Ketchikan: 10th Annual St. Patrick's Day Auction raises over $55,000 By MARIE L. MONYAK - The Luck 'o the Irish was with the First City Council on Cancer (FCCC) this last Saturday when they raised over $55,000 at their 10th Annual St. Patrick's Day Auction held at the Ted Ferry Civic Center.

Master Auctioneer Jim Wingren. Rebecca Bates and Jen Walton doing the Vana Thing. Photograph by Marie L. Monyak

Anyone who didn't know that St. Patrick's Day is on the 17th would have thought it was this past Saturday from the all the shamrocks, leprechauns and wearing o' the green that embellished the Civic Center.

Countless volunteers sold raffle tickets, set up and decorated the Civic Center, cataloged the numerous items donated for auction, cooked and baked the tasty treats and hors d'oeuvres, assisted with the auction, and some even did the Vana thing*.

Each and every volunteer contributed to the success as did the generous community that turned out in support to spend freely in the knowledge that they were helping one of the most philanthropic organizations in Ketchikan.

At 5:00 P.M. Saturday evening, guests began arriving to view the wonderful items donated for the auction and decide which treasures they would bid on. Kevin Gould and the Clove Pass Band entertained the gathering with Irish tunes until the auction began. - More...
Wednesday - March 15, 2006

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Ketchikan: Crash kills one, injures five - Alaska State Troopers, the Ketchikan Police Department and North Tongass Fire Department responded to the area of 11.4 mile of the North Tongass highway Tuesday afternoon at approximately 3:12 pm to a report of a two vehicle collision.

Information gathered at the scene by the Alaska State Troopers revealed that 16 year old Milisa A. Jakubek of Ketchikan lost control of her southbound 1980 Chevy passenger car, crossed into the oncoming lane of traffic and was stuck by a northbound 1989 Chevy pickup driven by Gary Leroy Weston of Ketchikan. It was first incorrectly reported that the driver was Gerald Weston III, a Juneau resident. - More...
Wednesday - March 15, 2006

Ketchikan: Long-Lost Painting from Alaska WPA Expedition Emerges After 70-years - A dozen artists were sent by the Federal Artists Project to paint the Alaska Territory in 1937, but their paintings were lost or scattered. Now, another of those historic paintings has finally emerged.

An historic Alaskan painting that had long been thought lost has emerged from obscurity after an absence of 70 years.

The painting, "Alaskan Fishing Village Dawn, 1937," by Karl Fortess, was one of many commissioned by the federal government during the Great Depression by the Federal Arts Project (FAP) that vanished after that program ended.

The FPA was a predecessor program to the well-known WPA arts programs that put artists to work painting murals in post offices and libraries across the country.

In 1937, the FAP sent a dozen artists to the Alaskan wilderness with the intention that the works of art created would be part of a major exhibit that would tour the U.S. to promote tourism and industry in the region. - More...
Wednesday - March 15, 2006

Petersburg: Lost hiker found north of Petersburg - The Coast Guard, working with a Sitka search and rescue team found and airlifted a stranded mountain climber north of Petersburg.

After reportedly climbing the mountain known as The Devil's Thumb on Saturday, Zack Hoyt became stranded in worsening weather conditions. When a Temsco rescue crew was forced to turn back from hazardous winds, the Coast Guard was asked to dispatch a larger HH-60 helicopter crew as well as a Sitka search and rescue crew in an attempt to locate the trapped hiker. - More...
Wednesday - March 15, 2006

Alaska: China Airlines to Add Alaska Tour Packages - Alaska Governor Frank H. Murkowski Wednesday applauded the announcement by China Airlines that it will market new Alaska tour packages built on its existing service. The airline-brand "Dynasty" packages for Alaska will be available to travelers through tourism agencies in Taiwan.

"We've been committed to increasing tourism from this important market since the beginning of my administration," said Murkowski. "We have the air connections thanks to China Airlines, and now the airline has added Alaska to its list of Dynasty tours. This is great news for our efforts to promote year-round international tourism." - More...
Wednesday - March 15, 2006

Alaska: New Beverage Industry Team Seeks Positive Solutions - Alaska Distributors Co., K&L Distributors, The Odom Corporation, the Alaska Cabaret, Hotel, Restaurant & Retailer's Association (CHARR) and national beverage alcohol manufacturers have joined together to help provide Alaskans with resources to make healthy and responsible choices in their enjoyment of beverage alcohol.

Board members of the newly established Alaska Beverage Council include Joel Kadarauch of The Odom Corporation, Don Grasse of K&L Distributors, Walter John and Bob Bailey of Alaska Distributors Co., Dale Fox of Alaska CHARR and Darwin Biwer of Alaska CHARR. - More...
Wednesday - March 15, 2006

A 14-foot-tall Scrat oversees Governor Murkowski and actor John Leguizamo as they melt an ice ribbon to open the "Ice Age" themed ice park for kids in Fairbanks and promote the new movie "Ice Age 2: The Meltdown." Photo courtesy Office of the Governor

Alaska: Governor and actor John Leguizamo open the "Ice Age" themed ice park - Governor Frank H. Murkowski and actor John Leguizamo opened "Ice Age: The Meltdown" Ice Park during a "ribbon torching" ceremony March 12th by melting a ribbon made of ice with hand held torches. The governor also presented Leguizamo with ceremonial "ice keys" to the state.

Leguizamo is in Fairbanks promoting the movie "Ice Age2: The Meltdown," in which he is the voice of Sid the sloth. The Ice Park features an exhibit of carvings from the movie. During the torch ceremony at the World Ice Art Championships, Murkowski and Leguizamo unveiled a 14-foot ice sculpture of "Scrat" the acorn-chasing prehistoric rodent.

Prior to the event Murkowski said, "Governors often get to cut ribbons, but the Fairbanks Ice Park ribbon cutting is something special." Murkowski said he looked forward to melting the ice ribbon and opening the exhibition of sculptures by the Fairbanks carvers celebrating the movie sequel opening. - More...
Wednesday - March 15, 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 Results Poll ended 03/14/06 Viewpoints Opinions/Letters Some things should be illegal By Anita Hales - Wednesday PM Give respect a better chance to work By Bill Thomas Sr. - Wednesday PM What is our civilization coming to? By Donna Peterson - Wednesday PM Past memories By Gene Allen - Wednesday PM Legalization: What comes to mind? By Joe Garrison - Wednesday PM Looking for Heads to Roll By John Maki - Tuesday PM ANWR oil could reduce foreign dependency by up to 20% By Timothy Droke - Tuesday PM Calling All Addicts By George Miller - Tuesday PM Adults far more likely to abuse drugs By Samantha Sizemore - Tuesday PM DEC refuses to answer our questions! By Carrie James - Monday Don't bash teen parents By Christina Lewis - Monday Republican agenda By Martha Leftwich - Monday Drug usage ... or non usage By Shirley McDonald - Monday FEMA Wasted Much More Than Our Dollars By Bob Smither - Saturday PM Drug problem trickles down By Ken Lewis - Saturday PM The World's Oil Supply By Don Hoff Jr. - Saturday PM More Viewpoints/ Letters Publish A Letter Political Cartoonists Political Cartoons Ketchikan March 16, 2006 - Thursday - 7:00 pm - Ketchikan City Council Meeting - City Council Chambers Agenda & Information Packets March 16, 2006 - Thursday - Noon - Assembly/School Board Liaison Committee meeting - City Council Chambers, 334 Front Street. The committee will be discussing items of mutual concern to the Assembly and School Board. The public is invited to attend. LIO: March 16-Alaska Board of Education will meet at 8:00am.  Testimony from 8:00am-9:00am   LIO: March 18-House Finance Committee will meet at 10:00am.  Topics of discussion will be HB365 & HB366.  Testimony from 10:00-11:00 only with 2 minute limit. March Calendar Arts This Week Today's Forecast Ketchikan Weather Data Current AK Weather Map City Police Report AK Troopers Daily Dispatch Classifieds & Announcements March 2006 Click on the date to read the stories published on that day. S M T W T F S 26  27 28 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 29 30 31   Front Page Archives

National: FAA yanks potentially 'sensitive' information from Web site By LANCE GAY - In another sign of increasing government secrecy, the Federal Aviation Administration has removed from its Web site the transcript of a heated public hearing during which pilots ridiculed no-fly zones that have surrounded Washington since 9/11.

The FAA action came at the written request of Air Force Maj. Gen. M. Scott Mayes, who is in charge of air defense for the mainland United States and asked for a review of the transcript to ensure that no sensitive information had been disclosed about how air security works around Washington's government core.

"How ridiculous can you get?" said Phil Boyer, president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which has more than 400,000 members. The group has filed a Freedom of Information Act request for a complete transcript of the January session and wants the FAA to restore the text to its Internet site.

"Do they honestly believe security information was disclosed during the public meetings?" he asked.

Among other comments during the January public hearing, one pilot said that smaller planes could veer off the approved flight path into Washington's airports and hit a building before the Air Force could respond.

Michael Kucharek, a spokesman for the North American Aerospace Defense Command, said it's possible that sensitive information was discussed at the session, and that's why Mayes has asked for a review of what was disclosed.

"Some say yes. Some say no. That's why we need a review of the information," he said. He said he knew of one other case where transcripts of public sessions were reviewed by the military, involving details given out at a public meeting of how the Pave Paws air-defense radar system in Cape Cod operates.

Kucharek said he did not know how long the review process would take.

Steven Aftergood, an analyst for the Federation of American Scientists who publishes the column "Secrecy News," said he thought the Air Force action was "rare if not unprecedented." - More...
Wednesday - March 15, 2006

National: Americans rolling the dice more than ever By THOMAS HARGROVE and GUIDO H. STEMPEL III - Americans are gambling more than ever and generally say they support state licensing of lotteries, casinos, horse and dog tracks and charitable bingo parlors, according a new Scripps Howard/Ohio University poll.

For the first time, a majority of adults say they've placed at least one wager in a casino, while a third said they've gone to these betting parlors three times or more.

"The American public has accepted legalized gambling as a means to spend their money for entertainment," concluded Frank Fahrenkopf, American Gaming Association president and the Republican Party chairman during the Reagan administration. "People no longer have any problem with organized gambling."

Gambling opponents agreed.

"America is on a gambling binge. The more available and accessible it becomes, the more gambling is acceptable to people," said Tom Grey, executive director of the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling. "But shouldn't government be encouraging people to save their money instead of encouraging them to gamble?"

The Scripps Survey Research Center at Ohio University conducted a 10-year trend study, asking questions about gambling participation and attitudes of 1,025 adults contacted in 1996 and of 1,007 adults interviewed Feb. 19 to March 3.

Support for all major forms of gambling rose during this period.

The biggest change has been in attitudes over Las Vegas-style casino gambling. Only 43 percent said they favored casino operations in their state in 1996, while 53 percent favor them this year. People who say they've personally placed bets in a casino rose from 47 percent to 58 percent.

"There is a changing dynamic for how Americans view gambling," Fahrenkopf said. "Now a days, people like to go to Los Vegas not just to gamble, but to golf, enjoy the health spas and the entertainment malls." - More...
Wednesday - March 15, 2006