NEWS: House Democrats Call for Firm Timelines on Pt. Thomson Development
Without work schedules, continued delay likely
JUNEAU – Today, nine members of the House Democratic Caucus called on the Department of Natural Resources to require firm timelines and work schedules before approving Exxon’s most recent Plan of Development for Pt. Thomson. In their official comments submitted today, the lawmakers said that without a timeline for Exxon to complete the work, this Plan of Development is likely to result in the same delay and inaction that has kept the resource undeveloped for over thirty years.
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Note from Rep. Gara: It’s Back! Summer Used/New Laptop, Mentor and Foster Parent Drive
Want to change a life for the better? Want it to be easy? Have we got a deal for you! May is National Foster Care Month, and in conjunction with that we have launched our second annual summer “Laptops for Foster Youth Drive”. And, don’t worry. No laptop? There are other ways to help, ranging from easy to not so easy.
Option 1: Donate a New or Quality Used Laptop
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NEWS: Gara Launches Summer Foster Youth Laptop Drive
Today, Rep. Les Gara launched the Summer Foster Youth Laptop Drive designed to pair foster youth with laptop computers donated by generous Alaskans.
“Past holiday drives were very successful, so we’re hoping to spread that success throughout the year,” said Rep. Gara, whose office started this effort with foster youth advocate Amanda Metivier two years ago.
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Note from Rep. Gara: I’m Back and Reporting for Duty Sir / Ma’am!
Sorry I’ve been out of touch for a bit. As you may know, I had to leave Juneau a few days into special session for surgery, which turned out great. I’m on my way home today - to the relief of my nephews who’ve been humoring me, and listening to me gripe about the Red Sox for two and a half weeks. They’re Yankee fans. Booo!
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NEWS: It’s Official: Texting While Driving Is Illegal in Alaska
Ban Signed Into Law Today
Today, thanks to legislation led by Representative Les Gara (D-Anchorage) and Representative Bill Thomas (R-Haines), Alaska’s strong anti-texting law is officially back on the books. Last year, a number of judges questioned whether the law at the time covered texting while driving, but the new law is clear—it is illegal to text while driving in Alaska.
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NEWS: House Democrats Call on NOAA to Assist With Tsunami Debris
“Tsunami debris threatens Alaskan coastal resources, communities and economies”
JUNEAU – Today, eight members of the Alaska House Democratic Caucus called on the federal government to create an aggressive plan to protect Alaska’s coastline from the threat posed by debris from last year’s tsunami in Japan.
“This debris could cause serious ecological, health and safety concerns for our coastal communities, not to mention significant economic impacts that could ripple throughout the state,” said House Democratic Leader Beth Kerttula (Juneau). “We know it’s coming—the first of it is already here. We need federal resources to get an idea of what we’re up against so we can develop the best way to deal with these waves of debris that could keep coming for months or more.”
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