Ketchikan: Acushnet crew conducts fisheries boarding near Amchitka Island; President 's budget proposal calls for eliminating Acushnet homeported in Ketchikan - A Coast Guard boarding team from the cutter Acushnet conducted a boarding of the 226-foot Seattle-based catcher processor Alaska Victory participating in the Atka mackerel fishery on Tuesday, Feb. 2nd south of Amchitka Island in the Aleutians.

A 10-man Coast Guard boarding team from the cutter Acushnet was aboard the Alaska Victory for over two hours verifying the vessel's documentation, checking that the safety gear was compliant with federal standards and examining the fish and logbooks on board to ensure accurate catch reports were being filed.

The boarding team found the Alaska Victory crew was over-reporting fish production weights and the boarding team sent a field report to the National Marine Fisheries Service, who regulates the catch, so the vessel can be inspected pier-side to verify the Alaska Victory crew are following federal reporting procedures.

The Coast Guard conducts fisheries boardings to ensure compliance by fishing vessel crews with the regulations for Safety of Life at Sea, protecting the resources and leveling the playing field by ensuring all fishing vessel crews adhere to the same set of regulations.

The Alaska Victory is part of the Fishing Company of Alaska fleet. The Coast Guard Cutter Acushnet is home-ported in Ketchikan.

President Obama's budget proposal announced Monday for Fiscal Year 2011, calls for eliminating two U.S. Coast Guard units in Alaska - the Medium Endurance Cutter Acushnet homeported in Ketchikan, which employs 80 crew members, and the Marine Safety and Security Team stationed in Anchorage, which employs 90 crew members. - More...
Thursday AM - February 04, 2010

National: Black History Month Honors Legacy of Struggle and Triumph; Theme for 2010 is "The History of Black Economic Empowerment" By LOUISE FENNER - Each February, Black History Month honors the struggles and triumphs of millions of American citizens over the most devastating obstacles - slavery, prejudice, poverty - as well as their contributions to the nation's cultural and political life.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau there are more than 41 million black residents in the United States, including those of more than one race. They make up 13.5 percent of the U.S. population.

In 2009, the inauguration of Barack Obama, America's first African-American president, lent Black History Month a special significance. Obama took the oath of office January 20, the day after Americans honored the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. with a federal holiday and national day of service.

In his inaugural address, Obama acknowledged the historical importance of a moment in which "a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath."

HONORING ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF BLACK AMERICANS

Black History Month was the inspiration of Carter G. Woodson, a noted scholar and historian, who instituted Negro History Week in 1926. He chose the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of President Abraham Lincoln and the abolitionist Frederick Douglass.

The celebration was expanded to a month in 1976, the nation's bicentennial. President Gerald R. Ford urged Americans to "seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history."

Woodson, the son of former slaves in Virginia, realized that the struggles and achievements of Americans of African descent were being ignored or misrepresented. He founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), which supports historical research, publishes a scholarly journal and sets the theme for Black History Month each year.

The theme for 2010, "The History of Black Economic Empowerment," recognizes the lives of successful black men and women such as Madame C.J. Walker, founder of a beauty empire in the early 20th century and the first African-American woman to make $1 million. - More...
Thursday AM - February 04, 2010

National: State of the Union Address Deeply Rooted in American History; Speech a constitutional obligation and a president tradition By BRIDGET HUNTER - When President Obama addressed leaders of the U.S. federal government January 27 he was fulfilling a constitutional obligation and following a long-standing tradition of American presidents.

The U.S. Constitution requires that the president report to Congress "from time to time" on the "State of the Union." This constitutional requirement has evolved into the president's annual State of the Union address, which now serves several purposes. The speech reports on the condition of the United States both domestically and internationally, recommends a legislative agenda for the coming year and gives the president the opportunity to convey personally his vision for the nation.

In his first State of the Union address, Obama focused heavily on his domestic agenda, but also recapped his administration's foreign policy goals. How successful he will be in accomplishing his goals will depend in large part on how adroitly Obama can work with Congress and on how effectively he can bridge the partisan divide between Republicans and Democrats, something of which this president is keenly aware.

"Now, I'm not naïve," Obama said. "I never thought the mere fact of my election would usher in peace, harmony, and some post-partisan era. I knew that both parties have fed divisions that are deeply entrenched. And on some issues, there are simply philosophical differences that will always cause us to part ways. These disagreements, about the role of government in our lives, about our national priorities and our national security, these have been taking place for over 200 years. They are the very essence of our democracy. - More...
Thursday AM - February 04, 2010

National: United States Loses Record Number of Dealerships in 2009; Decline is Double the 2008 Record - Urban Science confirmed yesterday that 2009 holds the record for automotive dealerships closed in the United States in one year. The company's Franchise Activity Report, the nation's most accurate data on dealers, showed the nationwide dealership count for the year fell by 1,605, or 8 percent, to 18,841. Normal attrition is 1 percent. The decline was double the 2008 record of 881 dealers, the largest since 1991 when data was first collected by Urban Science.

States with the highest percentage declines are Alaska, Mississippi, South Carolina, Arkansas and Missouri.

The numbers were mostly a result of automakers taking proactive action to reduce dealer count, with GM and Chrysler accounting for approximately 90 percent of the consolidation.

"While automaker bankruptcies and bad economic times drove the closures, all dealers have to deal with a market that has dropped from several years of 17 million units in sales to somewhere around 11 million," said John Frith, vice president of retail channel solutions, Urban Science. "Automakers and dealers have to reach a greater territory with fewer resources. It's more critical than ever to work together for mutual, profitable growth. With change comes an opportunity to build a stronger network of optimal size and makeup." - More...
Thursday AM - February 04, 2010

Public Meetings & Info Ketchikan Borough Assembly Agenda and Information Packets Live video stream of current meeting Assembly Meeting Minutes Calendar Ketchikan Planning Commission Agenda, Information Packets & Minutes Ketchikan City Council Agenda & Information Packets Ketchikan School Board Agenda & Information Packets Gravina Access Project SEIS Alternatives Development Gravina Access Website Ketchikan Jobs Ketchikan Police Reports AK Troopers Daily Dispatch Today's Forecast Satellite Today's Weather Images Marine Forecasts AK Weathercams Ketchikan Weather Data Current AK Weather Map CLASSIFIEDS Publish Publish Your Ad Click Here CLASSIFIEDS' CATEGORIES Announcements and       Help Wanted For Sale / Free Stuff Garage Sales Homes / Apts/ Property Pets Wanted Lost & Found Publish Your Ad Front Page Archives January - Feb. 2010 S M T W T F S           01 02 03 04 05 06 07  08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 01 02 03 04     More Front Page Archives

Bus shelter needed By Lana Barr - Walmart needs a bus shelter. There has been a need for one since the store opened eight years ago. Our Senior Citizens, mothers with small children and disabled people are among those who rely upon the borough bus for transportation. The Green line bus alone picks up passengers 103 times a week. - More...
Thursday AM - Februry 04, 2010

Thank You By Dorothy Hoppe & Connie Zellweger - It's hard to believe it has been one year to date since Colleen Hoppe - who was our daughter, sister, mother, friend, coworker, auntie - has passed on. - More...
Thursday AM - Februry 04, 2010

SOUTH EAST ALASKA NATIVE LAND ENTITLEMENT FINALIZATION ACT By Hans Porter - Bill S. 881 "SOUTH EAST ALASKA NATIVE LAND ENTITLEMENT FINALIZATION ACT" will lay waste to one of the most beautiful places on this planet. The old growth forest with its amazing canopy will be destroyed. The miles and miles of karst formation will not be open to the public. Subsistence resources for several communities will disappear. We will not be able to travel by road. Our water supplies will be in danger or ruined. All this for the short term revenues which will benefit no one but Sealaska Corporation, will not create jobs, and will not provide sustainable resources. It will be all damage and destruction as is typical of this corporation's way of doing business. - More...
Wednesday AM - February 03, 2010

Let's get inspired! By Linda Koons Auger - My husband, Bill and I attended the "Throw The Breaker" celebration for the completion of the Swan Lake-Lake Tyee Intertie project.  I came away inspired!  This project was many, many years in the making with support and hard work by many fine Alaskans along the way. - More...
Tuesday AM - February 02, 2010

Challenge Day By Karen Eakes - I would like to urge all parents of high school students to sign their students up for the Challenge Day events happening here in Ketchikan on February 16th or 17th at Ketchikan High School. Schoenbar's Challenge Day occurs on February 18th and that event already has a full slate of student participants. - More...
Tuesday AM - February 02, 2010

Southeast Alaska community fights for their survival By Myla Poelstra - Senator Murkowski's recent interview on KRBD discussing Sealaska's current lands bill was both encouraging and disheartening at the same time. While it is encouraging to hear her talk about holding a field hearing on Prince of Wales to discuss concerns over impacts from S.881 Southeast Alaska Native Land Entitlement Finalization act, it's disheartening to hear her only reference the City of Craig. The residents of Edna Bay, on the southeast end of Kosciusko Island, have been relentlessly trying to get her attention for almost seven years. Over 1200 letters have been sent to our representatives letting them know why we objected to this bill, and what these public lands meant to us. To this date there has been no direct response to our concerns from Senator Murkowski or Sealaska. - More...
Tuesday AM - February 02, 2010

HEAD TAX By Charles Edwardson - This is a subject that has interested me for awhile. Who ever coined the phrase"HEAD TAX" (sounds like a hunting trip) should have called it what it is, a port and harbor tax. - More...
Tuesday AM - February 02, 2010

Thanks By Russell Thomas - Thanks to Dave, Danny, & Sara Lieben who spent last Saturday with trash bags in hand, cleaning up the neighborhood around Forest Park. The Lieben's community service reminded me of our ability to affect a small piece of the world around us. Not content to let it be someone else's problem, Dave spent his personal time making "everyone else's problem" his own. - More...
Tuesday AM - February 02, 2010

Rental Fees - Ted Ferry - Meeting Notes By Bobbie McCreary - Mr. Holston, in a letter dated 12/23 I explained that we were inspired by Mr. Gadsey's decision NOT to request the waiver of rental fees for the Ted Ferry Civic Center for the SAIL event on January 15th. Thus motivated, the organizers of the Enough is Enough event asked for donations from the public to pay the costs in order to support keeping City employees' jobs by not asking for a waiver of fees. (We collected $300- thank you - enough to cover the original cost before we opened the third bay due to the large crowd who participated.) - More...
Tuesday AM - February 02, 2010

Senator Begich Sold Out the People By Chris Herby - I think it is imperative that Alaska voters remember the recent actions of Mark Begich if and when he seeks re-election to the US Senate. Mr. Begich clearly sold out on the people that elected him when he chose to follow the rest of the Democratic sheep in Washington in voting for the infamous Health Care bill. During his campaign he said time and time again that he would not simply vote along with the other tax and spend Democrats in Washington. We now know how good his promises are. - More...
Thursday PM - January 28, 2010

"City to investigate recovery clinic" By Joey Tillson - I'm writing in reference to Juneau Empire's January 7th, 2010 article "City to investigate recovery clinic". I worked for Bartlett Hospital Rainforest Recovery (previously Juneau Recovery Hospital) as their receptionist in 2002 and then Insurance Verification, Medical Biller, Financial Counselor in 2003 until the middle of 2005 so I have some knowledge as to what the facility has gone through, including a name change in the hopes of keeping the facility afloat for Southeast Alaska. Bartlett Hospital and the Rainforest Recovery Center inspired me to get my degree in Health Care Administration. - More...
Thursday PM - January 28, 2010

Haiti, a Lesson for All of Us By Michael Spence - For a few brief moments, the American people had their attention diverted to the utter chaos and suffering in Haiti following a devastating earthquake. Before the earthquake, Haiti was the poorest nation in the western hemisphere. Now it is even poorer. Most scholars agree that the problems with delivering aid to Haiti, and the slim chance of a healthy recovery from this latest disaster, can be blamed on bad governance . In the case of Haiti, bad governance is a simplified term, generalizing its long history of dictatorships, corrupt politicians, and oligarchic control of the nation that concentrates fifty percent of its wealth to one percent of its population. - More...
Thursday PM - January 28, 2010

Open letter to Senator Bingaman: Sealaska Bill By Alan Stein - I submitted testimony for the record when the committee you chair heard the bill Senators Murkowski and Begich introduced re handing over Federal Land on Prince of Wales Island to Sealaska Corp, a private interest. - More...
Thursday PM - January 28, 2010

Concerned Citizen By Terri Anderson - Wow, I read your letter and you definately have some pent up anger. There are counselors out there that will help you. You should be careful with the word ignorant. - More...
Thursday PM - January 28, 2010

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