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Perils of a privatized trash collection By Geord Kleinschmidt - The public library has a movie called "TRASH" which will educate anybody about the perils of a privatized trash collection company moving into the area, destroying the environment. The movie details the consequences of trash processing in the Great Lakes area. - More...
Saturday AM - November 13, 2010

Johanson burned all our political capital By David G. Hanger - It certainly seems appropriate, does it not, that they formed their own caucus, a party and caucus of two. Nor is it difficult to discern their positions on the various issues of the day; love is inordinate, as they say. - More...
Saturday AM - November 13, 2010

RE: Obvious differences By Paul Jarvi - Mr. Johnson, I enjoy reading your letters and value your opinion. Joe Miller had great ideals, however he became a cliche' or poster boy for our parent's old saying of "Don't do what I do, do as I say!" - More...
Saturday AM - November 13, 2010

Raw Fish Tax By Mary Ida Henrikson - Instead of using Raw Fish Tax which the local fishers give up for their collective economic benefit, why not use the cruise ship head tax, IF in fact we need more city police.  FYI Ketchikan has 27 police officers and 6 dispatchers (according to their web page)... maybe 29 now, for 9,000 city folk.   Fairbanks, with a population of 98,000 has 47 which includes support staff. - More...
Saturday AM - November 13, 2010

Attention all Ketchikan Physicians and the Ketchikan Scientific Community By Van & Linda Abbott - A large regional garbage and trash incinerator may be built at Ward Cove.  This project creates a facility that will process garbage and trash from all communities in South East Alaska.  We believe that garbage and trash will be accepted at Ward Cove from any municipality willing to send us their garbage which may represent a much greater volume of garbage then what South East Alaska has to offer.  In short, this project could morph in to a giant incineration facility.  - More...
Thursday AM - November 11, 2010

Our Representative Did What? By Robert Thompson - What a great way to start the legislative year? Just a week after we in Ketchikan elected our representative to the state legislature, he finally tells us what his priority is. And it is not Ketchikan. - More...
Thursday AM - November 11, 2010

Compensation inadequacy By Ken Arriola - Jim Mark's opinion of unfairness by KIC is misdirected. The more accurate focus/blame of Mr. Mark's financial demise should be directed at his source of income, namely his employer. How many of you out there, in your right mind, believes that anyone can make it, in this inflated economy, on $11.50 an hour? - More...
Tuesday AM - November 09, 2010

Raw fish tax diverted to the wrong department By Kevin Kristovich - I am writing this in agreement to Mr. Tom Fisher's letter in regards to the Ketchikan City Council members who voted to use raw fish tax funds to hire 2 police ofiicers. After inquiring about this and having it confirmed the $220,000.00 that was taken away from the small harbors fund for 2 police officer positions, that makes an annual salary of $110,000.00 per officer? - More...
Tuesday AM - November 09, 2010

Iranian Nuclear Weapons Threat By Donald A. Moskowitz - Although Iran continues to claim its nuclear development program is designed for peaceful purposes, U.S. intelligence services believe Iran is developing nuclear weapons. - More...
Tuesday AM - November 09, 2010

Attention all Ketchikan Residents Who Care About Their Children’s Health And Their Property Values By Van & Linda Abbott - On November 1, 2010, the Borough Assembly voted to sell the publicly owned Ward Cove Pulp Mill property. The Assembly took this action without apparently having any formal research undertaken on the proposed use of the land and feasibility of the project being presented by Ken Hopen and Ass.  There was no actual evaluation of the significant issues surrounding such a monumental decision; A decision we may have to live with for the rest of our lives.  (The re-run of the dismal Hopen presentation can be seen on KPU CommVision) - More...
Sunday PM - November 07, 2010

Lap tops provided By Charles Edwardson - Until my kid came home with a lap top provided by the school (Schoenbar) I never realized or paid any attention to what a stupid idea this was. It was trashed when she got it and it's going to be trashed even more when she gives it to the next kid. - More...
Sunday PM - November 07, 2010

Obvious differences By A. M. Johnson - No matter your candidate choice for Senator it is relative easy to view why each was supported and the reasons. In my opinion, if your supported Mr. Miller it was from a philosophical agreement of a simple straight forward program of smaller government, States Rights highlighting the development of our vast natural resources, balanced budgets, no earmarks, and paying down the debt. His supporters agreed with that and asked for no special favors or consideration for their vote and support. - More...
Sunday PM - November 07, 2010

Unfair View at KIC? By Jim Marks - My girlfriend went to KIC today and applied for rental assistance because we are having a hard time making ends meet and the lady that my girlfriend met with, denied her saying I make too much money. To put into perspective our financial situation, we recently had our car repossessed because we could not make the payments. I have a full time job making $11.50 an hour and at the moment I am the only one working because my girlfriend recently had to close her business due to the fact that her clients would not pay her. She is trying to find a job but because she owned a business she cannot apply for unemployment benefits. - More...
Sunday PM - November 07, 2010

Dog Abandoned at Animal Protection By Margaret Hepler - On Wednesday, November 3 a classified ad was posted about a Golden Retriever needing a new home that was at Animal Protection. On Thursday, November 4 another classified ad was posted about the dog, stating that Animal Protection had euthanized the dog without permission. It is unfortunate that the person posting the ads was extremely dishonest as to why and how the dog was at Animal Protection and why the dog was ultimately euthanized - she left out a few details. - More...
Sunday PM - November 07, 2010

Raw fish tax: Shame on the City Council By Tom Fisher - I read with complete dismay that the City Council raided the Raw Fish Tax to fund two police officers. I am not opposed to the two officers however I wonder how can the council pass the red face test. The tourism industry has received all the infrastructure improvements that this industry needs and yet the fishing industry is tying up to worn out floats, and there is obviously no need for basic items like a restroom in Thomas Basin. The Head tax can only be used for tourism related infrastructure yet the fish tax can be used for general government, forget that there are a lot of resident commercial fishermen, that pay sales tax, property tax and contribute dollars to the local economy. - More...
Friday AM - November 05, 2010

Denied School By Mekkena Love - I would like to share with you an experience and a point of view about the Ketchikan High School. I was a student at Kayhi in my 9th grade year. Due to a trip that I took, I lost credit for all my classes because I took too much time off. I decided to go to Revilla and try to catch up there but that didn't work for me so I got more behind and tried Fast Track and finally decided I worked best in a normal high school setting with people rather then trying to focus by myself. So I went to Kayhi and I got all the packets filled out and talked to the counselor, met my teachers individually and they told me everything I need for that class. The counselor was awesome and got me pumped for going to school even though I had to go an extra year and I was ready. - More...
Friday AM - November 05, 2010

Halloween Events By Rhonda Ball - I just wanted to take the time to write a letter to thank everyone involved in any or all of the fun events that I attended this past weekend with my family.  - More...
Monday PM - November 01, 2010

Redistribute the wealth By Patti Fay Hickox - I'm Irish, it's cultural. I agree with Bob McLaughin II. The changes that (THE PEOPLE) made in the presidential election 2 years ago are the first changes to help the poor and middle class in many years. - More...
Saturday AM - October 30, 2010

Cutting Public Safety By Darlene Guzman - Every year Public Safety is on the chopping block for positions. I understand the hard times this community is going through but without police officers and firefighters it could be harder times for the citizens who need them. Public Safety is partially funded by sales tax in the amount of $3 million dollars a year split between police and fire. Excluding the proposed fire station, that is nearly half of the fire department's budget. - More...
Saturday AM - October 30, 201