Dyson Bill to Name Elmendorf AFB Fish Hatchery in Honor of Bill Hernandez Passes Senate

Juneau – The Alaska Senate today unanimously passed CSSB 274 (RES), naming the state’s sport fish hatchery on Elmendorf AFB to honor long-time fish hatchery and fish-rearing pioneer William Jack (Bill) Hernandez. Hernandez, who worked in fish hatchery, rearing and habitat projects at Ft. Richardson and Elmendorf for 28 years, passed away in 2003 at age 83. The original SB 274 was sponsored by Sen. Fred Dyson, R-Eagle River. The Resources committee substitute makes it clear that the fish hatchery is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in May 2011.

“I am pleased the members of the Senate have agreed to recognize Bill Hernandez for his contributions to the fisheries of the Upper Cook Inlet,” Dyson said. “Mr. Hernandez was more responsible than any other single person for the hatchery programs on Elmendorf and Ft. Richardson. I can’t think of a more appropriate Alaskan to name the Elmendorf hatchery after.”

Hernandez was a WWII civilian POW, having been captured by the Japanese at the fall of Wake Island in December 1941, where he was building fortifications for the USMC. He was held for the next three years at various POW camps in China. In 1947, Hernandez enlisted in the US Army, and in 1956 he was posted at Ft. Richardson, where he served as a fish and wildlife conservation NCO. Over the next 28 years, he worked with various federal and state agencies to develop and build hatchery programs, stocking local streams with Rainbow Trout, and Chinook and Coho Salmon.

CSSB 274 (RES) will now be sent to the House of Representatives for its consideration.

Chugiak Constituent and Daughter Start Homegrown Effort to Make Sure School Kids Don’t Go Hungry

Juneau – Propelled by her daughter’s personal experience in the first grade, a Chugiak resident and her daughter have pioneered an effort to make sure school kids in Alaska are able to have breakfast and lunch at school. In a period of four years, the Dare to Care school lunch program, a 501(c)3 nonprofit started by Bettsie Wild, has grown from buying school lunches for 35 kids to 1,300 in Anchorage, Eagle River, Chugiak, Wasilla and Palmer.

“When my daughter, Lena Wild, was in the first grade, she started sharing her sack lunch with another little girl who didn’t have a lunch,” said Wild. “I sent more lunch with her, but after awhile, she was bringing it back home, because the school would not allow her to share, because some kids have food allergies. As a result, we started anonymously paying for school lunches, and that has grown from 35 the first year to 1,300 now.”

Wild said her program has expanded to cover breakfast, as well as lunch, and picks up kids who fall through the cracks and are not able to qualify for the federally-funded school lunch and breakfast program. Since December 2008, she also hosts anti-bullying assemblies in schools statewide.

“I commend Bettsie and her daughter on their foresighted, good-citizen approach to solving a problem they personally found in the public schools,” said Sen. Fred Dyson, R-Eagle River. “It was heartening to hear their story, and that they took the personal initiative to do something about kids who go to school hungry.”

“It’s a story that is good for all of us on how you can take initiative based on seeing something that just isn’t right,” said Sen. Charlie Huggins, R-Wasilla. “When you think about it, Bettsie could have looked the other way, but she said this is a greater cause than just our school, and now her family is helping to feed up to 1,300 kids between Anchorage, Eagle River, Chugiak and the Valley.”

Wild said that, although her Dare to Care program is privately-funded, she supports passage of SB 213, which would provide a state match for the federal school lunch program.

Dyson Introduces Bill to Name Elmendorf AFB Fish Hatchery – In Honor of Bill Hernandez, Alaskan Fish Rearing Pioneer

JUNEAU – Senator Fred Dyson, R-Eagle River, has introduced legislation to recognize long-time fish hatchery and fish-rearing pioneer William Jack (Bill) Hernandez by naming the state’s sport fish hatchery on Elmendorf AFB in his honor. Hernandez, who worked in fish hatchery, rearing and habitat projects at Ft. Richardson and Elmendorf for 28 years, passed away in 2003 at age 83.

Hernandez was a WWII civilian POW, having been captured by the Japanese at the fall of Wake Island in December 1941, where he was building fortifications for the USMC. He was held for the next three years at various POW camps in China. In 1947, Hernandez enlisted in the US Army, and in 1956 he was posted at Ft. Richardson, where he served as a fish and wildlife conservation NCO. Over the next 28 years, he worked with various federal and state agencies to develop and build hatchery programs, stocking local streams with Rainbow Trout, and Chinook and Coho Salmon.

“Without a doubt, Bill Hernandez was more responsible than any other single person for the hatchery programs on Elmendorf and Ft. Richardson,” said Dyson. “He faced many difficult challenges in building these programs, and every sport fisher in the Anchorage Bowl benefits today from the hard work he put in decades ago. I can’t think of a more appropriate Alaskan to name the Elmendorf hatchery after.”

The bill, SB 274, was referred to the Resources Committee.

Senate Republican Caucus Responds to Governor’s Goals in Supplemental Budget

Juneau – Members of the Senate Republican Caucus today expressed their support for many of the goals contained within Governor Sean Parnell’s FY2010 supplemental budget released today while recognizing room for increased savings and encouraging a more long-term view of state budget surpluses.

Among other spending requests, the supplemental budget bill would finish repaying the Constitutional Budget Reserve, forward-fund K-12 education for FY2011, and, in a separate bill, ask for an additional $100 million for deferred maintenance projects.

“While I recognize the importance of addressing some of the pressing needs outlined in the Governor’s supplemental budget, I strongly encourage that any spending proposals based on using a budget surplus, in this or any other year, look at that ’surplus’ in the context of a three- or five-year spending plan,” said Sen. Con Bunde, R-Anchorage. “I think the question of whether or not it is truly a ‘surplus’ – if it is sandwiched between two or four years of deficit or even flat spending – is one we should be asking ourselves more often.”

Sen. Fred Dyson, R-Eagle River, said he is concerned about the rising cost of formula-driven spending. “I recognize that programs such as Medicaid are expanding in numbers of users, and that is reflected in the $44 million requested for formula programs. I note that the Governor did not request funding for an increase in eligibility for Denali KidCare because the bill to do so has not passed. While he and I disagree on expanding the program from 175 to 200 percent of poverty level, he may be amenable to making such an increase contingent on having a budget surplus.”

Sen. Tom Wagoner, R-Kenai, said he would support the deferred maintenance bill and expects the projects included in it to be in the public’s interest. “It makes a lot of sense to get funding approved for projects that can go to contract this spring. At the same time, the Governor needs to take another look at his $75 million request for a new crime lab, which we don’t need. That project should be on the deferred maintenance list, and the existing crime lab should be remodeled and expanded at a much lower cost, not the current $75 million projected for a new lab.”

Sen. John Coghill, R-North Pole, agreed that the Governor’s first priority should be saving surplus dollars. “I support the Governor’s request to return the $402 million to the CBR that we have borrowed over the lean years. That is what the CBR is there for. I also support any efforts to park more of the surplus in the statutory budget reserve. While that reserve is accessible with only a majority vote, it shows good faith and statesmanship on the part of legislators and the Governor to set the surplus aside. We anticipate more lean years for Alaska, with the Trans Alaska Pipeline dropping in through-put by six percent or more a year. Alaska’s leaders have done a good job in the past of saving for future generations – through the Permanent Fund, the CBR, and other set-asides – and I think we need to continue with that attitude.”

Senate Republicans: TC Alaska/ExxonMobil Agreement
Positive For Alaska and Gas Pipeline

NORTH POLE – The Senate Republican Caucus provided the following comments on today’s announcement by TC Alaska and ExxonMobil regarding their agreement on the Alaska North Slope Gas Pipeline project.

“Certainly today’s announcement is very positive for Alaska and the country.  While it appears that this agreement honors the terms of AGIA while advancing an Alaska Gasline project, we will be very interested to look more closely at all the details, to be assured that the state’s “must haves” in AGIA will be protected.  I appreciate that their announcement continues to acknowledge the possibility of an LNG option that includes a liquefaction facility in Valdez,” said Sen. Gene Therriault, R – North Pole.

While several key aspects of the announcement are worthy of highlighting, such as TC-Alaska remaining the licensee under AGIA, and the open season timeline continues on schedule, Therriault noted, “This agreement marks a serious breakthrough for the gas pipeline project in that ExxonMobil’s partnering acknowledges that TransCanada’s ability to advance a project using the Northern Pipeline Act (NPA) is a significant advantage compared to the National Energy Board (NEB) process in Canada.  For years legislators were told by some that there was no advantage to using the NPA rather than the standard approval process of the NEB.”

“Throughout this process we always predicted that TransCanada and the companies would come together and negotiate an agreement.  This announcement today between TC-Alaska and Exxon goes a long way towards a commitment to see this project through,” said Sen. Tom Wagoner, R-Kenai.

“I am hopeful that today’s announcement will quiet those who appear to have been hoping for failure of the AGIA process,” said Sen. Con Bunde, R-Anchorage.

“We look forward to the continued development of solid construction cost data which the state and other interested parties will need as we approach an open season in 2010,” said Sen. Fred Dyson, R-Eagle River. “Construction of the pipeline is still not assured; however, this agreement is a real step forward.”