Move to Lease Out Ketchikan's Berths By Charlie Freeman - There is a move being made to lease out berths 1, 2 ,3, & 4 to private concerns for operation. This seems to have moved forward quietly and quickly without much fanfare and even less detail available to the public. A consultant has been hired, an RFP has been sent out, and, as far as I know, responded to.

The plan, as I understand it, is for a select group, consisting of the Mayor, some council members, some staff and the consultant to review the responses, agree on a choice, then present their recommendation to the full council and, at that time, the general public. It also seems that most of this process was determined in executive secession, out of public view.

If this is indeed how it’s going to be done, I think it’s flawed in that there is a large lack of public and full council oversight. But, this is small compared with my primary objection which is the idea of leasing the docks in the first place. - More...
Friday AM - December 06, 2019

Newly Elected Officials Training and Alaska Municipal League Conference By Austin Otos - I recently had the opportunity to attend the Newly Elected Officials Training (NEO) and Alaska Municipal League (AML) in Anchorage. For those who’re unaware of or haven’t attended the conference, it’s basically a congregation of local government nerds discussing issues that impact our communities. The NEO training is a crash course in avoiding getting recalled and how to conduct yourself as a representative. The highlights for this training included a look at the opening meetings act, which bars elected officials from gathering outside of public meetings to conspire, proper forms of communication with constituents, and a mock meeting showcasing a proper meeting. Without this invaluable training, our newly elected officials would be handicapped at doing their job and would fall into public traps that might get them into trouble or even worse, recalled!

The Alaska Municipal League conference has been gathering for 69 years. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering local Alaskan governments to influence state and federal decision-making that impacts our communities. This year’s conference slogan was “working together, making a difference” which I assume was in reaction to last year’s tumultuous state legislative session. As attendees, we had the opportunity to choose various sessions and listen to specific topics that are prevalent throughout Alaskan communities. I attended sessions on: ground water contamination, housing and homelessness, funding the Alaska Marine Highway System, and promoting public safety. The groundwater contamination session gave an in-depth look at two contaminates (PFOA’s and PFO’s) which are commonly found in spray foam for firefighting. These substances were recently designated as toxic chemicals and banned from being made within the US. However, many airport fire departments still use this spray foam, which has contaminated whole water systems in certain Alaskan communities. Luckily, our airport is isolated on a separate island away from our drinking water source. - More...
Tuesday PM - December 03, 2019

Plan to Relocate Ketchikan Trooper Dispatch Employees to Anchorage By Ken Bylund - State Plans to Relocate Ketchikan Trooper Dispatch Employees to Anchorage - Alaska DPS (SB 142) Deputy Commissioner and Mayor Rodney Dial open discussions on “unifying regional emergency dispatch services to enhance 911 services across the state for cost savings of $3.5 million combining with Soldotna and Wasilla from center in Anchorage... why not move Wasilla and Soldotna 911 services to Ketchikan? 

State Senators Ortiz and Stedman to seek alternatives to ensure services will not be diminished? I trust Mayor Dial will do the right thing but my first reaction is how comfortable would Juneau or Anchorage be depending on a dispatcher for an emergency call from Ketchikan who has little knowledge of your streets, logging roads, waterways and more remote non-city located citizens.- More...
Tuesday PM - December 03, 2019

Commander Of White House Chaos By Donald Moskowitz - As a former Navy enlisted and officer I am highly concerned with the Commander-In-Charge Of  White House Chaos interference in Navy matters. 

The Commander-In-Charge Of White House Chaos overruled the Navy's decision to demote Chief Petty Officer and Navy Seal Edward Gallagher. Gallagher was convicted of posing with a dead detainee. Trump's rationale was that he was standing up for our military. Trump also overruled the peer review ordered by RADM Collin Green, head of the Navy Seals, and by doing this he is undermining the Navy's chain of command and adversely impacting discipline within the Navy. The peer review would have been conducted by senior Navy enlisted personnel. - More...
Tuesday PM - December 03, 2019

Second Amendment By A.M. (Al) Johnson - Often in the public square various opinions regarding the Second Amendment is the topic of discussion. Pro or con, the language used by either side reflects opinion often given without any real knowledge, history, or fact. 

To this discussion I would offer the following interpretation to which I have a profound belief reflects the true purpose of the Second Amendment as it relates to the intent. - More...
Friday PM - November 29, 2019

Response to Public Records Request By Mike Holman - The City of Ketchikan responded to my October 18 Public Records Act request on November 19.

One of the more interesting documents produced by the City is the response of Market Sensing Survey Respondent A. Pages 3-4 of Respondent A’s survey response are attached. I invite you to read them. If you read them, I’m sure you will conclude that the City should hasten to hand over the keys to our docks to Respondent A on January 21. LOL - More...
Tuesday PM - November 26, 2019

Emergency Declarations are for Things That Can Be Changed By John Harrington - Terri Robbins is “appalled” by DEC Commissioner Jason Brune’s statement at the AFN. Apparently the commissioner said, “that climate change is not an emergency in Alaska.” She even accuses him of potential “malfeasance of the most egregious kind.” Terri suggested that he consult with scientists.

Terri’s letter is political propaganda. It is like much of the discussion on ‘Global Warming’ that is reported routinely. It is heavy on half-truths and biased reporting. Like Teri’s attempt to silence the Commissioner, other attempts to silence dissent, and destroy dissenters is happening regularly. The lack of civility, and unwillingness to acknowledge differing data sets and opinions is typical of the anti-science approach to Global Warming theories promoted by the extremists. It is akin to those religious leaders of the past who relied on dogma and tried to silence scientific discussion. - More...
Tuesday PM - November 26, 2019

Impressive Work Ethic By A.M. Johnson - Within the past days, a work order on the hook with KPU to install a power pole to provide access to our breaker box in compliance of electrical code, was completed.

Was advised about 20 minutes to their arrival of their coming. The crew of three linemen, all young well fit lads, discharged from the trucks, made a ground inspection, speaking quietly among them selves. Shortly they spread out to their respective positions and actions directed by obvious many such activities with power pole placement.

My view of these lads was made impressive by the work ethic, the safety roles each demonstrated again, as by force of having worked as a team where safety on the site was second nature. Upon completion of the pole placement, the area was cleaned and left in perfect condition. - More...
Tuesday PM - November 26, 2019

Open Letter To DEC Commissioner Jason Brune By Terri Robbins - I was appalled to learn of your recent statement at the AFN conference. To say that climate change is not an emergency in Alaska is incorrect, at best, and malfeasance of the most egregious kind, at worst.

We just experienced the hottest summer on record. Sea levels have risen, forcing coastal villages to relocate. Habitat for polar bears and other arctic mammals is disappearing at an alarming rate. The interior experienced devastating wildfires, as did south central and the Kenai Peninsula. The water levels in key salmon streams was dangerously low. Southern southeast communities were forced to rely on diesel power to supply electricity due to low levels of water in lakes supplying hydropower. An extreme drought was declared. In our oceans, whales were dying in large numbers due to starvation, arguably caused by warmer ocean temperatures which killed off plankton and krill. - More...
Wednesday PM - November 20, 2019

State Legislature Year in Review By Rep. Dan Ortiz - As the House Representative for District 36, I’m writing to update you on some of the issues currently before the Alaska State Legislature. The 2019 legislative sessions were challenging – we continued to grapple with creating the budget, implementing a long term sustainable fiscal plan, and address declining revenue.

While we were able to hold fast on funding for departments like Fish & Game and Education, the Marine Highway System faced unprecedented cuts. During the interim, I have been focused on re-establishing the AMHS link to Prince Rupert. I will continue to push this issue until we see a long-term commitment by the Alaska Department of Transportation to keep Southeast connected.

New sources of revenue were not addressed, and funding for the budget continues to come predominately from our oil resources and a portion of the Permanent Fund Earnings. I am an advocate for policies that will promote as large of a dividend as possible while maintaining funding for essential government services and allowing for growth in the overall value of the Permanent Fund itself. - More...
Tuesday PM - November 19, 2019

Save Our Seas 2.0 tackles global marine debris crisis By Sen. Dan Sullivan, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Sen. Bob Menendez - We may have plenty of political differences, but we come from coastal states. That means we have a front-row seat to the peril of plastic waste and marine debris flowing into our oceans at the rate of around 8 million metric tons per year. We understand what it will mean for our fishing and tourism industries when the weight of plastic in our oceans equals the weight of fish in the sea — something projected to happen by mid-century. We don’t have a moment to lose in confronting this problem.

That’s why we built a coalition in Congress and gathered input from environmental and industry stakeholders alike. Despite a divided Washington, that work resulted in a bill that won broad, bipartisan support. When the Save Our Seas Act became law last October, it was a moment of bipartisan progress on a vital issue — one to be celebrated.

Before the president’s ink on Save Our Seas was dry, our bipartisan trio of senators began developing the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act. We sought to harness the momentum behind the first bill to up the ante on combatting the global marine debris crisis. Marine debris requires multifaceted, multisector solutions with a global reach, and the United States ought to be driving these solutions.

In developing the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act, we collected hundreds of comments and ideas from researchers, federal agencies, nongovernmental organizations and industry. We reviewed the latest science on marine debris and plastics pollution. We identified areas ripe for legislative action and others where investments in research are needed. We looked inward at the United States’ own waste management systems and how we could better position the country as an international leader — not hindrance. - More...
Tuesday PM - November 19, 2019

Impeachable Offenses By Donald Moskowitz - Article Two of the U.S. Constitution states "The President, Vice President, and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."

The current impeachment inquiry by the U.S. House of Representatives against President Trump is focusing on the allegation he tried to bribe and/or extort President Zelensky of Ukraine to investigate the Bidens in the runup to the 2020 election in exchange for $400 million in foreign aid to Ukraine. The investigation of the Bidens did not occur and the $400 million in aid was subsequently given to Ukraine.Therefore no bribery or extortion occurred.

But did President Trump's actions meet the test of "high Crimes and Misdemeanors"?

A recent president to be impeached was Bill Clinton.. He was impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice relative to the Monice Lewinsky affair. Richard Nixon was charged, but not impeached as an outgrowth of the Watergate coverup. He was charged with obstruction of justice, abuse of power and defying subpoenas during the impeachment investigation. The House Judiciary Committee stated that "high Crimes and Misdemeanors" goes beyond crimes to include "behaving in a manner grossly incompatible with the proper function of the office and employing the power of the office for an improper purpose or personal gain." 

Going back to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 the founding fathers decided the phrase "high Crimes and Misdemeanors" provided "flexibility and guidance" in deciding on impeachable offenses, which references 400 years of practice in Great Britain. - More...
Tuesday PM - November 19, 2019

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