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Thursday
May 17, 2012
F/V Jack Cotant
The photographer took this photo of the 45' training F/V Jack Cotant while participating in the Ketchikan High School Maritime Class taught by Rick Collins over the weekend. Also pictured is the Eddystone rock.
Front Page Photo By EVAN WICK
Southeast Alaska: Tribal house restoration on schedule; Cedar Logs Received for Chief Shakes Tribal House, Land for Carving Shed - Project Manager Todd White stated that he was “very happy” with the schedule the Chief Shakes fire pit pre-restoration is keeping, as walls have already been removed and concrete poured. “The concrete will go a long ways to help to battle moisture and helping prevent future insect and pest infestation by keeping the Cedar dry and off the ground,” said White.
Chief Shakes fire pit pre-restoration
Photo courtesy WCA
While the Chief Shakes Tribal House in Wrangell will have a new floor and footings, the centerpiece of the structure, the fire pit, has been preserved. Original restoration plans had the Tribal House’s historic fire pit to be replaced; however, carbon dating conducted on the ash dated the pit back to the late 1800’s and White quickly changed the plans to leave the pit untouched. In the new renovation plan, the Shakes Island crew carefully covered the pit with planks as concrete was delivered one wheelbarrow at a time, creating a foundation around the fire pit to ensure visitors will enjoy the fire pit for another 100 years.
The Tribal House of the Bear on Shakes Island in Wrangell is an example of the architecture of the Tlingit Nation. The house, once the home of Chief Shakes, is a replica of the original house erected on the site in the 1800's.
For the renovation, Sealaska Corporation donated 12 cedar logs to reconstruct the Tribal House, while Tlingit & Haida Regional Housing Authority (THRHA) donated downtown property for the construction of the new carving shed. The 12 cedar logs donated to the project were found on nearby Prince of Wales Island and delivered to Thorne Bay where they were finished by the Thaja Plicata Lumber Company.
And, Sealaska Timber Corporation (STC) will also fulfill the projects request of six 40’ Red Cedar logs (40” at the butt) and another six 35’ Yellow Cedar logs (2 ½’ to 3’ in diameter). Had this donation not come through, the Wrangell Cooperative Association could have been looking at an estimated $100,000 plus to purchase the logs.
“When Sealaska steps forward with its logs, the end result is not in dollars,” said Sealaska Chair Albert Kookesh. “The end result is where that community stands after they rebuild.” - More...
Thursday - May 17, 2012
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Southeast Alaska: Opponents Concerned About Sealaska Land Exchange Proposal By Mary Kauffman, SitNews - Concerned about the proposal being discussed by the Obama administration and Congress, opponents have travelled to Washington, D.C. to participate in meetings in the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives, and with undersecretary Harris Sherman of the US Department of Agriculture regarding the impacts of the proposal on Tongass communities.
Participating in these meeting are Southeast Alaska Conservation Council’s Forest Program Director, Bob Claus, and Grassroots Attorney, Buck Lindekugel, Mike Sallee of Ketchikan and Gene Natkong of Hydaburg. Their position is that the proposal threatens not only old-growth stands in America’s largest remaining temperate rainforest, but would give 30 world-class hunting, fishing, and tourism destinations in the Tongass that are now in the public domain to the Sealaska Corporation. The eight of the 30 places that could be lost are described in an eight-page Southeast Alaska Conservation Council report released yesterday (Trading Away the Tongass).
Negotiations between government officials and Sealaska are based on a legislative proposal sought by the Sealaska Corporation that would give it ownership of some of the public lands in the Tongass National Forest. Opponents assert the proposal will allow Sealaska the right to log stands of old-growth and second-growth forests of higher value than those available to the corporation under current law, and would give the corporation ownership of up to 30 key parcels near Tongass communities.
The talks are based on H.R. 1408, introduced by Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) and a similar bill, S. 730, introduced by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska), and would modify Sealaska’s selection rights under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA).
Opponents of the proposed modificationplan say concerns about the proposal have been raised by the commercial fishing industry, Alaska Native groups, hunters and anglers, outdoor recreation enthusiasts, municipalities and ecotourism businesses. The small parcels to be transferred to Sealaska under the plan have generated widespread controversy due to impacts on existing uses and conflicts with the Forest Service’s Tongass Land Management Plan and other community development efforts.
“The proposal to privatize these areas would be a step backward for the Tongass,” said Mike Sallee, a commercial dive fisherman and small mill operator in Ketchikan. “These areas are crucial to our tourism and fisheries economies, and are a huge part of our communities. The Spring Creek/Bailey Bay Hot Springs area is widely used by tour operators, hunters, locals, and independent travelers. It’s one of the most special and beautiful areas in the Tongass.”
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“Since time immemorial, my family and I have been fighting for our traditional way of life,” said Gene Natkong of Hydaburg, a native village on Prince of Wales Island. “The futures sites inholdings that are part of this proposal directly affect my family and clan’s ability to use our traditional resources.”
Upon fulfillment of the Alaska Natives Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) land entitlement as prescribed in the legislation, Sealaska will relinquish its rights to 327,000 acres of valuable land consisting of 277,000 acres of designated roadless areas and 112,000 acres of productive old-growth. The legislation as proposed will protect lands with significant spiritual, cultural and sacred value to Southeast’s Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian peoples. The public stands to benefit, as well, according to information provided on the Sealaska website. The legislation guarantees unprecedented public access for subsistence and recreational uses on Sealaska lands in perpetuity.
The legislation will allow Sealaska to select lands that are more suitable to fulfill the promise of the Alaska Natives Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) than the lands that are currently available. Quoting the Sealaska website, the bill also ensures that the public will gain, not lose, roadless areas and old growth forest, and it protects conservation areas and sensitive municipal watersheds that are important to local communities and the region. Sealaska will not receive any more land than it is entitled to receive in accordance with the Alaska Natives Claims Settlement Act.
Under S.730 /H.R. 1408 Sealaska is giving up selections in the original withdrawal boundaries which totals 327,000 acres.
As a result , Sealaska would take ownership of 85,000 acres of land with great cultural, historical and economic value. Much of this acreage is already roaded and is young growth. Approximately 8,600 acres would be reserved for sacred sites and “Native Futures” sites on which no commercial harvest or mineral development will occur. Overall, Sealaska would receive approximately 39,000 fewer acres of old growth than it would if it selected all its remaining lands from within the original ANCSA prescribed withdrawal areas.
With the stroke of a pen in 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt created the Tongass National Forest, effectively signing away all aboriginal land claims in Alaska. The fight for the Alaska Natives Claims Settlement Act began at that moment.
After years of struggle and unauthorized land transfers between non-Native entities, Native voices began to rise in unison. The Alaska Federation of Natives was formed, and the first Native land claims settlements were proposed in Congress in 1967.
The 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) guaranteed the return of 44 million acres of land to Alaska Natives, the largest land claims settlement in United States history. The act also authorized the creation of regional, urban and village corporations, like Sealaska Corporation, to promote and protect the economic and cultural vitality of Alaska Natives. - More...
Thursday - May 17, 2012
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Viewpoints
Commentary
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the editor at editor@sitnews.us or call 617-9696
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Update in Progress.
Thanks for your patience.
 RE: Progressive Activism By Dave Henderson -
Let me first say that I believe in individual rights and particularly those protected by the Bill of Rights, especially the First Amendment that protects everyone's right to speak their piece. However, I also think that a person has an obligation to know what they are talking about before they open their mouth. Running off at the mouth before checking your facts or doing the research necessary to ensure that you know what you are talking about is the worst kind of activism, is irresponsible, the kind of thing that has started more conflicts, and is totally unnecessary if one truly believes that truth should always prevail. - More...
Friday - May 11, 2012
Term Limits 2012 By
Raymond Austin -
In 2009 shareholders voted to establish Sealaska Term Limits for the Sealaska Board of Directors, over 6000 shareholders voted to support Term Limits, but there were not enough votes to pass this. In 2011, a mere corporate technicality invalidated the shareholder resolution effort for the 2011 shareholder ballot. This year, shareholders will once again unite to pass the Term Limits resolution. The Sealaska paper proxies are scheduled to be in the mail by May 11, 2012 and the Term Limits resolution will be placed before shareholders. - More...
Friday - May 11, 2012
High fives and other crimes By
A. M. Johnson -
For the days following the removal of Mayor Jack Shay's official Ketchikan Borough photo and the ensuing aftermath I have pondered on the lack of reactions of civic members of the Ketchikan community. I wonder if the honor and moral obligations of civic leaders are being excused without prejudice by peers. I wonder what lessons on principles are being cast aside. I wonder. - More...
Wednesday PM - May 09, 2012
Education Funding Confusion By
Allegra Machado -
I attended the Borough Assembly Meeting Monday night regarding local Education Funding. There seemed to be confusion amongst Assembly Members about Senate Bill 182 and its intended use. I heard the term " taxpayer relief" used rather loosely in reference to its purpose. - More...
Wednesday PM - May 09, 2012
RE: Progressive Activism By
Kevin Hufford -
Jim Guenther's letter titled "Progressive Activism" is a masterpiece of uninformed, brainwashed and delusional thinking devoid of fact or truth. Sitnews should show more civic responsibility and professionalism by not printing such rambling garbage. - More...
Wednesday PM - May 09, 2012
RE: Progressive activism By
Bill Ayers -
The Progressive Activism letter by Jim Guenther seems to exhude the type of hate-mongoring that permeates the media today. It does not state an undeniable fact, but instead takes a snippet of a viewpoint and states it as a fact pointed towards a specific section of society. - More...
Wednesday PM - May 09, 2012
RE: Progressive activism By James Dornblaser - First let me say “blessed be the opinionated, for they are true time savers”. No time need be wasted gathering facts, applying logic, or providing proof of your statements; just jump to a conclusion! - More...
Wednesday PM - May 09, 2012
RE: Progressive Activism By
A.M.Johnson - Aaaa, the political season has hit Sitnews, well tit for tat, I say. While I profess that I am not as clever as some, I do recognize the written word that profoundly champions my personality and would offer those in my stead. Being an adopted child, the discussion on the subject of abortion has greater meaning. - More...
Wednesday PM - May 09, 2012
RE: Progressive Activism By
Chris Barry -
In response to Jim Guenther's recent letter and his claim to fame as a "retired teacher" and his views on the GOP, I can only hope that those that were taught by him did not listen to his incompetent babblings. - More...
Wednesday PM - May 09, 2012
Progressive activism By Jim Guenther -
I don't believe that corporations are people. The GOP does. I don't believe that the government should assert itself into the reproductive organs of my wife, or my female children, or of any woman. The GOP does. I don't believe that the ability to afford health insurance should determine if a human being should be kept alive. The GOP does. I don't believe that dangerous mental patients should be allowed to carry concealed assault weapons. The GOP does. I don't believe that the wealthy should pay a lower percentage of their income in taxes than middle-income wage earners. The GOP does. - More...
Tuesday - May 01, 2012
Sunken cement barge By
Tim Finch -
Nine years after it was written, I enjoyed the story of Bill Huckins and the sunken cement barge. I was searching around on line for info on Bill's Dad and came across June Allen's article. The older Bill occasionally worked with my Grandfather, Henry Finch Jr., also a diver. His Dad, Henry Sr. first located the SS Islander the year after it sunk, in 1902, but couldn't do much beyond that, given the +300 foot depth. Henry Jr. also worked with the Islander expedition starting in 1929 but did not go back after the first year. A good decision in hindsight. - More...
Tuesday - May 01, 2012
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