NEWS: 3rd Annual Holiday Laptops for Foster Youth Drive - Improving One Life At A Time
(ANCHORAGE) – Today Rep. Les Gara and the foster care group, Facing Foster Care In Alaska (FFCA), are launching the third annual Laptops for Foster Youth Holiday Drive. Over the past two years this drive has resulted in approximately 200 matches for youth. “Laptops are crucial to helping youth improve their chances of success in school, and establishing normalcy in very disrupted lives of youth who often have very few material possessions,” said Gara, a former foster youth whose father was killed when he was 6.
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NEWS: House Democrats Announce Leadership for 28th Alaska Legislature
Leadership team brings experience, new energy
ANCHORAGE – Today, Alaska’s House Democratic Caucus announced its leadership for the 28th Alaska Legislature and its commitment to continue to work toward oil taxes that earn a fair return for Alaskans, lowering energy costs across the state, and ensuring Alaskans have access to top-quality education.
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NEWS: Democrats Applaud Army Corps Pt. Thomson Permit
“Alaskans have waited over 30 years for development of these resources”
Today, Representative Les Gara and Senator Hollis French applauded the Army Corps of Engineers for granting the necessary permits for ExxonMobil to begin the long-awaited development of the Pt. Thomson Unit on Alaska’s North Slope. Earlier this month, Rep. Gara and Sen. French wrote a letter to the Army Corps encouraging its prompt action on this permit.
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NEWS: Democrats Call for End to Permitting Delays for Point Thomson
French and Gara concerned by recent federal permitting delay
Today, Senator Hollis French and Representative Les Gara (both D-Anchorage) sent a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state regulators urging the agencies to ensure timely issuance of necessary wetlands and other permits, so that work can begin at the Point Thomson Unit this winter.
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NEWS: Democrats: Local Gas First
Legislators repeat call for binding commitment to meet local needs before exporting Cook Inlet gas
JUNEAU – Today, seven Democratic legislators in the Alaska Legislature called on the governor to require binding commitments to meet local gas needs before a producer exports Cook Inlet gas as a condition of state support for the producer’s federal export license application.
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NEWS: House Democrats Mourn the Loss of Senator Al Adams
Today, House Democratic Leader Beth Kerttula (D-Juneau) released the following statement after learning of the passing of longtime Alaska statesman, Al Adams:
“Today, along with all of Alaska, the House Democratic Caucus mourns the passing of Senator Al Adams. There will never be another Al Adams. His legendary public service, his inimitable sense of humor, and his great compassion will live long in our hearts. A great man, he never lost his sense of humanity. Senator Adams was a true leader, he inspired us, as John Quincy Adams said,
‘to dream more, learn more, do more and become more.’ It is a sad day for Alaska. Our sympathy goes out to his family and to all he touched.”
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