<\/a>State Rep. Andi Story talks with visitors outside her office at the Alaska State Capitol during the annual holiday open house hosted by Juneau’s legislative delegation on Friday. (Mark Sabbatini \/ Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Story, who during the past two years also had a fourth-floor office — but with a view of the Capitol parking lot in back of the building, rather than one overlooking downtown Juneau that she had prior to that assignment — will get a chance to reclaim her old office or another one on her priority list as the co-chair of the House Education Committee. She said what office she’ll seek and occupy is still to be determined, although she didn’t seem keen on moving into the first-floor office next to the committee’s meeting room that one of the two outgoing education co-chairs occupies.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
Juneau state Sen. Jesse Kiehl could also put in a request for a new office, but since he is already a majority member with a fifth-floor office at the entrance of the Senate Finance Committee room that’s his plum assignment he said he’s not likely to seek a move.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
The open house, in addition to offering a wide range of snacks at the delegation’s offices ranging from baked brie bread to Costco confectioneries, was a chance for visitors to bring up an equally wide range of issues they’re hoping will get attention during the coming months at the Capitol.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
“I’ve been hearing about issues with infant learning (and) about the need for more elder care,” Story told a group of visitors in the hallway outside her office. “The whole spectrum of people.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
One of those people was Niamh Dardis, director of the Infant Learning Program for REACH Inc., who in an interview after visiting with the delegation members said she isn’t a regular at the open houses, but this year was motivated to visit by an extra sense of urgency for her program.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
“This session we just really are feeling like the time has come, like our programs have been flat-funded for well over a decade and so we’re really operating with 25% less funds, essentially, just with the costs,” she said.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t