04/10/2025 01:30 PM Senate TRANSPORTATION

             SB 152-HAROLD ESMAILKA AIRPORT AT RUBY                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:58:24 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  BJORKMAN   reconvened  the   meeting  and   announced  the                                                               
consideration  of  SENATE BILL  NO.  152  "An Act  renaming  Ruby                                                               
Airport  as  Harold  Esmailka  Airport;   and  providing  for  an                                                               
effective date."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:58:43 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  MIKE  CRONK,  District   R,  Alaska  State  Legislature,                                                               
Juneau,  Alaska,  said SB  152  would  honor Harold  Esmailka  by                                                               
renaming  the  Ruby Airport.  He  paraphrased  from the  article,                                                               
"Legends in  Alaska Aviation: Harold Esmailka"  by Brice Banning.                                                               
He highlighted many of  Mr. Esmailka's accomplishments, including                                                               
the  more  than  50  years   he  was  dedicated  to  serving  his                                                               
community.  Mr.  Esmailka  worked to  provide  aviation  services                                                               
(including  medivac  flights) to  roughly  80  villages over  the                                                               
course of his  career. He shared several  anecdotes to illustrate                                                               
the importance of  Mr. Esmailka's role in the  community. He said                                                               
the proposal  to rename  the airport  has received  a significant                                                               
amount of support.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
2:01:16 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN announced invited testimony on SB 152.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:01:23 PM                                                                                                                    
CHARLIE  GREEN, Chief,  Louden  Tribal  Council, Galena,  Alaska,                                                               
said he is  also on the Tanana Chiefs  Conference (TCC) executive                                                               
board  for  the  Yukon  Koyukuk   subregion.  He  emphasized  the                                                               
importance   of  recognizing   community  leaders   during  their                                                               
lifetime. He  pointed out that Mr.  Esmailka is 96 years  old. He                                                               
stated that  Mr. Esmailka is a  strong role model for  leaders in                                                               
the  subregion  and a  strong  Native  man.  He shared  that  Mr.                                                               
Esmailka has  broken the cycle  of addiction and  substance abuse                                                               
in all  forms. He opined that  this is one of  the most important                                                               
accomplishments for Native men. He  stated that Mr. Esmailka is a                                                               
strong  role model  for  all Alaskans,  but  most profoundly  for                                                               
Alaskan Native  youth. He said  it is a  gift to honor  those who                                                               
are  most  deserving,  particularly  now, when  the  world  seems                                                               
chaotic  and  unstable.  He   briefly  described  Mr.  Esmailka's                                                               
lifetime of  work and emphasized  the importance of this  work to                                                               
the local community. He stated  that Mr. Esmailka's commitment to                                                               
his community is  reflected in his life's work.  He asserted that                                                               
Mr.  Esmailka  deserves the  honor  of  having the  Ruby  airport                                                               
dedicated  in his  name -  and Alaskan  Native people  deserve to                                                               
hold a fellow Alaskan Native up with pride.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:03:54 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN held SB 152 in committee.