Dunleavy says of COVID-19 testing, 'As confident as we can be,' which means nothing

It is possible in politics to reply at great length to a direct question without giving an answer. We see that on a daily basis with President Trump and it is a practice that Gov. Mike Dunleavy follows all too frequently.

Dermot ColeJune 5, 2020 Comments

Trump proves Mattis was right with childish presidential attack on Murkowski

Trump can’t help himself. He attacked Sen. Lisa Murkowski Thursday and said that he would campaign for anyone “good or bad” who would run against her. The episode proved once more than Mattis was right. Murkowski was right. And what Trump did was an insult to Alaska.

Dermot ColeJune 4, 2020 Comments

Dunleavy says all state expenditures, no matter how small, require approval of two execs in two elements of bureaucracy

No competent leader of the executive branch in Alaska would demand that every expenditure, no matter how small, must be described in a detailed memo that has to be approved by a commissioner and by OMB.

Dermot ColeJune 2, 2020 Comments

Murkowski and Sullivan stand by as Trump endangers the nation

Alaskans need to hear from Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan about the growing federal crisis and the dangerous behavior of President Trump, who is acting like a bomb thrower eager to create more carnage.

Dermot ColeJune 1, 2020 Comments

Dunleavy wants all travelers flying to Alaska to get tested, but stops short of saying it's required

Dunleavy clearly doesn’t want to say he is requiring anyone to do anything. He’d rather phrase it as a suggestion for political reasons. It’s a error that going to create confusion for travelers to Alaska.

Dermot ColeMay 30, 2020 Comments

Some right-wingers snap at Alaska GOP Congressional delegation on foreign workers

Tucker Carlson said Sens. Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski and seven other GOP senators should be “replaced by people who care about unemployed Americans.” But he took pains to say this should happen in GOP primaries, not in a general election.

Dermot ColeMay 29, 2020 Comments

Thanks to state disclosure law, Alaskans know that oil industry bankrolls 'OneAlaska'

Every time I hear or see an ad from the group that calls itself “OneAlaska,” opposing the oil tax initiative, I am reminded that the most important part comes at the end: “Top three contributors are ConocoPhillips Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska, ExxonMobil, Anchorage, Alaska, and Hilcorp, Anchorage, Alaska.”

Dermot ColeMay 28, 2020 Comments

U.S. death toll tops 100,000 on centennial of a frightful epidemic in Interior Alaska

It was exactly 100 years ago Tuesday that Presbyterian pastor Robert J. Diven wrote from Nenana about nonstop processions to the cemetery during one of the final deadly chapters of the flu pandemic that killed 50 million people worldwide.

Dermot ColeMay 26, 2020 Comments

Responding to financial crisis, University of Alaska floats proposals to merge, integrate more services

The university plans to consider merging the University of Alaska Southeast with Anchorage or Fairbanks or merging the community campuses into the Juneau university.

Dermot ColeMay 21, 2020 Comments

University of Alaska faces dire financial situation, fight for survival

To continue to serve its essential function for Alaskans, the university must be transformed. There is no time to waste.

Dermot ColeMay 19, 2020 Comments