Fish Factor: Fishermen say high fuel costs forcing them out of business By LAINE WELCH - Alaska fishermen are hoping to catch tax breaks on two fronts: high fuel costs, and oil spill payouts (if any) from Exxon.

"We're seeing a 69% increase in fuel costs in Cordova from June of last year," said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in a phone interview after she traveled to several fishing communities. "In Dillingham the increase is 54%. In Kodiak, it's 58% over last year. Fishing families can't sustain this."

Murkowski said she is deeply troubled by the number of fishermen who tell her that high fuel costs are forcing them out of business.

"When you have 1,700 fishermen say we need your help in Washington to do something so we can be out working, we figured we had to find someway to provide relief," Murkowski said, referring to a statewide petition signed by Alaska fishermen and delivered to her senate office.

Senators Murkowski and Stevens are pushing a bill that would give fishermen an extra fuel tax deduction for the next two years. The deduction would be based on the difference between fuel prices paid on Labor Day 2004, adjusted for inflation, and prices paid this year. The deductions would apply to fishermen across the U.S.

"It does mean that you're going to have to put cash up front and absorb those costs at the fuel dock. But it gives some hope that when tax time comes around you'll be able offset some of what you have paid," Murkowski said. "It's one small effort but we believe it will be a help to our nation's fishing families."

Alaska fishermen will take any break they can get, especially in the face of lower than expected salmon catches in most regions.

"Cordova is like a ghost town," said Rochelle van den Broek, director of Cordova District Fishermen United. "It feels like the middle of winter as very few can afford to pay fuel costs to return home between openers, and are docking at Whittier or staying out in the Sound on their boats. The loss to local businesses is yet to be fully realized. It is an industry crushing problem."

"We're doing a good job of sustaining the fish, but we also need to sustain fishing businesses," said Mark Vinsel, director of United Fishermen of Alaska.

"To get any help in Congress we need support from other states. All fishermen need to educate and enlist their delegations to get on board with this."

Some in Congress will object to giving temporary fuel tax breaks to fishermen, since all industry sectors are suffering. But Senator Murkowski said the fishing industry is unique.

"Fishermen can't pass on cost increases to customers, turn to alternative modes of transportation, or sell their product for a higher price," she said. - More...
Monday - July 07, 2008

Alaska: FLARE LAUNCHING IN RESSURECTION BAY INVESTIGATED - The Coast Guard responded to a report of three red flares near Fox Island on June 29th. Five hours and $50,000 later the source was identified as a man training his children to use flares.

"Responding to false alarms puts our crews at risk unnecessarily and prevents us from responding to actual emergencies," said Cmdr. Steve Pearson, response chief Sector Anchorage.

Watchstanders from Coast Guard Sector Anchorage, Communication Station Kodiak, the crew of an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, the Seward Police Department and a Good Samaritan spent over five hours trying to locate the source of distress - a family tent camping on the beach at Fox Island.

Training your children to use flares is permissible and a good idea, however, individuals conducting training should alert the Coast Guard and other emergency responders in the area before firing flares. This step can prevent costly and unnecessary search efforts. 

False distress calls cost the Coast Guard and Alaskan taxpayers more than $2 million annually. A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and crew have an operating cost of $10,719 per hour. This false distress case exhausted 20.4 Coast Guard member hours; and 4.5 resource hours. All tallied this case cost the Coast Guard and the Alaskan taxpayers $50,020.50.

Flare launchings account for a small percentage of all false distress calls each year. One of the given reasons for launching flares is because "they are expired." The Coast Guard recommends keeping expired flares separate from non-expired flares if they remain with you or on your boat. If you no longer want them you can turn expired flares over to any Coast Guard or Coast Guard Auxiliary unit. - More...
Monday - July 07, 2008

Southeast Alaska: Second Phase of Baht Timber Sale ROD Signed - The Forest Supervisor for the Tongass National Forest has signed the Record of Decision for the second phase of the Baht Timber Sale, located on Zarembo Island, which could provide up to about 4 million board feet of lumber from about 120 acres.

The first phase of this sale was signed in July 2007. That initial sale had included the two units in this second decision that were deferred under a litigation agreement stemming from a 2005 court decision. - More...
Monday - July 07, 2008

Southeast Alaska: Summer-Fall 2008 mobile mammograms announced - The Sitka-based SEARHC Breast and Cervical Health Program has announced the Summer-Fall 2008 schedule for the mobile mammogram program.

The mobile mammography van will visit Hoonah, Haines, Skagway, Klawock, Craig and Metlakatla this summer and fall.

The van is scheduled to visit Hoonah on Aug. 18-22, Haines on Aug. 28 to Sept. 10, Skagway on Sept. 16-18, Klawock on Sept. 26 to Oct. 10, Craig on Oct. 11-12 and Metlakatla on Oct. 17-23. - More...
Monday - July 07, 2008

Alaska: Feds turn down Alaska's proposal for flexibility in accountability - The U.S. Department of Education has turned down Alaska's proposal to pilot a school accountability plan under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Alaska officials are considering whether to submit a revised proposal.

The federal agency said last week it had approved six states' proposals for differentiated accountability and not approved the proposals of 11 states, including Alaska. But federal officials said they will accept a new round of state submissions in the fall.

"Our foremost concern is to implement No Child Left Behind in a way that is most beneficial to our students," said Alaska Commissioner of Education & Early Development Larry LeDoux. "We are reviewing the U.S. Department of Education's feedback and the successful state proposals."

The federal government is allowing up to 10 states to try out plans that differentiate consequences for struggling schools based on how far they fall short of targets for student proficiency and other goals.

Alaska assesses students in language arts and math in grades 3 through 10 to determine whether schools are make adequate yearly progress toward 100 percent proficiency of assessed students under No Child Left Behind. - More...
Monday - July 07, 2008

Alaska: Federal counseling grants awarded to four Alaska districts - Several Alaska school districts have received federal grants for elementary and secondary counseling programs. The Alaska school district awardees are: Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Bering Strait, Northwest Arctic Borough, and Tanana.

Schools will establish or expand counseling programs through hiring qualified school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, or child and adolescent psychiatrists, the U.S. Department of Education said. - More...
Monday - July 07, 2008

Alaska: BP Top of the World Classic Cancelled for 2008 - The University of Alaska Fairbanks announced Thursday that it is canceling this year's BP Top of the World Classic. The cancellation is a result of a change in NCAA rules governing college basketball tournaments and the resulting bidding wars taking place between events.

"The decision to cancel this year's tournament was not of our making or of our choice," said Brian Hove, tournament director. "The escalation in appearance fees precipitated by the 2006 NCAA rule change has effectively priced the Classic out of the market."

Prior to 2006, there were only 10 certified preseason basketball tournaments in the country, including the Classic and Anchorage's Great Alaska Shootout. A rule change in 2006 opened the door for any institution to host a multiple-team event. The 2007 NCAA schedule featured 45 such tournaments, with more planned at schools all over the country this year. - More...
Monday - July 07, 2008

Match of the Month: July 2008 Big Brother Norm (Left) and Little Brother Jerry pose in front of Big Brothers Big Sisters' "Matched Hands Wall" in Ketchikan, AK. Photograph by Joann Flora, Community Coordinator of Ketchikan, Alaska's Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska

Ketchikan: Match of the Month: July 2008 By Nancy Coggins - "A perfect match!" is how "Little Brother" Jerry feels about being matched with his "Big Brother" Norm in Ketchikan, Alaska Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS). Jerry adds, "Norm is a great guy to be with. He is a good role model. He always knows exactly what to say."

You may be asking how on earth can there ever be a perfect match? Independently, Norm agrees: "Jerry is fun to be with and polite. He enjoys trying new things. He is a great kid, and we get along very well together. Joann [BBBS Community Coordinator] did a fabulous job of matching the two of us."

Jerry's mother says, "Norm has been the best thing that has happened to Jerry. He is a good man who totally respects him. Norm is funny - has us rolling on the floor." - More...
Monday - July 07, 2008

Public Meeting AGIA HEARINGS: Tuesday - July 8th at the Ted Ferry Civic Center, Ketchikan, AK 1:00 - 4:00 pm - TransCanada presentation & committee discussion 5:00 - 7:00 pm - Public Testimony Ketchikan Ketchikan Police Report AK Troopers Daily Dispatch Today's Forecast Satellite Today's Weather Images Marine Forecasts Ketchikan Weather Data Current AK Weather Map CLASSIFIEDS Publish ad Please select the proper category before posting. CLASSIFIEDS' CATEGORIES Announcements and       Help Wanted For Sale / Free Stuff Garage Sales Homes / Apts/ Property Pets Wanted Lost & Found Local Services Publish your ad   Front Page Archives June - July 2008 S M T W T F S 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 01 02 03 04 05 More Front Page Archives

WE NEED TO SAVE THE BEACH! By Kathleen Wiechelman - On Monday, July 7th, beginning at 5:30 p.m., the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly will consider two items relating to the Borough s proposed purchase of South Point Higgins Beach. Item 9e would put a bond issue before the voters of Ketchikan in October 2008, which, of course, may or may not pass. If it does pass, it would cost the people of Ketchikan $5,000 in attorneys fees, in addition to other related costs. Item 9d would take $400,000 from the Borough s land trust account towards the purchase of South Point Higgins Beach and leave the remaining nearly $800,000 of the purchase price mandated by the owner Alaska Mental Health Trust to be raised by community organization Ketchikan Beaches Association and its partner Southeast Alaska Land Trust. This option would give the citizens of Ketchikan a much better chance than the bond issue option of turning South Point Higgins Beach into a public park for the use of current residents, as well as future generations. - More...
Monday - July 07, 2008

Property Taxes: Fair or Unfair? By Jerilyn Lester - I agree with Mr. Warner. I agree with Mr. Warner. I think Ketchikan's elected officials just blew it when instead of cutting the mill rate they just inflated the appraisals for the houses. That not only makes it harder to make all our payments, it makes it just almost impossible to keep our heads above water with the price of gas and food. - More...
Monday - July 07, 2008

IBU TA contract proposal By Robert Rice - Governor's office: "We are committed to a long term vision for improving working conditions for state workers" Annette Kreitzer, commissioner. What a totally one sided, self serving press release. I guess you believe that omissions that present a totally slanted view is not just a rationalization for lying. These one sided half truth-lies are exactly why most people in this country consider our government to be completely untrustworthy. - More...
Monday - July 07, 2008

Congratulations to 1st Place KLL Andres Oil By Linda Hansen - I want to congratulate the Ketchikan Little League Andres Oil for taking 1st Place this year. Great job with all the teams. We are so proud of all the boys. - More...
Monday - July 07, 2008

EXXON VALDEZ PLAINTIFFS LOOK TO THE FUTURE By Rochelle van den Broek - If you are due to receive compensation in the Exxon Valdez case, would you rather give the tax man up to $35% of your settlement, or keep it yourself for later down the road? - More...
Monday - July 07, 2008

It Takes Courage to Cut the Budget By Robert D. Warner - Many of us are suffering "sticker shock" as we receive our current billing for property taxes. This should remind us that it takes real courage and hard work for our elected leaders to cut spending and reduce our taxes or keep increases modest and reasonable. - More...
Wednesday - July 02, 2008

IBU members not the bad guys By Diane Charrier - Instead of making it sound like the IBU members are the bad guys by all the things they (the state) wanted to give us, maybe you should of dug deeper to report all the things the state was trying to take away from us. - More...
Wednesday - July 02, 2008

IBU Contract Not Ratified: One sided By Ronald C. Currit - Your article titled IBU Contract Not Ratified seems to be only one sided, it only says what was offered BUT it does not say what was being changed or taken away. - More...
Wednesday - July 02, 2008

Ketchikan's new community library can't wait By Heidi Ekstrand and Susan Fisher - If all the stacks of books in the Ketchikan Public Library were spread apart so a person in a wheelchair could get up the aisles, and upper shelves were removed for a safe height, we'd need double the present space just for what we have - nothing new. - More...
Wednesday - July 02, 2008

ANWR and NATURAL GAS By Mary Henrikson - This is a response to Marlowe Thompson and her frustrations over ANWR. I am confused by the standard statement that oil from ANWR won't get to market for 10 years. I worked on the The Trans Alaska Pipeline and it took a fraction of that time to build a pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez. I can't help but feel technology has improved. I know oil companies must find and drill, but it sounds like they've a good idea where the oil is located and the Governor states the foot print will be the size of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). So the industrial layout will be smaller than Prudhoe, and if they tap into the trans-Alaska pipeline then it sounds like a 3-5 year project on the outside to the outside, and not nearly as intrusive. - More...
Wednesday - July 02, 2008

Outrage! Private Profit on public Alaskan Lands By Norbert Chaudhary - I read today of the plan by AP&T (Alaska Power and Telephone) (NOT an Alaskan Company - it is based in Port Townsend,Washington) to build a dam on PUBLIC LANDS in Southeast Alaska in order to sell electicity for PRIVATE PROFIT to Canada. - More...
Monday - June 30, 2008

Statehood Day By Alan R. McGillvray - When I was a young sprout, wasn't even interested in girls yet, my younger brother and I were over at Minnich's house on 3rd Ave. up by the High School, playing around, when we heard the sirens go off. So we all knew that the STATEHOOD vote was up in the Senate of the U.S.A. govt. and it finally went in our favor. - More...
Monday - June 30, 2008

Gasline, Energy & Salmon By Rep. Mike Doogan - Hearings, we got hearings.

The legislature held more hearings on Gov. Sarah Palin 's proposal to give TransCanada subsidiary TC Alaska a state license to build a gas pipeline from the North Slope. We met Tuesday afternoon in Palmer and Thursday afternoon in Soldotna, with public hearings on those evenings. - More...
Monday - June 30, 2008

Trans Canada Pipeline By Ben Moffett - Way down here in New Mexico, where we have quite a bit of oil and gas too, we're pulling for Trans Canada Pipeline. - More...
Monday - June 30, 2008

Open letter: Gravina Access Priorities, Public Spending for Roads By Michael C. Spence - In my informed opinion, as long as the road system and infrastructure of Ketchikan on the Revillagigedo Island is poorly maintained, with vast areas either unpaved or pothole-ridden, it is a travesty to spend any more public money on roads on Gravina Island. For example, Tongass Avenue near the main post office, Tongass Highway from Revilla Road to Refuge Cove are a mess. Revilla Road is unpaved over much of the area above Ward Lake recreation area, as is South Tongass Highway from mile 8 to the end of the road at Beaver Falls. Both of the latter roads are frequently used by local residents and visitors. There is inadequate pedestrian access throughout the road system in Ketchikan, and critically inadequate in the downtown area where thousands of tourists and residents alike are on the streets during the Summer. - More...
Saturday - June 28, 2008

Our Fuel for the Future By Gov. Sarah Palin - Summer is officially here. And during this time, we like to put the winter months behind us and focus on the longer and warmer days. But we are in the midst of an energy crisis across the nation and in Alaska. And the warmer summer months will only provide a brief respite from the colder months and the increasing need for fuel which lay ahead. - More...
Saturday - June 28, 2008

Customer service By Cecelia Johnson - I recently had a pleasant surprise walking into a business downtown, "Crazy Wolf Studio." I felt like a celebrity and I was treated with respect. Why the surprise? I am a local resident. - More...
Saturday - June 28, 2008

Instead of a tale of two cities, we have two different tales of floating cities By Sen. Kim Elton - Cruise ship compliance with Alaska's environmental laws likely is okay if the question is "can they do lunch?" Ask more relevant questions, though, and compliance apparently is more difficult to assess. - More...
Saturday - June 28, 2008

Oil from ANWR/ gas price reduction By Marlowe Thompson - I have no expertise in the petroleum business. I am retired and trying to convince my U.S. Representative Democrat Mike Thompson (no relation) to change his view and vote to drill in ANWR. He stated in a letter to me that it would take too long, 10 years, to get oil to the Lower 48 and would only lower the gas price about 1.5 cents. - More...
Saturday - June 28, 2008

Moving Forward?? By Jerilyn Lester - It seems to me that Governor Palin is just intent on ripping Alaska off for all it is worth. First the Governor steals the money for the bridge promised to Ketchikan 30 years ago only to build another one across Knik Arm because it takes too long to drive around. Now the Governor is taking jobs and money out of the state and sending them to Canada. - More...
Saturday - June 28, 2008

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