Ketchikan: Sheila Spores honored for silviculture work - Tongass National Forest Silviculturist Sheila Spores was awarded a prestigious national Silviculture Excellence Award for her outstanding performance and support of the Forest silviculture program.

“Sheila is a true advocate for silviculture,” said, Forest Staff Officer Charles Streuli. “She has created and maintained key contacts in the public and private sector advocating for professional forest management policies and projects. Sheila’s many accomplishments include facilitating and coordinating the completion of the Tongass Young Growth Strategy and being a key player in the development of the Forest Planning and Projection Model.”

Sheila has been involved in the Tongass silviculture program for more than 20 years. In 2006 and again in 2014 Sheila was named Alaska Region Silviculturist of the Year. - More...
Friday AM - October 23, 2015

Ketchikan: KVRS Reports Successful Rescue - The Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad's duty officer was contacted Wednesday shortly after 6:00 pm by the Alaska State Troopers reporting a 37 year old female was lost in the Perseverance Lake area.

It was reported the woman had gone hiking on the Perseverance Trail with her boyfriend around noon. The two had split up around 1:00 pm when the boyfriend returned to their vehicle at the trailhead. When she did not return to the vehicle as expected the troopers were contacted.

The Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad setup a command post at the trailhead and ground and canine search teams were deployed on the Perseverance trail and in the Connell Lake area. - More...
Friday AM - October 23, 2015

Ketchikan: The Alaska Community Foundation Announces $164,000 in Grant Awards Statewide - The Alaska Community Foundation announced 13 grant awards totaling $164,000 to meet basic needs in 10 communities across Alaska. Among the 13 grants awarded, Ketchikan's Women in Safe Homes received a grant for $20,000.

This competitive grant cycle, the first of its kind for ACF, met general operational and program support for nonprofit organizations who are meeting Alaskan’s most fundamental needs across the state. These grants will help support safe homes for women at risk, meals for seniors, shelter for homeless individuals, and support victims of sexual violence and assault. - More...
Friday AM - October 23, 2015

Southeast Alaska: Forest Highway 43 project completed - Multiple projects reconstructed 23 miles of one-lane gravel to a two-lane asphalt road—improving traffic safety and significantly shortening travel times on Prince of Wales Island. In the past, it took four hours to travel from Whale Pass to Thorne Bay. Now the trip takes two hours. The 12- mile section from Coffman Cove to Sarkar Bridge was completed in September.

The Tongass Forest Highway 43 (Prince of Wales Road) gravel road was upgraded and realigned to a two-lane paved highway with a 35 mph design speed to improve safety.

“The Forest Service with the assistance of their design consultant, DOWL LLC, designed and provided contract administration for Southeast Roadbuilders, who is a local contractor,” said Engineering Staff Officer David Morton. “Positive economic impacts beyond local jobs during the construction phase are increased transportation opportunities for the POW communities and access to forest resources. The project also aided a hydroelectric power transmission line to be installed to the remote community of Naukati, reducing their electric rates by over half.”

“Completion of this project provides safe, reliable road access for the residents of Whale Pass and visitors”, said Thorne Bay District Ranger Rachelle Huddleston-Lorton. “In addition, it helps implement island-wide goals of increasing tourism and visitor opportunities”.

According to the U.S. Forest Service, this project significantly increases the ability of motorists to safely and easily access the roads leading to the communities of Naukati and Whale Pass. The new highway provides a smooth asphalt surface free of the potholes that used to plague the motorists of north Prince of Wales Island. In addition, new safety features like new bridge rail, guardrail, longer sight distances, and clear zones designed to modern highway standards dramatically reduce the risk that drivers used to face. - More...
Friday AM - October 23, 2015

Columns - Commentary

KARL FRISCH: Corporate Vultures Circling State Unclaimed Property Laws - Over the weekend, the New York Times published a nearly eight thousand-word story detailing the fate of those who die alone in the Big Apple.

Using the life and death of George Bell, who passed away some days before he was discovered in his home this past July, the Times recounts the arduous process that New York City public employees embark upon to make certain the estates of people like Bell end up in the hands of its rightful beneficiaries.

In the case of Bell — spoiler alert — distant relatives and friends he had not communicated with in years inherited his nearly half a million dollar estate, no doubt surprised both to have been named beneficiaries in the first place and also that Bell was of such ample means considering his modest lifestyle.

Bell's beneficiaries were eventually united with their share of his estate, but an untold number of Americans never learn that a deceased loved one has made arrangements for them, leaving behind life insurance policies, bank accounts, and other property.

By law, insurers and banks are required to try and find those entitled to this "unclaimed property." If they are unable to find those named by an insurance policy, they are required to turn the money over to state unclaimed property departments. If they fail to do this and instead choose to sit on it, they are unjustly rewarded with the ability to continue profiting from the investment of someone who is now deceased. - More...
Friday AM - October 23, 2015

SUSAN STAMPER BROWN: Pushing Back America's Darkness by Speaking Out - Darkness abounds. Nonetheless wisdom beckons, reminding those who'll listen to make the very best of the dark days we're in rather than allowing these dark days to get the best of us.

However, that's not easy. Darkness is easier to adapt to than light. Here in Alaska, summer's glaring midnight sun is pretty offensive at bedtime. But the extra light is good, providing lots of time for healthy activities, leaving a healthier, better you at summer's end. In sharp contrast, winters up here offer minimal light. The lack of light makes it feel almost natural to do what's in reality, unnatural. If you give in to that which you feel you cannot control, you participate in unhealthy things like under-exercising, over-sleeping, overeating and substance abuse. The bad choices made in winter's darkness aren't much noticed until after the summer sun begins to shine its "offensive" light on the fatter, lazier, dependent, unhealthy you.

You miss the darkness because it covered over who you are like a comforting, warm winter blanket. And you loathe the light because it exposes the person you became while subsisting in the darkness.

I believe this is where we are today in anti-God, anti-what's-right America. Too many people have effectively relinquished their First Amendment rights, somehow believing that political correctness will keep them safe. As uncomfortable as it might be, though, America's only hope lies with those who dare step out of the silence to boldly speak truth into a messed-up world that's getting darker by the minute. - More...
Friday AM - October 23, 2015