SitNews Survey Financial Wellness 2016 Are you financially better off today than you were 4 years ago? Is the Cost of Living squeezing your budget? - Participate in the survey. Survey Results: Click here Photo of the Month Ketchikan: Cruise Ship Calendar for 2016 (pdf) - Courtesy Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska Ketchikan: Public Meetings Ketchikan: Upcoming Events Historical Ketchikan June Allen Dave Kiffer Louise B. Harrington Ketchikan Weather Ketchikan's Forecast Ketchikan's Historic Weather Nat Weather Service KTN Ketchikan Tides & Currents Search the News Ketchikan Alaska Sitnews RSS widget

Alaska: Governor: Stakeholder input bypassed in streamlining Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission - In February, Governor Bill Walker issued Administrative Order 279, authorizing the transfer of certain administrative functions from the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC) to the Department of Fish and Game. The objectives of the Order were to streamline administrative and research functions of the agencies, identify cost-saving measures, and provide appropriate support to the commercial fishing industry in the state without negatively impacting the fishing industry.

The order was challenged in court by United Fishermen of Alaska; however, a superior court judge ruled in favor of the state, which could have paved the way for immediate action. Rather than implementing Administrative Order 279, Governor Walker said today he would place a moratorium on AO 279 to allow for a more robust stakeholder engagement process.

“In our effort to find cost-savings, I unfortunately bypassed an important step in any restructuring of state government - public engagement and feedback,” Walker acknowledged. “The vital stakeholder input will help determine the best course of action needed to find a path forward for the fishing industry, individual Alaskans, and the affected state agencies.”

The administration will pursue input from Alaska’s commercial fishing industry after the conclusion of the fishing season this fall. - More...
Thursday PM - August 25, 2016

Southeast Alaska: 2016 Unit 2 wolf harvest quota announced - Biologists with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service, announce that the Unit 2 wolf harvest for regulatory year (RY) 2016-17 will be set at eleven wolves.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Forest Service currently manage wolves on Prince of Wales and associated islands, collectively known as Game Management Unit 2 (GMU 2), for an annual harvest not to exceed 20 percent of the most recent unit-wide population estimate as required by regulation. Our primary goal for managing wolves in GMU 2 is to ensure a population that provides opportunity for a sustainable harvest. While legal harvest is only one of several factors influencing wolf numbers in Unit 2, it is the one that managers can control as we continue wolf research activities.

According to a U.S. Forest Service news release, unlike elsewhere in Alaska where wolf numbers can be estimated from aircraft, the dense forest cover across Southeast Alaska makes that method impossible. Therefore, ADF&G researchers with support from the Forest Service calculate the total number of wolves based on a DNA mark-recapture technique on a large northcentral Prince of Wales Island study area. Data collected from October through December 2015 (fall 2015) resulted in a GMU 2-wide population estimate of 108 wolves, with a possible range of 69 on the low end, to 167 wolves on the upper end. This is the most current population estimate.

The fall 2015 population estimate of 108 is higher than the 2014 estimate (89 wolves), indicating that the number of wolves in GMU 2 is no longer declining and may have increased. We believe this result supports continuing with the management strategy used last year. - More...
Thursday PM - August 25, 2016

Alaska: Standard & Poor’s Maintains Alaska’s AA+ Credit Rating and Removes CreditWatch - The Alaska Department of Revenue announced Tuesday that Standard & Poor’s (S&P) Global Ratings has removed Alaska’s general obligation, appropriation and moral obligation from CreditWatch while maintaining the AA+ rating on Alaska’s general obligation debt.

In their analysis S&P notes that although Alaska’s legislature did not approve the fiscal reforms sought by Governor Walker as part of the 2016-2017 budget process, nevertheless from a fiscal standpoint, the state may achieve results similar to what it might have if the reforms had been approved because the governor vetoed $1.29 billion in spending. With reduced spending, the state will draw $3.2 billion from its budget reserves this year - the same amount shown under Governor Walker’s original December 2015 reform proposal. In the absence of the vetoes, which included halving the permanent fund dividend (PFD) paid to state residents, the state’s fiscal gap and related draw on its reserves would have approached $4.5 billion. - More...
Thursday PM - August 25, 2016

Ketchikan: New Nurse Practitioner Joins Creekside Family Health Clinic - Creekside Family Health Clinic announced the recruitment of Lisa "Kat" Robbins-Spann, FNP-C to the practice as a family nurse practitioner (FNP-C). Spann graduated from the University of South Alabama in May 2016 with a Master of Science in Nursing and is dual board certified in Family Practice and Adult-Gerontology Acute Care. She is also a board certified emergency room nurse. She will provide acute and primary health and medical care to children, adolescents, and adults.

Lisa "Kat" Robbins-Spann, FNP-C , joins Creekside Family Health Clinic
Photo courtesy CFHC

A native of Arkansas in the Little Rock region, coming to Alaska has been a dream of Spann's for many years. "Coming to Alaska has been a household topic for several years now," says Spann. "I feel pretty fortunate to have found Ketchikan out of all the possibilities here."

Before arriving in Ketchikan, she was employed at Saint Vincent's Hospital assisting with the treatment of patients with acute and emergency care. She has also worked at several other rural and urban hospitals in the Little Rock region. She notes that she had a lot of choices around the country as a new graduate but Ketchikan really spoke to her and her family. "What's impressed me so far is the 'can do' independence of the community and the resourcefulness of it all. The variety of activities here is pretty amazing in-spite-of the remoteness, weather, and general challenges of living up here", she said. - More...
Thursday PM - August 25, 2016

Ketchikan: Welfare Check Leads to High Speed Chase - - A welfare check Tuesday morning led to a high speed chase with speeds reaching 85 miles per hour before coming to a dead end on North Tongass Highway.

Alaska State Troopers in Ketchikan received a report Tuesday at approximately 9:35 AM that an 18 year old woman was "distraught and wanted to harm herself". According to the information released by the Alaska State Troopers, an attempt to contact the woman who was driving in the area of Brown Mountain Road resulted in the woman not stopping.

The unidentified woman drove for approximately 20 minutes reaching speeds of 85 miles per hour before coming to the end of North Tongass Highway. Ultimately, the woman exited the vehicle and Troopers escorted her to the hospital for evaluation. - More...
Thursday PM - August 25, 2016