Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The Yukon Quest is underway! I have been following the progress online. There are three District 8 residents in this year’s race. Go Brent Sass, Kyla Durham and David Dalton! Best of luck to all the mushers and their teams! To follow the race click here. 

Upcoming Constituent Meeting

Please join Senator Joe Thomas, Representative Bob Miller and myself for a midsession constituent meeting. We look forward to hearing your comments and answering your questions.  

When: Saturday February 19th, 5:30-7:30pm

Where: Goldstream Fire Station #3, 1300   

            Goldstream Rd (Map)

Please call or e-mail my office if you have any questions about this event.

School Gardens Hearing in House Education Committee

I am very pleased to announce that HB 93 “School Gardens, Greenhouses, and Farms”, will be heard for the first time on February 16th at 8:00am by the House Education Committee. This bill creates a program to allow schools to partner with non-profits to build and harvest school gardens. Teaching our youth about nutrition and food security is immensely important.

For more information on this bill or to submit letters of support please contact my office. 

Minority Leader Rep Kerttula and Rep Guttenberg at a press conference

The Federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has issued Alyeska Pipeline Company a “notice of proposed safety order” to correct issues related to leaks and safety. Over this last year I have been contacted by numerous people from around the state concerned with the ongoing maintenance and spill response issues of the TAPS line. I testified on the issue in Washington DC last summer before the House Transportation Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials.

With the declining output and increasing age of the pipeline, maintenance and corrosion control is vital. I believe that the State of Alaska needs to look at the recent events and take them seriously. Click here to read the Anchorage Daily News article on this issue.

Thank you for reading and please feel free to call my office and share your ideas.