Alaska: House Passes Bill Exempting Alaska From Daylight-Saving Time; Bill Moved to Alaska State Senate for discussion - The Alaska State House recently passed a bill that would exempt Alaska from observing daylight-saving time. House Bill (HB) 19, sponsored by Representative Anna Fairclough (R-Eagle River), was passed by the House on March 27, 2009.

In 1983, with congressional approval, Alaska consolidated its five time zones into two. This was done to better consolidate Alaska's communities and to enable better public services. Alaska Standard Time (AST) now covers most of the state, with only a few Aleutian Islands in the Hawaiian-Aleutian Time Zone. AST is one hour earlier than Pacific Standard Time and four hours earlier then Eastern Standard Time.

Rep. Fairclough sponsored this legislation in response to a number of concerns from constituents and other Alaskans regarding daylight-saving time. Her office has spent the interim and beginning of this legislative session researching the issue and asking for input from Alaskans.

In a recent news release, Rep Fairclough said is clear, from two statewide polls done in 2004 and 2005, that a strong majority of Alaskan's statewide favor the repeal of DST for a variety of reasons.

"The vote in the House shows that we recognize the health risks that come from changing the clocks twice a year," Fairclough said. "With the support of the House on record, we will go back to our communities and ask them to continue the discussion. It is important that we have a dialogue about the communication issues businesses may face if we discontinue DST in Alaska." - More...
Monday - April 13, 2009

Alaska: Palin should stay in Juneau and work with Legislature; Palin Says Political Adversaries Allow Politics to Cloud Judgment in Final Week - With less than a week to go before the end of the legislative session, local leaders today called on Governor Sarah Palin to stay in Juneau and work with the Legislature until the end of the session.

Palin is traveling to Indiana for a Vanderburgh County Right to Life event in Evansville Thursday. The next day, Palin will attend a breakfast in Evansville for S.M.I.L.E., a nonprofit organization for people with family members who have Down syndrome, according to media reports.

Meanwhile, unfinished business pending in Juneau includes legislation to accept the federal stimulus money, the operating and capital budgets, confirmation of Palin appointees, and selection of a replacement senator for the seat vacated recently by Juneau Senator Kim Elton. By law the 90-day session must end no later than Sunday, April 19. Legislative leaders say the session may end a few days earlier than that.

Patti Higgins, Chair of the Alaska Democratic Party, said at a news conference today that by choosing to be out of state during the closing days of the legislative session, "Governor Palin is again putting her national political ambitions ahead of the needs of Alaskans and her responsibilities as Governor."

"With the economy in recession, with Alaska's unemployment rate over 9 percent, and with these important bills pending that affect our economy and people's lives, where is Sarah Palin? She's half way across the country at a Right to Life event. Alaska needs a full-time Governor who is focused on the needs of Alaskans. We call on Gov. Palin to stay in Juneau and work with the legislators," Higgins said.

Local Mat Su leaders Mary Kvalheim and Mike Chmielewski discussed issues pending in the legislature affecting their communities, and the implications of the Governor's absence.

"The Mat Su didn't get anything in the capital budget," said Kvalheim, a former member of the Mat Su Borough Assembly. "We have three of the worst roads in the state for death and accidents, according to the Department of Transportation. Sarah Palin needs to be in Juneau fighting for a fair budget that addresses these problems."

"The issues we are dealing with are hard and require hard work and focused attention," said Mike Chmielewski, a member of the Palmer City Council. "It's important for people to meet face-to-face to work things out, and Palin has to be present for that to happen."

Governor Sarah Palin acknowledged she will attend the Vanderburgh County Right to Life dinner in Evansville, Indiana on Thursday as well as a breakfast the next morning for S.M.I.L.E., a nonprofit organization for families with members who have Down Syndrome. Governor Palin had previously personally informed the legislative leadership of her upcoming event and asked if legislators had any problem with her attendance at an event outside the Capitol building. None expressed concerns

This event doesn't cost the state a dime according to a news release - the governor has no staff, not even state security, with her, though her predecessors did travel with state security even on vacations.

"It is nothing more than a politically charged shot in the dark," said Governor Palin's chief of staff, Mike Nizich. "We view the legislative session as a very serious state issue. This isn't politics for us; this is Alaska's future. I have worked for seven governors. Every governor has traveled during the legislative session. Had this group done its homework, they would have realized that Governor Palin has had numerous meetings with lawmakers this session and has been in constant communication with them. - More...
Monday - April 13, 2009

Ketchikan: I'm Going to College - Ketchikan 5th-graders from Fawn Mountain and Point Higgins Elementary schools are busy gearing up for their May 6th visit to UAS Ketchikan. The "I'm Going to College" program is their chance to learn how they can become college students - and to see first-hand what it will be like.

This national program is made possible in Alaska through a partnership between the Northwest Education Loan Association (NELA) and the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) AlaskAdvantage Programs.

It enables children to participate in a variety of exercises and activities. This includes a full-day event at a nearby college campus, sponsored with support from the host institution. 2009 "I'm Going to College" events are taking place all across Alaska: the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the University of Alaska Anchorage, the University of Alaska Southeast, Ilisagvik College in Barrow, Prince William Sound Community College in Valdez, Matanuska-Susitna College, and the UAF Kuskokwim Campus and Kodiak College will also host events. About 1800 elementary students statewide will participate.

In Ketchikan, approximately 80 fifth-graders from Fawn Mountain and Point Higgins Elementary schools received the "I'm Going to College" activity book. They learn in their classroom about the benefits of a college education, college costs and financial aid, and the entire college process. The children learn how to prepare for college academically and how their interests can align with different career paths. - More...
Monday - April 13, 2009

National: Ponzi schemes proliferate on the Web By JAMES TEMPLE - A pyramid scheme that regularly surfaces during recessions is gaining momentum, this time supercharged by the social-networking power of the Internet, according to the Better Business Bureau and other consumer-watchdog groups.

Cash-gifting programs are spreading rapidly online, popping up in growing numbers of sponsored advertisements, search results and user-generated videos on sites like Google, Yahoo and YouTube.

In many cases, promoters pose in front of Web cams and count out $100 bills they say they received in the mail. They offer viewers the chance to make thousands of dollars a week from home, dismiss claims that cash gifting is a scam or illegal and encourage surfers to contact them or join their program.

If Web surfers come across such videos or advertisements, "bells and whistles should be going off in your head," said Alison Southwick, a spokeswoman for the Better Business Bureau, which plans to issue a warning about cash gifting in the coming weeks. "Money is just changing hands, and most of the money is going to the people at the top of the pyramid."

Her group isn't alleging wrongdoing by any specific companies at this point, and a representative with the Federal Trade Commission said he couldn't, as a matter of policy, comment on whether the agency is conducting any investigations. - More...
Monday - April 13, 2009

Public Meetings & Info Ketchikan Borough Assembly Agenda and Information Packets Ketchikan City Council Agenda & Information Packets Ketchikan School Board Agenda & Information Packets Gravina Access Project SEIS Alternatives Development Gravina Access Website Ketchikan Ship Calendar 2009 pdf Jobs Police Report AK Troopers Daily Dispatch Today's Forecast Satellite Today's Weather Images Marine Forecasts 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 Local Services Publish Your Ad Feb, March, April 2009 Front Page Archives 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 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 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16     More Front Page Archives

Ward Cove and our "burro" leaders By Lawrence "Snapper" Carson - Hurrah to Chas Edwardson! Isn't it wonderful to see local government at work and what wonderful ways to spend our tax money. If you want to have a bad day drive out to the old pulp mill site and look arround. Sunken and abandon historical boats, sinking old logging camps, sunken barges and a mill site that resembles Berlin after the war. - More...
Friday - April 10, 2009

Tax Day Tea Party in Ketchikan By Connie Emmert - I'm writing to let everyone know that there is a Tax Day Tea Party scheduled to be held on Wednesday, April 15th between 4:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on the corner of Jefferson and Tongass. This is a peaceful protest against the stimulus package and bailouts that are burying us and our children in debt. - More...
Friday - April 10, 2009

Ketchikan Tea Party? By Richard Easbey - Here is some information I found about a Tax Day Tea Party here in Ketchikan: Ketchikan is having a tea party on April 15th at 4:00 to 6:30 pm at the corner of Jefferson and Tongass! - More...
Friday - April 10, 2009

Tax Tea Party By Larry Fischer - I would be interested in attending a tea party. If anyone is planning to organize one please list the details, perhaps others here in Ketchikan would also be interested. I'm tired of our Govt. spending this money like it was theirs! - More...
Friday - April 10, 2009

Clotheslines By Elaine and Steve O'Brien - Using a clothesline instead of a dryer would save huge amounts of energy. But it is against the law for Americans to line dry their laundry! - More...
Friday - April 10, 2009

Shotgun Approach To Economy - The Bailouts By Donald A. Moskowitz - The President is using the last $100 billion from the $700 billion bailout for banks to continue to loan money to them, and he desires an option for another $250 billion. The optional $250 billion should not be approved and the $100 billion in loans should have significant restrictions. - More...
Friday - April 10, 2009

Thanks to KPU and a heads up to others By MJ Cadle - Recently I discovered the power line coming from the pole to our house was seriously damaged and the insulation burned off. Checking the power line to our house was not something I ever thought of or heard that I should do but I would suggest that home owners, especially older home owners, do so. It is so easy to do and the consequences if you have a damaged line could be devastating. - More...
Friday - April 10, 2009

Thanks By MJ Cadle - I would like to thank Robert Renninger of Software Engineering of Alaska for saving me during my recent computer crisis when both my work computer and mirrored backup drive crashed fatally within days of each other leaving me without access to client files or my photos - both necessary for me to work.
- More...
Friday - April 10, 2009

It's More Than Just The Head Tax By Shauna Lee - I have read all the letters recently regarding the head tax, and whether it has an effect on a ships decisions to re-locate their vessels to other ports. I believe that people are missing the larger picture on issues that face the cruise industry. - More...
Monday - April 06, 2009

On track for a greener, cleaner, and brighter future in Southeast Alaska By Lindsey Ketchel - The recent sunshine is just one thing for Southeast Alaskans to smile about. In the past few weeks, both the Alaska Legislature and U.S. Congress have taken bipartisan actions that will boost the Southeast Alaska economy and steer our region towards a greener, cleaner, brighter and more sustainable future. - More...
Monday - April 06, 2009

ANCSA PROMISES By Diane Hoisington - I was born, and lived in Southeast Alaska. My parents, were also born, and lived in Southeast Alaska. Now both my mother and father are both gone. Let's admit. there comes a time (the last 38 years have been a long time) to end the wait for the Southeast Alaskan Settlements Act which was promised to the Alaska Natives. - More...
Monday - April 06, 2009

Timber Industry Retooling By Evan Hjerpe - Sen. Murkowski's press release advocating her Southeast Alaska Timber Industry Retooling and Restructuring Act ( Murkowski Proposes Southeast Initiative to Aid Regional Economy, 4/2) misrepresents many facts, leaving me concerned that her bill may miss the mark. The Murkowski press release incorrectly attributes the decline of the timber industry in Southeast Alaska to a litany of federal forest policy changes. In fact, the decline of the timber industry is due to a number of market-driven factors and a long history of unsustainable high-grading of the biggest and best trees. The timber industry in Southeast Alaska has always been affected by inherent competitive disadvantages. Because of rugged terrain and distance from markets, logging, manufacturing, and transportation costs have always been high. Southeast Alaska's forests are also dominated by tree species with lower value in timber markets, which means higher lumber production and processing costs. These factors, and the collapse of the lumber export market to Japan in the 1980s, have caused the decline of Southeast Alaska's timber industry. - More...
Monday - April 06, 2009

Response to Mr. Currall By Dan Ortiz - I do indeed stand corrected in the light of the U.S. Justice Department's decision to remove the judgement against former Senator Ted Stevens. An independent jury did find our former longtime and effective Senator guilty of all charges against him, but evidently with faulty presented evidence. Being that the Justice Department was being headed by a President Bush appointee and going on the assumption that their duties require them to act in a non-partisan manner regardless, I had no reason to believe that justice was not done at the time. However it's apparent, that wasn't the case. - More...
Monday - April 06, 2009

Palin and White Cliff By Chas Edwardson - I literally (no joke) laughed out loud all by myself drinking coffee in my kitchen at 5am after reading the "Palin opens new White cliff School article " (Ketchikan Daily news article dated March 31 2009). I waited to write this comment until today April 2 2009 to see if it was as funny as the first time I read it --"it was". - More...
Monday - April 06, 2009

Re: UAS library movies questioned By Donita O'Dell - I am a full-time student at UAS, and although I also work full-time and therefore do not get to participate in any day-time recreational activities on campus, I have a hard time understanding Mr. Warner's concern about brown-bag lunch movies once in a while. The truth is that most students could use more breaks from the never-ending cycle of studying, researching, writing, and tests -- not a moratorium on the occasional fun activity. The library is the perfect location on a very small campus for just such an activity. And, should a student need peace and quiet to study at that particular time, the Learning Center offers just such an environment a mere five steps from the Library. - More...
Monday - April 06, 2009

Outrageous spending By Jon Boyd - Obama keeps throwing our money away. Who does he think he is? America is in a recession. We need to be saving money, not spending it. - More...
Monday - April 06, 2009

Shouldn't Alaskans get deals too? By Kimberly Morton - It's been a while since we have taken a vacation off of the rock. I always seem to browse the internet to find a special that Alaska Air might have, sometimes the extra few dollars saved on a ticket can mean a nice break away from island life. - More...
Monday - April 06, 2009

Head Tax By Suzan Thompson - Mr. Edwardson is correct in his assessment that Alaska's $50 head tax is being used by some of the cruise lines as an excuse to pull a few ships from the Alaska run in the next year or two, and that it has little meaning for the average tourist. Try checking out www.cruisecritic.com. Click on Boards, and then under Ports of Call, click on Alaska. On about page 6, there are two threads dealing with this topic. Nearly all of the cruisers who responded to this topic clearly stated that a fifty-dollar tax had absolutely no effect on their decision to cruise or not cruise to Alaska. Several of them said they had no idea there even was a $50 tax. They are far more concerned about the rising cost of the airfare to get to their embarkation points in Seattle and Vancouver than they are about this fee. - More...
Thursday - April 02, 2009

Tour Ship Head Tax By Lloyd B Ruaro - I have worked for Holland America corporate office for 5 years. I believe that they are bluffing that a head tax deters people from booking a cruise to our great state. - More...
Thursday - April 02, 2009

Head Tax By Susan Hoyt - Silly people. Do you possibly think that maybe the cruise ships are pulling out because there is a decline in the amount of people traveling these days?(Due to the economy ) - More...
Thursday - April 02, 2009

Shotgun Approach To Economy--The Budget By Donald A. Moskowitz - The Obama Administration is throwing many hundreds of billions of dollars at a multitude of programs, hoping for economic success. It appears the thrust of the policies encompass Rahm Emanuel's philosophy of "not letting a crisis go to waste". - More...
Thursday - April 02, 2009

U.S. Drops Case Against Former Sen. Stevens By Nathaniel Currall - Mr. Ortiz may wish to reconsider his lesson to the community of Ketchikan about politics, law and "Loyalty" in light of recent events. - More..
Thursday - April 02, 2009

WE ARE THE GOVERNMENT By Jacquie Meck - Gosh, I guess some people realize that WE ARE THE GOVERNMENT. We own it we pay for it .... out of every paycheck we make, and here in Ketchikan pretty much every service and product we buy and use. - More...
Thursday - April 02, 2009

Re: The Mayor Responds By Ken Bylund - Thank you for your response to Mr. Dial's, Questions for the Mayor, and clarification as to where you stand on these issues. I'm certain that everyone in this Borough would like to have that new library, a new heated swimming pool, and performing arts center [aka tourist restrooms], and skateboard park... etc., we really do. We want our citizens to enjoy all the pleasures of a prosperous and vibrant city/state. - More...
Tuesday - March 31, 2009

Ketchikan "Tea Party"? By Eileen Small - I have been hearing that many communities across the USA are planning "tea parties" to protest government spending, etc on "Tax Day" (April 15). - More...
Tuesday - March 31, 2009

Tour ship head tax By Chas Edwardson - I doubt very highly that a fifty dollar head tax was a big factor in Princess Cruise's visitations or lack of. And now that they have made this public announcement about this (devastating tax), other cruise lines will make this claim to reinforce Princess' claims in an effort to put that fifty bucks back in their pockets. - More...
Tuesday - March 31, 2009

Big numbers By Mike Sallee - OK, I won't argue with Mr. McGillvray, but for the edification of the rest of those perusing this column, in America a billion is 1 followed by nine zeros, a trillion is 1 followed by twelve zeros. - More...
Tuesday - March 31, 2009

The Mayor Responds By Dave Kiffer - Dear Rodney, Thank you for writing and expressing your concerns.

As you noted, I can't answer all of your questions but I will try to respond to the ones that I can. - More...
Monday - March 30, 2009

Mr. Dial's letter and a few of my own thoughts. By Derek Andrews - I think I have found the person I will write-in for mayor at the next election, if he is not going to run. Library project is wasteful in these economic times and that art should be funded by the private sector. The role of government should be to minimize expenses and focus those resources they do use to the greater good of the populous. - More...
Monday - March 30, 2009

RE: Time for some climate realism By J.A. Rasmussen - Kudo's to Rep. Gato for publishing his opinion about man-made global warming. - More...
Monday - March 30, 2009

NIGHTCRAWLERS By David G. Hanger - Escalation is wise only when you know you have a winning hand, so let this serve as warning to you AMHS employees who have been spying for your tax-cheating guru, Martin A. Kapp, that not only are you playing a very bad hand, you are also playing a very dumb one. If you want my address so you can get Marty Kapp to jump all over me with his threats of lawsuits, etc., rather than crawling around in the night and getting it wrong, you could simply ask. But no, just like your guru, you crawl around in the mud and hide from the light. - More...
Monday - March 30, 2009

RE: Cruise Ship Head Tax By Dustin Hofeling - In the words of Chris Barry: "Silly people." Now you see what happens when taxes are increased. The cruise ships are pulling vessels. - More...
Monday - March 30, 2009

Problem Bus Driver By Bryan Oftedahl - This is for the fellow customers of Ketchikan's public transit system. Is it really just me or is there one bus driver in particular who never seems to care about us? I have seen this bus driver fly right past bus stops with people waiting to get on and out of the rain yet he doesn't even flinch. I've been on the Blue Line while he skips going up to Wal-Mart so I have to wait while he goes out to Totem Bight then get dropped off on Shoreline Dr. (so long as he doesn 't skip that one too) and walk through the freezing snow to get to Wal-Mart. I've sat on Green Line and witnessed him go right past three people standing at the Baranof/ Tower Rd. stop. One day a woman came running up to the bus when he was waiting to pull back into traffic from the Plaza stop and she knocked and I mentioned that somebody was knocking on the door but ignored me and the woman, he refused to sacrifice a couple of seconds to open the door. - More...
Monday - March 30, 2009

UAS Library Movies Questioned By Robert D. Warner - Recently I have noticed that the UAS Ketchikan Library is offering a series of "brown bag lunch" movies. The movies are scheduled from noon to 1:15 p.m. in the library.- More...
Monday - March 30, 2009

Administration's Shotgun Approach To Economy - Part 1 of 3-The Stimulus By Donald A. Moskowitz - The recently enacted $787 billion economic stimulus plan designed to create jobs includes about $300 billion in tax cuts for individuals and businesses, which will not create jobs because companies are not hiring and consumers are saving their money, not making purchases they can postpone. The Commerce Department recently reported a U.S. savings rate of 5%, which is the highest since 1995. - More...
Monday - March 30, 2009

Up to here with...well I simply can't say. By Marina Keirn - In response to the "dog poop" concern: I too am disgusted with the various "piles" deposited around town. - More...
Monday - March 30, 2009

Dog Droppings By Hal Smith - Thanks Carrie Mueller, someone is finally saying something about the dog poop on the sidewalks by the Mary Frances Building. - More...
Monday - March 30, 2009

Re: A Trillion dollars By Rudy McGillvray - Dear Ken, and everyone else who doesn't know that a trillion dollars is not what you think it is. - More...
Monday - March 30, 2009

Re: Thanks to Young Democrats By A. M. Johnson - My error, without the Mark Steyn column involved, my letter to the Editor regarding thanks to young Democrats for their assumption of future fiscal indebtedness was left off or out of my post.  - More...
Monday - March 30, 2009

More Letters/Viewpoints
Webmail your letter or
Email Your Letter To: editor@sitnews.us