
2014. To be eligible to appeal DNR’s Final
Decision, under AS 38.05.035(i)-(m), a person must have submitted written comments
during this comment period.
The State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources, complies with Title II of the
American with Disabilities Act of 1990. Individuals with disabilities who may need auxiliary aids, services and/or special modifications to comment should contact John via
TDD (907) 269-8411.
DNR reserves the right to waive technical
defects in this publication.
/s/Clark Cox
AO-MLW15-002
Pub: July 17, 2014
Public Notices
State of Alaska
Department of Natural Resources
Division of Mining, Land & Water
Southcentral Region Land Office
550 W. 7th Ave., Suite 900C
Anchorage, AK 99501-3577
Public Notice: Proposed Commercial
Lease ADL 231839
Pursuant to AS 38.05.945
(USGS Quad Map Bethel C-8)
Subject to AS 38.05.075(c), the Southcentral Region Land Office (SCRO) has made
a Preliminary Decision to offer a 21.5 year
lease to Knik Construction Company Inc. for
10 acres site for a sheet pile dock, located
south of Bethel on the Kuskokwim River. The
proposed site is located within the SE 1/4
of Section 17, Township 8 North, Range 71
Nose for News?
Classified
Ads
are your
Community
Marketplace
Place your ad at
The Tundra Drums is looking for an editor/reporter with new media experience to direct and
report the news of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. The Drums serves Bethel and the Y-K Delta with
a population of 25,000 people. The population is mostly Native Alaskan. Many of the people live a
subistence lifestyle. The area is accessible only by boat or plane and includes 56 remote villages.
We want a self-motivated editor to cover everything from city council to new business profiles.
We see an an energetic editor/reporter who aggressively pursues breaking and spot news, acts
as a vigilant watchdog for readers’ interests and tells a good story.
advertising@TheTundraDrums.com
907-224-4888, Seward
Send resume, cover letter and clips to publisher, at publisher@TheTundraDrums.com
Business & Service Directory
Your Ad Here!
email
advertising@TheTundraDrums.com
JONES ACT
MAriTiME iNJury ATTOrNEy
ANThONy BANkEr
(907) 276-5858
Toll Free 1-800-478-5858
Barber & Banker, LLC
821 N Street, Suite 103
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
Give a copy of your business card to every newspaper reader, each week.
Advertising in the Business & Service Directory.
Send us a copy of your business card and we will get it published.
No Cost Consultation
Page 12 • July 17, 2014 • The Tundra Drums
Fishery
From Page 1
weigh what was more important: Money
for fishermen or food needs for subsistence users.
“I know that we are eager down here on
the lower part of the river to fish commercially, because it is cash in your pocket and
that is very, very important for gas and
everything else. I’m also very concerned
about people up in Kalskag and Tuluksak
and those communities not having chums.
… I don’t think that people should be
deprived of subsistence chums in favor of
a commercial harvest.”
Nick Kameroff of Aniak spoke about the
possible dangers for upper river residents.
“We start this commercial fishing down
there, it trickles on up here. The more
commercial fishing that starts there, the
more boats. It’s going to dwindle chum
opportunity for people upriver who have
not yet met their subsistence needs,”
Kameroff said.
Co-Chair LaMont Albertson stressed
how important it was for the department
to take note residents’ concerns. He said
that the department would not be keeping
in line with their conservation message
if they opened up commercial fishing for
chum early. However, he also said that he
could understand the reasoning and the
data to back the decision.
Still, Albertson was concerned about
opening commercial fishing early, considering that Kuskokwim residents were just
On The Y-K
told they couldn’t fish for kings.
“This is just the wrong year to start this.
To show good faith, I think the department would be very wise not to recommend this opening this early,” he said.
A couple of working group members
also expressed concerns over reports of
Kuskokwim residents chucking chums.
“Those who chum chuck are not good
stewards,” Albertson said. “They are
wasting an invaluable resource to people
in other parts of the United States. I think
that’s a very valid consideration on this
department’s part here. I think as members of the Kuskokwim River community,
that’s something we need to address,
something we need to confront head on.
It’s not something we should avoid dealing with.”
Sattler said that chums, also called dog
salmon, have been getting a bad reputation along the river. She argued that there
was no point in chucking chums, especially when residents are hurting after
the king restrictions. It’s not just for dogs,
she said. She grew up eating chum, and
testified that it was delicious and great for
canning.
Dave Cannon of Napaimute said that it
was time to start looking ahead. Beyond
chums, he said the working group should
consider what to do with silvers, as there
will likely be a strong push to open it up
for commercial harvest as soon as possible.
“I think for a lot of people, silvers are
at this point and time going to be more
important than chums,” he said.
Baby born to Bethel
mother in coma
In Anchorage, the impossible happened.
A baby was born to a Bethel mother who
was in a coma.
The baby, Faith, was born Tuesday, July
9, at 35 weeks according to KTVA.
Jessie Ayagalria, the mother, had been a
coma most of the pregnancy. She suffered
cardiac arrest at the end of January. While
she was still at the Yukon Kuskokwim
Health Corporation hospital, it was discovered she was 12 weeks pregnant.
While the family eventually pulled the
plug on Ayagalria, after learning that her
brain was swollen and had no brainwave
activity, there was a silver lining in the
clouds. The baby could still be delivered.
After Faith was delivered via C-section
and received a little help breathing, she was
born. The family, though heartbroken over
Ayagalria’s death, will raise Faith in Bethel.
Since 1981, Futaris (formerly Alaska Telecom, Inc.)
has provided remote communication solutions to
clients in some of the world’s most remote locations
and harshest environments, both on land and sea.
We have developed a well-deserved reputation for
quality workmanship, timely response, high-standards
of safety and respect for budgetary considerations.
• Global Satellite Communications
• Commercial and Wholesale Service Offerings
• VSAT
• VOIP Service
• Land Mobile Radios (LMR)
• Disaster Recovery Networks
From Page 1
of dollars annually, and the city has $4
million from sales taxes set aside to fund
operations.
Satellite & Telecommunications
solutions for remote sites
since 1981
A donation page has been set up to raise
money for the airfare home and necessities
for the baby. So far, as of press time, $1,900
has been raised. The website can be found
at www.gofundme.com/b974pw
• Broadcast Services
• 24 X 7 X 365 Network Operations Center (NOC)
• Two Teleports
Hooper Bay teen dies
in apparent drowning
HOOPER BAY, Alaska (AP) — A Hooper Bay teenager has died in an apparent
drowning.
Alaska State Troopers say 18-year-old
Darin Long was found tangled Sunday
in a partially deployed fishing net in a
slough near the western Alaska village.
Troopers say Long had been subsistence
fishing.
He was last seen by his family at about
11:30 p.m. Saturday and found after midnight.
He was pulled from the water and could
not be resuscitated at the Hooper Bay
clinic. He was pronounced dead at 3 a.m.
Sunday.
Hooper Bay is a community of 1,134
about 500 miles west of Anchorage.
Futaris provides fully managed satellite communication
networks. Our services include engineering, network
design and implementation, construction, installation,
and project and site management.
SAFETY
IS OUR STANDARD
Call (907) 344-1223 today to discuss developing
solutions customized to your unique needs and our
unparalleled passion for customer care.
a proud subsidiary of
futaris.com