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Ketchikan: Ketchikan artist & ANS paleontologist in line for natural history awards - An artist with an obsession with fish and a paleontologist who discovered a missing link will each receive a prestigious award for their achievements from The Academy of Natural Sciences at its 195th Annual Meeting on Friday, June 1st.

Ray Troll, an artist, naturalist, author and musician living in Ketchikan, Alaska, will receive the Gold Medal for Distinction in Natural History Art for contributing to a better understanding and appreciation of living things.

Armed with a life-long interest in natural history, Troll got his start in pop culture by creating offbeat depictions of fish and other sea creatures for T-shirts. He has co-written and illustrated six books including Rapture of the Deep and Sharkabet, has written blues songs about fish and is the art director for a traveling exhibition that opens June 2 at the Academy called Amazon Voyages: Vicious Fishes and Other Riches.

Dr. Ted Daeschler, who co-discovered the 375-million-year-old Canadian Arctic fossil that is an evolutionary link between fish and limbed animals, will receive the Hayden Memorial Geological Award for excellence in scientific discovery and research. - More...
Saturday - May 05, 2007

Alaska: Governor Submits Comments on Tongass Land Management Plan to USFS - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has submitted comments on behalf of the State of Alaska to the United States Forest Service (USFS) with regard to the Tongass Land Management Plan (TLMP). The public comment period ended April 30, 2007.

"This administration took a different approach in voicing the State's opinions," said Governor Sarah Palin. "With the best interests of Southeast Alaska in mind, this administration submitted comments on behalf of three departments, rather than each, independently. We believe one, united voice will send a clear and concise message that we need help to stabilize and revitalize the industry."

The following policy guidelines were used to craft the combined comments of the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development; the Department of Fish and Game; and the Department of Natural Resources: - More...
Saturday - May 05, 2007

Week In Review By THOMAS HARGROVE - Bush vetoes Iraq pullout legislation

President Bush on Tuesday night vetoed the Democratic-controlled Congress' $124 billion spending bill that required U.S. troops to begin withdrawing from Iraq by Oct. 1.

"I am confident that with good will on both sides that we can move beyond political statements," Bush said. Democrats lacked a two-thirds majority to override the veto. Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Robert Byrd of West Virginia on Thursday proposed repealing the 2002 resolution authorizing the use of force in Iraq. "If the president will not bring himself to accept reality, it is time for Congress to bring reality to him," Clinton said.

Excavator Falls Into Tongass Narrows The excavator demolishing the Nordby Building is pictured leaning Friday after falling through the floor -- it later falls into Tongass Narrows. - View a larger photo... Photograph by Chris Wilhelm  Ketchikan: Excavator plunges through Nordby floor - An unoccupied Caterpillar excavator fell through the Nordby Building floor and into Tongass Narrows early Friday afternoon after the failure of a pile cap. No one was injured in the incident, according to Laurie Pool... Read this Ketchikan Daily News story (Subscription required)... www.ketchikandailynews.com Ketchikan: Dock extension behind schedule - Listen to this KRBD story... www.krbd.org

GOP candidates support current Iraq policy

All 10 Republican presidential candidates supported the current U.S. military mission in Iraq during the GOP's first debate Thursday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif. "We should never retreat in the face of terrorism," said former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. Sen. John McCain of Arizona said the recent U.S. military buildup increases odds for success, although he said Bush has "terribly mismanaged" the war. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said the United States should not pull out so quickly "that we have to go back."

Violence flares during L.A. demonstrations

Los Angeles police clashed with immigration-rights demonstrators Tuesday in McArthur Park, swinging batons and firing hundreds of rubber bullets. The FBI announced Thursday it will investigate whether protesters' civil rights were violated in the violence. A video showed police attacking demonstrators and journalists from behind as they tried to walk away from the scene. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa cut short his visit to Mexico and promised a "thorough and transparent investigation" into police conduct. - More...
Saturday - May 05, 2007

Fish Factor: New law would protect deckhands from unscrupulous skippers by LAINE WELCH - Deckhands will no longer be able to get stiffed by unscrupulous skippers if a new law gets the nod from Alaska lawmakers.

A measure being proposed by Rep. Bill Thomas of Haines, a lifelong commercial fisherman, would require contracts that outline how and when crewmembers will be paid. The written agreements would mirror a federal law that applies to vessels of 20 gross tons or more. Thomas' proposal would apply to all state fishing boats, even those with just one deck hand.

Many Alaska skippers routinely provide contracts for their crew, but most do not. And many agreements are ambiguous and open for wide interpretation.

"This would professionalize the relationship by putting a statute into Alaska law," said Thomas' fisheries aide Ian Fisk. "It would require contracts that outline how and when crewmembers will be paid. We're not trying to tell skippers what expenses are allowable, because that's up to them to determine. But the crewman needs to know what expenses are going to be deducted from the gross proceeds to arrive at the adjusted gross upon which his or her percentage will be paid."

Fisk, also a fisherman, said the contracts would be 'very basic' and could be "tweaked" to accommodate variances in different fisheries.

"We're not trying to limit the skipper's discretion in terms of how he or she wants to write a contract - as long as the crew agrees and knows up front what the arrangement is," he said.

Penalties for non-compliance are still being defined, but not having copies of crew contracts on board would likely result in a fine or ticket.

Several deckhands said requiring a clearly defined crew contract is a good idea.

"When salmon season was over, my skipper told me that I wouldn't get my full share if I didn't haul and chop firewood for his home use, and also paint his fence," said a Kodiak deckhand, speaking on condition of anonymity. "He made similar threats about my sticking around 'just in case' he wanted to make a few quick trips into the fall."

Several deckhands on a Kodiak halibut boat also lamented long lags before getting paid, with no explanations by their skippers. Similarly, Fisk said he and Rep. Thomas decided to take action after two Juneau crewmen complained they had each been shorted $10,000 by a skipper.

Fisk said time might not allow for the crew contract bill to be heard during the legislative session that is set to end on May 16. He said a draft will be circulated to fishing groups for public comment during the year and the measure will be taken up by Alaska lawmakers in 2008.

'We want this to be a requirement, similar to having car insurance. It would be a law that is enforced and has some teeth to it," Fisk said. "Fishing is a profession and whether a deckhand is working for a summer or the rest of his life, it's only fair to know how and what you're being paid. By having a contract signed by both parties, we hope to reduce the amount of disputes that end up in court." - More...
Saturday - May 05, 2007

Viewpoints Opinions/Letters Basic Rules Response to headline: "Hospital fires temporary doctor" By Patrick Branco, Lorrie Mortensen and Kate Vikstrom - Friday 18,000 Alaska children have no health insurance By Rep. Les Gara - Friday Acquiring Coast Guard Beach By Carrie Dolwick - Friday School board conduct By Eugene Martin - Friday Outrage By A.M.Johnson - Friday In Defense of Webb By Tom Ferry - Friday "Getting" vs "The Buck Stops Here" By Charlotte Tanner - Friday Ethics and Professionalism vs. Apology By Ralph Mirsky - Thursday PM Serious questions about the missing $200,000 of Borough money By Anita Hales - Thursday PM Some Mean and Short Sighted People By Jerry Cegelske - Thursday Open Meetings By Michael Spence - Thursday Letter of appreciation By A. M. Johnson - Thursday Wilson Clinic and New Horizons By Patrick Branco - Thursday Recycle Bins By Carol Baines - Thursday A LONG OVERDUE THANK YOU!!! By Dugan Daniels - Thursday Webb's Apology By Jason Moore - Thursday Fiscally Responsible Goverment By Ed Fry - Monday PM Apology By Carl C. Webb - Monday PM Janelle Hamilton will be missed By Frances Natkong - Monday PM Big Changes are Coming. By George Miller - Monday PM Missing $200K By Hunter Davis - Monday PM Does anyone remember... By James Gropper - Monday PM Wilson Clinic and other names By Marcia Hilley - Monday PM Re Immigration Reform By Mike Isaac - Monday PM Serious questions about the missing $200,000 of Borough money By Mary Lynne Dahl - Friday RE: SPRING COUNTER -OFFENSIVE AND OTHER WEIRD STUFF By Rick Krueger - Friday Immigration Reform? By John Maki - Friday Re: Wilson Clinic By Dave Kiffer - Friday More Viewpoints/ Letters Publish A Letter Ketchikan Police Report Updated AK Troopers Daily Dispatch Today's Forecast Satellite Today's Weather Images Marine Forecasts Ketchikan Weather Data Current AK Weather Map CLASSIFIEDS Publish ad Please select the proper category before posting. CLASSIFIEDS' CATEGORIES Announcements For Sale / Free Stuff Garage Sales Homes / Apts/ Property Pets Wanted Lost & Found Local Services Publish your ad April - May 2007 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 01 02 03 04 05 More Front Page Archives

Jason Love: Paintball - It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. My community lived in relative peace -- shopping, sunbathing, recreational surgery -- while in the hills of Simi Valley underage kids were being gunned down by paintballs.

I'm a pretty peaceful dude. If I were king, our troops would shower the Middle East with LSD until they all discovered oneness. There would be no Us and Them, just Brothers of the Blue and Green Marble.

"This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius..."

You can see, then, why I might balk at the idea of paintball, and by "balk" I mean make the sound of a chicken. Still I showed up at Paintball USA, where players poured in wearing camouflage and motocross helmets. I looked for, but could not find, Mad Max.

Mike Schwartz, owner of Paintball USA, Close Encounters, says that it's like playing G.I. Joe but in real life. I myself was into PlaySkool, and casualties were rare. Weebles wobble, but they don't fall down.

At the sign-in desk we found Art, head referee. Art would not divulge his surname but swears that he is not running from the government. Art, in fact, had the hyper-organized feel of a Green Beret and probably knows the truth about Roswell.

Art wasn't the tallest guy in town, but you got the feeling that should you cross him, he could skeletonize you by hand. Remember Vavoom from Felix the Cat? The one who started avalanches with his voice? That's how Art covered the rules.

"DO NOT SHOOT THE LIZARDS. THEY WILL DIE." - More...
Thursday PM - May 03, 2007

Tom Purcell: Exploiting the American Prom - Proms sure have gotten expensive these days.

According to the San Jose Mercury News, high school kids spend nearly $4 billion annually for dresses, accessories, flowers, beauty products, limos and other prom-related items. The average couple spends upward of $1,000 for the one-time event.

That got me thinking about my own prom in 1980.

I didn't know my date very well. She was in my photography class, pretty and, more important, available. We arranged a pre-prom meeting to get to know each other. We played tennis on a blistering-hot day, then headed back to her house for something cold to drink. After she berated her sister for drinking all the Tang, she turned her turret on me.

"I heard about you, a regular class clown," she said. "You better not show up in a limo, wear a top hat or cane or do anything else to embarrass me."

I knew right away things were going to work out fine.

Still, I wanted to impress her. I was running a stone-masonry business in those years and was making a lot of money for a kid.

I figured I'd use some of my dough to impress her.

I bought her the finest corsage in our high school (it cost $45, a lot of money then). I bought a box of frozen steaks, snacks and other refreshments for the after-prom party. But my investments turned out to be bad ones. - More...
Thursday PM - May 03, 2007

Clifford D. May: What the deep thinkers are thinking - For their May/June issue, the editors of Foreign Policy magazine asked 21 "leading thinkers" to propose ideas to "save the world" - or, failing that, to come up with "one solution that would make the world a better place."

Almost all the thinkers assigned to this task do their thinking at think tanks, universities and activist organizations. Is there nowhere else that sages can be found? I mean that as a question, not a criticism.

Foreign Policy's thinkers tackle a diverse list of dilemmas - from poverty to gender inequality to climate change to terrorism. I think their solutions range from the innovative to the far-fetched. See what you think:

Amy Myers Jaffe, a fellow in energy studies at the Baker Institute in Texas, notes that oil is no longer owned primarily by private companies. Instead, government-controlled oil companies "now command close to 80 percent of the world's remaining reserves." As long as we are dependent on these oil-baron states - e.g., Saudi Arabia, Iran, Venezuela, Russia - they will have power over us.

Her solution: "shift the automobile fleet to plug-in, hybrid electric vehicles." The technology already exists, she says. We just need to get the cars on the road sooner, rather than later. I'd add: Abolish taxes on liquid fuels that can serve as alternatives to gasoline.

John Arquilla, a professor at the Naval Postgraduate School, argues that "nearly six years into the first great armed conflict between nations and networks"- global terrorist organizations - "the nations are still fighting the last war." - More...
Thursday PM - May 03, 2007