Sen. Begich Plans First Visit to Aleutians
Wednesday, May 14 2014
United States Senator Mark Begich is planning to visit constituents in the Aleutian Islands this month.
Begich's press office confirms that the senator will travel to Unalaska and Cold Bay on May 25. He'll be joined by Rear Admiral Tom Ostebo, the outgoing commander of the Coast Guard in Alaska.
In Unalaska, the senator is planning to hold a one-hour public meeting at City Hall. Arctic development is at the top of his agenda, according to press secretary Heather Handyside. In an email, she wrote that Begich "wants to find out more about how he can ensure [the] Coast Guard is ready to respond to increased activity in the Arctic, including the significant increase in vessel traffic."
Handyside said the senator's also planning to update constituents on the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which is up for reauthorization by Congress.
This will be Begich’s first visit to the Aleutian Islands -- either as a senator or an Alaskan. In the past, Begich's staff members have said that the distance and the possibility of travel delays kept him away.
But Begich is in the middle of a tough campaign for re-election now. And one of his Republican opponents was recently spotted in the Aleutians. Lieutenant governor Mead Treadwell was a surprise guest at a wine tasting hosted by the Unalaska Convention and Visitors Bureau in late April.
Helen Stanley on Tuesday, May 20 2014:
He's a party line guy. He's not fighting for Alaskan's rights and as soon as he gets back on the plane, he'll start making jokes about the back woods hick in Dutch Harbor.
a "lifer" on Monday, May 19 2014:
I hope the Senator stops by our local grocery stores and sees how much it costs to prepare a semi-healthy meal, and I hope he takes a moment to gas up his own vehicle and checks out the nearly $5/gallon prices.
It would be nice if he checked in on the folks at our Office of Children Services, but we don't have one.
I guess he could stop in and chat with our Coastal Management people - oh wait, isn't that gone, too?
Well I hope he takes a spin around our first-class medical center - I mean our tiny and sometimes unprofessional clinic (sorry, not sorry).
Talking about the Coast Guard is all well and fine, but there are plenty of us who work AND LIVE here year-round (and we love it) that have issues to discuss, too.
Really? on Saturday, May 17 2014:
I heard someone ask Treadwell, "So, what will you do for the youth and the elderly of this community?" Treadwell's responded after a second or two and asked, "So what do you think about Geothermal Power here in Unalaska?" I heard the reply to that question was...."About as much as much thought as you put into our youth and elderly."..May make you think about giving Treadwell your vote...
Really?
James Mason on Thursday, May 15 2014:
Be sure and ask him where he stands on the Law of the Sea Treaty!
@aleutianvolcano on Thursday, May 15 2014:
Live tweeting?