Video Clips
Quoted moments from Alaska public meetings, hearings, and press conferences.
Dawn Newman
“For 4 straight months, we didn't get a break in the, in the weather. Families were running out of firewood, and the extreme cold made it difficult to replenish their supply. At the same time, the cost of everything was going up.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Dawn Newman
“Our tribal council worked in partnership with the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and THC to install install wells, plumbing, and sewer boxes in the majority of the houses in Rampart.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Brooke Sanderson
“We've met with them 3 times. Um, each time they have different staff in there, um, and honestly, it's been a really odd experience for me.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Dawn Newman
“The building is old, deteriorating, and even have an exam table that's older than I am.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Dawn Newman
“We've also made some much-needed improvements to our electrical system. For years, we experienced brownouts that damaged our appliances in our home, and replacing an appliance in remote— in a remote village isn't cheap, especially when you add freight costs.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Dawn Newman
“We've worked to keep that route open so our residents can haul larger household necessities like bulk heating fuel, propane appliances, and furniture without paying expensive freight costs But it's also been valuable for our organizations working in Rampart. Fulford Electric was able to drive in their electrical, their electrical poles, hole digging equipment, and bucket truck to complete our power grid improvements.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Rebecca Patterson
“The big thing on here is that on average, it takes BIA right now 18 months to negotiate a lease.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Dawn Newman
“We also had a poor moose hunting season. Only a couple families in Rampart were successful in harvesting a moose last— in the last few years.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Brooke Sanderson
“So in October, they reached out by email and said that they were rejecting our initial, um, proposal for the cost per square footage, um, and that we could either negotiate or submit a waiver.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Dawn Newman
“So our council provided meat boxes from Matt Valley Meats in Wasilla to help families get through the winter. We also assisted residents with firewood and fuel. And we've purchased practical household items to help make everyday life easier. We've provided chainsaws, shovels, chest freezers, and water buckets for every household in Rampart.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Brooke Sanderson
“They sent us some comparable spaces from Fairbanks and Anchorage. We obviously told them that that's not a good comparison to the rural villages. Um, and then in one of the meetings recently, they pulled up, um, the Galena School District website has information on housing options for their teachers, and they were citing the rents for those homes.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Rebecca Patterson
“BIA has issued a lease guidance. And this lease guidance has changed from summer 2025 until the consultation that BIA just had that wrapped up this last October 5 times.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Dawn Newman
“But we've also watched the cost of Starlink continue to rise, and weather can affect our service. That's why we're still looking forward to Doyon's fiber optic project.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Victor Joseph
“We're collectively working together now to make sure that none of us start looking at agreeing to a rate that is below the fair market value for us. And that's what's going to be really important because we don't want them to say to us, well, they just did it, and so these are the dollars that we're going to be allowing you to. So Loudoun and Tanana has agreed to work collectively together”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Brooke Sanderson
“So that's kind of where we're at right now, and we're a little bit at a standstill.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Rebecca Patterson
“I think the frustration so far has been the lack of any justifiable reason for why they're declining the amounts that have been proposed.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Rebecca Patterson
“And they draw a circle, say, well, Fairbanks is only 100-and-something miles away, and in Fairbanks, that building would be $35 a square foot. So clearly, $35 a square foot is reasonable. All of you know that things in your village do not cost the same as they cost in Fairbanks, but BIA questions that right now.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Dawn Newman
“Another thing our council has done is purchase Starlink systems for every household in Rampart. Reliable communication is a necessity, especially in a remote village.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Dawn Newman
“We also know how important it is to have a good clinic right here at home. Our current clinic was built back in the 1980s, and quite frankly, it needs to be torn down.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Dawn Newman
“Not the type of gravel needs for construction. That might not sound like a major problem, but it's holding up several important projects. We want to build more homes, relocate our transfer site to Four Mile, and finish our ball field.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Rebecca Patterson
“It closed in October. They still have not released the results of that consultation.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Dawn Newman
“And for Thanksgiving, our council purchased a complete holiday meal for every household in Rampart.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Brooke Sanderson
“we feel like it's really important to work together, um, as tribes and with TCC, um, to negotiate the best rate that we can, um, so that, um, like Rebecca said, when they come and look for comparables in the region that we're not, uh, setting the bar too low, um, for everyone.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Rebecca Patterson
“And tribes have definitely been unified in letting BIA know this is not okay. What they're going to do with the results of that consultation remains to be seen.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Dawn Newman
“Housing and our future. Our school has been renovated, and we'd like nothing more to see it filled with children.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Dawn Newman
“But construction in Rampart comes with a challenge, and one of our biggest challenges right now is gravel. Rampart is built on a hill, and what we have available is mostly large boulders and dirt.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Dawn Newman
“Another thing we purchased for our tribal members was survival kits, and these weren't your average little emergency kits. We made sure they were stocked with enough equipment and supplies to help people get through an unexpected situation while traveling.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Rebecca Patterson
“Because it's talking about an apartment over the storefront in this village when there is no apartment over the storefront. Front? And, and the village knows that because you know every building in your village.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Dawn Newman
“As you all know, last winter was brutal in Rampart. We had 120 consecutive days at 40 below or colder.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Dawn Newman
“After 6 years of working to secure suitable land, we're finally getting a new clinic. Thanks to Victor Joseph and Jacqueline Bergstrom.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Victor Joseph
“The 105 program is not a traditional lease but rather a cost agreement that compensates tribes for the operational expenses related to the self-determination contract and self-governmental compacts.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Rebecca Patterson
“They have a backlog of almost 1,800 leases. So many tribes actually submitted their lease proposals in '23 or '24. Now BIA is coming back in '26 and saying, well, we have these new policies we have to apply now. Those weren't even the rules when they submitted their 105L leases.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Dawn Newman
“We now have a new generator house, and Fulford Electric redid our village power grid. One thing that helped make this project possible at a much lower cost was our winter road.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC 2026 Fall Summit - Day One General Session ·
Twyla Krueger
“TCC's Public Safety Department has been in the spotlight recently, with 4 members of our team receiving statewide recognition during the annual Village Public Safety Officer Awards Luncheon in Anchorage last month.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC Weekly Episode 72 ·
Twyla Krueger
“The health of our salmon, our lands, and our communities depend on what we do now. Your voice matters and it carries weight. Join our next Hunting and Fishing Advocacy virtual workshop on November 20th from 11:45 AM to 1:15 PM. This workshop will be specific to the Yukon Tanana management structure and you will develop an understanding of issues facing the subregion. Get the link to the workshop by visiting the TCC Facebook page.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC Weekly Episode 72 ·
Twyla Krueger
“Alaska's wildlife and subsistence way of life are at a turning point.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC Weekly Episode 72 ·
Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC Weekly Episode 71 ·
Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC Weekly Episode 71 ·
Whitney Paulino
“Make a plan to vote on November 3rd and make your voice heard.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC Weekly Episode 70 ·
Whitney Paulino
“Alaska general election is coming up on Tuesday, November 3rd. On this year's ballot is Measure 2, which would repeal Alaska's open primary and ranked choice voting systems. TCC's Executive Board has reaffirmed its support for these systems this election cycle, emphasizing the importance of voter choice, representation, particularly for rural Alaska Native communities. The TCC Executive Board encourages Alaskans to vote no on Ballot Measure 2.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC Weekly Episode 70 ·
Kimberly Nicholas
“You can listen to the recordings of these forums on our YouTube channel at youtube.com/tananachiefs.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC Weekly Episode 69 ·
Kimberly Nicholas
“This year's general election is coming up on Tuesday, November 3rd. Do you know where your candidates stand on the issues most important to you? TCC recently held a series of virtual forums during which federal and state-level candidates answered questions about things like salmon, subsistence, the Ambler Road, and more.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC Weekly Episode 69 ·
Kimberly Nicholas
“This year's general election ballot also includes Ballot Measure 2, which would repeal Alaska's open primary and ranked choice general election system. TCC's executive board approved a resolution in 2024 and again in 2026, supporting Alaska's open primary and ranked choice voting system. TCC believes open primaries give voters more opportunities to support candidates who represent their priorities regardless of political party, while ranked choice voting encourages candidates to appeal to a broader range of Alaskans. For Interior Alaska Native communities, representation matters.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC Weekly Episode 69 ·
Kimberly Nicholas
“Decisions made by elected officials can have significant impacts on issues including subsistence, public safety, infrastructure, healthcare, and the well-being of rural communities. We support a no vote on Ballot Measure 2.”Tanana Chiefs Conference: TCC Weekly Episode 69 ·
Tanana Chiefs Conference: Rural Alaska Candidate Forum - State Candidates ·
Tanana Chiefs Conference: Rural Alaska Candidate Forum - State Candidates ·
Tanana Chiefs Conference: Rural Alaska Candidate Forum - State Candidates ·
Tanana Chiefs Conference: Rural Alaska Candidate Forum - State Candidates ·