Wasilla Republican cuts services not required by state Constitution
Early learning programs such as pre-kindergarten grants, Parents as Teachers, and Best Beginnings -- were zeroed out in the budget recommendations of a House education subcommittee on Tuesday night. Wasilla Republican Rep. Lynn Gattis chairs the subcommittee. She said legislators need to cut back to only the essentials.
“I looked at our Constitution,” said Gattis. “And I looked at what we’re constitutionally mandated to do.”
Rep. Sam Kito III, a Juneau Democrat, opposed the early education cuts, saying they may lead to lower graduation rates in the future. Other cuts include more than 12 million dollars from the Department of Education’s budget, as well as $5 million that would go to expand broadband internet access to the state’s school. The subcommittee’s recommendations now go to the House Finance committee.
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Visiting top-ranking military commander notes Alaska’s strategic importance
Admiral Bill Gortney visited military facilities in Alaska for the first time earlier this month since taking over the two organizations tasked with defending North America from attack. As head of both the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the U.S. Northern Command, Gortney holds one of the highest positions in the military chain of command. He notes Alaska’s strategic importance to the military’s mission, saying the F-22s stationed here can reach, say, England or the Middle East more quickly than those based in the lower 48. Gortney said the United States also tracks Russian long-range craft that enter U.S. airspace. He said the number of such incursions has risen in the past three to four years.
“It has gone up significantly that we’ve noticed here,” said Gortney. “And they’re flying profiles they haven’t flown before.
Gortney said the flights are one way nations let each other know their capabilities.
“Now, they’ve never entered our air space, which goes out to 12 nautical miles, but they have entered what we call our Air Defense Identification Zone—and all nations have these, they go pretty far out there,” said Gortney. “And they’re adhering to the international standards that they’re supposed to out there. The numbers have gone up, but they fly it in a professional manner, just as we fly in a professional manner.”
Gortney said one of his missions, also, is to be an advocate for the Arctic for the Secretary of Defense.
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Legislation to regulate marijuana emerges just after it became legal in Alaska
Two days after Gov. Bill Walker filed a bill to create a marijuana control board and a day after the drug became legal in Alaska, state senators are offering legislation setting terms for that board. The 25-page bill offered by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday would require marijuana retailers and growers to be licensed by the state. Those retailers and growers would have to be Alaska residents for at least one year before they can apply, and would need to go through fingerprinting and background checks. The legislation would require child-proof packaging. And it limits the active chemical in the drug, THC, to 10 milligrams per serving of edible marijuana products.
Meanwhile, the Anchorage Police Department yesterday issued two citations to people found using marijuana in public, and one citation for a minor consuming. Public consumption convictions include a $100 fine. The APD sent out a reminder legal use or possession of marijuana in Alaska is limited to people 21 years of age and up.
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Rep. Ben Nageak of Barrow leaves state Capital by ambulance
A Barrow state representative was taken by ambulance from the state Capitol yesterday.
House Speaker Mike Chenault said Rep. Benjamin Nageak, a Democrat from Barrow, wasn't feeling well and given his medical history, it was thought better to have Nageak checked by medical personnel than to do nothing. Nageak underwent a heart procedure in 2013 after doctors found blockages.