Dressed in black and silver skin-tight leotards with matching metallic silver headbands, Kyrie Chandler, Inga Christensen, Brittany DeCourcey, Lauren Gates, Sara Gilmon, Chandler Grace, Rique Hill, Amy Owings, Geneva Peters, Britta Pihl, Brittany Thompson, Kelsey West and Nancy Mescher danced to "Capricorn" by 9 Nickel.  Front Page Photo by Jeff Fitzwater

Ketchikan: At the Heart of Dancing Art; A Review of Ketchikan Theatre Ballet's Performance of "The Museum" Part I By SHARON ALLEN - There are some people who believe with all their heart the Ballet is alive and well.  Others state the Ballet should be relegated to a museum.  Last weekend, the Ketchikan Theatre Ballet proved both opinions correct . . . with unusual results.
 
The Ballet's Spring Gala took place at the Kayhi auditorium on May 13th and 14th, with two 7:30 pm performances of "The Museum" by the more advanced students and a 2 pm Saturday show entitled "Our Symphony" by the Ballet's younger dancers. - More...
Monday - May 23, 2005

Alaska: House Approves Pension Plan for New Hires - The Alaska State House today approved a bill that would reform the state's retirement system, which has been reported to face a $5.7 billion underfunded liability that threatens the benefits of those currently in the system.

Despite reportedly heavy lobbying by national labor unions, the House approved a bill to create a defined contribution plan for new employees to the Public Employees' Retirement System and Teachers' Retirement System. - More...
Monday PM - May 23, 2005

Alaska: Workers' Comp. Bill Passes House; Vote expected today in Senate - Alaska Governor Frank H. Murkowski Sunday applauded the Alaska State House of Representatives for passing meaningful workers' compensation reform. "This is the most comprehensive workers' compensation reform bill passed since statehood," said the governor. The House passed the free conference committee substitute for Senate Bill 130 on a 25 to 13 vote. - More...
Monday - May 23, 2005

Ketchikan - Statewide: Summer Brings Tourists and Health Messages; Potential for Norovirus encourages agency coordination and lots of handwashing - With many cruise ships expected in Ketchikan and other Alaska communities throughout the summer, as well as thousands of other tourists arriving in Alaska by plane and automobile, the potential is high that we will see cases of Norovirus and other infectious diseases this summer according to the Alaska Department of Health & Social Services. Norovirus may be found at low levels throughout the year in some communities, however, the massive movement of people during the summer season makes it more likely to see a sudden outbreak. - More...
Monday - May 23, 2005

National: Frist's political skills being tested By MARGARET TALEV - The operating room can be a useful but imperfect training ground for politics. Just ask Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.

In surgery and politics alike, there are no sure things. Timing, training and keeping cool are key. But surgery demands swiftness, precision. Politics is an art of negotiation, cajoling. Surgery is rational, politics emotional. - More...
Monday - May 23, 2005

National: Statistical portrait of the fallen U.S. troops By LISA HOFFMAN - As the nation pauses for the third Memorial Day since the war in Iraq began, a statistical portrait of the fallen U.S. troops brings life to their numbers. - More...
Monday - May 23, 2005

National: The picture that we seldom get to see By BOB KERR - I talked to Mike Yon by satellite phone. It was a little scratchy at times and helicopters intruded occasionally. But it was worth it.

He describes himself as an author, explorer and photographer. He uses his camera as a notepad, he says.- More...
Monday - May 23, 2005

Viewpoints Opinions/Letters Aerial Spraying Of Long Island On Hold By Frances C. Natkong - Monday Gateway to . . .? By Bobbie McCreary - Monday Marine & Family Honored by Great AK Lumberjack By Gigi Pilcher - Monday More Viewpoints/ Letters Publish A Letter The Real WMDs By: Monte Wolverton Cagle Cartoons Political Cartoonists Ketchikan Editorial Cartoonist Roger Maynard May 2005 Click on the date for stories and photos published on that day... 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         Front Page Archives

Will Durst: Ring Around The Coercion - As we all know, Newsweek magazine recently rehashed an oft-repeated report involving American interrogators at Guantanamo Bay using religious coercion, in this case flushing a copy of the Koran down a toilet. According to the magazine, the action was a way of trying to provoke detainees into talking. Love that word "detainees." Sounds so pastoral. "Uncle Achmed, you've missed seven years of my birthday parties." "I was detained."

After hearing about the article, mobs in Pakistan and Afghanistan erupted into violent anti- American protests. And not your normal average everyday regularly-scheduled anti- American mob protests either. At least 17 people have died and many others were severely wounded. And no, I have no idea how they managed to get their hands on the latest Newsweek. My subscription issue usually doesn't show up until a couple weeks later. For instance, did you know Pope John Paul II just died? - More...
Monday - May 23, 2005

M.J. Wilde: Those Viagra ads are a real downer - Well, boys, apparently it's true. If you do it, you'll go blind.

Of course I'm talking about taking Viagra. A new study by University of Minnesota researchers have identified 14 cases in which men suffered what they're calling a "stroke of the eye" shortly after taking the dysfunction drug. And they've concluded men who use Viagra might be running the risk of permanent blindness. - More...
Monday - May 23, 2005

Dale McFeatters: North Korea rattles its neighbors - North Korea, in its own oblique way, has hinted that it may return to the six-power talks over the future of its nuclear-weapons program. That in turn may signify a recognition in Pyongyang that if it detonates a nuclear device bad things will happen, beginning with stiff international sanctions.

China, North Korea's biggest patron, has begun showing impatience with North Korean dithering over returning to the nuclear talks that it broke off last June. And while China has until now opposed harsher sanctions, a nuclear device would likely reverse that position. - More...
Monday - May 23, 2005  

Dan K. Thomasson: Fearsome proposals to boost FBI powers - Some really scary things are happening around here these days.

Congress has become a place of great incivility and rancor, which threaten to undermine any hope of legislative remedy to a myriad of problems, from Social Security to soaring health-care costs to immigration to a steadily crumbling manufacturing base once the envy of the world.

But perhaps the most frightening prospect for Americans is an unfettered national police force with the sole discretion to determine who can be investigated as a potential terrorist. That's the impact of little-known proposals to greatly expand the powers of the FBI, permitting its agents to seize business records without a warrant and to track the mail of those in terrorist inquiries without regard to Postal Service concerns. - More...
Monday - May 23, 2005