Nugget file photo by Tyler Rhodes REINDEER— A herd of reindeer moves slowly across the snow-covered tundra in the Nome area. C VOLUME CXI NO. 15 APRIL 14, 2011 Shutdown averted Congress arrives at last minute agreement By Diana Haecker continue to operate. A shutdown The seventh stopgap measure to would have been disastrous, espe- keep the federal government from cially at a time when our economy is shutting down passed late Friday showing improvement. I hope we night as Congress and the White can now get back to the business of House raced against the clock. The governing and legislating,” Inouye White House, Senate majority leader said in a statement. Harry Reid and House Speaker John By Thursday night, Congress and Boehner agreed that it was irrespon- the White House had agreed on a sible to keep funding government number, $78 billion. This, U.S. Sen- with short term continuing resolu- ator Mark Begich said, was a signif- tions for the rest of the fiscal year. icant spending reduction of $39 But they had to pass yet another res- billion. olution to avert a government shut- Twenty-eight House Republicans, down. In Alaska, it would have including 17 freshmen voted against affected 17,000 federal workers. In the continuing resolution. In a press Nome federal employees had been conference a few hours before the alerted that if no agreement was compromise was reached, Begich struck from Monday on, they would told Alaska media reporters in a tele- be furloughed. The post office would conference call that a “small group not have been affected because it is of folks in the House are hell-bent on not funded by the federal govern- pushing their social agenda.” Begich ment, but has to earn its own money. said that this should not be part of a It came down to the wire last week budget discussion. Begich said a when the Senate passed by voice few Republicans in the House held vote, H.R. 1363, a five-day bridge up the entire budget bill over a so- resolution to give legislators time called “rider” that would have de- Photo by Nadja Roessek until Friday, April 15 to come up funded Planned Parenthood. The rub SAAMI CONNECTIONS – Hugh Beach, professor of cultural anthropology at Uppsala University in Swe- with language for a bill that would fi- is that Planned Parenthood health den, shows Nomeite Pearl Johnson the names of the reindeer herders who were brought from Norway to nance government through the end centers perform abortions. However, northwest Alaska in 1894 and 1898 to teach Alaska Natives to manage reindeer herds. Many of the im- of FY 2011. Appropriations commit- those health centers are not allowed ported herders were Saami, and some of their Alaskan descendants are seeking contact with their Scandi- tee chairman, Hawaii Senator Dan to use federal funds for abortions. navian relatives. The Saami boots (skaaler) shown in this photo were made in the 1950s or 1960s by Pearl’s Inouye, said that he was happy and Federal money funds other women’s mother, the late Frances Johnson. (See story on page 6.) relieved that this “vexing” matter has continued on page 16 been resolved. “Our government will Council approves MOA for artifacts from Sandspit By Laurie McNicholas Officer, City of Nome and Nome Es- that 13 stipulations in the agreement Nome Eskimo Community will be The Nome Common Council kimo Community. are met. The stipulations include: responsible for updating the mu- unanimously approved by resolution The Carrie M. McLain Memorial • Data recovery report. The seum exhibit currently on display Free fuel from a memorandum of agreement re- Museum, operated by the city, is the Corps of Engineers will prepare a in the Carrie M. McLain Memo- garding the artifacts discovered and current repository for artifacts exca- data recovery report outlining the rial Museum. The City and NEC CITGO excavated on city property at the vated from NOM-00146 and all ac- excavation, analysis and impor- may determine if an alternate lo- Snake River Sandspit Site in 2006 companying documents. The tance of NOM-00146. cation will be used. By Sandra L. Medearis during construction of the Nome museum researched, designed and • Curation. The City will ensure • Public outreach activities. A It just can’t get much better Navigation Improvements Project. completed an exhibit of NOM-00146 that all artifacts, faunal remains, Corps archeologist, in consultation than this: Following a fuel-suck- The archeological site is called in keeping with advice from Scott original field notes and related with NEC, the City and the State ing storm with with deep snow NOM-00146. The MOA is among Carrlee, curator of museum services material be accessioned to the mu- Historical Preservation Officer and high winds, on April 8 Nome the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, for the Alaska State Museum. seum. continued on page 16 folks woke up to a warm day and Alaska State Historic Preservation The MOA signatories will ensure • Museum exhibit. The City and on top of that, an announcement that Kawerak, Inc., will again be distributing free oil from Venezuela company CITGO. TSA pulls Alaska Airlines from transporting Whoo-hoo, 100 gallons! Kawerak has been taking ap- priority mail, packages plications this week in the Sitna- suak Building (with the polar By Diana Haecker Airlines spokeswoman Marianne Airlines sometimes bumped the mail dent that triggered the new require- bear on Front Street) from 10 As of March 31, Alaska Airlines Lindsey, as a new Transportation Se- because of overbooked flights, she ment. a.m. to 4 p.m. and will be contin- is not transporting priority mail and curity Administration requirement. said. Meanwhile, Adak still gets its uing through Friday, April 15. parcel mail over 16 ounces any- “We are working with the U.S. But as to the reason why the TSA packages via Alaska Airlines as the “Although there are some where in the state of Alaska any- Postal Service and other Alaska Air pulled priority mail and packages TSA gave the airline an interim ap- qualifications,” Gigi Immingan more. This comes, says Alaska carriers to transport this mail without from Alaska Airlines, TSA only of- proval to accept and carry priority said Monday, “we urge all house- interruption to all communities fers a nebulous statement, saying that mail to the western-most community holds to apply for the free heat.” within the state of Alaska,” wrote there are existing security measures of 326 people out on the Aleutian is- There are two forms, one for On the Web: Lindsey in an email to The Nome in place for all U.S. airlines to carry land chain. folks who buy their own oil, and www.nomenugget.net Nugget. “The only community where U.S. mail. “Recognizing there may “We continue to work with the one for people whose landlords this is not possible is Adak, where be issues unique to Alaska, TSA is TSA toward a resolution that will re- buy the oil, so tenants may get a E-mail: Alaska Airlines is the sole service actively working collaboratively store Alaska Airlines carriage of all break on rent. The form is sim- [email protected] provider.” with individual carriers and USPS to priority mail throughout the remain- ple. One needs to put down Nome Postmaster Laura Barnhill develop a solution that will result in der of the state,” said Lindsey. Other name, and address, phone num- says that the mail items are flown in meeting mailing needs while main- than USPS priority mail and parcels ber, and select the oil vendor to by Northern Air Cargo or Everts Air taining a high level of security,” the one pound and over, Alaska Airlines deliver the fuel before June 15. Cargo. “It works well,” said Barnhill. statement said. continues to ship all other cargo and Or those who haul their own can She said that the change from Alaska TSA did not return a request for mail within the state of Alaska as pick it up before June 15. The Air to other air carriers has not re- clarification in time for this article. normal. free fuel faucet turns off at the sulted in any disruptions of delivery. Alaska Airlines spokeswoman Lind- continued on page 4 Reliability even improved as Alaska sey said there has not been an inci- 2 THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2011 OPINION THE NOME NUGGET Letters Dear Editor, women’s health services. Even now know who have been trying to ac- In last week’s edition of the Nome that I do have health coverage, I have cess services there to the point they Nugget Father Tozzi of St. Joseph utilized their services in situations have been afraid to pull into the Catholic Church wrote a column re- when I was unable to schedule an ap- parking lot. Today, the laws of this garding Planned Parenthood. While pointment with my primary care land say that abortion is a legal I understand his views may reflect physician. Planned Parenthood even choice. Every woman should have the Catholic Church’s position on offers services for men! the right to make personal decisions abortion, I wanted to let people know I have been in Anchorage when regarding the full range of reproduc- that most of the services that Planned there have been protesters outside of tive services. While Father Tozzi and Parenthood provides are not abor- the clinic, and while I do not know if others may not agree with this, their tions. they have been from the organization actions help to deny access to Planned Parenthood provides that Father Tozzi mentions, the ones needed health services to many breast exams, screening for cervical I have encountered have not been as women.