Ketchikan's Volunteers In Service To America AmeriCorps' VISTA members: LaToya Gates, Sara Todd, Amos Hopkins, Gwendolyn Elliot... Clarke Stosich, Unit Leader of KRYF, is in background... Front Page Photo by Gretchen Klein Ketchikan: Ketchikan Charter Commission Conducts Survey - In an effort to reduce the cost and size of government in a fair and equitable manner, the Ketchikan Charter Commission is asking you to fill out a questionnaire. For your convenience you may fill out the questionnaire online. This is a chance to help mold the future of Ketchikan. - Fill out the survey... Published Tuesday - March 23, 2004 - 1:15 am Viewpoints Opinions/Letters Protect The Children by Susan Bachant - Ketchikan - 04/02/04 Stop the herring fisheries before it is too late by Don Hoff Jr. -Hixson, TN - 04/02/04 Early And Adequate Funding For K-12 Education by Senator Gene Therriault - AK - 04/02/04 On Schools... by Rep. Carl Gatto - AK - 04/02/04 A teenage opinion on things by Archie Inoncillo - Ketchikan - 04/02/04 Don't give up... by Thomas D. Ferry - Ketchikan - 04/02/04 Trash Potpouri by Jerry A. Cegelske - Ketchikan - 04/01/04 "R: for Republican by Jay Jones - Ketchikan - 04/01/04 An expose on the history of the Kah Shakes and West Behm Canal herring fisheries... by Andy Rauwolf, John Harrington, and Lawrence "Snapper" Carson - 04/01/04 Read more Viewpoints Publish A Letter April 2004 Click on the date to read the stories & to view photos published on that day... S M T W T F S   29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30   Today's Front Page Front Page Archives           Ketchikan: Ketchikan's Volunteers In Service To America - AmeriCorps' Volunteers In Service to America (VISTA) members have been helping bring individuals and communities out of poverty for 35 years. Members serve full-time for a year in non profits, public agencies and faith based groups throughout the country, working to fight illiteracy, improve health services, create businesses, increase housing opportunities, or bridge the digital divide. At present, four organizations in Ketchikan sponsor VISTA members. Gwendolyn Elliot is sponsored by WISH, LaToya Gates is sponsored by Big Brothers Big Sisters, Amos Hopkins is sponsored by SERRC/KYC, and Sara Todd is sponsored by the Ketchikan Regional Youth Facility. - Read more... Friday - April 02, 2004 Nationwide: Take the Time to Help A Child; April Is National Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month - Sadly, child maltreatment is an unfortunate reality and more common that one may realize. In 2000, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau reported that approximately three million reports of child maltreatment concerning five million children were made and that as a result of those investigations, approximately 879,000 children were found to have been victims of abuse or neglect. 63 percent of the children were victims of neglect, 19 percent of the children were victims of physical abuse, 10 percent of the children were sexually abused, and eight percent of the children were victims of emotional abuse. The report also showed that age, race and gender are not factors in deciphering victims of child abuse. Infant to one-year- old toddlers are the highest age group in child abuse and neglect deaths and 85 percent of the children who have died because of child abuse and neglect were younger than six years of age. More than 51 percent of the victims were white, 25 percent of the victims were African American, 14 percent of the victims were Hispanic, two percent of the victims were American Indian/Alaskan Native, and one percent were Asian/Pacific Islanders. Boys and girls both experience neglect and physical abuse about evenly, however, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported that studies show that one in four girls and one in eight boys will be sexually abused before the age of 18. - Read more... Friday - April 02, 2004 Alaska: Senate Asks House to Reconsider Education Package - The State Senate Republicans Thursday rejected an opportunity to fund Alaska classrooms with an additional $84.5 million say the Alaska Democrats. The House of Representatives unanimously agreed to the funding package several weeks ago. Senate Bill 283 contained several provisions added in the House. According to the Alaska Democrats, concurrence vote would have agreed to those changes, which include the K-12 and University education funding package. - Read more... Friday - April 02, 2004 Alaska: Alaska Attorney General Files Securities Fraud Litigation Against America Online, Inc., and Time Warner - Attorney General Gregg Renkes filed a complaint in Juneau Superior Court Thursday against America Online, Inc. ("AOL"), Time Warner, Inc., Historic TW Inc., Ernst & Young, Morgan Stanley, and several former corporate officers of America Online. The complaint alleges that various State of Alaska funds incurred substantial losses in their investments in AOL, Time Warner, and AOLTimeWarner (AOLTW) stock because the defendants were negligent and misrepresented facts in connection with the merger of AOL and Time Warner. The State of Alaska lost over $70 million as a result. - Read more... Friday - April 02, 2004

Button Day The Tongass Historical Museum gallery filled up as kids enthusiastically anticipated their turn in the "Button Booth". - More... Photo courtesy Ketchikan Museums Ketchikan: Listen to this story... More Alaskan students than ever are attending college. At the same time, University of Alaska President Mark Hamilton says Alaska's students are choosing to receive their higher education in state. KRBD - Ketchikan Public Radio - linked Friday - April 02, 2004 Alaska: Governor Welcomes Enbridge Stranded Gas Application - Governor Frank H. Murkowski announced Thursday that Enbridge, Inc., a Calgary-based energy transportation and distribution company, intends to file an application with the state under the Stranded Gas Development Act. The application will allow Enbridge to enter into negotiations with the state over fiscal, taxation, royalty and other terms related to construction of a natural gas pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to the Yukon border. - Read more... Friday - April 02, 2004

Columnist Dear Crabby: BEST GIRL & SHOCKED AND PERTURBED - My best friend is male. We've been close for nearly 5 years, went through high school together, and realized a long time ago that we were not meant to be romantically involved with each other. Sometimes we even double date. My parents love Glen, and he's at our house all the time. He calls them 'Mom and 'Pop', and I'm sure they think someday we'll end up getting married. The thing is, Glen is in love with Cindy, and they're engaged. They plan to be married in June. I think she's great, and we've been having fun helping her mom organize for the wedding. What I'm writing you for, is that Glen asked me to be his best man. At first I said 'yes', even though my boyfriend thinks I'm weird for it. But now, I'm thinking I shouldn't, because my dad will be upset and I'm afraid of embarrassing him. He once asked me if I was gay because he thinks Glen is so great and he doesn't understand our friendship. My mom is pretty traditional too. - Read more...  Friday - April 02, 2004

The June Allen Column is made possible in part by these sponsors. Cick on each name to visit each web site. June Allen Column Ketchikan's First City Players ; Did you hear that applause? - The 40th anniversary of the founding of Ketchikan's renowned First City Players is fast approaching. That community theater of volunteer actors, directors and stage hands laid the foundation of a tradition that has become the city's longest-lived, continuously active thespian society. It began when a small group of amateur actors with a little theater experience got together and said, "Let's put on a show!" And did so, and then put together another show, and another to become in time Ketchikan's first long-term little theater group as well as one of Alaska's most respected amateur theater organizations. In the larger picture and looking back to the town's beginnings, the First City Players added their talents to a long tradition of drama and comedy in the story of the small town on the shores of Tongass Narrows. - Read the rest of this story by June Allen... Tuesday - March 30, 2004 More stories by June Allen... A biography of Alaska's herring: A little fish of huge importance... Nulato AK: a small village but big in history... Ketchikan's Creek Street Dance Hall; echoes of music from the past... A Story of an Unfriendly Arctic Island And the heroine who survived it... Ketchikan's Volunteer Legacy; Buckets to hydrants to hi-tech... Read more stories by June Allen...

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