Ketchikan: Body of missing Ketchikan five-year-old found - Posted by Eric Stone, KRBD  www.krbd.org - Mar 28, 2020 Alaska COVID-19 Daily Updates - Alaska Dept. of Health Case Counts, etc. Alaska Health Mandates: Scroll Down The Page to the List of Health Alerts & Mandates Ketchikan: Ketchikan Emergency Operations Center latest COVID-19 updates & alerts... Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Center for Disease Control (CDC) Situation Summary Updated Frequently Ketchikan: Public Meetings Ketchikan: Upcoming Events Ketchikan: Announcements Ketchikan: Classifieds CLASSIFIEDS Publish Your Ad Click Here Historical Ketchikan June Allen Dave Kiffer Louise B. Harrington Ketchikan Weather Ketchikan's Forecast March Daily Records 2020 Ketchikan Feb. 2020 Data Ketchikan Jan. 2020 Data Nat Weather Service KTN Ketchikan Tides & Currents Sunrise - Sunset Ketchikan Search the News Ketchikan Alaska U.S. Congress 2019-2020: Bills that have passed the House & Senate and become Law U.S. Congress 2019-2020: Bills Introduced (Over 5,000 in the House and over 3,000 in the Senate)

Alaska: Census Day Is Here – Make It Count! - Today is Census Day, the day that determines who is counted in the 2020 Census and where they are counted.

The U.S. Constitution mandates a census of the population every 10 years. Responding to the 2020 Census is easy, safe and important, and is key to shaping the future of communities. Census statistics are used to determine the number of seats each state holds in the U.S. House of Representatives and informs legislative district boundaries. They also inform how hundreds of billions of dollars in public funds are allocated by state, local and federal lawmakers to communities for public services and infrastructure like hospitals, emergency services, schools and bridges each year over the next 10 years.

36.2 percent of households across the nation have responded to the 2020 Census since invitations began arriving in mailboxes March 12-20. Response rates are updated in the map daily seven days a week so that the public can see how well their community is doing compared to the nation and other areas.

The Census Bureau is strongly encouraging the public to respond to the 2020 Census online using a desktop computer, laptop, smartphone or tablet. You can respond online or by phone in English or 12 other languages. There are also 59 non-English language guides and videos (plus American Sign Language) available on 2020census.gov ensuring over 99% of U.S. households can respond online in their preferred language. It has never been easier to respond on your own — all without having to meet a census taker. This is really important with the current health and safety guidance being provided by national, state and local health authorities. - More...
Wednesday PM - April 01, 2020

Alaska: Why Russia gave up Alaska, America's gateway to the ArcticBy WILLIAM L. IGGLAGRUK HENSLEY - One hundred and fifty-three years ago, on March 30, 1867, U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward and Russian envoy Baron Edouard de Stoeckl signed the Treaty of Cession. With a stroke of a pen, Tsar Alexander II had ceded Alaska, his country’s last remaining foothold in North America, to the United States for US$7.2 million.

That sum, amounting to just $113 million in today’s dollars, brought to an end Russia’s 125-year odyssey in Alaska and its expansion across the treacherous Bering Sea, which at one point extended the Russian Empire as far south as Fort Ross, California, 90 miles from San Francisco Bay.

Today Alaska is one of the richest U.S. states thanks to its abundance of natural resources, such as petroleum, gold and fish, as well as its vast expanse of pristine wilderness and strategic location as a window on Russia and gateway to the Arctic.

So what prompted Russia to withdraw from its American beachhead? And how did it come to possess it in the first place?

As a descendant of Inupiaq Eskimos, I have been living and studying this history all my life. In a way, there are two histories of how Alaska came to be American – and two perspectives. One concerns how the Russians took “possession” of Alaska and eventually ceded it to the U.S. The other is from the perspective of my people, who have lived in Alaska for thousands of years, and for whom the anniversary of the cession brings mixed emotions, including immense loss but also optimism.

The lust for new lands that brought Russia to Alaska and eventually California began in the 16th century, when the country was a fraction of its current size.

That began to change in 1581, when Russia overran a Siberian territory known as the Khanate of Sibir, which was controlled by a grandson of Genghis Khan. This key victory opened up Siberia, and within 60 years the Russians were at the Pacific.

The Russian advance across Siberia was fueled in part by the lucrative fur trade, a desire to expand the Russian Orthodox Christian faith to the “heathen” populations in the east and the addition of new taxpayers and resources to the empire.

In the early 18th century, Peter the Great – who created Russia’s first Navy – wanted to know how far the Asian landmass extended to the east. The Siberian city of Okhotsk became the staging point for two explorations he ordered. And in 1741, Vitus Bering successfully crossed the strait that bears his name and sighted Mt. Saint Elias, near what is now the village of Yakutat, Alaska.

Although Bering’s second Kamchatka Expedition brought disaster for him personally when adverse weather on the return journey led to a shipwreck on one of the westernmost Aleutian Islands and his eventual death from scurvy in December 1741, it was an incredible success for Russia. The surviving crew fixed the ship, stocked it full of hundreds of the sea otters, foxes and fur seals that were abundant there and returned to Siberia, impressing Russian fur hunters with their valuable cargo. This prompted something akin to the Klondike gold rush 150 years later. - More....
Wednesday PM - April 01, 2020

The 'King of Cruising' and the Princess Patricia; Stanley McDonald got the idea for Pacific cruising at the 1962 Seattle World's Fair
By DAVE KIFFER
First Princess ship in the fleet. (In service for Princess 1965–1966)
Built in 1949 and scrapped in Taiwan in 1995.
Princess Patricia on her first Princess Cruise - docked in San Francisco - heading south to Los Angeles. 
Courtesy cruiselinehistory.com

Alaska Historical: The 'King of Cruising' and the Princess Patricia; Stanley McDonald got the idea for Pacific cruising at the 1962 Seattle World's Fair By DAVE KIFFER - It isn’t often that an entire industry can be pegged to the creative drive of one person. But while there were “cruise ships” before Stanley McDonald took a small Canadian steam ship and began making runs between Los Angeles and Mexico in 1965, there is a reasonable argument that the $134 billion cruise industry would not be where it is today without him.

McDonald was born in Alberta, Canada in 1920. He was raised in Yakima, Washington. Eventually, he ended up in Seattle and attended the University of Washington. During World War II he became a US Navy pilot.

After the war, he founded a company called Air Mac, a Northwest company that specialized in material handling equipment. The company expanded with offices in numerous foreign companies and was eventually purchased by Hertz.

In the early 1960s, McDonald was one of the executives in charge of making the 1962 World’s Fair happen. One of his tasks was developing enough visitor housing in the city, which was taking its first steps from being a regional hub to be an international destination.

McDonald realized that Seattle was lacking in visitor accommodations and came up with the idea of renting several small cruise industry ships from the Caribbean and bringing them to the Pacific Northwest for the Fair. During the Fair he decided used one of the ships to make runs up and down the coast from Washington to California to bring visitors to the Fair. But the only available ships were foreign flagged and required stops in Canada. So, the ships would make a 10-day circuit between San Francisco, Victoria, B.C. and Seattle, that included spending four days berthed in Seattle for the Fair.

“This was a howling success and it continued operation during the entire fair,” McDonald is quoted in a 2005 Question and Answer session on the Princess Cruises website.

It got McDonald to thinking that cruise ships could be a popular option for people wanting to see the Pacific Coast of north America. Small cruise ships had operated along the coast since the late 1940s, but it was generally the province of wealthy visitors and the ships resembled high class yachts more than the floating hotels the industry would eventually be known for. (See “Back When Cruising Was Real Luxury” SITNEWS, May 3, 2018)

“I saw that people really loved to cruise,” McDonald said during the Q and A. “And remember jet service had just come in. Before, cruise ships were merely transportation – now they were going to be something for a vacation. And, so, we searched around and came up with a ship we could operate as a cruise ship – the Princess Patricia.”

The Princess Pat, as she was known on the Inside Passage, had been built in 1948 for the Canadian Pacific Steamship line and initially operated as a day boat between Seattle, Vancouver and Victoria. In the late 1950s she transitioned to the run from lower British Columbia to the small towns in the Alaska Panhandle. She was 365 feet long and carried 90 passengers in staterooms. Although well-appointed, the Princess Pat was primarily a ship to carry passengers and freight to Southeast Alaska. She did carry tourists, but they were generally less than half of the ship’s business.

By the 1965, the Canadian Pacific’s share of the Alaska run was declining, particularly after the Alaska Marine Highway System came on-line in 1963. Cheaper, more regular air travel was also cutting into the CN’s margins. The company jumped when McDonald offered to rent the ship for his new idea, three-day cruises between Los Angeles and Mexico. - More...
Wednesday PM - April 01, 2020

Ketchikan - Statewide: COVID-19 Update: Total Cases Statewide 143; Includes 1 New Case in Ketchikan By MARY KAUFFMAN - The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) today announced 10 new cases of COVID-19 in six Alaska communities – Anchorage (2), Fairbanks (3), North Pole (2), Juneau (1), Ketchikan (1) and Wasilla (1). This brings the total case count in Alaska today to 143. 

Of the 143 positive cases statewide, 40 are travel-related, 11 are non-travel related, 50 are close contact and 42 are under investigation as to cause. As of today, statewide there have been 5,022 tests completed.

Of today's cases announced, one of the new cases is an older adult (60+); eight are adults aged 30-59; and one is a younger adult aged 19-29. Seven are female and three are male. Two of the cases are close contacts of previously diagnosed cases and eight are still under investigation. As of today, there are no new known hospitalizations nor deaths. 

Yesterday, the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) announced 14 new cases of COVID-19 in five Alaska communities – Anchorage (2), Eagle River (2), Fairbanks (5), Juneau (4) and Kenai (1). This brought the total case count in Alaska on Tuesday to 133. 

Two of the new cases announced Tuesday are older adults (60+); 10 are adults aged 30-59; and two are younger adults aged 19-29. Five are female and nine are male. Five of the cases are close contacts of previously diagnosed cases; two are travel-related and seven are still under investigation.

So far the communities in Alaska that have had laboratory-confirmed cases include Anchorage (including JBER), Eagle River/Chugiak, Girdwood, Homer, Fairbanks, North Pole, Ketchikan, Juneau Palmer, Wasilla, Seward, Soldotna, Sterling and Kenai.

As of April 1st, statewide there have been a total of 9 individuals hospitalized and 3 reported deaths related to COVID-19.

As of today, the number of positive cases of COVID-19 in Ketchikan is fourteen (14). Of these 14 cases, two (2) individuals had a recent history of travel, and eleven (11) individuals were identified as having been in close contact with an individual diagnosed with COVID-19. Ten out of 14 Ketchikan cases have recovered and no longer being monitored by Public Health.

In Ketchikan 137 test have been conducted for COVID-19 with 14 positive results, 75 negative results, with 48 pending results.

Today's new postive case reported in Ketchikan does not have a history of recent travel, and has been identified as having been in close contact to a person who was previously reported as testing positive to COVID-19. This individual was identified through the contact investigation by Public Health, was placed into self-quarantine, and was tested for COVID-19 at the direction of Public Health. 

Following the positive test results, as usual Ketchikan Public Health officials contacted this individual and will continue to monitor their condition to ensure continued self-isolation. Public Health officials will initiate a contact investigation and reach out to any person who may have come into contact with this individual. Public Health will notify and quarantine additional persons as appropriate. Through the contact investigation, Public Health will direct testing of persons that meet criteria based on contact with any confirmed case of COVID-19. Individuals who meet the criteria are being tested in accordance with CDC and State of Alaska priorities.

Ketchikan Emergency Operations Center (EOC) said they have received questions regarding consequences to members of the public who fail to follow the social distancing mandates and directives that have been put into place by the President of the United States, Governor of the State of Alaska, and the local Ketchikan Gateway Borough, City of Ketchikan, and City of Saxman authorities.

According to Ketchikan Emergency Operations, while the State of Alaska does have the ability to enforce violations of any of the mandates issued, the State and local governments are fully expecting compliance from our citizens. It is our hope that citizens will respect the directives for social distancing for the health and well-being of all and to #flattenthecurve and #stopthespread.

If there are violations of mandates and social distancing directives, the greatest penalty would be a widespread outbreak of COVID-19 to an extent that our local healthcare providers could not accommodate. Again, we are hopeful that are citizens will comply with the mandates for social distancing so that does not occur. It is the hope of Ketchikan Emergency Operations that law enforcement officers will not have to issue citations to citizens for failing to follow directives. If they do have to do so, it would be in line with wreckless endangerment statutes.

If a citizen would like to report a concern for a violation of a mandate, those concerns can be emailed to investigations@alaska.gov

The Ketchikan Emergency Operations Center continues to urge Ketchikan citizens to hunker down, shelter in place, and stay home, in order to contain the spread of COVID-19. Parents are urged to keep your children home, do not schedule playdates, and avoid group gatherings in public areas. If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your healthcare provider for medical advice.

Also today, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, with the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) issued an extension to the State of Alaska’s COVID-19 Health Mandate 002 on State Libraries, Archives, Museums and Residential Schools and COVID-19 Health Mandate 003 on Statewide Closure Restaurants, Bars, Entertainment. - More...
Wednesday PM - April 01, 2020

To minimize close contact between employees, AMHS reduced the number of crew working in the Ketchikan Shipyard by almost 50%. DOT&PF and AMHS determined that the most responsible thing that could be done was to protect the health of the crew was to reduce the number of people in the confined shipyard as working conditions make it difficult to follow social distancing recommendations.

DOT&PF Commissioner John MacKinnon stated , “The present situation is unprecedented, necessitating close cooperation and collaboration between communities, DOT&PF, our contractors, and labor. Transportation supports our communities, our economy, and our industries—connecting people with essential life, health, commerce, and safety access. While we will carry on with our important work for Alaska during these extraordinary circumstances, we will also continue to follow the guidance of our state and federal agencies. It’s worth repeating what many have said, we will get through this challenge – together."

Vigor Ketchikan Shipyard expects to complete overhaul work for the Columbia, Kennicott and Tustumena on schedule, however, additional AMHS crew must first return to Ketchikan to provision the vessels and complete practice drills for required safety certifications before service can resume. Given the current protocols in place, that is not feasible at this time. As a result, the Columbia, Kennicott, and Tustumena will not return to service as previously scheduled. AMHS tentatively plans for the vessels to resume service in mid-May. All passengers are being notified and rebooked or refunded as necessary. - More...
Wednesday PM - April 01, 2020

Analysis: The US census has its flaws – but so has every attempt to count people throughout history By TERESA A. SULLIVAN - A few days ago, I completed my 2020 U.S. census form.

My latest book details the fundamentals and significance of the 2020 census. By April 1, every residence in the United States will be contacted, usually by mail, to answer only seven questions. This year you may respond online, although there are options for paper, telephone and even talking to a census worker.

Special efforts will be launched to reach the homeless, people in transit and those living in unconventional housing, such as a houseboat. The census will cost billions of dollars.

All this effort and expense raises the issue of whether there is an alternative. The short answer is no, not unless the U.S. Constitution is amended.

Other countries, however, have different ways of counting and tracking their populations. The U.S. system is moving in their direction.

The census is required by the U.S. Constitution to apportion the House of Representatives according to the population of the states. Census data are used to allocate federal funding, some US$1.5 trillion of it, to states and localities.

Undercounting just one child in poverty may cost a school district nearly $1,700 a year in Title I funds. According to one study, the people most likely to be undercounted are often the very people who would benefit the most from Medicaid and other programs.

The census is a snapshot of the country’s population. The nature of a snapshot is that it is fixed at a point in time. According to the U.S. Constitution, that snapshot is taken once every 10 years. - More...
Wednesday PM - April 01, 2020

Analysis: Should we wear masks or not? An expert sorts through the confusion By THOMAS PERLS - As a professor at Boston University’s School of Medicine and a geriatrician at Boston Medical Center caring for the most vulnerable in this pandemic, I’ve been asked a lot of questions about COVID-19.

It turns out there is good science out there that helps us know what masks we need to wear and when to wear them. That being said, some of the following advice could change as scientists learn more about why some people get a bad or even lethal case of this virus while many more get through it OK. One of the areas of greatest confusion seems to be about masks.

Much of the decision about wearing masks depends on what the essential businesses that remain open are doing to ensure social distancing and therefore, our safety.

Knowledge will protect you

Guidance about wearing a mask has to do with the different ways viruses like COVID-19 spread from person to person: through contact, droplets and as airborne, also called aerosolized, particles.

People get infected with COVID-19 when they touch a contaminated surface like a subway handle, or shake hands and then touch their face. Steel and plastic surfaces can harbor live virus for three days. On average, people touch their faces every two-and-a-half minutes, so it is easy to see how this virus can spread so easily from one person to the next by touching surfaces.

Another way to get the virus is by droplets that people produce by coughing and sneezing. Droplets are relatively large and contain mostly water plus the virus, so they usually fall from the air within six feet (one of the reasons for the six-foot social distancing rule). That said, vigorous coughs can go farther, and a strong sneeze – they’ve been clocked at 50-100 meters per second – can spread a droplet 18 feet away. This is why people who aren’t already wearing a mask because they are sick should cough or sneeze into their elbow.

Coughs and sneezes also produce aerosolized virus, smaller particles that float in the air far longer than droplets and that can also travel farther. Aerosols are also produced by talking, yelling and just normal breathing. A big problem is that in small, poorly ventilated rooms, COVID-19 can hang in the air and stay infectious for three hours. Another thing to know is that common medical devices, like nebulizer machines for people with asthma and CPAP machines for those with sleep apnea, are good at aerosolizing virus. - More...
Wednesday PM - April 01, 2020

Political Cartoon:  Go for the Gold
By Steve Sack ©2020, The Minneapolis Star-Tribune, MN
Distributed to paid subscribers for publication by Cagle Cartoons, Inc.