Ketchikan: Annual Event Raises Over $5,000 for Ketchikan Public Library By HEIDI EKSTRAND - The annual Friends of the Ketchikan Public Library used book sale this month set another record in sales, finishing the weekend with $5,485 in sales, membership dues and donations. - More...
Thursday - October 09, 2008

Ketchikan: Historic Reburial Ceremony Attended by Agriculture Secretary - Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer made a special visit to the Tongass National Forest in part to speak on behalf of the U.S. Forest Service at a special Tribal Reburial Ceremony in Klawock, on Prince of Wales Island Sept. 26 and 27.

The Tongass is the nation's largest national forest at almost 17 million acres. It covers most of southeast Alaska from Yakutat in the north to the islands south of Ketchikan, and is comprised of large and pristine wilderness and National Monument areas.

Secretary Schafer was a keynote speaker for a ceremonial dinner and tribal dance to honor Shukaá Kaa, or "Man Ahead of Us," whose remains were found during a paleontological survey at a cave within the Tongass in 1996. The remains were determined to be 10,000 years old.

"I am deeply honored to be with you this evening," Schafer said. "This is an historic and deeply meaningful ceremony and I am privileged to represent the Forest Service tonight."

Tongass NF archaeologist Terry Fifield and Tribal Relations Program Manager John Autrey worked together with tribal governments and leaders on Prince of Wales to complete the repatriation and reburial of the remains. Their collaboration was a key factor in the remains being identified through DNA testing, and their being repatriated in 2007 under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990.

Schafer added that the deep and abiding respect that the agency has for the tribal governments and the culture of the recognized tribes in southeast Alaska is a special relationship that will lead to many more positive steps in planning and managing both cultural and heritage sites and the natural resources across the Tongass.

"The Forest Service and the Tongass National Forest have acted as the stewards for much of Southeast Alaska for more than 100 years," Schafer continued, "But tonight we pay tribute to you, the traditional stewards of these lands and your most ancient ancestor we honor tonight, Shukaá Kaa. As advanced as our country and society have become, it has taken a man more than 10,000 years old to bring true understanding and partnership to the cultural and resource management here on the Tongass National Forest." - More...
Thursday - October 09, 2008

Alaska Science: Where are the Alaska bats right now? By NED ROZELL - Eileen Weatherby of Fairbanks wrote in mid-September that her cat carried in a surprise one morning. Instead of the usual vole, her cat had captured a bat.

"I was startled because I thought bats in the Interior were pretty rare," she wrote in an email message.

Eileen is right. Alaska is the far, frigid edge of bats' existence. But they do live in Alaska, in places with trees, perhaps as far north as Fort Yukon. The palm-size creatures are now, in mid-October, avoiding below-freezing temperatures by either hibernating or migrating southward. Scientists aren't quite sure which strategy far-north bats employ. - More...
Thursday - October 09, 2008

Alaska: State investigation links foodborne outbreak to consumption of peas - New molecular laboratory findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide a firm link between an outbreak of Campylobacter diarrhea that occurred in Southcentral Alaska this summer and eating uncooked peas grown in Alaska.

"Molecular studies demonstrated that there was a match between Campylobacter bacteria obtained from sick people and those obtained from pea and Sandhill Crane samples taken from the farm in Palmer," said Dr. Tracie Gardner, an epidemiologist with the Alaska Division of Public Health.

To date, the investigation has identified 99 people sickened by the bacteria who reported eating raw peas within 10 days of illness onset. Fifty-four had laboratory confirmation of illness. Five were hospitalized. None have died. - More...
Thursday - October 09, 2008

Alaska: PALIN DECLINES TO ACKNOWLEDGE "NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY"; GAY ALASKANS DISMAYED BY GOVERNOR'S REBUFF - Alaska Governor Palin has declined to issue a formal proclamation recognizing "National Coming Out Day," in Alaska. Heartened by the Gov. Palin's positive comments about gays and lesbians in the Vice Presidential Debate, Alaskans Together submitted a formal request to acknowledge the day, which is observed on Oct. 11 internationally by members of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered) communities and supporters.

"But I also want to clarify, if there's any kind of suggestion at all from my answer that I would be anything but tolerant of adults in America choosing their partners, choosing relationships that they deem best for themselves, you know," said Gov. Palin during the debate.

"Governor Palin called for 'tolerance', and we hoped she'd show that type of leadership as Governor with this proclamation," said Alaskans Together President Marsha Buck. "Coming out is a difficult and deserves recognition." - More...
Thursday - October 09, 2008

Gouged in Alaska By Karen Ramsey - I've been thinking that if I owned a gas station in Ketchikan I would break free from the pack of price-fixers in our town (and no one can convince me that there isn't price-fixing going on, however illegal it may be) and drop my prices by oh, maybe 25 cents a gallon just to start. If we had one brave gasoline dealer charging us $4.10 for a gallon of unleaded instead of the $4.34 - $4.37 still being charged by the seven or so stations we have in our little captive island market, what do you think the result would be? Drivers would flock to the station charging the least. - More...
Thursday PM - October 09, 2008

Oil Prices: Gouging at Alaska Pumps By Lisa Hydock - I would like to know what is being done about the price gouging at the gas pumps in Alaska. The price of oil per barrel on the market closed at about $88 in the last few days. The all-time high was $147 per barrel earlier this year, when our price per gallon went up to $4.65. The price has come down to $4.35 per gallon, very slowly, and over a couple of months time.(8cents thanks to Gov. Palin) Friends and relatives in the lower 48 are reporting prices as low as $3.05 per gallon. My question is WHY is Alaska so much higher? Before the severe spike in cost, we were paying around $3 per gallon. So, across the nation, gas at the pump is significantly less than Alaska prices. I've lived in Alaska for more than twenty years and have never experienced this much greed. - More...
Thursday PM - October 09, 2008

Vote Begich for U.S. Senate By Charlotte L. Glover - Some years ago I was privileged to hear Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich speak to the Alaska Library Association. At the time, I was struck by his easy manner, his thoughtful comments on the political issues of the time and his sincere interest in educational issues that matter most to me. I've followed his career in the years since, and met him recently in Ketchikan, and am pleased to give him my vote for U.S. Senate. - More...
Thursday PM - October 09, 2008

Kudos to Parrot By Jack Slaght - I whole heartedly agree with Katie Parrot's assessment of where we currently stand with respect to our region's economic, political, environmental, and individual state of affairs. She correctly identifies our collective reality as being one where we live in wooden houses, burn fossil fuels, we can look around us and see plenty of healthy forest (including younger stands of timber). I would add that in spite of all the radical environmentalist doom & gloom that has been thrown out for the "public" to digest for a couple of decades, we still retain good fish & wildlife habitat throughout Southeast Alaska. - More...
Thursday PM - October 09, 2008

Pets, Children, Speeders on NPH By Suzan Thompson - The writers of recent letters addressing the pet, child, traffic problems on North Point Higgins all make excellent points. Ms. Bailey and Ms. O'Bryan are absolutely correct that there are far too many dogs allowed to run at large on this busy road. Ms. Shull is also correct when she says that speeding drivers are a big problem and I agree with her suggestion that if residents consistently call to report speeders when they see them, there may be some stepped-up enforcement. The State Troopers have always been willing to respond quickly to reports of reckless driving whenever I have had to call them. As far as I'm concerned, they can park in my driveway all day long and write tickets until they run out of ink. If it checks the tendency of drivers to drive 42 in a 25 mph zone because they're never sure if there's a Trooper up ahead, that's great. - More...
Thursday PM - October 09, 2008

FACING UP TO THE Nation's Finances National Debt Clock National Election November 4, 2008 Voter's Survival Kit - The Smart Citizen's Guide to What the Politicians Won't Tell You Public Agenda for Citizens - www.publicagenda.org Public Information Nonproprietary Ketchikan Telecommunications Division Initial Evaluation Phase Report, prepared by Falkenberg Capital Corporation pdf Ketchikan Police Report Updated AK Troopers Daily Dispatch Today's Forecast Satellite Today's Weather Images Marine Forecasts Ketchikan Weather Data Current AK Weather Map CLASSIFIEDS Publish ad Please select the proper category before posting. CLASSIFIEDS' CATEGORIES Announcements and       Help Wanted For Sale / Free Stuff Garage Sales Homes / Apts/ Property Pets Wanted Lost & Found Local Services Publish your ad   Sept. - Oct. 2008 S M T W T F S 31 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 01 02 03 04 05 06 07  08 09     More Front Page Archives

Speeding Drivers By Jonna Cragun - While we are on the subject of speeding drivers I would like to mention what I observed this morning. I live on Roosevelt, south of town and this morning I was disgusted to observe a newer model, tan/champagne, Chevy SUV (Tahoe?) driving in front of my house at what must have been at least 40 miles per hour. This is a rough patch of road and obviously he was late for work or some other gambit of life that was important enough to risk the life of our local children. I don't care what his problem was I do however have a serious distaste for his arrogance. - More...
Thursday PM - October 09, 2008

Nowheresville By Virginia E. Atkinson - The past few years Alaska has been famous for "The Bridge to Nowhere or A road to Nowhere". Can tell it's almost election when certain topics resurface. Why is it that paople make noise about the same issues before election? Like it's going to do any good. So the bridge didn't go through, big deal, not everyone wants "change" but will only talk about it for a few more decades. Maybe the next generation will actually do something about it. Sometimes next year the Waldon Point Road will start its final phase and be paved, to nowhere. The Waldon Point Road project is funded by the military. While on the subject of nowhere how about a faster ferry boat to "nowhere" Uncle Sam or Aunty Sarah? Can you spare a few million dollars for it? - More...
Thursday PM - October 09, 2008

Boarded Windows- What's up Downtown Steering Committee??? By Bobbie McCreary - As most of you are aware, for the past 5 years Ketchikan Youth Intitiatives has coordinated an effort to develop a themed approach to painting the boarded windows of Diamonds International, usually in collaboration with students from Revilla High School and then completed with a community wide event to complete the art project to brighten up our downtown in the Winter. We have received many compliments on this effort (some years more artistic than others!) Three years ago this project expanded to a series of murals installed on the boarded windows of the Bernard Passman building, created by Revilla students under the direction of local artist and muralist, Mary Henrikson. - More...
Thursday PM - October 09, 2008

Thank you By Charles Edwardson - First I would like to thank everyone who voted either for me or the candidate of your choice, I lost by eight votes, that is what I was told when I contacted the city clerk. I had to inquire about the procedure and was given a brief overview of the process after specific inquiries, my specific questions were addressed. Nothing was volunteered so for those of you who wish to run in the future you have to look for information yourselves. - More...
Thursday PM - October 09, 2008

Higgins Beach Purchase By Chris Barry - So all you silly people voted yes to buy a beach. Why? It can't be because we have no other beaches. I mean, c'mon, we only live on an island. How many beaches do we need? - More...
Thursday PM - October 09, 2008

RE: Obama/Biden By Kris Hansen - I admire Katie Parrott's opinion, the democrats are behind many of the blunders that have happened upon Alaska. Ketchikan had a Pulp Mill somewhere around mile 4 of North Tongass. Roy Nathan may not remember that. Nathan, it is the ghost town of derelict buildings at Wards Cove. It it is where Ketchikan, post canneries, developed a year round economy (the tourist and fisheries only sustain k-town and Sitka for about 5 months of the year the mill was 12 months). It is humbling to reflect on the thousands effaced by the sustainability act (basically no logging act) that a Democrat decided upon many years ago. I know that my brother in law and many others had to go back and spend federal dollars to attend college to earn a living again (another portion of the huge deficit we have because of the political armies we have put into D.C.). - More...
Thursday PM - October 09, 2008

Property Taxes By Laurie Price - Oh what a wonderful borough we live in! A place where your house can burn to the ground and you can loose everything and still get the joy of paying taxes on a home that is no longer standing or unable to be inhabited. - More...
Thursday PM - October 09, 2008

Dog problem ciy wide By Stacey Hallmark-Morales - I agree with the other letter writers about the dog problem at South Point Higgins. I do not want to run over someone's dog if they are running loose and have encountered problems in the past over this. The thing is - I believe this is a city wide problem that is just that - a problem. - More...
Thursday PM - October 09, 2008

Investigative reporting? By Thomas Thrush - What exactly does looking good and helping neighbors have to do with investigative reporting Mr. Bolling? If the politicians and the media (investigative reporters)would spend more time asking about policies and what's good for the country instead of manufacturing and dragging someone name through mud, we might be better informed to vote. - More...
Thursday PM - October 09, 2008

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Unofficial Election
Results - Canvassed 10/08/08 pdf

Dave Kiffer 1,1999
Joe Williams 829

John Harrington 1,618
Janine Gibbons 1,587
Jim Shoemaker 1,142

Dave Lieben 1,494
Patrick E. Johnston 1,415

Marty West 816
Kj Harris 685
Jason Harris 620

Lew Williams III 958
(1-year term)

Yes 2,027
No 835

Yes 1,040
No 414