National: Nearly half of Americans believe nation 'less safe' from terrorists By THOMAS HARGROVE and GUIDO H. STEMPEL III - Americans solidly oppose a cut-and-run policy for U.S. military operations in Iraq even as they heap criticisms on President Bush's handling of the war and question whether he has a well-thought plan to eventually extract troops from southwest Asia.

Nearly half believe the United States is "less safe" from terrorist attack because of the military actions in Iraq, according to the latest survey of 1,016 adults conducted by the Scripps Survey Research Center at Ohio University. - More...
Wednesday - July 20, 2005

National: Number of missing children treated like state secret By THOMAS HARGROVE - The Justice Department for years has violated an act of Congress by refusing to reveal how many lost, runaway and kidnapped children have been reported to the FBI, a policy that has turned America's missing youth into a state secret.

The FBI says such information is confidential.

Advocates for missing children complain that the government's refusal to report the number of cases has allowed many police departments to escape public notice when they violate the reporting standards set by Congress in its landmark National Child Search Assistance Act of 1990. - More...
Wednesday - July 20, 2005

National: Report card on America's children 2005 - The adolescent birth rate has reached another record low, the death rate for children between ages 1 and 4 is the lowest ever, young children are more likely to receive their recommended immunizations, and fourth graders are scoring better in math, according to a yearly compendium of statistics from federal agencies concerned with children.

Children also are more likely to live in poverty, infants are more likely to be of low birthweight, youth are more likely to commit or be a victim of a violent crime, and reading scores of older children have declined slightly.

These findings are described in America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being 2005, the U.S. government's 9th annual monitoring report on the well-being of the Nation's children and youth. The report was compiled by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics and presents a comprehensive look at critical areas of child well-being, including health status, behavior and social environment, economic security, and education. - More...
Wednesday - July 20, 2005

National: Battle begins over Roberts' nomination By BILL STRAUB - The battle lines have quickly been drawn over the nomination of Judge John Roberts to serve on the Supreme Court, with feminists expressing alarm over his potential impact on the abortion debate while social conservatives rush to his defense.

One protest, staged by the National Organization for Women, took place outside a Senate office building Wednesday - less than 15 hours after President Bush announced that the 50-year-old Roberts, a judge on the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, was his choice to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. - More...
Wednesday - July 20, 2005

'Surprise Visitor' Front Page Photo by Weston Davis

Ketchikan: Ricardo Sainz Scholarship Announced - A scholarship in memory of fisheries biologist Ricardo Sainz has been created by U.S. Forest Service employees in the Ketchikan-Misty Fjord Ranger District. University of Alaska Southeast Ketchikan students pursuing a degree in fisheries, biology or fisheries technology will benefit from their generosity. Applications for the scholarship are currently being accepted.

Ricardo Sainz, a United States Forest Service fisheries biologist, will be remembered by his coworkers for his passion and dedication to his profession, his interest in education and his warmth and compassion for his fellow USFS employees. Sainz worked for the USFS Ketchikan Ranger District for over 13 years. A native of Arizona, he enjoyed living and working in the Tongass National Forest. "His contribution as a fisheries biologist to the U.S. Forest Service was notable and he was a dedicated forest service employee," District Ranger Lynn Kolund says. As a first generation college graduate, Sainz was proud of his achievement and his co-workers felt strongly that he would have wanted to help college students pursue a biology or fisheries degree. - More...
Wednesday - July 20, 2005

Viewpoints Opinions/Letters Another qualified, educated and dedicated employee fired By Cheryl L. Dodson - Wednesday Hiring Local By Rob Glenn - Wednesday Gravina Bridge By Mike McColley - Wednesday More Viewpoints/ Letters Publish A Letter Worldcom Sentence By: Tab The Calgary Sun Distributed exclusively by Cagle Cartoons, Inc. Political Cartoonists Ketchikan Calendar, Meetings, Events Today's Forecast City Police Report AK Troopers Daily Dispatch Classifieds & Announcements July 2005 Click on the date for stories and photos published on that day... S M T W T F S 26 27 28 29 30 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: With Roberts' selection, abortion issue front and center By MARY DEIBEL - Republican presidents and their Supreme Court candidates are proof that the law of unintended consequences can reorder the nation's politics and priorities.

Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark decision that legalized abortion nationwide, is a case in point - and a case that will again be front and center in John Roberts' Senate confirmation hearings. - More...
Wednesday - July 20, 2005

National: Fast-food outlets learning 'Americans don't want tofu' By LANCE GAY - Healthy-eating campaigns at fast-food restaurants are fast fizzling, company executives say.

Consumers eating out for the night aren't interested in healthy-eating options and aren't reading nutritional information even when it's printed on napkins or put on tray liners in front of them, the executives say.

"This isn't a rosy picture," said Marilyn Schorin, chief nutritional officer for Yum! Brands, whose chains include Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut. - More...
Wednesday - July 20, 2005

Technology: ID chips revolutionizing the supply chain By LANCE GAY - Expect to find many more products sold with radio-controlled identification chips as the Pentagon and major retailers begin a slow transition to a technology revolutionizing the supply chain.

Both the Pentagon and giant retailer Wal-Mart say they're so impressed at the reduced waste and efficiency brought by using such chips during trial runs this spring that both are telling contractors and suppliers they want more goods identified with them rather than bar codes. - More...
Wednesday - July 20, 2005

Technology: Firms line up to capitalize on podcasting By TIM LAI - Podcasts - on-line audio shows that can be downloaded to any portable MP3 player - are quickly changing from a fringe phenomenon into a powerful communications tool for companies.

Since emerging last summer, podcasts have allowed practically anybody to host shows on any subject - from betting on sports to wine reviews or rants about university professors. Like weblogs, podcasts have allowed individuals to post their thoughts on-line for the digital world; and as more people discover this new medium, companies are realizing it offers another way to reach consumers.

"I think that you're going to see companies start to really figure out that a podcast, done correctly, is an amazing opportunity," said Michael Geoghegan, who founded of Willnick Productions, producer of three podcasts. - More...
Wednesday - July 20, 2005

Alaska: Clarification of Possible BRAC Commissioner Recusals Sought - Citing increasing concerns about the effects recusals by several members of the Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) could have on the Commission's ability to fairly evaluate the recommended reduction in status of Eielson Air Force Base, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) last week sent a letter to BRAC Chairman Anthony Principi seeking clarification of the rules mandating recusals.

Murkowski also recommends in her letter that a written opinion on the recusal of Commissioners be obtained from either the Department of Justice or the Office of Government Ethics before Commissioners make final recusal decisions. - More...
Wednesday - July 20, 2005