“I’ve been hearing about problems with mail from communities across Alaska and today I made it very clear that I want fixes—and fast,” Begich said. “Alaskans were blindsided by the recent decision by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to increase rates on parcel post packages. Today I convinced the Postmaster General to roll back rate increases for Alaskans who are off the road system and shipping or receiving large packages. Alaskans should see relief from soaring postal costs by next week.”
In addition to the meeting with U.S. Postal Service Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe, Begich used his seat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to push through legislation fixing many postal problems reported by Alaskans. These fixes are a direct response to dozens of complaints about the Postal Service’s failures Begich’s office received in recent weeks, including the unreasonable rate increases for parcel posts, mail delays, understaffing at post offices and uncertainty surrounding post office closures. The senator outlined those issues in a letter to Donahoe last week. - More...
Thursday - February 06, 2014
Paul and Nettie Jones
Photo courtesy Nettie Jones' Grand Daughter,
Joanna (Kennedy) Hendricks
Irene Jones, the daughter of Paul and Nettie Jones, was of mixed Indian and White heritage. In September of 1929, her family attempted to enroll her into the 6th grade at Main School.
In those days, the city of Ketchikan had three schools.
White Cliff was an elementary school in Ketchikan’s West End. Main School was a K-12 school above Ketchikan’s Downtown area. The Bureau of Indian Affairs ran a K-8 school for Natives on Deermont Avenue.
For two days, Irene Jones, sister Geraldine Jones and Janet Kennedy, attended Main School, but then Superintendent Anthony Karnes removed them from their classes and told their families they needed to attend the BIA school “where all of her kind should go” instead.
Paul and Nettie Jones appealed Karnes’ action to the School Board, which turned them down. The Jones’ then went to court to get the decision overturned.
It wasn’t the first time that parents had tried to enroll Native or part-native children into the “white” schools in Ketchikan, In fact, at various times, Native children attended school along with white students in Ketchikan’s early years.
But in 1928, Simon Booth had attempted to enroll his mixed race daughter at Main School and Karnes had denied her admittance.
Shortly thereafter, December 7, 1928, the Ketchikan School Board passed a new rule that limited attendance at White Cliff and Main School to only those students “who are not acceptable to the United States Bureau of Education.”
The Bureau of Education oversaw BIA schools, so any student who had any Native blood was now ineligible to attend either White Cliff or Main School.
In their filings before the court, the Jones family, represented by prominent attorney William Paul, noted that in 1905 Congress had established a system of education in Alaska for “ white children and children of mixed blood who lead a civilized life” and that the new rule by the School Board violated Irene Jones’ 14th Amendment rights.
Paul argued that a local or territorial government could not overrule the Federal Government on this issue.
As part of its argument the Ketchikan School District also contended that because of “overcrowding” at Main School, there was no room for Jones or any other Native students who would want to attend Main School if the policy to not accept students with Native blood were overturned. - More...
Thursday AM - February 06, 2014
Ketchikan: 2014 Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assessment Roll Released - The Ketchikan Borough Assessor’s Office announced Wednesday that Assessment Notices for the 2014 tax year were mailed on February 5th. Due to the recent loss of mail processing equipment at the local post office, the 2014 notices were mailed directly from the Juneau Post Office for speedier processing. The notices should begin arriving within the next few days.
For 2014, the Department issued Assessment Notices for 6,931 parcels of real property. During 2013, in preparation for the 2014 tax roll, the Department focused on residential land and building valuations in the North Tongass, City of Ketchikan, South Tongass, Pennock and Gravina Islands areas. - More...
Thursday AM - February 06, 2014
Ketchikan: Community Open House to hear from residents on boardwalk project - Historic Ketchikan has been working with the City of Ketchikan on a master plan for a 1.3 mile boardwalk that will stretch from the end of the Thomas Basin breakwater to the north end of Berth IV.
According to information provided by Stephen Reeve, Historic Ketchikan Executive Director, this stretch of public waterfront is a rare and valuable asset that few communities in the world can match. The objective of the master plan is to design the boardwalk to provide maximum benefit to Ketchikan by striving to meet the following goals: - More...
Thursday AM - February 06, 2014
Ketchikan: Second Oncology Clinic February 10 - The second Oncology Clinic at PeaceHealth Medical Group will be Monday, February 10. The quarterly clinics will be held onsite every three months and via telemedicine every 6 weeks in between the onsite visits. A referral from a primary care physician is necessary to schedule an appointment.
Dr. Jennie Crews, the director of the Cancer Center at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham will in Ketchikan to see all patients with a diagnosis of cancer or blood disorders. Dr. Crews has over 18 years of experience in oncology in academic, private practice and hospital-based settings. She has a special interest and background in breast cancer, as well as in survivorship and nurse navigator programs for cancer patients. - More...
Thursday AM - February 06, 2014
Alaska: Flint Hills to Close North Pole Refinery By MARY KAUFFMAN - Flint Hills Resources Alaska, LLC announced Tuesday that it would cease crude oil processing at its North Pole refinery in the next few months. The refinery employs more than 125 Alaskans between the Port of Anchorage and its North Pole operations.
In a meeting with employees earlier Tuesday, the company said they expect about 35 employees to be retained for operation of the North Pole Terminal. The tank farm associated with the terminal has 720,000 barrels of product storage, which equates to approximately 30 million gallons of product. Product for distribution to local markets can come into the FHRA North Pole terminal by truck or rail. About 10 employees will also be retained at the Port of Anchorage terminal.
Mike Brose, the Vice President of FHRA and the refinery manager, stated "this has been a difficult decision made after a long, thorough and deliberative process. Our company has spent an enormous amount of money and resources addressing soil and groundwater contamination that was caused when Williams owned the refinery and the State of Alaska owned the land underneath it. So far, neither Williams nor the State of Alaska have accepted any responsibility for the cleanup. With the already extremely difficult refining market conditions, the added burden of excessive costs and uncertainties over future cleanup responsibilities make continued refining operations impossible."
Brose went on to comment that, "North Pole residents who live in the area affected by the groundwater contamination will continue to be protected from sulfolane exposure. Those residents are protected by alternative water sources provided by FHRA. We will also continue to meet our regulatory commitments to operate our groundwater remediation system to actively remove sulfolane from the aquifer on site." He also noted that, "FHRA will entertain offers for the assets associated with the refinery as an ongoing enterprise or as a terminal/marketing operation."
The company and the State have been at odds over who bears responsibility for cleaning up groundwater contamination which occurred on the site: Flint Hills, the State or the prior owner, Williams. - More...
Thursday AM - February 06, 2014
Alaska: Judge grants restraining order in Alaska Medicaid abortion restrictions - An Alaska regulation limiting when the state will pay for abortions for women on Medicaid was put on hold by Judge John Suddock in Anchorage this week saying the regulation could cause patients to delay or forego an abortion when it’s medically necessary.
Alaska Superior Court Judge Suddock ordered the state not to put the rule into effect pending the outcome of a hearing over a request to permanently block it sought by Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest.
“Planned Parenthood raises serious issues going to the merits of the validity of the regulation,” Suddock said in an order Tuesday. Patients “may be forced to delay an abortion while they raise funds, until it becomes riskier; or they may be forced to carry to term against their medical and practical best interests.”
"I'm not surprised the courts have stopped the new regulations,” said Representative Geran Tarr (D-Anchorage). “The court order affirms our position that the regulations are unconstitutional. It's time for us to focus our efforts on preventing unintended pregnancies by increasing our family planning efforts. These are cost effective solutions that work for Alaska and help accomplish the shared goal of Alaska policymakers and the public to reduce the number of abortions in Alaska."
“These regulations are simply an effort to come between a woman and her healthcare provider, forcing unnecessary disclosure of personal information to public officials,” said Senator Berta Gardner (D-Anchorage).
Planned Parenthood announced over a week ago they were suing to block intrusive regulations that would require women to report personal medical conditions to the government. Unilaterally instated by the Parnell Administration earlier this month, despite being rejected by the Alaska legislature last year, the regulations would place further restrictions on abortion procedures deemed medically necessary. - More...
Thursday AM - February 06, 2014
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CASE 14-001 Rezoning By Darlene Breitkreutz -
I am totally in favor of rezoning the industrial area at Ketchikan's Copper Ridge Road. We also built in the area some 25 years ago and we KNEW there was an industrial zone nearby but we loved the area. Before P & T Construction, Lybrand had been on that property for years and he was burning, blasting, moving rock, and doing whatever he needed to do to make a living. People who have developed and built homes in the surrounding area did in fact know they were near an industrial area. - More...
Thursday AM - February 06, 2014
POST OFFICE BLUES By David G. Hanger -
I realize that Darrell Issa and a handful of his right wing cronies, starting with the insane mandating of financing 75 years of retirements in advance, are doing everything in their power to destroy the U.S. Postal Service, but I do not see that as reason for local postal employees to enhance the prospects of that demise by providing such lousy customer service. - More...
Monday PM - February 03, 2014
Rezone 14-001 By Ernest Hamilton-
For the inquisitive in mind to consider and to those interested here are some facts concerning the request for rezoning and in rebuttal to the Ellis letter. If in fact the home was bought some 25 years ago then these people have been living with the continuous construction process while the now Copper Ridge was being developed. - More...
Monday PM - February 03, 2014
Drug informants get off scot-free! By Bonnie Abbott -
I want to add something to my recent letter and apologize to KPD & Andy Bernstein for not adding in my letter that the KPD has no choice NOT to use informants because our town is so small they need to do so, to catch the big dealers!!! It's a cycle and I know they know it, but what else can they do? There is no other option! - More...
Monday PM - February 03, 2014
Rezone of Quarry area case number 14-001 By Peter Ellis and Roz Ellis
- Wake Up, Wake Up all residents of the area surrounding the quarry where the city library is located. Hamilton has once again requested a rezone of some 14 acres from residential to commercial and Heavy Industrial. Just imagine what could appear if his request is granted. Did you choose to live in or near an industrial area? The subject area is not within the city limits and thus no permitting process is required. the Borough, according to the Borough Attorney, has no permit process either which permits Hamilton to do whatever he pleases if rezone is granted. - More...
Saturday AM - February 01. 2014
Drug Problem Worsening in Ketchikan By Bonnie J Abbott -
I am replying to the letter thanking Andy Bernstein for his great work the last couple years in Ketchikan! I also believe he has worked very hard along with Charlie Johnson. These two work together and both deserve a thank you from many!! What I do think is that this man does not know, accordng to his letter, that his information is not correct, pertaining to the out of town scum that are giving drugs to our community, it isn't accurate. - More...
Saturday AM - February 01, 2014
United Citizens for Better Water By Amanda Mitchell -
We are a group of local citizens concerned about our drinking water and our city's planned use of Chloramines in March. We would like to see a filtration system put in place so that our water system will require fewer chemicals and have less byproducts. - More...
Saturday AM - February 01. 2014
The Rezoning of Residential land in town to Heavy Industrial and Unrestricted Commercial By Amanda Mitchell -
I am concerned again about the attempt to rezone our valley into heavy industrial. This issue keeps reappearing and is making residents weary of the constant disregard of their health and rights on their own property. Who wants to live in an industrial area? - More...
Thursday AM - January 30, 2014
Drugs in Ketchikan By Bonnie J Abbott -
I completely agree with Kevin Kristovich's letter on Sitnews, but I also believe first time offenders should have a chance to go to treatment and better themselves! Addiction is a Disease as Cancer is!! It needs to be treated properly by an addiction specialist, not out-patient either!!! - More...
Thursday AM- January 30, 2014
Chloramine in Our Drinking Water: Coming to a Faucet Near You By Amanda Mitchell -
Chloramine is extremely toxic to marine life, reptiles and amphibians. There is a potential that our local marine life will be directly affected and harmed. Chloramine can have a half-life of up to 23 days. It has already been seen that if a pipe does rupture it can kill the local fish. Cedar Rapids was fined for killing the fish when a water main broke. The original paper article said only ‘chlorine’, but further investigation concludes that Cedar Rapids was specifically using chloramine. San Mateo private utility was fined for chloraminated water contaminating Polhemus Creek killing the Steelhead. And there are more examples out there. - More...
Thursday AM - January 30, 2014
Chemical in water By Ed Plute -
We now have a new chemical that will be added to our water. It is chloramine. I've heard if they use this chemical Wal-Mart will not take Ketchikan fish. - More...
Thursday AM - January 30, 2014
Re: Focus on maintaining political clout By A.M. Johnson -
Regarding all the wondrous accomplishments of having Senator Bewitch reelected. "My Good Friend"(That is how the political opposition always addresses the other side!) Mr. Tom Schulz District 36 Chair Ketchikan, Alaska. - More...
Thursday AM - January 30, 2014
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Looks like snow Ketchikan. In the interest of public safety Ketchikan H2O pulls their trucks off the road when it is no longer safe to drive them. It's been dry so check your tank before snow possibly gets here on Monday.
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