New Council Member Appointment By Douglas J. Thompson - The Ketchikan city council wanted the authority to appoint vacant seats and I do not necessarily disagree with that however with authority comes responsibility. In this case to do 'due diligence' on the prospective applicants was obviously not done (I can only hope they did not intentionally do this, we certainly don't need another Jack Shay!). The resumes should have been checked by the city manager. - More...
Wednesday PM - December 18, 2013

KRBD News Report on Wodehouse Appointment By Douglas J. Thompson - I read with interest the news report filed by KRBD after I had written my previous letter regarding the Wodehouse appointment to the Ketchikan City Council. I guess it has to fall under the axiom of: If you feel hot air moving look for a politician's mouth. I could not believe the imbecilic replies of the three quoted councilmembers. It is just this type of non-thinking that got them into this situation and many others. - More...
Wednesday PM - December 18, 2013

RE: Arrest at Elementary School By Kelli Carlin-Auger - Regarding Amanda Martin's letter,  I completely disagree with her.  This reminds me of when a student asks a teacher "Why did you fail me?"  The teacher did not fail you - you failed you.  This arrest was not the fault of the State Trooper, it was the fault of Mr. Simpson.  He had a warrant for his arrest for a very serious reason.  He has alluded the police before.  I'm guessing that his family knew he had a warrant out for his arrest as well.  He chose to go to the school concert.  He was spotted  by a off duty officer who was at the concert to watch their child  The Troopers were kind enough to allow Mr. Simpson to stay at the concert and watch his kids perform.  They even let him hug his kids after the concert and interact with his family all while keeping a safe and comfortable distance from Mr. Simpson so as to not upset his children. - More...
Wednesday PM - December 18, 2013

RE: Arrest at Elementary School By Vanessa Nowland - I totally disagree with you, Amanda. The suspect was wanted on a felony warrant, in an elementary school with drug paraphernalia and armed with a switchblade knife. Thank God the Alaska State Trooper was there to apprehend him! - More...
Wednesday PM - December 18, 2013

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays By John & Mindy Lloyd - I want to take the time to wish many friends and family in Ketchikan a very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year. John & I miss you all dearly. Ketchikan community will always be home to us. - More...
Wednesday PM - December 18, 2013

Lies, damn lies and Statistics By Al Johnson - There is a political saying: "Lies, damn lies and statistics" One political party point its fingers at the other and vise verse. Any who are involved with politics, be it local, State or National have been and are guilty of finger pointing. There is no innocence's claimed or declared. - More...
Wednesday PM - December 18, 2013

No New Taxes By Rodney Dial - The Ketchikan City Assembly is in the process of creating a budget for the upcoming year.   As I have been saying in my letters for years, reckless local government spending has created a cycle of ever increasing debt and rising taxes.   The City is currently planning to increase the sales tax rate to 6.5% and raising water rates by 15%. This is on top of two years of property tax increases, multiple years of double digit water, sewer and assessment increases.   A sales tax increase means that your food, fuel, rent, etc. will cost more.   We are taxing our people off the island and the people making the decisions to raise our taxes are pulling in six figure salaries courtesy of the tax payer. - More...
Saturday PM - December 14, 2013

Honesty & transparency needed By James Llanos, Sr. - Some time ago the Recall Committee to recall Ketchikan Indian Community Council completed a recall petition and submitted it to KIC.  I was on that committee at that time. - More...
Saturday PM - December 14, 2013

Mail Problems All Over Southeast By John Wiley - Your story on the Ketchikan Post Office seemed to hit the problem face on.  However, it did not go far enough.  The problems Ketchikan faces is happening all over Southeast.  Sitka has the same problem, where once we had a sorting machine, it was torn out and our mail is sent to Juneau in the evenings and is expected to return the next morning.  Twice this week it has not happened. - More...
Saturday PM - December 14, 2013 

Arrest at Elementary School By Amanda Martin - What in God's name made the Alaska State Trooper think it was a good idea to march into a crowded Ketchikan elementary school on the night of our precious children's Christmas pageant to apprehend his "guy". Was he a serious threat? No. He wasn't. - More...
Saturday PM - December 14, 2013

Obama Appeasement Weakens U.S. By Donald A. Moskowitz - Obama and Kerry continue to promote an agenda of U.S. appeasement. - More...
Saturday PM - December 14, 2013

Burning of toxic smelling materials By Kathy Doyle - My dear neighbors from accross NTG. (Approximatly mile 10.5), Again today I awoke with my heart pounding and lungs burning. You see that pile of whatever you felt the need to burn today, made bad smoke. Truely not intended to support a long healthy life. My home, which should be a safe smoke free zone, was flooded with your smoke and whatever was carried with it. This has caused me over 12 hours of stressful breathing. Over the years this has been an invasion of my family's home and well being. I can, have and will continue to survive wood smoke. I just see no need for my family and neighbors to have to try to cope with our homes being invaded with trash smoke or any toxic smoke just to save on a dump run. - More...
Wednesday PM - December 11, 2013

Open Letter: The Emergency Leak on the Centennial Building Roof By Gary R. Croy - The council has been given erroneous information concerning the leaks on the Centennial Building roof. - More...
Wednesday PM - December 11, 2013

RE: Ketchikan Museum By Alan R.McGillvray - I agree with 'Skip's' letter although, I would suggest that a replacement for the Museum's Director/Curator is necessary and has been ever since I got back to my home here in town. At my insistence he started to put more Ketchikan history up on display. Because when I arrived and for a couple of years after, I would go to my Mother's house (re: Museum) and look at the exhibits there that had nothing to do with our locality, or what we have done throughout our existence. E.g. fishing, logging, mining. - More...
Wednesday PM - December 11, 2013

Open Letter to Ketchikan City Council By George "Skip" Thompson - My Grandfather came to Ketchikan via The Yukon in 1919, and the family has been in boat work here ever since. My wife and I have been life members of The Tongass Historical Society since Mrs. McGillvray's tenure. To say l have been disappointed lately with the Museum operation would be an understatement. - More...
Monday PM - December 09, 2013

Please remember WISH By Vivian Benson - During the holiday season of giving please remember Women In Safe Homes (WISH).  WISH provides safe shelter and support services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and works to increase community safety and awareness on topics of violence against women and children.  The good news is that each of us can make a difference!  We can educate ourselves and learn to listen and respond helpfully to someone in an unsafe situation.  We can donate time or money to support our community members during times of trauma and need.  We can join WISH to make sure essential services remain available in Ketchikan and Southern Southeast Alaska.  The statistics from the recent UAA Victimization survey emphasize the necessity of retaining these services in our community. - More...
Monday PM - December 09, 2013

Sun on a Rain guage By Al Johnson - Visiting square one is not a bad thing at times to do. With the vote to cease the proposed rain gauge project for the reasons given places the question of a rain gauge replacement back to that square. This is a wonderful opportunity for the community of Ketchikan to demonstrate the ability to disagree and then come to a mutual solution reflecting a successful conclusion to the issue. - More...
Monday PM - December 09, 2013

Giving away the farm By Rick Gustin - House Bill 77 is a pretty disturbing piece of work. Is it a bill to streamline resource development permitting; or a stripping of Alaskan citizens of their state constitutional right of access to fish and wildlife and water resources along with public notification and comment on resource extraction? - More...
Monday PM - December 09, 2013

RE: One-sided Report On Timber Transition By Karen Bradley - Thanks to Eric Muench for his factual rebuttal to the farcical article published in October by the "Geos Institute" and Mater, Inc. We need to hear more of the "solid" science of the carbon sequestration regarding old growth forests, of which he writes. There is so much environmentally-skewed pseudo-science published, out to confuse the public who has no understanding of the metrics of carbon sequestration. - More...
Monday PM - December 09, 2013

Accountability By Ed Plute - This is one of the hundreds of things that are so wrong with the 2013/2014 budget. In a town this small, why are we even paying taxes?! With so much income from tourism, we are being dumped on! Now a loss of public trust, and a complete waste of tax payer's money. It's one thing to SAY something, it's another to DO something about it! Do you recognize truth when it's staring you in the face? You need to see it, instead of those who are hiding it. - More...
Monday PM - December 09, 2013

SE Alaskan Father & Son... By Lois Morgan - I am likely not the first person to write in support of the Wilcox families grand and laudable plans, but I doubt anyone else is more heartened than I by their wonderful goal. - More...
Monday PM - December 09, 2013

SitNews By David Williams - Finally after all these years of reading SitNews I realized what kept me coming back and that is the magnificent photos your photographers have been shooting. The opening of SitNews is always with outstanding shots of the SouthEast that makes one wish to come to see it up close and real. That is NOT to disparage the content for that too is excellent. - More...
Monday PM - December 09, 2013

Rain Bong By Duane Hill - "Art does not have to be esthetically pleasing" does not mean "Only something revolting can be art". - More...
Monday PM - December 09, 2013