February 03, 2008
Sunday

Ketchikan, maybe a true paradise? Have you been to the lower 48 states, for work or pleasure lately? I have and I do not take leaving my home in Ketchikan lightly. For years now wherever I have roamed and that has been substantial as a traveling I.B.E.W. wireman, my heart always has been with the little town I grew up in. Every clear evening wherever I am and no matter what is happening in my life if I find myself away from Ketchikan, I search the clear night sky for the big dipper. From southern Tennessee, to recently Maui Hawaii, I have found our state flag in the night sky, this has always given me hope that I will be able to return to my home in Ketchikan the one place on Earth that I Love. My love for Ketchikan is for what I grew up enjoying in our fantastic outdoors no matter what the weather. I have returned to Ketchikan with my family to try to show others what it is about our surrounding area that draws me back constantly. Currently I must sideline and re-invent my idea for an outdoor business because I did not anticipate the red tape encountered with starting any business in Ketchikan. A city secretary put it to me best one day when I inquired about holding an advertising sign up on the dock for my fledgling business, "What do you want to see Mr. Schenk, all kinds of new business, popping up holding signs on the dock?", I said simply "Yes", then I left quietly.

I do not know how we as a town can continue to improve our community business structure if we do not empower people to get started easily. If we expect this town to pull itself up by its bootstraps, and continue to be a viable town that doesn't shutter itself up in winter like Skagway, then we must collectively begin to take our Town back from Big business and inadequate government stewardship and show the millions of people that wish to see our true paradise for what it is and should always remain! People come here for a place to get away, an adventure in wilder areas than they are used to. Lets get smart and get back to that Last Frontier that drew so many of you here today. Build your own future here with what God has given us, let's stop whining about the Mill and reinvent our forest and coastline and town, before the forest lets it all be cut down and we lose what no one in the world has but us.

A theme town may sound crazy but tell that to towns like Solvang California,Lahaina Maui, Leavenworth Washington,etc... people do not come to Alaska to go Jewelry shopping or shuttled around like cattle. They all come to have a unique life experience in the Last Frontier, we can all co-operate and create exactly the view of Ketchikan that will sustain their memories, by utilizing and not de-facing what we already have. Why don't we have a gondola tram from Fawn mountain to the top of deer mountain, why has the Forest service removed trails from commercial operators availability rather than build new ones. Making our natural environment more accessible to travelers is what is going to build our viable sustainable year round economy!

In sincere rainforest fellowship,

James J. Schenk
Ketchikan, AK

Received February 03 - Published February 03, 2008

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