Author: kfskadmin

The Stevens-Begich race is not the only unsettled contest from Alaska’s election. The legislative race for the District Two house seat in southeast could still go to either candidate. Incumbent republican Peggy Wilson of Wrangell was leading Democratic challenger Lily Herwald by nearly 900 votes after Election Day. However, more than twice that many absentee votes have yet to be counted.

Alaska’s Department of Transportation says it’s cutting back on its winter road maintenance in southeast towns because of a budget shortfall. In Petersburg, local officials say the decision could have serious impacts and police are warning motorists that road conditions on Mitkof highway and other state roads could be worse than usual this winter. (PLEASE NOTE: In an earlier version of this story, DOT spokesperson Roger Weatherall said that the Department could request supplemental maintenance funding if the winter weather got especially bad. Weatherall says his original statement was incorrect. He says hat the department would have to stay within its budget and would not request additional funding.)

As the co-chair-to-be of the Senate Finance Committee again next year, State Senator Bert Stedman will be in a key position to advocate for southeast project funding. A couple of the big-ticket items on the horizon for the region include the proposed road and electrical intertie between Petersburg and Kake as well as the construction of new ferries to replace the Marine Highways aging fleet. The Legislature approved additional operating funds and partial funding for a new mainline ferry last session and Stedman hopes to secure more. He also expects the state will fund an environmental impact statement for the intertie project. On a trip to Petersburg in late October, Stedman discussed both issues with KFSK matt lichtenstein:

Supporters of an effort to recall Petersburg City Councilor Melinda Hofstad are getting more specific. The group, which includes two former councilors, has submitted a more detailed version of their complaint to the city. The original wording was rejected by the city attorney earlier this month. The new language cites more detailed examples of what the group calls abuse of power and misconduct in office.

Three of Petersburg’s veteran National Guardsmen took part in a multinational peacekeeping exercise in Mongolia earlier this fall. Sergeant Major Dan Goodwin and Sergeants Matt Duddles and Nick Boggs joined over 40 other guardsmen from around Alaska on the training mission, which ran from late August to late September. It was a unique experience for the three soldiers, each of whom had previously served in the war zones of Iraq or Afghanistan.
KFSK’s Matt Lichtenstein spoke with Goodwin, Duddles and Boggs shortly after they returned from the peace support training, which was called Khaan Quest 2008.