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- [00:00]
Casey Grove
Support for Alaska Public Media On Demand comes from Siri, an Alaska Native corporation with operations and investments spanning five continents, 45 states and two US territories.
- [00:19]
Phil Zimmerman
For years, there have been questions levied on both sides of the aisle about the integrity of elections.
- [00:26]
Casey Grove
US Representative Nick Begich votes for legislation that would tighten voter ID laws From Alaska Public Media. This is statewide news on Alaska News nightly for Thursday, February 12th. Good evening. I'm Casey Grove. Also tonight, a father is suing the corrections department for allegedly failing to protect his son from murder.
- [00:44]
Phil Zimmerman
Bottom line, I'd like to see some changes made. It's too late to help my son, but it's not too late to help others.
- [00:53]
Casey Grove
Those stories and more tonight on Alaska News Nightly.
- [00:59]
Liz Ruskin
The PFD application is open. Just a small amount of your PFD will help share local news and stories about Alaskans with Alaskans across this great state. When you choose Alaska Public Media through Pick Click Give.
- [01:14]
Casey Grove
The US House yesterday passed a bill that requires voters to show proof of citizenship, to register to vote, and to show photo ID to get a ballot. The Save America act goes next to the Senate, where Senator Lisa Murkowski has announced she's opposed. Alaska Congressman Nick Begich became a co sponsor this week. Though the bill would make it a bit harder for voters to prove citizenship than he first thought. Alaska Public Media Washington correspondent Liz Ruskin explains.
- [01:42]
Liz Ruskin
Congressman Begich says it's just common sense to require ID and to make sure that only citizens vote.
- [01:48]
Phil Zimmerman
For years there have been questions levied on both sides of the aisle about the integrity of elections. We can't have that. That's not healthy for our democratic republic to be questioning the nature of elections. This helps to restore some level of trust.
- [02:04]
Liz Ruskin
The Safe America bill is a huge priority for Republicans. President Trump, Elon Musk and a host of right wing influencers are pressuring Congress to pass it. They say the survival of American democracy depends on ensuring that non Americans don't cast ballots. Many surveys and audits show illegal voting by non citizen is rare. Democrats say what the SAVE act will really do is prevent millions of eligible people from voting. Begich cites polling that shows more than 80% of Americans want to require voters to show photo ID to vote. And he says the bill won't be hard to comply with to vote. He says all Alaskans would have to do is show a real ID card at their polling place. Begich is a co sponsor of the bill, but in an interview Tuesday, he did not understand a key provision. The SAVE act requires people to supply proof they are citizens when they register to vote. Begich said that requirement too, is as simple as showing a real id.
- [03:12]
Phil Zimmerman
When a person gets a real id, they have to provide proof of citizenship. So that part of that requirement is a birth certificate, a Social Security number, passport, these sorts of things that actually by presenting those to get a real id, you are providing proof of citizenship.
- [03:28]
Liz Ruskin
So that's all you have to do is provide your real id. You're saying that's correct, but that's not correct. As a Begich staffer acknowledged in an email after the interview, states issue real ID cards to green card holders and other non citizens. If the SAVE Bill becomes law, you'd have to bring other documentation of citizenship to register to vote, like a passport or a birth certificate. And the bill says you have to present your documents in person at an elections office to register. Michelle Spark, director of get out the Native Vote, says the SAVE act has numerous hoops that would be particularly hard for people off the road system and in the communities she works with.
- [04:12]
Aljona Nydin
This is creating incredible barriers to voting.
- [04:16]
Casey Grove
That we do not have the ability.
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Aljona Nydin
To combat because we are so disparate.
- [04:24]
Casey Grove
And far flung and far away from.
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Aljona Nydin
Government services that it's just asking way.
- [04:29]
Casey Grove
Too much of a lot of demographics.
- [04:32]
And pockets in the state and in the country.
- [04:34]
Liz Ruskin
Senator Lisa Murkowski calls the bill federal overreach. The Constitution gives states the authority to determine the time, place and manner of elections, and Murkowski says states know best the on the ground realities. I'm not saying you shouldn't have identification. I'm saying that it is left to the states to determine how you provide that proof. She spoke in a train tunnel between her office and the Capitol. Begich and other sponsors of the SAVE act point to the last part of the elections clause in the Constitution.
- [05:14]
Phil Zimmerman
It continues, but the Congress may at any time by law make or alter such regulations.
- [05:21]
Liz Ruskin
That, Begich says, is what the SAVE act does. The bill so far does not have the 60 votes it needs to pass the Senate for 48. Republicans are co sponsors, including Senator Dan Sullivan. He did not respond to an interview request. His office sent a statement saying the bill would not disenfranchise Alaskans. Reporting from the Capitol, I'm Liz Ruskin.
- [05:53]
Casey Grove
When people are in jail or prison in Alaska, the Department of Corrections is legally required to keep them safe. But more than 100 Alaskans have died while in their custody in the last decade. One of them was Josh Zimmerman, who was killed in the Anchorage correctional complex in 2024. As Alaska Public Media's Rachel Cassandra reports his father is suing the department for failing to protect his son's life.
- [06:17]
Rachel Cassandra
Phil Zimmerman is thumbing through photos on his smartphone.
- [06:21]
Phil Zimmerman
I have some pictures that my daughter has sent me.
- [06:24]
Rachel Cassandra
He's in a back room of his restaurant in Seward on the Kenai Peninsula. The photos are of his son, Josh Zimmerman, who died at Anchorage's prison. And what was he like as an adult?
- [06:37]
Phil Zimmerman
He's just a big lug. Everybody loved him. He would do anything for anybody.
- [06:42]
Rachel Cassandra
Phil says his son struggled with addiction, which led to some jail time for minor crimes. Besides being devastated about his son's death, Phil is upset about the circumstances. Josh's cause of death was homicide, according to his death certificate, and Phil says he didn't find that out until he requested documents from the state's medical examiner's office. Even after that, Phil says the Department of Corrections shared almost no information with him.
- [07:11]
Phil Zimmerman
Once that report came out and I started asking questions, I just. I was up against a stone wall then. I mean, I pretty much got a standard response.
- [07:22]
Rachel Cassandra
Phil filed a lawsuit in December against the Department of Corrections for neglecting their duties to protect Josh. The lawsuit also faults the department for their lack of transparency with family and the general public about Josh's death. The Department of Corrections declined an interview request for this story. Phil says his main goal is to push the state to improve safety and protection in prisons.
- [07:47]
Phil Zimmerman
Bottom line, I'd like to see some changes made. It's too late to help my son, but it's not too late to help others.
- [07:56]
Casey Grove
It should not be possible for someone to be murdered or killed when they.
- [08:01]
Are in the trust of the Department of Corrections.
- [08:04]
Rachel Cassandra
That's Nick Ferranti. He's Phil's attorney and says that's the belief driving this lawsuit. They're suing the department for negligence and wrongful death and asking for money for damages and costs. Ferranti says the state needs to share more information about deaths in prison with families and all Alaskans. As far as he knows, the Department of Corrections still won't acknowledge Josh's death was a homicide. And he points out that their chief medical officer testified to the state legislature in March of last year about deaths in Alaska prisons, and the officer didn't note any homicides in the last decade.
- [08:43]
Casey Grove
It's either things are so dysfunctional that the left hand doesn't know what the right is doing, or worse, someone does know that something bad is going on and they're not telling all of us Alaskans about it.
- [08:55]
Rachel Cassandra
William Lipinskis also believes in transparency for the Department of Corrections. He retired in 2020, but spent 27 years working for the department as a correctional officer, supervisor, and superintendent. He says one of his tenets was.
- [09:12]
Casey Grove
People need to know what we do in here.
- [09:14]
Phil Zimmerman
It shouldn't be a secret. And I open the doors and I.
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Casey Grove
Let people come in.
- [09:18]
Phil Zimmerman
Transparency shows that you try whether you fail or not.
- [09:21]
Rachel Cassandra
But he says that approach didn't go over so well with the current state administration. He says he got enough pushback that eventually he retired earlier than he'd planned. Lipinskas says that there are a lot of people inside Alaska's jails and prisons trying to keep people safe. But he says it's not always simple to prevent violence or killings inside. He says many things can endanger a prisoner's safety, like their actions while incarcerated or debts from inside or outside.
- [09:52]
Casey Grove
And when you throw in the gang drama, the drug drama, the culture drama.
- [09:58]
Phil Zimmerman
And then all the other things on top of that, it's very complex, and.
- [10:02]
Casey Grove
It'S by the grace of God that.
- [10:03]
Phil Zimmerman
They don't have more deaths.
- [10:05]
Rachel Cassandra
And he says the best way to increase safety overall is communication, to cultivate a dynamic where staff are seen as approachable to those incarcerated, which he says is part of training under the Department of Corrections. Back at Phil Zimmerman's restaurant, my daughter.
- [10:22]
Phil Zimmerman
Did it with AI.
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Rachel Cassandra
He's looking at an image of Josh on his smartphone.
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Phil Zimmerman
It just blows me away.
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Rachel Cassandra
It shows Josh holding his niece with the help of artificial intelligence.
- [10:32]
Phil Zimmerman
She's three right now, but he had never met her, so to be able to get a picture of him with her is pretty amazing.
- [10:40]
Rachel Cassandra
Josh won't ever meet his niece in real life, but Phil hopes that if this lawsuit is successful, it may spare the lives of others in the care of the Department of Corrections in Seward. I'm Rachel Cassandra.
- [10:58]
Casey Grove
Still to come on Alaska News Nightly, Anchorage's Chinese community kicks off Lunar New New Year celebrations. We would love to teach others what we learned and what we know about the Dragon Dance and have other people.
- [11:10]
Phil Zimmerman
In our community participate as well.
- [11:12]
Casey Grove
That's ahead. Stay with us.
- [11:14]
Rachel Cassandra
Hi, I'm Avery Elfeldt, a reporter with the Alaska Desk.
- [11:17]
Ava White
That's a joint reporting effort from Alaska.
- [11:19]
Rachel Cassandra
Public Media, khns, where I work in.
- [11:22]
Ava White
Haines, and other public radio stations in.
- [11:24]
Rachel Cassandra
Anchorage, Fairbanks and the Aleutians. It allows us to connect with you.
- [11:28]
Ava White
With the issues happening in communities all across the state.
- [11:31]
Rachel Cassandra
You can hear our stories during the morning news on Alaska News Nightly or online@alaskapublic.org the Alaska Desk is only possible with the support of grants and listeners like you, thank you.
- [11:44]
Casey Grove
Federal fisheries regulators approved yesterday some limits on western Alaska chum bycatch in the Bering Sea. The highly debated and long awaited decision aims to protect declining salmon stocks while also minimizing harm to pollock fisheries. Aljona Nydin with the Alaska Desk has this story.
- [12:01]
Aljona Nydin
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council voted to set a western Alaska chum bycatch limit in the Bering Sea pollock fishery. The regulation includes a partial closure for the fishery if it exceeds the bycatch cap. The Consul, which manages federal fisheries off the coast of Alaska, said the move will balance protections for western Alaska salmon returns while also allowing pollock fisheries to continue their harvest. Council member Nicole Kimball voted for the motion. She says it addresses those needs and reflects best available western and indigenous science.
- [12:36]
Rachel Cassandra
I think this is needed. I think it's going to change behavior. I think it's going to reduce western Alaska chump bycatch. I'm sure, as per usual, nobody is.
- [12:45]
Liz Ruskin
Very happy, but all of the discussions have really helped inform the outcome.
- [12:48]
Aljona Nydin
The troll fishery in the Bering Sea near the Aleutian Islands is focused on pollock, but boats also scoop up other types of fish called bycatch. That includes chum salmon, some of which migrates to western and interior Alaska rivers and is a crucial subsistence resource there. But chum runs have been declining, leading to repeated fishing closures in some communities. The pollock industry had spoken against the strictest measures to limit chum bycatch, citing financial losses for them and and for coastal communities economically tied to them. The council received more than 600 written comments about the issue leading up to the meeting. Council members also spent more than three days listening to public testimony over the phone and in person in Anchorage. The decision comes after years of debate and calls for action on the issue. Council member John Muller is Alaska Native, originally from Unalaska, and and is a commercial fisherman. He says he's fortunate to put fish up each year and feels for those who can't.
- [13:53]
Phil Zimmerman
I know how important that is to me, how important that is to my family and passing that on to my children. I get that and my heart is ripped out. Speaking with all of you that are living in the rivers right now that don't have that same ability that I have living in Southeast now.
- [14:08]
Aljona Nydin
Council member John Courland also said it's been heartbreaking to hear stories about how the lack of salmon has affected people's food security, traditions and well being. But he says it's also been moving.
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Phil Zimmerman
To be reminded about the socioeconomic benefits of the Pollock fishery, the family businesses that operate catcher boats. The seafood processing capacity in many remote areas that really needs a steady flow of pollock to make it possible to process other species for smaller scale fisheries.
- [14:36]
Aljona Nydin
The council voted 8 to 3 to support a motion that compromises several proposals and avoids the strictest regulations. It sets a limit to western Alaska chump bycatch of 45,000 fish with variations between different pollock sectors. Exceeding that limit would trigger a partial closure in half of the fishing corridor. And if a trawler fails to follow that, that closure will remain in effect all season the following year. Rachel Baker is the Deputy Commissioner at Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the vice chair of the console. She presented that motion.
- [15:13]
Liz Ruskin
It's designed to hopefully influence behavior before.
- [15:15]
Rachel Cassandra
The fleet ever reaches that threshold.
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Aljona Nydin
Baker says that the sections where the limit enclosures would take place are some of the most important areas for pollock fishing. That is also the area where the majority of western Alaska chum are caught in the pollock fishery and where tribes say it's crucial to let salmon pass to make it up the rivers. Several members who voted against the motion said it isn't likely to provide a meaningful improvement for salmon return returns. But Baker argued that even a small increase counts.
- [15:47]
Rachel Cassandra
We're at this table used to thinking about large volumes of fish in tons.
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Liz Ruskin
And we heard in testimony that four.
- [15:59]
Rachel Cassandra
Fish were able to provide the needs for a potlatch.
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Aljona Nydin
The plan goes to the National Marine Fisheries Service next before it can be implemented in Anchorage. I am Alena Nydin.
- [16:19]
Casey Grove
The Winter Olympics are underway in Italy with a bevy of Alaska athletes after a ceremonial torch lighting in Milan. Anchorage reporter Nat Herz is there following cross country skiing where several Alaskans have competed in two separate events. Though spoiler alert, none has come close to the medals yet. Nat joins us now from the Dolomites. Hi Nat.
- [16:39]
Ciao, Casey.
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Buongiorno. So Nat, what is happening?
- [16:44]
Yeah, well, I guess I will just start by getting straight to the point. We talked when I was on to kind of table set the Winter Olympics that we had an Anchorage raised athlete, cross country skier, Gus Schumacher, who was a legitimate metal hopeful. He was coming in with podiums in the past couple weeks before the Olympics against the same athletes that would be racing here. Gus has had so far two events in Italy where he could have been strong, but in the first one, unfortunately he had a crash. And then in the second race in this sprint race where it's like a qualifying round in the top 30 advanced to these head to head medal rounds, he actually sort of Shockingly, was not able to get into that top 30. So, yeah, really kind of rough start for. For the pride of Alaska, Gus Schumacher.
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Yeah, for sure, it was. It's a bummer in the race that he crashed. He just kind of didn't see him for the whole race. And then like you said, the other one, he didn't qualify. How's he taking it?
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Yeah, it's interesting. You know, four years ago I was in Beijing following the Olympics there, and Gus was racing at age 21 and actually had like a real sort of series of brutally difficult races there that I think was really hard for him to process. And you could sort of see it on him there. It just was really heavy emotionally this time around. It's interesting, like, he was definitely frustrated yesterday. I think he was frustrated the first day, but then to have this sort of second day where things like, didn't go right in a way that he didn't expect. Like, it was hard for him. But I think you can really see that he's a lot more mature and I think just better prepared and more resilient and hopefully able to move past these admittedly tough results. Yeah.
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Well, how about the other Alaska ski racers?
- [18:39]
Yeah. So J.C. schoonmaker is another guy who trains with the Alaska Pacific University team in Anchorage. And he has also been on the podium in the past in this discipline called sprinting against all these same athletes. He's actually had a tougher start to his racing season this winter, though, with some crashes. But yesterday he made it into the semifinals, which sort of guarantees him a spot in the top 12. And he raced his way to eighth place, which was like, really a. A big achievement for him at kind of the biggest event of the season.
- [19:15]
That's awesome. Yeah. You also witnessed a historic result in cross country skiing by a non Alaskan American, too. Is that right?
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Yeah, that's right. This was honestly just a super inspiring result and moment. This younger guy, Ben Ogden from Vermont, he's definitely had some success before, but is also not a regular on the podium by any means. And he just had the race of his life. Life and finished second in the sprint race for the silver medal. This was the first time an American man had won an Olympic medal in literally a half century in cross country skiing. I would like to just note that the last guy to do it before Ben is a Vermonter named Bill Koch. And he and I went to the same high school, so maybe I'll be the next one.
- [20:06]
I just think the common point there is Nat hers and also Nat, I feel like you're kind of leaving something out here. I saw a picture on your social media feeds where you were very close to this silver medal.
- [20:19]
Yeah. Ben Ogden came through past reporters and had this medal. And I was like, I've never touched one. Can I touch it? And he was like, sure. So I held it for a second and kind of lifted it while it was around his neck. And I was like, dang, that's heavy. And I was honestly like, if I had to guess, five pounds, like, it was, it just, it was like dense. And then I did like a basic Google. And the Olympic silver medal is 500 grams, which is one pound. So maybe it is the emotional gravity that is adding to the weight of that metal in your hand. But it was, it was cool. They hand the metal out just like 15 minutes after the race is over and it's all wrapped up and done.
- [21:00]
All right. That was Nat Herz. He is in Italy covering the Winter Olympics and focusing on cross country skiing. Nat, thanks for being here.
- [21:07]
You're welcome. Thanks for having me, Casey.
- [21:10]
And a quick note. Anchorage's own Gus Schumacher will ski in the 10k freestyle competition along with teammates Zach Kedersen, John Steele Hagenbuck and Xander McMullen. Meanwhile, on the women's side, American Jesse Diggins won a bronze medal in the 10k freestyle event early this morning, with Alaskan's Novi McCabe finishing 31st, Kendall Kramer in 38th and Haley Swarbol in 39th. The Iditarod Trail sled dog race is less than a month away and set to run on its normal northern route this year. Race officials say that's a relief after low snow conditions last year forced the race to start in Fairbanks, over 200 miles north for the fourth time in history. Race director Mark Nordman says snow conditions are generally much better than they were last year, though there were concerns about the trail until just recently.
- [21:58]
Liz Ruskin
You know, it wasn't that long ago.
- [22:00]
Phil Zimmerman
That I was still concerned about going over the Alaska Range because there wasn't a lot of snow up by Rainy Pass Lodge, one of our checkpoints there. But we've got plenty of snow now and so I think we'll be good.
- [22:14]
Casey Grove
Last year, race officials said a portion of the trail outside of Nikolai was impassable because of the lack of snow. Nordman says that section, called the Farewell Burn, is notoriously challenging for its ice and wind blown ground, but that it currently has some snow coverage and looks doable. Nordman says clearing brush off the trail takes more work now than it used to.
- [22:35]
Phil Zimmerman
Where we might have only brushed the trail every four or five years in certain areas. Seems like it's every other year now.
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Casey Grove
But one section in particular required extra effort. Nordman says the remnants of Typhoon Ha Long last fall decimated the trail between Caltag and Unalaklete. He said the Iditarod hired a crew to clean up blown down trees along that 85 mile stretch and it's now ready for mushers.
- [22:59]
Phil Zimmerman
They spent a full month out there cutting, opening it up, grooming, otherwise nobody would be going over that trail this year.
- [23:07]
Casey Grove
This year's iditarod starts Saturday, March 7th with its parade like ceremonial start through Anchorage. The race will officially start the next day, Sunday, March 8th in Willow. Lunar New Year starts next week The Alaska Chinese association is celebrating the holiday and their 50th anniversary on Sunday with an event at Anchorage's Diamond High School. As Alaska Public Media's Ava White reports, part of the event includes a cultural performance that volunteers have spent the last several months preparing for. For.
- [23:49]
Ava White
Over a dozen people are holding up a golden dragon weaving around a large room, mimicking the movements of the mythical creature. A few others are in the corner playing drums and clashing cymbals. Since October, these volunteers have been gathering at the Asian Alaskan Cultural center in Spenard each Sunday for a couple of hours to practice the Dragon Dance. It's a traditional art form that features a lead dancer carrying a pearl for the dragon to chase. Board member Jerry Kung is coordinating the Dragon Dance this year. He says it's a team event and each person plays an important role.
- [24:26]
Casey Grove
We put the strongest young man up front for the head of the dragon because that is pulling the rest of the dragon segments. We put the fastest person in the back because the tail is always chasing after the dragon.
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Ava White
Kang says it's been a challenge to keep a consistent team, but he's excited to showcase what the group has practiced over the last several months. The association has a second dragon that could be used, but not enough performers. Kung said it'd take another dozen people or so, but he hopes the upcoming celebration will encourage more people to get involved with the performances.
- [25:01]
Phil Zimmerman
We would love to teach others what.
- [25:03]
Casey Grove
We learned and what we know about the Dragon Dance and have other people.
- [25:07]
Phil Zimmerman
In our community participate as well.
- [25:09]
Ava White
The dragon has played a key role in Chinese culture for thousands of years and symbolizes good fortune, power and strength. Lunar New Year, also called the Spring Festival, is the most important holiday in China.
- [25:22]
Rachel Cassandra
Chinese New Year is essentially a combination of the Thanksgiving as well as Christmas. We want to bring them something special. You can feel the vibe of celebration. You can see all these smiley faces.
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Ava White
Mei Zhao, with the ACA, says the association was formed after Chinese immigrants settled in the state. Over generations. It started with about a dozen families in 1976, according to the association's website, but has now grown to over 200. Looking ahead, she hopes the association continues to encourage young people to embrace their culture and to define it in a way that feels authentic to them.
- [25:58]
Rachel Cassandra
One common thing in the Chinese culture in Alaska is there's a genuine open arm type of atmosphere that we want. The members or even non members feel that they belongs here.
- [26:12]
Ava White
The golden anniversary and lunar New Year celebration is on Sunday at Diamond High School from noon to 4pm in Anchorage. I'm Ava White.
- [26:32]
Casey Grove
And that's all for this edition of Alaska News Nightly. If you missed any of tonight's stories, these were online@alaskapublic.org and wherever you get your podcasts. We had reports tonight from Liz Ruskin in Washington, D.C. rachel Cassandra in Seward, Alyona Knighton and Ava White in Anchorage and Nat Herz in Italy. If you want to send us a news tip, question or comment, email us@newslaskapublic.org Our audio engineer is Crystal Hyde, Kirsten Dobroth is our producer and I'm Casey Grove. Good night. This is statewide news on Alaska Public Media.