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SitNews - Stories In The News - Ketchikan, Alaska

Friday
August 05, 2011

Photograph by MIKE SMITH

Bubble Feeding
Humpback bubble feeding in the George Inlet Lodge area.
Photograph by MIKE SMITH

Ketchikan

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Alaska:
Short-term extension returns FAA employees to work; Airport construction projects can continue - The partial shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) appeared to conclude on Thursday as Congress reached an agreement on a temporary extension of the agency’s operating authority through September 16, 2011.   The FAA has been shutdown since midnight on July 23, 2011 when the U.S. House of Representatives failed to pass a clean short-term extension of FAA programs.

“I am pleased that an agreement was reached which will put 4,000 furloughed employees back to work,” U.S. Senator Mark Begich (D-AK) said.  “It will also get millions of dollars worth of airport construction projects, employing 70,000 construction workers, back on track.”

During the shutdown, the FAA furloughed 79 Alaskans and issued stop work orders for airport improvement projects in Anchorage and Bethel.  

“I am hopeful we can get these projects back on line and completed before the end of the 2011 construction season.”  Begich said.

Senator Begich sent a letter Wednesday to House and Senate leadership imploring them to reconvene Congress to find a solution to end the FAA shutdown.

“The actions of the House leadership are responsible for this furlough and they have had real impacts on real people with families to support and mortgages to pay,” Begich said.  “While I am glad we have reached an agreement on the short term extension, it is imperative that Congress pass legislation to restore the pay and benefits of impacted FAA employees as well.”  

Begich is an original co-sponsor of S. 1433, introduced last week by Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller, which would provide back pay for 4,000 furloughed FAA employees.  

“These hardworking employees were kept out of work through no fault of their own,” Begich said.  “Their pay should not be docked because of the shortcomings of Congress.” - More...
Friday - August 05, 2011

National: US Forest Service opens Sacred Sites Report for public commentThe U.S. Forest Service has opened for public comment through the Federal Register a draft report that outlines its policies and procedures on Indian Sacred Sites.

The 60-day comment window follows on-going dialogue between the Forest Service and Tribal representatives on Sacred Sites.  The Forest Service will accept public comments on the draft report while honoring its responsibility to consult with Indian Tribes.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack requested an internal review and consultation with Tribes to determine if existing law, regulations and policies affecting Sacred Sites provide a consistent level of protection.

“I cannot overemphasize the value of government-to-government consultations with the Tribes,” said Vilsack. “These discussions continue to produce information critical to developing land management strategies that respect and protect America’s sacred lands.” - More...
Friday - August 05, 2011


Southeast Alaska: COO Frank Sutton retires after 40 years at SEARHC - After 40 years with the SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC), Chief Operating Officer Frank Sutton is retiring this week.

COO Frank Sutton retires after 40 years at SEARHC

COO Frank Sutton retires after 40 years at SEARHC
Photo courtesy SEARHC

“I appreciate everything Mr. Sutton has done for our organization,” SEARHC President and CEO Roald Helgesen said. “SEARHC is forever thankful to Frank for his many years of dedicated service. He has been a mentor to many staff over the years.”

“The Board of Directors honors Frank’s 40 years of commitment to our Native people,” said Jolene Edenshaw, Chair of the SEARHC Board of Directors. “We wish Frank all the best in his retirement and well-deserved time with his family. Háw’aa!”

Sutton was a young pharmacist with the U.S. Public Health Service in 1971 when he arrived in Sitka to work at S’áxt’ Hít Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital (his original assignment was Kotzebue, but the USPHS changed it to Sitka just before Sutton came to Alaska). He quickly became chief pharmacist, and in 1978 Sutton was named Hospital Administrative Officer. SEARHC promoted Sutton to Vice President of Hospital Services in 1999, and in 2009 he became Chief Operating Officer. Sutton’s official last day with SEARHC is Friday, Aug. 5, but later this summer SEARHC plans to host a pair of receptions in Sitka and Juneau to honor Sutton’s career. - More...
Friday - August 2011


Ketchikan: New Weight Training Equipment Gives Community a LiftThe Saxman Community Center announced the opening of its new weight room which will provide Saxman and Ketchikan residents with a new, low-cost opportunity to get fit and train for their favorite sports.

New Weight Training Equipment Gives Community a Lift

Saxman Community Center's new weight room
Photo courtesy Saxman Community Center

The Saxman Community Center’s new weight room includes commercial quality machines designed to build strength in shoulders, arms, and legs, two complete bench press set-ups, assorted dumbbells, and adjustable sit-up benches.

The equipment was purchased through grant funding provided by the Rasmuson Foundation, and rounds out an ongoing capital improvement project for the Saxman Community Center.  In recent months, the Charlotte Martin Foundation, American Seafoods, and the Ruben E. Crossett Fund also helped purchase new sports equipment and lockers for children, and net systems for volleyball, tennis, and badminton.  The Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority provided funding to purchase treadmills, elliptical machines, and exercise bikes. - More...
Friday - August 05, 2011

Ketchikan: New Educational Choice Offered for Home Schools – The Tongass School of Arts & Sciences (TSAS) is offering a new educational opportunity for home school families to become members of the TSAS educational community. The goal is to provide curriculum and activities that inspire, engage, and empower parents and their home schooled children.

Recognizing that a child’s parents are the first and best teachers they will have, the TSAS will provide home schools with quality materials and professional assistance as parents guide their children through TSAS standards based program and introduce children to exciting concepts and experiences. - More...
Friday - August 05, 2011

 

      

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Questions, please contact the editor at editor@sitnews.us or call 617-9696

letter Allow residents to grid tie By Ed Fry - Words for the generation of electrical power including the lack of forward thinking: Ketchikan hegemony. - More...
Saturday - July 06, 2011

letter Open Letter: Murkowski's pitiful deficit response By A. M. Johnson - DEAR LISA, MY RESPONSE TO YOUR LAUGHABLE RESPONSE ARE IN CAPITAL LETTERS AS YOUR SITE WILL NOT ALLOW COLOR OR ITALICS. LET US START FROM THE POSITION THAT THERE ARE "NO CUTS", ONLY REDUCTION PROJECTIONS IN THE RATE OF GROWTH FOR FUTURE YEARS. THE COST OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS INCREASED 28% IN THE PAST/CURRENT TWO YEARS. PROJECTED ANNUAL GROWTH WILL BE OR EXCEED 3%+. USING THE CURRENT COST OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS THE BASE ON THAT KNOWLEDGE REFLECTS HOW MISDIRECTED YOU ARE IN THE PITIFUL EFFORTS YOU'RE RESPONSE HAS MADE. - More...
Saturday - July 06, 2011

letter Ketchikan Performing Arts Center By Lallette Kistler - The Ketchikan Performing Arts Center is becoming a reality!  We are now in the heat of the Capital Campaign phase of the Performing Arts Center project. - More...
Wednesday - August 03, 2011

letter New Fire Station By Chris Elliott - While I'm thankful for the jobs associated with the construction of the new fire station, I've got to say, it's a real eyesore. The closer it comes to completion, the more it becomes obvious that it is not a visually attractive addition to the downtown. The limited "view" we had from Whale Park is now completely obliterated. The building looms over you as you drive by it. - More...
Wednesday - August 03, 2011

letter Our freedom to travel usa Taken away by TSA By Art Bailly - The Transportation Security Administration needs reform. For those unfamiliar with their track record, here are some of the more recent controversial things the TSA has done: A 95 year old woman was supposedly required to remove her adult diaper before being cleared for flying in June; In May, an 8 month old child was patted down; A traveler was twice left covered in his own urine, in March and July, when the TSA agents performing the pat-down ignored the man's warning about his ostomy bag; In April, a 6 year old was patted down; Last November, a man with no interest in either of the 2 security screening options decided not to fly and then before he could leave the airport, was told that he still had to submit to screening or face an $11,000 fine. - More...
Wednesday - August 03, 2011

letter Open Letter: Where the federal budget cuts should come from By Michael Spence - Where the cuts should come from: 1.Defense budget private contractors. The DOD budget is a stuffed pig. In Alaska alone there are millions of dollars being siphoned out of public funds to private for-profit companies doing work that used to be done by uniformed service people. The recent fallacy that those tasks are done for less money by private contractors doesn't wash. No generals or admirals are being paid the bonuses and salaries paid to execs in private enterprise. Blackwater, Halliburton, and others are examples in other states and other countries. There is at least 300 billion dollars a year in this category alone. - More...
Monday - August 01, 2011

letter What will the States do? By A. M. Johnson - What will the States do should the Federal Government default? - More...
Monday - August 01, 2011

letter Cultural-Commercial Complex Project of 2004 By Wieslaw Czajkowski - Writing a letter to your Sit News seems to be futile, for no one else than your editorial staff read it but officials of the Alaska Departmewnt of Transportation (DOT), which over decades feeds hungry votes politicians with their Environmentyal Impact Statements (EIS), albeit not ordinaries. The latter are left with promises of solving the lack of access of Ketchikans to the Ketchikan International Airport other than by ferries. - More...
Monday - August 01, 2011

letterThe real reason By Rodney Dial - A.M. Johnson’s letter regarding how a borough change to a home-rule government will lead to consolidation is my concern as well.  I have spent my free time over the last few weeks trying to determine the “real reason” some elected officials are pushing to change our form of government.- More...
Friday - July 29, 2011

letter TEA PARTY Extremists?by Ken Bylund - Hello? TEA PARTY extremists... the same crowd who predicted this moment way ahead of them short-sighted monkeys in Washington who said... naw, everything's fine... we've got this; and the News Media, busy marginalizing Abe Lincoln's, 'for the people, of the people, by the people?' The rational few at the bottom of this pyramid scheme, the citizens who feed this money stream under penalty of imprisonment... have been told that they are extremists for questioning a government that has taken us to the brink. How far or how close is this Oligarchy... from Fascism? - More...
Friday - July 29, 2011

letter The Federal Budget Feasco! By James Dornblaser - I do not pretend to understand the whole of the US budget, but I understand when I am charged MASS, LARGE, GROSS more in taxes than the benefits I receive. To fuel my distaste for the bureaucrat & make me consider siding with the Tea Party, the media depicts Social Security as an "entitlement". - More...
Friday - July 29, 2011

letter Nation's Debt Crisis By Kimberly Peters - I watched the President's speech on Raising the Deficit Ceiling. What's the problem? Why can't the House and the Senate just realize that we are in serious trouble here and we need to cut spending now! - More...
Friday - July 29, 2011

letter Looking Ahead, Looking Back By Jan Bush and Ann James - As the Prince of Wales Island Marathon Committee starts meeting once again to plan the island’s May 2012 marathon, it is important that we look back and acknowledge those organizations that made the 2011 marathon such a wonderful success.  Many race improvements were realized because of the generous support of the organizations listed below.  - More...
Friday - July 29, 2011

letter Deaths on the Road Marc Luiken & Joe Masters - Over the past seven days there have been six traffic deaths on the Kenai Peninsula. Our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of those involved. Their lives will never be the same. As Commissioners, we receive death notifications which informs us of the basics of every traffic crash in Alaska. It is especially heartbreaking when a small child has died. This is a part of our job that we will never get used to. - More...
Friday - July 29, 2011

letter Snagging in the derby By Eric Tyson - In reply to Mr. Skidmore. You are misinformed sir. Snagging is allowed in the derby. The official rules state "Entries must be caught according to Alaska Sport fishing regulations." Alaska sport fishing regulations allow snagging. I have also been informed that at least one fish on the derby ladder was snagged, and he also received another prize for that fish. - More...
Wednesday - July 27, 2011

letter Diabolical Deficit Ceiling issues By A. M. Johnson - The current time is 11:00 AM local 7/26/11. I have just attempted to connect to Senator Lisa Murkowski's, Senator Begich's, and Representative Don Young's offices to send the following letter regarding the pending negotiation on the Debt Ceiling issue. Access is denied at this time. To what this denial is chargeable I have no idea. Either is it a planned "System Failure" due to the nature of the issue, or the system has been over loaded by public submission such as my own. - More...
Wednesday - July 27, 2011

letter Large structures By Paul Jarvi - Thank your lucky stars Mr. Harris that the Alaska Ship and Dry Dock Company is doing business in our town. I am sorry for the obstruction of your view because of the new buliding. I am over joyed with the jobs that the new building is and will generate in Ketchikan. - More...
Monday - July 25, 2011

letter The Lord’s Table By Charlotte DeVere Hunt - On behalf of The Lord’s Table, I would like to publicly thank Don and Pam Thornlow of The Narrows Inn.   On July 3, The Narrows hosted a pig roast with all the trimmings.    All the proceeds were to benefit to The Lord’s Table. - More...
Monday - July 25, 2011

letter RE: King Salmon derby by Alan Skidmore - With all due respect Mr. McQueen... NOT!!! Read the derby rules, no snaggy waggy allowed, although it would be hard to tell but, for the most part people are honest. - More...
Monday - July 25, 2011

letter Green thinking or hydrocarbons By Ed Fry - As we know, Alaska is well advertised rich in resources.  The mass media is making it well known that renewable energy is a short term cure for our addiction to fossil fuels.  So begs the question that in order to re-tool our workforce in green technologies, introduction of new educational programming needs to be developed and implemented through a structured certification program; when will we see this programming at the university level? - More...
Monday - July 25, 2011

letter Block Iran on the Arabian Peninsula By Donald A. Moskowitz - The Iraqi Shiites have increased their attacks on American troops in Iraq.  June saw 14 U.S. soldiers killed, which is the highest death toll since 2008. - More...
Monday - July 25, 2011

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