The RIF- An Alaskan Podcast: Recent Episodes
Ian Foster
Doug Walrath is the director of NACTEC (Northwestern Career and Technical Education Center). They are a vocational/career educational program based out of Nome, Alaska, servicing the surrounding villages. Doug and his staff have grown and developed the program over the course of a decade to become a force for change and progress in the region. They have a board representing multiple entities/stakeholders in Nome and the surrounding area, and Doug's command of the metrics he/they use to quantify success are interesting. They've effected change the right way in a region that has a lot to consider during the decision process. Disclaimer- Doug and I are friends, and we take a minute to get down to the professional magic he's accomplished. I included it in the edit because its fun, but if you want to get into the meat, it starts at 23:30ish.
Congressman Pruitt took time out of a busy legislative session to join The RIF for a frank discussion about how we got to here, and what its going to take to move forward. Do you believe outside interests shaped Alaskan justice policy? That some saw the writing on the wall but the ship just wouldn't turn? If you're looking to understand SB 91, 54, and the current state of Alaskan justice reform, look no further than Representative Lance Pruitt.
In this 3rd episode in the Alaska Justice Reform series, Ian interviews Nome's newly appointed Police Chief Bob Estes and Nome Police Officer Gray Harrison about life before, during and after legislative justice reform.
Nome is a town of 3500 people. Everyone knows everybody. Nick Harvey worked on the Nome Police Department for 10 years, regularly seeing citizens he had arrested at the grocery store and at the softball field. We talk about life as a small-town cop, the roll-out of Alaska Senate Bill 91/54, and potential opportunities for improvements in future legislative justice reform corrections. ANDDDDDD- Nick answers the question- "Why do they call it a beat?"
Jana Hoggan is a long-time friend and Department of Juvenile Justice Supervisor in charge of the Nome field office which services the Norton Sound Region as well as the Kotzebue region and surrounding villages. Covering an area roughly the size of Georgia with limited resources, limited staff, and limited funds. We talk about DJJ philosophy, how current legislation affects (or doesn't) the work they do, funding, cultural considerations, and differences in how they do their work compared to the adult system.
The RIF podcast is an Alaska-centric conversation about all sorts of stuff in/from/and about the Greatland. We figure you lower-48ans could use some help these days. On this episode, Ian talks with Kevin Busk, a lifelong Alaskan and good dude about life as a teacher in Western Alaska. Kevin is one of the most contagiously happy people ever. Kevin could do anything anywhere and he has chosen to become a professional instructor in Nome, Alaska. As the consummate vagabond drifter he is, Ian has much respect for this. (*Ian has agreed to give a dollar to charity for each and every instance of his voice cracking. Keep count and help the ninos!)