National: Mean streak clouds political talk shows By TIMOTHY MCNULTY - While conservative columnist Robert Novak's meltdown on CNN gave liberals their own version of the Howard Dean scream - an embarrassing public gaffe with a long Internet afterlife - it could have a much more important impact, which both sides of the political aisle can agree on.

Many political talk shows have become maddening shoutfests, where reasonable debates on public policy matters get drowned out by meaningless arguments and noise. When Novak cursed on-air last week and CNN subsequently suspended him, it was a natural next step for the talk-show species. - More...
Tuesday - August 09, 2005

International: Almost a year after Russian school massacre: Unhealed grief By ANNA BADKHEN - Raya Totieva visits her children almost every day. She sits down on a pile of granite slabs in front of the graves where they lie side by side, and counts them off as though they were still alive.

"That's my oldest, the one on the far left, Larisa," says Totieva, 44, pointing at a wooden grave marker where the bright sun had bleached the photograph of a dark-haired, unsmiling teenage girl. "Then Lyuba, here in the middle. Then Albina. Then Boris." - More...
Tuesday - August 09, 2005

Alaska: Workers' Compensation Bill Signed by Governor - Alaska Governor Frank H. Murkowski signed into law the most comprehensive reform of the Alaska Workers' Compensation Act since statehood following a speech to the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce in Anchorage today. In addition, the governor signed two bills important to small business.

Senate Bill 130, which was submitted by request of the governor, makes significant changes in the state's workers' compensation system in an effort to arrest escalating insurance costs and to encourage greater insurer participation in Alaska's workers' compensation market. - More...
Tuesday - August 09, 2005

Viewpoints Opinions/Letters Who's looking out for the welfare of Ketchikan? By Eric Muench - Tuesday VOTE NO, NO, NO! By William Tatsuda - Tuesday VOTE NO By Mark F. Murdock - Tuesday On the subject of baseball By John Rymer - Tuesday Dock expansion By Janelle Hamilton - Tuesday Let's talk about... By Glenn A. Bell - Tuesday Government conspiracy? By Linda Burger - Tuesday Thanks to my fans... By Lisa Ballinger - Tuesday Ketchikan Bridge By Rob Glenn - Tuesday More Viewpoints/ Letters Publish A Letter Mission Iraq Recess RJ Matson, Roll Call Distributed to subscribers exclusively by Cagle Cartoons, Inc. Political Cartoonists Ketchikan Calendar, Meetings, Events Today's Forecast City Police Report AK Troopers Daily Dispatch Classifieds & Announcements August 2005 Click on the date for stories and photos published on that day... 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          Front Page Archives

Alaska: Treadwell: Eco-warrior, fool or both? By LIZ RUSKIN - You know you're going to see this documentary, "Grizzly Man," just as, even though you hate yourself for it, you'll rubberneck a car crash.

We all do.

"Grizzly Man" tells the story of Timothy Treadwell, a wannabe TV actor who reinvented himself as a savior and friend of bears. He spent 13 summers in Alaska's Katmai National Park, living disturbingly close to the grizzlies, until he and his girlfriend were mauled and eaten in 2003. - More...
Tuesday - August 09, 2005  

Alaska: Alaska seabird makes its own bug spray by NED ROZELL - An Alaska seabird his a citrus smell that may repel mosquitoes and ticks as effectively as store-bought repellants, an Alaska scientist has found.

Crested auklets nest by the thousands in old lava flows on Bering Sea islands. During the breeding season they give off a pungent citrus-like odor. Hector Douglas, a Ph.D. student at University of Alaska Fairbanks, studied the auklets years ago in the Aleutians and wondered about the function of the sweet scent. - More...
Tuesday - August 09, 2005

Ketchikan: Guardian teams with Diversified Diving - In an effort to provide care to all areas of dedicated critical care air transport, Guardian Flight has joined forces with Diversified Diving Service owned by Greg Harrison.  The newly formed partnership will allow the "total care" of people suffering from related diving accidents such as decompression sickness (most commonly called "the bends"). - More...
Tuesday - August 09, 2005

Ketchikan: Olsen Leaves Ketchikan - Corky Olsen was bid farewell Monday by members of the Revilla Island Prevention Coalition.

Olsen will be leaving the Ketchikan Public Health Service and will be relocating to Juneau on August 19th. - More...
Tuesday - August 09, 2005

Wrangell: New Ranger Takes Reins of Wrangell District - A new leader is set to take the reins of the Tongass National Forest's Wrangell Ranger District.

Mark Hummel, a public affairs specialist for the U.S. Forest Service's Eastern Region in Milwaukee, Wisc., was recently selected as Wrangell's new ranger. He is slated to report to his new job Sept. 6. - More..
Tuesday - August 09, 2005

Alaska: Pack Animals May Threaten Wildlife - The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and the Department of Fish and Game are asking several hunting guides who are planning on using pack goats for Dall sheep hunts this year to reconsider.

Using goats or llamas as pack animals in Dall sheep habitat could expose Dall sheep to serious or fatal diseases or parasites. - More...
Tuesday - August 09, 2005

Alaska: Whale researchers begin 2nd season of studying humpback whales - NOAA Fisheries' new research vessel in Alaska, the Oscar Dyson, left the port of Kodiak last week, carrying whale researchers into another season of studying humpback whales.

NOAA's North Pacific humpback whale research is part of a much broader program named SPLASH, which is heading into the second summer of a two-summer, three-winter international cooperative program to understand more about the whales. SPLASH stands for 'Structure of Populations, Levels of Abundance and Status of Humpback Whales'. - More...
Tuesday - August 09, 2005

Alaska: Largest marine protected area in U.S. water designated - Monday NOAA Fisheries formalized the decision to proceed with designating the largest marine protected area in U.S. waters-bigger that the entire states of Texas and Colorado combined. The new Aleutian Islands Habitat Conservation Area will prohibit bottom trawling in an area exceeding 274,000 square nautical miles. The agency's decision also includes protections for other areas and new measures to identify and conserve essential fish habitat in Alaska. - More...
Tuesday - August 09, 2005

Alaska: Governor appoints Jackson DHSS Commissioner - Alaska Governor Frank H. Murkowski announced today that he has appointed Karleen Jackson Health and Social Services Commissioner, effective October 1.

Jackson has served as DHSS Deputy Commissioner since February 2003.- More...
Tuesday - August 09, 2005