Ketchikan: Visiting and Revisiting Ketchikan; Two writers record their impressions of the First City, 16 years apart By DAVE KIFFER - Long before “The Bridge to Nowhere” caught the national eye, Ketchikan had already curried favor with one of America’s most famous television journalists. In fact, Charles Kuralt was so enamored with Ketchikan, he gave it a whole chapter in his 1995 best-selling book “Charles Kuralt’s America.”

Charles Kuralt in CBS News' "On The Road" van.
Hugh Morton Collection of Photographs and Films
Courtesy University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wilson Library, North Carolina Collection

Kuralt was very well known for his “On the Road” segments, which aired on the CBS Evening News from 1967 to 1994. When he retired in 1994, he published “America” which featured his 12 favorite places in America and Ketchikan – which he had visited several times - made the list.

One of his most ardent fans was a woman from Alabama named Inda Lou Schell. She decided to retrace Kuralt’s steps. Her journey began in 2011 and resulted in her 2014 book “Revisiting America.”

Kuralt structured his book by visiting each of the 12 places a differen month of the year. For Ketchikan, he chose June. And the Ketchikan chapter opens in a familiar way.

“It was raining in Ketchikan. This is like saying it was in hilly in San Francisco or crowded in Tokyo or romantic in Paris. It is always raining in Ketchikan.”

He went on to note that June is traditionally the driest month in Ketchikan and it rained the entire time he was in the First City.

Naturally, he waxed nostalgically about the rainforest, about Creek Street (“Part of the town’s charm is that it doesn’t seem quite respectable yet.”) about the fact you have to land your jet on a different island.

At least one fact was not correct. Kuralt talked about the old days when you taxied your float plane up to the Front Street, deplaned, and walked across the street to the Ingersoll and the Gilmore. As far as can be ascertained, float planes almost never landed at the “downtown” docks, they landed in Newtown or Thomas Basin.

The timber industry was still significant when Kuralt visited in 1995. He noted that when he was in Ketchikan, the Borough Assembly voted to log 500 acres of its land in Whipple Creek, which would add $7 million to its coffers. Money that would be used to build a rec center, Kuralt wrote.

“When the local government needs money, it sometimes goes out and cuts down some trees… Financially strapped places like New York City can wish they also had a few strands of Douglas fir (sic) to tide them over.”

He wrote about the tourists flooding the city during the morning and early afternoon and then rushing back to their ships loaded down with “T-shirts, post cards, gold nuggets, Haida carvings and oosiks.”

He wanders down to the docks and goes on about the tidal range, comparing Ketchikan’s “22 feet” to Key West’s “six inches.” He then exaggerates just a bit by noting that during significant storms “Ketchikan catches a thirty or forty footer.” - More...
Tuesday AM - November 24, 2015

Alaska: AGDC Board Accepts President's Resignation; Approves TransCanada Acquisition - At a special meeting held Saturday, November 21st, the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) board of director's accepted the conveyance of TransCanada's interests in the Alaska LNG export project and authorized a payment of $64.6 million to TransCanada for those interests. The board also accepted the resignation of AGDC President Dan Fauske who tendered his resignation prior to the start of Saturday morning's meeting.

AGDC already holds the State of Alaska's equity interest in the Alaska LNG project's liquefaction facility planned for Nikiski on the Kenai Peninsula. With Saturday's action, the corporation will assume TransCanada's interest in the project's 800-mile pipeline and North Slope gas treatment plant giving the state a 25% interest in the entire integrated LNG project. Saturday's approval was expected following the board's November 12th decision to postpone the payment to TransCanada until after the Department of Natural Resources had executed a Purchase and Sale Agreement. The state's transaction is now expected to close on November 24th. - More...
Tuesday AM - November 24, 2015

Alaska: Senate Majority Anticipates 'Yes' Vote Natural Gas Pipeline's Future; Some Lawmakers Critical of Governor's AGDC Moves Two Weeks From Crucial Vote - Alaska State Senators remain optimistic but vigilant following the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation's (AGDC) vote Saturday to approve the payment of funds to TransCanada.

"The Alaska Legislature overwhelmingly voted to make Alaska an equity partner in The Alaska LNG Project – the largest infrastructure project in North America," said Sen. Cathy Giessel (R-Anchorage), chair of the Senate Resources Committee. "The will of Alaska's Board of Directors is clear: they want a yes vote to approve the project's program and funding for next year. We trust the corporation will act in the best interest of our state on this project."

The AGDC board delayed action on directing staff to vote in the affirmative for the the 2016 work plan and budget.

"After speaking with the Governor [Friday] and seeing the actions of the AGDC board [Saturday] morning, I continue to have great concern with the leadership of the state's ownership of the AKLNG project," said Sen. Anna MacKinnon (R-Eagle River), co-chair of the Senate Finance Committee. "The legislature was very clear with our intent and expectations of the Governor and the managers of this project. We asked them to continue on the project timeline in an efficient and expedited manner. Delaying the work program and budget vote twice certainly raises red flags for me. Alaskans want this project and have wanted it for years. No one wants this project delayed even further."

Saturday's board meeting followed Friday's resignation of AGDC president Dan Fauske, as well as Gov. Bill Walker's announcement that he will be replacing AGDC chairman, John Burns. - More...
Tuesday AM - November 23, 2015

Alaska: Governor Appoints New AGDC Board Members - Governor Bill Walker announced Friday his new appointments to the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation Board of Directors. Luke Hopkins of Fairbanks will join the seven-member board, which oversees the agency’s efforts to build a natural gas pipeline and liquefaction plant in Alaska. Hopkins is the former mayor of the Fairbanks North Star Borough. He will fill the seat vacated by former AGDC Board Chairman John Burns.

“I am pleased to welcome Luke Hopkins to the AGDC Board of Directors. As the mayor of the Fairbanks Borough, Luke was instrumental in creating a new municipal gas utility for the Borough, and directing major funds to develop lower cost natural gas supply for Fairbanks residents,” said Governor Walker. “I also want to thank John Burns for his service to the AGDC board and the state. John is a talented attorney and I hope to utilize his skills in a different capacity of this project going forward.”

A resident of Fairbanks for nearly 50 years, Hopkins has an extensive background in local government and project development. He served on the Fairbanks North Star Borough Planning Commission for seven years, and was a Borough Assembly member for more than five years. In October 2015, Mr. Hopkins completed two terms as the Borough mayor, where he was actively involved in keeping military troops at Eielson Air Force Base and bringing major economic growth to the Fairbanks region. Mr. Hopkins has been involved in a wide variety of local and statewide boards and commissions, including the State of Alaska Municipal Advisory Gas Project Review Board, the Association of Defense Communities, the Alaska Municipal League, and the Alaska Gasline Port Authority. - More...
Tuesday AM - November 24, 2015