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Saturday
July 05, 2014
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238th Independence Day
Ketchikan's Fireworks display as viewed from Thomas Basin.
The fireworks were sponsored by
CHARR, Ketchikan Gateway Borough, SE Stevedoring, City of Ketchikan, Wildcatters, Ketchikan Lions Club, Southeast Alaska Power Authority, Tyler Rental & the Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad.
Front Page Photo By CAROLYN CHAPMAN ©2014
(Please respect the rights of photographers, never republish or copy
without permission and/or payment of required fees.)
Southeast Alaska: Groups call for end to old-growth logging in SE Alaska & ESA protection for yellow cedar By MARY KAUFFMAN - The Greater Southeast Alaska Conservation Community has announced they are strongly endorsing two high profile actions on the Tongass National Forest this week: a petition to list Alaska yellow cedar as an endangered species, and a letter to President Obama from 75 scientists calling for an end to old-growth logging.
Yellow-cedar's shallow roots make it vulnerable to freezing injury in spring when snow is not present to provide insulation.
Photo by
Paul Hennon, U.S. Forest Service
Both efforts are timely for Southeast Alaska, according to the announcement, as the group says the Forest Service is planning on decades more of old-growth logging and because rare, old-growth cedar will be targeted to subsidize the clear-cutting of the more plentiful and lower value species – spruce and hemlock. According to the Greater Southeast Alaska Conservation Community, the most extensive old-growth remaining nationwide is on the Tongass National Forest and unlike other national forests; the Tongass is the only forest still clear-cutting its old-growth forest.
According to the U.S. Forest Service, the Tongass is currently analyzing Plan changes to transition away from old-growth harvest. The Forest Service is looking at which lands will be available for young growth harvest, and changes and direction needed, while maintaining a viable timber industry in Region 10 which includes Haines, Juneau, Ketchikan Gateway, Prince of Wales-Outer, Sitka, Skagway, Hoonah, Angoon, Wrangell, Petersburg, and Yakutat.
The Forest Service proposes to amend the Tongass Forest Plan, using the 2012 Planning Rule, as needed to accomplish the transition to young growth management over the next 10 to 15 years while retaining the expertise and infrastructure of a viable timber industry in Southeast Alaska, as outlined by the Secretary Tom Vilsack's Memorandum 1044–009.
In the The Greater Southeast Alaska Conservation Community's letter to President Obama calling for an end to old-growth logging, Dr. Natalie Dawson, one of the 75 scientists and GSACC board member said: “This letter indicates the scientific community is ready to see change, change that will prevent timber projects like the Big Thorne timber project on Prince of Wales Island. Big Thorne does not just mean a loss of 6,200 acres of old growth forest (trees up to 800 years old, 100 feet tall, and 12 feet in diameter), but more importantly the loss of habitat for endemic species found only in this biologically rich region. Scientists from across the country are expressing their concern over the Tongass and are hoping this letter is a call to action.”
Don Hernandez, a GSACC board member who sits on the Regional Advisory Council to the Federal Subsistence Board, provides a local perspective. “While the scientist’s letter specifically speaks to federal lands, there are other looming threats such as the pending Sealaska land exchange and the Alaska’s push for a timber first State Forest. Both are targeting the best remaining old-growth forests on Prince of Wales Island – especially the small and decreasing cedar component.” - More...
Saturday PM - July 05, 2014
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Fish Factor: Why so much focus on Bristol Bay? By LAINE WELCH - With salmon fisheries going on every summer all across Alaska, you might wonder why so much attention is focused on Bristol Bay. The answer can be summed up in two words: sockeye salmon.
Bristol Bay is home to the largest red salmon runs in the world and sockeye is Alaska’s most valuable salmon fishery by far. In most years, well over one-third of Alaska’s total earnings from salmon fishing stem from Bristol Bay.
Whereas other fishing regions like Copper River, Cook Inlet, Kodiak, Southeast and the Alaska Peninsula might get sockeye catches ranging from one million to five million fish, Bristol Bay’s harvests can reach into the 20 to 40 million range. “The Bay” also has the most salmon fishermen with more than 2,800 active permit holders.
Fishermen were expecting to catch about 17 million reds at Bristol Bay this summer, but it could blow past that by the time you read this. Catches already were topping two million a day and by July 4, the harvest was at 14 million - with another surge of sockeyes on the way. Salmon trackers already were predicting that the run of sockeyes homing in to Bristol Bay could top 38 million, 45% over the preseason forecast.
Alaska’s statewide sockeye catch this summer is pegged at nearly 34 million, a 14 percent increase over 2013. The total salmon catch this year is projected at 133 million fish, down 47% from last year’s record haul. (Summed up in two words: pink salmon.)
Independence Day thought
Commercial fishermen are the world’s only remaining hunter/gatherers for a wild capture resource.
Alaska fish tests clean
Ramped up testing this summer shows Alaska fish is free of all signs of radiation from the Fukushima nuclear meltdown after Japan’s horrific earthquake/tsunami three years ago.
“The results of the testing of the Alaska fish that were just collected look very good. There is no detection of any radiation that would have originated from Fukushima.
That was very good news,” state veterinarian Bob Gerlach announced last week.
From the beginning State and federal agencies have partnered to test and track Alaska seafood for radiation. Concerns over contaminants that showed up recently in salmon and tuna caught off the Pacific coast prompted them to do more Alaska-specific testing prior to salmon season. |
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“The state has worked with the state Dept. of Health and DEC to develop a sampling plan to select certain species of fish from the Aleutian islands and Bristol bay, Gulf of Alaska and Southeast and we will be collecting additional samples through the summer from other species of fish to try and get background information. But at this point we haven’t been able to detect anything at all – all the samples have come up as ‘non-detects’,” Gerlach told KDLG.
Oceanographers have predicted that radiation from Fukushima was expected to hit Alaska waters this year.
“Because fish come in at different time periods, we were collecting as early as possible when the salmon - More...
Saturday PM - July 05, 2014
Ketchikan: Tongass NF seeking person for key Tribal relations position - The Tongass National Forest is seeking interested candidates to fill its critical tribal relations specialist position. The specialist will be responsible for building, sustaining, and enhancing positive working relationships between the Tongass and its Tribal partners.
The Tongass is a “Native Place,” home of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people whose cultural identities and subsistence lifestyles are rooted in and tied to the land and waters of Southeast Alaska. Alaska Natives have continuously inhabited the forest for more than 10,000 years and today are dependent on subsistence hunting and fishing to sustain their bodies as well as their traditions and cultures.
The person selected for the job will work alongside Angelina Lammers, Tribal Relations assistant, who has served with the Forest Service in Ketchikan for 19 years. Lammers’ mother was Haida and her father was Nish’gaa.
“I would tell any candidate for the job that working for the Forest Service provides stable employment and will allow them to take a daily walk through our local history,” said Lammers.
“I thought I knew a lot about Alaska Native history and Ketchikan, but I learn something new every day,” said Lammers, who was born and raised in Alaska's ‘First City.’ “I really like this job. I have grown so much as a person by uncovering history. I enjoy learning about the building of Ketchikan and how things impacted Alaska Natives in Alaska.” - More...
Saturday PM - July 05, 2014 |
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Science: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, why can't we just clean it up? By TROY KITCH - The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. I bet you've heard of it. It's a phrase that's really caught on in the past few years. And it's easy to see why: it conjures up a powerful image ... a vast vortex of human waste — plastic bags, tires, cans, barrels, you name it ... floating out there in the ocean. But here's the thing: it doesn't really look like that at all. What it looks like to the human eye, from satellites, is, for the most part, well ... not much at all. Most of it is all but invisible. How can that be?
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is one of many areas in the ocean where marine debris naturally concentrates because of ocean currents.
Graphic courtesy NOAA
Troy Kitch with NOAA's National Ocean Service recently sat down with Dianna Parker from the NOAA Marine Debris Program to find out what the garbage patch is and isn't, what we know and don't know, and what we can do about this ocean-sized problem. Let's start with the obvious question: what are we talking about when we say 'garbage patch?'
Responding to the question Parker said, “A lot of people hear the word patch and they immediately think of almost like a blanket of trash that can easily be scooped up, but actually these areas are always moving and changing with the currents, and it's mostly these tiny plastics that you can't immediately see with the naked eye."
So the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is only one area in the ocean where marine debris concentrates?
Parker answered, "There are garbage patches all over the world. These are areas where debris naturally accumulates. So there are garbage patches of all different sizes and shapes and compositions. The one that we know the most about is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch which lies in an area between Hawaii and California. What we know about this area is that it's made up of tiny micro plastics, almost akin to a peppery soup, with scattered larger items, fishing gear, those kind of items swirling around." - More...
Saturday PM - July 05, 2014
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 RE: Behind the scenes of City Government By Douglas J. Thompson - Thanks again for another on the mark letter Mr. Dial. I just wonder how many residents know that their property or business within the Ketchikan borough & city boundaries are the collateral used to secure municipal (and all governmental bonds for that matter)? In the event of local bankruptcy your personal property can go to the highest bidder to repay that defaulted bond. Whether fully paid for or not. - More...
Sunday AM - July 06, 2014
This is the rest of "the story" my dearest Paul Harvey. By Heather Herndon - The State of Alaska wants to gamble with your money to support a mining company that has never successfully produced anything. Worse, the company in question, UCore, has failed on its last two mining claims, Lost Pond in Newfoundland and another in Canada. Its sole remaining asset is the Bokan-Dotson Mountain project.
UCore may not even hold clear title to these claims. UCore has defaulted on paying annual installments of $60,000 to the Dotson Family after whom the deposit is named as well as bullied other miners to sell their claims under duress. - More...
Saturday PM - July 05, 2014
Move To End Federal Funding Of Alaska Predator Control By Richard Steiner - I realize that public interest in Alaska's predator control issue waxes and wanes, but the issue we disclose here is a new, significant finding, which should be of interest to the Alaska public. - More...
Saturday PM - July 05, 2014
THE 1967 FAIRBANKS FLOOD By James M. Eagan - Just finished reading The 1967 Fairbanks Flood by June Allen which tells about how the people of Fairbanks managed so well during the flood of 1967. That is not exactly the way I remember it and I was there. The mention of one critical aspect of the story is conspicuous only by its absence. Were it not for the heavy equipment and volunteer efforts of personnel from both Fort Wainwright and Eielson AFB, the city of Fairbanks and nearby communities such as North Pole would have been disaster areas until at least the next spring. - More...
Saturday PM - July 05, 2014
Don Young By R.K. Rice - So, the penalty for illegal use of campaign funds, and accepting illegal “gifts”, (bribes) is the unbelievably harsh penalty, of having to pay back the amount that was received. Apparently the fox is guarding the henhouse. - More...
Saturday PM - July 05, 2014
Grant Street Garbage By Vanessa Bruns - As residents of Grant Street we all know that there are bears that love to wander through our neighborhood and they are attracted to our garbage cans. The past two weeks I have gone into the woods and picked up MULTIPLE garbage items that have been ripped out of garbage bags (which are from our garbage cans) by these bears. The bears are not the point of my issue, my issue is with the residents of Grant Street that are not securing their garbage cans appropriately. When confronted about the issue everyone has the "it's not mine attitude" When in fact in some cases, the garbage that I have picked up has mail that has the person's name on it. - More...
Saturday PM - July 05, 2014
Checking ID, Assumed Guilt and a Lack of Common Sense By Amanda Mitchell - I wanted to bring to light a recent local experience in our town of Ketchikan. My husband and I went into Safeway. After picking up a few items, we walked together into the liquor store where my husband purchased beer. My husband was carded, but he was almost refused beer because I didn’t have my identification on myself. I have been into the same liquor store with my kids to pick up beer and my kids were never carded. As much as I would like to say it, I do not look like I am in my 20's. It was automatically assumed if we are with another adult we are guilty of buying alcohol for minor. However, I literally can have a minor with me, who is not carded, and be sold alcohol. To the cashier's credit, who else gets to decide whether or not the person who is purchasing the alcohol is going to commit a future crime and has the intent of purchasing to/for a minor? The cashier position has just gotten really cool as now the job duties includes being a detective, judge, jury and psychic. Move over, Miss Cleo! - More...
Saturday PM - July 05, 2014
RE: Un-necessary consequences for Marijuana By Marvin Seibert - First I need to clarify Mr Johnson's comments, I do not work in a state funded halfway house or in the substance testing industry. I have not lost my job due to Pot legalization in Colorado. I have moved to Ketchikan and still employed in the same industry and company for the past 14 years and it is 0% drug related. I am still trying to figure out how long you need to live here before you should be able to comment on important issues as this. I am a registered voter in Ketchikan.
You suggest that we should not leave our children's future to a judge. That is emotion talking and not reason. What decisions do you want to take away from the legal system. Who will pick and choose what judges are allow to handle. Do we go the way of the anarchist and just let judges rule when we know and like what the outcome going to be. We are a nation of laws ( except in the Whitehouse unfortunately ) not mob rule. - More...
Saturday PM - July 05, 2014
My idea of tax reform. By Wiley Brooks - Reform serves the purpose getting rid of that which is bad and replace it with something better. That is why I call for tax reform --- real and true tax reform. The present income tax code punishes good behavior, taxes production and jobs, drives jobs, companies and capital out of our economy into off-shore tax avoidance havens, and; it hides taxes embedded in the price paid by the consumer. Without production there is nothing to buy, no improvement in standard of living, no tax base to support government. The cost to all of us who pay taxes to comply with the 75,000 pages of codes is over $440 billion per year. It gives imported goods a price advantage while it rewards domestic special interest by embedding favors in the codes. The system which includes the Internal Revenue Service is corrupt. - More...
Saturday PM - July 05, 2014
RE: Behind the scenes of City Government By Laura Plenert - Rodney Dial, as ALWAYS is correct. This is a man who has studied and reviewed what is going on in Ketchikan. He is not just shooting from the hip. He digs and knows his stuff. - More...
Saturday PM - July 05, 2014
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