Same-Sex Marriage Ban Violates 'Fundamental Right,' Alaska Attorneys Say

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Photo Credit: Huffington PostAttorneys for the gay couples challenging Alaska’s ban on same-sex marriage say the right to marry is fundamental and due to all individuals.

They take issue with the state saying the U.S. Supreme Court has never held that there is a fundamental constitutional right to same-sex marriage. The plaintiffs’ attorneys, in a court filing Friday, said the high court has upheld a broad definition of marriage.

They said it is unnecessary to parse out certain classes of individuals for whom marriage should apply.

In this case, “the issue is not whether there is a constitutional ‘right to same-sex marriage,’ but whether excluding people from a fundamental right that belongs to all individuals violates due process,” attorneys Allison Mendel, Heather Gardner and Caitlin Shortell say in the filing.

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Walrus Invasion: 35,000 Come Ashore in Alaska

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Photo Credit: APPacific walrus that can’t find sea ice for resting in Arctic waters are coming ashore in record numbers on a beach in northwest Alaska.

An estimated 35,000 walrus were photographed about 8km north of Point Lay, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Point Lay is an Inupiat Eskimo village 482 km southwest of Barrow and 1,126 km northwest of Anchorage.

The enormous gathering was spotted during NOAA’s annual arctic marine mammal aerial survey, spokeswoman Julie Speegle said by email.

The survey is conducted with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the agency that oversees offshore lease sales.

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Alaska Physician Shuts Down Practice, Citing Obamacare

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Photo Credit: Daily Caller After a long list of Obamacare failures in Alaska, one physician is shutting down his decades-old practice, charging that the health-care law and other federal PROGRAMS are “unsustainable” for practicing doctors.

Dr. William Wennen, a plastic surgeon, is closing his Fairbanks practice after 38 years of working in the state. Dr. Wennen blames federal HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAMS, citing Obamacare, Medicaid and MEDICARE, for shutting down his practice.

“It is an unsustainable system,” Dr. Wennen wrote to his customers in a letter obtained by The Daily Caller. “I am personally writing off upwards of three quarters of a million dollars annually in free/uncompensated care.”

“My reasons for closing down the office are simply economic,” Wennen wrote. “The governmental agencies that are supplying ‘medical insurance’ to the elderly, the disadvantaged, the indigent and the sick, injured, or disabled have placed an unrealistically low value of worth on physician’s services.”

Medicaid typically has the lowest physician reimbursements of any federal program. Doctors have been protesting pay cuts for services through Medicaid and Medicare. It’s increasingly difficult for customers to actually find health care providers that accept the coverage — especially in private practice, where doctors are more hard-pressed to be profitable than at big-budget hospitals.

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Will Pro-Pot Alaska Reporter's Viral Exit Boost Legal Marijuana Vote?

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Photo Credit: APIt was the “f— it” heard ‘round the web.

Alaska reporter Charlo Greene achieved viral video fame this week by announcing on-air she was quitting to work on passing the state’s Ballot Measure 2, which would legalize marijuana.

“And as for this job … f— it, I quit,” said Greene, who until that moment worked for KTVA in Anchorage.

But will all the attention surrounding her spectacular exit boost the ballot initiative itself?

Perhaps not surprisingly, Greene seems to think so. She told FoxNews.com she believes her actions “1,000 percent” benefit the pro-legalization movement.

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Strong Earthquake Rattles Large Swath of Alaska

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Photo Credit: Arthur ChapmanA powerful earthquake shook a large swath of Alaska on Thursday morning, knocking things off shelves and causing people to take cover but bringing no immediate reports of major damage.

The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.2, and hit at 9:51 a.m. The epicenter was about 80 miles northwest of the state’s largest city, where it was strongly felt and lingered for at least a minute, the Alaska Earthquake Center said.

Staffers at the Nesbett Courthouse in downtown Anchorage felt the shaking in their office on the top floor of the six-story building.

“My computer tower fell off my desk,” said judicial assistant Ellen Bozzini. Everyone stood in doorways until an evacuation was ordered, then they took the stairs outside where they waited for about 20 minutes before being allowed back in.

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Wood Bison, North America’s Largest Animal, to Be Reintroduced Into Alaska

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Photo Credit: Alan and Elaine Wilson via Wikimedia CommonsWood bison, the largest animal in the Americas, once roamed throughout present-day Alaska and western Canada. But unregulated hunting in the 1800s nearly wiped them out, and by the middle of the 20th century some thought the animals were extinct. But then, in 1957, a small herd was found in a remote part of Alberta by the crew of a plane flying overhead.

Since then, their numbers have rebounded to around 11,000 in Canada, as governmental organizations have helped breed and repatriate them to a few parts of their former range. But they have never been released back in the Alaskan wilds, where they once provided food, clothing and shelter for indigenous peoples for thousands of years.

But that’s about to change. In March 2015, officials will release 50 to 100 wood bison to the wild in western Alaska, said Doug Vincent-Lang, with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Currently, staff at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center outside Anchorage are facilitating the breeding of the bison, says operations director Tom Yeager.

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Alaska Television Reporter Quits On Air to Promote Medical Marijuana Business

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Photo Credit: YouTubeAfter reporting on the Alaska Cannabis Club on Sunday night’s broadcast, KTVA’s Charlo Greene identified herself as the business’s owner.

“Everything you’ve heard is why I, the actual owner of the Alaska Cannabis Club, will be dedicating all my energy toward fighting for freedom and for fairness, which begins with legalizing marijuana here in Alaska,” she said. She then used an expletive to quit her job and walked off-camera.

In a statement on KTVA’s website, news director Bert Rudman apologized for Greene’s “inappropriate language” and said she was terminated.

Greene is the professional name used by Charlene Egbe. She told The Associated Press on Monday that she knew about a month ago that she would be leaving the way she did. No one else at the station knew anything about it, she said.

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Army Soldier Shares Her Powerful Pro-Life Story

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[Editor’s note: Lauren Lee from Anchorage followed Joe Miller’s pro-life posts on his Joe Miller For Senate Facebook page over the last several months, and decided she wanted to share her own powerful pro-life story. Please read it below]

I am a mom of a three year old little girl and had no plans to get pregnant again because I have a severe spinal injury — a fused pelvis full of metal and can barely walk. I am in constant pain. My pain was so severe I was on dilaudid pills.

I got hurt while on active duty in the U.S. army, during training. My condition is a result of multiple injuries. First I broke my leg — a complete compound fracture, but I was lied to and was told it was only a sprain. So I then attempted to jump out of a 5 ton vehicle with 100 lbs of gear on my body. The drop off was 5.5 ft high — I was standing when I jumped. My ligaments across my sacrum could not handle the stress because the leg had not healed at that point, so my pelvis gave out on impact, resulting in bi-lateral tears across the SI joint. I then kept going, even though it was painful — just like I did with the leg, because my dream was to be an airborne soldier. While practicing to fall from an 8 ft tall platform, the same thing happened to my other side and my pubic bone. I now have half of a pubic bone, and the only thing holding my pelvis together is my metal hardware, most of which is loose. So there is a lot of pain from that. I have several more surgeries to undergo because the first two were not done properly.

It’s been extremely painful. My life as a person has completely changed since I got out of the military and that in itself has been a journey. I’ve been all across the USA to get treatment for my condition.

That aside, when I became pregnant, I had only been dating the father for a month and a half. The first time we were intimate, our choice of birth control failed. I didn’t think twice about it, because it took 10 months for me to conceive my 3 year old daughter. So when our “protection” malfunctioned, I brushed it off. I had no clue that at that moment, I had become pregnant.

A few weeks later, when I wasn’t even late yet, I took a pregnancy test and it came back positive. I had convinced myself at first to get an abortion. I talked myself into it thinking it was justifiable because of my injuries and how hard it would be on me. And the list of how easy it would be on me was long if I just got an abortion. I was sold on aborting as my solution, despite having some Christian background. When I called my boyfriend to tell him I was pregnant, he just wanted to support whatever decision I made.

After first visiting an Ob/gyn, I went to one appointment at Planned Parenthood, without telling anyone I was going. At the first appointment, I was 10 weeks along. They performed an ultrasound and I saw the baby — I saw that at just 10 weeks, she looked human. I had already detoxed off my pain medication and was still having severe morning sickness. My boyfriend and I were on a break from our relationship. So I made the follow up appointment for a couple days later to have the “procedure done.”

The day before, I was still convinced it was the thing to do. On my way to the abortion clinic, I started to throw up, per the norm of my morning sickness. I pulled the car over — I was alone and I couldn’t stop puking. Since I was late for the appointment, I rescheduled for the following day. The same thing happened; however, instead of feeling nothing, I looked at the ultrasound photo from three days prior, saw the little human, and just started to cry.

I realized I had made so many “me” and “I” statements. I am poor, living on V.A. disability. I found a bunch of reasons to not have this baby. But as I sat there, I realized I made a choice to have sex — the baby did not ask to be here. At that moment, I realized, “Who am I to pick which of my kids lives and which one dies?” It wasn’t as simple as a “procedure,” and that was the thing — I was going to kill a baby. The baby has a heartbeat, a face, fingers and toes.

That day, I turned around went back home and prayed. I had a “come to Jesus meeting,” as I like to say. I felt bad that I even considered killing my child, and I asked for forgiveness. I told the baby’s father I couldn’t do it, and he said he was glad I didn’t – that he thanks God I did not! We haven’t been a couple long, but we decided no matter what happens with us, we will be there for our daughter. I had even considered adoption if I felt I couldn’t care for her myself.

This pregnancy wasn’t easy — in fact, my baby girl was diagnosed in utero with a rare heart condition — a right-sided aorta with a vascular ring, and also bladder issues. I had trouble walking and had to use a wheelchair and walker. My nausea almost had me hospitalized and lasted 24 weeks. I ended up with placenta previa, as well as placenta abrupta at 20 weeks, which healed itself. I had to see a neonatal specialist, as well as a regular doctor. I needed to have a c-section two weeks early because of my pain. I have a pubic plate and bilateral SI joint fusion, so I could not push a baby out. A pelvis specialist was on call while I was in the operating room during delivery because of my hardware and nerve damage.

I am sharing my story because if I can complete a pregnancy being in pain, having disabilities and not being super-rich, anyone can. I am so glad I continued my pregnancy! There is no way I would have been able to forgive myself if I had gone through with the abortion. Now I have my beautiful daughter — Alexia Grace, born August 27th. I know I am a good mom, and every child deserves a chance at life!

BIO: Lauren Lee is a freelance photographer in Anchorage, Alaska: Photography by Lauren Lee, specializing in maternity and baby photos, and also enjoys doing make-up artistry. She’s now a blogger with https://www.savethe1.com, addressing the “hard cases” of poor in utero diagnoses.

Russian Nuclear Bombers Intercepted by US Near Alaska

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Photo Credit: TownHallRussian strategic nuclear bombers carried out air defense zone incursions near Alaska and across Northern Europe this week in the latest nuclear saber rattling by Moscow.

Six Russian aircraft, including two Bear H nuclear bombers, two MiG-31 fighter jets and two IL-78 refueling tankers were intercepted by F-22 fighters on Wednesday west and north of Alaska in air defense identification zones, said Navy Capt. Jeff A. Davis, a spokesman for the U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command. Two other Bears were intercepted by Canadian jets on Thursday.

“The group of Russian aircraft flew a loop south, returning westward toward Russia,” Davis told the Free Beacon.

A day later two more Bear bombers were intercepted by Canadian CF-18 jets in the western area of the Canadian air defense identification zone near the Beaufort Sea, north of Alaska, he said.

The Russian bombers did not enter U.S. airspace but flew within 63 miles of the Alaskan coast and 46 miles of the Canadian coastline, Davis said.

Read more from this story HERE.

An Important Point on the Governor Race

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The governor race in Alaska has taken an interesting turn with Independent Republican Bill Walker jumping out of his party and platform to team with Byron Mallott, the Democrat’s candidate aligned with Begich and Obama. If this alliance wins, then it will have a major impact on the ongoing gasline projects. Some say that this race is now reminiscent of the Palin or Hickel races, but there are major differences.

Sarah Palin ran against proven corruption in the legislature and won with the conservative populist vote, never abandoning party or principles. Hickel ran a conservative campaign against a liberal Republican opponent. Walker is running a liberal populist campaign based on an appeal to perceived evils in our successful oil and gas industry. He often talks of state taking back control of paid-for leases, and taking ownership of gas pipeline and liquefaction facilities as other countries have done. He’s running against an incumbent governor whose optimism and focus on increasing oil production and a gasline have created an economic boom with jobs increasing every year. We currently have a gasline deal moving forward with buy-in from the producers and approval of the legislature.

From an energy perspective, the most important issue that the next governor will address is a gasline project. Bill Walker has for many years been a driving force behind the Alaska Gasline Port Authority (AGPA), established in 1999 by the Fairbanks North Star Borough, the North Slope Borough and the City of Valdez. It was created to support a gasline effort to Valdez, the one that the voters statewide also chose to support in 2002. That project never garnered the support that was necessary to see it to fruition.

Other gas projects were later proposed and gained political backing. Walker’s Port Authority chose a scorched earth policy, working to defeat all other gas line proposals that weren’t their own. They advertised with public dollars and personally lobbied the legislature and administration to kill all other gas line projects, instead of modifying their plan to fit the new situation. Note, they did attempt at one point a gas trucking project for Fairbanks, but that was defeated, mainly based on the high price the public and assembly thought they were paying to buy the local gas utility. Personally, I’ve always been a supporter of the line to Valdez, and voted for Walker in 2010 because I thought that the specific gasline was the defining issue. What I don’t understand is refusing to adapt when the situation changed, delaying the chance for a gasline, due to a desire for a particular plan. Sometimes perfect is the enemy of good.

Consider the following questions: How is Walker going to advance the gasline project that is already in motion? The Alaska LNG project, a project to construct a gasline and the facilities to export gas and provide for Alaska’s energy needs, has achieved cooperation with the oil companies and they been doing field work for it all summer. The planned route goes to Nikiski, on the Kenai Peninsula, not Walker’s hometown of Valdez and the EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) work is underway. There are more negotiations still to be done.

How will a man who has consistently worked for the last fifteen years for a specific project to Valdez and against all others handle those negotiations? How will he make the win-win deal that is needed in our free enterprise system to advance a gasline, when he has taken an adversarial position with the oil companies, going so far as to sue the state after the Point Thomson settlement took place? This settlement would supply the gas for a line, has caused the oil companies to invest billions in infrastructure and had 700 people working this summer. If Walker mandates a change from what was previously approved and intended by the legislature, how will he be able to get legislative approval?

For most of Alaska, a gasline is just an important source of future revenue, but for us in Fairbanks it is life or death, as many of our long-time citizens are leaving for places with cheaper utility bills. Sean Parnell helped the Interior by proposing and supporting the Interior Energy project to truck gas to Fairbanks. This is a bridge project that will prove helpful, but does not diminish the need for a long-term solution such as a gasline. If you examine the record of the candidates then it’s pretty easy to see that the choice you’ll make in November is Walker or a natural gas pipeline.

Lance Roberts is an engineer, born and raised in Fairbanks. He is a member of the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly. The views expressed here are his own and do not represent the assembly or borough administration.