Ear would love to tell you what exactly the Energy Council is, but so far, earwigs with plug-in brainpans claim they can't locate a website. Maybe Energy Council is an alias?
Last year, Gov. Sean Parnell said the conference was a waste of time. This year he thinks it's a good idea, at least that's what he told KTUU last month. Why is that? Could it be he's just glad to have the Legislature off his back for a week?
BIZ AS USUAL ... Not to worry, important business continued in Juneau even with half the lawmakers on vacation. Sen. Bill Wielechowski was busy moving a bill through his State Affairs Committee dealing with who gets to approve special interest license plates.
In the roster of important state business, this ranks just above writing a third verse for The Alaska Flag song and designating a state rodent. The bill seeks to transfer decision-making about who can use our plates to advertise their cause from the Legislature to DMV.
It may or may not be a good idea, but what frosted Ear's lobe was a press release that whined about the action being necessary to free up "busy legislators to focus on more urgent public policy matters."
This was the wrong week to float that fantasy.
RECIDIVIST? ... What former legislator with an unfortunate history of sexual misconduct (come on d'Ears, you know there's more than one) is reportedly in law enforcement's crosshairs for similar complaints? Word is he's been fired from his job with -- oh, wait. Let's hold off until there's something official. After all, earwigs could be misinformed.
ON THE MOVE ... Elizabeth Bluemink, long-time business reporter for Your Favorite Good Morning Newspaper, is leaving after five years with ADN to work for the commissioner of natural resources, better known as the other Dan Sullivan. She'll be doing communications stuff.
• Also bidding the Daily News goodbye this month: Play and Life editor Spencer Shroyer. He's headed to Thompson & Co. Public Relations.
• Federal Judge Tim Burgess retired Saturday. No, no, not from the bench. From 28 years coaching city league basketball. Alors, that's a lot of dribbling.
DO SEND A FONDU ... to Gov. Sean and Sandy Parnell's daughter Grace and her fiancé, Austin Adams, who plan to marry at the Governor's Mansion in July. They're both in college.
History lobes say it will be the first first-family mansion wedding since Jay Hammond's daughter tied the knot there in the last century. And before that? Not since territorial days, they say.
OUT AND ABOUT ... U.S. Sen. Mark Begich was expected in town this weekend to play in the annual Fur Rondy poker tournament Sunday. (And for other stuff too: Iditarod start, quick trip to The City on the Edge of Nowhere, yadda yadda). His poker tablemates will include, among others, Alan Green (retired furrier Perry's son), state Sen. Hollis French and unplugged Radiomouth Dan Fagan. That's 4 p.m. at the Egan Center.
If poker's not your thing, the Native art show/sale will be at the Dimond Center Mall this afternoon, along with several dance troupes, including the fabulous King Island Dancers.
A FINAL QUESTION ... Was a Fur Rondy Princess really "fired?"
Compiled by Sheila Toomey. E-mail ear@adn.com. Find Ear online at adn.com/ear.
Important warning about e-mails purporting to be from the adn.com staff.