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Wednesday
July 10, 2013
Rare Leucistic Eagle at Herring Cove
Leucism comes in two main varieties - paleness, an equal reduction
of melanin in all feathers; and pied, an absence of melanin in some feathers creating white patches.
Front Page Photo By CINDY BALZER ©2013
(Please respect the rights of photographers, never republish or copy
without permission and/or payment of required fees.)
Alaska: Governor Submits ANWR Plan - Governor Sean Parnell announced yesterday that the State of Alaska is officially submitting a plan for seismic exploration activities in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge 1002 Area, pursuant to Section 1002(e) of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA).
“The 1002 Area of ANWR holds enormous promise for Alaska and for our nation,” Governor Parnell said. “Federal law provides clear direction and mandates a number of actions that the Interior Secretary must take upon the submission of a 1002 Area exploration plan. We look forward to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell’s prompt review and approval of this exploration plan.”
On May 18, with support from North Slope Borough Mayor Charlotte Brower and Arctic Slope Regional Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer Rex Rock, the State of Alaska submitted a detailed 1002 Area exploration proposal and offered to help finance seismic studies in the 1002 Area. In late June, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell completely rejected the State’s proposal and offer of funding support. Therefore, the State is submitting a formal exploration plan and special use permit application for the 1002 Area.
“ANILCA requires the Secretary to take formal action on this exploration plan,” said Natural Resource Commissioner Dan Sullivan, noting that the U.S. Department of Interior approved 1002 Area exploration plans in the 1980s and that the law does not contain a sunset provision and therefore is still on the books.
“This 240-page, world-class document meets all the statutory and regulatory requirements for a 1002 Area exploration plan contained within the Code of Federal Regulations and in ANILCA. If an exploration plan meets all of these requirements, the Secretary is required by law to approve it.” - More...
Wednesday PM - July 10, 2013
Alaska: Twenty-Nine Alaskans Charged for Medical Assistance Fraud - On July 9, 2013, the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) in the Alaska Department of Law announced the filing of criminal charges against 29 Anchorage based personal care attendants (PCA) and Medicaid recipients as part of an ongoing state and federal investigation into medical assistance fraud by employees of Good Faith Services, LLC (Good Faith), PCAs and Medicaid recipients receiving services from Good Faith. The following state and federal agencies collaborated on the investigation: the Anchorage Police Department; investigators with the Department of Commerce; agents with the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; the Social Security Administration; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations.
The investigation was initiated based on information received by Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) staff alleging that Good Faith employees were not providing care to Medicaid recipients living in Chugach Manor and Chugach View Apartments. The initial review of the PCAs working for Good Faith revealed that numerous PCAs were making over $100,000 a year and one PCA made over $275,000 in two years.
Good Faith is a personal care agency that provides Medicaid personal care, transportation and care coordination services to eligible Medicaid recipients. PCAs are licensed and registered healthcare providers that Medicaid pays to provide home-based care services for Medicaid recipients in the recipient's home as opposed to a nursing home type setting. Personal care agencies are paid approximately $24 per hour for providing PCA services and federal law requires that the agency pay the PCA at least $12 per hour. - More...
Wednesday PM - July 10, 2013
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Alaska: Fairbanks Pipeline Training Center & Plumbers and Pipefitters Looking to Train New Pipeline Welders - The Fairbanks Pipeline Training Center and the Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 375 have teamed up to provided an exceptional training opportunity for Alaskans. The training, to be held in Fairbanks at the Pipeline Training Center"s new Welding Center, is a tuition-free eighteen week advanced welding course. Upon successful completion, students will have acquired the skills necessary to begin a career in welding through the Plumbers and Pipefitters Union.
Bret Helms, Training Director of the Plumbers & Pipefitters Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee in Fairbanks, says of the tuition-free training, "If someone is looking for a good career with good pay and benefits, this is the opportunity for them."
The training begins August 5th and ends December 3rd. The deadline for submitting training application is July 15, 2013. Preference will be given to applicants who have prior welding and/or construction experience. After completing the eighteen week course, the Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 375 will assist graduates with securing employment through the union. - More...
Wednesday PM - July 10, 2013
Alaska: New tool for reporting Alaska volcanic ash fall allows residents to assist scientific monitoring - Wilderness pilots, hikers, boaters and people in Alaskan communities can now report online to authorities if they witness falling ash or an ash cloud from anerupting volcano. The Alaska Volcano Observatoryhas developed a new online tool for reporting visible volcanic ash.
The "Is Ash Falling?" reporting system is available to the public via the AVO website. Users browsing the site during eruptions will be directed to this web form, allowing them to submit ash-fall information to the Observatory. Future use of this online reporting system by other U.S. and international volcano observatories is planned.
The primary volcano hazard in Alaska is airborne ash, which endangers aircraft flying the busy North Pacific air routes and consequently affects global commerce. Downwind ash fall is also a significant threat to commerce, transportation and day-to-day activities in nearby Alaska communities.
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Information received from the public through the ash-fall reporting tool will help AVO and National Weather Service scientists track eruption clouds and associated fallout. These reports will also give scientists a more complete record of the amount, duration and other conditions of ash fall. The firsthand accounts of ash fall will support computer model development and interpretation of satellite imagery.
"Ash fall, especially small amounts, is easily mixed in with previous and later ash-fall events and then blown about by winds in the summer. It becomes impossible to tease out ash from different explosions and the timing of when it fell sometimes within a week. By getting ash-fall reports from the public covering a wide range of time and area, we will be able to much better refine our ash-fall models, resulting in better forecasts," said Tom Murray, director of the U.S. Geological Survey's Volcano Science Center. - More...
Wednesday PM - July 10, 2013
Alaska: Trex Company Reminds Consumers of Replacement Program for Defective Decking Manufactured between 2002 and 2007 for Sale in Alaska - Trex Company, Inc., the world's largest manufacturer of wood-alternative decking and railing products, is once more notifying consumers in 16 western states who may have purchased defective Trex decking product suffering from surface flaking to contact the company and receive replacement materials. Trex has previously announced that a small percentage of decking boards manufactured at its Fernley, Nevada plant between 2002 and 2007 suffered from surface flaking due to a manufacturing problem.
Trex is issuing this reminder notice because it has received a small number of claims where badly flaking decking boards that had not yet been replaced broke.
Trex strongly encourages homeowners in the western United States to closely examine their decks, particularly in high traffic areas, for any signs of cracking or peeling. If a homeowner notices evidence of flaking, they should contact Trex immediately and participate in the established replacement program.
In 2010, a class action settlement was approved that provides for a comprehensive replacement program for any decking affected by surface flaking. Under the terms of the settlement, Trex replaces any decking boards suffering from the defect, and provides a portion of the labor payment to replace the decking. - More...
Wednesday PM - July 10, 2013 |
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Questions, please contact
the editor at editor@sitnews.us or call 617-9696
Sitnews reserves the right to edit.
 Facts Regarding STVFD Grant By Steve Rydeen -
With all due respect to Mr. Plute, I find it remarkable that he didn’t investigate before writing his letter. The South Tongass Fire Chief and the Borough Manager are readily available to answer questions and to provide accurate information. The project in question was a grant request to the State for a back-up Generator and alarm system for the new Mountain Point fire station. - More...
Wednesday PM - July 10, 2013
Another tax break for the rich? By Norm Noggle -
I appreciated reading Bill Walker's piece regarding the recommendation to allow the public to vote on any proposed tax giveaways to the oil companies in this state. Gov. Parnell came up with the scare tactic that the oil companies need to have reduced taxes in order to continue to have the financial resources to explore for more oil. - More...
Wednesday PM - July 10, 2013
Maisch Hoodwinks Congress About the Tongass By Larry Edwards -
Alaska's chief forester, Chris Maisch, should be fired and be held in contempt of Congress. Falsehoods were plentiful in his June 25 testimony to the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee, representing the state on Tongass National Forest issues. - More...
Wednesday PM - July 10, 2013
Sealaska By Michael Beasley - Humbling opinion. Leaves You with a heavy heart. I believe Sealaska is a product of the Landclaims settlement and has lost its way by hiding behind being a Corporation. Altering the election system and creating a monopoly of directors is the cancer with Sealaska Corporation. Nothing will change until a fair election system occurs. - More...
Wednesday PM - July 10, 2013
Bugge's Beach By Clayton J. Benner -
I grew up in Ketchkan, bike riding out to Bugge's Beach many summer days as a teanager. In about 1945 or 1946, when I was just learning to drive, Dich Borch organized a big project at the beach. He gathered a bunch of us youny-ins and, with the help of Public Works equipment (trucks, bull-dozer, etc) we scooped out the muck from the enclosed beach area. Then the big job. We added 2'-8" to the top of the dam and a diving board mount on top of that. - More...
Monday PM - July 08, 2013
The Lies and Truths of Local Government By Ed Plute -
With the recent revelations of scandal after scandal in our current government, it is only a matter of time before our own communities corruption comes to light. Exhaustion is the only word that comes to mind when dealing with the current system. Not to mention as we speak, every person reading this is certainly wondering what is REALLY going on? Not only out there in the world, but right here in our own town of Ketchikan. For the past few years the world has been progressively waking up to the reality that our own bureaucracy is a facade and that our current local governments are not much better. Supporting personal agendas through manipulative processes and seemingly getting away with it time and time again. However, it is about time we put our own community back together. How, you may ask, do we do this? - More..
Friday PM - July 05, 2013
Let Alaskans Vote on Oil Tax Overhaul By Bill Walker -
The fight for Alaskan statehood took 88 years - from the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867 to our Union admittance in 1959. During this time, Alaskans suffered one form of exploitation after another. - More...
Friday PM - July 05, 2013
Referendum to repeal SB 21 By Sen. Bert Stedman -
Americans just celebrated the declaration of our independence from the British and the birth of our country based on democratic principles and individual rights enshrined in our Constitution. In light of this important holiday, I find it rather fitting that on Wednesday my family and I exercised our right to petition the government by signing the referendum to repeal SB 21, the new petroleum tax that undervalues our oil. Every Alaskan who signs the referendum to repeal SB 21 is simply expressing a desire to participate in a public debate about the selling price of their primary resource. I’m proud to place my name on the referendum with other Alaskans who want to exercise their fundamental right to participate in the government process. - More...
Friday PM - July 05, 2013
Open Letter: A "Bit" of Governmental waste By A. M. Johnson -
The following has come to my attention. Perhaps you are aware of the issue, perhaps not, It would not be surprising if you are not, It would not be a issue normally visited by the general public and so assumed, would remain hidden un-noticed, ignored,and allowed to continue with congressional awareness unabated. - More...
Friday PM - July 05, 2013
RE: Ketchikan-what a town! By Jim Duncan -
Great Call Teri! Fantasy Island I like to think! - More...
Friday PM - July 05, 2013
Racist Words By Al Johnson - Since Wal-Mart and Target dropped Paula Deen, I fully expect them to remove all hip hop and rap DVDs that contain the same word and that are also racist against whites. - More...
Friday PM - July 05, 2013
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