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)
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
Federal officials on Wednesday approved most of Alaska’s four-y [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
At an hour-long work session with the Assembly Tuesda [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
The story behind a classic, though often misunderstoo [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
The state government risks losing millions of dollars in feder [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Wednesday signed a bill that promise [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, known for its steep mountains [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing Wednesday in competitive division City League volleyball matches, Ca [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 27
At 2:36 p.m. a dead [ ... ]
This Week in Girls on the Run
By Sitkans Against Family Violence
and The Pathways Coalition
During th [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The future of management and operations at the Perform [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Sitka Sound commercial herring sac roe fishery continued today with open [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
After storming into the state 3A boys basketball brac [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Queen Bees’ spotless season record ended Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss [ ... ]
By SHIRLEY SNEVE
Indian Country Today
A major renovation at an Alaska museum to attract tourist [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
A presentation about a jump in the number of inmate deaths in [ ... ]
By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
Tribal and environmental advocates calling for a crackdown o [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 26
At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]
Big Rigs Sought
For April 13
The 3 to 5 Preschool’s spring fundraiser and Big Rig event is happening [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The city’s reassessment of taxable real estate, alo [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The third opening in this year’s Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery was held Mon [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Sitka High’s Lady Wolves bounced back from an openi [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel ports Editor
Competing in the state 3A basketball tournament in Anc [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing in a competitive division City League volleyball game Monday evening [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
A bill that passed the Alaska House of Representatives on Monday [ ... ]
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.
Login Form
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.