2023: Year in Review
January Backlog in SNAP applications leaves Alaskans without food stamps
A backlog of applications in the state’s Division of Public Assistance left thousands of Alaskans without food stamps or Medicaid benefits for months. Amid the crisis, local residents searched for other options to meet their household needs.
Polar bear kills woman and her child In Wales
A woman and a boy were killed by a polar bear in Wales, on Tuesday, Jan. 17. Alaska State Troopers identified the mauling victims as 24-yearold Saint Michael resident Summer Myomick and her 1-year-old son Clyde Ongtowasruk.
Starlink internet comes to rural Alaska
In 2023, Starlink terminals seemed to sprout from the roofs of homes across the region. SpaceX has a fleet of more than 3,000 satellites beaming internet connections to remote locations. In late November 2022, the service came online for the northern reaches of North America, including Alaska. By January, new users across Nome and the surrounding villages were setting up their kits and reporting reliable, high-speed connections.
Council sets state, federal priorities
Early in the year, the Nome Common Council laid out its federal and state priorities. On top of the state list was the wish to create state incentives for new housing development as the housing crunch in Nome has reached a crisis point. In line with housing developments, other priorities include the support for a new teacher/public safety housing complex, water and sewer upgrades, the utility tank relocation, emergency preparedness center upgrades, the covered ice rink/multi-use recreational structure and road paving and dust control. The federal wish list was a bit smaller and included the reduction of the City of Nome’s cost share portion for the Arctic Deep Draft Port construction and increased funding or subsidies for rural communities suffering from inadequate housing.
February Utqiagvik hosts joyful 2023 Kivgiq celebration
Beginning on Feb. 1, hundreds gathered in Utqiaġvik’s high school gym for a four-day Kivgiq or “messenger feast” celebration—the first since 2019. The traditional Iñupiaq festival included dancing, gift giving, art and craft trading, storytelling, feasting and visiting with family from around the Arctic. David Miller won the Messenger Race, which honors the messengers who traditionally were sent to other villages to invite their neighbors to Kivgiq.
Fire destroys three buildings in Savoonga
Three old school buildings in Savoonga were destroyed by a fire on Thursday, Feb. 2. Shortly after 4 p.m. that day, residents reported seeing a big black plume coming out of a building that functioned as temporary quarantine housing for teachers returning to Savoonga. Savoonga lacks a fire department, but VPOs, the VPSO Nick Toolie, school maintenance workers and the whole community came together to respond to the fire. The fire spread to the two adjacent older school buildings, also not in active use. It took nine and a half hours to put out the fire. As many in the community came to help put out the fire, more than 100 people had to be treated in the clinic for smoke inhalation.
Air Force shoots down flying object over ice off North Slope
An F-22 fighter jet from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson shot down an unidentified object flying above the sea ice offshore from the North Slope on Friday, Feb. 10, officials at the White House said. The shootdown, at 9:45 a.m. Alaska time, took place less than a week after an Air Force fighter jet shot down a Chinese surveillance balloon off the coast of South Carolina.
Aklestad/Olstad win Iron Dog
After a 2,500-mile race marked by tough conditions and brutal weather, the pro snowmachine racers competing in the 2023 Iron Dog made it to the finish line in Big Lake under a blue sky on Saturday, Feb. 25. Tyler Aklestad and Nick Olstad of Team 7 arrived just after 12 p.m. on Saturday on their Ski-Doo sleds, winning their third Iron Dog since they became race partners in 2020. Their final course time was 52 hours, 58 minutes and 32 seconds. During the awards ceremony, they picked up an $80,000 cash prize from the $200,000 purse. Aklestad and Olstad had been in the lead when they reached the ceremonial halfway mark in Nome. A pair of brothers from Nome, Jordan and Jarvis Miller, finished in fourth place.
March Thirty-three dog teams head to Nome in 51st Iditarod
The 51st Iditarod began at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 5, with 33 mushers and their teams of 14 dogs bound for Nome on a 1,000-mile journey through the Alaskan wilderness. The 2023 field of mushers was the smallest in the race’s history, but it was packed with Iditarod veterans who had previously finished in the top 10. Ryan Redington, 40, fulfilled a dream—not only for himself but the entire Redington clan—by winning. Shortly after noon on Tuesday, March 14, he pulled under the burled arch in Nome with his team of six dogs. He finished the race in eight days, 21 hours, 12 minutes and 58 seconds on the trail, which followed the southern route this year. Fiftyone years ago, the Last Great Race was born out of a dream to keep the lifestyle of sled dog mushing and the breed of Alaskan huskies alive at a time when the snowmachine was taking over as means of transportation in Alaska. It was the dream of Ryan’s grandfather Joe Redington Sr., known as the Father of the Iditarod. The top three finishers—Redington, Pete Kaiser and Richie Diehl—were all Alaska Native. Just after 5 p.m. on Friday, March 17, with the bright spring sun shining down on Nome, Jason Mackey ran toward the burled arch in Nome with ice frozen to his chin, five dogs in harness and a cheering crowd of onlookers lining Front Street. He was the last of the 29 finishing mushers, earning the Red Lantern, and his arrival marked an emotional end to the event.
Kotzebue’s George Lambert wins Nome-Golovin race
George Lambert won the NomeGolovin snowmachine race. Riding a Ski-Doo 850 and wearing bib number 5, Lambert was racing in the open class. He finished the 200-mile race along the Iditarod Trail from Nome to Golovin and back with a time of 2 hours, 21 minutes and 40 seconds. The race was originally scheduled for a start on Saturday, March 11, but with white-out conditions reported along the trail, the organizers decided to postpone the event to Sunday. Racers still had to face tough snow conditions. The trail was packed hard and full of bumps. The wind was also blowing hard around the Topkok Hills.
Little Diomede has 11-day power outage
On March 20, the power went out in Little Diomede and wasn’t restored until the afternoon of March 31. For 11 days, the island’s 76 residents shared generators and made sure each other’s houses had enough heat amid below freezing temperatures. They baked bread in the school’s kitchen and found other ways to live on a limited supply of electricity.
April Musk ox hunt quota around Nome raised from 9 to 30 animals
State game managers had been under pressure to address the musk ox population around Nome following the deadly goring of Curtis Worland by a musk ox in December 2022. In a bid to reduce the animals’ conflicts with humans, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game made more musk oxen available for harvest around Nome. The quota for a Tier II musk ox hunt in the 22C game management unit, which covers the area around Nome and north along the Kougarok Road, has been increased from nine to 30 animals. For the first time since 2011, the state will also allow female musk oxen to be hunted. Under the new regulations,
ten cows can be taken.
Graphite One sets sights on bigger mine than originally proposed
Graphite One needs to develop a much bigger mine in order to attract investors, company officials said in Nome at a community meeting at Old St. Joe’s in April. They said that automakers like Tesla wouldn’t be able to do business with them unless they can promise much more graphite from their proposed mine. Graphite One has been advancing a plan to build a graphite mine on the remote northern slopes of the Kigluaik Mountains.
Social media post prompts Nome-Beltz lockdown
Nome-Beltz Middle/High School went into lockdown just before noon on Monday as police investigated a potential threat referencing a school shooter posted on social media. Nome student Timothy Erickson, 18, was arrested at Nome-Beltz Middle and High School on Monday and taken to Anvil Mountain Correctional Center. Erickson was charged with terroristic threatening in the second degree, a class C felony.
May Rabies outbreak worries health officials
Health and wildlife officials confirmed a dramatic rise in rabid foxes in Nome and the region, after a winter of increased fox attacks on dogs and people. According to ADF&G, of 61 foxes that were dispatched in Nome and the area, 23 percent (or 14 foxes) tested positive for rabies. Of the 11 foxes that were found dead, or were killed by dogs or people because they behaved “rabid,” all tested positive. Rabies is
normally present at a low one percent level in wild red fox populations. A rise to three percent is considered epizootic, or an outbreak of rabies, posing both a wildlife and human health concern.
Nome marks MMIP Awareness Day
Nome recognized National Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day. A group convened to remember and demand justice for lost relatives whose deaths and disappearances remain unsolved. In their speeches and in their march through town, the participants sent a clear message: The hurt from these cases has not diminished, though some are now decades old, and despite more attention to the crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons, MMIP for short, many Alaska Natives still feel they can’t rely on law enforcement and other institutions for help.
Nome-Beltz graduates 39 students
Tuesday, May 16 was Graduation Day for 39 seniors of Nome-Beltz High School. Following a tradition started during the COVID-19 pandemic, students paraded through town in the beds of decorated trucks under one of Nome’s late spring snow flurries and freezing temperatures.
Gail Schubert is no longer CEO and President of BSNC
In a letter to shareholders, Bering Straits Native Corporation surprisingly announced that as of May 26, President and CEO Gail Schubert no longer serves in these leadership roles, but that she will remain on the
board of directors. Schubert has been the regional corporation’s CEO since 2009 and president since 2010.
June ADF&G kills rabid moose roaming through Teller
A moose that was killed in Teller in early June had been infected with rabies, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game confirmed. This case marked the first record of rabies in a moose in the state.
Large-scale internet outage interrupts business as usual
On Sunday, June 11, Nomeites noticed that their internet wasn’t working and that cell service was spottier than usual. By midmorning, it was clear that something bigger than just a temporary outage was occurring. However, no word from cell or inter- net providers offered a clue what had happened. The first hint of what was going on came via a Facebook post –GCI and Starlink customers were still connected—when OTZ Telecommunications posted that Quintillion had a major cut in the cable. The cut occurred on the seafloor of the Arctic Ocean and is believed to have been caused by a “pretty serious ice-scouring event,” Quintillion President Mac McHale told the Nugget on that Monday afternoon. Repairs to the severed Quintillion fiberoptic cable were anticipated to take six to eight weeks but ended up taking closer to 13 weeks.
Council lowers property tax rate, passes budget
Before the Nome Common Council took up the City’s budget for fiscal year 2024 in second reading, the Council briefly debated a motion by council member Mark Johnson to reduce the proposed mill rate on property tax from 11 to 10.5 mill. The mill rate previously stood at 12 mill. Real estate property values were assessed and increased significantly, resulting in 169 appeals. After hours of meeting with the Board of Equalization, the taxable real property value went down from $423.2 million to $383.9 million. Based on an 11-mill rate, this meant a reduction of revenue for the city of $432,054. City Manager Glenn Steckman cautioned that the budget at just over $17 million has a $1.6 million deficit at a 11-mill rate, and at a 10.5 mill rate would put it at a $1.8 million deficit. The Council unanimously voted on a 10.5 mill rate and passed the budget through second reading.
Jim Tweto, guide killed in airplane crash
Longtime Unalakleet bush pilot Jim Tweto, 68, and hunting guide Shane Reynolds, 45, of Orofino, Idaho were killed in an aviation accident on June 16. Alaska State Troopers were notified at 11:48 a.m. of an SOS activation from an InReach device with the information that there had been a plane crash 35 miles northeast of Shaktoolik. According to Troopers, Tweto’s Cessna 180 aircraft was witnessed taking off but not climbing and then crashing. Both occupants of the aircraft were killed in the crash. AST responded from Nome and recovered the two bodies from the crash site. A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board later said it appeared at the time of the accident there were unusual shifting winds and that the plane struck a tree.
July Council accepts grant for 3Dprinted housing project
The Nome Common Council passed a resolution to accept a $600,000 grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for the purpose of building a 3D printed house. The City has partnered in 2022 with the Xtreme Habitats Institute and Penn State University to work on a demonstration project utilizing 3D printing to quickly and efficiently construct housing.
Department of Defense awards Graphite One $37.5 million
Graphite One is getting a big injection of taxpayer dollars to support its mine development. The U.S. Department of Defense announced in July that it will award Graphite One $37.5 million to help fund the company’s feasibility study. The grant uses funds from the Inflation Reduction Act and is made possible under the Korean War-era Defense Production Act, or DPA.
August Searchers find body of man who went overboard in Norton Sound
After a weeklong search, the body of Carlie Alexie was found on the night of Wednesday, Aug. 9. The 37year-old man from Mountain Village had been missing since Aug. 3 after going overboard from a boat near Stebbins. Two people were charged with crimes in relation to Alexie’s death.
Washington officials visit Nome
White House advisor Mitch Landrieu was one of the many Washington officials visiting Alaska in August to talk about the federal dollars coming to the region. Landrieu is the former mayor of New Orleans, and in 2021 he was appointed to oversee the implementation of the massive $1 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which set aside $250 million for the first phase of the Port of Nome expansion project. The head of the Small Business Administration, Isabella Casillas Guzman, also visited Nome. She heard about challenges to doing business in the region in meetings with local entities.
Army Corps overturns IPOP’s permit application denial
The IPOP saga isn’t over. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is reconsidering a previously denied permit application submitted by the company. IPOP sought permission for a controversial project to dredge for gold in Bonanza Channel and Safety Sound, but in September 2022, they received a rare denial from the Corps. They appealed the decision, and in August 2023, the head of the Corps’ Pacific Ocean Division said he found that additional review of IPOP’s permit application is warranted.
September Kingikmiut Dance Festival comes back after 4-year hiatus
The 22nd Annual Kingikmiut Dance Festival took place in Wales over Labor Day Weekend for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The celebration kicked off in the school gym on a Friday night, and the drumming and dancing of Sunday night’s grand finale was still going the next morning when the first Bering Air charter left to take participants home.
Teller may move to higher ground
Last summer, Bering Straits Regional Housing Authority began investigating a new subdivision site in Teller away from flood threatened areas. The new site across from the airport would accommodate 40 houses—some newly built, some relocated. The new subdivision design includes wider streets and driveways, electricity distribution, street lighting and eventually water and sewer for residents.
Eugene Peltola Jr. dies after plane crash
Eugene Peltola Jr., who held senior positions with the federal government and was the husband of U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, has died after an airplane crash in Southwest Alaska. He was 57 years old.
Quintillion repairs complete, internet service restored
Three months after the Quintillion fiberoptic cable suffered a catastrophic failure, repairs were completed and service was 100 percent restored.
October HomePlate Apartments project nears completion
The 15-unit housing project HomePlate Apartments in Nome was finished with construction this fall. HomePlate is an apartment complex designed for those experiencing chronic homelessness in Nome to have permanent supportive housing.
Nome holds elections
Nome held municipal elections on Oct. 3. There were no challengers to candidates and incumbents retained their seats. Council member Doug Johnson did not run for reelection and the only candidate to run for Seat B on the Nome Common Council was Maggie Miller, who was elected for a three-year term. Mayor John K. Handeland was reelected for a term ending in October 2025. Council Seat A was retained by Adam Martinson; his term ends October 2026. Patrick Knodel and Carl Emmons were elected to seats on the Utility Board. Bob Metcalf was reelected to the School Board with a term ending in October 2026.
AFN convention held in Anchorage
The Alaska Federation of Natives met in October for its annual convention. Delegates gathered to consider resolutions that would set their political agenda for the next year. With the rural priority for subsistence fishing under legal threat, AFN delegates called on Congress to take immediate action to permanently protect the right of Alaska Native people to subsistence fish in the state’s waters. No annual meeting would be complete without awards, and the Bering Straits section of the Dena’ina Center had a few reasons to get on their feet during the President’s Awards ceremony. Two of the seven honors distributed this year went to Nome residents. Etta Tall, who is originally from Little Diomede and now works as a tribal healer for Norton Sound Health Corporation, took home the Della Keats “Healing Hands” award. Meanwhile, Nome-grown brothers Oliver and Wilson Hoogendorn won the Walter Soboleff “Warriors of Light” award.
November NSHC proposes to take over ambulance service
Norton Sound Health Corporation is in talks with the City of Nome to take over the city’s volunteer ambulance service and bring it under the health corporation’s umbrella. The City of Nome has provided the ambulance service staffed by volunteers and a limited number of paid EMT employees. After repeated complaints by the public that the ambulance either doesn’t show up or arrives late, the council has taken up the topic.
Storm erodes Shishmaref shoreline
High winds that pushed water high up on south-facing shores of the Seward Peninsula also caused shoreline erosion on the Chukchi Sea coast of Shishmaref in November. Videos posted on social media showed waves washing over the newly installed seawall that extends toward Shishmaref’s airport. According to residents, the rising water came very close to the school’s apartment duplex, eroded embankments that were not fortified by a seawall, wrecked subsistence meat and fish racks, and came very close to the old cemetery.
Diomede copes with building collapse, forcing school closure
On a Sunday in late November, the city building at Little Diomede slid off its wooden foundational stilts. It was leaning precariously against the school building, located downhill. At first it was thought the foundational stilts were rotted out, but visiting engineers didn’t see any rot on the wood and instead suspect melting permafrost as the culprit that destabilized the building’s foundation. As the weight of the city building pushed on the school building, the integrity of the school building was questionable, prompting the evacuation of the school and the living quarters of the teachers. Since there is no overflow housing available on the island, the four teachers, the principal as well as three children of one teacher were flown off the island last week.
Region’s international teachers face a winding road
Five international teachers were set to begin the 2023 school year at Nome Public Schools, but three months later their arrival was still pending as they waited for the approval of H1-B visas. This is the first year that the Nome school district has sought out international teachers. Nome is one of many Alaska school districts off the road system that have had to search beyond the U.S. for teachers. One third of Bering Straits School District’s teachers come from the Philippines.
December 2023 ranks as region’s sixth warmest year
The Arctic is warming up to four times as fast as the rest of the world, and in 2023, the region experienced its sixth warmest year on record, according to an annual assessment. In December the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA for short, released the 18th installment of its Arctic Report Card. The planet saw its warmest summer in 2023, and the northern latitudes were no exception. The Arctic had its warmest summer since 1900 by a large margin, even though that may not have been apparent in the Bering Strait region, which had a relatively cool summer.
Overdue snowmachiners found dead
A search team recovered the bodies of a couple who got caught in a storm between Teller and Nome as they traveled the 70 miles from Teller. Alaska State Troopers said that Dustin Gologergen, 55, and his wife Charlene Habros, 34, were found deceased near mile 41 of the Nome-Teller Highway. They had left Teller on Sunday evening on a single snow machine. When they didn’t arrive in Nome, the Alaska State Troopers were notified on Monday at 7:09 a.m.
Nome and Teller Search and Rescue teams conducted ground searches and an Alaska National Guard C-130 plane from JBER was dispatched to locate the couple.