Ship of Fools Fights Covid-19 at Anchorage
(2021©donnliston.com)
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This iconic Grateful Dead album cover portrays a heartless and soulless frigate group entering a landmine field. We now know more about what happened. |
A capable captain of any ship strives to reach the chosen destination with as few turns as necessary--a degree or two course change at a time--given requirements of wind and current. When the weather kicks up or other vessels come in proximity of a ship underway the prudent helmsman adjusts as necessary. If calamity should occur the full capability of the ship is assured by protecting means of propulsion and steerage. This is also the rational approach to running any large commercial or government organization; STEADY AS SHE GOES!
The ship of the line State of Alaska
Once the backbone of the world’s great navies from the mid-17th century through the mid-19th century, this warship had a high superstructure on its stern and usually carried heavy guns along two decks, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. These were the heavy fighting ships that formed a line with each about 100 yards apart stretching as long as 12 miles in a formation for battle. This strategy broke from the previous tactics of individual ships engaging enemy vessels one on one. [1]
Our Coronavirus war began when a flight
returning Americans from Wuhan China landed in Anchorage on January 28, 2020. The
State of Alaska was on the line as the last airplane allowed to
land in the US from China touched down to refuel at Ted Stevens
International Airport with Americans coming home. [2]
The plane, a government-chartered cargo jetliner, held
American passengers who were evacuating from the area where the coronavirus
outbreak began. Passengers on the plane were screened twice before leaving
China, Zink said, and they were continuously monitored by medics during the
Tuesday flight.
Today, these are the official State
Covid-19 recommendations for Alaskans:
The outbreak caused the Alaska Legislature to jump ship into abrupt adjournment. It was up to Captain Michael Dunleavy to determine how the ship of state should be run. He depended upon national CDC recommendations and advice by Alaska health officials. On March 11, 2020 Gov. Dunleavy declared a Statewide Health Emergency. His first COVID-19 HEALTH MANDATE was issued March 13, 2020, to expire November 15, 2020. This initial mandate suspended visitations at prisons, juvenile justice facilities, Alaska Military Youth Academy and Alaska Psychiatric Institute with limited visitations at Alaska Pioneer Homes. A total of 18 HEALTH MANDIDATES would be ordered by Gov. Dunleavy over the coming three months in battle under this order.
The governor had the authority and
responsibility to do this. Some have objected to the mandates.
In his 3rd State of the
State address Gov. Dunleavy reflected on how Alaskans joined the fight:
I remember a meeting last spring with a few members of my
amazing health team. We were on a video call with Hans Vogel who owns a
manufacturing company in Palmer. We dumped a bunch of PPE and testing supplies
on a table, and asked if there was anything here he could make. As we all know,
Hans and Triverus ended up making over 100,000 swabs for testing when we needed
them the most.
Distilleries stepped up and began producing hand
sanitizer. Everyday Alaskans organized charity campaigns and food drives out of
the goodness of their hearts. Heroes like John Sturgeon used their
business connections overseas to secure an entire aircraft full of PPE when
every other state was struggling to source supplies.
The University of Alaska graduated 260 nurses to the
pandemic frontlines as well as 400 contact tracers. With the help of the
Legislature, many of these nurses were graduated early thanks to nearly 300
regulatory suspensions that took place under the emergency declaration.
We created the first traveler testing program in the
nation, catching nearly 2,400 cases of COVID at our airports. We held a safe
summer fishing season that many told us wouldn’t be possible. [4]
On November 16, 2020 Gov.
Dunleavy had renewed the declaration of a Public Health Disaster from the Covid-19 outbreak based on over 17,000 confirmed cases of the disease and 84 deaths. By
January 12, Alaska had over 47,000 confirmed cases and 222 deaths with a new
strain of the SARS-CoV-2 spreading in the United States, identified as being
more contagious than the original strain. But the light shown at the end of the
tunnel.
These were the Health Orders issued so far. [5]
The curve had been flattened,
Alaska’s ship of the line was still fighting, and the battle still raged.
Consolidation of previous health orders were set January 15, 2021. [6]
On January 25, 2021 Gov. Dunleavy
introduced legislation (SB 56) relating to the extension of the public health
disaster order previously issued on January 15, 2021, giving the Alaska
Legislature the opportunity to fish or cut bait. The legislature is now
underway and federal disaster funds are now at stake. [7]
State Covid-19 disaster status
ended February 14.
Posted statewide covid-19 status in
mid-February:
Frigates in the Battle Group
Early sailing frigates were smaller
and faster than ship of the line vessels but still capable of considerable
firepower. Armament on frigates was aligned on a single gun deck with
additional guns at other strategic locations. And, while these ships could not
stand up to ships of the line in fleet engagements, they served as scouts or as
escorts in the battle group, or in protecting merchant convoys from privateers
and enemy raiders. [8]
Every municipal government in
Alaska represents a frigate in this past year of battle against Covid-19.
Frigate Matsu Borough
Orderly operation of the vessel
was the order by Captain Vern Halter. While the Borough code provides
for 1.25.020 EMERGENCY ORDINANCES none was required. The primary mission of the
borough was to inform residents of the situation and distribute federal CARES
ACT funds to support the economic engine of small business:
The Matsu Borough distributed some
$10.5 Million to 652 approved applicants.
This local government imposed no
additional mandates beyond what the state had set.
Frigate City of Wasilla
At the onset, on March 27, 2020 Captain Bert Cottle
issued an Emergency Order providing precautionary measures in anticipation of a
Covid outbreak. This was in response to Emergency order of Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
The Wasilla City Council extended that order by Resolution Serial
No. 20-13 which stated in part: …the Emergency Proclamation Declaration of
Public Health Disaster shall continue until the conditions related to COVID-19
and this Public Health Disaster are resolved and the City has issued a
proclamation terminating the Emergency Proclamation Declaration or until a
subsequent Proclamation or Resolution related to this Disaster is issued.
The primary concern was for welfare of the passengers and
operation of the engine powering the fastest growing region of the state. State
orders were enough, although Borough facilities were closed. An election
brought a new Captain, former deputy mayor Glenda D. Ledford, to the
command helm. At the January 25, 2021 Regular Meeting Captain Ledford reported
to the city council that she had not instituted any new regulations in response
to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the February 10, Wasilla City Council meeting
Relief and Recovery Grants Program Phase V funding was approved.
The goal was protecting and
serving the good people who pay taxes and contribute to the well-being of the
community.
Frigate City of Palmer
Again, this historic community
followed the leadership of the ship of the line State of Alaska,
and when a mask mandate was proposed, it took three Special Meetings and the
testimony of many locals to finally revert to the State standard.
State Mandates were considered adequate. By the time the resolution was reduced from a requirement to a recommendation the wind was out of the sails.
Frigate Ship of Fools at Anchorage
Quick to recognize a good crisis must never go to waste, Captain Ethan Berkowitz brought his frigate at Anchorage to face the challenge by immediately issuing mandates shutting down businesses and alienating Anchorage residents from those elites acting from the poop deck. No government employee missed a paycheck.
With a stroke of his pen Captain Berkowitz ordered everybody to their cabins. His majesty would go on to issue detailed mandates and prohibitions for every activity of crew and passengers.
Emergency Order 9 on May 11, 2020 (Phase
Two) was heartily endorsed by Hizzoner’s majority on the Municipal Assembly
provided a total lockdown.[9]
The largest city in the state was fighting the battle at anchorage. We all then witnessed Mayor Berkowitz’ abrupt resignation effective October 23, 2020 in disgrace, for a “consensual, inappropriate messaging relationship” with a local television anchor. [10]
The soap opera continued with an
unelected Acting Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson picking up the effort with
EO-15 on November 25, 2020. It contained 5-1/2 pages of renewed “Hunker Down”
emergency mandate clarifications. This was getting easier because so many
businesses had already been shut down to never return, although some were still
trying to stay viable. On January 18, 2021 Acting Mayor Quinn-Davidson issued
EO-18 “Easing Up.”
Eagle River/Chugiak was far enough away to miss direct fire from the Municipality of Anchorage as she floundered, while our two representatives on the 11-member Assembly attempted to bring reason to deliberations.
Anchorage population: 291,538
State population: 737,438 = 39.6% of the state lives in Anchorage.
https://datausa.io/profile/geo/anchorage-ak/
Matanuska-Susitna Borough
population: 103,464 = 14% of the state population.
https://datausa.io/profile/geo/matanuska-susitna-borough-ak#demographics
State Covid-19 cases as shown above: 54,282.
Anchorage Cases: 25,582 = 47% of state cases in Anchorage.
Matsu cases: 7946 = 14% of state
cases in Matsu Borough.
With 39.6% of the population Anchorage had 47% of cases. With 14% of the state population, Matsu Borough had 14% of cases.
Finally, state deaths from covid-19 have been 280 souls. Anchorage deaths are 152, which equals 54% of the state total. With 31 recorded deaths Matsu Borough had 11% of the deaths. A review of the Muni.org webpage will reveal a very complicated array of means to expand government with CARES Relief funds. Matsu Borough relief funds went primarily to local business and individuals.
Recovery of the frigate Municipality of Anchorage is
going to be difficult and the spectacle has been regrettable as local residents were shut out of Assembly meetings and cut off for having views differing from local elected officials.
From the song by Grateful Dead:
Ship of fools on a cruel sea
Ship of fools sail away from me
It was later than I thought when I
first believed you
Now I cannot share your laughter,
ship of fools
References:
[1] Britannica, T. Editors of
Encyclopaedia (2014, July 20). Ship of the line. Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/technology/ship-of-the-line
[2] Anchorage Daily News, Flight With US Evacuees…, January
29, 2020
[3] COVID-29 HEALTH MANDATE, March 13, 2020
http://dhss.alaska.gov/News/Documents/press/2020/SOA_03132020_COVID-19_HealthMandate.pdf
[4] Dunleavy looks Back on One Year of COVID-19 with 3rd
State of the State address, January 28,2021
https://gov.alaska.gov/newsroom/2021/01/28/dunleavy-looks-back-on-one-year-of-covid-19/
[5] Dunleavy Emergency Health Orders, 11/15/20
https://covid19.alaska.gov/health-order/
[6] Emergency Health Order 1 links
Appendix to Order 1
[7] Governor Dunleavy Introduces Bill to Extend Public Health
Disaster, January 25, 2021
[8] Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2017, January
26). Frigate. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/technology/frigate
[9] Municipality
of Anchorage, Proclamation of Emergency Order 09, May 11, 2020
[10] Berkowitz Resigns as Mayor
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