Lieutenant Governor's Report
By Loren Leman
Lieutenant Governor
September 2, 2004ELMENDORF AIRMAN KILLED IN IRAQ: We Alaskans are especially saddened by the death of Airman 1st Class Carl Anderson, Jr., who lost his life in Iraq on Sunday. A roadside bomb destroyed his vehicle. Airman Anderson served with the Third Logistics Readiness Squadron from Elmendorf Air Force Base. Governor Murkowski has ordered State flags to fly at half-staff until Friday morning in Airman Anderson's honor. A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. tomorrow at Chapel One on Elmendorf Air Force Base.
ARMY CHANGES COMMAND: Carolyn and I welcomed Brigadier General James Hirai and his wife Karen to Alaska on Tuesday. General Hirai officially took his new position as Commander of the U.S. Army Alaska at the Change of Command ceremony on Fort Richardson. At the same time, we said aloha and best wishes to Lt. General John Brown and his wife Elaine who are now stationed in Hawaii. In his new role with the Pacific Command, General Brown will continue oversight and interest in Army operations in Alaska. The Browns were a tremendous asset to Alaska during their tenure here.
PAPER TRAILS TO YOU: I was in Clark County in southern Nevada on Monday with Division of Elections Director Laura Glaiser and Supervisor Tom Godkin to observe our nation's first election conducted by touchscreen voting equipment with a voter-verifiable paper audit trail. The equipment works well and voters like it. The Division of Elections is considering using some of its touchscreen machines in the November 2 election, especially for the blind and visually impaired.
JUST A STONE'S THROW AWAY: Last Friday I joined Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Dale Bagley and other friends for a tour of the proposed Pebble gold and copper mine near Iliamna. Northern Dynasty, the mine developer, is spending $25 million on exploration activities this summer to gather baseline environmental information and confirm its assessment that this is a world-class deposit that will support a $1 billion capital investment. Power, access and environmental constraints are challenges Northern Dynasty and the State are addressing.
APPRECIATING INDUSTRY: On Saturday I joined more than 3,000 of my closest friends on the Kenai Peninsula in celebrating the contribution of the fishing, oil & gas and tourism industries at "Industry Appreciation Day" in Kenai. The fine folks on the Peninsula have demonstrated how industries that often compete can also work together to produce good solutions. I told them this cooperation works as well as it does because this area is still "family."
WATCHING THE WATCHDOG: On Tuesday I visited Commissioners John Norman and Dan Seamount as well as employees of the Alaska Oil & Gas Conservation Commission (AOGCC). This agency ensures we receive optimal return from our oil and gas resources-and helps resolve disputes. They also issue permits for drilling. Recent improvements have AOGCC turning permits around in five days, while still protecting safety and the environment. The AOGCC has been working on a project to make its non-proprietary data and documents available to the public online. This is expected to reduce the cost of doing business in Alaska and spur greater interest in our resources.
GET WELL SOON…: To former State Senator Scott Ogan, who represented areas of the Matanuska Valley and Chugiak for the last ten years as a Representative and Senator. Senator Ogan resigned his Senate seat last Wednesday, and is now recovering from an angioplasty performed at Providence Medical Center to unblock heart arteries. Carolyn and I hope he fully recovers and wish Scott and his wife Janet the best in future endeavors.
DON'T BE A LOSER: The upcoming Labor Day weekend marks the fourth enforcement period this year for Operation CARE, the Combined Accident Reduction Effort. Operation CARE is aimed at aggressive enforcement of all traffic violations to reduce motor vehicle accidents and fatalities, especially those caused by impaired drivers. Additional troopers will be on the road to enforce sober driving as part of the "You Drink. You Drive. You Lose" campaign. It all adds up - drugs, alcohol and driving don't mix. My advice? Be safe. Drive sober.
UPCOMING EVENTS: Carolyn, our two daughters, and I will be at the United States Air Force Academy this weekend for Parent's Weekend as we visit with our son Joseph, who is a senior (cadet first class in Academy terminology). September 3-11 is Armed Forces Voters Week, an emphasis designed to create awareness and motivation among our military to vote.
My Lieutenant Governor's Report will return to a weekly schedule as summer in Alaska winds down and other activities ramp up. I'll update you again next Thursday.
You can email me at Lt_Governor@gov.state.ak.us, call at (907) 269-7460 or 465-3520, or write to: Lieutenant Governor Loren Leman, PO Box 110015, Juneau, AK 99811. Visit my web site at ltgov.state.ak.us. To subscribe or unsubscribe please email me or visit the subscription page.