• • •

The weather.

Snow likely. Snow

accumulation of about

1 inch. Mostly cloudy;

chance of snow in the

evening, then partly

cloudy after midnight.

High today .............. 10

Low tonight ............ -6

Aurora forecast.

Auroral activity will be

active. Weather per-

mitting, active auroral

displays will be visible

overhead from Utqiagvik

to Anchorage.

This information is provided

by aurora forecasters at the

Geophysical Institute at the

University of Alaska Fairbanks.

For more information about

the aurora, visit http://www.

gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast

GOOD MORNING

SOURDOUGH JACK:

“This is as close as I get to polar bears.”

Classified » B8-10 | Comics » B5 | Dear Abby » B6 | Food » B4 | Markets » B7 | Obituaries » A7, A9, A10 | Opinion » A8 INSIDE

Nanooks men’s basketball falls again; swan song for Great Alaska Shootout. » B1Inside Today

One dollar newsminer.comWEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2017

T H E V O I C E O F I N T E R I O R A L A S K A

WEATHER » A9

LNG accord will ‘open up Alaska’

By Erin GrangerEGRANGER@NEWSMINER.COM

Alaska Gov. Bill Walker on Tuesday released details of the joint agreement with China for a proposed liquefied natural gas pipeline in Alaska. The agree-ment was signed in Beijing ear-lier this month.

Walker said this is the closest the state has been to a deal of this magnitude.

“This is the first time we’ve

ever had market participation,” Walker said. “The two most crit-ical pieces of an LNG project is the gas and the market.”

The difference from past gas line attempts, Walker said, is that now the agreement has a banker, a buyer and an investor in the Bank of China, the fourth largest bank in the world; Sino-pec, the world’s largest oil com-pany; and the China Investment Corp. Walker said that having support from both China’s Pres-ident Xi JinPing as well as Pres-ident Donald Trump adds to the feasibility of the project.

“China is the largest resource consumer in the world,” Walker said. “It’s a large project, with large companies and large ben-

efits to Alaska and China.”Walker said China looks at

energy projects in the long term,

in increments of as many as 100 years.

Alaska Gasline Development

Corp. President Keith Meyer said this works out well with Alaska’s resources.

“President Xi said China has 100 years of LNG demand and we said Alaska has 100 years of LNG supply,” Meyer said.

Walker discusses long road to deal with China

LNG » A10

Alaska Gov. Bill Walker, left, and Keith Meyer, president of Alaska Gasline Development Corporation, meet with officials from China Investment Corporation to discuss the Alaska LNG pipeline project during their most recent trip to China. PHOTO COURTESY

THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE

Man gets 3 years for zip tie attackBy Dorothy ChomiczDCHOMICZ

@NEWSMINER.COM

A man accused of

strangling his estranged girlfriend with zip ties and locking her in a storage shed was sen-tenced to three years in prison Wednesday after taking a plea deal.

Russell Troy Sandlin, 55, of Delta Junction, was charged with fel-ony second-degree assault and felony kid-napping after the May 7 incident, which the woman said happened at a trucking company for whom they worked. Sandlin pleaded guilty to the assault charge and was sentenced to eight years with five suspended, leaving three years to serve. The kidnapping charge was dropped.

According to a crim-inal complaint filed in Fairbanks court, the woman told Alaska State Troopers she and Sandlin had been in an on-and-off relationship for 15 years and were currently estranged. She said Sandlin lured her out into the truck-

ing yard and placed a large, electrical cable zip tie around her neck. Sandlin asked the woman if she was seeing anyone and told her if she didn’t talk to him she wasn’t going to walk out alive, accord-ing to the complaint.

T he woman to ld troopers Sandlin tossed her over his shoulder, took her inside a stor-age shed and threw her on the ground. Sandlin put a second zip tie around her neck and tightened both of them every time she didn’t answer a question to his satisfaction, accord-ing to her statements. She said Sandlin threat-ened to bury her alive and that they struggled as she tried to loosen the zip ties. The woman said she was able to put her fingers between her neck and the zip ties so she could breathe.

S a n d l i n l e f t h e r locked in the shed for several minutes before c o m i n g b a c k a n d removing the zip ties, according to the com-plaint.

STATE OF GRACE

BACKING MOORE

ATTACK » A10

An ornament hangs on a Christmas tree at a tree decorating event honoring Grace Schaible on Tuesday afternoon at the University of Alaska Museum of the North. Schaible’s family donated her personal collection of Christmas and holiday ornaments, many of them polar bear-themed, to the museum. Friends, community members and museum employees celebrated the donation by using the ornaments to decorate a 12-foot tree in the museum lobby as a way to honor Schaible, who died earlier this year. ERIC ENGMAN/NEWS-MINER

FCC chief to scrap ‘net neutrality’

MENLO PARK, CALIF. — The chairman of the Federal Communica-tions Commission set out Tuesday to scrap rules around open inter-net access, a move that would allow giant cable and telecom companies to throttle broadband speeds and favor their

own services if they wish.A j i t Pa i f o l l o w e d

through on a pledge to try to repeal “net neutral-ity” regulations enact-ed under the Obama administration. The cur-rent rules treat internet service providers such as Comcast, AT&T and Ver-izon as if they were util-ity companies that pro-vide essential services, like electricity. The rules mandate that they give

equal access to all online content and apps.

Pai said those rules dis-

courage investments that could provide even better and faster online access. Instead, he said new rules would force ISPs to be transparent about their services and management policies, and then would let the market decide.

By Ryan Nakashima and Michael LiedtkeAP TECHNOLOGY WRITERS

Pai

What ‘net neutrality’ — and losing it — means for consumers. » B7

Panelists talk bridging divides at Natives forumBy Kevin BairdKBAIRD@NEWSMINER.COM

A panel discussed con-cerns that divide some Alaska Native communi-ties Tuesday during the second day of the Trib-al Government Sympo-sium at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

“It was real ly about harnessing our collec-tive power and not put-ting boundaries on our people ,” sa id Andrea Sanders, co-organizer of the event and director

of Alaska Native policy at First Alaskans Insti-tute. “What’s the poten-tial for power if we quit dividing ourselves?”

Sanders said she has been asked on multiple occasions, “Are you tribal or corporate?” She said the mindset of tribal loyalty vs. loyalty to Native corpora-tions divides people and their powers to accom-plish.

“How do we evolve past this?” she asked.

FORUM » A10

FCC » A10

President Donald Trump all but endorsed embattled Alabama Republican Senate nominee Roy Moore on Tuesday, saying vot-ers must not support Moore’s “liberal” rival. Trump didn’t explicitly say he was endors-ing Moore, but he said with emphasis, “We don’t need a liberal person in there. ... We don’t need somebody who’s soft on crime like Jones.” Read the story on page B7.AP PHOTO/EVAN VUCCI

Wednesday, November 22, 2017 Fairbanks Daily News-MinerA10

Michelle Tirrell

After a long and heroic bat-tle with cancer, Michelle Tir-rell chose to come home and spend her final days in Alaska with her family and friends. She passed away at her home Nov. 6, 2017, surrounded by those she loved.

Michelle was born Jan. 15, 1970, in Seattle. She attend-ed college in California and

earned a mas-ter’s degree in Washington. She fell in love with the sim-ple Alaskan lifestyle during her many visits to Alaska to spend time with her sister, Danielle, and niece and neph-ew, Deriene and Bremner Nickisch. Sixteen years ago, she chose to make Alaska her

home. Michelle worked at Fairbanks Community Mental Health and Fairbanks Memo-rial Hospital as a licensed clinical social worker. She was driven by a deep desire to help the overlooked and vulnerable in our community.

The light of Michelle’s life was her daughter, Azielle. Complet-ing her family was her partner, Jim Lee. Azielle, Jim and their two dogs were Michelle’s dream family, and she liked nothing

more than exploring the beauty of Alaska with them. Michelle was a seasoned world traveler and she brought her sense of wonder and excitement and, often, her mom, Terry, with her on her many adventures. She also loved spending time in her garden, bird-watching and taking on any and all crafts and home projects. She was our family’s Alaskan version of Mar-tha Stewart.

Please join Michelle’s friends

and family at a celebration of her life from 4-6 p.m. Wednes-day, Nov. 29, in the McGown Room at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.

Arrangements were entrust-ed to Blanchard Family Funer-al Home, 482-3232. Online condolences may be sent to blanchardfamilyfuneralhome.com.Please visit www.legacy.com/

obituaries/newsminer to sign an

online guest book.

M-F 8am to 5pm

Call for Appointments452-2178

1867 Airport Way, Suite 130B

U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group will help you:

• Minimize injuries• Decrease overall costs• Maximize employee productivity and safety• Establish and maintain OSHA compliance• Facilitate employer control over the workenvironment

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F12525645

Chena Slough ElodeaOpenHouse

Eradicating the invasiveaquaticweedelodea in interiorAlaska

Elodea is an invasive aquatic weed that has infested Chena

Slough, Chena Lake, parts of the Chena River, and Totcha-

ket Slough in interior Alaska. Come learn about the prog-

ress made in treating elodea infestations in Chena Slough

and the Chena River this summer, and future steps towards

eradicating elodea in interior Alaska.

Location: North Pole City Hall, 125 Snowman Lane,North Pole, AK 99705

Stop by anytime from 4-7 pm for a public

Open House on Wednesday, November 29th, 2017.

For more information:

www.fairbankssoilwater.org • 907-479-1213 Ext. 104

ATTENTION

COLLEGE UTILITIES &

GOLDEN HEART UTILITIES

WATER CUSTOMERS

WATERCIRCULATINGPUMPS

willbeactivatedWednesday,

November15,2017through

Friday,December8,2017

Customers with private circulating pumps

should activate them now to prevent freeze-ups.

The water may become discolored for a day or so.

WATER CONSUMPTION IS NOT HARMFUL.

However, use caution when washing light colored clothing

If discoloration persists for more than a day,

call your water company at 479-3118.

F12525751

Tirrell

INTERIOR/ALASKA

Obituaries are provided as written by the family of the deceased or by a funeral home. Obituary submission guidelines and pricing information are available online at www.newsminer.com/site/forms. Or call

the News-Miner at 459-7572 for assistance.

OBITUARIES Continued from Page A9

“So it’s really a beautiful marriage.”

In addition to acquir-ing a reliable source of natural gas, China’s trade balance will be off-set by $8 billion to $10 billion a year as part of the deal, Walker not-ed. Emissions in China will also be reduced by approximately 80 mil-lion tons per year by switching from their current reliance on coal to a cleaner burning gas, he added.

Walker said the effort gained momentum in April when Xi stopped in Anchorage on his way back to China from a meeting with Trump in Washington. Walker met with Xi to discuss Alas-ka energy and potential

trade relationships. Vice President Mike

Pence visited Anchor-a g e a b o u t a w e e k after Xi’s visit, during which Walker and oth-er officials provided more information on the pipeline proposal. This was followed the next month with an announcement from the White House express-ing interest in the U.S selling LNG to China, Walker said.

In June, Walker vis-ited the White House with a group of other governors to pitch their respective state’s energy projects. It was at this point Trump showed interest in the project, Walker said.

Since then, Walker and other state officials have attended several meetings in Washington and China before the

most recent trip at the beginning of November.

According to the joint agreement, China will purchase and us ing about three-quarters of the gas produced in Alaska. The other 25 percent will be shipped t o r e g i o n a l b u y e r s , Walker said.

T h i s m a y b e n e f i t areas such as Fairbanks, Walker said. The Fair-banks area has some of the worst area quality in the nation during some of the colder winter months.

On a larger scale , the benefits to Alaska include the creation of 10,000 to 12,000 jobs during construction of the gas line and $1 bil-lion to $2 billion of rev-enue to the state each year.

Walker emphasized that Alaska will main-

tain a controlling inter-est in the line. Meyer elaborated.

“Right now, AGDC is 100 percent own-er,” Meyer said. “We’re talking to the China folks about being an investor in the project, but they would be a minority investor, not a controlling investor.”

Meyer said the state can look forward to definitive agreements by the end of next year.

“This is just the begin-n i n g ,” Wa l ke r s a i d . “We talked about other resources we had and they’re certainly inter-ested in other resources like oil and mining. It’s going to open up Alas-ka like we’ve never seen before.”

Contact staff writer Erin

Granger at 459-7544. Follow

her on Twitter:

@FDNMPolitics.

LNGContinued from A1

FCCContinued from A1

The woman had zip tie-shaped red marks on her neck and blisters on her pinkies consistent with her account, according to the complaint.Contact staff writer Dorothy Chomicz at 459-7582. Follow

her on Twitter:

@FDNMcrime.

ATTACKContinued from A1

FORUMContinued from A1

Karen Linnell, board member of Ahtna Corp., said a tribe’s values should be reflected in Native corporations.

“Without that we’d be just another corpora-tion,” Linell said. “The work we do reflects our values.”

As an example, Lin-nell said Ahtna cares deeply for its people’s fishing and hunting rights so it defends those rights and sets legislative

priorities accordingly. Loren Peterson, presi-

dent and CEO of Azach-orok, said oppressors like to see infighting among Native communities. He suggested the money used in litigating amongNative entities could be diverted toward solving real prob-lems. Peterson said each tribe’s elders know how to properly resolve conflicts, and their wisdom should be used.

“Let’s not waste money on lawyers,” he said. Let’s solve this.”

Peterson also said elders can guide corpo-

rations as they work to serve their shareholders.

“Sometimes we get caught up in making money. Elders are here to remind us of who we are and where we came from,” he said.

Sanders later said the three-hour panel brought out great ideas. Since Western culture arrived in Alaska, she said, Native communi-ties have been unneces-sarily split. She said the discussion was about “peel ing back those false divisions” so that no decisions should harm

Alaska Native commu-nities.

The Tribal Govern-ment Symposium con-cludes today. There will be a shared breakfast at 8 a.m. in the ballroom at the Wood Center at UAF. Wilson Justin will deliver the opening remarks at 9 a.m., and a work session on “Bridge Building, Our Path Forward” begins at 9:15 a.m. Anna Frank, a Koyukon elder will give the closing remarks at 11 a.m.

Contact staff writer Kevin

Baird at 459-7575. Follow him

on Twitter: @FDNMcity.

FairbanksCommunity

Freely given foodGiven freely

A United Way of the Tanana Valley Member Agency

72

5 26th Avenue • 4

52-7

76

1

“Under my proposal, the federal government will stop micromanaging the internet,” Pai said in a statement.

Pai distributed his alter-native plan to other FCC commissioners Tuesday in preparation for a Dec. 14 vote. Pai promised to release his entire proposal Wednesday. Although the FCC’s two Democrats said they will oppose the pro-posal, the repeal is likely to prevail as Republicans dominate 3-2. The vote for net neutrality in 2015 was also along party lines,

but Democrats dominated then.

Equal treatment for all web traffic has been a fundamental principle of the internet since its creation but companies have increasingly put their thumb on the scales of access. AT&T, for exam-ple, doesn’t count use of its streaming service DirecTV Now against wireless data caps, potentially mak-ing it seem cheaper to its cellphone customers than rival TV services. Rivals would have to pay AT&T for that privilege.

Regulators, consumer advocates and some tech companies are concerned that repealing net neu-

trality will give ISPs even more power to block or slow down rival offerings.

A repeal also opens the ability for ISPs to charge a company like Netflix for a faster path to its custom-ers. Allowing this paid-pri-ority market to exist could skew prices and create winners and losers among fledgling companies that require a high-speed con-nection to end users.

Pai, who was appoint-ed by President Donald Trump, said in an inter-view on Fox News Radio that Trump did not have any input on his proposal. Asked whether deregula-tion would result in high-er prices and put speedy

internet access out of the reach of blue-collar Amer-icans, Pai said “it’s going to mean exactly the oppo-site.”

“These heavy-handed regulations have made it harder for the private sector to build out the net-works especially in rural America,” Pai said.

In a Wall Street Journal editorial published Tues-day, Pai cited a report by a nonprofit think tank, the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, that said investment by the dozen largest ISPs fell about 2 percent from 2015 to 2016, to $61 billion. The group didn’t link the drop solely to the stiffer rules

introduced in 2015.The attempt to repeal

net neutrality has trig-gered protests from con-sumer groups and internet companies. A data firm called Emprata that was backed by a telecom indus-try group found in August that after filtering out form letters, the overwhelming majority of comments to the FCC — about 1.8 mil-lion — favored net neu-trality, compared with just 24,000 who supported its repeal.

Carmen Scurato, direc-tor of policy and legal affairs for the National Hispanic Media Coalition, said ISPs’ ability to impose monthly caps on data use

already act to raise prices and limit access. Repeal-ing net neutrality, she said, “is just erecting more bar-riers.”

Among those that will be hit hardest are startups that depend on high-speed internet connections for growth, said Colin Angle, co-founder and CEO of iRobot, maker of the Roomba robot vacuum cleaners. He said his own company wouldn’t be dra-matically affected in the near term, but the nascent robotics industry overall might.

“The need for these robots to consume band-width is certainly on the rise,” Angle said.