Alaska: Research team draws 150-meter ice core from ANWR Glacier - A 150-meter ice core pulled from the McCall Glacier in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge this summer may offer researchers their first quantitative look at up to two centuries of climate change in the region.

The core, which is longer than 1 and 1/2 football fields, is the longest extracted from an arctic glacier in the United States, according to Matt Nolan, an associate professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Institute of Northern Engineering who has led research at McCall Glacier for the past six years. The sample spans the entire depth of the glacier and may cover 200 years of history, he said.

"What we hope is that the climate record will extend back into the Little Ice Age," said Nolan. "Up until the late 1800s these glaciers were actually growing."

Since then, arctic glaciers have been shrinking at an increasing rate, he said. "There is no doubt that this is due to a change in climate, but until now we can only guess at the magnitude of that change. Within these cores, we will hopefully capture this shift in climate quantitatively, and we're glad to have recovered them now before more of this valuable record melts and flows into the Arctic Ocean." - More...
Wednesday - July 16, 2008

Alaska: Oil Industry Development Praised by Governor - BP announced Monday that it had sanctioned the development of its Liberty prospect in the federal waters in the Beaufort Sea Outer Continental Shelf. BP will push the envelope of technology by drilling ultra extended reach wells, with the largest land rig in the world. This technology will minimize the impact of the Liberty development on the environment.

"I want to congratulate Alaska's oil industry and our Department of Natural Resources for these pro-development achievements," Governor Palin said. "Our state has the resources and the people to address the nation's energy needs. Alaska remains an attractive and inviting place for oil and gas industry investment. I look forward to more good news in the future."

When production begins in 2011, the state will share in the royalties paid by BP to the federal government. Under existing law, the state will receive 27 percent of the royalties or almost 5 million barrels over the life of the project. The state and other producers on the North Slope will also benefit from potentially lower tariffs on the TAPS pipeline. At its peak in 2014, Liberty will produce 40,000 barrels per day and contribute to an increase of 6 percent of total TAPS throughput. - More...
Wednesday - July 16, 2008

Alaska: 140 YEAR-OLD USS TORRENT ARTIFACTS RECOVERED - 140 year-old artifacts from the USS Torrent out of Coal Bay near Homer, Alaska, were successfully recovered Monday. . The Coast Guard assisted the Alaska State Archeologist and Historic Press Office, the Government Services Agency and the Team Torrent dive team in the recovery.

The crew of the Hickory used its crane to recover the artifacts which included a brass mountain howitzer cannon, a fragmented canon ball, several portholes and other small items.

This unique chapter of Alaskan history started shortly after Alaska was purchased from Russia and the federal government began sending U.S. troops to secure the new territory.

In support of this mission, the USS Torrent was transporting troops through Cook Inlet in 1868 when it struck a rock in the vicinity of Port Graham.  All personnel aboard the Torrent  made it safely ashore in the vicinity of Coal Cove and months later were rescued by another passing ship.  The exact location of the Torrent was a mystery until the summer of 2007 when Steve Lloyd discovered the wreck near Port Graham. - More...
Wednesday - July 16, 2008

Alaska: Congress Overrides Veto and Passes Permanent Medicare Fix for Alaska Into Law - Congress voted Tuesday to override President Bush's veto of the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act, which contains a permanent Medicare reimbursement fix for Alaska authored by Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska).

"Medicare payments in Alaska were woefully inadequate and it made seniors' access to care almost impossible," said Senator Stevens. "The provision that I secured will raise payments to physicians in Alaska by about 35 percent. This increase will help open the door to doctors' offices for seniors across the state."

The legislation, which is now law, will provide for an approximate 35 percent increase in Medicare reimbursement rates for physicians in Alaska effective January 1, 2009. It increases the work component of the Medicare Geographic Practice Cost Index, bringing Alaska Medicare payments for primary care above the rates paid by Alaska's Medicaid program. Payments for other physician services under the new system should also increase to at least as high as Alaska's Medicaid rates and possibly more. - More...
Wednesday - July 16, 2008

Alaska Science: The greatest story of man and permafrost By NED ROZELL - In 1973, Elden Johnson was a young engineer working on one of the most ambitious and uncertain projects in the world-an 800-mile steel pipeline that carried warm oil over frozen ground. Thirty-five years later, Johnson looked back at what he called "the greatest story ever told of man's interaction with permafrost."

Strung over and beneath the surface of Alaska from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, the trans-Alaska pipeline, at 31 years old, is entering its second lifetime. The four-foot in diameter, half-inch-thick steel pipe had an original design lifespan of 30 years. The State of Alaska and the U.S. Department of the Interior recently gave the pipeline the green light for another 30 years of operation.

"It's like a car," said Johnson, who works for Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, while standing under the pipeline near Fairbanks during a recent permafrost conference lecture. "As long as you maintain it, it'll continue to work."

Permafrost, frozen ground that is a relic of the last ice age, exists beneath about 75 percent of the pipeline's 800-mile route. When ice-rich permafrost thaws, the ground slumps, causing problems for structures above.

After the 1969 oil discovery at Prudhoe Bay, developers unfamiliar with Alaska wanted to bury the entire supply of Japanese-made pipe. After a review by people who knew the dangers of building on permafrost, a legion of workers constructed a pipeline buried for 380 miles and-in areas of permafrost-built above the ground on platforms for 420 miles. - More...
Wednesday - July 16, 2008

Ketchikan: Ketchikan Students Make Honors List - University of Alaska Southeast student, Elizabeth Carle, made the UAS Chancellor's List for the Spring 2008 Semester. A student must be admitted to a program, earn a 4.00 grade point average, and complete at least 12 credit hours during the semester to make the Chancellor's Honor List.

Brittany Maxwell made the Dean's List. A student must be admitted to a program, earn a 3.5 grade point average, and complete at least 12 credit hours during the semester to make the Dean's Honor List. - More...
Wednesday - July 16, 2008

Petersburg: New operating auxiliary flotilla in Petersburg - The Coast Guard has a new operating auxiliary flotilla, which is responsible for the waters around Petersburg, Alaska.

The flotilla received a 27-foot rescue boat in the spring, designed by SAFE Boat International, to support the Coast Guard missions.

The Petersburg Flotilla perform operations in the Wrangell Narrows, Duncan Canal, Frederick Sound and Sumner Strait. - More...
Wednesday - July 16, 2008

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 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16       More Front Page Archives

THERE'S MORE THAN ONE WAY TO SKIN A... BEACH By Glen Thompson - South Point Higgins Beach has been a desired public beach in every community plan for the past 30 years.

Several meetings were held between the Ketchikan Beaches Association (KBA), the Alaska Mental Health Trust Land Office (MHT) and the borough (KGB) over the past year and a half or so regarding beach acquisition. MHT agreed to sell the property to KGB at 120% of the appraised value per their board's policy. - More...
Monday - July 14, 2008

A classic review of the AGIA decision By Sen. Kim Elton - There are two main types of cross-country skiers: classic (cut through the snow, slow and steady, take what the terrain allows, stick to the basics); and skate (skim over the top of the snow, speed around circular groomed trails, try not to stab your dog companion, and have a physique that looks good in Lycra). - More...
Monday - July 14, 2008

Plow Energy Revenue Windfall Into Renewables and Power Transmission Systems By Sen. Lisa Murkowski - Everyone in Alaska knows that the current record prices for fossil fuels are a two-edged sword. They are fattening the state's treasury while shrinking Alaskans' pocketbooks and driving "energy refugees" from villages as fuel costs pass the point of endurance. - More...
Friday - July 11, 2008

We're All on the Same Page By Tom Irwin - As we celebrate 50 years of statehood, we are reminded more than ever of the many leaders who stood before us and helped guide this great state to where it is today. - More...
Friday - July 11, 2008

Gasline project must put Alaskans in driver's seat By Rep. Beth Kerttula and Rep. Berta Gardner - Last year when the Legislature passed sweeping oil tax reform we finally ensured a fair deal for our resources and created a simpler, more transparent process - but we also did much more. By taking a strong stance and fulfilling our constitutional mandate to maximize the benefits of our natural resources, we turned a crucial corner for resource development in Alaska. We put Alaskans in the driver's seat, and as we prepare to vote on the TransCanada gas pipeline proposal, we are determined to protect Alaskans' right to steer our own course. - More...
Friday - July 11, 2008

Private Use of Electric vehicles in Ketchikan By Chris Wilhelm - In response to Joy Barry's remark on all electric vehicle use, nothing seems better suited for Ketchikan! We can nearly eliminate, yes, eliminate petroleum dependency in the First City by having electric cars. Except in extreme months of dry or cold weather, our electricity is generated by falling water, which these days looks pretty cheap and easy. Thanks to KPU's hydroelectric facilities our electricity is not dependent on any country's oil production levels. - More...
Friday - July 11, 2008

Ketchikan's New Fire Station By Anna Marie Mestas - Members of the South Tongass Volunteer Fire Department would like to thank Senator Bert Stedman, Legislative Aide Miles Baker, Representative Kyle Johansen and the Ketchikan Legislative Liason for their efforts to secure State funding for a new fire station. - More...
Friday - July 11, 2008

Anderes Oil Team By Diane Daniels - Congratulations to all of the Anderes Oil teammates and to the coaches as well, Dennis Pope, Rick Erickson, and Tory Korn the team could not have done it without the support of coaches, parents and the local community. - More...
Friday - July 11, 2008

Oil Prices By Mark Neckameyer - Oil prices are still zooming up. All time record hit today of $147.00 a barrel, the stock market crashed and as it costs too much for me to drive my small SUV around town so I have to ride my bike most of the time.. Barak Obama again today warned against trying to "drill our way out of this mess". Senator Obama said it is foolish to drill as it would take seven years to start harvesting oil from any drilling begun now. - More...
Friday - july 11, 2008

Do your part to lower demand for oil By Joy Barry - About two months ago I was feeling pretty dismal about the rising cost of oil. I lamented to my husband that soon he wouldn't be able to go to work anymore because he wouldn't have the gas money to get there! We would love to buy an all-electric car (a perfect option for Ketchikan where we can't drive very far anyway), but that is way out of our budget at the moment. We currently don't even have the funds to get a more fuel-efficient gasoline car. I was about to descend into despair when suddenly a bright light bulb appeared over my head. I recalled the energy crisis in the seventies when my dad traded in his motorcycle for a bicycle and began pedaling to work. He continued to use his bicycle as his main transportation for his entire career. I realized that there are other ways of getting around besides driving! After all, automobiles are a fairly recent invention when you consider the entire history of the world. - More...
Wednesday - July 09, 2008

Your Stimulus Check By Jessica Peavey - While I fully agree that the system is backwards, it's still more money than we had before. I can't complain about that. It is unfortunate that the people who need this most, (low income/no income) will either never receive this money, or they will only get a minimum of what was expected. It's all based on what you do now(tax year 07), not what you have paid into the past. (unfortunately) The IRS counts EARNED income- things that you do to bring income into the home. In certain situations, they count UNearned income.(as long as you have some sort of EARNED income to go along with it) SSI, disability, social security, Veterans benifits, etc. are counted as UNearned income. - More...
Wednesday - July 09, 2008

SURVIVING THE BIGGEST WAVE EVER By Jim Pound - Great story. - More...
Wednesday - July 09, 2008

Response to 1st place Anderes Oil and Allstars By Scott Kline - In addition to all the boys that played, I would also like to point out that fiesty girl Brooke Simmons. The tournament games that I did get a chance to watch Brooke smacked a couple of home runs and threw some heat while on the mound. - More...
Wednesday - July 09, 2008

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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