Photo by Nancy McGuire AND THEY’RE OFF—Nome youngsters go dashing through the snow on Anvil City Square in search of Easter eggs Sunday. They were decked out in their Easter Sunday finery with their fancy Easter baskets. One youngster even had a fur-lined Easter basket. The Easter egg hunt was sponsored by the Nome American Legion Auxiliary. C VOLUME CVIII NO. 13 MARCH 27, 2008 Team effort needed to tackle homelessness, alcoholism in Nome By Diana Haecker tigated binge drinking in so-called The recent death of Marjorie Nor- Alaska bush communities. ton, a 42-year-old woman from Noatak, gave rise to an overdue de- “Alcohol abuse bate regarding the compounded begets homelessness” problem of alcohol excesses and This assessment by Police Chief homelessness in Nome. Burke is a conclusion of what he and Norton was found at a residence his officers see every day. Some- known to be home to transient times, people as far as Texas can see partiers seeking a place to sleep off it, too. “We had a lady from Texas the effects of a night of drinking in call our dispatcher, saying there was Nome. She was found dead by a person lying on Front Street who friends who also frequent the place needed assistance,” said Burke. at 610 West Fourth Avenue. The Texan had logged on to the Nome Police Chief Paul Burke said city’s webcam and saw a drunk man that no foul play seemed to have con- passed out on the sidewalk. ”Now, tributed to her death and refuted ru- that’s not right,” said Burke. “Is that mors that Norton was beaten, raped or what we want people on the Internet murdered. Norton’s body was sent to to see of Nome? Is that what we want the state medical examiner for an au- to see?” Burke said that while the topsy. According to Burke, the medical fact should not be hidden, the roots examiner didn’t find any signs of out- of the problem need to be addressed, ward violence as a cause of her death. and the whole community needs to “It’s a toxicological death—either drug be part of the solution. or alcohol related,” said Burke. Burke rattled down statistics in The toxicological report will be his office at the cop shop on Bering released in four weeks. Street and quickly pointed to the in- Norton’s death marks the third tention to not get down on the so- death this winter of visitors who did- called “inebriates” or “regulars,” but n’t have adequate housing in Nome. to offer help to make Nome a better On Dec. 4, William Lincoln, 77, of place to live—for all. White Mountain died in a camper “We had 877 cases of Title 47s last shell camp on West Beach while he year,” said Burke. Title 47 is the police was in Nome visiting his daughter, code for people who are too drunk to who lived with her boyfriend in the take care of themselves. Last year saw makeshift camp. There was no alco- a daily average of 2.4 people who fell hol involved, but the elderly man had under that code and were transported complained about the bitter cold the by the police to the Anvil City Correc- night of his death. tional Center or to the hospital to sober On Dec. 15, Merritt Segock, 44, up. Burke puts the number of chronic of Elim died of exposure on the sea alcoholics wandering the streets of ice in front of Nome. Segock was Nome to 14 individuals. found highly intoxicated and had ei- In addition to the Nome “regulars” ther passed out on the ice or fell who get picked up, go to the jail or the asleep there. Without adequate hospital to sober up and start the game clothing or protection, Segock suc- all over again once they’re out, Burke cumbed to a combination of alcohol pointed to the high number of visitors intoxication and hypothermia. He who come to Nome and end up sad Photo by John Callahan died on the sea ice. statistics as Title 47s. “There are peo- AIRBORNE—Nome’s Jesse Blandford lifts off for two during the class 3A state semi-final game in Anchor- These are the extreme cases of a ple here for the price of a plane ticket, age Friday evening. Nome fell to the Heritage Christian School Eagles in the match, but went on to earn problem that put Nome on the na- no contacts, no family, and these peo- third-place honors in the tournament. The Eagles took second. For tournament coverage, see page 9. tional radar as an alcoholic sin city after a syndicated news article inves- continued on page 5 Return of the Sweepstakes revives the ‘Dog Days of Nome’ Editor’s note: The following is a historic ac- in history for excitement, speed and endurance— The men and women of this shut-in commu- and settlement, it is hardly surprising that they count of the first years of the All Alaska Sweep- the records of the famous dog races of Nome. nity, unusually active mentally and physically should be as well an indispensable factor in the stakes, provided to The Nome Nugget by the The winter season here extends from the de- as is always the case in any frontier civilization, most popular and representative sport; and it Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum. parture of the last boat of the open season late in need an outlet for their superabundant energy was because of a desire to make this sport a rec- October, to the arrival of the first boat early in in some diversion that is characteristic of their ognized part of the life of the community that By Esther Birdsall Darling, President of June, and during this time the people of north- surroundings—for many pleasures are geo- the Nome Kennel Club was organized in 1908 the Nome Kennel Club in 1916 western Alaska are cut off from the rest of the graphically impossible. This diversion they with Albert Fink as its first president. Since out of the far north have always come world by a barrier of over a thousand miles of ice have found in these thrilling contests over the From the very beginning there was much en- tales of adventure and achievement, hardship and and snow; the only direct communication with the snow-swept wastes of Seward Peninsula. thusiasm and generous purses have been of- heroism, it is not strange that out of the far north “Outside” being by the weekly government dog In this country where dogs have always been have come also the records of a sport unequalled team mails and the wireless telegraph system. an indispensable factor in the work of discovery continued on page 6 Visit the Nugget on line at www.nomenugget.net • e-mail [email protected] 2 THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2008 OPINION THE NOME NUGGET Letters The Corner Office Hello out there, ing a refinery in Alaska creates jobs My mother’s name was Elizabeth A More Perfect Norton Sound Now that the mushers have for Alaskans and would probably Estelle Blanchard. She was born in By Jason Evans passed, it decided to blow snow lower the cost to us, making it feasi- 1903 in Alaska, and moved with her Last week Barack Obama gave his speech on race in America and he some more. Here some of the mush- ble to maybe save. parents to Port Orchard, Washington touched on a lot of issues about segregation in America. Obama said, 50 ers said it was too warm for mush- Anyway, take care, everyone, and a few years later. She graduated years after segregation, the black areas are not as well off as the white areas. ing. Time seems to be flying by fast. behave yourselves. from the University of Washington What Obama is talking about rings true in our region as well. Almost every The kids are growing fast, some of As always, in 1923. I am sure she taught in service we receive in our region and especially in our villages is not the same them more ornery than others. Karen Nanouk Nome for a while, but am not sure in terms of quality as the services people receive in the rest of the state. Can you (drinking people) imag- Unalakleet the time frame. It would have been Our schools are not as well equipped as schools in Anchorage or Fairbanks, ine how much we are hurt by your 1923-1929 or from 1931-1938. She leaving our kids at a disadvantage. I know when I work with a village based drinking? We often cry because of Dear Editor: probably taught upper school rather business looking to get a loan, it is much harder and many times impossible the way you become when you I hope you will be able to help me. than the lower grades, if your school to get that loan approved at the local bank compared to when I work with a drink. After my son and I read the book was large enough for the separation. business that is located in downtown Anchorage. Internet service blinks on Just like gas and oil…How the The Cruelest Miles, our interest was Her specialty was high school Eng- and off all day in our villages at speeds folks in Anchorage would say are heck do they expect us to get ahead? peaked for information as to when lish Literature. Do you have any completely unacceptable, and cell phone services are nonexistent everywhere With their raising the prices on these, my mother taught in Nome.