Wrangell Sentinel -

The State of Alaska has been operating at a deficit. This is nothing new and has been the primary challenge for the Legislature over the past five years. However, this year, some new wrenches were thrown into the equation: decreasing oil prices and...

Where were you when the pandemic came to Alaska? Future generations will demand an answer from each of us. Did we change our habits to protect the vulnerable? Did we make sure our elderly neighbors had everything they needed? Long after the virus...

Last week, Alaska had its first case of the Coronavirus: a cargo pilot traveling through Anchorage. With the amount of travel that Alaskans have done over the last month, it is likely that there are more untested and unverified cases already here....

As our nation and the world experiences the life-altering impacts of the novel coronavirus pandemic, I wanted to take a moment to speak to you directly. If you’ve followed our many press conferences this week, you know that Alaska is rapidly...

To the Editor: There will be no public celebration of Mass across the Diocese of Juneau or other large gatherings effective through Friday, March 27. This includes all public Liturgies, Masses, Benedictions, Stations of the Cross, faith formation...

Earlier this week, the Alaska House of Representative passed the operating budget. It took the House 43 days of session to pass the budget, which is the fastest we have passed one since 1993. I am proud with how quickly, efficiently, and...

Our human nature is like flesh. When you fall and scrape your knee, your body will scab it over and eventually, the scab will heal and there will be no record of that fall. This is like forgiveness. You can fall and scrape your knee a hundred more...

To the Editor: On behalf of the 2020 Senior parent group we would like to send out a thank you to AML for the gracious freight donation on our raffle item. To the BayCo for getting us a 4-wheeler for our raffle. Thanks also goes to the chamber for...

Thank you to everyone who spoke up during public testimony on the budget in House Finance last week. I need to hear from you in order to do my job, and I was incredibly impressed with the straight-forward, intelligent, and passionate comments that...

As residents of the towns near the proposed Kake Road, we firmly oppose it. The $40 million raised for this “road to nowhere” should instead support the return of the Alaska Marine Highway System to our coastal Alaskan communities struggling...

Each session, the Legislature’s biggest responsibility is to pass a budget for the State of Alaska. The House Budget Subcommittees - which examine the details of each department budget - have finished their budget recommendations. I serve as Chair...

Let’s talk about the prospects of this year’s legislative session and budget deliberations as they relate to the AMHS. Our ferry system has been at the forefront of many legislative conversations: On the very first day of the Alaska State...

Last year, I cosponsored and voted for House Bill 96, which reverses massive rate increases at the Pioneer Homes. This bipartisan legislation passed the House 35-4 and now is being considered by the Senate. If the Senate passes HB 96, we can reverse...

The Alaska State Legislature began its 2020 session on January 21st. Last Friday, the Legislature held a joint session to vote on overriding two of Governor Dunleavy’s vetoes of House Bill 2001 from August of 2019. The Legislature had five days onc...

As the House Representative for District 36, I’m writing to update you on some of the issues currently before the Alaska State Legislature. The 2019 legislative sessions were challenging – we continued to grapple with creating the budget,...

Jesus said, “Wait here while I go into the garden and pray.” I’m sure that He did not enter into a garden in Alaska, all our gardens have gone to sleep for the winter. He did of course pray for us living in areas all over the world. We who...

As many of you know, the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) service to the port of Prince Rupert, British Columbia (B.C.) ended on October 1st. Although that ferry route is no longer running, there are ongoing developments in hopes of restoring...

Representative Ortiz visited Prince Rupert, British Columbia (B.C.) this week to meet with Canadian officials. He met with Royal Canadian Mounted Police Inspector Blake Ward Chief Financial Officer for Prince Rupert Corinne Bomben, Member of...

To the Editor: I’m Hispanic and I know growing up within your means was the rule. It’s discipline. We never relied on government assistance or felt like we were entitled to anything we couldn’t do for ourselves. This made us hard working...