Photos from the dance floor Saturday during Hot Salsa Cool Ballroom at Centennial Hall. The night included dinner, a silent auction, a dessert auction, live dance performances, dance lessons and live music by Salsa Borealis and Thunder Mountain Big Band.

I’ve heard these phrases thrown around when hearing news about health care reform: how it will not save money, and covering others will inevitably cost more than it’s worth.

I read that Sen. Albert Kookesh, D-Angoon, may be under an ethics complaint for allegedly threatening the Craig City Council, because that local government entity may not support Sealaska Corp. on its proposed land legislation in Congress.

It is the enduring paradox of our centuries here. It is the paradox that stood its ground at Bunker Hill, paradox that made a doomed charge on Fort Wagner, paradox that stormed San Juan Hill, advanced through the Meuse-Argonne, landed on Iwo Jima, liberated Seoul and was taken prisoner in Hanoi.

First, the independent Ross Perot contingent. Then, the liberal “netroots” mobilization. Now, the conservative “tea party” coalition.

First, to save my soul – and to save my e-mail in-box from an overload of screeds from God-fearing folks – I offer this preface to today’s column:

For its support of U.S. Coast Guard maritime domain awareness and industry stewardship, the Marine Exchange of Alaska, based in Juneau, received one of the highest civilian awards offered by the Coast Guard – the Meritorious Public Service Award.

Precipitation fell below normal this winter in Juneau as the effects of El Niño increased through the season.

The 2014 Arctic Winter Games aren’t yet officially being held in Alaska, but that isn’t stopping more than one Alaska city from organizing a bid.

“For the first time there’s a positive feeling we can tell where the money is being spent, and begin to decide where allocations make sense,” said Juneau School Board President Mark Choate. “That’s a huge difference.”