Video Archives - Alaska Politics and Elections https://www.apeonline.org/category/video/ Sun, 10 Apr 2022 22:33:39 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://i0.wp.com/www.apeonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/cropped-APE-small.jpg?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Video Archives - Alaska Politics and Elections https://www.apeonline.org/category/video/ 32 32 174736357 Moving the United States forward with collaboration https://www.apeonline.org/2022/04/08/moving-the-united-states-forward-with-collaboration/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=moving-the-united-states-forward-with-collaboration Sat, 09 Apr 2022 02:36:52 +0000 https://www.apeonline.org/?p=9917 The post Moving the United States forward with collaboration appeared first on Alaska Politics and Elections.

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By APE Staff

April 8, 2022

Senator Joe Manchin praises Senator Lisa Murkowski on energy and Arctic policy leadership

 

As over 600 policymakers, advocates, dignitaries, and diplomats launch the 2022 Arctic Encounter Symposium in Anchorage, Alaska, at center-stage stand West Virginia U.S. Senator Joe Manchin and Alaska’s senior federal delegation member, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski.

Particularly over the last decade, Arctic policy has gained the attention of the global community as sea ice melts and Democracy-hostile nations like China and Russia inch their way into the region with intent to assert jurisdiction claims. Along with Antarctica, deep space, and our oceans, Arctic ecosystems and geography are one of the few remaining frontiers of discovery. National defense concerns along with resource development opportunities, deep-water ports, and supply-chain routes are foundational topics on the Symposium agenda.

Alaska is the only Arctic state in the U.S. so its nexus to international policy is inextricable.

When asked about the importance of Arctic policy to the U.S. on the Tom Anderson Show, Senator Manchin noted the connection he has with Senator Murkowski. “I’m now Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resource Committee which Lisa has been the chair of quite a few times,” said Manchin. “She was the chair two years ago and I was the ranking member as a Democrat, and she was the Republican chair because they were the Majority. When the Democrats were the Majority, I became the chair. And together we have done so much and worked in a bi-partisan, unbelievable way, that got things accomplished.”

When asked about the importance of this year’s Arctic symposium, Murkowski noted the robust attendance as an indicator of the event’s impact. “All you need to do is look at what is happening at the Dena’ina Center this morning with the level of interest, not only around the country – this is not just a state event – this is an international event that is convening here (in Alaska), and the level of interest about the Arctic and all that is going on – this is something that I have been singing from the roof tops for years now,” she said.

Heather Reams, President of Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES), is a participant of the Symposium. Reams and her organization have been making the case for Republican leadership on clean and renewable energy, particularly in areas of critical mineral development, streamlining permitting, and efforts to pursue market-based innovation rather than top-down harmful policies that eliminate certain industries.

Moving the United States forward with collaboration“We’ll be talking about solutions to address a rapidly changing Arctic, and really how the Arctic region can be key to solving some of these very complex problems which is one of the reasons I’m here,” notes Reams. “(The Arctic) has the oil and gas, but it also has so much in terms of renewable energy. The minerals that are needed to fuel this energy transition, and also, just a fragile environment. If anyone thinks Alaskans don’t want to protect the environment, they’re dead wrong. I think this state is so sensitive to the balance that is needed to move forward the economy, make sure there’s energy independence, but also protecting the environment – and that’s one of the reasons why CRES loves Lisa Murkowski. She talks so much about this balance that’s been so well done in the state.”

While Arctic innovation is the week’s dialogue in Alaska, the carnage of the Russian-Ukrainian war in Europe weighs heavy on American policymakers’ minds. In response to a national call for sanctions against Russia, on March 3, 2022, Senators Murkowski and Manchin introduced S. 3757, the Ban Russian Energy Imports Act, to prohibit the importation of Russian crude oil, petroleum, petroleum products, liquefied natural gas, and coal. Their bill, which has 37 bipartisan cosponsors, is widely credited with prompting President Biden to issue an executive order to block Russian energy imports on March 8, 2022.

In a March 7th press release, Murkowski’s office highlighted the Senate’s passage of two measures to impose additional penalties on Russia. The first measure, H.R. 6968, imposes a legislative ban on Russian energy imports and contains language crafted in part by Murkowski to expedite its implementation. The second measure, H.R. 7108, suspends permanent normal trade relations (PNTR), a key benefit of World Trade Organization membership, for Russia and Belarus.

“Congress remains united in our support for Ukraine, and we will hold the Russian regime accountable for the devastation, atrocities, and war crimes it has committed. As part of that, I’m grateful to Chairman Wyden and Ranking Member Crapo of the Finance Committee for working with Senator Manchin and me to reinforce and tighten the language of the Russian energy import ban,” praised Murkowski. “Now, President Biden needs to step up and remove his Administration’s sanctions on resource projects in Alaska. There is no question that Alaska can and would do more to produce the energy and minerals that America and the world need, if only the administration would partner with us instead of blocking us at every turn. If there was ever a time for the President to look in the mirror and bring his policies back to reality, it is right now.”

In his interview on the Tom Anderson Show, when asked about his respect for Senator Murkowski, Senator Manchin sung high praises. “I’ve been there for 11 years now in the Senate. I was the Governor, a two-term Governor before. I was Secretary of State in my state before. I was a State Senator and in the House of Representatives, so I’ve been in all different aspects of the government. I’ve never had a colleague – as Lisa Murkowski has been with me – that’s willing to meet me in the middle every time. To find the middle, not to defend the position. Not to say, ‘Well this is my position, I’m sorry – you’re going to have to agree with me or we just can’t come to an agreement!’”

Manchin added, “I have never in my experience of over 40 years being in the political arena found anybody that would always say ‘Let’s see if we can make this work, Joe. Let’s see what we can find out. How do we make it better? Who all can we bring on board? And then basically let the facts take us where it goes.’ She’s the best of the best and I’m just saying, Alaska – and I mean this – Alaska is very, very fortunate to have a Lisa Murkowski with her knowledge, background, and her common-sense approach of working together for the betterment of our country.”

Moving the United States forward with collaboration

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]]> 9917 COP26: How the quest to become carbon neutral is destroying the West’s development efforts while Alaska gets stuck in the crosshairs https://www.apeonline.org/2021/11/11/cop26-how-the-quest-to-become-carbon-neutral-is-destroying-the-wests-development-efforts-while-alaska-gets-stuck-in-the-crosshairs/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=cop26-how-the-quest-to-become-carbon-neutral-is-destroying-the-wests-development-efforts-while-alaska-gets-stuck-in-the-crosshairs https://www.apeonline.org/2021/11/11/cop26-how-the-quest-to-become-carbon-neutral-is-destroying-the-wests-development-efforts-while-alaska-gets-stuck-in-the-crosshairs/#comments Fri, 12 Nov 2021 00:40:00 +0000 https://www.apeonline.org/?p=9745 The post COP26: How the quest to become carbon neutral is destroying the West’s development efforts while Alaska gets stuck in the crosshairs appeared first on Alaska Politics and Elections.

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Glasgow, UK-6 November,2021: Thousands of people taking part in a demonstration march
against climate change in Glasgow city centre during UN COP26 climate conference.

By Ben O'Rourke

November 11, 2021

“Carbon Neutral”

 

In September 1999, I drove from Haines to Whitehorse in Canada, then down to Skagway, Alaska to catch what we were led to believe was the last light plane out to Juneau before tourist season ended. It was a hectic trip made worse by an extreme hangover after wrapping filming on the Discovery Channel documentary we’d been making and not filling the car with fuel before leaving.

We wrongly assumed there would be a gas station not far across the border into Canada.

There wasn’t – and after driving for about two hours the full fuel gauge needle was well into the red. Luckily a small town appeared and we filled up in the nick of time.

The trip to Whitehorse is more than 240 miles and we needed to get there before the university library closed to film some old photos of the Gold Rush days. Had we had an electric car, we wouldn’t have made it as we would have been forced to stop for about an hour or so to recharge the battery. Even the more modern and expensive electric cars only have a range of approximately 230 miles.

My trip over the last week to the climate summit in Glasgow was about 400 miles there and back. No problem in my diesel SUV, which can cover nearly 600 miles on a full tank.

 

Eco-lunacy on a Grand Scale

It’s eco-lunacy on a grand scale, and yet in Alaska, the effort to attain an “energy mix” diversification with wind turbine projects on Fire Island next to Anchorage, near Healy, and near Delta Junction is praised by some as a remedy and offset to rising fuel prices. But these projects and this technology will not reduce our gas prices at the pump and they remain exorbitant and costly to maintain.

 

The question that comes to mind in the midst of all of the global warming and clean energy debate is what will happen in Britain when gas-driven vehicles are banned in 2030?

In the United States, the Democrats are likely to introduce a similar rule as in the United Kingdom. President Joe Biden is already shutting down pipelines at a time when our fuel prices are spiking. His attitude seems to be Americans will just have to deal with his party’s new planet-saving rules. At the COP26 meeting, Joe even insisted we’re in exigent times and “we only have a brief window before us.”

“At what point does it become too late?” asks Rick Whitbeck, Alaska State Director of Power the Future. “That voice has changed in the last three years. Greta: ‘We have 10 years’, A.O.C.: ‘We have 12 years’, John Kerry: ‘We’re past the point if we don’t do something in the next five years’. What’s the frikkin’ number??”

Kerry claimed in 2014 in Indonesia that “the window of time is still open for us to manage this threat.”  He added that “the window is closing.” The Indonesians completely ignored him and the nation is second, after China, on the list of those building coal power plants. 63 are under construction in Indonesia at the moment. China has more than 200 on the go. The rest of Asia is largely the same, with coal power stations sprouting across the map. Meanwhile, your hard-earned tax dollars are being spent on unreliable renewable energy projects, instead of coal and nuclear energies but for a few exceptions.

 

“I think if you stack it up against the economic impact of a too-fast transition away from fossil fuels, it’s more devastating,” notes Whitbeck, referring to the rapid push for so-called green energy that’s forcing the resource development sector’s workforce to take massive pay cuts as they’re nudged into the alternative energy sector.

Here in Scotland, the verdant green and pleasant lands have been tainted by thousands of turbines. While President Trump faced stiff opposition when planning the development of his picturesque golf course, there seemed little opposition to unsightly windmills blighting the landscape, especially south of Glasgow. The huge, loud, white rotating blades have the diameter of a soccer pitch yet contribute almost nothing to the national grid. Why are they so prevalent? Because private landowners are paid more than $50,000 USD per turbine, per year in government subsidies.

  • COP26: How the quest to become carbon neutral is destroying the West's development efforts while Alaska gets stuck in the crosshairs
  • COP26: How the quest to become carbon neutral is destroying the West's development efforts while Alaska gets stuck in the crosshairs
  • COP26: How the quest to become carbon neutral is destroying the West's development efforts while Alaska gets stuck in the crosshairs

Where is all the money coming from? British taxpayers, of course.

A fair amount of turbines don’t even work and need non-renewable power to function. Huge areas of natural habitats and ecosystems for birds and other animals are destroyed so roads can be created (to get to the turbine installations). Birds are also killed by the blades, which they can’t see, while bees and other insects disappear into a blade-gauntlet when attempting to maneuver through the conflagration of wind farms. Sealife flees from the constant hum filtrating into the adjacent ocean waters which confuse whale and dolphin sonar. Massive amounts of energy are used to construct wind turbines, the instrumentality of which typically only lasts about 20 years after which time (when they malfunction) are dumped into huge pits because they’re too difficult and expensive to recycle.

It’s eco-lunacy on a grand scale, and yet in Alaska, the effort to attain an “energy mix” diversification with wind turbine projects on Fire Island next to Anchorage, near Healy, and near Delta Junction is praised by some as a remedy and offset to rising fuel prices. But these projects and this technology will not reduce our gas prices at the pump and they remain exorbitant and costly to maintain.

As I write, details of the Glasgow summit’s conclusion are being leaked, and go figure… Eco-leaders, protestors, professional advocates, and the indelible lobbyist contingencies are demanding more of the same. “Carbon dioxide-cutting targets by the end of 2022,” says the BBC headline.

Meanwhile in Russia and parts of Asia, business and development continue, uninhibited by punitive planet-saving laws.

Alaskan leadership at the city, borough, state, federal levels should be on guard and informed of what’s to come. COP26 is just a glimpse.

COP26: How the quest to become carbon neutral is destroying the West's development efforts while Alaska gets stuck in the crosshairsBen O’Rourke recently joined the Alaska Politics & Elections team. Ben has more than 25 years of media experience in radio, television, online, and newspapers working globally in Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, and the United Kingdom. He accidentally landed into news journalism in 2003 and has been writing, reporting, and producing videos and nightly news programs for Hong Kong television and South China Morning Post ever since. He’s currently a freelance news editor at Fieldsports Britain, a popular hunting, shooting, and fishing channel on YouTube. Ben spent three weeks in Alaska filming a documentary and that time had a profound effect on him and it quickly became his favorite U.S. state.

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]]> https://www.apeonline.org/2021/11/11/cop26-how-the-quest-to-become-carbon-neutral-is-destroying-the-wests-development-efforts-while-alaska-gets-stuck-in-the-crosshairs/feed/ 1 9745 COVID-19 Townhall https://www.apeonline.org/2020/09/22/covid-19-virtual-town-hall-meeting/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=covid-19-virtual-town-hall-meeting Tue, 22 Sep 2020 20:55:33 +0000 https://www.apeonline.org/?p=8966 The post COVID-19 Townhall appeared first on Alaska Politics and Elections.

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COVID-19 Virtual Town Hall Meeting

Tue, Sep 22 from 5:00 – 6:00pm ADT  News

Join DHSS Commissioner Adam Crum, Major General Torrence Saxe, and Acting Attorney General Ed Sniffen for a virtual town hall meeting on the status of Alaska’s health mandates, emergency declaration, and powers that a local government can take during a crisis.   Stay informed

Questions about COVID-19?

  • For general questions and assistance, please call 2-1-1.
  • For the general public, questions regarding DHSS COVID response, including mandates and alerts, can be sent to covidquestions@alaska.gov.
  • For DHSS media inquiries, please contact clinton.bennett@alaska.gov.

 

How many confirmed cases of COVID-19 are there in Alaska?

AK COVID-19 Dashboard

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]]> 8966 Dunleavy Press Briefing 8/18 https://www.apeonline.org/2020/08/18/8935/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=8935 Wed, 19 Aug 2020 01:13:48 +0000 https://www.apeonline.org/?p=8935 The post Dunleavy Press Briefing 8/18 appeared first on Alaska Politics and Elections.

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Governor Michael J. Dunleavy – Press Briefing on COVID-19

8/18 COVID-19 Press Briefing

Alaska COVID-19 Case Count Summary: August 18, 2020

Alaska DHSS sent this bulletin at 08/18/2020 04:05 PM AKDT

CASE COUNT SUMMARY, Tuesday, August 18, 2020 DHSS today announced 68 new people with COVID-19 in Alaska and one death. 64 are residents in 18 communities: Anchorage (21), Wasilla (8), Kenai (6), Soldotna (6), Fairbanks (4), North Pole (4), Kenai Peninsula Borough North (2), Northwest-Arctic Borough (2), Sitka (2) and one each in Douglas, Eagle River, Homer, Juneau, Kotzebue, Nome, Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Valdez-Cordova Census Area and Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area. Four nonresident cases were reported in:

  • Kodiak Island Borough: 2 seafood industry
  • Kenai Peninsula Borough: 1 under investigation in Soldotna
  • Petersburg Borough: 1 under investigation in Petersburg

One duplicate resident case has been removed and one resident case has been corrected to a nonresident case. This brings the total number of Alaska resident cases is 4,371 and the total number of nonresident cases to 806. Of the 64 Alaska residents, 29 are male, 34 are female and one is unknown. Four are under the age of 10; four are aged 10-19; 12 are aged 20-29; 10 are aged 30-39; 15 are aged 40-49; seven are aged 50-59; nine are aged 60-69; two are aged 70-79 and one is aged 80 or older. There have been a total of 179 hospitalizations and 29 deaths with four new hospitalizations and one new death reported yesterday. The person who died was a male Anchorage resident in his 80s with underlying health conditions. Our thoughts are with his loved ones and family members. There are currently 41 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who are hospitalized and six additional patients who are considered persons under investigation (PUI) for a total of 47 current COVID-related hospitalizations. Individuals who no longer require isolation (recovered cases) total 1,285. A total of 310,009 tests have been conducted. The average percentage of daily positive tests for the previous seven days is 1.79%. ANCHORAGE PIONEER HOME UPDATE: Staff at the Anchorage Pioneer Home have been aggressively responding to an outbreak at the home first reported on August 6. Since the last update on August 12, ongoing testing of residents and staff throughout the home has identified an additional five cases: four elders and one staff member. This brings the total number of positive cases to 17 as of August 18, including 14 elders and three staff. As testing continues at the Anchorage Pioneer Home, DHSS will periodically provide updates about the outbreak through this daily case count summary. Note: This report reflects data from 12 a.m. until 11:59 p.m. on August 17 that posted at noon today on the Alaska Coronavirus Response Hub. There is a lag between cases being reported on the DHSS data dashboard and what local communities report as details are confirmed and documentation is received. Reporting of new hospitalizations also lag, while the current number of hospitalized patients represents more real-time data. To view more data visit: data.coronavirus.alaska.gov

How many confirmed cases of COVID-19 are there in Alaska?

AK COVID-19 Dashboard

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]]> 8935 Governor Dunleavy and public health officials held a press briefing to provide an update on the COVID-19 outbreak in Alaska. https://www.apeonline.org/2020/07/29/governor-dunleavy-and-public-health-officials-held-a-press-briefing-to-provide-an-update-on-the-covid-19-outbreak-in-alaska/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=governor-dunleavy-and-public-health-officials-held-a-press-briefing-to-provide-an-update-on-the-covid-19-outbreak-in-alaska Wed, 29 Jul 2020 19:34:43 +0000 https://www.apeonline.org/?p=8915 The post Governor Dunleavy and public health officials held a press briefing to provide an update on the COVID-19 outbreak in Alaska. appeared first on Alaska Politics and Elections.

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Governor Michael J. Dunleavy – Press Briefing on COVID-19

July 28, 2020 5 pm Governor Dunleavy and public health officials held a press briefing to provide an update on the COVID-19 outbreak in Alaska.

Alaska COVID-19 Case Count Summary: July 28, 2020

Alaska DHSS sent this bulletin at 07/28/2020 02:54 PM AKDT

CASE COUNT SUMMARY, Tuesday, July 28, 2020

DHSS today announced 137 new people with COVID-19 and one death in Alaska. 110 are residents in 19 communities: Anchorage (71), Eagle River (6), Juneau (6), Fairbanks (5), Chugiak (3), Wasilla (3), Kenai (2), Palmer (2), Seward (2) and one each in Valdez-Cordova Census Area, Cordova, Homer, Ketchikan, North Pole, Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, SE Fairbanks Census Area, Soldotna, Utqiaġvik and Yakutat Borough/Hoonah-Angoon Census Area combined. 27 new nonresidents were also identified in:

  • Municipality of Anchorage: 3 with a purpose under investigation in Anchorage
  • Bristol Bay and Lake & Peninsula boroughs: 1 other industry
  • City and Borough of Juneau: 3 seafood industry in Juneau
  • Kenai Peninsula Borough: 2 seafood industry in Seward; 1 with a purpose under investigation in Seward
  • Matanuska-Susitna Borough: 2 with purpose under investigation in Wasilla; 1 visitor in Willow; 1 with a purpose under investigation in Big Lake
  • Valdez-Cordova Census Area: 2 seafood industry in Valdez
  • Location under investigation: 1 visitor; 10 with a purpose under investigation

One previously identified resident case has been corrected to a nonresident case; two duplicate resident cases have been removed; and new nonresident seafood industry cases from previous dates are being included on the dashboard today. This brings the total number of Alaska resident cases to 2,729 and the total number of nonresident cases to 621. Of the 110 Alaska residents, 55 are male and 55 are female. One is under the age of 10; seven are aged 10-19; 37 are aged 20-29; 23 are aged 30-39; 14 are aged 40-49; 13 are aged 50-59; 10 are aged 60-69; four are aged 70-79 and one is aged 80 or older. There have been a total of 120 hospitalizations and 22 deaths with four new hospitalizations and one new death reported yesterday. The person who died was a male Fairbanks resident in his 40s. There are currently 36 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who are hospitalized and an additional eight patients who are considered persons under investigation (PUI) for a total of 44 current COVID-related hospitalizations. Individuals who no longer require isolation (recovered cases) total 836. A total of 213,875 tests have been conducted. The average percentage of daily positive tests for the previous three days is 2.65%. This report reflects data from 12:00 a.m. until 11:59 p.m. on July 27 that posted at noon today on the Alaska Coronavirus Response Hub. Please note that occasionally there is a lag between cases being reported on the DHSS data dashboard and what local communities report as details are confirmed and documentation is received. To view more data visit: coronavirus-response-alaska-dhss.hub.arcgis.com

 

Atwood Building Closed Due to Positive COVID-19 Case

This morning, the Dunleavy administration was notified that a worker in the Atwood Building tested positive for COVID-19. The individual is asymptomatic and was found through contact tracing. In an effort to protect state employees and the public, Governor Mike Dunleavy ordered the Atwood Building closed at 12:00 p.m., today, Friday, July 24, 2020. Janitorial staff will conduct a thorough cleaning of the entire building this weekend so the Atwood can reopen on Monday, July 27, 2020.

Health Mandate 010: Interstate and International Travel

Updated: July 14, 2020 Expiration: Until Rescinded
Health Mandate 010 gives clear requirements for all travelers arriving in Alaska from another state or country. All travelers must provide a qualified negative COVID-19 test, participate in a test once arriving in Alaska, or quarantine for 14 days. For more details visit: https://covid19.alaska.gov/travelers

The post Governor Dunleavy and public health officials held a press briefing to provide an update on the COVID-19 outbreak in Alaska. appeared first on Alaska Politics and Elections.

]]> 8915 Governor Michael J. Dunleavy – Press Briefing July 7th https://www.apeonline.org/2020/07/07/8901/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=8901 Wed, 08 Jul 2020 01:08:16 +0000 https://www.apeonline.org/?p=8901 The post Governor Michael J. Dunleavy – Press Briefing July 7th appeared first on Alaska Politics and Elections.

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Governor Michael J. Dunleavy – Press Briefing on COVID-19

July 7, 2020 5 pm

CASE COUNT SUMMARY, Monday, July 6, 2020 DHSS today announced 30 people with COVID-19 in Alaska. 28 are residents in seven communities: Anchorage (19), Fairbanks (3), North Pole (2), Kenai (1), Seward (1), Sterling (1) and Wasilla (1). The total number of Alaska cases is now 1,166. Two new nonresidents were also identified in:

  • City and Borough of Juneau: 1 unknown industry
  • 1 unknown location and industry

The total number of nonresident cases is now 237. The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) announced yesterday a passenger on the Alaska Marine Highway System tested positive for COVID-19. DHSS has determined the only close contact to be the person’s traveling companion. More details can be read in these press releases: DOT&PF and the City of Cordova. Of the 28 Alaska residents, 14 are male and 14 are female. Three are under the age of 10; one is aged 10-19; eight are aged 20-29; six are aged 30-39; five are aged 40-49; three are aged 50-59 and two are 60-69. Two new hospitalizations were reported yesterday for a total of 74 hospitalizations. The Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association is reporting 16 people positive for COVID-19 who are hospitalized, which is the largest number reported thus far. In total, 25 hospitalized patients are either positive or are a person under investigation. There are 16 total deaths with no new deaths reported. Recovered cases now total 552, with four new recovered case recorded yesterday. A total of 128,330 tests have been conducted. The average percentage of daily positive tests for the previous three days is 1.42%. This report reflects data from 12:00 a.m. until 11:59 p.m. on July 5 that posted at noon today on the Alaska Coronavirus Response Hub. 

To view more data: coronavirus-response-alaska-dhss.hub.arcgis.com

How many confirmed cases of COVID-19 are there in Alaska?

AK COVID-19 Dashboard

Governor Michael J. Dunleavy - Press Briefing July 7th

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]]> 8901 Anchorage Community Briefing – mandating the use of cloth face coverings or masks in the Municipality of Anchorage https://www.apeonline.org/2020/07/03/anchorage-community-briefing-mandating-the-use-of-cloth-face-coverings-or-masks-in-the-municipality-of-anchorage/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=anchorage-community-briefing-mandating-the-use-of-cloth-face-coverings-or-masks-in-the-municipality-of-anchorage Sat, 04 Jul 2020 02:24:08 +0000 https://www.apeonline.org/?p=8891 The post Anchorage Community Briefing – mandating the use of cloth face coverings or masks in the Municipality of Anchorage appeared first on Alaska Politics and Elections.

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Wednesday, July 1, 2020, Community Briefing: Today the Mayor, Anchorage Health Department Director Natasha Pineda and Medical Officer Dr. Bruce Chandler, and Alaska CHARR CEO/President Sarah Oates will give an important community briefing on COVID-19 ahead of the Fourth of July holiday. Anchorage residents may ask questions in the comments of the Facebook Live video and we will do our best to get them answered.

Posted by Mayor Ethan Berkowitz on Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz gives a community briefing about the Municipality and Federal Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic

July 1, noon – 1:00 p.m., 2020

 

The briefings will be live streamed on the Mayor’s Facebook page. Residents may participate in the briefing by submitting questions in the comments of the Facebook live.

Facility Status​

​Outdoor Centers ​RESTRICTED​​
​Recreation Centers ​RESTRICTED​
​Public Greenhouse ​RESTRICTED​
​Playgrounds ​OPEN
​Trails ​OPEN​
​Pools ​RESTRICTED
​Lakes CLOSED​
Picnic ​Shelters ​OPEN​​​
​Campground ​RESTRICTED
​Spenard Skate Park ​OPEN​
​Fields ​OPEN
​Courts ​OPEN
​Disc Golf ​OPEN​​
​Motocross Track ​OPEN​
​Dog Parks ​OPEN
​Community Gardens​ ​OPEN
Anchorage Community Briefing - mandating the use of cloth face coverings or masks in the Municipality of Anchorage

Mayor Issues Emergency Order EO-13

 

6/26/2020
 

​ANCHORAGE, AK — Mayor Ethan Berkowitz issued Emergency Order EO-13, mandating the use of cloth face coverings or masks in the Municipality of Anchorage. EO-13 takes effect at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, June 29, 2020, and remains in effect until July 31, 2020.

Emergency Order EO-13 is in response to increasing case counts in Anchorage over the last few weeks. To support the increase in economic activity following the lifting of the Hunker Down order, and to protect public health, everyone in Anchorage must wear a face covering when in a public space such as a grocery store, pharmacy, restaurant or bar, retail store, and other common indoor areas.

“COVID-19 is spreading rapidly in the Lower 48 and case counts have risen in Anchorage,” said Mayor Berkowitz. “Unfortunately, not enough people are practicing the distancing needed to keep the curve flat, so we have a choice between doing nothing, hunkering down, or masking up. Masking up makes a difference. When enough of us do it, we can flatten the curve, keep our businesses open, and our community safe.”

Exceptions to this order include:

• children under two years old
• individuals with health conditions who are unable to tolerate wearing a face covering or mask due to a physical or mental disability
• individuals performing an activity that cannot be accomplished, or accomplished safely while wearing a mask

Employers are responsible to provide masks or cloth face coverings to employees who have direct contact with others. Additional details are outlined in the Emergency Order.

This emergency order follows recommendations by the Anchorage Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to slow the spread of COVID-19. Wearing a face covering or mask reduces droplets passed on to others when people talk, cough, sing, or sneeze. Face coverings are especially helpful to prevent asymptomatic people from transmitting the virus to others.

Face coverings do not replace physical distancing (staying at least 6 feet away from other people), frequent hand washing with soap and water or using hand sanitizer, and routine cleaning and disinfecting of regularly touched surfaces.

Confirmed COVID-19 Exposure Locations

 

7/3/2020
 

​FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 3, 2020

Confirmed COVID-19 Exposure Locations

Anchorage, Alaska – The Anchorage Health Department (AHD) has confirmed that persons who were infectious with COVID-19 spent extended time in the following businesses:

Business Name Location Case Visits Identified Exposure Period
Anchorage Moose Lodge #1534 Anchorage 8 6/23-6/28
Panhandle Bar Anchorage 6 6/16-6/24
JJ’s Lounge Anchorage 6 6/15-6/18
The Gaslight Bar Anchorage 5 6/25-6/27
Williwaw Social Anchorage 3 6/20, 6/21, 6/25
Chilkoot Charlie’s Anchorage 2 6/18-6/25
Cabin Tavern Anchorage 2 6/24-6/25
F Street Station Anchorage 2 6/20 and 6/25
Eddie’s Sports Bar Anchorage 1 6/18
Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse Anchorage 1 6/25
Pioneer Bar Anchorage 1 6/20
Bernie’s Bungalow Lounge Anchorage 1 6/25
Great Alaskan Bush Company Anchorage 1 6/24
Asia Garden Anchorage 1 6/24
The Blue Line Pub & Café Anchorage 1 6/17
Homestead Sports Lounge Eagle River 1 6/26
Matanuska Brewing Company Eagle River 2 6/26

Spurs Bar and Grill

(formerly Four Corners Lounge)

 Palmer 3 6/23-6/27
Yukon Bar Seward 2 6/23-6/25

 

If you were in these businesses during the dates listed above:

  1. Stay away from people who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19.
  2. Watch for symptoms and check your temperature twice a day for 14 days after you were in one of the businesses during the dates listed above.
  • Symptoms, which can start up to 14 days after exposure, can include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chest pressure or tightness, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.
  1. If you develop any of these symptoms, stay home, except to get tested as soon as possible. Information on testing in Anchorage and the rest of Alaska is available here.
  • You may be infectious to others for two days BEFORE and 10 days AFTER you get sick. Do not go to work or public places. You can easily spread COVID-19 before you feel any symptoms.
  • For more detailed instructions, see CDC’s What To Do If You Are Sick

“With the current surge in cases and related contacts, our public health tracing capacity is maxed out,” said Anchorage Health Department Director Natasha Pineda. “At this time, particularly at locations where physical distancing and use of face coverings are unlikely to occur, the number of contacts is too large and complex for traditional contact tracing.”

While this is a list of confirmed exposures, please remember that COVID-19 is spreading quickly throughout our community.

To help inform the public, AHD is developing an exposure notice webpage. AHD does not list informal gatherings. Some people confirmed to have COVID-19 did not share or remember all of their close contacts or public places they visited. Additionally, it typically takes 2-7 days before our team is able to learn where potential exposures have occurred.

Community members can help our public health nursing team by keeping a contact log, noting the days and times of the places visited and the people they came in contact with. The contact log helps with contact tracing in the event you become sick with COVID-19.

Keep yourself, your loved ones, your coworkers, your neighbors, our vulnerable population and frontline workers safe by staying at least six feet away from people outside your household or social bubble, wearing a cloth face covering over your nose and mouth, avoiding crowds, and washing your hands often for 20 seconds.

For more information, call 2-1-1 or visit www.muni.org/COVID-19.

For press inquiries, email carolyn.hall@anchorageak.gov and barry.piser@anchorageak.gov.

How many confirmed cases of COVID-19 are there in Alaska?

AK COVID-19 Dashboard

Alaska Borough/Community Websites

Aleutians East Borough
Municipality of Anchorage
Bristol Bay Borough
Denali Borough
Fairbanks North Star Borough
Haines Borough
Juneau Borough
Kenai Peninsula Borough
Ketchikan Gateway Borough
Kodiak Island Borough
Lake and Peninsula Borough
Matanuska-Susitna Borough
North Slope Borough
Northwest Arctic Borough
Petersburg Borough
City and Borough of Sitka
Municipality of Skagway Borough
City of Unalaska
City of Valdez
Wrangell City and Borough
Yakutat Borough

Mayor to give COVID-19 community update with Senator Murkowski

The post Anchorage Community Briefing – mandating the use of cloth face coverings or masks in the Municipality of Anchorage appeared first on Alaska Politics and Elections.

]]> 8891 Dunleavy Press Briefing – a response to increasing coronavirus cases across Alaska https://www.apeonline.org/2020/06/10/dunleavy-press-briefing-on-covid19-testing-and-rise-in-cases-across-alaska/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dunleavy-press-briefing-on-covid19-testing-and-rise-in-cases-across-alaska Thu, 11 Jun 2020 01:49:21 +0000 https://www.apeonline.org/?p=8865 The post Dunleavy Press Briefing – a response to increasing coronavirus cases across Alaska appeared first on Alaska Politics and Elections.

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Governor Michael J. Dunleavy – Press Briefing on COVID-19

June 10, 2020

Notice To Travelers Arriving in AlaskaBeginning Saturday, June 6, 2020 at 12:01am travelers arriving into Alaska from another state or country must follow new protocols. Read the new rules at the Traveler Information Page.  

Health Mandate 10.1 – International and Interstate Travel – Order for Self-Quarantine

Travel Declaration Form for All Incoming Passengers: All people arriving in Alaska from international locations or travel from other states, whether resident, worker or visitor, are required to selfquarantine for 14 days and monitor for illness. Arriving residents and workers in self-quarantine, should work from home, unless you support critical infrastructure. For more details please see Health Mandate 10.1 and a list of critical infrastructure. Travelers arriving in Alaska may submit the form online or download, print, scan, sign, and email to akcovidtravel@ak-prepared.com. Printed forms will also be available in airports receiving flights international and out-of-state flights.

Alaska Critical Infrastructure COVID-19 Community/Workforce Protective Plans

Resources from the Office of Governor Mike Dunleavy, Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, and Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
The Governor’s Health Mandate 10 directs: “All people arriving in Alaska, whether resident, worker or visitor, are required to self-quarantine for 14 days and monitor for illness. Arriving residents and workers in self-quarantine, should work from home, unless you support critical infrastructure.” The Governor’s Health Mandate 12 directs: “All in-state travel between communities, whether resident, worker, or visitor, is prohibited unless travel is to support critical infrastructure, or for critical personal needs.” If your business meets the criteria identified in Alaska Essential Services and Critical Workforce Infrastructure Order, and your workers must either travel between Alaskan communities or travel to enter Alaska and begin work on critical infrastructure before their self-quarantine period is complete, you must submit a plan or protocol for maintaining critical infrastructure to the Unified Command as soon as possible. The plan must outline protective measures your business will enact in order to avoid the spread of COVID-19 and not endanger lives in the communities in which you operate, of others who serve as a part of that infrastructure or the ability of that critical infrastructure to function. If workers are able complete a full 14-day self-quarantine before starting work, that is the preferred method. If not, they must adhere to the protective measures your business is enacting during work times. They must still follow guidelines for self-quarantine during non-work periods. Please submit protective plans by email to akcovidplans@ak-prepared.com, and use the name of your business at the start of the email Subject line, and the start of the filename for any attached files. CLICK HERE FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON DEVELOPING PLANS If your company requests that the State of Alaska withhold any information contained in your Community/Workforce Protective Plan from public release because the information is protected under AS 40.25.120(a), you must submit the following information via email to criticalinfrastructurebranch@alaska.gov:

  1. identify each set of discrete information that the company asserts is protected;
  2. identify each specific legal authority that the company asserts applies to each such set of information; and
  3. for each such set of information, explain why the company asserts the information is protected based on each legal authority the company asserts applies to that information.

Please note your request that State of Alaska not disclose information your company asserts is protected is itself subject to disclosure under the Alaska Public Records Act. Accordingly, your company needs to do the same three things identified above for any information in your request that your company asserts is protected.

 

   

How many confirmed cases of COVID-19 are there in Alaska?

AK COVID-19 Dashboard

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]]> 8865 Dunleavy Press Briefing – Update on Travel Mandates https://www.apeonline.org/2020/06/03/dunleavy-press-briefing-cases-continue-to-increase-in-alaska/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dunleavy-press-briefing-cases-continue-to-increase-in-alaska Thu, 04 Jun 2020 01:18:23 +0000 https://www.apeonline.org/?p=8852 The post Dunleavy Press Briefing – Update on Travel Mandates appeared first on Alaska Politics and Elections.

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Governor Michael J. Dunleavy – Press Briefing on COVID-19

June 3, 2020 5 pm

MANDATORY 14-DAY QUARANTINE FOR ALL INCOMING PASSENGERS

Due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 and the high incidence of travel-related infection, the State of Alaska has instituted a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all incoming passengers. The potential for widespread transmission of COVID-19 by infected individuals entering Alaska threatens the health and well-being of Alaskans, as well as the infrastructure and security of the state. In an abundance of caution and to assist in flattening the curve regarding the spread of COVID-19 in Alaska, the State of Alaska, under its authority to protect the public health, is implementing advanced protocols to ensure all travelers arriving in Alaska participate in 14 consecutive days of self-quarantine to begin immediately upon arrival, allowing for travel from an airport or portage to the designated quarantine location.

https://covid19.alaska.gov/unified-command/traveldeclarationform/

 

International & Interstate Travel: Health Mandate 10 orders a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine for both international & interstate travelers (resident or non-resident) traveling to Alaska; failure to follow this order is punishable by law. *HM 10 has been extended until June 5, 2020.

 

18 new cases of COVID-19 reported in eight Alaska communities; one nonresident case in Anchorage

June 3, 2020 ANCHORAGE — The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) today announced 18 new cases of COVID-19 in eight communities: Anchorage (5), Homer (4), Wasilla (3), Eagle River (2), Soldotna (1), Palmer (1), Kenai Peninsula Borough (1) and Big Lake (1). This brings the total number of Alaska cases to 505.

This report reflects data from 12:00 a.m. until 11:59 p.m. on June 2 that posted at noon today on the Alaska Coronavirus Response Hub.

Kenai Peninsula Borough announced today that three individuals at the Nikiski Fire Department have tested positive for COVID-19 and other members have been quarantined due to their potential exposure. Providence Health & Services Alaska is providing updates about the cases at their Transitional Care Center on their website. The Section of Epidemiology and Public Health Nursing continue to assist these communities and organizations with their investigations and contact tracing.

Of the new Alaska cases, five are male and 13 are female. Three are aged 10-19; three are aged 20-29; two are 30-39; one is aged 40-49; three are aged 50-59; two are aged 60-69; three are aged 70-79; and one is 80 or older. There have been a total of 47 hospitalizations and 10 deaths with no new hospitalizations or deaths reported yesterday. Recovered cases now total 373, with two new recovered cases recorded yesterday. A total of 58,183 tests have been conducted.

One new nonresident case was identified in a seafood worker in Anchorage. The person was detected through testing at the airport on their arrival and has been in self-quarantine. The case is listed separately from the total Alaska case count as the person is not a resident of Alaska. The nonresident cases now total 23, of which 15 are in the seafood industry.

Stay informed

Questions about COVID-19?

How many confirmed cases of COVID-19 are there in Alaska?

AK COVID-19 Dashboard

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]]> 8852 Reopening Alaska COVID-19 Press Briefing https://www.apeonline.org/2020/05/29/reopening-alaska-covid10-press-briefing/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=reopening-alaska-covid10-press-briefing Sat, 30 May 2020 04:11:08 +0000 https://www.apeonline.org/?p=8843 The post Reopening Alaska COVID-19 Press Briefing appeared first on Alaska Politics and Elections.

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Governor Michael J. Dunleavy – 5/29 COVID-19 Press Briefing

Governor Dunleavy was joined by Dr. Zink and Commissioner Crum to provide Alaskans an update on the COVID-19 virus and discuss updates to the state’s travel quarantine mandate.

 

Five new cases of COVID-19 reported in four Alaska communities; one nonresident case in Kenai Peninsula Borough

May 29, 2020 ANCHORAGE — The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) today announced five new cases of COVID-19 in four communities: Anchorage (2), Juneau (1), Homer (1) and Soldotna (1). This brings the total Alaska case count to 430.

This report reflects data from 12:00 a.m. until 11:59 p.m. on May 28 that posted at noon today on the Alaska Coronavirus Response Hub.

The City and Borough of Juneau announced yesterday the Juneau case; their most recent case prior to this one was May 22.

Of the new Alaska cases, four are male and one is female. One is under the age of 10; one is aged 10-19; two are aged 20-29; and one is aged 60-69. There have been a total of 47 hospitalizations and 10 deaths with one new hospitalization and no new deaths reported yesterday. Recovered cases now total 367, with one new recovered cases recorded yesterday. A total of 49,439 tests have been conducted.

One new nonresident case was identified in a visitor in the Kenai Peninsula Borough. The person was detected as a positive case after they had completed their 14-day self-quarantine. The case is listed separately from the total Alaska case count since the person is not a resident of Alaska. The nonresident cases now total 18, three of whom are visitors.

Stay informed

Questions about COVID-19?

Reopening Alaska COVID-19 Press Briefing

How many confirmed cases of COVID-19 are there in Alaska?

AK COVID-19 Dashboard

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