Close encounters with Mars Photo courtesy NASA Today, August 27, 2003, Mars will be closer to our planet than it has been in nearly 60,000 years. In celebration of this once-in-a-lifetime event, August 27th has been declared Mars Day by The Planetary Society.

Ketchikan: Tongass National Forest Awards 15 Grants To Southeast Communities - During the past year, the Tongass National Forest awarded 15 economic recovery grants totaling more than $185,000 to Southeast Alaska communities under the Forest Service Economic Recovery Program. - Read more...
Wednesday - August 27, 2003 - 12:30 am

Ketchikan: Up On My Soapbox a Column by Mike Harpold - The Root of the Problem - During each of the past two years, the Borough Assembly has balanced the borough budget by taking money from the school district. Last year, learning that the district was scheduled to receive a Learning Opportunity grant from the state for $500,000, the Assembly cut an equal amount from the school board's request. This year, the Assembly not only cut $500,000 from the school district's operating budget request, but cut $100,000 for student extracurricular activities.

Some assembly members have actively sought to mislead the public by asserting that the budget cuts are in response to actions taken by the school board, that it is the school board that is fiscally irresponsible. In particular, they cite the pay raise the school board gave to teacher's last year. In fact, school funding is based on student count, not education expenses. Whether or not to give teachers a raise is a decision the school board has to make given the funds it receives. - Read more...
Wednesday - August 27, 2003 - 12:30 am

Local Candidates Filed As of Monday, Aug. 25th

Ketchikan - Fireworks ignited, thrown at two Cherry Hill stores - Two men were charged with aggravated arson Sunday morning after fireworks were set off or thrown into two Cherry Hill 7-Eleven stores, police said. A Ketchikan man was one of the two charged with numerous offenses. - Read more...
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA - Wednesday, August 27, 2003

Alaska: - Greenpeace receives cool reception in Alaska - The Greenpeace ship Esperanza, anchored peacefully here in Gastineau Channel, has managed to stir up many in Southeast Alaska who still remember the heyday of the timber industry. - Read more...
Fairbanks Daily News Miner - Wednesday - August 27, 2003

PNNL supercomputer fastest open system in U.S Photo courtesy PNNL

Northwest: PNNL supercomputer fastest open system in U.S - The Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is now home to the United States' fastest operational unclassified supercomputer. The laboratory's 11.8 teraflops industry-standard HP Integrity system came to full operating power this week, marking the next advance in high-performance computing designed to enable new insights in the environmental and molecular sciences, including chemistry, biology, climate and subsurface chemistry.

Based on peak performance, the PNNL machine is the fifth fastest system in the world and is the fastest unclassified computer operating in the U.S. The laboratory ordered the supercomputer from HP in April 2002.

"Computational resources such as the PNNL supercomputer are essential to DOE's commitment to provide the most innovative solutions to critical energy and environmental problems," said Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham. "DOE continues to demonstrate its competitiveness in high-performance computing capabilities by investing in new systems and new approaches to scientific inquiry." - Read more...
Wednesday - August 27, 2003 - 12:30 am

Ketchikan:Gravina Access Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement Now Available Online - Click here to read or download the report...
Posted: Wednesday - August 06, 2003 - 2:10 pm

DEIS public comment period closes on October 06, 2003

Gravina Access Project: Schedule of upcoming open houses & hearings

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