Lieutenant Governor's Report
By Loren Leman
Lieutenant Governor
September 9, 2004A SOLEMN ANNIVERSARY: Saturday marks the third anniversary of the attacks on our nation in New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania. We lost nearly 3,000 people that day, more than we lost at Pearl Harbor. Yet we gained a renewed sense of patriotism and appreciation for a whole new set of heroes. As we observe this third anniversary of the holocaust of 9/11, let us again vow to cherish our freedoms, love our families, be gracious to those around us, pray for our enemies and stand united to protect the values that make our country great.
AIR FORCE WEEKEND: Carolyn, our daughters and I enjoyed visiting our son (and brother) Joseph for Parents' Weekend at the U. S. Air Force Academy this past weekend. In addition to attending his engineering classes, we observed flyovers of Air Force aircraft, watched the Falcons football team get decimated 56-14 by the California Bears and rode to the top of nearby 14,110 feet high Pike's Peak on the Cog Railway. We are encouraged by the caliber of young leaders we saw among the nearly 4,000 cadets.
ARMED FORCES VOTING: This is Armed Forces Voters Week, decreed by Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld. Its goal is to increase participation in elections by our service members, a goal I support. If you are not registered, or know someone who isn't, act NOW!
ALCOHOL AWARENESS: Today I participated in events at Anchorage Town Square and Covenant House for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Day. This tragic yet totally avoidable problem is too common in Alaska. Please encourage awareness about the dangers of drinking while pregnant.
A GOOD WAIVER: Last Friday Governor Murkowski announced that Secretary Principi of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs granted Alaska a waiver to allow the Palmer Veterans' and Pioneers' Home to continue serving non-veteran senior citizens. Current federal laws require that all non-veteran residents be spouses or former spouses of veterans or Gold Star parents of fallen veterans. Senator Lisa Murkowski sponsored a bill approved in January that allowed Secretary Principi to grant this waiver. Work on a $3.5 million remodeling project should be finished in spring 2006.
MRS. ALASKA GOES TO NATIONALS: I congratulate my Deputy Chief of Staff Whitney Brewster on competing this past week in Palm Springs with other outstanding married women for the title of Mrs. America. The event will be telecast September 27 on the PAX network. Although Whitney did not win the title, she represented Alaska admirably. Good job, Whitney!