In the Alaska House race for District two, residents of Petersburg, Wrangell, Sitka and several smaller southeast communities will choose between four-term, incumbent, Republican Peggy Wilson of Wrangell, and Democratic challenger Lily Herwald from Sitka. Wilson and Herwald met in Petersburg in late October for a live, 2-hour forum on Public Radio where they answered callers questions about Alaska issues.
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With less than a week to go before the election, former Alaska House Minority leader Ethan Berkowitz stands a good chance at becoming part of the democratic majority in the US house, according to statewide polls. An October 19th poll for the Anchorage Press Frontiersman, KTUU TV and KENI AM showed Berkowitz leading longtime incumbent Don Young by 8 points. An October 25th article in the Anchorage Daily News quoted Anchorage pollster Mark Hellenthal as saying young was around ten points down.
Berkowitz is an anchorage businessman and attorney who served ten years as a state representative. He spoke with KFSK radio about a variety of issues late last week by phone. Matt Lichtenstein started off by asking Berkowitz for his opinion on congress’s 700 billion dollar bailout plan for the financial industry:
Longtime Alaska Representative Don Young faces a tough re-election challenge next week. After a narrow primary win this summer, the republican incumbant has continued to trail his democratic opponent, Ethan Berkowitz, in Alaskan polls. Young’s campaign has also been under the cloud of the federal investigation into corruption in Alaska politics. National and state news outlets reported in summer 2007 that Young was a target of the federal probe. Young has declined to discuss the details, but emphasizes that he has not been charged despite the lengthy investigation.
Young continues to campaign, fundraise and meet with the public and with the press around the state. Young stopped by Petersburg earlier this month. Matt Lichtenstein spoke with him about a variety of issues…starting with his opposition to congress’s 700 billion dollar bailout plan for the financial industry:
The Petersburg City Council is poised to approve the split-up of the Four Dam Pool Power Agency. Four Dam Pool officials met with the council last week to go over the terms of the deal. It would allow Petersburg, Wrangell, and Ketchikan to take joint ownership of the hydroelectric plants serving their towns. All the towns have to approve the deal for it to go through. A majority of Petersburg’s councilors seemed supportive of the plan in general. But some worried about the representation on the proposed Southeast Power Agency Board….. and whether a majority on the Wrangell Assembly will oppose it.
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Petersburg will not be moving its police department up to the Elizabeth Peratrovich building. The Petersburg Indian Association offered the space to the city this spring, but the city council declined the offer Monday night. Also this week, councilors approved a demolition bid for the old pool, and they learned the city will get more raw fish tax than expected.
Matt Lichtenstein wraps-up more news from Mondays regular council meeting.
