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Photo by Diana Haecker NOME INVITATIONAL XC RUN— Elementary School kids were the first to blast off during Saturday’s Nome Invitational XC run event at Nome-Beltz. See story at page 11. C VOLUME CXIV NO. 38 September 18, 2014 Lt.Gov kicks off initiative hearings on marijuana in Nome By Diana Haecker create an “Act to tax and regulate the 2012. strictions on personal cultivation, said that there would be seven more Last Tuesday, Lt. Governor Mead production, sale and use of mari- If passed, the initiative would public use and the operation of mar- hearings held in Barrow, Juneau, Treadwell held the first of eight juana.” If the measure succeeds, make use of marijuana legal for per- ijuana related facilities. Ketchikan, Anchorage, Wasilla, statewide hearings on Ballot Meas- Alaska could become the third U.S. sons over 21 years of age, allowing Under the measure, the state Leg- Bethel and Fairbanks. ure 2, an initiative to legalize mari- state to legalize recreational pot use. them to possess, use, display, pur- islature could create a Marijuana He explained that several state de- juana in the state. Voters in Colorado and Washing- chase or transport up to one ounce of Control Board under the Dept. of partments were asked to submit their The initiative, if passed, would ton passed a similar measure in marijuana. It would impose some re- Commerce, Community and Eco- cost estimates associated with the nomic Development. bill. The Dept. of Revenue estimated It proposes to levy a $50 per that it would need to create three ounce excise tax on the sale or trans- more positions to oversee the new fer of marijuana from a cultivation excise tax, at an annual cost of facility to a retail store or marijuana $300,000. product manufacturing facility. The The Department also estimates a producer would pay the tax. Lt. Governor Mead Treadwell continued on page 4 Candidates for City offices run unopposed By Diana Haecker served three years as Board Presi- This year’s Municipal election dent of the Nome Preschool,” said will offer the voters slim pickings as Nickels in a statement to the Nome all candidates running for Nome Nugget. “I resurrected the Nome Common Council, Utility Board and PTA and served as president for School Board are unopposed. three years, have fulfilled two terms, On Monday, Sept. 15, the filing on the Nome Board of Education, period for people interested in run- and five years on the NACTEC ning for office ended and produced Board of Directors.” She said she the following names: has truly enjoyed every year of serv- Running for seat ‘A’ of the Com- ice. mon Council is incumbent Tom “Not applying as a candidate for Sparks. The term is for three years. the upcoming election was not an Seat ‘B’,also a three-year term, is easy decision,” Nickels stated. “I occupied by Louis Green Sr., who is would love to see some of our also the sole candidate to run for that younger parents get more involved. seat. I will still be quite active with our Utility Board seat B, a two-year Nome youth as a member of a vari- term is held by Fred Moody, who ety of groups and partnerships that submitted his name again for elec- have our students’ education and fu- tion. Moody runs unopposed. tures as a priority. It has been an Carl Emmons is the incumbent honor to serve on the Board of Edu- for Utility Board seat E, a three-year cation and play a role to effect posi- term. Emmons has filed for election tive change.” and also runs unopposed. Also on the ballot will be a School Board seat ‘A’ is occupied proposition that puts the question be- by Jennifer Reader. She runs unop- fore the voters whether or not the posed. City should raise alcohol and to- School Board seat ‘B’ incumbent bacco taxes from 5 percent to 8 per- Photo by Keith Conger Barb Nickels decided not to run for cent. TECHNOLOGICAL HIDE-AND-SEEKERS — Nome homeschool students Tobin Hobbs and Clara Han- re-election. Brandy Arrington de- The municipal election is sched- son used their GPS units to locate a geocache on Anvil Mountain. They were part of a group of 26 home- clared candidacy for that seat. uled for October 7. school students learning how to use GPS units. See story page 7. “Since coming to Nome in 1999 I Oil suspected on two harvested seals near Gambell By Diana Haecker oil on the seals’ coats. smelled like oil. Laboratories have yet to confirm The two animals were harvested “It hurts to see our food spoiled that two spotted seals harvested near on September 6 and 12 off the beach like that,” said Antoghame. Gambell on St. Lawrence Island last near Gambell. Since the seal was not fit for con- week had swum through an oil slick, Gambell IRA president Eddy Un- sumption, the carcass was discarded. but the hunters are pretty sure it was gott phoned UAF Marine Advisory “Anytime we have oiled wildlife Program Agent Gay Sheffield and re- it is a serious concern,” said Gay ported that there was oil on the seals. Sheffield, UAF’s Marine Advisory On the Web: Leon Antoghame harvested the Program Agent in Nome. second spotted seal on Sept. 12 near “This is our third oiling event in www.nomenugget.net Gambell. He didn’t see anything un- three years. We still don’t know the E-mail: usual about the seal until he brought source,” she said. the animal ashore and noticed a dark The hunters notified Sheffield, [email protected] colored spot on the young seal’s back who set into motion alerts to a multi- and side. “It had a bald spot on its tude of agencies, including the U.S. head and was yellow at the belly,” Coast Guard, Alaska Dept. of Envi- Antoghame described. ronmental Conservation, NMFS Of- Antoghame took tissue samples fice of Response and Restoration, from the internal organs, blubber, NMFS Office of Protected Re- Photo courtesy of Leon Antoghame flipper and jaws. He said the sub- OILED— This spotted seal showed a dark oily substance on the top of stance on the seal’s coat looked and continued on page 5 its body and a bald path on his head and neck. 2 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2014OPINION THE NOME NUGGET Letters Nome Superior Court has new Dear Editor: have an important selection for US Now that the election is over, the Senator. Mark Begich is clear on oil companies change their mind supporting subsistence rights, and magistrate judge and decide not to increase oil pro- while I was listening to Dan Sullivan By Diana Haecker and so he applied and rose to the top assess things in a case the way a duction. Kudos to Captain Zero for on KOTZ radio earlier this month he Longtime Nomeite and well- of the applicant’s list. judge would. “They have to consider not asking the oil companies to give said he was “strongly supportive” of known attorney Bob Lewis, 61, was As Lewis settles in to see the law both sides, so that is not remarkably back the state’s money. The divi- subsistence rights and is “very fo- chosen to fill the vacancy left by from a Magistrate’s perspective, he different. But what I find remarkable dend checks were set up to help cused on making sure we maintain” Magistrate Brooke Alowa, who last finds that there are more things to is that you have to consider all the Alaskans pay their bills. Captain those rights. I completely agree with month accepted the position as the consider than just the opposing par- agencies that are involved and go Zero knows that the millionaires and this statement, but his official ac- chief of enforcement for the Alaska ties to a case. along with it,” he said. “This ex- billionaires of the lower 48 who own tions were opposing when working State Commission on Human Rights “It’s quite interesting to learn the pands my world view beyond the oil stocks in the oil companies here in the Parnell administration. Sulli- in Anchorage. precise processes,” said Lewis. He that are getting the states free bil- van challenged subsistence rights by Lewis began working at the Nome explained that lawyers usually try to continued on page 18 lions of dollars have bills to pay as appealing the Katie John case de- Court on September 8. well. The rich and powerful need spite petitions from the Alaska Fed- Second Judicial District Presiding the state’s billions of dollars more eration of Natives (AFN) and tribes. Judge Michael Jeffery hired Bob than we do. Like Captain Zero When he was Attorney General Lewis out of an applicant pool of 15 says, there is nothing more impor- (AG) for the State of Alaska, Sulli- candidates. tant in the world than the state help- van sued Katie John as AG, sending Bob Lewis is currently “Magis- ing the wealthy get wealthier. My the 9th circuit decision to the trate in Training” as he embarks on a motto is ”Captain Zero for Gover- Supreme Court for an appeal. AFN new career as Magistrate Judge. nor.” He is not the governor who considered this an assault upon the Since 1977 he has worked as a pri- can do more for Alaska, but the gov- people of Alaska who depend upon vate practice lawyer, Public De- ernor who can do less. What more hunting, fishing and gathering to fender and attorney for the Alaska could we ask for in a governor? feed their families.