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Boat Tax By
Glen Thompson -
The boat tax (like sales and real property taxes) is levied by both the City of Ketchikan and the Ketchikan Gateway Borough. The two bodies agreed several years ago to try to have coordination between the taxes levied so that the administration would be consistent on an area-wide basis. - More...
Wednesday AM - February 08, 2012
Thank you Ketchikan By
Travis Taylor - My family moved up here to Alaska nearly 5 years ago. Since then I have been involved in many things such as basketball, football, baseball, and wrestling. At first I was very new to the idea of having to raise large amounts of money just to go play sports, but quickly realized how expensive it is to travel. I have had a great experience up here with sports and this town. - More...
Wednesday AM - February 08, 2012
Giving Grind for Peratovich Family was a great success!!! Thank you! By
Sally & John Burch - Saturday's Mardi Gras Giving Grind was awesome! - More...
Wednesday AM - February 08, 2012
Ketchikan School Board Budget Cuts By
Emilee Johnson - I am writing to you today to address my concern about the decision to cut AP classes as well as the band, art and culinary programs to account for the possible budget cuts. I am currently a college student and can speak from a personal level on how important these components are to students futures as well as the academic standing of the school. - More...
Wednesday AM - February 08, 2012
Open Letter: SB 121 By
Cherry Rice -
Governor Parnell, I hope you will reconsider your position on Senate Bill 121. SB 121 is not a going back to the old defined benefit system. Instead, SB 121 is a compromise that provides retirement security. Retirement security is extremely important to bring the best and brightest people to the state.This will be at no additional cost to the state or other employers. - More...
Wednesday AM - February 08, 2012
Serving in Congress should be an honor, not a career By
Billy D. Clifford - Many of us have received email and comments from our friends about excellent ideas to repair our broken Congress. For example: - More..
Wednesday AM - February 08, 2012
Newt's Court Proposals Dangerous By
George Kiser - Newt Gingrich apparently thinks the Founding Fathers made a terrible mistake when they established an independent court system. Under his proposals, judges would please the President, Congress, and the public -- or suffer the consequences. Presidents could ignore court decisions they dislike. Congress could haul judges before it to explain their decisions and jail non-compliant judges, and unpopular judges could be fired and their courts abolished. - More...
Wednesday AM - February 08, 2012
Governor Parnell Urged to Reconsider his Position on Pension By
Barb Angaiak - I am very disappointed in Governor Parnell’s refusal to consider returning to a defined benefit pension plan for state employees. I strongly urge Governor Parnell to reconsider. The legislation SB 121 is not a return to the old defined benefit system. SB 121 is a compromise that creates less of a benefit but provides retirement security at no additional cost to the state or other employers. - More...
Saturday AM - February 04, 2012
Ketchikan School Board Cuts By
Frances Gierard - I am an alumnus of Ketchikan High School and am now attending college in Seattle. I have heard that you are considering cutting some elective courses at Kayhi. I am hoping to change your mind otherwise. - More...
Saturday AM - February 04, 2012
Talk about cold! By
Jeff Orr -
I am not very happy with the State of Alaska Court system, nor the current Guardian for my adult brother who has down's syndrome. The AK court system sent a Court Visitor to do a report on his living conditions while he was living with my Mother, who adopted him over 42 years ago. In this report the Court Visitor bashed my two brothers who live in Ketchikan and excluded them from being able to apply for guardianship for our brother. What is worse is the Guardian decided to take our brother while my Mother is in the hospital! Talk about cold! - More...
Saturday AM - February 04, 2012
The Capuchin monkeys' Scam By Margaret Cloud - Someone has recently listed some capuchin monkeys. This ad is a scam. I responded to the ad to see what I would receive. Here is the reply: - More...
Saturday AM - February 04, 2012
Compact fluorescents (CFLs), LEDs, and halogens By
Shelley Stallings -
From wikipedia: In December 2007 (during the Bush Administration) , the federal government enacted the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which contains maximum wattage requirements for all general service incandescent lamps producing from 310 2600 lumens of light.[38] However, these regulations never became law, as another section of the 2007 EISA bill overwrites them, and thus, current law, as specified in the U.S. Code, "does not relate to maximum wattage requirements."[39] - More...
Saturday AM - February 04, 2012
RE: In the Dark By
Scott Cragun -
Regarding A.M. Johnsons reply to my letter regarding incandescent light bulbs, I would like to point out that the production of the incandescent bulbs may have ceased in the USA but they continue to be produced in Japan and in Europe in wattages less than 100 and will/could be until 2014. These bulbs are also imported into the USA where it is legal to sell them until 2014. - More..
Saturday AM - February 04, 2012
RE: Option for Public Employees By Chris Elliott -
I know in my heart I'll regret commenting, but I just can't resist. Ms. Machado's two basic assumptions are questionable. One, that government recruits and retains the "best and brightest" by offering outstanding benefits & retirement plans and, two, that public employees deserve the best, most secure retirement because they give their best. - More...
Thursday AM - February 02, 2012
State of the Mess By
A. M. Johnson - With all the nasty political advertisements and such, a lighter level of political satire is offered. In the Spirit of joining with Senator Murkowski in her recent effort to encourage by-partisanship during the "State of the Mess" campaign speech, I too will offer my suggestion we all can rally behind. As there is less than a year until the election, an election that will decide the next President of the United States. The person elected will be the president of all Americans, not just the Democrats or the Republicans. - More...
Thursday AM - February 02, 2012
City or Borough Tax By
Scott Cragun - Mr. Thompson, is this a City of Ketchikan tax or a Ketchikan Borough tax? - More...
Thursday - February 02, 2012
In the Dark By A. M. Johnson - Regarding Scott Cragan's understanding of the status of the Incandescent bulbs. Message to Scott: All production of incandescent bulbs have ceased. The industry advised Congress following the extension date, that it made no difference as the production of incandescent light bulbs has ceased. - More...
Thursday AM - February 02, 2012
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
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