Alaska Ear

Now we have proof in the form of a July 28 letter from Parnell to Treadwell, warning him to stop using "my name (or) the office entrusted to me" to bypass the governor's staff and commissioners in attempts "to direct agency, boards or commission personnel."

The nastygram reminds the lite gov that "Alaska's constitution provides that the lieutenant governor shall 'perform such duties as may be prescribed by law and as may be delegated to him by the governor.' " It goes on to criticize Treadwell for alleged over-reaching regarding federal programs on Arctic research and sea floor mapping. "This delegation of authority related to these organizations is not meant as a broad delegation of authority in every Arctic policy area," the letter says.

"Commissioners have expressed concern over not knowing something is being requested of their lower level staff by you and your office staff. Additionally, you and I have discussed the concern and confusion generated by you attempting to direct agency work," Parnell scolds.

When asked for a comment Friday, Parnell spokeswoman Sharon Leighow replied: "Just read the letter. I think it speaks for itself."

The nastygram was copied to all commissioners, which tells Ear that Parnell meant for it to leak to the media. If not, why wouldn't he just pick up the phone and bitch Mead out mano a mano? Oh, right. The top two guys in state government aren't talking to each other. So what's the real problem? Is it just that they're both after Begich's seat?

OUR GUYS ... Darlings, did you catch the Politico story Thursday about the meltdown in the congressional office of Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Arizona? Staff is quitting, after writing e-mails "implicating" the congressman's chief of staff and legislative director as the cause of the turmoil.

Who's Gosar and why should earwigs care about him, you ask? He's a first-termer, one of the tea party guys supported by Sarah Palin (who just bought a house in Arizona). His chief of staff is Rob Robinson, a former Wasilla dentist who left his Valley practice in 2009 to work for Gosar. And the legislative director is none other than Tom Van Flein, Sarah's Anchorage lawyer and confidant.

Read the Politico report by David Catanese for yourself (www.politico.com). Basically, it says Gosar's re-election effort is in the toilet because the two Alaskans are working more for Sarah than for him.

OUT AND ABOUT ... Our Sarah's parents, Chuck and Sally Heath, had a 50th anniversary party at Sen. Linda Menard's home last Saturday. She Who Was Governor was just another family member at the gathering, all low key and flipping burgers, according to one earwig. Most of the 200 or so guests seemed to be former teachers and members of the Wasilla old guard.

There were unrelated reports of a helicopter filming the Heath home. An earwig reports the City of Wasilla issued a permit to a film crew to shoot stock footage for some type of reality show. Oh, great. Just what the Heaths need.

PARTY HEARTY ... Earwigs who think former Gov. Bill Sheffield is a Democrat report more than 100 people showed up for a fundraiser at Bill's Turnagain house last week for Republican Rep. Bill Stoltze -- co-chair of House Finance. It was a sunny Thursday. Guests included a full spectrum of gimmes -- big oil, tourism, nonprofits, labor unions, Native corporations and Mayor Sullivan.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION ... The producers of the Robert Hansen film-to-be, and writer-director Scott Walker, were in town this past week, scouting locations for shooting scheduled to begin in October and making nice with locals who were involved in the events of nearly 30 years ago.

Earwigs say notables at a Monday night get-together included retired Trooper boss Tom Anderson Sr. and other cops; furrier Perry Green, credited with convincing one of the producers to make a Hansen movie; and a bunch of people from NANA, which reportedly has some kind of financial interest in the production.

The filmmakers seemed psyched about the project but said they were having trouble envisioning the Fourth Avenue scene while Hansen was operating. The script is being described as a fact-based, fictionalized account but they're anxious to re-create the ambience of the era. Have you been downtown in the wee hours lately? It's all safe and silent and empty -- like some Midwest burg. Nothing like the roiling 24/7 action of the pipeline years.

If any earwig has photos of the avenue at night from the late 1970s or early 1980s and is willing to share, message the Divine Appendage at the contacts below.

FADE TO SARAH ... Speaking of Alaska movies, people keep telling Ear there's a surprise at the end of "Everybody Loves Whales," the Drew Barrymore flick due for release next year. Ear has not seen it, so take it for what it's worth: The movie allegedly ends with actual news footage about the whales being saved, followed by a young local reporter saying, "And now for sports."

Yes, the reporter from the ancient past is our Sarah, in her first incarnation as a TV star.

ALIENS AMONG US ... Jeff Brady sent Ear a bunch of comments made by tourists, taken from his Skagway News column "Heard on the Wind." As usual, he swears people visiting our favorite Alaska Gold Rush city really said these things:

• "So, I'm from Greenville, South Carolina ... It's on the East Coast but it's not an island like your state is."

• "We're just a couple weeks early. They bring in the grizzlies when the salmon start to run."

• "What's the altitude here?" "Well, we're at sea level in town."

"Yeah, but sea level here isn't the same as sea level where I'm from."

• A bus driver stopped so passengers could look at a bear. A woman insisted on getting off so she could get closer to the animal. The driver blocked her way, telling her bears were dangerous. Peeved, she demanded to know why tour drivers didn't tranquilize the bears so visitors could pet them.

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Compiled by Sheila Toomey. Message Sheila at 257-4341 or ear@adn.com.