Ketchikan: One-quarter million dollars in drugs seized - Acting on information received from the Postal Inspector's Office in Anchorage that two pounds of marijuana had been mailed to an address in Ketchikan, Officers executed a search and seizure warrant at the Ketchikan residence located at 1234 Millar Street on Friday, September 17th. - More... Tuesday PM - September 21, 2010 Alaska: 2010 Permanent Fund Dividend is $1,281 - Alaska Governor Sean Parnell announced this morning that 641,595 eligible Alaskans will receive a 2010 Permanent Fund Dividend in the amount of $1,281. - More... Tuesday AM - September 21, 2010

Ketchikan: The Burning of the S.S. Prince George; One Crewman died when fire destroyed liner at Ketchikan Dock in 1945 A Feature Story By DAVE KIFFER - Sixty five years ago, this week, Ketchikan experienced one of its most spectacular fires when the Canadian National steamship Prince George was destroyed after it caught fire at the Heckman Dock on September 22, 1945.

The 306-foot, three-stacked steamer, which had been coming to Ketchikan for more than 30 years, was eventually beached on Gravina Island where its burned out hull remained for several years before finally being towed to Seattle and scrapped.

Most of the crew and all of the passengers were safely evacuated, but one crew member died in the blaze.

The $500,000 ship had been built at Wallsend-on-Tyne in England in 1910. It was approximately 306 feet long, carried more than 200 passengers and crew and traveled at speeds between 16-18 knots. It had been on the Vancouver to Southeast Alaskan run since the early 1910s, and was part of CN's "luxurious" sailing fleet, although it probably represented luxury sailing circa 1910 more than luxury sailing circa 1945.

The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway steamship line had been the brainchild of Charles Hays, the man who "invented" Prince Rupert (see "Prince Rupert: Hays Orphan Looks to the Future" SITNEWS, Feb. 27, 2007) as the terminus of his transcontinental rail line. His planned empire included railroads, steamships and hotels. But Hays died in the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 and his company eventually went bankrupt.

Grand Trunk ships began serving the Inside Passage in 1910. In the early 1920s, the Grand Trunk operations were merged with other companies into what was called the Canadian National line. Between World War I and World War II, there were five CN ships plying the coast, the Prince Rupert, the Prince George, the Prince Henry, the Prince David and the Prince Robert. But the war years hurt the luxury touring industry and the princes Henry, David and Robert never returned to passenger service after being converted to war time service in World War II, leaving only the aging Prince Rupert and Prince George on the Southeast Alaska run. Round trips on the steamers took seven days, but they also made shorter occasional runs between the communities.

On Sept. 22, 1945, the Prince George docked in Ketchikan on a short-round trip voyage from Prince Rupert to Ketchikan. There were 88 crewmembers on board the vessel and two dozen passengers disembarking in Ketchikan. Approximately two dozen other passengers were scheduled to get on board for the trip back to Prince Rupert and six round trip passengers were to remain on board for the trip back.

It was a sunny, pretty fall day, according to Gregory B. Ritter, a 23-year-old electrician's mate at the Ketchikan Coast Guard base that morning. Ritter, from Baltimore, was repairing a Coast Guard boat at the base.

The ship had docked at 8:10 am and the fire alarm sounded 10 minutes later, according to the Ketchikan Chronicle.

"Crews of firemen, Coast Guardsmen and civilians were on the spot, fire hose covered nearly every foot of the dock and chemicals arrived," the Chronicle reported later that afternoon. "For more than an hour scores of firemen used every facility available in a futile attempt to bring the blaze under control but when every effort was expended the ship had to be taken away from the dock.

"Expressing the sentiment felt by hundreds of local people, Stewardess Hutchison, fighting to keep the tears back, stood on the dock, 'I never thought I would stand (here) and see her burn. I'm just watching her burn' she said as the battered, smoke blackened ship limped away on her dramatic final sailing," the Chronicle reported.- More...
Monday - September 20, 2010

Alaska: VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS APPROACHING - Do you need to register to vote? Have you moved? If you answered yes, you have until Sunday, October 3, 2010 to register or update your existing voter registration for the November 2nd General Election.

Voters can register in person at any Division of Elections regional office, at municipal clerk's offices, at the Division of Motor Vehicles, village council offices and at many of the libraries. Voters may also register by mail or fax. Registration applications are available at www.elections.alaska.gov Registration applications that are mailed must be postmarked on or before October 3rd. If submitting the application by fax, it must be received by October 3rd. - More...
Monday - September 20, 2010

Ketchikan: KETCHIKAN GENERAL HOSPITAL NAMES JUDGE HENRY C. KEENE, JR. EXECUTIVE CONFERENCE ROOM - To honor Judge Henry C. Keene Jr.'s many years of service to Ketchikan General Hospital, Patrick J. Branco, CEO and Chief Mission Officer, announced the naming of the new Henry C. Keene Jr, Executive Conference Room.

The new conference room was the result of a reorganization of space on the third floor of KGH. The Walter Shuham Board Room was relocated and that created an opportunity to add an Executive Conference Room adjacent to it. - More...
Monday - September 20, 2010

Ketchikan: High temps, dry weather mean higher fire risk; Forest Service asks forest users to exercise caution with fires - Recent high temperatures, dry weather and fire can be a risky combination. Fire officials on the Tongass National Forest are asking that all area residents, campers, hunters, and day users of the national forest be cautious with any fire.

"We're not under any closures," said Forest Fire Management Officer Troy Hagan, "but we are in a period of late summer dry weather, so hunters and recreationists should be extra careful where fire is concerned." - More...
Monday - September 20, 2010

Alaska: UA Regents' meeting to focus on tuition, career and technical education and community campus study - The University of Alaska Board of Regents will consider tuition rates and a resolution supporting a new statewide career and technical education plan when the group meets this week in Juneau.

The 11-member governing board for the UA System also will hear a report about the economic and social impacts of the system's community campuses at the meeting.

The two-day meeting will start at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 23, at the University of Alaska Southeast student recreation center near Auke Bay.

Board members expect the tuition discussion will draw a crowd. New this year is the board's decision to provide student government leaders extra time on the agenda to make a statewide presentation about UA tuition rates and how they affect students. Individuals not associated with that presentation also may speak to the board on the subject during a public testimony period each day. - More...
Monday - September 20, 2010

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Fire Stations By Stephanie Sherva - It's been a long time coming, but the city is finally getting a new Downtown Fire Station. Too bad it doesn't fit the locale. Downtown has spent tons of tax dollars making itself look "old" and now they want a red and gray, modern, all angled building in the center of Downtown. Didn't any one consider the surrounding area and all the time and money spent to impress the Tourist with the "old fishing and logging town" feel? Where was the Historical Commission when all this was in the planning stages? They have no problem getting the rest of Downtown into the historical mode. As long as the inside of the building meets all the requirements of the Fire Department, why can't the outside have an "old Ketchikan" look and feel? - More...
Tuesday - September 21, 2010

Open Letter to Ketchikan Police: School Zones By Amber Anderson - I wanted to express my appreciation for your presence in the Schoenbar school zone this morning (09/20/21). It was nice to see a lot of cars tapping their breaks and stopping for kids in the crosswalks. I've lived on this bend for 3 years and have been frustrated with the lack of concern for children walking to school and bus stops. My children and I have often been nearly hit by people in a rush and/or on their cell phones. This is not something I thought I had to worry about when we bought our home here. I was naive in thinking it would be a safe walk since we live in a school zone. - More...
Tuesday - September 21, 2010

Vote on October 5th By Rodney Dial - As you vote on October 5th, I would ask that you look back to the spending over the last few years and consider our current fiscal condition: - More...
Tuesday - September 21, 2010

Asking for your vote October 5th By Sam Bergeron - I'm in the race for council because we need people in there that know the value of a dollar and where those dollars come from. - More...
Tuesday - September 21, 2010

Support Joe Miller By Liz Williams - I am unable to understand why it is wrong for Joe Miller to take out of state funds but okay for Sen. Lisa Murkowski to do so.  There is nothing illegal about the funding in either case.  While some of the funding for both Murkowski and Mr. Miller came from out of state, 100% of the votes came from Alaskans.  The majority of the voters in the Republican primary picked Joe Miller to represent them in the General election.  Republicans have a closed primary so that their members, not the members of the opposition, elect the representative who they believe will most closely represent their views in Congress.  - More...
Tuesday - September 21, 2010

Write-in Lisa Murkowski By Frances C. Natkong - Have you heard Joe Miller speak? Wake up, people, he's a male Sarah Palin! If he gets elected we, in Alaska, will be in deep you know what. - More...
Tuesday - September 21, 2010

Moonbattery By Richard Easbey - Mr. Hanger's latest rant, which is nothing more than a ham-handed attempt at character assassination directed at Joe Miller, is proof that being a liberal is the next best thing to having actual IDEAS. - More...
Tuesday - September 21, 2010

Alaskans - A Message to DC on Nov 2nd, 2010 by Ken Bylund - A quote by Anthony McAuliffe, on December 22, 1944 -- his official reply to General Von Luttwitz's demand that he surrender the 101st Airborne at Bastogne, aka, The Battle of the Bulge... "To the German Commander... Nuts! The American Commander." - More...
Tuesday - September 21, 2010

Small town politics again By Marcia Hilley - As a city taxpayer I am now going to help pay $100,000 plus because some City of Ketchikan administrators still have their panties in a wad because of an old lawsuit. - More...
Tuesday - September 21, 2010

Learning languages empowers us By Dr. Sarah Elaine Eaton, PhD - In response to the letter submitted by Donald A. Moskowitz on September 15, I agree with you wholeheartedly that the U.S. is an English speaking country. - More....
Tuesday - September 21, 2010

Proud of KGH By Donna Teal - Just a few lines about the excellent care given by all the staff at KGH. I have been a patient there several times and am still alive because of their wonderful talented care -- the first time in 1962 and several times since then. I also have had several family members healed there. - More...
Tuesday - September 21, 2010

KGH Praises By Charlene (Spurgeon) Burns - I'm not entirely sure how to approach this subject. A service provider does not deserve to be slammed because she simply expressed her praises for Ketchikan General Hospital. - More...
Tuesday - September 21, 2010

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Ketchikan
Regular Election
October 05, 2010

For the 9th year, Sitnews will provide a free web page to all local 2010 candidates. Local candidates are requested to provide background information, experience and qualifications for the public office for which they seek election. Candidates are also requested to provide a statement in which important issues facing the community are addressed and what each would like to achieve if elected. Deadline September 24, 2010
(Posted 09/09/10)

_Assembly
_School Board
_City Council (1)
Updated 09/21/10

Post your question(s) for the candidates as a group and read the responses from the candidates. Candidates are encouraged to participate and address questions from the public.
Forum Began
09/09/10 PM

Ketchikan
Regular Election
October 05, 2010

For the 9th year, Sitnews will provide a free web page to all local 2010 candidates. Local candidates are requested to provide background information, experience and qualifications for the public office for which they seek election. Candidates are also requested to provide a statement in which important issues facing the community are addressed and what each would like to achieve if elected. Deadline September 24, 2010
(Posted 09/09/10)

_Assembly
_School Board
_City Council (1)
Updated 09/21/10

Post your question(s) for the candidates as a group and read the responses from the candidates. Candidates are encouraged to participate and address questions from the public.
Forum Began
09/09/10 PM