Photo by Tyler Rhodes HONORING THE FALLEN—Veterans lead the procession from the cemetery to Belmont Point during Nome’s Memorial Day celebration May 31. C VOLUME CIX NO. 22 JUNE 3, 2010 Vote tally unkown Recall appears to fail for 4 of 5 school board members, count still unofficial By Tyler Rhodes counts, the most recent conducted By the time Tuesday rolled by hand on May 28, the shifting re- around—a full week after Nome vot- sults appeared as of press time to ers had gone to the ballot box to de- have only succeeded in removing termine the fate of its school one person, Albert McComas, from board—Heather Payenna had spent the five-member board. With razor- a week uncertain of whether or not thin margins between their “yes” she would keep her seat. and “no” votes, Payenna and fellow “I’m just ready, one way or the board member Kirsten Timbers other, to have this election be certi- have oscillated between being re- fied and be in the books,” Payenna called and retained as the succeed- said outside city hall just after noon ing unofficial tallies have come in. on June 1. As of Tuesday after- The most recent numbers—ob- noon, it looked like she would still served by witnesses to the May 28 have to wait. hand recount—would keep both Payenna was on her way to an ex- women on the board with Timbers pected Nome Common Council enjoying a two-vote margin (484 to meeting to canvass and certify the re- retain vs. 482 to recall) and Payenna sults from the May 25 vote. That she up by a single vote (478-477). was a few minutes late didn’t matter; While also close, the margins be- Photo by Tyler Rhodes the council was unable to meet and tween the votes concerning McCo- no results were available, leaving the mas and Gloria Karmun were wide SIGN OF THE TIMES—June Walunga, the Gambell representative on the Norton Sound Health Corp. recall election still unsettled for at enough that it appeared safe to call board of directors, joins fellow board members in signing the final steel beam to be installed at Nome’s new least another couple of days. hospital May 26. The top-off ceremony brought together principal players in the new facility’s development. After several tabulations and re- continued on page 6 Bering Straits, Sitnasuak to talk Front Street with DOT By Laurie McNicholas portation and Public Facilities, other state offi- work sessions, notes Mayor Denise Michels. cized the site DOTPF selected for the building The top officers of Bering Straits Native and cials and the Nome Common Council at a work A recent letter to von Scheben from BSNC at the north end of Steadman Street, and called Sitnasuak Native corporations will present their session June 9 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in leaders outlined the corporation’s investments for well-publicized local hearings about the ef- objections to the proposed Steadman Street site the council chambers at City Hall. in Nome’s economy, said that a segregated fects of the plan on Nome and the surrounding for a new state office building to Commissioner All council work sessions are open to the building for all of Nome’s state offices would Leo von Scheben of the Department of Trans- public, but no public testimony is taken during do nothing to generate a local economy, criti- continued on page 6 Temporary fix slated for corroded port fuel valves On the Web: www.nomenugget.net By Laurie McNicholas joints on the lines, including the expansion valves are corroded to the replacement work is best done in The Nome Port Commission dis- body and chromed sliding surface of some degree and the chromed sliding the winter. She asked the commis- E-mail: cussed measures to address the corro- the joint, were detected by a fueling joint surface is significantly deterio- sion to endorse a stopgap measure [email protected] sion of expansion joints on all three company in May 2009, according to rated in the three northern valves and proposed by SEAKERS to ensure fuel pipelines suspended under the report from SEAKERS Inc. it is likely that one of the three joints use of the pipelines this summer. causeway bridge with Harbormaster “A follow up inspection was per- is currently inoperable and will ulti- The commission approved Joy Baker at a meeting on May 27. formed in March of 2010 by Brent mately result in a fuel leak.” $19,199 for SEAKERS to perform The lines are used to transfer fuel from Goering Mechanical Engineering,” Baker reports the city has asked the following work. SEAKERS will barges to the city’s bulk fuel storage wrote Todd Fisher of SEAKERS in a the Army Corps of Engineers to have remove and discard existing wet can- tanks adjacent to the Nome harbor. letter to Baker dated May 8. “[The] the joints replaced, but it will take six Significant corrosion of expansion inspection indicates all six Hyspan months to obtain the hardware and continued on page 5 2 THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2010 OPINION THE NOME NUGGET Letters Dear Editor, that party has run out of logical ar- statements were meant to defame are not limited to long-term respira- Having a choice of which car to buy I have been the recent victim of guments. me. Why else would they sign my tory illnesses, open wound infec- or food, clothing, etc. to purchase, identity theft in unusual way. Some- For the record I have attended name rather than their own? All I tions, cardiovascular problems and again these are commodities. Choos- one has written some fairly insulting Nome Public Schools. My children can ask is that readers take those many other problems. ing to buy Health Care coverage is opinions on the Anchorage Daily have attended Nome Public Schools, communications as the view point of To make an in-depth, detailed, also a choice. News Rural Alaska Blog site ad- My wife has taught at Nome Public a person unwilling to take ownership long story short, action has be taken! Having the government mandat- dressing the recent recall vote of the Schools, and we all have degrees and of a person who at some level Why are our mayor, administrator, ing that I purchase an insurance pol- Nome School Board. I did not be- from universities. I work with and knew they were doing something city council members waiting for icy to cover my medial expenses is come aware of the blog and its con- employ people from Nome Public dishonest. something bad to happen to someone not a choice. tent until things were well along. I Schools. There is room for im- On the issue of the School Board I before doing something about it? I’ve left Senator Mark Begich a have a long career of dealing with provement in all schools and with was torn. There are points on either These elected officials that we’ve phone message (he never answers it speculation on my actions as a biol- their administration, but that does not side of the issue that I can agree with. chosen to govern our town are the himself) that I’d rather eat a bullet ogist and emergency services. When translate to any disrespect to Nome I went to the ballot box still thinking. same ones who are supposed to help then be forced to buy something I I have taken a position on a subject, school graduates. I hope that true discussion of the is- our community, not just financially don’t want. I pay my own way or I I usually make a statement and try The person who wrote these com- sues can prevail. but environmentally as well. go without. not to banter back and forth. I can munications apparently was beyond Sincerely, Although this letter may create You all remember Senator Begich, respect those who disagree with me, their comfort level on the topics. Charlie Lean bad publicity towards the city of the Democrat who has voted along and in my experience, calling the They were certainly beyond mine. I Nome, AK Stebbins, I’m also trying to prevent party lines since being sworn in. To other side names generally means have to wonder if the over the top further damage our community is me, he has abandoned Alaskans. He Dear Editor, doing to the health and safety of our has sold us out so he can reap the re- I’m making a big stink about the next generation. Thank you! wards of being “a good party mem- Letters to the editor must be signed and stink in Stebbins as a resident of George I. Dan, Jr. ber.” include an address and phone number. Thank yous Stebbins. I know firsthand about Stebbins, AK 99671 Senator Begich will tell you he has and political endorsements are considered ads. what the stink can cause. So may voted along party lines to better all many others that live in Stebbins, Dear Nancy, Alaskans and the American people. have open trash containers as well as Like the song, “Here I Go Again,” In reality he has only helped “the uncovered, overfilled honeybucket I have this need to voice my opinion anointed one, Obama,” take control containers that rarely are sanitized and concern. of 1/6th of the American economy. after an overfill. By the time this letter gets printed Bureaucrat appointees (more Obama As overfilled containers are taken the massive, illegal, Health Care Re- radicals), will decide who gets the Editorial to get emptied, these containers spill form bill will have passed.