Questions, please contact
the editor at editor@sitnews.us or call 617-9696
Sitnews reserves the right to edit.
Re: Boat Tax By
Glen Thompson -
The Ketchikan Borough has repeatedly attempted to repeal this excise tax but the City has refused. - More...
Tuesday AM - January 31, 2012
Option for Public Employees By
Allegra Machado -
I urge all Alaskan Constituents and State Employees to write your Senator and Representative today and encourage them to stand up and actively support Senate Bill 121 and House Bill 236. This is the legislation that creates an option for TRS and PERS employees hired after 2006 to choose either a defined benefit or defined contributions retirement plan. - More..
Tuesday AM - January 31, 2012
IS THE TEA PARTY DEAD? By Ken Bylund -
193 AD: The Praetorians ran out upon the ramparts and in a loud voice proclaimed that the Roman world was to be disposed of to the best bidder by auction... It reached the ears of Didius Julianus who began to bid for "the purple" at the foot of the rampart. Edward Gibbon, in The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire... now Romney is buying the purple. - More...
Tuesday AM - January 31, 2012
CFL Platform? By
Scott Cragun -
Mr. Borders, if it is true that the only light bulbs you can find at your "local" hardware store are the more energy efficient CFL (compact flourecent) type, this is a choice made by the store and/or its purchasing department. Incandescent light bulbs are not scheduled to be COMPLETELY phased out in the USA until January 2014, this process has started this year (2012) with the higher wattage bulbs then works it's way down to the lower wattage bulbs by 2014. - More...
Tuesday AM - January 31, 2012
Ketchikan Roads By
April Whitton -
Thank you Mark Hoyt for grating the roads and trying to keep up with the snow dumped on us. Robbie would have been proud. I to thank you. And kudos to the rest of the crew that are out there on the streets at all hours trying to make our roads safe for us to drive on. A big thank you also goes out to Curtis, Danny K, Dan M, Matt, Tad (That's what Robbie always called him), Bruce, Dana, Karl and all the guys in the back ground that keep the trucks and other equipment in running order. - More...
Tuesday AM - January 31, 2012
Deep Six Somali Pirates By
Donald A. Moskowitz -
The recent rescue of hostages in Somalia by a Navy Seal Team brings into focus the ongoing problem we have with the Somali pirates. These pirates continue to wreak havoc on commercial shipping off the coast of Africa, and there are numerous ships and hostages currently being held by the pirates for ransom. - More...
Tuesday AM - January 31, 2012
PFD By
Joey Garcia -
Does the Alaska yearly PFD need an online-oversight commitee? Some Alaska residents comes in flock, mostly to a department store using their PFD checks or the purchase of things they have dreamt for years. I am not surprised that the present PFD online application contains additional questions in support to the query of having been absent from the State on a specified date that can be judged as fraud. - More...
Tuesday AM - January 31, 2012
Let’s Work Together to Bend the Corrections Cost Curve; Substance Abuse Fuels Re-Incarceration and Drives Costs By
Sen. Johnny Ellis -
You may have seen a lot of news lately about the rising cost of Alaska’s corrections system. We have to face the facts: Prisons are incredibly expensive - regardless of where or how they are built. It’s time for us to start focusing on why we have had to build a new prison in the first place. - More...
Tuesday AM - January 24, 2012
Cold spell affects Ketchikan more than one-way By
Don Borders -
I recently traveled to one of the building supply stores, found others making the same trip, and gathered standing in front of the same isle containing the items I traveled to obtain. - More...
Tuesday AM - January 24, 2012
RE: Boat Tax By
Kim Peters -
We also just recieved a tax bill from the Ketchikan borough on a boat that we just bought. It was a boat tax for $90.00. Most all of it was interest, but when we asked what this was for and why we had never recieved anything like this before for any other boats we have owned they replied that not everyone was being charged yet. Well, you can send me a bill when everyone gets a bill, why would you not charge everyone? This is ridiculous! I guess it's time to register your boats somewhere else. - More...
Tuesday AM - January 24, 2012
Tongass Highway By
Kay Taylor -
In regards to the servicing of Ketchikan's Tongass highway..... the road crews do a very good job considering what they have to work with. If you don't have studded tires on your vehicle then you don't belong on an icy road. - More...
Tuesday AM - January 24, 2012
Icy Roads By
Ken Arriola -
In defense of the AKDOT/PF highway crew, we recently witnessed the anomaly of a 5-6 inches snowfall from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, which in my opinion would have required a crew and equipment several times ours to meet the demand. - More...
Tuesday AM - January 24, 2012
Ketchikan gas prices still high By
Karen Ramsey - When are gas prices in Ketchikan going to fall in line with the drop everywhere else? Here we are still paying over $4.00 for a gallon of unleaded. Prices in Hawai have fallen under $4.00. Why does it seem as though every time the price of gas goes up, the prices here stay artificially high? Captive market that doesn't complain, that's why. - More...
Tuesday AM - January 24, 2012
Shades of Robbie Whitton! By
Mimi Eddy -
To the KPU "grater man" on Baranof this morning around 8, thank you, thank you! I haven't had service like that since Robbie was driving the grater! - More...
Tuesday AM - January 24, 2012
State owns Columbia not Borough By
Maureen Crosby -
In reference to Joey Garcia's referencing the Columbia being tied up downtown and his comment: "Is the Borough de-commissioning this ferry just because it cannot make money when the safety of the AMHS passengers is the utmost care and concern for the City of Ketchikan's residents?" I believe the Columbia is owned by the State of Alaska - and not the Ketchikan Borough. - More...
Tuesday AM - January 24, 2012
Ice on North Tongass Higway By
Deborah Hayden -
AK DOT deserves much praise for plowing North Tongass Highway during and after the recent 16 inch snowfall. Now it would be great if the Department of Transportation would sand and de-ice the highway. It is a sheet ice on much of its surface. Many people have not put studded snow tires on their cars and trucks. It is very dangerous with these vehicles on the highway and no sand. - More...
Wednesday AM - January 18, 2012
Who Dropped The Ball? (Poor Road Conditions) By
Lee Caskey - Is it just me or has anyone else noticed the general lack of maintenance in regards to snow/ice removal this year on the Tongass Highway? (North & South) It seems like every time the snow falls or the temperature drops, it's become common for the roads to become very difficult, if not dangerous for commuters. From ice control products not being laid out to waiting until the snow stops to run plows there doesn't seem to be enough being done lately. Personally I don't mind a little challenge while driving, but when we're talking about the safety of families, law-enforcement officers, emergency responders or utility crews there's no excuse for recent conditions. - More...
Wednesday AM - January 18, 2012
MSC 2nd Recertification of Alaska Salmon fishery By
James Browning -
AFDF has received letters from eight major primary salmon processors advising AFDF they are phasing out their financial support for the Marine Stewardship Council salmon certification program. Collectively these processors account for approximately 72% of the Alaska salmon harvest. They have given us notice they will support the MSC program for Alaska salmon only through October of 2012, when the current certificate expires. The eight processors include Trident Seafoods, Icicle Seafoods, Ocean Beauty Seafoods, Peter Pan Seafoods, Alaska General Seafoods, E & E Foods, Kwikpak Fisheries and North Pacific Seafoods. - More...
Wednesday AM - January 18, 2012
RE: AMHS By
Joey Garcia -
In the Jan 16th caption of Charlotte Tanner's re AHMS, I am intrigued having to consider that the cost of swinging out of Ketchikan to Seattle via Bellingham has been way too high and exorbitant. This includes the Alaska Airlines sort of monopoly without any choices whatsover. The only way out of Ketchikan, is to "sit down and shut up". - More...
Wednesday AM - January 18, 2012
Boat Tax By
Scott Cragun - Why is it that after 5 years I am being billed for a tax on a skiff that I sold 4 weeks after I bought it? It seems amazing to me that the "KGB" would send this invoice calling for 5 years of past due interest on a bill that I have never received previously and demand interest on a billing that seems to be illegal. - More...
Monday - January 16, 2012
Now it is Left to Us to Complete His Mission By
Sen. Lisa Murkowski -
I would like to take a moment with you to salute the life and teachings of Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. on what would be his 83rd birthday. - More...
MOnday - January 16, 2012
RE: AMHS By
Charlotte Tanner -
I agree completely with Captain Art Johnson. I used to ride the ferries down to Seattle (at that time) frequently. I rarely do so anymore due to the cost. I would rather go to Prince Rupert and drive as it is cheaper and takes the same amount of time. - More...
Monday - January 16, 2012
RE: AMHS FERRY By
Don Husler -
I also think the Alaska Ferry System is making a huge mistake. If we are going to build day boat then we should be building day boats. Similar to the Aurora, Keep it under 1600 tons. We are never going to get rid of a mainline ferry. But a 350' ferry is not our answer. - More..
Monday - January 16, 2012
Re: Von Ryan's Express by Ken Bylund - "But you are what you hate?" Poor man, so much hate. Your ideas would sound so much more reasonable if you left out words like; serial killer, piss-ant, terrorist, dumber than a rock, greased down pipsqueak, crap, self-deceiving fool, cheap bastard, wienermobile driver, dufus, cretin, contemporary monster, and then inserting an affinity to Adolf Hitler... does this really work for you? - More...
Monday - January 16, 2012
Raven’s Way program thanks Sitka for its support By
Rebecca Howe - Over the course of a year, the SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) Yéil Jeeyáx Raven's Way adolescent residential substance abuse treatment center receives support from several organizations and individuals in Sitka. Raven's Way thanks those who have provided this support and helped our students be successful. - More...
Monday - January 16, 2012
Cruise Ship Safety By
Donald A. Moskowitz -
As a former naval officer; officer-of-the deck underway, independent and formation steaming; and qualified marine navigator and instructor, I have questions concerning the grounding of the cruise ship Costa Concordia off the coast of Italy. - More...
Monday - January 16, 2012
What Happened to the American Dream? By
Cecilia Rice -
2012 will be one of the most important election years in the history of our country. We have accepted the pitiful performance of our political representatives far too long. Congress’ approval rate is now 10%. It is the most dysfunctional Congress since the civil war. - More...
Monday - January 16, 2012
Alaska Marine Highway System By
Capt. Art Johnson - I'm writing this, because of my concern for the direction that the Alaska Marine Highway System is taking. I'm a resident of Ketchikan and strongly support the idea of building any new ferries in the Ketchikan Shipyard. However, I think it is a mistake to build the 350 foot Alaska Class Ferries (TAKU size) without staterooms. Apparently, the no stateroom idea is being driven by the day boat concept and zone system of operation. This would probably provide for a vessel running between Prince Rupert and Ketchikan, another between Ketchikan and Petersburg and then from Petersburg to Juneau and finally from Juneau to Skagway. - More...
Wednesday - January 11, 2012
If you are sick of Washington politics... By
Irving B. Welchons III - We have a do nothing congress because we have a do nothing citizenry. In 2010 less than 38 percent of eligible voters voted. In that election 88 percent of incumbents were reelected. Most American voters don’t vote and those that do keep electing the same people. Perhaps the reason people don’t vote is that they feel they must pick the lesser of two evils. You could give voters a better choice. - More...
Wednesday - January 11, 2012
Webmail your letter or
Email Your Letter To: editor@sitnews.us
Contact 
