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Monday
January 28, 2013
Pine Grosbeaks
Pine Grosbeaks eating berries along the North Tongass Highway recently.The Pine Grosbeak on the left is a female and the one on the right is a male.
They were singing as they ate the berries.
Front Page Photograph By JIM LEWIS ©2013
(Please respect the rights of photographers, never republish or copy
without permission and/or payment of required fees.)
Fish Factor: HALIBUT COMMISSION ANNOUNCES 2013 CATCH LIMITS AND SEASONS By LAINE WELCH - Halibut catches weren’t slashed as badly as people feared, although they still continue on a downward trend – and the outlook is grim.
A coast wide catch of 31 million pounds was approved on Friday by the International Pacific Halibut Commission, a decline of 7.5 percent from last year, and far better than the 30% cut that was widely anticipated. Alaska’s share of the Pacific catch is 23 million pounds, down 2.5 million pounds across the board.
The IPHC commissioners, three from the US and three from Canada, each said the 2013 annual meeting last week was the toughest one ever.
“I vote for the fish,” said US Commissioner Ralph Hoard at the close of the meeting via webinar. “Many questions remain about halibut bycatch and migration. While I am extremely sympathetic about the impacts on fishermen’s economics, I am equally concerned about their future in this fishery. We don’t want to end up like the East coast halibut fishery. There is none.”
Along with setting the catch limits and fishery dates (see below), the IPHC addressed several regulatory proposals, none of which were approved.
A recommendation for less invasive circle hooks to be the only legal gear was tanked due to “regulatory difficulties.” Circle hooks do less damage to the fish as they are hauled aboard.
“The commissioners are anxious at any possible time to reduce damage to fish and prevent needless mortality. So we are going to ask the IPHC staff to work on a public outreach mode, and to develop materials working with fishing groups to provide education on how circle hooks might be used more efficiently and more broadly through the industry. We have problems regulating it so we are going to focus on that for the time being,” said Commissioner Jim Balsiger, who also is director of NOAA Fisheries in Alaska.
Halibut charter operators, who often remain out for a few days with clients, again proposed that frozen fish held on board should not be part of the possession limit. Balsiger said he agreed that the regulation does provide some hardship for that sector, but added: “Unfortunately we have not been able to find a way to deal with the enforcement issues, so we have asked staff to continue working on this.”
The eight hundred pound gorilla in the room remains the millions of pounds of halibut taken as bycatch in other fisheries. While the halibut fleets have seen their catches cut by 70 percent over three years, and the sport sector is now limited to a single fish in Southeast Alaska (two in the Central Gulf), the allowable bycatch limit tops five million pounds a year just in the Gulf of Alaska. (Bycatch limits are set by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, not the IPHC.) - More...
Monday PM - January 28, 2013
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Ketchikan: ROSITA BUTLER AWARDED CHILD CARE CREDENTIAL - Rosita Butler of the PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center Child Development Center has been awarded a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential in recognition of outstanding work with children.
Rosita Butler
Photo courtesy PKMC
The Council for Professional Recognition in Washington D.C. awards credentials to early childhood educators who demonstrate the ability to constructively work with young children in group settings.
The Child Development Associate is a nationally recognized credential for excellence in early childhood education. Each CDA candidate is observed working with young children and is assessed on his/her ability to develop the physical, emotional, and intellectual capabilities of young children. - More...
Monday PM - January 28, 2013
Southeast Alaska: Valdez Couple Sentenced For Long Running Tax Evasion Scheme - U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced that Gary and Marladeen Jokela of Valdez, Alaska, were sentenced for willfully evading Gary Jokela’s tax liabilities for more than a decade. U.S. District Court Judge H. Russel Holland sentenced Gary Jokela to one year in federal prison. Marladeen Jokela was sentenced to six months in federal prison, followed by six months of home confinement.
According to court filings, the Jokelas last filed a tax return in 1984. Meanwhile, Gary Jokela had outstanding tax liabilities that had not been paid since at least 1998. The Internal Revenue Service previously assessed taxes against Mr. Jokela and sent him numerous notices that the Service intended to levy his wages and bank accounts. When the Jokelas received these notices, both Gary and Marladeen began cashing Gary’s paychecks rather than depositing them to their joint bank account. In total, Gary cashed more than $170,000 of his paychecks.
Around the same time, Mrs. Jokela opened a separate bank account in her own name. Neither Gary Jokela's name nor his social security number were associated with this new account. During several of the years at issue in the case, Mrs. Jokela deposited more than $112,000 into her separate account. - More...
Monday PM - January 28, 2013 |
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Ketchikan: 2013 Sam Pitcher Scholarship Recipients Selected - Four Ketchikan students have been selected to receive 2013 Sam Pitcher Music Scholarships. The students are 11th grader Jillianne Fazakerkey, daughter of Glen and Elisabeth Fazakerley, 10th grader Hana Lee Oshima, granddaughter of Steve and Grace Kinney, 9th grader Kaileigh Krosse, daughter of John and Patricia Krosse, and 9th grader Lora Starr daughter of Charley and Cindy Starr. The scholarships are for $500 each awarded on the basis of merit, goals and musicianship. Jillianne plans to attend Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan, and the other three recipients plan to attend the Sitka Fine Arts Camp.
Left to right, Kaileigh Krosse, Lora Starr,
Jillianne Fazakerley, and Hana Lee Oshima.
Photograph by by Gail Klein
Jillianne Fazakerley plays piano, trumpet and trombone. She has been selected for Southeast Honor Band and All Alaska Jazz Band. Jillianne would like to be a worship leader and continue playing, sharing and teaching music with as many people as possible.
Hana Lee Oshima has studied classical piano, and alto saxophone in both Ketchikan and Kanayama, Japan. She was recently selected for Southeast Honor band. She hopes to continue to be involved with music in some way throughout her life.
Kayleigh Krosse plays piano and violin. She previously received a scholarship to attend Cornish University Summer Orchestra in Seattle, WA, and played first violin in the orchestra for Ketchikan’s fall musical. She plans to pursue musical studies in college.
Lora Starr Plays trumpet and is learning piano and trombone. She plays with both the Kayhi Jazz Band and McPherson’s Soundwaves. Lora hopes to continue learning new instruments, and hopes to continue her music studies in college. - More...
Monday PM - January 28, 2013
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Viewpoints
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Questions, please contact
the editor at editor@sitnews.us or call 617-9696
Sitnews reserves the right to edit.
 GASOLINE AGAIN By David G. Hanger -
Regarding one's detractors, it is generally appropriate to consider the source, chuckle, and move on. But gas price gouging is a real problem right now, and it does deserve to be addressed right now. - More...
Monday PM - January 28, 2013
Fuel Prices By
Linda Hansen-
I like the idea also of the co-op for gasoline. I would join! I am tired of being taken advantage by our fuel prices in all areas, but it would be nice to take some kind of stand. If a person could figure out how to get the co-op going it would be nice, not only for gasoline, but for fuel for our homes, boats whatever the community needs are. - More...
Monday PM - January 28, 2013
CBS-SE TV Service By
Sandra Rusin McCray -
Personally Mr. Cushing, I find your letter unprofessional and plain nasty when you refer to CBS-SE as "going cheap" and "cheap and dirty" when referring to the CBS-SE Network. Personally, I expect more from a City run organization, and a City Employee, that I help fund with my taxpayer money. - More...
Monday PM - January 28, 2013
Ketchikan Humane Society By
Heather Muench -
The Ketchikan Humane Society would like to thank our community for your generous support for our programs in 2012. We are a 501(c)3 non- profit. All of our members are unpaid volunteers and one hundred percent of the money we raise goes to the animals we rescue. In addition to our rescue work, we sponsor low-cost spay and neuter clinics throughout the year in an effort to reduce the number of unwanted animals euthanized every year in the communities of Southern Southeast Alaska. - More...
Friday AM - January 25, 2013
Thank You From the Ketchikan Homless Shelter By
Gary Boatwright on Behalf of the Ketchikan Homeless Shelter Board of Directors - As the members of the Board of Directors of the Ketchikan Homeless Shelter, (PATH), we would like to take this opportunity to thank the people of Ketchikan for their continued generosity to the homeless in our community. - More...
Friday - January 25, 2013
CBS-SE TV Signal By Ed Cushing -
My name is Ed Cushing. As the Division Manager, KPU Telecommunications, I am responsible for KPU CommVision’s technical operations. The purpose of this letter is to respond to Sandra Rusin McCray’s SITNEWS posts dated January 15th & 19th, 2013, regarding a recent temporary outage of CBS-SE (KUBD) on the KPU CommVision network. - More...
Friday - January 25, 2013
Review of the B.C.Hydro stream By
A. M. Johnson -
As a result of a submission on B.C Hydro and related earlier efforts, there has been some inquiry and comments. From the tone and depth of those perhaps a review with further gatherings is in order. - More...
Friday - January 25, 2013
New buildings a bit too big? By
Marie Zellmer -
I have been following the sentiments of people who believe that the new construction projects the City of Ketchikan has taken on are a bit overboard. I have to agree to some extent. - More...
Friday - January 25, 2013
Support Angie Taggart & Her Iditarod Dogs! By
Hamilton Gelhar -
This person, Margery Glickman, has a website that encourages people to send a letter of protest to people who support or sponsor the Iditarod. She operates this website out of the state of Florida. I, along with many other people have been receiving messages that have been copied from her website and pasted into an email. I have asked her to stop the emails and take me off the list. She has refused everybody's request. - More...
Friday AM - January 25, 2013
RE: Iditarod dogs By
Paul Jarvi -
Regarding Ms Glickman's letter, Sled Dogs are breed to run in the snow and pull a weight. If you have ever owned a Siberian Husky with blue eyes like I have you would know this as a matter of fact. These dogs are adapted to the cold, they have two types of fur to keep them warm in the winter and less warm in the summer. I go to Florida on business once a year and notice these dogs in misery being walked on Ms. Glickman's hot humid streets with their abundance of fur. - More...
Friday AM - January 25, 2013
Fair Tax By Roy T. Newsom - Congress claims they have to avoid going "over the cliff" financially while they continue to kick the can down the road. What a joke. Please publish my letter so your readers can become aware of the real solution to this financial crisis. - More...
Friday AM - January 25, 2013
Who will question the government's actions? By
Amanda Mitchell - "Don’t bite the hand that feeds you." This simple phrase contains a profound nugget of wisdom, but that many are unaware of. Whoever you are dependent on has power over you and can control you. If you understand this concept, it is not hard to understand the dangers of collectivism. Collectivism pools the resources of many to be distributed by a few. It can wield great power and heavy responsibility. Because of this, most positions of authority attract many seeking personal gain and it scares away the majority of ordinary people. Collectivism, within a government, is not unlike a Ponzi Scheme except many are forced by mandate to give instead of being conned into it. Collectivism takes choice, freedom and individualism out of the picture and it takes away your right to decide for yourself. Eventually, when an individual questions or tries to break away from the authority of those making the decisions on his/her behalf, those seeking to keep their power try to effectively hinder any opposition. One way is through labeling, symbolizing and dehumanizing. Our country has employed using terms such as "terrorist,” "mentally ill,” or “conspiracy theorist” and others on those brave enough to speak out. - More...
Wednesday AM - January 23, 2013
The Obama Appeasers By
Donald A. Moskowitz -
President Obama’s recent picks for Secretary of Defense-Chuck Hagel and Secretary of State-John Kerry call into question Obama’s judgment and wisdom and his ability to lead this country. - More...
Wednesday AM - January 23, 2013
Iditarod dog cruelties By
Margery Glickman -
Iditarod dogs suffer horrendous cruelty every day of their lives. Mushers have drowned, shot, bludgeoned and dragged many dogs to death. For example, Iditarod musher Dave Olesen drowned a litter of newborn puppies. Another musher got rid of unwanted puppies by tying them in a bag and tossing the bag in a creek. Mushers even have a saying about not breeding dogs unless they can drown them: “Those who cannot drown should not breed.” - More..
Wednesday - January 23, 2012
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