LUTHERAN QUILTERS – Members of the Quilts for Comfort Group stand between pews draped with some of the 205 quilts they made, in the Sitka Lutheran Church Tuesday. The group made the quilts for five local non-profits and one in Anchorage. The remaining quilts are sent to Lutheran World Relief which  distributes them to places around the world in need, such as Ukraine, as part of Personal Care Kits. Pictured are, from left, Helen Cunningham, Kathleen Brandt,Vicki Swanson, Paulla Hardy, Kim Hunter, Linda Swanson and Sue Fleming.  (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)

State's Transportation Plan Gets Federal OK
28 Mar 2024 15:06

By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
    Federal officials on Wednesday approved most of Alaska’s four-y [ ... ]

New Funding Plan Ahead for Visit Sitka?
28 Mar 2024 15:02

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    At an hour-long work session with the Assembly Tuesda [ ... ]

Sitka 'Frankenstein' Puts Classic Tale in New Ligh...
28 Mar 2024 15:01

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
    The story behind a classic, though often misunderstoo [ ... ]

State May Los Millions Over Ed Dept. Missteps
28 Mar 2024 14:59

By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
    The state government risks losing millions of dollars in feder [ ... ]

Gov Signs Bill On Internet In State Schools
28 Mar 2024 14:57

By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
    Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Wednesday signed a bill that promise [ ... ]

Capitol Christmas Tree to Come from Tongass
28 Mar 2024 14:56

By YERETH ROSEN
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    Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, known for its steep mountains [ ... ]

City League Games Thursday
28 Mar 2024 14:52

By Sentinel Staff
    Playing Wednesday in competitive division City League volleyball matches, Ca [ ... ]

March 28, 2024, Police Blotter
28 Mar 2024 14:50

Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 27
At 2:36 p.m. a dead  [ ... ]

March 28, 2024, Community Happenings
28 Mar 2024 14:48

This Week in Girls on the Run By Sitkans Against Family Violence
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During th [ ... ]

New RFP Sought For Managing PAC
27 Mar 2024 14:48

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
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Seiners Get Second Day with 2 Areas to Fish
27 Mar 2024 14:46

By Sentinel Staff
    The Sitka Sound commercial herring sac roe fishery continued today with open [ ... ]

Braves Take Second in Last Minute Upset
27 Mar 2024 12:41

By GARLAND KENNEDY
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    After storming into the state 3A boys basketball brac [ ... ]

Tuesday City League Volleyball
27 Mar 2024 12:39

By Sentinel Staff
    The Queen Bees’ spotless season record ended Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss [ ... ]

Kodiak Alutiiq Museum Getting New Attention
27 Mar 2024 12:37

By SHIRLEY SNEVE
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House Hearing on Inmate Deaths Halted
27 Mar 2024 12:35

By CLAIRE STREMPLE
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    A presentation about a jump in the number of inmate deaths in  [ ... ]

Nominee to Bering Sea Council: Not a Trawler
27 Mar 2024 12:34

By NATHANIEL HERZ
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    Tribal and environmental advocates calling for a crackdown o [ ... ]

March 27, 2024, Police Blotter
27 Mar 2024 12:26

Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 26
At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]

March 27, 2024, Community Happenings
27 Mar 2024 12:25

Big Rigs Sought
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Reassessments Raise Tax Bills for Sitkans
26 Mar 2024 15:22

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
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    The city’s reassessment of taxable real estate, alo [ ... ]

Two Areas Opened in Herring Fishery Today
26 Mar 2024 15:21

By Sentinel Staff
The third opening in this year’s Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery was held Mon [ ... ]

Lady Wolves Rally to Take Fourth at State
26 Mar 2024 15:16

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
    Sitka High’s Lady Wolves bounced back from an openi [ ... ]

Edgecumbe Girls Close Out Season Up North
26 Mar 2024 14:58

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel ports Editor
    Competing in the state 3A basketball tournament in Anc [ ... ]

City League Monday
26 Mar 2024 14:55

By Sentinel Staff
    Playing in a competitive division City League volleyball game Monday evening [ ... ]

House Votes to Broaden Rules For Review Panel Memb...
26 Mar 2024 14:52

By JAMES BROOKS
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    A bill that passed the Alaska House of Representatives on Monday  [ ... ]

Other Articles

Daily Sitka Sentinel

Dunleavy’s Relief Aid Plan Raises Questions

By BECKY BOHRER
 
The Associated Press

JUNEAU (AP) — Gov. Mike Dunleavy has proposed disbursing more than $1 billion in federal coronavirus relief aid through a process that would not require the Legislature to reconvene. A legislative attorney, however, has raised questions with that approach.

Dunleavy has asked the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee to review his plan to distribute funds to help municipalities, nonprofits, small businesses, schools and other areas. State law lays out a process by which a governor can submit to the committee plans to accept and spend on a budget item additional federal or other program funds. Even if the committee disagrees, a governor can proceed. 

The law includes a 45-day clock though Dunleavy said he wants quick action.

It’s the process former Gov. Bill Walker used in expanding Medicaid. 

But Megan Wallace, director of Legislative Legal Services, raised concerns with use of the process for the federal aid in a memo responding to questions from Sen. Bill Wielechowski. She told a House committee last week there were a lot of unknowns. 

“If we want to take out the speculation, or confusion, in terms of authority to expend those monies, yes, the simplest thing to do would be for the Legislature to specifically appropriate” the funds, she said.

The Legislature went into recess after passing a budget in late March amid coronavirus concerns. Rep. Chris Tuck, who chairs the budget and audit committee, said Wednesday that legislative finance and legal staff were reviewing Dunleavy’s proposal to weigh in on what possibly could go through the process and what might need full legislative action. 

Legislative leaders and Dunleavy have sparred over separation of powers issues previously.

Dunleavy told reporters Congress and President Donald Trump wanted the money to be distributed as quickly as possible. 

“They did not specifically send it through the Legislature; they sent it directly to the states,” he said, adding there is no required state match for the funds. “So this is directly from the feds to the state, passing through to the individuals at the local level to try and help as quickly as possible.”

Earlier this month, Dunleavy said he expected many of the larger vetoes he made to the state budget, including aid for schools and local governments, would be offset through use of funds from the federal coronavirus relief package. In a statement Wednesday, he said he was working “with the best available information at the time which led many to believe CARES act funding could in fact be used to offset revenue loss.”

But he said there’s a “lack of clarity” surrounding this. The state consequently will act under the guidelines that the funds “can be used to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on state/municipal expenses and to support businesses and the state’s nonprofits,” he said.

Meanwhile Wednesday, a caravan of more than 80 vehicles paraded through the otherwise largely quiet streets of downtown Anchorage, with participants blaring their horns and waving American flags. Organizers of the demonstration, from the Facebook group Open Alaska, said they supported Dunleavy’s move to allow some businesses to partially reopen starting Friday. Group leaders urged Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz to also do more to open businesses.

“To the extent that their sole goal is to reopen Anchorage, I am supportive – but on a timeline that minimizes the risk of COVID to the public and to the businesses that call the municipality home,” Berkowitz said in a emailed statement to The Associated Press.

Berkowitz said at an earlier news conference Wednesday that some businesses will be allowed to reopen Monday, and further guidance for businesses will be released Friday. He said the list of businesses that will be allowed to reopen is similar to what the state is allowing to open. 

___

Associated Press reporter Mark Thiessen contributed from Anchorage, Alaska.

 

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20 YEARS AGO

March 2004

Advertisement: Tea-Licious Tea House & Bakery 315 Lincoln Street Grand Opening! Freshly Baked Scones, Cakes & Pastries Innovative Salads, Soups & Sandwiches Harney & Sons Tea. Lunch * Afternoon Tea * Supper.

50 YEARS AGO

March 1974

Photo caption: National Republican Chairman George Bush takes a drink of water offered by Jan Craddick, Sitka delegate, during the Republican convention held here. Mrs. Craddick explained to Bush that the water was from Indian River, which means, according to local legend, that he will return.

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