U.S. Senator Murkowski visits Nome, Savoonga

The only indication that something unusual was going on at the Foster Building on Tuesday morning was the silver City of Nome car that stood at the roundabout in front of the entrance to the building. Inside, the Kegoayah Kozga Library staff entertained toddlers with their usual Story Hour.
At the Katirvik Cultural Center, however, Senator Lisa Murkowski and Rural Outreach staff member Deborah Vo chatted with Katirvik director Lisa Ellanna and Kawerak Inc. President and CEO Melanie Bahnke. Murkowski mused that the last time she has been in this building was when the floors were being laid, and she helped lay one floor board and signed her name on it. “I believe that’s in the Museum part of the building,” Murkowski remembered. Conversation turned from health care votes, to energy and Pilgrim Hot Springs’ harvest of produce, which was news to Murkowski and elicited an excited reaction and the desire to tour Pilgrim in the future.
With coaching from Lisa Ellanna, Murkowski then tried her hands on Eskimo Yo-Yo and successfully made the seal fur balls spin for several rotations.  
The light-hearted visit then continued next door to the City’s Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum, where Murkowski received the tour from Museum Director Amy Phillips-Chan, and later to the city’s library, also housed in the Foster building. Also present to guide the Senator through the city facilities were Mayor Richard Beneville and City Manager Tom Moran.
In the afternoon, Murkowski and her staff were planning to fly to Savoonga for the dedication ceremony of the new health clinic there.