Alaska Ear

AND IN THIS CORNER . . . So, darlings, was that op-ed piece by Bob "Kill Pebble" Gillam in Wednesday's ADN a backdoor announcement of a run for governor or what? Rumors that Gillam is considering a run have been swirling for months and his essay had all the markers: "I've spent much of my life helping Alaska . . . I grew up in Fairbanks, Anchorage and Juneau . . . my father's entrepreneurial spirit . . . Alaska pride . . . pick a fight with multibillion-dollar foreign mining giants . . . blessed by this great state," etc.

Frankly, Ear doesn't believe for a minute he'll actually run, but no one listens to the Omniscient Orifice. The appearance of the op-ed piece had the Gossip Gods connecting dots like crazy. For example, Carl Forti, a Republican operative formerly of the NRCC and the Romney presidential campaign, was reportedly in town about two weeks ago. He runs a political consulting biz called Black Rock. So who was he here to talk to? Who could afford him?

Aha! Must have been Gillam, right? (Nobody wants to consider that maybe Forti was here for the fishing.)

Anyhow, that makes four potential candidates who seem to be rich enough to do a Hickel -- pay for a campaign with their own money: Gillam, John Binkley, Ed Rasmuson and Andrew Halcro.

(Ear is guessing Ted doesn't have enough money left after paying his lawyers to make the list, but who knows.)

FLYING HIGH . . . Speaking of Binkley, his cancer treatment down in Texas must have gone well. To celebrate, he bought a helicopter, took lessons, and flew it to Alaska with his instructor. Very cool.

SAD ADIEU . . . Ear misses Allan Tesche, who could be even bitchier than the Divine Appendage when he wanted. Friends say his memorial service is tentatively set for 2 p.m. July 27 at Central Lutheran Church.

OUT AND ABOUT . . . Spotted in the town of Paia on Maui early last week, former AG and new Mat-Su Mayor Talis Colberg.

A QUESTION . . . Does Craig Campbell really love inflated titles, as earwigs claim? If so, he should be one happy guy right now. Thanks to that legal opinion from The Other Dan Sullivan, if Craig wants to, he can call himself Commissioner Lieutenant General Craig Campbell, Temporary Substitute Lieutenant Governor Designate. Wow. Maybe he can add a few more stars to his uniform.

OOOPS . . . About that clock outside the governor's office that proclaims "Time to make a difference," the one counting down the days of the Palin administration, showing about 500 days left: It's the one in Anchorage that was taken down. The one in Juneau is still up. Or so Ear is told.

KUDOS . . . To Sen. Con Bunde, who is being honored Wednesday in Philadelphia by the DNASaves organization for his law that a DNA sample be taken from people arrested for violent crimes. (In real life, that mostly means not having to wait until they get convicted to get their DNA in the system where possible connections to other crimes can be checked.)

Con said Bonnie Craig's mother really helped sell the idea to people who worried about giving the government too much power. Earwigs will remember Bonnie's accused killer was identified through DNA taken when he was locked up for robbery in New Hampshire.

Anyhow, John Walsh of "America's Most Wanted" is presenting the award, but, alas, not to Con personally. The senator says he already took a trip at state expense this year -- to an education conference -- and doesn't think he should junket east to collect an "attaboy." Sen. Gene Therriault will be in Philly for the NCSA conference and will pick up the award.

TONIGHT . . . Food Network groupies tell Ear a big cheese named Chef Duff Goldman, "The Ace of Cakes," visited Alaska in April, did some sightseeing, performed with his band at the Spenard Roadhouse and made a giant 50th anniversary cake shaped like Mount McKinley for an Alaska Travel Industry Association media event. It's all on a show that airs at 9 p.m. tonight on Channel 61.

FLYING FACTOID . . . The Republican Women's Club held its summer salad luncheon this year at Bill Sheffield's house.

Wait. There's something not right here. Didn't Sheffield used to be a Democrat?

Compiled by Sheila Toomey. Contact Sheila at stoomey@adn.com. Find Ear online at adn.com/ear.