FIFTH OPENING – The Sitka seine boats Hukilau and Rose Lee pump herring aboard this afternoon at the end of Deep Inlet during the fifth opening in the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery. The opening was being held in two locations beginning at 11 a.m. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
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By Sentinel Staff
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By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
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The Queen Bees’ spotless season record ended Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss [ ... ]
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Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
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At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]
Big Rigs Sought
For April 13
The 3 to 5 Preschool’s spring fundraiser and Big Rig event is happening [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
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The third opening in this year’s Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery was held Mon [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Sitka High’s Lady Wolves bounced back from an openi [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel ports Editor
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Playing in a competitive division City League volleyball game Monday evening [ ... ]
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By YERETH ROSEN
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In the language of the Gwich’in people of northeastern Alaska, [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 25
At 7:48 a.m. a calle [ ... ]
Vietnam-Era Vets
Invited to Lunch,
Commemoration
American Legion Post 13 will host a luncheon 1-3 p.m. [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The 2024 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery got under [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly will start the annual process of determi [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Competing in the 3A state championship title basketball game Saturday, the M [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing through the afternoon Sunday, City League volleyball teams faced off [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Mallott Looks Ahead to Nov. 4 Showdown
By TOM HESSE
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Alaska governor’s race was trimmed to three candidates on Tuesday, and one of those candidates, Democrat Byron Mallott, was in Sitka campaigning for an election more than two months away.
Byron Mallott (Sentinel Photo)
Mallott, the easy favorite to win his party’s nomination in Tuesday’s statewide election, spoke to the Sentinel, focusing on the road ahead to the Nov. 4 election.
He said voter turnout will be important if he is to become Alaska’s first Democratic governor since Tony Knowles 12 years ago.
The U.S. Senate race and ballot questions on legalization of marijuana, minimum wage and protection of Bristol Bay are some of the ballot choices that should draw voters to the polls, he noted.
“The U.S. Senate Race is essentially dominant,” Mallott said. “The control of the Senate and the Congress may hang in the balance and that makes it very important nationally.”
He said his own campaign is going to capitalize on that interest.
“I’ve been, of course, working closely with Senator Begich in my campaign to maximize voter turnout (and) make sure that all around the state every opportunity is given to every single Alaskan to exercise their opportunity to vote in November.”
The strategy is aided by the fact that the third candidate in the race, independent Bill Walker, may draw votes from Parnell’s Republican base. Walker, who previously ran for Governor as a Republican, registered as an independent candidate this time around to avoid a primary showdown with the incumbent. Mallott said Walker’s presence in the race will improve his own chances as the Democratic challenger.
“In a three-way race, it is a positive opportunity for me, I know,” he said.
Mallott said he and Walker have had a lot of time to talk as they’ve been campaigning.
“It’s interesting that ... during the course of the campaign we’ve become good friends, mostly because it’s only been the two of us at events where the incumbent was also invited but has never shown up but twice out of about 10 opportunities,” Mallott said.
Asked if there would be a potential partnership between his campaign and Walker’s, Mallott avoided specifics.
“We (Walker and I) continue to talk. Who knows what might happen, but I’m in the race to stay. I’m the Democratic candidate, the major party candidate and an Alaska Native appealing to every single Alaskan.”
Mallott also thinks his chances are good because of the track record Gov. Parnell has created for himself.
“After six years of this governor – growing deficits, declining oil throughput, incredible vacillation on education and health care, refusing Medicaid expansion – my chances are very good indeed.”
Mallott also feels that Alaskan voters are uncomfortable with Parnell’s oil industry ties. Prior to becoming governor, Parnell was a lobbyist for the oil industry and served as the Alaska government relations director for ConocoPhillips.
“Do we want a future where the incumbent governor can be so closely tied to the oil industry that it has taken many, many Alaskans aback?”
Education, energy issues and cost of living challenges remain central to Mallott’s focus.
Mallott was born in Yakutat, where he became mayor at the age of 22. He has also served as president of the Alaska Federation of Natives and the CEO of Sealaska Corporation. His son Anthony is the current CEO of Sealaska.
Byron Mallott said he’s well removed from the corporation’s management now, and said the Sealaska lands bill has not been an issue for conservation-minded Democrats whose votes he may need.
“As a matter of fact, I view the Sealaska lands bill as an environmental bill because it allows Sealaska to put back into the Forest Service ownership substantial acres of old-growth timber that would otherwise be available to Sealaska to harvest. It reduces the amount of old-growth timber available for Sealaska selection.”
If elected, Mallott said, his first action as governor will be to address what he sees as a failing of the Parnell administration: refusing federal funds to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.
“When I’m elected governor it will be the first act that I take, to accept that federal Medicaid expansion and implement it,” he said.
Before that, Mallott needs to get elected. He said he’ll spend the next 10 weeks traveling the state to reach out to voters.
Election day is Nov. 4. That election will also determine ballot measures to legalize marijuana, raise the minimum wage and add protections to Bristol Bay. Mallott said he supports the Bristol Bay measure, which would require legislative approval for mining actions that would affect the region. The measure is actually an extension of a 1972 policy that requires the same steps be taken for oil and gas companies.
Mallott also supports raising the minimum wage but is against the marijuana initiative, which he said doesn’t give the government the teeth required to regulate the sale of the drug.
“I’m going to vote No on the marijuana initiative. I’m in favor of decriminalizing marijuana but I also believe that the way this ballot proposition is written, it doesn’t give the state enough control and oversight that the state needs for the kind of industry that this ballot proposition authorizes.”
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20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Matthew C. Hunter of Sitka recently returned from Cuba as part of a St. Olaf College International and Off-Campus Studies program. Hunter, a junior physics major at St. Olaf College, is the son of Robert and Kim Hunter of Sitka.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Eighth graders have returned from a visit to Juneau to see the Legislature. They had worked for it since Christmas vacation ... Clarice Johnson’s idea of a “White Elephant” sales was chosen as the best money-maker; Joe Roth won the political cartoon assignment; highest government test scorers were Ken Armstrong, Joanna Hearn, Linda Montgomery, Lisa Henry, Calvin Taylor and David Licari .....