Photo by Diana Haecker RACING SEASON— Local musher Stephanie Johnson drives her team to the finish line at last weekend’s Nome Kennel Club two-day sled dog race. See more photos on page 16. C VOLUME CXVI NO. 9 March 3, 2016 CAST to tackle big issues on path to regional wellness By Diana Haecker Dr. Saylor, a former director of “Strategic Prevention Framework.” region. But it also became clear that validated in the data that addressed Last week, the Community Alco- University of Alaska’s Institute of Unlike other grants, the concept al- alcohol abuse is only the symptom racial inequity and historical trauma hol Safety Team gathered at Kaw- Circumpolar Health studies and now lows for the community to make its of much deeper underlying prob- experienced by Alaska Native peo- erak’s Talialuk boardroom for two independent health services re- own data-informed and culturally lems. “We utilized the same process ple. “Being in a place where its safe days to hear data presented by Dr. searcher, presented data from a 2015 appropriate decisions. A second to go through another grant of iden- to have a discussion as to what Brian Saylor that was to help the survey and several focus groups. grant uses the same process and is to tifying other areas that we need to we’ve been through as a community group make community-based deci- The team, CAST for short, was continue the work. focus on that address behavioral of Alaska Natives has allowed us to sions on how to tackle underage born through a state grant to Rural- Lisa Ellanna with Kawerak said health,” Ellanna said. “The coalition say, ok, this is where we are, this is drinking, binge drinking and to begin Cap and was administered by Kaw- that the first community assessment identified that there are concerns what happened to us and this is why charting a path towards behavioral erak to address and improve results indicated that the real con- around the issue of behavioral we are where we are, now we can health and wellness in Nome and the wellness in Nome and the region cerns were the negative effects of al- health, that relate to racial equity, chart a path to a brighter future,” she region. through a concept that is called cohol on the community and the recognizing history and how difficult said. that has been for the Alaska Native Dr. Saylor presented data to the population.” Ellanna said the results group that consisted of members of of this difficult history requires an Kawerak, the Nome Youth Facility, assessment of the present in order to the Office of Child and Family Serv- be able to work towards wellness. ices, Public Health nurses, a correc- “You can’t really chart a path to the tion officer, the Nome Public School future unless you know where you District, Bering Sea Women’s are and we are just now recognizing Group, the UAF’s Extension Serv- where we are,” Elanna said. She said that people’s personal histories were continued on page 4 Port panel tightens port user safety rules By Sandra L. Medearis the workday could result in a Commissioners for the Port of cleanup fee plus being denied tem- Nome have revised the tariff rules porary storage privileges. Workers and regulations to include safety must place tarpaulins or heavy-duty measures. material under hull-scraping jobs to The Nome Common Council was keep residue off the land where the scheduled to consider the final draft craft is located. The tariff rules hold of Port of Nome Tariff No. 12 for owners and operators responsible for final approval at a special council disposing of debris and residue, as meeting at noon March 2. well as restoring the ground base to The commission reviewed years its original condition after work fin- of spreadsheets as well as tariff rules ishes. Any hot work—welding or and regulations of other harbor oper- cutting— sandblasting or painting, ations in updating Nome’s rules and whether on a vessel or dockside, pricing effective with council adop- must have a permit for each day of tion for the upcoming shipping sea- work to facilitate safe operation of Photo by Mallory Conger son. the port. TEAMS AGAINST TOBACCO— Iron Dog racers Mike Morgan, right, and Chris Olds signed autographs The proposed tariff requires sup- Any “hot work’ requires assign- and talked to young people about being tobacco free at Old St. Joe’s on Wednesday. The meet-and-greet plies and equipment for work on ing a fire watch person for the entire event was part of the Finish It Alaska campaign put on by the Nome Community Center. vessels in the port to be cleared away each night. Failure to clean up after continued on page 4 Outbreak of parvovirus confirmed in Alaskan dog kennels By Maisie Thomas the virus, as well as a few other indi- However, Gerlach noted that some of lethargy, followed by loose, bloody To keep pets and sled dogs, as safe As if the 85 mushers preparing to vidual cases. the infected dogs had received parvo stools, fever and vomiting. Since as possible, Gerlach recommends start the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Parvovirus, or parvo for short, is vaccines. He is unsure why the vac- there is no antivirus medication, the that owners avoid letting dogs so- Race this weekend don’t have not one of the diseases that must be cine was ineffective, but noted that disease cannot be completely cured. cialize —the virus can be spread by a enough to worry about, a large ca- reported, so the actual number of in- vaccines cannot guarantee 100 per- Instead, animals are treated sympto- simple nose touch — and to avoid nine parvovirus outbreak has been fected dogs is unknown. Reports cent immunity from a disease. He matically. Since the virus causes de- sharing equipment, such as food confirmed in Interior Alaska. have come in from Fairbanks to said that samples have been taken hydration, the dogs are often given bowls. Gerlach said dog-owning State Veterinarian Robert Gerlach Cantwell. Gerlach confirmed there and sent to laboratories outside of IV drips. spectators should change clothes and said that there have been at least four have been large numbers of dogs re- Alaska for further testing. Humans are not affected by the wash hands before touching their dog-mushing kennels affected with ported dead in some kennels. The virus can be spread by any ca- strain of parvo that manifests itself in own dogs to avoid indirect contact. There are a few traits that make nine, said Gerlach. Foxes, wild dogs canines, but they can be carriers of Bri Kelly, media coordinator with dogs more susceptible to the virus, and wolves can be infected with and the disease. The virus can is spread The Iditarod Trail Committee, said On the Web: Gerlach said, such as old and young spread the disease to domestic dogs, by direct contact with an infected an- the ITC is aware of the outbreak, and www.nomenugget.net dogs as well as dogs under stress. but Gerlach did not say if this was imal, but also by contact with the is monitoring the situation closely. Working dogs, such as sled dogs, are what caused this outbreak. dog’s feces. Parvo can be transmitted Though they will provide additional E-mail: under high levels of physical and Once a dog comes into contact by shoes and clothing that have come details in a few days, they are cur- [email protected] mental stress, which can decrease with the virus, Gerlach said, it can into contact with feces. rently working to determine what the their immune system. take anywhere from two days to two Nome and the other checkpoints protocols will be. As always, to be el- Parvo is most common in puppies, weeks to manifest itself. Parvo af- on the Iditarod trail are in a difficult igible to participate in the race, dogs so the risk of contraction is reduced fects the animal’s ability to absorb position in the face of the outbreak. must have received a parvo vaccine. by giving the dogs vaccinations nutrients, causing the dog to become Hundreds of dogs will pass through Iditarod mushers start out with 16 early. In addition to shots at six, nine dehydrated and lose weight. Accord- each village and town, and many dogs per team, which means up to and twelve weeks, it is beneficial for ing to Gerlach, the first symptom of communities, including Nome, do 1,360 dogs will participate in the adult dogs to receive booster shots. parvo is usually depression and not have a full-time veterinarian. 2016 race. 2 THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2016 OPINION THE NOME NUGGET Alaska Democrats challenge state’s denial to allow Independents access to primary ballot ANCHORAGE— The Alaska ready vote in our Primary, to com- said that a state law prohibiting a election and do not have the option participate and could provide more Democratic Party filed a lawsuit pete for our endorsement in the party from nominating non-members to appear on a primary ballot. The choices for voters. It is with the sup- challenging the state’s recent deci- Democratic Primary, and to give vot- would infringe on the members’ Alaska Democratic Party bylaws port of independents that Alaska De- sion to deny independent candidates ers more choices.” right, under the First Amendment, to have historically allowed any regis- mocrats and progressive-backed access to the Party’s Primary ballot. The party’s suit was filed late organize with like-minded citizens in tered voter, regardless of party affil- Independents have won elections In January, the party adopted a rule Monday in Superior Court in Juneau support of common political goals.