KYUK - Bethel

With more than 46 million people changing their mailing addresses annually, preventing identity fraud and protecting the mail and customer privacy is a huge task. The U.S. Postal Service made some changes early this month that it believes will help.

“Recently, the Postal Service decided to enhance our security protocols surrounding its change of address,” said Postal Service spokesperson James Boxrud.

A change of address now involves verifying identity. Boxrud said that this is designed to combat identity theft. Before this change, if you were moving, you would have to pick up a card at the post office, fill it out and toss it in the mail. The Post Office would process that for you.

“Now it’s changed. If you don’t do it online, you can do it at a at a post office, and you actually have to bring it in with a copy of your driver’s license, state issued ID — something along those lines — for us to do personal, identifiable identification before we go ahead and process it,” Boxrud said.

It can take seven to 10 days for the mail to get caught up with a new address. Boxrud recommends filling out the form early on in the moving process.

“You can backdate it and say, you know, say ‘hey, I’m moving on Aug. 1,’ so you, you would date your change of address card to start forwarding mail on Aug. 1. So that way, all the way through July 31, you’d be getting mail at your house in Bethel. And then it would go ahead and start the forwarding process. And then you get down to your other locations and you should be good,” Boxrud said.

If the change of address is happening after someone moves, Boxrud said that there are a few ways to get it done.

“Go to usps.com. Go to quick tools, change my address, and you can do it online. Again, if the, for whatever reason, the online verification doesn’t go through, then, you know, you’re directed to go to a post office, you go into your new local post office, say, ‘hey, this is me. Here’s my identification. I’m moving from this address in Bethel to Boulder, Colorado, and I need to get my mail’ and then they’ll be able to help you there at the counter,” Boxrud said.

Boxrud said that the new verification process started in July.

Last year, more than 1,600 Alaskans were victims of internet crime, according to FBI data. They were disproportionately older adults and reported losses of more than $17 million.

Current online threats to rural Alaskans are very similar to current online threats to all Americans, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

According to complaint center reports for Alaska in 2022, the top three crimes reported by victims were tech support scams, personal data breaches, and extortion.

FBI Assistant Special Agent Brandon Waddle says data breaches can take many forms.

“As far as personal data breaches, I’m speaking more about leaks or spillage of personal data released from secure locations to untrusted environments, or a security incident in which an individual’s sensitive protected or confidential data is copied, transmitted, viewed, stolen, or used by an unauthorized individual,” Waddle said.

Also high on the list were romance scams.

“We’re talking sort of generically, people engaging in online romance with people in Alaska and never meeting in person, but scamming those people out of money to support their lifestyle outside of Alaska. Or it could be inside of Alaska, but they never meet in person,” Waddle said.

Waddle also said that this is only a reflection of what is reported. There is no data for unreported cybercrimes.

“It’s an embarrassing situation for people and they don’t always report it to us. So while this gives us a good foundation, it only represents probably a portion of what is actually out there,” Waddle said.

There are ways to reduce the risk of being scammed online, by practicing what Waddle calls cyber hygiene. Key points include installing antivirus software, updating a computer’s operating system, and having a healthy dose of common sense.

“I think it is true, the old saying if something looks too good to be true, you know, it probably is. Especially when it comes to internet fraud,” Waddle said.

Waddle warned of unsolicited phone calls, mailings, and door-to-door service offers. He recommended not sending personally identifiable information, money, jewelry, or gift cards.

Waddle also said that people should never give unknown people remote access to devices or accounts. He also reminded people to be careful of downloads and links in emails.

“Think before you link is sort of a thing that we developed here in the FBI several years ago to keep people from linking with individuals they don’t know. Could potentially be scammers on LinkedIn or on Facebook,” Waddle said.

With the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning tools online, and people who have access to them, these scams are likely to happen more often and they’ll probably get more sophisticated too. The FBI warns the public that people are creating synthetic content, better known as deepfakes, where they alter photos or videos to target people. Technology advancements are continuously improving the quality and accessibility of artificial intelligence-enabled content creation.

Waddle said anyone who is scammed should report the crime online to the ICCC.

“It’s basically a self-explanatory process: you walk your way through reporting a crime, you leave your name, the details of the crime. And this database gives the public a reliable and convenient mechanism to report these internet crimes,” Waddle said.

The FBI will analyze and share the information from complaints to the right agency, because other agencies, such as Homeland Security, local law enforcement, or others, could be involved. Waddle stressed that by reporting internet crime victims are not only alerting law enforcement to the activity, but aiding in the overall fight against cybercrime.

“I think it’s important to know that if it’s happening in rural Alaska, it’s probably happening in other places in America. And the more reports we get, even from rural Alaska, allows us to aggregate more information from across the nation, allows us to see trends and better be able to go after the cyber perpetrator,” Waddle said.

In April, Aniak resident Amanda Hoeldt’s electricity bill was $381.95. In May, it was more than $1,100.

“We were very shocked at the price of the power bill because we have a propane stove, we have a wood fireplace,” Hoeldt said. “And, like, it’s April, June. So it’s not like we’re in the middle of January where we have lights on all the time or, like, running the furnace or the water heater or that sort of stuff.”

At Aniak’s school, the electricity bill went from around $7,700 to almost $24,000.

“Just honestly, like, I’m standing in my district office right now and all the lights are off. We’re all working in the dark,” said Madeline Aguillard, superintendent of the Kuspuk School District.

Residents and organizations across Aniak were shocked when their electricity bills quadrupled in May — and that they weren’t officially notified beforehand. The sole warning was posted on the village’s main Facebook page from the personal account of the Aniak Light & Power Company’s president, Darlene Holmberg. She wrote that because of fuel prices, bills were going to be increased by four times or more. Then the post was deleted.

Holmberg did not return multiple calls from KYUK or an email requesting comment.

“I didn’t really pay that much attention to it,” Hoeldt said. “Because, like, it was just a post on Facebook, and kind of just went on with my life. And then we got the power bill.”

As people in the community wrapped their heads around their bills, some started using lanterns; some didn’t pay. People unplugged devices and limited screen time. Some are considering moving.

Dave Diehl owns the Hound House, a local restaurant in a log cabin that he opened in 1994. They run three refrigerators, a big stove, small stove, dough mixer, and an air fryer. He mentioned the region’s compounding cost of energy.

“Gasoline is almost nine bucks a gallon up here. Diesel fuel is almost nine bucks a gallon up here,” Diehl said.

He’s hopeful because the community is resilient. He said that he won’t change prices until he has to, but he also said that this is the biggest hurdle in their 30 years. Right now, they’re not making money. If their power bill continues at this rate, they only have one option.

“Close down, I guess,” Diehl said. “I don’t know. It’s not, we can’t just be working and making a couple of bucks a week.”

More than 10 people reached out to the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, the organization that regulates public utilities in the state. Aniak Light & Power, as a private firm and the sole power provider for the village of about 500 people, had to submit filings to the commission before it could raise its rates.

Diehl and other residents tried to dig in and call the commission, but they ran into regulatory code and calculations.

“The thing is, you got to be real educated. You got to be real computer skookum to get your messages across,” Diehl said.

The regulatory commission suggested three key reasons that the cost increased by so much this May.

The first and primary explanation was due to the increase in the fuel costs, which went up by 50%. Residents questioned why their bills then went up by 400%, and why neighboring communities hadn’t seen similar changes.

Steven Jones, a spokesman for the commission, said utility rates can rise to retroactively account for major expenses.

“So sometimes it’s a little bit difficult for people to understand that that is not immediate,” he said. “They say, ‘hey, this is a good break. Now, we should be charged a good price.’ It’s because their utility’s recovering the cost of something that occurred in the past, in some cases, so this better price is not necessarily there yet.”

The second reason is that the utility expects sales to go down in the next few months. The third is that Aniak Light & Power’s finances show a big difference between what it’s spending versus what it is making and it’s hard to pin down exactly why.

The company’s financial deficit started in September, based on records Aniak Light & Power provided to the commission after repeated requests in April.

The records also showed that in 2023, the company’s line loss, or the power lost during transmission and distribution, which customers pay for, frequently surpassed the 12% maximum recommended by the state.

In mid-April, Holmberg wrote a letter to the commission saying the company had again found a discrepancy between how much fuel inventory it was supposed to have and how much it actually had.

The details are little help to the people struggling with the price increases. Big customers include Aniak stores, restaurants, the airport, the post office and the school.

Aguillard, the superintendent, said that the new rate is unaffordable for the draft budget for next year. Though it’s the Kuspuk School District’s hub, Aniak is just one of its nine schools spread across seven villages.

“But we had projected that we were going to budget $380,000 for utilities,” Aguillard said. “However, at a rate of $25,000 a pop, Aniak alone will consume that.”

With this new cost, she’s afraid that they’re going to have to make cuts.

“It’s personnel. It’s personnel that would take the hit,” Aguillard said. “And that’s what we’re afraid of. And we’ve worked really, really hard to keep these positions. To keep the minimal positions that we have.”

The district doesn’t have electives or music or art, but teaches a core curriculum and has a tele-social worker. Staff have already seen an enrollment decline, and now more families are talking about moving.

The higher rates are also affecting the district’s summer school classes. Officials sent a district-wide memo urging employees to turn lights off, as well as unplug microwaves and other devices after use.

“Like, a little bit micromanaging,” Aguillard said. “But it all adds up and it all, I mean, at this rate it’s not, you know, cents on the dollar. Is it dollars that, you know, turning off the light is gonna affect?”

The power company doesn’t foresee a change in the prices over the next months. The commission has requested that the company file updates more frequently and advises residents to keep monitoring the commission’s website.

Some residents still don’t think that will lead to much. Marcus Tanner says the latest complaint he’s filed with the commission is his fourth.

“We have a history. Back in 2018, I had to leave here because they pretty much ran me out of my house,” Tanner said. “And every winter since I’ve been here, like 13 years now, people have these insane high bills. And it’s, like, random people.”

This month, Tanner’s bill went up from around $400 to $4,000.

“Went up 10 times,” Tanner said. “And the first thing [an Aniak Light & Power representative] said is, ‘Well, it’s going to be more expensive next month.’”

Tanner is hoping something will change before he has to leave Aniak.

Without links to the U.S. road system, it takes longer for cars to find their way to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Cars are shipped in on the barges or, for a higher price, flown in.

Although there are new models around, the region tends to rely on used cars, and it’s common to see retro cars and trucks parked in lots with broken windows. With icy conditions followed by pothole-ridden gravel roads, some call it “where cars come to die.”

But car lovers and fixer-uppers see something else: a unique hodgepodge of vehicles. Seeing a Tesla or the latest truck brings an extra delight.

This year, Alaska State Trooper Zack Huckstep decided that he wanted to bring together Bethel’s unique collection of vehicles. He has organized Bethel’s first auto show to take place in July.

From noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 22, Bethel will host its first auto show: the Tundra Motor Show, Huckstep’s brainchild. He hopes to showcase between 10 and 20 cars.

“We’re looking for anybody to come out, enjoy the show. Learn a little bit about vehicles, all makes and models,” Huckstep said. “All are welcome to come and get people like-minded, interested in both old and new cars.”

Huckstep hopes that the event will also put local car lovers in touch, create a network for people to learn about the process of rebuilding and renovating cars, and build a community to reach out to when they’re looking for help, expertise, or tools to make the most of what they have.

“I’m hoping that it sparks some interest in the community, not only for vehicle maintenance and getting some of some of the really cool old vehicles I’ve seen in people’s yards or stuck in the woods,” he said. “Maybe some people can get interest, develop some knowledge, and link up with people that know how to do this stuff. Because they’re normally excited about once you put all the elbow grease into putting all the effort into a vehicle.”

Huckstep doesn’t really know which cars to expect, but he anticipates an Italian sports car, a yellow 1940s truck, an International Scout, and various cars, Jeeps and trucks from the ’40s, ’70s, and ’80s.

Huckstep has his own 1971 vehicle: a long-bed Toyota flatbed truck, commonly known as a “ute.”

“I’m the one that drives around the big brown truck with no doors on it.” Huckstep said.

A local church donated their black food truck for the day. Staff at the NAPA Auto Parts store have volunteered their parking lot for the show, where people can vote for various categories such as Kids’ Choice and Best Truck.

“Sometimes it’s pretty fun to go show it off,” Huckstep said. “So at the end of this, my vision would be to have all the vehicles be able to drive up and down the highway. Not necessarily a parade, but to be able to cruise up and down the highway with all the old vehicles.”

Huckstep’s not quite sure how the event will go, who will show up, or who won’t. He can imagine it may just be him in a parking lot, or it might be packed. He’s excited to find out.

If Huckstep can win anything, he hopes it’s for best truck or best four-wheeler. Maybe somebody will even have a pair of doors for a 1971 Toyota long-bed.

The number of Kuskokwim River tribes challenging the federal permits for the Donlin Gold project in court has doubled from three to six. They say that the process was flawed and that tribal consultation was inadequate. They want the court to order the federal government to take a closer look.

On June 7, the Chevak Native Village joined other Yukon-Kuskokwim tribes in their federal lawsuit challenging the proposed Donlin Gold mine.

“You know, it’s just something that we’ve been involved with all along is this opposition of one of the world’s greatest, biggest, most open pit mines that’s proposed upstream or upriver from the Kuskokwim River,” said Second Chief and Councilmember of Chevak Native Council Richard Slats.

The Chevak Native Village, along with other tribes, is requesting more scrutiny of the Donlin project to ensure protection of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta ecosystem and the natural resources they depend on for their existence and traditional ways of life. Slats does not think that there was sufficient Tribal consultation.

“And the majority of this has mostly been through the environmental impact statement that was approved, and then mostly that without adequate consultation to the tribes after the final, and it’s moving forward,” Slats said.

There are 56 tribal communities in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, including 13 downriver that could be directly affected if something went wrong at the massive project.

Tribal leaders say that what happens at the Donlin mine has the potential to affect the entire Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, including coastal communities like Chevak, and the fish and wildlife resources people in the region depend on for their existence. Slats said that dwindling salmon stocks within the region highlight the need to protect the entire ecosystem, including salmon and smelt habitat.

The lawsuit targets flaws in environmental and subsistence studies. It alleges that permits for the mine are deficient in many areas. Slats said that when the final environmental impact statement for Donlin came out in 2012, only selected villages were afforded the opportunity to consult.

“Not all of the villages were consulted. Final EIS came out in 2018 with 10,668 pages with 30 days of comment period,” Slats said.

Donlin disagrees. The company responded with a press release which pointed out that it has held hundreds of public meetings to encourage open engagement and create opportunities for residents of the region to share their concerns and questions.

“We have a longstanding history of investing in the region’s communities to share our values of safety, environmental stewardship, community wellness, cultural preservation, and education,” the company wrote in the release.

The court challenge, if successful, would invalidate key permitting documents and authorizations for the mine and would require federal agencies to identify and require measures to prevent predicted harm to rainbow smelt from Donlin’s barges.

If built, the proposed mine would include a vast and deep open pit, a 316-mile buried natural gas pipeline, a processing plant, waste rock and tailing storage facilities, water treatment and power plants, dams and reservoirs, and transportation infrastructure including airstrips, access roads, a port expansion in Bethel, and a barge corridor along the Kuskokwim River.

There are now six tribes suing in federal court to halt Donlin, represented by Earthjustice. The three original plaintiffs were Orutsararmiut Native Council, Tuluksak Native Community, and the Organized Village of Kwethluk. Three tribes joined as plaintiffs in the amended complaint filed this week: Native Village of Eek, Native Village of Kwigillingok, and Chevak Native Village.

As the fishing season on the Kuskokwim River kicks off, many communities are still reeling from the effects of spring breakup flooding.

This is especially true in the upper Kuskokwim community of Crooked Creek, where in mid-May residents found themselves on the wrong side of a 15-mile-long ice jam that inundated homes, led to a significant loss of stored food, and washed away critical fishing gear. For now, Crooked Creek villagers still have a long way to go to get back on their feet.

Located about 200 miles up the Kuskokwim River from Bethel, Crooked Creek is no stranger to severe breakup flooding. In 2011, the village of fewer than 100 people saw what was characterized as a 100-year flood: so severe that it only had a 1% chance of occurring in any given year.

This year’s flooding was even worse, according to Alaska-Pacific River Forecast Center meteorologist Mike Ottenweller.

“We estimate that the flood exceeded the 2011 floods by approximately 4 to 5 feet,” Ottenweller said.

Residents only had about 18 hours to brace for the deluge.

“That rise, 16 feet, actually happened pretty much from Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning,” Ottenweller said. “Because of the conditions with the ice, and also the colder than normal temperatures and the higher than normal snowpack through the spring, all those things came together to create this pretty significant, potentially historic event.”

Amid a state natural disaster declaration, an alphabet soup of organizations came to the aid of the community including the American Red Cross, Alaska Organized Militia, Salvation Army, Samaritan’s Purse, Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP), and Donlin Gold.

While on-site responders have largely departed, the state will continue to coordinate efforts to rebuild Crooked Creek throughout the summer. Severe damage and power outages have cost the village a large percentage of its stored subsistence foods.

“We’ve been providing a lot of shelf-stable foods to people, but those aren’t the traditional foods that people in that area prefer,” Jeremy Zidek, a spokesperson with the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said. “And we understand that it’s a hardship that they can’t eat these foods that they gathered themselves from their area.”

Crooked Creek Tribal President Julia Zaukar has been working around the clock to address the community’s needs.

“The gentlemen who didn’t lose any boats, before the beaver season ended they went out and did beaver hunting so they could supply the food for the shelter. And the families who were on higher ground donated moose meat and fish, but that is all running low now,” Zaukar said. “And so we’re trying to make good with what we have. We’re doing okay, but it’s just very, very stressful.”

Zaukar said that the flood had washed away much of the community’s fishing gear, including boats, dip nets, and three fish wheels. She called into a recent Kuskokwim River salmon management meeting to plead with state fisheries managers to immediately open the river to driftnet fishing to replenish community food stores. This came during a five-day period known as a front-end closure intended to protect king and chum salmon stocks. But Zaukar said that she couldn’t see the justification.

“For us to be closed right now it’s very hard because we need the fish more now to help feed the community and the sheefish and the white fish are there. There’s no salmon this far up,” Zaukar said. “And we would be able to use that fish for the main course of the meals instead of having to try and gather food from, like, Anchorage, you know, different organizations that are helping us.”

Zaukar praised the help coming from around the state to Crooked Creek, but said that she was hopeful that a federal disaster declaration would come and bring additional support.

“Families are living in the school gym. Thank goodness for the Kuspuk School District for allowing us to use it as a shelter feeding station,” Zaukar said. “And we do have three tents set up right now. We’re waiting for AVCP to send more tents because families are living with families. And, you know, that’s pretty rough right now. Thank goodness we did not lose anybody to the flood.”

As Crooked Creek rebuilds, severely affected communities over on the Yukon River are doing the same. According to Zidek there has been no shortage of challenges offered up by Mother Nature.

“We’ve had a very busy couple years. In 2022 we had 14 state-declared disasters and six federal,” Zidek said. “If we look back to 1978 we average about five disasters per year. So 14 is really a big bump for us.”