Invitation to Local Candidates: The Ketchikan Regular Election will be held on October 02, 2018. As in the past, SitNews invites all local candidates to provide a candidate's statement and include the reason you are running, experience, and issues you would like to address. Photographs are also requested. No word limits. Absentee in-person voting begins on Sept. 17, 2018. SitNews deadline to recieve statements will also be Sept. 17, 2018 - the date voting begins. Statements will be published as received. As always, this media exposure is provided as a free service to local candidates. Questions for the Candidates: Click Here to Participate in the SitNews Online Forum. Ketchikan City Council Candidates 3-Year Term, 2 Seats to Fill Janalee L. Gage Filed 08/01/18 Candidate's Statement 09/03/18   Sam Bergeron Filed 08/23/18   Dragon London Filed 08/24/18   Spencer Strassburg Filed 08/27/18 Ketchikan City Mayor 3-Year Term, 1 Seat to Fill   Robert (Bob) Sivertsen Filed 08/01/18 Ketchikan Assembly Candidates 3-Year Term, 2 Seats to Fill   Dan Bockhorst Filed 08/01/18 Austin Otos Filed 08/02/18 Candidate's Statement 09/09/18   Danielle "Dani" Pratt Filed 08/22/18   Sven Westergard Filed 08/24/18   James Montgomery Filed 08/24/18   Felix Wong Filed 08/27/18 Ketchikan School Board 3-Year Term, 3 Seats to Fill   Matt Eisenhower Filed 08/10/18   Sonya Skan Filed 08/13/18 Rachel Breithaupt Filed 08/17/18 Candidate's Statement 09/07/18   Bridget Mattson Filed 08/20/18   Lana Boler Filed 08/21/18

Fish Factor: Kelp Sea Level Gosé, Alaska’s first kelp-based beer By LAINE WELCH - Governor Bill Walker christened Alaska’s first kelp-based beer during a recent swing through Kodiak. 

The beer was created at the Kodiak Island Brewery using local kelp from Kodiak Island Sustainable Seaweed (KISS), grown by Stephanie and Nick Mangini.

“Steph mentioned seeing a kelp craft beer on the internet and I told her to bring me 100 pounds,” said brewery “flow master” Chrissy Johnsrud, who created the new blend. 

The beer, called Kelp Sea Level Gosé, is a sour, German wheat beer made with coriander and salt.   

Brewery owner, Ben Millstein, said the seaweed was an easy fit.

“We used the amount of kelp that we thought would replace the amount of salt. It’s working really good,” he said. 

The new beer was nearing its final stage as Millstein filled glasses with a small amount for tasting. He explained that there are over 150 different styles of beer and it is important to “calibrate one’s palate” before forming an opinion.   

“Shift your mind into neutral and take a couple sips,” he instructed. “Then sit with it for 30 seconds or a minute and try not to judge. Let it in and let it go. Try to disengage and give it a calibration rest and then see what you think after that.” 

The kelp beer had a pleasing briny taste and it won the Governor’s approval.  

“I like it. It’s very good,” Walker said, adding that he plans to add it to his kelp repertoire.

“I’ve got a kelp salsa story about how I helped get that Juneau product into Safeway, and now we have kelp beer to go with the salsa,” Walker. “We are making it happen in Alaska as far as the blue economy. It’s right here in front of us.”

The Kelp Sea Level beer was set to be added to Kodiak Island Brewery’s 13-tap lineup any day. 

“I think it’s going to be a huge hit,” said Johnsrud. “You can just smell the salt air and the seagulls. It’s similar to holding your ear up to a shell.” 

More Gov goings on:

While he was in Kodiak Governor Walker also signed a bill (HB 56) sponsored by Ketchikan Representative Dan Ortiz that expands the state Revolving Loan Fund to create new financing options for fishing and mariculture businesses. He also re-established the Alaska Mariculture Task Force as an advisory body with a goal of growing a $100 million mariculture industry in 20 years.

“The fiscal crisis is on the wane. It should never have happened in the first place and we should never be in that position again. Now we can get back to building Alaska,” Walker said in an interview. 

In terms of Alaska’s seafood industry, he said the biggest challenges stem from “unpredictability.”           

“We have seasonal highs and lows, problems with returns. It is very difficult for businesses to plan. One of our jobs is to make sure we provide the best data going forward as quickly as possible, so people and communities whose livelihoods depend on fishing have the assurance of a more stable future,” Walker said.

The governor said our seas are “under assault” from a warming climate and off kilter ocean chemistry. That was the impetus, he said, for forming a climate change action committee  which is scheduled to introduce recommendations next month that will build upon past policy initiatives and encourage new ideas.   

During a town meeting several Kodiakans commented that Alaska lawmakers by and large “skim over” the economic, social and cultural importance of the seafood industry.   

“It’s all about attitude,” Walker said. “Commercial fishing was Alaska’s first industry and it drove the push to statehood. We will make sure our fish benefit Alaska and coastal communities. We will show up and be engaged.”  - More...
Friday PM - September 07, 2018

Photo of the Month Ketchikan: Cruise Ship Schedule 2018(pdf) Courtesy Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska - claalaska.com Ketchikan: Public Meetings Ketchikan: Upcoming Events Historical Ketchikan June Allen Dave Kiffer Louise B. Harrington Ketchikan Weather Ketchikan's Forecast Weather History August 2018 Ketchikan's Historic Weather Nat Weather Service KTN Ketchikan Tides & Currents Sunrise - Sunset Ketchikan Search the News Ketchikan Alaska

Ketchikan - Statewide: DEED Releases PEAKS and Alaska Science Assessment Results - Alaska’s students show progress in English language arts, mathematics, and science. Statewide, district, school, and subgroup level results from the Performance Evaluation for Alaska’s Schools (PEAKS) assessment and the Alaska Science Assessment are now available online. These assessments provide information to parents, educators, policy makers, communities, and businesses about how Alaska’s schools and districts are performing. School districts have until September 28 to distribute student-level reports to parents.

PEAKS and the Alaska Science Assessment are Alaska’s statewide summative assessments. PEAKS is the assessment for English language arts and mathematics, and was administered to students in grades three to nine. The Alaska Science Assessment was administered to students in grades four, eight and ten. The statewide assessments are just one piece of a balanced assessment system.

Approximately 78,600 students participated in this administration of PEAKS and the Alaska Science Assessment. Students score on a scale that is divided into four levels of achievement: advanced, proficient, below proficient, and far below proficient.

“This year’s PEAKS results show the kind of incremental sustainable growth that will change the trajectory of our system of public schools and the lives of individual students. Though the growth is marginal, it represents a collective commitment to improve the success of our students,” said Alaska Education Commissioner Dr. Michael Johnson. “Continued growth will only be achievable if Alaskans work together to demand an excellent education for every student every day.” Commissioner Johnson thanked students, educators and parents for their commitment and hard work. - More...
Friday PM - September 07, 2018

Alaska: State Extends Public Comment Period for 2016 Pink Salmon Disaster Relief Fund Draft Distribution Plan - On August 30, 2018, Alaska Department of Fish & Game issued a press release announcing a public comment period for the 2016 pink salmon disaster fund draft distribution plan. That release, which also included a link to the distribution plan and directions for public comment, set a nine-day comment period. That timeline was based upon federally-imposed deadlines that the State must meet.

Both ADF&G and the Governor's Office heard from pink salmon stakeholders who are concerned about the current nine-day comment period. Those concerns were taken to heart.

In response, the State of Alaska worked with the Alaska Regional Office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission to negotiate an extension of the comment period to 5:00 pm (AST) September 18, 2018. - More...
Friday PM - September 07, 2018

Alaska: Tooth collections offer clues about walrus reproduction By LAUREN FRISCH - I never thought I’d have a tray of walrus ovaries on my desk.

Earlier this summer, I planned an interview to learn about a student project looking at zinc concentrations in walrus teeth. Things have certainly escalated since then.

University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences graduate student Casey Clark is studying how zinc concentrations in the teeth of female walruses may reveal valuable information about when a walrus first ovulated. Clark and his team believe ovulations earlier in life indicate that enough resources are available for population growth.

By cross-checking zinc levels with how many times a walrus ovulated over her reproductive lifetime, they are able to see how historical rises and falls in walrus populations are linked to changing zinc concentrations in teeth.

This is where the walrus ovaries come in. Hormones created in the tennis ball–sized ovaries of a walrus during ovulation and pregnancy leave a permanent mark if the egg is not fertilized or when the pregnancy ends. As CFOS professor Lara Horstmann sat at my desk flipping through one of her sliced ovaries like pages in a book, these marks were clear even to my untrained eyes. Horstmann’s team counts the hormone structures and the marks they leave to estimate how many times a walrus ovulated during her lifetime.

Clark and Horstmann are working with UAF Institute of Northern Engineering professor Nicole Misarti to better understand what age at first reproduction may reveal about the relative availability of food. It could also reveal how close a population may be to its carrying capacity, which is the population size that can be sustained based on food availability and other environmental conditions.

“If a population is doing really well, with low stress and abundant food, animals will grow quickly and reproduce at a younger age,” said Clark. “In contrast, if there are too many walruses for the amount of food available, it can take longer for each animal to grow enough to reach a place where they are capable of reproducing.” - More...
Friday PM - September 07, 2018

Obituary: James “Jim” Barry April 3, 1959 - August 26, 2018 - James “Jim” Barry passed away suddenly Sunday morning, August 26, 2018.  He was 59 years old. He was born in Fresno, CA on April 3, 1959 to Jack and Mary Barry. 

His father, Jack, preceded him in death October 2017, and his mother, Mary, July 2018.

He is survived by his wife, Margaret Barry, of Ketchikan, as well as sisters Anne Barry of Seattle, Liz (Rick) Tupper of Kirkland, WA and brother John "Jack" Barry of Santa Rosa, CA. 

He grew up with his siblings, Anne, Liz and Jack in the Bellevue, WA area.  Jim graduated from Interlake High School in 1977.            

He is especially proud of his adult nieces, Meagan Tupper of Redmond, WA and Emily Barry of Dallas, TX, and nephew, John Tupper of Seattle.  Each one growing nicely into their adult lives.

Jim is also survived by his sister-in-law Kristi Michaelson, of Camas, WA, mother to Kaili (11yo) and Kianna (6yo). He certainly made it a point to see them when he could and was known to them as "Unka Jokester". He loved watching them grow and learn

Jim moved to Ketchikan in September 1985, taking a position with Porter-Spaulding Insurance Agency.  Joining his father, Jack Barry, in the insurance business. Jim enjoyed playing men's softball, and made many new friends that helped him settle in to his newest adventure. - More...
Friday PM - September 07, 2018

DAVE KIFFER: Mmmm, fudge - For the past few weeks I have been taking a morning constitutional before work.

This is because I have suddenly become old.

I look in photographs and I don’t recognize the pasty faced, old white guy. Even though he happens to be me.

I used to be able to differentiate between my knees, not as right and left but as good and bad. Now they are both bad

But I digress.

That is a column another day. If I live that long.

My topic is walking around Ketchikan in the morning.

You see, I have taken to walking downtown in the morning because at least the jewelry store workers will smile at me and ask me how my day is going. Some will even offer me fudge.

Which is a sign that I am now old and completely invisible to anyone under 40. Unless they are trying to sell me something.

At least I have yet to reach the stage where I am stumbling around in my walker and people are applauding me for “making the effort.”

But I digress, again.

I have been walking a couple of miles around town while the ships are in and when doing that one gets to hear some interesting things.

For example, the other day, I heard a middle aged (assuming she lives to 150) woman berating one of the poor crossing guards.

  "Where are the poles, I want to see poles, I really want to see totem poles" she went on, as if her point wasn't clear the first time. He pointed down the street to two poles. - More...
Friday PM - September 07, 2018