Updated: Here’s a list of Gov. Bill Walker’s new appointments. Loosely speaking, the term “acting” is kind of a try-out. Also keep in mind that all commissioners and the attorney general must be confirmed by a majority two-thirds of the Legislature.  Following the list are press releases about the new DHSS commissioner designee, the new Deputy Commissioner Marty Rutherford, and the new acting commissioner for Fish and Game Sam Cotten, the three on the list who hadn’t been working for the state., or who hadn’t gotten his own press release already. Noticeably absent is Craig Fleener’s name, who many speculated would be Walker’s choice for Fish and Game commissioner.)

• Val Davidson, designee commissioner of Department of Health and Social Services.
• Amy Erickson, current director of DMV, now acting commissioner of the Department of Administration.
• Grey Mitchell, former deputy commissioner now acting commissioner of the Department of Labor.
• Craig Richards, designee for attorney general.
• Brig. Gen.Mike Bridges, current and future acting adjutant general of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
• Marty Rutherford, deputy commissioner of DNR, and also acting commissioner of DNR until Mark Myers starts in January.
• Fred Parady, former deputy commissioner now acting commissioner of the Department of Commerce.
• Ron Taylor, former deputy commissioner of Corrections, now acting commissioner of the Department of Revenue Corrections.
• Mike Hanley, current commissioner now acting commissioner of the Department of Education.
• Sam Cotten, acting commissioner of the the Department of Fish and Game.
• Gary Folger, current commissioner of Public Safety will be staying on.

Here are the press releases. Continue reading →

Here’s the Gov. Walker and Lt. Gov. Mallott. #akgov pic.twitter.com/7ffxN9tdEw

— Matt Buxton (@FDNMPolitics) December 1, 2014

It’s official. Gov. Bill Walker and Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott were sworn in today before noon at Centennial Hall in Juneau to much fanfare. Songs were song. Dances were danced. Prayers prayed  and speeches made. I was told that Mallott’s speech would be somewhere between 10-15 minutes. I was told wrong. Between the two, Mallott is the more loquacious speech-giver. However,  after only a few minutes, where he spoke about uniting Alaska, he cut it short, “I’m going to stop here,” he said. “Many will be bewildered, because I usually don’t.”

Walker’s speech was heavy on bio material, about growing up poor in Valdez and about he and his sibling working at his father’s construction business when he was 10 years old. He welled up when he spoke about his parent’s efforts and advocacy for statehood. “Indelibly etched in my memory is the very day the eight stars on the Alaska flag became the 49^th star on the United States flag,” he said.

He also welled up when he spoke about the the 1964 earthquake. “Valdez lost 34 people in the 1964 Earthquake; mostly children. Among them, my friends. I was 12 years old,” he said.

He also spoke about winning a janitorial contract at the post office when he was 12, until the federal inspector visited and said he was too young to have the contract. Continue reading →

• Today is Inauguration Day! The Juneau Empire and the Fairbanks News Miner both have details explaining how to maximize your Inauguration Day enjoyment.

• Becky Bohrer with the AP sat down with Gov. Sean Parnell and had an in-depth interview with Alaska’s outgoing governor. His takeaway? Serving Alaska was an honor.

• Gov.-elect Bill Walker’s first few months in office will not be easy, according to the Juneau Empire.

• The Mat-Su was well represented among the 250 delegates to Gov.-elect Bill Walker’s transition team. The Frontiersman has the names.

• For all of Alaska’s political wonks manning the airports going to and from the inauguration hear this: The Washington Post explains the scientifically proven way to quickly get on and off the airplane.

• To get us all into the Alaska inauguration party mode, HERE are some of our state’s previous gubernatorial inaugural speeches.

• In another Supreme Court case, arguments will be heard that could change the way federal rules are made, per The Hill.

Continue reading →

Lynn Willis responds to the news that only one-third of our legislators bothered to sit in on the AKLNG project update, a project that is said to be vital to Alaska’s future:

Speaking of promises for future revenues, the ADN reports that only 20 of our 60 legislators signed the necessary confidentiality agreement to be informed of the AKLNG project status. Legislation to proceed with the AKLNG effort (SB 138) passed by a vote of 52 to 8 yet apparently now only 20 of the 52 supporters are demonstrating the direct interest I would think is extremely essential as we progress in this effort. This legislation involves us as an equity partner; therefore, these legislators have a fiduciary responsibility to remain as informed as would any member serving on a corporate board of directors. The supporters of SB138 claimed that this secrecy was absolutely vital so I cannot understand why any of them would not be participating in this agreement.

I could understand those who will not be in Juneau this January not signing; however, what about the rest of them? Is this lack attention caused by a loss of interest in this critical (and very expensive) effort already? I would argue that sending a staff member to this kind of briefing is a clear indication that the staff member should become the actual legislator.