Ketchikan: Ketchikan man arrested for arson By MARY KAUFFMAN - Responding to a report of a residential fire near mile 15 North Tongass Highway, numerous emergency vehicles sped to the scene around 6:00 pm Friday. The North Tongass Volunteer Fire Department's fire, water tankers and emergency vehicles, along with the Alaska State Troopers and Alaska Wildlife Troopers were among the responders. The initial call from a concerned citizen reported smoke could be seen coming from under the eves of the home.

According to Chief Dave Hull of the North Tongass Fire Department, Lt. Greg Brown was the first responder to arrive on scene. Lt. Brown confirmed there was a structure fire and reported seeing flames coming from a bedroom window and heavy smoke. Hull said Lt. Brown immediately requested mutual aide from both the City of Ketchikan and South Tongass Fire Departments. Both departments also responded to the scene with additional fire, rescue equipment and water tankers.

The first responders immediately checked the home for occupants and finding none, set about extinguishing the fire. Hull said they then received a report that a two-year old child was unaccounted for. Chief Hull said they immediately began an "intensive" search of the home's interior. Hull said they later received a report that the child was safe at another location and was not in the home. There were no injuries resulting from the fire said Chief Hull, and they were all relieved to hear that the child was safe.

Investigation on scene by the Alaska State Troopers reveled that Scot Bartholomew, 34 years-of-age of Ketchikan, had assaulted a female member of the residence causing minor injuries. After the female fled the residence, Bartholomew is alleged to have set fire to the home with the fire engulfing the interior.

Chief Hull said most of the fire damage to the residence occurred before the first responders from North Tongass Volunteer Fire Department arrived. Hull said there was extensive damage to the interior of the home and he estimated the damage to be approximately $100,000. Chief Hull said the family lost all their belongings. - More...
Saturday - June 08, 2013

Fish Factor: Golden king crab stocks around Aleutians thriving By LAINE WELCH - Amidst the salmon fisheries starting up all across the state, several Alaska crab seasons also get underway each summer.  In mid-June, the summer Dungeness crab fishery opens in the Panhandle, as does red king crab at Norton Sound. Those are followed in August by golden kings along the far flung Aleutian Islands, which might soon take the title as Alaska’s largest king crab fishery.

Unlike other Bering Sea crab stocks, surveys on golden kings have been limited due to distance and high costs. The deep water stocks have sustained a fishery for 30 years, but managers aren’t sure about what’s really going on down there.  

Viewpoints
Commentary
Opinions/Letters
Basic Rules &
Freedom of Speech

RE: Taxes & Local Govt. By John Harrington - I hope that your readers are interested in continuing the conversation on taxes and local government, because I am writing again. - More...
Monday AM - June 10, 2013

Ketchikan Govt. & Taxes By Douglas J. Thompson - I am following the discourse on taxation with interest.  It seems that the only ones happy with the situation are those spending and those receiving the tax money.  To state the obvious to anyone looking there is not one department of either the Ketchikan borough or city that is run with any kind of acceptable efficiency and that includes the schools.  There is not even an objective standard of performance for them to meet.  Our hospital has been hijacked from us who have paid for every bit of it.  In the summer we are relegated to owners with no rights as cruise ship people are taken care of before we can even be seen!  The rates are three to four times that of comparable for profit hospitals (and they are legal thieves--see the March issue of Time Magazine).  Firehall, library, bloated departments, on and on it goes, all built and run with not a care of cost to the taxpayer.  So of course property values are far beyond reality and taxes among the highest in the state.  We have a city/borough manager who dictates policy and a council/assembly that has accepted a subservient roll contrary to the way it is supposed to be.  The only ones served are a very few special interests out of our pockets. - More...
Monday AM - June 10, 2013

Schoenbar Jr. High Redheads By Trené Elliott - This year at Schoenbar something noteworthy happened. Red hair occurs in 1-2% of the human population (Wikipedia). Schoenbar had at least three times the average number of redheaded 7th and 8th grade students. Students, staff and parents noticed this rare event and wanted to remember it. The students arranged for all the redheads to have a picture taken to be included in the Year Book. The same was done for twins since there were so many twins at Schoenbar this year. Well, one person called the office and complained. One very childish and extremely petty parent has something against redheads (Gingerism - prejudice against redheads). Maybe this person was bullied by a redhead in their youth. Maybe they have a phobia of red hair (Gingerphobia hatred of redheads). Whatever the silly reason, one phone call was all it took for Schoenbar to remove that picture from the Year Book. - More...
Monday AM - June 10, 2013

Open Letter: Muslims Obamacare exempt? By A.M. Johnson - Senator Mark Begich, as you view the following, reflect on the dumbass vote you gave on the very first days in office. Sucked up to Obama and look at the continuing disaster that is coming to light. Right, pass the damn legislation to find out what is in it. Well Senator now we know and are learning more. So is it too much to ask that you do your own due diligence you failed to do in the first instance or you staff to be charged to do so. - More...
Monday AM - June 10, 2013

Borough Bus System By Rudy McGillvray - I ride the Ketchikan borough buses, as such I feel I have a small expectation they are running at or close to their scheduled times. Even tho it's Tourist Season, and the numbers of them slow the buses down somewhat, I feel that it is the other vehicular traffic that really slows down the buses. - More...
Wednesday PM - June 05, 2013

Thanks Ketchikan By Fred Bassett - Thank you for posting my request to find places to band hummingbirds in Ketchikan. I banded at five homes and met many wonderful, helpful people. I banded 77 Rufous hummingbirds as part of my migration research and could have banded many more if I could have stayed longer. - More...
Wednesday PM - June 05, 2013

Taxes & Local Govt. By Dan McQueen - It's refreshing to wake-up with a cup of coffee and the SIT-NEWS' letters to the Editor. I really enjoyed Mr.Dial's letter of 3 June 2013. - More..
Wednesday PM - June 05, 2013

Thieves Among Us By Tina Singer - This past weekend, someone stole a beautiful orange blossomed hanging begonia from my front porch on Baranof Avenue. Not only did they steal from me, but, as this was a mother's day gift, they've also stolen from my son. - More...
Monday PM - June 03, 2013

RE: Taxes & Local Government By Rodney Dial - Thank you Mr. Harrington for the kind words about me.  I too appreciate most of your past efforts on the Assembly as one of the more moderate members…. however, regarding your statement about my letters: - More...
Monday PM - June 03, 2013

Property Tax By Hans Holum - Mr Harrington misses a major point in his own argument about property tax comparisons around the state. A lot of the listed places are both the city and borough tax load i.e. the entire tax for real property in the area. If you add the city tax portion to the borough rate, the people of Ketchikan are right up there with Fairbanks and are only topped by the North Slope Borough. - More...
Monday PM - June 03

More Than Just a Sealaska Shareholder By Frank Hopper - I was born in Juneau, although I have no memory of ever living there. My family moved to Seattle when I was only two. My Caucasian father never explained why, except to say there were too many "rednecks" in Juneau who didn't approve of his marriage to a Tlingit woman. - More...
Monday PM - June 03, 2013

Why we don't want to simplify the Income Tax code. By Jim Donnell - Congressman Tim Griffin [AZ-02] appeared on Fox News today to talk about the effort in the House Ways and Means committee to simplify the income tax code, eliminate loop holes, lower the rates, etc. He said that the Senate Finance committee is in similar agreement to which the Fox reporter replied, "I can't imagine any American would be against that..." - More...
Monday PM - June 03, 2013

ObamaCare cost By A.M. Johnson - Sorry, I am unable to contain the frustrations of watching our elected officials handling the uproar of mind boggling scandal(s) and inability to see the forest for the trees or worst yet, not able to see the tree for the forest! It is obvious not matter the party, the intent of ObamaCare while good intentioned, is a debacle mess and will only become worst as the depth and consequences gain more momentum towards the final implication date. Can it be stopped? Yes, Man (Lisa) makes laws Man (Lisa) can change or remove laws. Not that she can do it single handed, but it would surely help if she started shouting and making noise. There are Senators who ARE doing so. Her absents supports the suspicion that her RINO status is golden!. Anyway Editor, I have submitted my frustration to Senator Murkowski. A copy of this frustration is submitted to Sitnews. - More...
Monday PM - June 03, 2013

RE: Taxes & the Local Government By John Harrington - I appreciate the role Mr. Dial fulfills with his letters regarding fiscal restraint, and living within our means. He provides an excellent balance for the ‘Tax and Spend’ faction in our community. However sometimes he neglects to provide all the information. That is, of course, a strategy that is useful when trying to make a point emphatically. So even though I value his point of view, and acknowledge the need for more restraint on government, I am going to provide a little more of the information that Mr. Dial left out. - More...
Thursday PM - May 30, 2013

Post Graduation Party 2013 By Joey Tillson - Four years of hard work and preparedness for our graduates of 2013 have come to another chapter closed in this book of life. Each of these students have come so far and plan to succeed even further in their endeavors. Over 100 businesses in Ketchikan have donated to our graduates. From gift certificates to whole building spaces, fine jewelry to barge line tickets, the vendors and community members have donated precious time and valuables for our kids. I would like to extend a sincere thanks to the community and businesses who continue to support our children. And of course a few words of wisdom to our graduates as they head off to their futures. - More...
Thursday PM - May 30, 2013

A solution to present woes with the IRS and taxation By Glen E. Terrell - The income tax code is complicated beyond comprehension. An institution like the IRS has no place in a society of free people. The power that came to congress with the income tax and 16th amendment has so corrupted our Congress and the IRS that we must start over. - More...
Thursday PM - May 30, 2013

Thank You Ketchikan By Peggy Pollen - Dear People of Ketchikan, You have an amazing group of citizens in your community. They are called Rotarians. - More...
Tuesday PM - May 28, 2013

Re: Taxes & Local Government by Ken Bylund - Ketchikan, and government in general, caving to special interest groups? Isn't as simple as bending to the will of the majority; government is clearly "the special interest group." ... is the obvious really that hard to understand? To look, to see that we have been asleep as an overweighted minority of power claims the apportionment of taxes as their own; thousands of specific descriptions of property sinking in the quicksand of [fill in the blank] self proclaimed predominant party; reasons this Republic was assembled in the way it was; now orchestrated ignorance proclaims The Constitution is a "living document" obsolete, needing change, to be discarded, for the social benefit of the children... Pathos trumps Logos. - More...
Tuesday PM - May 28, 2013

Hummingbirds By Fred Bassett - I am a hummingbird bander who will be doing migration research on hummingbirds in Ketchikan from 2 to 5 June.  I am looking for hummingbird hosts with good numbers of hummers who will allow me to band at their homes. - More...
Tuesday PM - May 28, 2013 

Wage Reduction vs. Change Tax System By Anthony Gasbarro - Jobs have been lost in this country for over 30 years due to our lack of competitiveness. It's cheaper to go out of the country for most manufacturers than to make products here. People who haven't lost their jobs are squeezed to do more with less. Sound familiar? - More...
Tuesday PM - May 28, 2013

Enough! By Tilli Abbott - I was raised in Hoonah, graduating from high school the same year ANSCA passed Congress. Never paid attention to the corporations until I was 40. Ran for the board, made it and continue to battle "them" as I observe reverse discrimination. That's what I see... racism and discrimination hidden within the walls of the Native Corporations. - More...
Tuesday PM - May 28, 2013

Fair Tax By Patrick R. Burkett - Recent news regarding the IRS targeting certain political groups and their members for harassment via tax exempt applications and tax return audits provides further reason why we the people should vote to disband the IRS. Legislation in the form of HR25 and S122, titled The Fair Tax Act, does just that and awaits hearings in the U.S. House of Representative's Ways and Means Committee and the U.S. Senate's Finance Committee respectively. - More...
Tuesday PM - May 28, 2013

Filipinos in Ketchikan By Joey Garcia - This topic is my concern after the recently concluded elections in the Philippines that make concern to the Filipinos in Ketchikan, Alaska, in my personal opinion. This commentary is based on pronouncements of the scenario to clarify who, where, when, and how, for understanding comprehensively and in comparison to where the real Filipino roots are. - More...
Tuesday PM - May 28, 2013

RE: Taxes & Local Government By Suzan Thompson - In response to Rodney Dial's recent letter, wherein he makes a number of valid points, I'd like to point out that the photos at the conclusion of his letter may be misleading for some people. The photo of the Juneau library is actually that of a branch library located in a mall; their main library is much larger. - More...
Tuesday PM - May 28, 2013

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