Ketchikan: Public Meetings Ketchikan: Upcoming Events Ketchikan: Announcements Ketchikan: Classifieds CLASSIFIEDS Publish Your Ad Click Here Historical Ketchikan June Allen Dave Kiffer Louise B. Harrington Ketchikan Weather Ketchikan's Forecast Ketchikan Dec. Weather Ketchikan 2021 Daily & Monthly Data (Choose the Location of Interest) Nat Weather Service KTN Ketchikan Tides & Currents Tideschart Sunrise - Sunset Ketchikan Search the News Ketchikan Alaska U.S. Congress 2020-2021: Bills passed one chamber U.S. Congress 2020-2021: Bills that have passed the House & Senate and become Law U.S. Congress 2020-2021: Bills Introduced

Alaska: Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act is a first step towards addressing devastating salmon declines Posted & Edited By MARY KAUFFMAN - U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski (both R-Alaska) introduced the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act , legislation that would form a panel of Alaska’s salmon stakeholders and research experts to study Pacific salmon trends and create a coordinated research strategy for Pacific salmon in Alaska to support salmon management. The Research Task Force would be directed to conduct a comprehensive review of Pacific salmon science relevant to understanding and managing salmon returns in Alaska, and publish a report, within one year of convening, to provide recommendations identifying knowledge and research gaps and further research priorities for salmon in Alaska.

The proposed legislation came just days after a two-day Salmon Roundtable that the Alaska Congressional delegation hosted with a panel of Alaska Native leaders and state and federal officials. During the Salmon Roundtable, Alaska Native leaders from the Yukon, Kuskokwim, Unalakleet, and Chignik regions spoke to the impacts that issues like climate change and salmon bycatch are having on local wild salmon runs, which have returned at record-low levels in recent years.

“As was shared during the Salmon Roundtable, we are at a critical moment for the Yukon, Kuskokwim, Unalakleet, and Chignik watersheds. Dozens of Alaska Native communities are facing a long winter without salmon and a potential future without salmon. We can’t allow that in Alaska -— not on our watch,” said Tim Bristol, Executive Director of SalmonState. “And it’s not just those watersheds where salmon are struggling; we are seeing low salmon returns throughout much of the state and it’s taking a toll on Alaska’s local fishermen, businesses, and communities.”

“We applaud the Senators for taking an important first step towards ensuring Alaska remains a place where wild salmon and the people who depend on them thrive. We hope that their bill passes swiftly and we look forward to seeing what recommendations come from the task force. In the meantime, we encourage the Senators and state and federal agencies to utilize the research and information that’s already available and deploy immediate measures that we know for a fact will help Alaska’s wild salmon: protect Alaska’s most productive salmon watersheds, integrate Indigenous knowledge in management decisions, minimize any potential salmon bycatch, and invest in salmon habitat restoration and climate resiliency.”

“It is difficult to overstate the importance of salmon to Alaska, our communities, our economy and our traditional way of life. Over the past several years, Alaskans in some parts of the state have witnessed strong, historic runs of salmon, while Alaskans in other regions have seen shocking and unprecedented declines,” said Sen. Sullivan. “Our existing management system, with the state’s authority to manage Alaska’s salmon harvest and the federal government managing federal fishery salmon harvest and much of the at-sea research, has created a clear gap in research and research prioritization that urgently needs to be addressed. This crisis warrants the combined attention of our state and federal governments, and the expertise of our greatest scientific minds, as well as the indigenous communities that have harvested salmon for millennia. With this legislation, we would establish a body to expand our understanding, identify knowledge gaps, and ultimately drive us toward concrete policies and management decisions that we hope will bring increased abundance and stability to our salmon stocks for the benefit of all Alaskans.” - More...
Friday PM - December 24, 2021

Alaska: State of Alaska Threatens Suit to Force Feds to Clean Up Contamination Left on ANCSA Lands - In conjunction with the fiftieth anniversary of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) issued 548 notices of intent to sue the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) for failing to clean up contamination on lands transferred to Alaska Native corporations. 

“50 years after the passage of ANCSA, the contamination that the federal government left behind still threatens the health of Alaska Natives and limits the use of lands that were meant to be a resource for them in exchange for their aboriginal rights,” said Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy. “Alaska Native people did not expect that the federal government would transfer contaminated lands in fulfillment of its obligations under ANCSA, but that is what happened.”

A variety of contaminants pollute these properties, including petroleum, heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and solvents --all of which can pose serious health risks. 

“We need the federal government to finally take action on prioritizing the cleanup of these sites that continue to contaminate our drinking water and our subsistence foods,” said Hallie Bissett, Executive Director, Alaska Native Village Corporation Association. "We are grateful to Governor Dunleavy for his support on this issue, and to DEC for moving forward with legal action on these sites.” - More...
Friday PM - December 24, 2021

Ketchikan: MERRY KETCHIKAN MERCHANTS & MUNCH 2021 A SUCCESS; Creating a Culture That Rewards Local Shopping - The Greater Ketchikan Chamber of Commerce, representing nearly 290 local businesses, is announce yesterday that the 2nd Annual Merry Merchants and Munch program garnered over $752,500 in local sales with 65 local merchants & restaurants participating. This year’s event ran from November 22-December 20, 2021.

The program began in 2020, with a simple goal: to help support the Ketchikan business community during a challenging time and reward those who chose to shop at local businesses. In 2020, 50 local merchants and restaurants participated, garnering $279,300 in local sales registered by cards turned in.

Local partners include the Ketchikan Area Arts and Humanities Council, who offer participation in the program to their members, as well as other community partners for various holiday events: The Cape Fox Lodge, The American Legion, The City of Ketchikan, KPUtv, PeaceHealth Medical Center Ketchikan, The Plaza, The Local Paper, and the Ketchikan Daily News.

In 2021, Alaska Airlines became a premier partner in this event, and donated two round trip tickets. Additional prizes in 2021 included two $500 local gift card prizes that were purchased by the Chamber at locally owned Chamber member, Alaskan and Proud Market. - More...
Friday PM - December 24, 2021

Alaska: Office of Alaska State Vet: Reindeer travel approved- In support of Christmas celebrations around the world, Alaska State Veterinarian Dr. Robert Gerlach recently issued a series of health certificates allowing Santa’s reindeer to travel from Alaska across state lines for toy delivery. While this annual effort attracts attention, it’s just a regular day for the Office of the Alaska State Veterinarian. 

“Dr. Gerlach and Dr. Sarah Coburn work every day to help protect Alaskans by ensuring our pets and livestock are also healthy,” said Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Jason Brune. “Only allowing healthy animals to enter or leave our state is one of the things DEC does to help prevent the spread of diseases among animals or between animals and people.”

Office of the State Veterinarian is part of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation's Division of Environmental Health. Dr. Gerlach and Dr. Coburn, with the support of their team, are responsible for carrying out a wide variety of programs protective of both animal and human health, which in turn safeguards the health and food capacity of Alaska's livestock, reindeer (both magical and non-magical), and poultry, and prevents the transmission of animal disease to humans. - More...
Friday PM - December 24, 2021

Moonrise Over Long Arm
The December full moon is also known as the Cold Moon.
SitNews Front Page Photo by MATT & JEN AUBLE ©2021
To have your photo(s) featured on the front page,
email your photo(s) to editor@sitnews.us

Southeast Alaska: USDA awards Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association with funding to conduct assessment of local seafood security and seafood industry workforce - The Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association (ALFA) announced that it was selected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to receive a Regional Food System Partnership (RFSP) grant as part of the Agriculture Marketing Service’s Local Agriculture Marketing Program (LAMP). ALFA was one of 30 projects selected across 24 states to receive an RFSP grant and will use the funding to foster new partnerships around Alaska that help build a more resilient regional food system, specifically when it comes to local seafood access and seafood industry workforce development.

The impacts of Covid-19 highlighted long standing workforce development and food insecurity issues in Alaska. The seafood industry provides the backbone of coastal economies but relies on outside labor for processing, marketing, and shipping. Quarantine requirements led to significant labor shortages and high costs. In addition, currently less than 1 percent of the seafood caught in Alaska stays in Alaska to benefit the local economy. Alaska is one of the top five most food insecure states in the nation. 95% of the $2 billion of food Alaskan’s purchase is imported and 14% of Alaskans, including 20% of children, face food insecurity.

In response to the pandemic and food insecurity in Alaska, in March 2020, the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association formed a state-wide-coalition of nonprofits, tribal organizations, military organizations, city and boroughs, foundations, fishermen, and seafood processors to address food insecurity and workforce development challenges. The coalition was made possible with funding from Catch Together; a nonprofit that supports innovative conservation endeavors and fishermen-led efforts that address long-term access to local fishery resources, and the Alaska Community Foundation. This initiative, which became known as the Seafood Donation Program, provided stipends and workforce support to the seafood industry and deployed $2.5 million to purchase local seafood for distribution, providing more than 630,000 free meals of Alaska seafood to individuals and families facing food insecurity. - More...
Friday PM - December 24, 2021

Southeast Alaska: RARE COPPER PLATES MADE BY EDWARD CURTIS DONATED TO SHI; Plates feature portraits of Alaska Native people, culture from the early 1900s - Two entrepreneurs have donated to Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) eight old and rare copper plates showing portraits of Alaska Natives, a tomb, an old house and carvings photographed in the early 1900s.

The plates were made by Edward Sheriff Curtis (1868-1952), an American photographer and ethnologist whose work focused on the American West and on Native American people. He used a technology called “photogravure” which preceded the use of film.

Donors Steven Kern and Kenneth Zerbe, who purchased the photogravure plates in 1981 from the Classic Gravure Company, wanted SHI to have part of the Alaska portion of their collection, Kern said.

“We are thrilled and grateful to have these one-of-a-kind copper plates in our ethnographic collection. We are astounded by the generosity of the donors and glad we will have these for future generations to study,” said SHI President Rosita Worl. - More...
Friday PM - December 24, 2021

Alaska: Anchorage Pioneer Home to open newly remodeled floor as a ‘neighborhood’ serving elders who experience dementia with complex behaviors  - The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) is announcing plans to open a Complex Behavioral Neighborhood serving people age 60 and older who experience complex behaviors related to dementia. The addition, on the newly remodeled 4th floor of the Anchorage Pioneer Home’s Southside Building, will serve up to nine elders and is expected to accept its first residents in early 2022.

The Anchorage Pioneer Home is one of six licensed assisted-living homes owned and operated by the State of Alaska Division of Alaska Pioneer Homes. The new neighborhood, which will be one of four distinct living communities or “neighborhoods” in the home, makes it possible for the Pioneer Homes to serve residents requiring the highest level of dementia care.

Features of the Complex Behavioral Neighborhood include high staff-to-resident ratios, as well as on-site primary care provider visits and behavioral consultations, activities for people with dementia, and specialized nursing services—all of which are designed to provide a higher quality of living for elders. In addition to routine dementia care training, staff will attend specialized continuing-education trainings in person-focused care, learning how to recognize and work with residents’ changing abilities, as well as techniques for avoiding and de-escalating conflict. - More...
Friday PM - December 24, 2021

KHighlites
Posing after a short dance performance recently downtown Ketchikan.
SitNews Front Page Photo by SUSAN HOYT©2021
To have your photo(s) featured on the front page,
email your photo(s) to editor@sitnews.us

December Sunrise
Photo taken south of Ketchikan.
SitNews Front Page Photo by SUSAN HOYT©2021
To have your photo(s) featured on the front page,
email your photo(s) to editor@sitnews.us

HISTORY: The magnificent history of the maligned and misunderstood fruitcake By JEFFREY MILLER - Nothing says Christmas quite like a fruitcake – or, at the very least, a fruitcake joke.

A quip attributed to former “Tonight Show” host Johnny Carson has it that “There is only one fruitcake in the entire world, and people keep sending it to each other.”

It’s certainly earned its reputation for longevity.

Two friends from Iowa have been exchanging the same fruitcake since the late 1950s. Even older is the fruitcake left behind in Antarctica by the explorer Robert Falcon Scott in 1910. But the honor for the oldest known existing fruitcake goes to one that was baked in 1878 when Rutherford B. Hayes was president of the United States.

What’s amazing about these old fruitcakes is that people have tasted them and lived, meaning they are still edible after all these years. The trifecta of sugar, low moisture ingredients and some high-proof spirits make fruitcakes some of the longest-lasting foods in the world.

Fruitcake is an ancient goody, with the oldest versions a sort of energy bar made by the Romans to sustain their soldiers in battle. The Roman fruitcake was a mash of barley, honey, wine and dried fruit, often pomegranate seeds.

What you might recognize as a modern-style fruitcake – a moist, leavened dessert studded with fruits and nuts – was probably first baked in the early Middle Ages in Europe. Cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg were symbols of culinary sophistication, and these sweet spices started appearing alongside fruit in many savory dishes – especially breads, but also main courses.

Before long, most cuisines had some sort of fruited breads or cakes that were early versions of the modern fruitcake.

Fruitcakes are different in Europe than they are in America. European fruitcakes are more like the medieval fruited bread than the versions made in Great Britain and the United States. The two most common styles of fruitcake in Europe are the stollen and panettone.

British and American versions are much more cakelike. For over-the-top extravagance, honors have to go to a British version that crowns a rich fruitcake with a layer of marzipan icing.

Fruitcakes came to America with the European colonists, and the rising tide of emigration from Britain to New England closely mirrored an influx of cheap sugar from the Caribbean.

Sugar was the key to preserving fruit for use across the seasons. One of the favorite methods of preserving fruit was to “candy” it. Candied fruit – sometimes known as crystallized fruit – is fruit that’s been cut into small pieces, boiled in sugar syrup, tossed in granulated sugar and allowed to dry.

Thanks to this technique, colonists were able to keep fruit from the summer harvest to use in their Christmas confections, and fruitcakes became one of the most popular seasonal desserts.

Fruitcakes were also popular due to their legendary shelf life, which, in an era before mechanical refrigeration, was extremely desirable. - More...
Friday PM - December 24, 2021

MONEY MATTERS: KNOW THE CHANGES FOR YOUR 2021 TAX RETURN By MARY LYNNE DAHL , Certified Financial Planner ™ Retired - Some things have changed that will impact your 2021 income tax return. It is a good idea to become familiar with the changes so that you can gather the data you will need to file your 2021 income tax on time and correctly. So, with that in mind, here is a list of some of the most notable changes:

Tax brackets have change. For single taxpayers, the lowest tax bracket of 10% is on taxable income of up to $9,950 then moves upward to 12% on income of up to $40,525, then 22% on income of up to $86,375 then up to 24% on income up to $164,925 then up to 32% on income up to $523,600 and tops out on income of more than $523,600.

For married couples filing jointly and qualifying widows/widowers, the lowest bracket of 10% is on taxable income of up to $19,900, then moves upward to 12% on income up to $81,050 then 22% on income up to $172,750 then 24% on income up to $329,850 then 32% on income up to$ 418,850 then 35% on income up to $628,300 and tops out at 37% on income of more than $628,300. - More...
Friday PM - December 24, 2021

FINANCIAL FOCUS: Give yourself some ‘paychecks’ for retirement Provided By BEN EDWARDS, AAMS® - During your working years, you’ve probably met the costs of living through your salary. But once you retire, where will the money come from? Is there a way to give yourself a “paycheck” for retirement?

There is indeed – but you’ll have to do a good job of managing your available income sources. Here are some moves that can help:

• Accept dividends and interest payments. Instead of automatically reinvesting all your dividends and interest payments into your portfolio – which is an excellent strategy for building wealth – you might want to begin receiving these payments as part of your income. Keep in mind, though, that companies can lower or discontinue dividends at any time. However, it’s also true that some companies have consistently paid, and even increased, dividends over many years, and even decades. - More...
Friday PM - December 24, 2021

TOM PURCELL: THE BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT IS TIME - Our time is the best gift we can give to our friends and family this Christmas.

Nobody knows how much time we have on Earth — nobody knows when our time will end.

We all have friends and loved ones who were claimed way too early.

Hopefully, you are blessed, as my family has been, to have loved ones who have lived long and fruitful lives.

Such family members have an abundance of wisdom to share — wisdom cultivated over time.

I particularly enjoy the pearls of humorous wisdom my 88-year-old father has shared:

“Getting old ain’t for cowards!”

“At my age, never buy green bananas.”

“When life serves you a lemon, make lemonade — but crack open a Pabst Blue Ribbon first.” - More...
Friday PM - December 24, 2021

POLITICAL CARTOONS

Political Cartoon: Christmas Light
by Rick McKee, CagleCartoons.com
Distributed to subscribers by CagleCartoons.com

Political Cartoon: The longest night of the longest year
(The winter solstice was December 21, 2021)
by John Cole ©2021, The Scranton Times-Tribune, PA
Distributed to subscribers by CagleCartoons.com

 Political Cartoon: World Peace
by Bill Day ©2021, FloridaPolitics.com
Distributed to subscribers by CagleCartoons.com

Political Cartoon: Loan Forgiveness Christmas
by Rick McKee ©2021, Counterpoint
Distributed to subscribers by CagleCartoons.com

Political Cartoon: Taking the Fifth
by John Darkow, Columbia Missourian
Distributed to subscribers by CagleCartoons.com

Political Cartoon: Biden Shrinking
by Dick Wright,©2021 PoliticalCartoons.com
Distributed to subscribers by CagleCartoons.com