The Empty Office Podcast

with Senator Löki Gale Tobin
  • 5.0 (3)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Breaking down the interworkings of the Alaska State Senate. lgtobin.substack.com

  1. 11H AGO

    The Empty Office Podcast - Season 4, Episode 10

    Today’s podcast serves as an update on the work of the Task Force on Education Funding, which was authorized by the compromise education bill (HB 57) that became law on July 1, 2025. Today’s guest is Representative Rebecca Himschoot from Sitka. She serves as a co-chair of the Task Force along with Senator Tobin. Rep. Himschoot is the co-chair of the House Education Committee. Prior to being elected to the Alaska State Legislature, Rebecca Himschoot was an elementary school teacher. She is also a former member of the State Board of Education and the Sitka Assembly. Topics discussed during the conversation include education funding, chronic absenteeism, and the importance of after-school activities and sports. The music for this episode is the song “Lady Madonna” performed by Dave Edmunds and the Refreshments. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lgtobin.substack.com

    40 min
  2. The Empty Office Podcast - Season 4, Episode 8

    MAR 8

    The Empty Office Podcast - Season 4, Episode 8

    Today, Senator Tobin welcomes Zac Clark to The Empty Office Podcast. In 2025, Clark was selected as the Director of Alumni and Community Engagement for the University of Alaska Anchorage. Prior to his new role, Zac Clark was the UAA associate director of Student Life and Leadership. He has worked for UAA for nearly 20 years. During this episode, Senator Tobin and Zac Clark discuss the UAA Legislative Internship program and the unique role that alumni play at the University of Alaska. The music for this episode is the song “Blues from Beyond” by Thurston Moore. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lgtobin.substack.com

    44 min

  3. MAR 1

    The Empty Office Podcast - Season 4, Episode 7

    For this episode of The Empty Office Podcast, Senator Tobin is joined by the newly elected Mayor of Fairbanks. Prior to being elected Fairbanks Mayor, Mindy O’Neall served six years on the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly and was the Executive Director of the Cold Climate Housing Center. O’Neall is originally from Iowa. She moved to Alaska in 2004. O’Neall holds a BA degree from Iowa State University and a Master’s Degree in Professional Communications from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. “It did not surprise me one bit that Mindy went into politics. What she was passionate about, she was very passionate about and always believed in what was fair and right, and that that’s the way things should be.” - Michael Peters was the band director for Creston High School, where Mindy O’Neall graduated (Quoted by the Creston News Advertiser) During this episode of the podcast, Mike Mason referenced a speech delivered by the late Jess Jackson at a rally in Philadelphia to support his run for President in 1984. The speech is often referred to as the David and Goliath speech. “Because you must never forget that about the time we began to take over the cities, Nixon shifted the power to the suburbs. Now Reagan has shifted it to the states. So you have mayors who have more and more responsibility and less and less power. We got more and more votes and fewer and fewer services. We can not stop. We got to rise on higher.” - Jesse Jackson The music used for this episode of the podcast is the song “Embers in E Minor” by The Venterues. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lgtobin.substack.com

    49 min

  4. FEB 22

    The Empty Office Podcast - Season 4, Episode 6

    Today’s episode of The Empty Office Podcast features an in-depth discussion of the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) with Representatives Genevieve Mina and Carolyn Hall from Anchorage. Rep. Mina chairs the Alaska State House Health and Social Services Committee and is a member of the Department of Health’s Advisory Committee for the Rural Health Transformation Program. Rep. Hall is the co-chair of the Alaska State House Labor and Commerce Committee. Both committees are holding hearings to examine the RHTP and the dispersal of over $1.3 billion in federal funding over the next five years. The federal budget reconciliation bill that was passed last summer authorized the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). The five-year program was funded at $50 billion. Alaska is slated to receive more than $272 million a year. The Alaska Department of Health is currently accepting Letters of Interest until March 11. The Alaska Department of Health included 6 proposed initiatives in the approved application. * Healthy Beginnings: Investing in maternal and child health to help Alaskan families start strong. * Health Care Access: Expanding and maintaining access to essential health services in rural, remote, and frontier communities. * Healthy Communities: Promoting healthy lifestyles and investing in preventive care. * Pay for Value: Fiscal Sustainability: Pursuing innovative payment models to build a stronger, more sustainable health care system. * Strengthen Workforce: Growing and supporting skilled, resilient health care teams across Alaska. * Spark Technology & Innovation: Updating technology and infrastructure to improve care and drive innovation. Near the end of this episode of The Empty Office Podcast, Mike Mason noted the 10-year anniversary of the passing of Representative Max Gruenberg on February 14, 2016. On March 19, 2026, then-Rep. Chris Tuck delivered a speech written by Rep. Gruenberg that he never delivered. Rep. Gruenberg titled his speech the “Hope Speech.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lgtobin.substack.com

    50 min
  5. The Empty Office Podcast - Season 4, Episode 5

    FEB 15

    The Empty Office Podcast - Season 4, Episode 5

    This week’s edition of The Empty Office Podcast features two physician assistants who are working with Senator Tobin on legislation to allow PAs to provide medical care to the fullest extent of their licensure in Alaska. The goal behind Senate Bill 89 is to increase the capacity of Alaska’s medical care system and reduce unnecessarily strict regulations on physician assistants. Today’s guests are Meghan Hall and Jenny Fayette. Meghan Hall is the past President of the Alaska Academy of PAs, and Jenny Fayette is a Member at Large of the Alaska Academy of PAs. “Alaska has a demonstrated need for increasing accessible medical care, reducing high medical costs, and decreasing barriers to experienced medical practitioners across Alaska. The majority of the physician assistants in Alaska practice in rural areas. Increasing the medical care available locally in rural Alaska produces better outcomes and less expensive care. This also allows patients to stay in their home communities, thereby reducing strain on hub communities.” - Senator Löki Gale Tobin The physician assistant profession was established in the 1960s to expand health care options. The first PA class graduated from the Duke University PA program on October 6, 1967. The opening music for this episode is the M*A*S*H theme song, and the closing music is the M*A*S*H Theme performed by Piano Kingdom. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lgtobin.substack.com

    33 min
  6. The Empty Office Podcast - Season 4, Episode 4

    FEB 8

    The Empty Office Podcast - Season 4, Episode 4

    Today, Senator Tobin welcomes a returning guest to the podcast. Veteran Alaska Journalist Larry Persily was a guest during season 1, and he’s back for season 4. During this episode, Larry Persily and Senator Tobin discuss the Alaska LNG project, the idea of importing LNG into Alaska, and the current state of newspapers in Alaska. Politicos in Alaska know Larry Persily’s resume. First and foremost, Larry is a newspaperman. Some would say an old-school newspaperman. He bought the Wrangell Sentinel in 1976. He subsequently sold the paper; however, he recently repurchased it. In 2019, Persily purchased the Skagway News. He subsequently sold the paper for $20. Persily has written for the: * Anchorage Times * Anchorage Daily News * Associated Press * Juneau Empire * Petroleum News Larry Persily is a very informed observer of Alaska’s oil and gas industry, with a special interest in liquefied natural gas (LNG). He writes an oil and gas newsletter. Larry Persily also has extensive experience in the Executive and Legislative Branches of government. * He was a legislative staffer for the legendary Mike Hawker, who was the co-chair of the House Finance Committee. * Persily worked for Representative John Lincoln. * Persily served as the Chief of Staff for the Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor. * He was the CARES grant coordinator for the city of Kenai. * He was the Federal Coordinator of the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects office from 2010 to 2015. The music for this episode is Sloganize, Patronize, Realize, Revolutionize (Black Lives Matter) by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and Wynton Marsalis. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lgtobin.substack.com

    51 min

  7. FEB 1

    The Empty Office Podcast - Season 4, Episode 3

    This week’s episode of The Empty Office Podcast features a great conversation between two advocates for public education in Alaska. Senator Löki Gale Tobin and Aleutian Region School District Superintendent Michael Hanley discuss the importance of place-based education and the challenges of educating children and young adults in the nation's westernmost school district. Mike Hanley served as the Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development from 2011 to 2016. He was a teacher in the Anchorage School District from 1991 to 2005, and then served as a principal there from 2005 to 2011. Mike Hanley holds degrees in business administration and K-8 education. He holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Alaska Anchorage. The REAA school district that Mike Hanley leads, the Aleutian Region School District, serves the communities of Nikolaki, Atka, and Adak. During the conversation, Superintendent Hanley discusses the fate of two small children’s desks that his parents preserved from a segregated school that was closed in Alabama in the 1960’s. One of the desks sits in Senator Tobin’s office in Anchorage, and the other is in Superintendent Hanley’s home. “Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, and it is our job in education to pry open every possible door of opportunity for every one of them. This desk has been a reminder to me of that responsibility and the ongoing efforts we need to pursue to ensure that we have learned from our past and have a better vision and hope for our future and the future of our children.” - Michael Hanley In response to Mike Mason’s question about who to add to the Alaska State Senate to sit next to Senator Tobin, Superintendent Hanley chose noted radio broadcaster and author Garrison Keillor, who created A Prairie Home Companion, which aired on public radio stations across the country from 1974 to 2016. The music for this episode is the song “Throwing Beers at Rick Parfitt” by the band The Jesus Years. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lgtobin.substack.com

    44 min
  8. The Empty Office Podcast - Season 4, Episode 2

    JAN 25

    The Empty Office Podcast - Season 4, Episode 2

    This episode of The Empty Office Podcast features a great conversation with a well-known economics researcher and professor in Alaska. Gunnar Knapp is Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER). He worked at ISER from 1981 to 2016. Knapp received a PhD from Yale University in 1981. He is well known in commercial fishery circles for his research into the Alaska salmon industry and world salmon markets. For many years, he taught UAA courses on the Economy of Alaska and the Economics of Fish. You can learn more about Gunar Knapp and his work online at GunnarKnapp.com. The conversation during this episode touches on several subjects, including fish politics, the University of Alaska, and the importance of pubic radio to the Alaska way of life. At one point in the conversation, the phrase “it’s the economy, stupid” was brought up. The phrase was on a sign that Democratic political strategist James Carville hung at Bill Clinton's campaign headquarters in 1992. While the phrase “it’s the economy, stupid” is often repeated, two other phrases were written on the sign. “Change vs. more of the same” and “Don’t forget health care.” At the end of this episode, in response to Mike Mason’s “pick a lawmaker” question, Gunner Knapp chose former State Representative Terry Gardiner to sit next to Senator Tobin. Gardiner was born and raised in Ketchikan. He was a commercial fisherman who served in the Alaska House of Representatives in the 1970s. In 1978, at age 28, Gardiner was elected Speaker of the House. He was the founder, CEO, and Chairman of Silver Lining Seafoods and NorQuest Seafoods. Gardiner currently serves as the CEO of Essential Inventions, which works to expand access to healthcare for all people. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lgtobin.substack.com

    54 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
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3 Ratings

About

Breaking down the interworkings of the Alaska State Senate. lgtobin.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    with Senator Löki Gale Tobin
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    67
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © LGTobin
  • Show Website
    The Empty Office Podcast

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