Trump Nominations
Dear Editor: I urge all Alaskans to call their senators and demand that all Trump nominations go through a full Senate confirmation process and have all senators vote.
The pressure that president-elect Trump is putting on the Senate to call a recess so his nominees can be summarily put in place is against the very foundation of our Constitution – separation of powers. Regardless of who you voted for for president or whether or not you support these nominees you should be concerned about this.
As Senator Murkowski said this week Matt Gaetzʼs nomination for attorney general is unserious and I would add Hegseth as secretary of defense and Gabbard as director of national intelligence are downright dangerous.
We deserve full confirmation hearings to vet these nominees and a public vote to understand where our senators stand on the appointments. You can reach Senator Lisa Murkowski at 202 224-6665 and Senator Dan Sullivan at 202 224-3004. Thank you.
Tory OʼConnell Curran, Sitka
SeaBank Summit
Dear Editor: We live in an extraordinary place, with the ocean in our front yard and one of the world’s largest intact temperate rainforests in our backyard. While rain and mist often blur that boundary – and at times our appreciation for its magic – it’s an astoundingly productive and biologically diverse ecosystem. Last night, Sitkans celebrated that productivity with the first annual SeaBank Summit.
SeaBank is a term coined by Richard Nelson and Sam Skaggs, who saw this Southeast ecosystem as a bank that supplies the natural capital to fuel regional economies. They believed that if people understood the value of this capital and the dividends it pays each year in fish, forest, water and carbon sequestration, among other contributions, that they would steward this place as Indigenous people have since time immemorial – sustainably, respectfully – allowing this natural capital to support thriving coastal economies in perpetuity.
Each year, the Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust publishes a SeaBank Annual Report. This report captures in dollars and cents the contribution of the Southeast ecosystem – our SeaBank – to both resident and non-resident “shareholders” who benefit from its richness. With the release of the 2024 SeaBank Annual report, ASFT hosted a dinner and an evening of speakers, including Dominick DellaSala, acclaimed forest scientist, Lauren Oaks, award-winning author, and Alana Peterson, Indigenous and community development leader. The evening was rich with information, conversation and great food.
On behalf of the ASFT board and staff, I want to express my gratitude to the speakers, our sponsors, and all who attended. A huge thank you to Beth Short-Rhoads of Fireweed Dinners and the SeaBank Chronicles who orchestrated the entire event and provided delicious food, and to our sponsors: Seafood Producers Cooperative, Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, Alaskans Own Seafood, Sitka Rotary Club, Old Harbor Books, Chocolate Moose, Our Town Catering, Crooked Creek Birch Syrup, Beak Restaurant, Luke Johnson and Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, Alaska Pure Sea Salt, Sweet Sisters Caramels, Wintersong Soap Company, Fate Accompli, AC Lakeside, Sitka Soup, Harry Race, Sitka Trail Works, Sitka Fine Arts Camp, Alaska Boats and Permits, and Sitka Conservation Society.
Thank you also to the many volunteers who helped with set up, serving and clean up. We look forward to hosting future SeaBank summits in Sitka!
Linda Behnken,
Alaska Sustainable Fisheries
Trust Board
