Borough Election OCTOBER 03, 2017 This is the 15th year, Sitnews has provided FREE web exposure to all local Ketchikan candidates to provide information for consideration by voters. Tell your possible future constituents about your background, qualifications for the position, etc. Please send a photo. Links to your social media page accepted: Email to editor@sitnews.us Webmaster's Extended Deadline: 09/30/17 This is an opportunity for candidates to reach out to the voters, tell them why they should vote for you. Communicate freely to the voters; not bound by limited questions. Ketchikan Borough Assembly 3 Year Term - 3 Seats Open Amanda (AJ) Pierce Filed 08/02/17 October 01, 2017: Nothing Provided by Candidate Alan Bailey Filed 08/03/17 Click here to read Candidate's Statement Published 09/27/17 Kevin Gadsey Filed 08/18/17 October 01, 2017: Nothing Provided by Candidate Joel W. Jackson Filed 08/24/17 Nothing Provided by Candidate Kent L. Colby Filed 08/25/17 October 01, 2017: Nothing Provided by Candidate Susan Pickrell 08/25/17 Click here to read Candidate's Statement Published 09/13/17 Ketchikan School Board 3 Year Term - 2 Seats Open Diane Gubatayao Filed 08/03/17 Click here to read Candidate's Statement Published 09/17/17 David Timmerman Filed 08/18/17 October 01, 2017: Nothing Provided by Candidate Glen Thompson Filed 08/21/17 Click here to read Candidate's Statement Published 09/21/17 Ketchikan School Board 1 Year Term - 1 Seat Open Bill Blankenship Filed 08/21/17 October 01, 2017: No Information Provided by Candidate Glenn J. Brown Filed 08/25/17 Click here to read the candidate's statement. Published 09/27/17 Ketchikan City Council 3 Year Term - 3 Seats Open 3 Running - No Contest Dick Coose Filed 08/01/17 Mark Flora Filed 08/04/17 David Kiffer Filed 08/18/17 Click here to read the candidate's statement. Published 09/24/17 Online Voter Registration KGB Election Information City of Ketchikan Election Info.

Southeast Alaska: Secretary of Commerce Petitioned to Investigate Mines in British Columbia; Groups say threats to Pacific salmon and steelhead undermine U.S. conservation treaties. - Alaska Native and conservation groups on Tuesday formally invoked Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross’s duties under a federal law to investigate six hard-rock mines in British Columbia, and their expected impacts on transboundary watersheds shared by the United States and Canada.  The groups petition Secretary Ross to join the Department of the Interior and other federal agencies in bringing the controversy over these mines to the International Joint Commission, the governing body of the Boundary Waters Treaty between the two countries.  

The Taku, Stikine, and Unuk rivers flow across the Canada-United States border, from headwaters in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia through Southeast Alaska to the sea. Their watersheds are rich with wildlife; and their salmon sustain local communities. Native peoples have relied on salmon and caribou from these watersheds for generations, and communities continue to do so today. Commercial fishermen from Southeast Alaska also rely on these watersheds, catching tens of millions of dollars’ worth of salmon from these three river systems annually. The watersheds collectively support hundreds of Alaskan workers and their families.

The groups say the watersheds are now endangered by the development of metals mines in British Columbia, including the six subjects of the groups’ petition: the Tulsequah Chief, Red Chris, Schaft Creek, Galore Creek, Kerr-Sulphurets-Mitchell, and Brucejack mines. All involve large-scale infrastructure development and generate immense quantities of tailings and mine wastes. Water treatment will be required in perpetuity. The threats of acid-mine drainage and heavy metals pollution — not to mention catastrophic dam failures — will hang over the watersheds for centuries after the closure of the mines.

The petition, submitted under the 1971 Pelly Amendment to the Fishermen’s Protective Act by Earthjustice’s Alaska regional office, analyzes the mine projects and their expected impacts on watersheds, and invokes the Commerce and Interior Departments’ shared duty to investigate when foreign nationals may be “diminishing the effectiveness” of U.S. conservation treaties.

Together, the petitions to the Secretaries of Commerce and Interior present evidence indicating that the British Columbia mines likely diminish the effectiveness of two treaties that protect Pacific salmon, steelhead trout, grizzly bears, and woodland caribou — namely the Convention for the Conservation of Anadromous Stocks in the North Pacific Ocean and the Convention on Nature Protection and Wild Life Preservation in the Western Hemisphere.

The groups urge the Secretary to engage other federal agencies in calling for a referral of the issue of harms from the six mines to the International Joint Commission. This body addresses disputes arising from the Boundary Waters Treaty between the United States and Canada. The Treaty, signed in 1909, governs the use of waters shared by the United States and Canada, and provides that “waters flowing across the boundary shall not be polluted on either side to the injury of health or property on the other.”  - More...
Thursday AM - September 28, 2017

Alaska: Governor Puts Income Tax Back on the Table - Governor Bill Walker is convening the 30th Alaska State Legislature on October 23 in Juneau for its fourth special session to address public safety and revenue. On the call are Senate Bill 54, which addresses Class-C felonies and a bill to enact a flat wage tax.

Senate Bill 54 would give courts the ability to impose jail time for first-time Class C felonies or repeat theft offenses. This would act as a potential deterrent and encourage offenders suffering from addiction to seek treatment.

The administration is proposing a payroll tax of 1.5 percent of wages earned by Alaskans and non-resident workers, capped at $2,200 or twice the previous year's permanent fund dividend amount-whichever is higher. For example, a person who earned $50,000 would pay $750 in payroll tax and receive a PFD.

According to the administration the proposal is expected to generate between $300 million and $325 million - about 15 percent of which is projected to come from non-resident workers, who in 2015 earned more than $2.7 billion (PDF). Under this proposal, Alaskans would pay the lowest taxes on a nationwide basis. No other state currently has a cap for a maximum tax rate. Currently Alaskans pay no income tax.

"My team and I have been meeting with majority and minority members of both the House and Senate for the past several months," Governor Walker said. "We have cut more than 44 percent from state spending over the past four years, and drawn more than $14 billion from savings. We will continue to find efficiencies. With the downturn in oil prices, however, it's clear that we must find a new source of revenue to pay for troopers, teachers, transportation and other essential services. We must end the uncertainty for a healthy economy."

Sen. Pete Kelly, R-Fairbanks, President of the Alaska Senate said, “The Senate Majority welcomes additional discussion on the state’s fiscal problems, which we believe are best addressed by reducing government budgets and instituting a spending limit. We have asked the administration, before new taxes on working Alaskans are considered, to provide a budget for the coming fiscal year that includes reductions in spending, and a revised revenue forecast with responsible estimates of oil price and production. With this information in hand, the Senate will be able to accurately determine what, if any, actions must be taken to raise additional revenue from Alaskans. We want to make it clear that any ‘complete plan’ to address our fiscal problem cannot solely reach into Alaskans' pockets for more government money, but must include budget reductions. Government has to do its part.”

Quoting a news release from the Governor, since 2014, the Walker-Mallott administration and the legislature have cut state spending by $1.7 billion, 29 percent.

Representative Colleen Sullivan-Leonard (R-Wasilla) said he is concerned with Governor Walker's request for a fourth session is an effort by the Governor to push an income tax on hard working Alaskans.  Sullivan-Leonard said, "Interesting to note that the Administration believes the income tax will bring in over $300 million dollars of revenue, when our House Republicans clearly identified reductions in state government to the tune of over $300 million. These were thoughtful reductions that were not even given fair discussion in committee or on the House Floor." 

Sullivan-Leonard said, "Now is not the time to impose new taxes, instead we should be reducing the size of government. My community continues to be challenged by the recession and are faced with a staggering 8.4% unemployment rate. This is after taking half of their PFD checks!" 

Sullivan-Leonard said he continues to request that any special session be held in Anchorage to facilitate meetings closer to the home of many legislators to decrease per diem and travel expenses. It is expensive to travel to Juneau and we don't need to spend money the state doesn't have.

"In looking at revenue that may assist the challenges with public safety and SB 91," Sullivan-Leonard said, "it has been reported from the Division of Revenue that the taxes collected from cannabis sales have reached over $1.4 million dollars since October 2016. May 2017 showed a collection of $276,600, the highest recorded thus far for cannabis tax. That money should go directly into needs for Public Safety to fight the increase in drugs and crime in our communities.”

House Republicans say they stand ready to address the issues impacting Alaskans across the state: crime and the economy. House Republicans say they will once again defend Alaskans against hurtful impacts from government overreach through taxation.

“Call it what you want, a payroll tax, head tax, whatever - it’s an income tax and it’s not what Alaska needs,” said Republican Whip Mike Chenault (R-Nikiski). “The conversation cannot be turned into a plea for taking money from hardworking Alaskans.” - More...
Thursday AM - September 28, 2017

Photo of the Month Ketchikan: 2017 Cruise Ship Calendar (PDF) - Calendar 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 Weather History for Sept. 2017 Ketchikan's Historic Weather Nat Weather Service KTN Ketchikan Tides & Currents Search the News Ketchikan Alaska RSS widget

Ketchikan: Museum fossils help artist tell the story of life on Earth By THERESA BAKKER - Some people just look at the world in a unique way. Scientists and mathematicians see the mechanisms behind what’s right in front of them, while artists use their imagination to see what might have been.

A new exhibit featuring fossils from the earth sciences collection at the University of Alaska Museum of the North tells the story of an artist and a paleontologist who don’t just travel through space together, they travel through geological time.

In “Cruisin’ the Fossil Coastline,” now on display at the Anchorage Museum, Alaska artist Ray Troll uses his skills to bring to life the past buried in the outcrops and rocky ledges of the West Coast of North America.

The coast was once home to an exotic array of animals whose remains have been discovered along 10,000 miles of shoreline, from the southern extremes of California to the now extinct polar forests of Alaska’s North Slope.

Troll and collaborator Kirk Johnson, the director of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, have been friends for a couple of decades. In that time, they have traveled all around North America looking for fossils and uncovering the animals that once lived on Earth.

One of those stories is told in the painting “Broke a Tooth,” based on a discovery made when Troll accompanied the earth sciences team from the UA Museum of the North on an expedition to the North Slope in 2012.

“There we were on the Colville River in the Arctic,” Troll said. “I was blown away by the number of bones coming out of the Liscomb Bone Bed where scientists have found thousands of fossils. I could just feel my imagination running wild. Then I found the tyrannosaur tooth.”

The discovery belonged to a newly described species that only lived in Alaska, Nanuqsaurus hoglundi, the genus name of which means “polar bear lizard.” The extinct species of carnivorous tyrannosaur was described from a handful of bones found on the North Slope. Troll imagined it was left behind when the predator was chomping on the bones of Ugrunaaluk kuukpikensis, a duckbilled dinosaur recently described by museum scientists.

That tooth and the painting it inspired are on display in the exhibit, along with many other fossils and more than a hundred original artworks by Troll. Patrick Druckenmiller, earth sciences curator, said Alaska fossils are very hard to come by and collect, so this exhibit is special.

“Our current knowledge of who/what lived in this state in ancient times is equivalent to what it was like in the American West a hundred years ago, before many people had scientifically explored the area,” he said. “The bottom line is that we just don’t know much yet about Alaska’s fossil potential, so whatever we find is typically a new species and very cool because it lived at high latitudes.” - More...
Thursday AM - September 28, 2017

Alaska: Mumps Outbreak in Anchorage, 13 cases confirmed - The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services and the Municipality of Anchorage have warned Anchorage residents of a recent spread of mumps, and are encouraging residents to update their vaccinations if necessary. Several new mumps cases have been diagnosed in the past few months, and there are now 13 confirmed cases of the disease in Anchorage. Most of these cases have occurred in young adults.  

Mumps is a contagious viral disease with symptoms that include swollen and tender cheeks, fever, head and muscle aches, and fatigue that appear two to three weeks after infection.  Males may also develop sore or swollen testicles. Some people do not have any symptoms and infrequently persons with mumps may experience serious health effects.  

Large outbreaks of mumps have occurred this year across the country. State health officials suspect a traveler from outside Alaska may have brought the virus to Anchorage.

Mumps is spread by coughing, sneezing, talking, and sharing cups or utensils. Infected people without symptoms may be able to spread the disease to others. - More...
Thursday PM - September 28, 2017

Ketchikan: 2017 Patricia Roppel Scholarship Recipient Announced - The Tongass Historical Society announced the selection of the second recipient of the THS Patricia Roppel Scholarship. The scholarship was established to honor the memory of Pat Roppel; author, historian, researcher, and two-time recipient of the Alaska Historian of the Year award.

This scholarship was established in 2016 with the Alaska Community Foundation and through generous donations from the Roppel Family, the Eichner family, the Tongass Historical Society, and other generous donors.

Ropell served the public for over thirty years on boards and commissions of state and nonprofit organizations. She also served on the THS Board of Directors, and made significant donations of objects, information, time and money. She was a supportive member and friend for over 50 years.

Ross Coen is the scholarship recipient for 2017. Ross is a PhD candidate in history at the University of Washington.

Coen received his Bachelors and Masters degrees from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. His PhD dissertation’s working title is “Owning the Ocean: Salmon, Science, and American Empire in the Pacific World, 1880-1960”. In his dissertation, Coen examines the history of scientific study of Alaska salmon over an eighty-year period. He expects to graduate with his PhD in Spring 2018.
 
In Coen’s scholarship essay he writes “Pat was not only an accomplished historian who has influenced my own research and writing, but she was also a good friend who I came to know through our interest in the Alaska Historical Society. Her friendship and her support of my work are gifts that I will always treasure.”
 
The THS Patricia Roppel Scholarship presents a $5,000 award annually to an undergraduate or graduate student attending an accredited college and majoring in history, especially pursuing the study of Alaska and the North. Special consideration is given to an applicant specializing in Southeast Alaska History, or the history of mining, fisheries, or timber in Alaska. - More...
Thursday AM - September 28, 2017

Fisheries: Warm Northwest waters draw spawning fish north earlier - Unusually warm ocean conditions off the Pacific Northwest in the last few years led anchovies, sardines and hake to begin spawning in Northwest waters much earlier in the year and, for anchovy, longer than biologists have ever recorded before, new research has found.

The rapid northerly shifts in spawning may offer a preview of future conditions if ocean warming continues, according to the new study published in Global Change Biology by scientists from the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, Oregon State University and NOAA Fisheries' Northwest Fisheries Science Center.

Some species may spend less time in southern waters off California, where anchovy and sardines have been less prevalent in recent years, and more of the year off the Northwest, the authors suggest. From 2015 to 2016 researchers found the highest concentrations of sardine, anchovy and hake larvae in the Northern California Current, off the Pacific Northwest, than they have in any year since collections began in 1998. 

"Changes in spawning timing and poleward migration of fish populations due to warmer ocean conditions or global climate change will negatively affect areas that were historically dependent on these fish, and change the food web structure of the areas that the fish move into with unforeseen consequences," researchers wrote.

The research drew on samples collected from a transect off the central Oregon Coast called the Newport Hydrographic Line, where scientists have regularly measured ocean conditions for decades.

Scientists have never collected anchovy, sardine and hake larvae off the Northwest as early in the year as they did through 2015 and 2016, and have never found anchovy larvae throughout as much of the year. The presence of anchovy larvae through almost the entire year indicates the species was spawning nearly continuously through the winter, far longer than its usual summer spawning period in the region, researchers found. - More...
Thursday AM - September 28, 2017

Southeast Alaska: Study examines legacies of 700 years of rainforest burning - Few long-term fire histories have been reconstructed in coastal temperate rain forests, and little is known regarding the spatial and temporal characteristics of lightning and human ignitions.  However, a recent analyses of temperate rain forests by Southeast Alaska's neighbors on the central coast of British Columbia suggest that for centuries, humans have intentionally used fire to manage plant-life.

"Old growth temperate rain forests are often considered pristine and untouched landscapes, but new science is confirming what First Nations have known since time immemorial - that these forests were carefully managed with fire to increase the abundance of specific plants" said Kira Hoffman, lead author of the study.

Hoffman said, "These were slow-moving ground fires that left the majority of trees alive and kept the forest open and clear of brush, not the large, uncontrolled wild fires that we've become accustomed to today."

The researchers reconstructed 700 years of temporal and spatial aspects of fire activity with 30 plots on Hecate Island using fire scars and forest-stand establishment. They then conducted a paired study of 20 former indigenous habitation and control sites on 15 islands to relate fire activity to patterns of human settlement. The researchers mapped 15 years of lightning strike densities and use mixed-effects modelling to assess whether fire activity predicted the distribution and abundance of traditional plants. - More...
Thursday AM - September 28, 2017

DAVE KIFFER: Lost At Sea - We often gnash our teeth about visitors wandering around, seemingly lost, in Our Fair Salmon City.

How can they get lost?

It's only a couple of streets?

Don't they all lead to the water?

Can't they see the ships?

Well, of course, those questions have just about 1.03 million different answers.

Most of them seem to revolve around the fact that 99.99 percent of the 1.03 million people are looking for an actual "Street" when they are seeking "Creek Street" but some things you just can't fix.

Anyway, put yourself in their orthopedic shoes. If you have spent your entire life navigating the wilds of Cleveland, you can probably find Ketchikan a little daunting. It is so small town here. So rustic. So bereft of the necessities of life. There is only one Starbucks for goodness sake and it is NOT, I repeat NOT, located within walking distance of their ship. This seems to be a deal breaker for many of the visitors.

"How could you possibly live here?" they ask when confronted with this information. "I just can't imagine."

Neither can I.

Anyhoo, sometimes I return the favor by going on board cruise ships and getting lost.

I know what you're thinking.

How can you possibly get lost on a cruise ship?

It's only got a handful of decks?

Don't they all lead to the buffet?

Can't you see the dock?

Well, maybe not.

I often go on those dog and pony shows where the cruise lines graciously invites "locals" on board.

They usually have two purposes. One is to exchange plaques and give short speeches when a ship visits the Ketchikan for the first time. Sometimes we even exchange lovely photographs of the ships and/or the ports. Those photographs are then stored in some vault never to be seen again. - More...
Thursday AM - September 28, 2017