Alaska: Rare White Killer Whale Spotted in Alaskan Waters - Scientists aboard the NOAA research vessel Oscar Dyson in the North Pacific have sighted a creature of great rarity and even myth: a white whale.

The white killer whale was spotted with its pod about two miles off Kanaga Volcano, part of Alaska's Aleutian Islands, on February 23. At the time, Kodiak-based Oscar Dyson was on a research expedition for NOAA's Alaska Fisheries Science Center, assessing pollock fish stocks near Steller sea lion haulout sites.

The white whale is a fish-eating type of killer whale, as were all the killer whales photographed on the expedition. Fish-eating killer whales are the most frequently seen whales around the Aleutian Islands during the summer. The winter sightings represent important evidence that they may be common year-round.

Holly Fearnbach, a research biologist at NOAA's National Marine Mammal Laboratory in Seattle, was able to photograph the whale's white fin and back. "With hundreds of killer whales documented around the Aleutian Islands, this was equivalent to finding a needle in a haystack," she said.

"Despite the typical stormy weather that makes research operations very difficult in the winter, the scientific team on Oscar Dyson has been pulling in a huge amount of planned research data," said Alaska Fisheries Science Center director Doug DeMaster. "Extraordinary sightings like this white whale are icing on the cake."

Few white killer whales have ever been seen, according to Fearnbach, much less scientifically documented. - More...
Monday - March 10, 2008

Ketchikan: February in Alaska, a cold start; Ketchikan received 18.59 inches water equivalent - Temperatures throughout Alaska this February varied much like they did in January with a cold start and a warm finish. The first two weeks of the month brought well below normal, and even record low temperatures, to the state according to preliminary climatological data that compiled by Martha Shulski at the Alaska Climate Research Center, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Around mid-month the weather conditions around the state rebounded, though February finished cooler than normal for almost all locations statewide. Along with the cold came a general lack of precipitation that was strongest for the central Interior. However, some locations in the north, southwest, and the Panhandle did finish with above normal precipitation totals.

Precipitation, primarily in the form of snowfall, was well above normal in Ketchikan in February, with a total of 18.59 inches water equivalent. This amount was more than 7 inches above average. Temperatures were slightly cooler than average, with the month mean of 34.4 degrees Fahrenheit, which is almost 2 degrees below normal. The average high and low temperatures for Ketchikan were 39 degrees and 30 degrees, respectively. The extreme high and low for the month were 46 degrees February 19 and 15 degrees on the 1st. Heating degree-days were 45 units more than normal with 850 units. - More....
Monday - March 10, 2008

National: Alaska gov: Mention as VP candidate and pregnancy cause stir By ERIKA BOLSTAD - Sarah Palin will be the first to admit that it might be a stretch for a hockey mom from Alaska to be considered for the No. 2 spot on Sen. John McCain's presidential ticket.

But there's an undeniable national buzz surrounding the first-term governor, seen by many Republicans both within Alaska and outside the state as a new face to represent the party's future. The vice presidency may be far-fetched, but the hype has only helped Palin's future political prospects -- and Alaska's reputation.

"This happens almost every cycle, that the great mentioner starts spinning all sorts of names, some of which are more realistic than others," said Joel Goldstein, a law professor at St. Louis University who has written a book on the vice presidency. "Even for somebody who doesn't end up getting selected, it never hurts to get mentioned as a candidate for national office."

Palin, 44, is quick to note that she has not spoken to McCain or other national Republican leaders about the prospect. But it certainly came up when she was in Washington two weeks ago for a meeting of the National Governors Association. There, she rubbed elbows with other governors whose names have been bandied about for VP: Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a Republican, and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, a Democrat.

Everyone treated it lightly, Palin said, including a former Texas governor who himself made the transition to the White House.

"We all had a meeting with President Bush and he said, 'Look at all these vice presidents sitting here,' " Palin said in an interview last week. "Because Pawlenty was sitting next to me, and then Janet Napolitano was sitting on my other side."

Ultimately, Palin said, she understands that while flattering, the buzz is less about her than it is about what she represents to the Republican Party.

"I recognize that any of the buzz surrounds the fact that I happen to fit a demographic that is appealing to the ticket right now," Palin said. "It's gender, it's age, it's kind of the maverick being from the outside. It's a combination of things." - More...
Monday - March 10, 2008

National: Pelosi tells Clinton, Obama to stop sniping at each other By ZACHARY COILE - After the campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination took a rancorous turn last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stepped in, calling on the leading Democrats to cease their bickering -- or risk hurting the party's chances of retaking the White House.

"I would encourage both of them, as I have, to remember we have to keep our eyes on the prize, which is the general election in November," Pelosi said at a luncheon in New York.

Pelosi, who has stayed resolutely neutral in the race, said it's time for the candidates to cool the overheated rhetoric of their surrogates and return the focus to the issues.

"We are all very passionate about our politics and the issues we believe in, but we have to be very dispassionate about how we approach winning," Pelosi said. "We have to lift the debate to a place that does not turn off the American people."

She said the intensifying rhetoric will only help the presumptive Republican nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain.

"There is absolutely no question that I have concerns about the attacks that are being made on one candidate or another," she said. "I do have concerns that the negativism can diminish our prospects for the general election."

Pelosi's remarks were some of her sharpest comments about the presidential race. She often deflects questions about the campaign, but this time she waded in deep. She also served notice that Democratic leaders may step in if the infighting threatens the party's long-term interests.

Pelosi said the attacks are becoming too personal on both sides. She warned that they could not only damage the nominee, but could also hurt Democrats' hopes of maintaining or growing their majorities in Congress. - More...
Monday - March 10, 2008

National: Air surcharge for the obese faces scrutiny By MACKENZIE CARPENTER - Three years ago, Southwest Airlines got itself into a bit of a PR debacle over its decision to require that passengers "of size" pay extra if they need two seats.

Many passengers applauded the airline's move, while advocates for the obese and disabled protested -- to no avail. To this day, Southwest is still the strictest enforcer of the rule, while other airlines occasionally require it in response to complaints but, on the whole, take a somewhat less draconian approach.

Now, though, a new rule enacted in January by a Canadian government agency prohibits that country's airlines from charging the disabled or the obese for an extra seat, and it has caught the attention of airlines here, as well as disability-rights organizations in the United States, who see this as perhaps the beginning of a shift toward a "one person, one fare" rule in this country.

While nearly every frequent flier has a story about being crammed into a seat next to an overweight person encroaching on his or her space, advocates for the disabled say airlines need to be more sensitive to accommodating the obese.

"We're watching it carefully," said Dean Westwood, who works with airlines on disability issues and is co-director of the Center on Self-Determination at the Oregon Institute on Disability and Development. While U.S. airlines are not obligated to follow Canadian law -- even if they fly there -- "we think it could have an impact at some point in the U.S.," he added. - More...
Monday - March 10, 2008

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RE: Community's youth By Tyrell Rettke - This letter is in response to Eileen Small's letter recently (3/6 I believe) posted here on Sitnews. I have seen and heard the same frustration that she is presenting from many other people, as well as felt it myself. The old mantras that we like to throw out there (but which I will refrain from using) are tired and really don't help in these cases. What is needed is action. - More...
Sunday - March 09, 2008

RE: Democrat Veep Remarks By Joel Galli - Well, I really hate to interject myself into the seemingly private banter on the issue of the Democratic VP, but I feel I must address Mr. Neckameyer's very typical conservative responses to Liberal policies. - More...
Sunday - March 09, 2008

RE: Real America By David Ferrall - Just to let you know Mr. Harmon, I was born and raised in Ketchikan AK, ( 20+ years in SE Alaska). I also lived in Southern California for 6 years, and I'm very familiar with Mr. Neckameyer's neck of the woods, Orange County or land of the "Duke" as you seem to fawn all over it. I've also lived in other parts of this great country so I'm not sure if I could call myself a real "Brooklynite" but I do live in New York City. - More...
Sunday - March 09, 2008

Bridge By Stephen Smeltzer - I see some folks have not given up on a bridge. The reason Juneau and Sitka didn't have a problem with a bridge, was because they don't have an international waterway running between Revilla and Gravina. Also they connected to DEVELOPED communities, or to an out of the way airport. How many airplanes do you think will end up being "caught" by this bridge, or how many tugs with tows will get hung up on this bridge? Seems this has happened in San Francisco, when a huge ship side swiped one of the Golden Gate bridge supports. - More...
Thursday PM - March 06, 2008

Dead Humpies By Aan Kadax Tseen aka Don Hoff Jr. - There is nothing like beating a dead humpy to death. There is not going to be a bridge to nowhere in Ketchikan, Alaska, move on with more important problems in Ketchikan. There are only 50 or so people that live on Gravina Island. Open more land for whom? Build a bridge on speculation? That is insane. - More...
Thursday PM - March 06, 2008

Tribute to a Great Lady, Helen Finney By Phyllis Yetka Hobson - Thank you Mr. Kiffer for the lovely thoughts of a lovely lady. Helen Finney was indeed the "Grand Dame" of Ketchikan. She was also one of my role models. - More...
Thursday PM - March 06, 2008

Annette Island Expansion By Philip Doherty - The United Fishermen of Alaska are opposing any expansion of the waters and fishing rights around Annette Island. UFA has just sent this letter to the Department of the Interior: - More...
Thursday PM - March 06, 2008

Community's youth By Eileen Small - I am so glad my kids are grown and graduated!!! I shipped my final "baby" home to college in Houston this past year. I dealt with all these same problems: what to do with young adults in a boring climate, Kay-Hi and the total fiasco that Revilla has become, all the "same-old-same-old" for YEARS. Personally, I never found anyone in a position to make a solution who actually gave a damn - from mayors to school board and so on. I don't really see that anyone elected in this town cares --- though it does look nice to say you do on a campaign poster when one is running for a position in local government, huh?!!! - More...
Thursday PM - March 06, 2008

Helen Finney By Jill Lukin - I am saddened to hear of Helen's passing, I met Helen years ago while I had my hair salon in Ketchikan. I always looked forward to Helen's next perm or haircut at the Salon to just get caught up on everyday events... and where she was off to on a new adventure. - More...
Thursday PM - March 06, 2008

Ketchikan school budget By Charles Edwardson - I received some very good feedback from my last letter, on the school activities budget. I was encouraged to approach the borough assembly and the budget committee and present my thoughts. - More...
Thursday PM - March 06, 2008

Bridge that won't Quit By Charlotte Tanner - All you people comparing this bridge from Revilla to Gravina, to bridges such as the Golden Gate Bridge are ridiculous. When a person drives across the Golden Gate Bridge that person can keep on driving, all the way up to Alaska if they choose to do so. Now if you drive across a Bridge to Gravina I guess someday you may get farther than ex Governor Murkowski's property, and over to Clarence Strait, but that will take awhile. - More...
Thursday PM - March 06, 2008

Celebrating By Mark Neckameyer - I was just now watching TV showing "citizens" of Palestine romping and cheering in the streets, firing guns in the air celebrating that two of their extremist, going to heaven to get virgins, gunmen killed seven defenseless Israeli students. I know that not all extremists are Muslim but it sure seems like all Muslim nations, the adult men there anyway, can certainly be classed "extremist". - More...
Thursday PM - March 06, 2008

Governor's May baby By John Suter - In a couple of months Governor Palin will have a baby girl. I understand that she is going to name her daughter Lyda Green Palin. With this act she will ask, now, can we all get along? - More...
Thursday PM - March 06, 2008

Dog Park Needed By Kimberly Morton - My boyfriend and I have a pit bull and a pit bull mix in town. We love taking the dogs out to D1 loop and the beach by our house for the dogs to run. We spoil our dogs and they go to work with my boyfriend every day and are two of the most socialized dogs in town because we take them everywhere. The one problem I have found though is there is no "dog park" in Ketchikan. - More...
Thursday PM - March 06, 2008

Clean Election Law By Megan Kearl - In a letter published March 3, Representative Gabrielle LeDoux voiced her support for a "Clean Election Law" for Alaska, stating that it could give candidates more time to discuss policy, free candidates from the constraints of money-driven elections, prevent candidates from becoming "indentured to special interest groups" who give contributions, and help "worthy" candidates enter the election process who wouldn't otherwise have the funding. While these are admirable goals, Alaskans will likely be disappointed with the actual results of Clean Elections. - More...
Thursday PM - March 06, 2008

KETCHIKAN'S SMALL BOAT HARBORS By Bill Tatsuda - Tom Fisher's viewpoint in Sitnews on February 27, 2008 touched on some important issues concerning Ketchikan's small boat harbors. Now that the State of Alaska is no longer responsible for small boat harbors, what are we doing to develop and preserve our harbors? After the State's deferred harbor maintenance funds have been spent, how are we going to perform effective routine maintenance and put aside funds for major repairs and future improvements? We are facing a new paradigm, because we are now supposed to be responsible for our harbors. It can no longer be business as usual at the Harbor Department. - More...
Tuesday PM - March 04, 2008

Magnitude of Ketchikan's education budget issues By DeAnn Turner - I wanted to provide Mr. Edwardson with some additional information regarding the KGBSD budget he commented on after the article in the KDN's. I participated in the KGBSD budget sessions. There were several notices in the newspaper announcing the dates the budget sessions were to be held and that they were open to the public. - More...
Tuesday PM - March 04, 2008

Re: Ketchikan School Board: Come on guys! By Dave Lieben - Having served on the School Board for three years, I came to accept that we were often blamed for everything that happened in the school district, whether we had anything to do with it or not. - More...
Tuesday PM - March 04, 2008

Exxon should accept responsibility By Louise Clark - When a huge corporation such as Exxon has the audacity to show such reckless disregard for our beautiful state, the people the environment, and the wildlife it is my firm belief that, that corporation must be banned from doing any kind of business in this state ever again. If that is not possible they should be banished for a minimum of 50 years and then they must show good faith of their responsibility before being allowed back again. After all they are not the only oil company around, furthermore, I think all the people in the United States should band together and demand corporate responsibility for their actions because an oil spill is not the only disaster that can happen and Exxon is trying to set an example whereby a large corporation is not responsible no matter what they do. - More...
Tuesday PM - March 04, 2008

RE: Oil rich Alaskans struggle to heat homes By Mike Isaac - Melissa O'Bryan nailed it! In two short paragraphs Ms. O'Bryan said so much about the direction the Republican party is going and the self serving people that have taken it over. Heating oil (diesel fuel) and crude oil prices are all going up and a check from the government won't change that but might help the senator get re-elected. - More...
Tuesday PM - March 04, 2008

Bridge definitely needed By Sandra V. Browne - I fully agree the bridge is definitely needed. Mr. Hoff was not here the night that all the emergency equipment was called to the airport and had to sit on this side and wait for the airport ferry because it wasn't on our side. - More...
Tuesday PM - March 04, 2008

Build the Bridge! By Vanessa Nowland - I've read all the opinions about a bridge being built in Ketchikan, and boy are there a lot of them! I have a few questions for the people out there that are so against it and refer to our bridge as the "Bridge to Nowhere" - More...
Tuesday PM - March 04, 2008

Helen Finney By Nellie Cleveland - For all of my life, I will consider myself and everyone who knew her to have had our lives been made more magical by Helen Finney. She was a friend indeed! - More...
Tuesday PM - March 04, 2008

DOTPF dances out fantastic statistics By Sen. Kim Elton - The Department of Transportation and Public Facilities is losing street cred faster than Idaho Senator Larry Craig. - More...
Monday AM - March 03, 2008

Oil Rich Alaskans Struggle to Heat Homes By Melissa O'Bryan - It's refreshing to see how Alaskans are depicted in the media. This is a copy of a letter I sent to Senator Tom Wagoner, Kenai regarding his comments in an AP article. - More...
Monday AM - March 03, 2008

Clean Elections By Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux - A Clean Election Law should be the linchpin of a new political climate in Alaska. We have weathered the storms of indictments, public distrust, and scandals. We have enacted comprehensive ethics reforms; are scrutinizing conflicts of interest in regards to who can vote and when; and even modified fund raising practices during session. - More...
Monday AM - March 03, 2008

ALL NATIVE CHAMPIONS By Marcia Brendible - The MAC Intermediates Are Intermediate Division ALL NATIVE CHAMPIONS! 5 games 5 wins! - More...
Monday AM - March 03, 2008

Ketchikan School Board: Come on guys! By Charles Edwardson - I am writing to offer positive criticism again; I would like to see it as positive criticism. In my experience though this is virtually a non existent concept with all I have criticized. Whether it is the city council, borough assembly, KIC board, or now the Ketchikan school board. - More...
Monday AM - March 03, 2008

Thanks By Marie- Jeanne Cadle - I want to say thanks to Deb & Hunter Davis for paying to neuter the dog I am fostering (He's adoptable - see SitNews classifieds). It's not cheap to care for and get shots, medical attention, etc for dogs you don't own and their financial asistance is greatly appreciated! - More...
Monday AM - March 03, 2008

Democrat Veep Remarks By Mark Neckameyer - Ketchikan resident Noam Ploomb wonders if I will address his critique of my tongue in cheek recommendation of Fidel Castro to be the Democrat Veep and so I will. First of, it was clearly "tongue in cheek" as to be Vice President you have to be native born but I think I do have some logic and experience to share so here goes; - More...
Monday AM - March 03, 2008

Bridge needed By Forrest Mackie - Don Hoff is my friend, but why does live in Tennessee and tell us what we need and don't need. We do need the bridge for our future expansion and to move into the future. I don't think that Gravina is the proper place for the hardlink though. I don't remember Juneau or Sitka having this much trouble getting their bridge. - More...
Sunday PM - March 02, 2008

Higher moorage rates By Peg Travis - AMEN! Tom Fisher. We agree, higher moorage rates and less maintenance on harbor facilities, so where is the money going? - More..
Sunday PM - March 02, 2008

Memories of Helen Finney By Lynne Miller - Sweet memories of Helen permeate my kitchen here oh so many miles away from Ketchikan. I see Helen Finney's smiling face in that beautiful picture next to the notice of her passing published in the Ketchikan Daily News and I smile at all the sweet memories of times we shared together. - More...
Sunday PM - March 02, 2008

VP Candidate Suggestion By Robert D. Warner - The recent suggestion for a Democratic Vice Presidential candidate by Mark Neckameyer could likely be a significant improvement over the current ticket of Bush and Cheney, but who wouldn't be? My feeling is that historians will rate Bush and Cheney at the bottom of the list of respected administrations and certainly below the rankings of Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge. - More...
Sunday PM - March 02, 2008

"Thinking about the real America" By Bob Harmon - I am a retired Alaska school teacher but I have lived and visited and vacationed around our great nation and I wonder about Mr Ferrall's "Brooklyn" being the "real America". It is a dank, brokendown city populated from what I saw by new immigrants who move out to Long Island, New York, California or Florida as soon as they learn English and learn a trade. Even their only decent sports team bailed on them 50 years ago. - More...
Sunday PM - March 02, 2008

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