Ketchikan: Possible Scams Under Investigation - Ketchikan businesses are cautioned by the Ketchikan Police Department to be alert for a possible scam artist in the area.

Deputy Police Chief John Maki said, "A woman, appearing to be in her 40's, has approached several jewelry stores with merchandise she claims to have purchased and wants to return for cash. In one case, the jewelry was the same brand and design as that carried by the store. After examination by one alert store employee and identifying the merchandise as not being from the store, the woman was confronted. She left the store, leaving the jewelry behind. Other jewelry stores report the same activity by this woman. "

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The woman is described as about 5-4, with blond hair and wearing heavy makeup. She drives a small blue Ford vehicle said Maki. - More...
Wednesday - March 01, 2006

National: Bush Makes Surprise Visit to Afghanistan - President Bush paid a surprise visit to Afghanistan March 1st, praising that country for its progress toward democracy and reaffirming his belief that Osama bin Laden and other al-Qaida and Taliban leaders ultimately will be brought to justice.

"[P]eople all over the world are watching the experience here in Afghanistan," Bush told reporters after a meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. "I hope the people of Afghanistan understand that as democracy takes hold, you're inspiring others. And that inspiration will cause others to demand their freedom. And as the world becomes more free, the world will become more peaceful."

Bush said the United States is honored to work with the Afghan people in their efforts to achieve greater political freedom, economic prosperity and security. He said the American people are inspired by stories of entrepreneurship, free press and the education of young girls in Afghanistan.

The president told reporters that U.S., Afghan and Pakistani security forces continue to hunt for Osama bin Laden and his associates and added that he is confident the al-Qaida leader will be brought to justice.

"We're making progress of dismantling al-Qaida. Slowly but surely, we're bringing the people to justice, and the world is better for it, as a result of our steady progress," he said. - More...
Wednesday - March 01, 2006

National: Al-Qaida Leadership Seen as Depleted but Still a Danger; U.S. intelligence director sees terrorist group as inciting other groups to attack - Al-Qaida's leadership has been depleted significantly but its top priority remains the planning and execution of attacks within the United States, against U.S. interests overseas and against U.S. allies, members of the intelligence community told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

In February 28 testimony before the committee, John Negroponte, U.S. director of national intelligence, joined by General Michael Hayden, principal deputy director of national intelligence, and Lieutenant General Michael Maples, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) outlined the current state of the global war against terrorism.

Al-Qaida and other organizations that make up the "global jihadist" movement remain the most significant threat to U.S. national security, the officials said.

Maples said that al-Qaida now pursues a "decentralized" track, by encouraging other extremist groups, such as Jemmah Islamiyah in Southeast Asia, the Group for Salafist Preaching and Combat (GSPC) in Africa, Ansar al-Islam in Iraq and others. - More...
Wednesday - March 01, 2006

Emergency Medical Technicians Graduate Ray Wylie, Kathy Wylie, Sherity Kelly Front Page Photo Courtesy STVFD

Ketchikan: Twenty-seven Emergency Medical Technicians Graduate - After attending Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) courses around the community, twenty-seven Emergency Medical Technicians graduated Saturday after successfully completing their final testing.

Twenty-seven EMT-I candidates from the South Tongass Volunteer Fire Department's EMT I course and the North Tongass Volunteer Fire Department's ETT/EMT bridge course took part in the skills evaluation. This final testing concluded the basic EMT-I course of up to 136 hours of emergency medical training required to become certified as an Emergency Medical Technician in the State of Alaska.

The twenty-seven EMT-I candidates came from many organizations including North and South Tongass Volunteer Fire Departments, Ketchikan Fire Department, United States Coast Guard, local students pursuing degrees and nurses furthering their career. The University of Alaska Southeast Ketchikan approved this course for college credit. - More...
Wednesday - March 01, 2006

AMHS's M/V Columbia coming down the channel from the north of Ketchikan. Front Page Photo by Lisa Thompson

Alaska: Alaska Marine Highway Offers Special Summer Fares - The Alaska Marine Highway System has announced special summer fares for travel between selected Alaskan ports. In Southeast Alaska, travel to and from Juneau and Pelican and Juneau and Bartlett Cove will be offered at a 30% discount for both one way and round trip travel from May 1 through August 16.

In Prince William Sound, travel between Cordova and Valdez, and Cordova and Whittier will also be offered at a 30% discount all summer long.

"Last summer these ferry trips were very popular with Alaskans who had visiting family and friends," said Captain John Falvey, general manager of the ferry system. "The beauty of these trips makes them a bargain at any price, but we are trying to make them affordable for everyone." - More...
Wednesday - March 02, 2006

Opinion Poll Web Polls Are Not Scientific Polls On April 11th city voters will have an opportunity to vote on the City of Ketchikan's $38.5 million port improvement bond. How would you vote? View Poll Stats Viewpoints Opinions/Letters Musical education program close to dwindling away By Brian K. Schum - Wednesday PM Lack of respect and trust shown to students By Teri Matiashowski - Wednesday PM First Concern By Taylor McDonald - Wednesday PM Lazy People By Jerry Cegelske - Wednesday PM LET KIDS STAY IN SCHOOL AFTER HOURS By Kevin Mackey - Wednesday PM Bond Poll By Tom Ferry - Wednesday PM Secret investments of public money By Charlotte Tanner - Wednesday PM Wiretapping is nothing new. By Virginia E. Atkinson - Wednesday PM Investing public money secretly By Mary Lynne Dahl - Tuesday PM Don't lower expectations By Vicki Harsha - Tuesday PM What Does the Coast Guard Know? By Alan Lidstone - Tuesday PM What has happen to the Republican Party? By Mike Isaac - Tuesday PM Unique idea... By Rob Glenn - Tuesday PM Public Employees and Teachers Retirement Systems by Rep. John Harris & Rep. Bruce Weyhrauch - Monday PM Keep school doors open By Charles Edwardson - Monday PM Historic Preservation of Newtown By Dave Rubin - Monday PM Possible closing of KEC By Neil Gray - Monday PM Good News On The Move. By George Miller - Monday PM A unique idea By Ken Kirschenman - Monday PM Wasting Money By Robert McRoberts - Monday PM Keep those school doors open By Linda Koons Auger - Sunday PM Permanent fund issues By Gregg Erickson - Sunday PM American Ports By Martha Leftwich - Sunday PM Young By Peg Travis - Sunday PM More Viewpoints/ Letters Publish A Letter Political Cartoonists Political Cartoons Ketchikan March 01, 2006, Wednesday - 6:00 pm - Teleconferenced CONSTITUENT MEETING with SENATOR STEDMAN, REPRESENTATIVE ELKINS  & REPRESENTATIVE WILSON at the Ketchikan Legislative Information Office, 50 Front Street, Suite 203. Snacks will be served! - This is an informal teleconference for members of the community to discuss issues or concerns with local legislators.  Persons interested in attending may contact the LIO at 225-9675. March 01, 2006, Wednesday - Tongass School of Arts & Sciences begins enrollment for Fall 2006 school year. Enrolling Kindergarten - 6th grades. Enrollment ends March 15th. TSAS Information March 02, 2006, Thursday - 7:00 pm - City Council Regular Meeting - City Council Chambers Agenda & Information packets February Calendar Today's Forecast Ketchikan Weather Data Current AK Weather Map City Police Report AK Troopers Daily Dispatch Classifieds & Announcements Feb. - March 2006 Click on the date to read the stories published on that day. S M T W T F S    30 31 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 01       Front Page Archives

National: High court hears business tax breaks case By MARY DEIBEL - Tax breaks the 50 states use to woo and win business amount to unconstitutional tariffs that burden interstate commerce, a lawyer for taxpayers fighting a tax credit Ohio gave DaimlerChrysler for a $1.2 billion Jeep plant told the Supreme Court Wednesday.

Attorney Peter Enrich told the justices in oral arguments that Ohio was free to give $281 million in cash to DaimlerChrysler to update its Toledo Jeep plant without violating the Constitution, but not the same amount in investment tax breaks.

Cash is OK but tax breaks aren't permissible when they seek to accomplish the same thing? asked Justice John Paul Stevens.

Taxes are a "primeval government activity that brings states under the Commerce Clause" and grants to Congress alone the power to regulate commerce "among the several states," Enrich replied. Cash is different, he said, since it makes states "direct participants in the marketplace" who are free to "deploy their own resources."

But DaimlerChrysler lawyer Theodore Olson countered that Enrich's theory "would nationalize state tax systems" if Ohio and the other 49 states cannot use permit requirements and environmental rules as well as tax codes to attract investment. To do otherwise, Olson said, would require the United States "to have unified state regulations and unified tax codes that are the very antithesis of federalism." - More...
Wednesday - March 02, 2006

Alaska: Feds Seize Thousands of Pieces of Illegal Marine Mammal Parts - NOAA's Office of General Counsel for Enforcement & Litigation recently issued Leo Gregoire of Anchorage and others involved with Agviq Creations and Out House Creations with Notices of Violation and Assessments (NOVAs) alleging violations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The businesses and individuals are alleged to have been crafting and selling marine mammal products for retail sale.

In Dec. 2005, the NOAA Fisheries Service's Office for Law Enforcement in conjunction with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seized thousands of pieces of illegal whale baleen from individuals and two Anchorage, Alaska businesses for numerous alleged violations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

The investigation was initiated in Nov. 2005, when OLE special agents observed persons at the Outhouse Creations kiosk in "The Mall At Sears" selling products made from baleen. Federal agents executed the three search warrants at the Outhouse Creations kiosk, a residence in Anchorage and at a shop where the baleen was being crafted. During the execution of the search warrants, approximately 2,586 pieces of raw and crafted baleen and other marine mammal parts were seized.

The marine mammal parts seized include: 104 pieces of raw bowhead whale baleen, 52 pieces of raw humpback whale baleen, 43 pieces of minke whale baleen, 1,171 carved and polished baleen items, and 61 pieces of walrus bone and ivory. The seized items were valued at approximately $50,000. - More...
Wednesday - March 01, 2006

Alaska: One stop resource for fishermen, seafood processors - Commercial fishermen and seafood processors now can turn to a single web site, aptly called AlaskaFishBiz.org, for information and resources about financing, small business development, education and training, and other seafood industry business needs and services.

The web site is part of the Alaska Fisheries Business Assistance Project, or FishBiz. Created by the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program (MAP), FishBiz aims to help Alaska fishermen and seafood processors improve their skills in business, seafood handling, quality control and marketing. The Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and National Sea Grant fund the FishBiz project.

"FishBiz provides commercial fishermen and seafood processors with information about our training programs and workshops, useful publications, and even helps people find experts to answer questions they have about commercial fishing and the seafood industry," said Paula Cullenberg, leader of the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program. "The web site is a kind of convenience store where people can quickly find what they need." - More...
Wednesday - March 01, 2006

Alaska: First Lady's Volunteer Awards Nominations Sought - Nominations for First Lady Nancy Murkowski's 2006 Volunteer Awards are now being accepted. The nomination forms, due by March 24, are available on the First Lady's website, at the capitol in Juneau, or at the governor's regional offices in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Kenai and Wasilla.

"Alaska is blessed with many profoundly dedicated people who willingly give of their time and talents to a multitude of unpaid volunteer activities," said the First Lady. "I am honored to once again request nominations of those who inspire all of us by example." The First Lady's Volunteer Awards are presented each year to Alaskans who demonstrate either lengthy service to the community or state, extraordinary personal commitment, or whose efforts have resulted in a significant impact to their community or the state. - More...
Wednesday - March 01, 2006