April 24, 2014 Grand Jury Indicts Adrienne Michels in Wongittilin Death by Sandra L
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Photo by Kenneth Dåbakk/Siberian Sleddogs NADEZHDA HOPE RACE— Two Chukchi mushers drive their dogs on the trail during the Nadezhda Sled Dog Race, held recently in Chukotka. Five mushers from Alaska, Norway and Germany also participated in the 400-mile race along the coastline of Chukotka. See story on page 16. C VOLUME CXIV NO. 17 April 24, 2014 Grand jury indicts Adrienne Michels in Wongittilin death By Sandra L. Medearis render assistance in the April 12 death, also a misdemeanor, after she Wongittilin served as a volunteer Myron E. Angstman of Bethel told Facing two criminal felony death of Wagner Wongittilin, 54, of struck Wongittilin with her Ford Ex- firefighter in his St. Lawrence Island the court the bail was excessive. charges in the vehicular death of a Savoonga. plorer near the intersection of West community and also a volunteer first Count I indictment finds suffi- pedestrian, a solemn Adrienne Michels pleaded innocent to the Fifth Avenue and Bering Street on responder. cient evidence exists for a criminal Michels, 29, looked straight ahead as charges. April 12. On April 21, Michels remained in charge of recklessly causing the she waited in state Superior Court for A complaint filed by Nome Police Wongittilin, known in the local custody under bail set at $50,000 and death of Wongittilin, a Class A arraignment April 21. Dept. April 14 also charged Michels and Native art communities as an ex- third party custody required with felony. A grand jury convened on April 17 with driving under the influence, a cellent carver, died in Norton Sound conditions to be set upon release. Count II of the indictment finds in Nome and handed up the indict- misdemeanor, and leaving the scene Regional Hospital shortly after the At an April 15 district court ar- enough evidence exists for a charge ments on manslaughter and failure to of an accident involving injury or accident. raignment hearing, defense attorney continued on page 4 NJUS utility rates going up By Sandra L. Medearis $30.74 for residential and $24.03 for Demand for electricity from senior rates per month—$368.88 and Nome’s utility is down and creating $288.36 per year. budget problems, partly due to new This was the news after the NJUS technology and efficient use by busi- board spent around five hours hash- nesses and the public. ing costs and savings possibilities Nome Joint Utility System execu- over two work sessions on April 15 tives say they cannot find a way to and April 17. cure a shortfall of $780,000 in elec- The figures don’t lie, said John K. tric revenue without boosting water Handeland, utility manager. and sewer rates to make these serv- “Recently we have seen a reduc- ices pay their own way without sub- tion in electrical demand with the sidy from electric sales. loss of Rock Creek Mine, energy ef- The NJUS board was to vote on a ficiency efforts by government, busi- water and sewer service rate increase nesses and individuals, and closure of 21 percent at its regular meeting of the old Norton Sound Regional April 22. Hospital,” Handeland told the NJUS Unless a funding miracle happens, board in presenting a 2014 business folks will be flushing and running plan. their faucets to the tune of $16.59 The energy used by the new hos- more for water and sewer to residen- pital has helped, Handeland said, but tial and $9.88 more for senior rates. overall he expects a 10 percent re- That comes to $199 and $119 a duction in kilowatt sales in 2014, year. that will translate to the $780,000 re- Add to that a proposed increase in duction. Added to that, cuts to the electric rates of $14.15 a month, Governor’s Dept. of Environmental bringing the increase in kilowatt Conservation program has removed costs and water-sewer costs to continued on page 4 Photo by Jeffrey Erickson FUN— Shaktoolik’s NYO coach Gooshie Erickson soars and screams during the blanket toss at the Bering Strait School District Native Youth Olympics tournament held in Gambell last week. See story page 9. ICC tackles food security, education issues in Nome By Diana Haecker Inuit perspective,” explained Stotts. the ICC Alaska board is adopting the The Inuit Circumpolar Council- The workshop in Nome comes final project and its recommenda- Alaska brought two workshops to after similar events were held in Bar- tions. Nome last week that engaged re- row and Kotzebue. A workshop in gional experts to discuss two differ- Bethel is planned to happen soon. continued on page 5 ent topics: food security and The workshops follow Behe’s trav- education. els to 15 villages, including Stebbins, Gambell and Wales in the Bering Food security Strait region. Each tribal council was On the Web: On Monday and Tuesday, food se- asked to nominate traditional knowl- www.nomenugget.net curity took center stage at Old St. edge holders to provide information Joe’s Hall. A food security project by for the project. The workshops’ pur- E-mail: ICC Alaska has been ongoing for pose is to bring those experts in each [email protected] three years, said ICC-Alaska Presi- region together again to make sure dent James Stotts. “Carolin Behe has that the information has been cor- Photo by Diana Haecker been traveling to a number of vil- rectly summarized and evaluated, EYE ON THE PRIZE— Rainbow girl Lauren Tocktoo managed to lages in our four Alaska regions con- explained Behe. After the workshops push an egg with her nose across the finish line, during the Family Fun ducting interviews with Traditional are done, Behe will be formulating a Day held at the Rec Center in Nome on Saturday, April 19. The event of- Knowledge holders, hunters and draft final report, which is then re- fered face painting, egg coloring, a bounce house and games, to bring community leaders to talk about viewed by the 120 contributing au- awareness to April being “Child Abuse Prevention Month.” what food security means from the thors and then peer-reviewed before 2 THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2014 OPINION THE NOME NUGGET Letters Dear Nancy, It is not his fault, thinking that he clean his house, dirt caked on his side of Brevig and still when she worst parasite I’ve seen! Her mom I live in Brevig Mission. Let’s has to take care of them —especially counters, table, and dirty dishes in needed money he’d send it and no gets her late husband’s SSI, one who talk about parasites and leeches and the daughter, but knowing them it the sink. They expect to be paid be- payments were made to pay him lives with her gets one too, and the believe me it’s not about things we won’t shame or embarrass them. cause they’re so used to it. When he back even when he took out her rest abuse the elder... can’t see and bugs. It is about human To have his neighbors go over “to has no money they won’t see him. CODs. Well you know what happens to beings leeching themselves onto eld- clean” his house for money— where They’re just getting money for dope Never mind what he needs— like parasites they die when the host dies. ers and abusing them financially; not were they when they gave him bed and bingo. He can’t say no to them. bedding, cooking pots and pans, Sincerely, just one family member but the bugs? They said they cleaned his The oldest girl is old enough to get even a new stove to cook his food, Signed but name withheld by editor whole family…like it is happening to house twice, what a joke! If they did a job! (Oh yeah) she had jobs out- instead of using a skillet. She’s the an elder here. clean we wouldn’t have had to re- A Look at the Past Photo by Al Burgo CHOOSE RESPECT—April 17 the Bering Sea Women’s Group hosted “Choose Respect “ This event helps Alaskans to stop the epidemic of do- mestic violence, sexual assault, and child sexual abuse and encourages the strength to act. Shown here are (center) Attorney General Michael C. Geraghty, (right) Colleen Reynolds, and (left) Barbara Cromwell from NSHC SART. Letters to the editor must be signed and include an COUNCIL— A pioneer settlement. address and phone number. Thank you notes and political endorsements are considered ads. The Ride to Ophir From: T. A. Rickard, Through the Yukon and Alaska, chapter 34, pages 363-380. Part II of IV good footing as compared to the of the factors enriching the Solomon (A story continued from last soggy tundra; in consequence, the River. Editorial week about Rickert’s ride on his road is in the river, and the river is in Proceeding up the river I saw sev- E-Nuff horse, Tony, to the town of Ophir. the road, making it immaterial eral derelict dredges of rudimentary When will the whining and bellyaching about Obama Care stop? Courtesy of the Carrie M. McLain whether it be labeled a water-way or design and heard the coughing of the Hey, we have it, we want it. Itʼs about time we get something good. Memorial Museum) a trail. gasoline engine actuating one that Canʼt the colossal jerks who sold their souls to the Tea Party stop In the afternoon the weather A series of short trots over the bare was still at work. Tony pricked up his yammering about it? Could they please stop playing the broken cleared sufficiently to warrant a start.