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SitNews - Stories In The News - Ketchikan, Alaska
Monday - Tuesday
August 09 - 10, 2010

Front Page Photo By MARCIE PUNGOWIYI

Slug Race
Ronnie Pungowiyi (left) cheers his slug on during Saturday's Slug Race. The Slug Race was one of the many scheduled events of the 35th Annual Blueberry Arts Festival which was held this past weekend.
Front Page Photo By MARCIE PUNGOWIYI


Alaska:
Former Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens dies in plane crash - Ted Stevens, the colourful American senator from Alaska, has been killed in a plane crash that occurred 17-miles north of Dillingham, Alaska Monday night.

jpg Ted Stevens

Stevens, who survived a similar crash in Alaska in 1978 that killed his first wife Ann, was on a junket to a fishing lodge courtesy of the telecoms company GCI when the aircraft came down in bad weather in a remote part of the state.

Five of the nine people on board the plane are believed to have died.

A family spokesman said Stevens was among those killed. Some of the other survivors were reported to have struggled with serious injuries through the night until help arrived. - More...
Tuesday - August 10, 2010


  

Fish Factor: Permit bank encourages fishermen & coastal communities By LAINE WELCH - Catch share programs can cause consolidation, trimming the number of vessels and stakeholders in a fishery. After all, that's a primary goal: to rein in too many boats going after too few fish. Too often, rights to the fish get bought, sold or leased away from small, fishing dependent fishing towns.

New England fishing communities are making sure that doesn't happen to them as they transition to a catch share program for groundfish next year. Bankrolled by $5 million from the federal government, 'permit banks' are being set up to buy fishing permits for 19 groundfish species, and lease the catches to boats ported in Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

The permit banks will be operated by each state or by private nonprofits. A permit may be worth between $150,000 and $400,000 depending on the number of pounds attached and the species.

"Without a permit bank, there would be a handful of large boats fishing right off our communities that had no access to the resource right off their shores," said Philip Conkling, president of the Island Institute in Rockland, Maine. The Institute and Nature Conservancy piloted the program two years ago. They lease poundage to fishermen who also test new net configurations.

There are two important qualifications to access the permits,: a boat must be 45 feet or less, and home port in a town with fewer than 30,000 residents. That's a lesson learned from Alaska, said the Institute's Rob Snyder.

"The need for permit banking came directly from our watching the halibut and sablefish fishery consolidate in Alaska, and how small boat communities tend to disproportionately lose out in these allocation battles," Snyder said.

Fishermen and coastal communities are encouraged by the permit bank opportunity, and hope it will anchor small boat fleets in their historical towns.

"The fishermen who are hanging on and trying to stay in the fishery are incredibly encouraged," Snyder said. "I think the folks who would like to get back in someday are holding their breath and hoping this works. But all in all, people are very enthusiastic in the small ports where this is happening."

Philip Conkling credited federal fishery managers for finally paying attention to the little guys.

"This is the first time we've seen in New England that NOAA or anyone else in Washington has paid attention to it," Conkling said. "For the past 20 years, the national dialog has been all about scaling back and increasing efficiency in the fishing industry. There has never been any national level interest in trying to find equitable means when a fishery needs to be consolidated, to make sure the big fish don't eat all the little fish. So NOAA deserves a lot of credit in being very active in the community equity issue."

Alaska has tried to help small coastal towns hang on to shares of halibut and sablefish through a unique Community Quota Entity program, but there have been few takers. - More...
Monday - August 09, 2010

Southeast Alaska: Information sought in shooting-related death of sea lion - NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement is asking for the public's help in finding out who shot a Steller sea lion that was found dead on a beach north of Juneau last week.

A thin and lethargic sea lion was first reportedly sighted on Tuesday, August 3, 2010 between Amalga Harbor and Boy Scout Beach. It was spotted again in the same vicinity the following day.

The deceased sea lion was discovered on Boy Scout Beach at about 5:30 p.m. on Friday 8/6/10.

NOAA Fisheries Veterinarian Kate Savage performed a necropsy Saturday to determine the cause of death. That's when she discovered a bullet casing in the one-year-old male's shoulder. - More...
Monday - August 09, 2010

Alaska: More Actions Needed to Help Western Steller Sea Lion Recover - NOAA's Fisheries Service says changes are needed to the areas where commercial fishermen may fish for groundfish off Alaska's Aleutian Islands to further promote the recovery of the western population of Steller sea lions, and to be in compliance with the Endangered Species Act.

More Actions Needed to Help Western Steller Sea Lion Recover

Steller sea lions.
Credit: NOAA

That's the conclusion of the draft 2010 Groundfish Biological Opinion, released last week by the agency's Alaska region. The document addresses possible effects of current management practices for groundfish fisheries in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska on endangered species, including North Pacific humpback and sperm whales and the western Aleutian Island sub-population of Steller sea lions. Fishers harvest more than 4 billion pounds of fish from the area each year.

Although scientists found that current fishing practices are unlikely to impact the endangered whale populations, such is not the case with Steller sea lions. The greatest concern is in fishery management area 543 in the western Aleutians. From 2000-2008, adult numbers declined 45 percent in this sub-region. Pup production declined 43 percent, making the ratio of pups to adult females on rookeries in this sub-region the lowest in the entire western Steller sea lion population. This continued low birth rate is an indicator of lack of food to sustain the population.

A definitive cause for the population decline has not been identified, but assuring a greater food supply for Steller sea lions is an essential step, said Jim Balsiger, regional administrator for NOAA Fisheries' Alaska region. "Even though factors beyond our control affect the sea lion population, under the Endangered Species Act we are required to ensure that the actions our agency takes to allow fisheries do not jeopardize these endangered animals." - More...
Monday - August 09, 2010

   

Ketchikan Business: BRONZE MAIDEN SEAFOODS AWARDED BEST OF KETCHIKAN 2010 - For the second consecutive year, Bronze Maiden Seafoods, LLC has been awarded the "BEST OF KETCHIKAN 2010" in the Fish and Seafood category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA). Each year the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. According to the USCA, these are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Nationwide, only 1 in 70 (1.4%) 2010 Award recipients qualified as two-time Award Winners. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2010 USCA Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.

Bronze Maiden Seafoods has operated its retail store in Ketchikan at 1414 Tongass Avenue since April, 2005. Open year round, specializing in sustainable, wild Alaska seafood - fresh, frozen and tinned. Wild Alaska Seafood product offerings include their exclusive "SIGNATURE SEAFOOD" line. This special catch can be traced back to the Alaska commercial fishing vessel from which it comes. - More....
Monday - august 09, 2010

National: GOP in Congress attacks 14th Amendment's birthright citizenship clause By MICHAEL COLLINS - Rep. Elton Gallegly has argued for nearly 20 years that one way to fight illegal immigration would be to deny citizenship to U.S.-born children of people who enter the country illegally.

It has been a lonely battle. Until now.

Frustrated by Congress' failure to do anything to curb illegal immigration, a number of prominent lawmakers are suggesting the time has come to consider repealing or rewriting the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees citizenship to anyone born in the United States.

"I don't like tinkering with the Constitution," said Gallegly, R-Calif. But, "we have people who are violating the law to come here just for that benefit (of citizenship). And it truly is a benefit."

The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868 to guarantee citizenship to children of former slaves and other immigrant communities, declares that all people born or naturalized in the United States and "subject to the jurisdiction thereof" are citizens.

But opponents of illegal immigration say many foreigners are taking advantage of the amendment's citizenship clause in a way in which it was never intended. - More...
Monday - august 09, 2010

National: Social Security, at 75, strained by recession, boomers By ANITA CREAMER - Evelyn Sekula's widowed grandmother struggled to survive during the Depression. Like millions of other elderly people, she had no pension and no savings.

"She had no income at all except for what my father gave her"-- maybe $10 a month, said Sekula, 90, who lives in a senior residence in Sacramento County, Calif.

Today's older adults were youngsters when President Franklin D. Roosevelt changed the face of aging by signing the Social Security Act into law on Aug. 14, 1935.

They remember when old age took place in a bleak, Dickensian landscape of need. They remember the difference that Social Security made in ordinary people's lives. And they remember their parents' fears that Social Security amounted to socialism. Yet on the eve of the program's 75th anniversary Saturday, most of them can't imagine retirement without the small cushion of funds and dignity that it provides.

Social Security lifted the elderly out of poverty -- and as the most important source of income for most older Americans, it continues to do so, says Jean Ross, executive director of the California Budget Project.

But the recession has had a negative impact on Social Security, according to a trustees' report released last week. Reduced payroll taxes have resulted in Social Security's first projected annual deficit since 1983. Despite that, both the trustees and the Congressional Budget Office say that the program will remain solvent until 2037. - More...
Monday - August 09, 2010

      

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Questions, please contact the editor at editor@sitnews.us or call 617-9696.

letterKayhi not meeting school standards By Chas Edwardson - When you read Ketchikan High School's explanation on why they missed the AYP (adequate yearly progress) for schools, all you need to do is eliminate economically disadvantaged youth and native kids and you're on easy street. But wait a second -- Metlakatla is full of native kids are they not??? All three of Metlakatla's schools made the cut. The Prince of Wales Island School District is the most economically distressed area of the state and seven of eight schools made the cut (Daily News August 7-8 weekend edition). Not all of the POW schools are exclusively either native or non native it's a general mix. - More...
Monday PM - August 09, 2010

letterLibrary Vote Aug. 24 By Heidi Ekstrand - I spent quite a bit of time talking with people at the Blueberry Festival this year and was encouraged by the huge level of interest and support for a new library building in Ketchikan. We are far past the question of "do we need a new library?" and are poised on the brink of "let's get this thing built." - More....
Monday PM - August 09, 2010

letterPublic Library By Don Hoff Jr. - I've been reading the debates on the public library for some time now... here is what I know. The present library was designed to add additional floors for growth. It would be common sense to add an upper floor to the existing library and would be affordable to the taxpayer. - More...
Monday PM - August 09, 2010

letterJoe Miller for U.S. Senator By Jim Rasmussen - After several months of reading, talking to who-ever would listen,letters,phone calls and e-mails to our elected representatives I have decided to vote for Joe Miller for U.S. Senator. - More...
Monday PM - August 09, 2010

letterI Choose Joe Miller for US Senate and Why; Choose to Be Informed By Sandra Rusin McCray - Southeast Alaska Timber Industry Retooling and Restructuring Act, introduced by current Senator Lisa Murkowski/Co-Sponsored by Mark Begich was introduced April 2, 2009. This bill is in the first step in the legislative process. Introduced bills and resolutions first go to committees that deliberate, investigate, and revise them before they go to general debate. - More...
Monday PM - August 09, 2010

letterTime for a change By Alan Stein - I'm not one of those naïve people who believes Lisa Murkowski's millions on media is a reason to vote for her. - More...
Monday PM - August 09, 2010

letterOhhhh my aching Back! By James Schenk - For years, no all my life I have been very active as a Journeyman Electrician, Scuba Diver,Hard hat diver, fisherman, hunter, sportsman while in high school. - More...
Monday PM - August 09, 2010

letterChloramine By Susan Pickford - There is much more to be concerned about with chloramine than just the fish and dialysis patients. While those are certainly urgent concerns the acute and long term health ramifications for the general population are much more dire. I can tell you that the information below is the concensus of the scientific community, the subject of over 50 peer reviewed studies by the top water chemists in the country and not even wholely disputed by the EPA. - More...
Monday PM - August 09, 2010

letterRE: It's A Matter Of Money By Robert S. Jones - Yes, it is a matter of money, but wasn't the Ketchikan Public Utility employee out of line for divulging information regarding Electrical Disconnects for nonpayment to a non Ketchikan Public Utility employee? - More...
Monday PM - August 09, 2010

letterGiggleFeet 2010 By Judith Green - What a great and grand way to start the Blueberry Arts Festival weekend - enjoying a Friday night full of Ketchikan talent along with some fun. - More....
Monday PM - August 09, 2010

letterInformation wanted By Doris Tobin Bordine - I'm Emery Tobin's daughter and am struggling (pleasantly) writing a book about my grandpa August Tobin's gold rush experiences plus a memoir of my folks' and my lives in Ketchikan. - More....
Monday PM - August 09, 2010

letterIt's a Matter of Money By Sam Bergeron - Today in the mall I ran across a friend who works for Ketchikan Public Utilities. He told me today he was disconnecting 30 electric customers who could not afford to pay their electric bills. 30. That's 30 families with no electricity. I may be stepping out on a limb here but I think these families can't afford any more taxes, fees and expenses other than keeping themselves fed with a roof over their heads. - More...
Friday - august 06, 2010

letterThe White Cliff Factor By Ed Fry - After reading Mr. Dial's posting I can see where we are spending much too much in a tax base that will not support White Cliff's uses, bottom line is it is really expensive per square foot; renting for 5 years to collect some data would have been a better option in today's economy. - More...
Friday - August 06, 2010

letterOut of the Box By A. M. Johnson - Having just returned from a out of town trip, an acquaintance, Snapper Carson, accosted me at the post office in support of candidate Walker for Governor. Snapper expounded on Mr. Walker's support for resource development and being out spoken on many subjects favored by Snapper and myself. He indicated that a "Great Debate" is to take place during the Blue Berry Festival and that the Chamber of Commerce is taking questions to be asked. I declined to accept his invitation to submit questions to the Chamber on the basis that (1) there is no Great Debate in political gatherings. (2)The Chamber while well intended,is charged with going along to get along so it would be doubtful that an "Out of the Box" question would see the light of the day. These political gatherings are "Position Poppycock" designed to not upset anybody and appear as middle of the road moderate. - More...
Friday - August 06, 2010

letterChloramine in City Water By Kristine Bellanich - From what I understand, beginning this month, Ketchikan Public Utilities will begin working towards adding chloramine to the city water supply. As an FYI to those who do not know what chloramine is, it is a mixture of chlorine and ammonia. - More...
Friday - August 06, 2010

letterThe Library ... Again By Patrick Jirschele - I know, everyone is tired of hearing about the library, and I did take some cheap shots with my "Ten Best Reasons" letter. But there is still a lot of bad information being repeated by folks in decision making positions who should be more knowledgeable. - More...
Friday - August 06, 2010

letterUSCIS Office in Ketchikan By Betty Constuble - I so agree with Mr. Jose Garcia's letter. We very much need a USCIS office in Ketchikan. - More...
Tuesday - August 03, 2010

letterRE: The Whitecliff Factor By Penny Eubanks - As the Plaza Manager at the time of the RFP (request for proposal) for the Borough offices, I noted right off the get go the apparent slants. I found it quite interesting to remember that in September of 2007, I believe it was, The Ketchikan Daily News reported on Dawson's purchase of Whitecliff building. In that article, Dawson himself noted that they were planning to remodel the building for Borough offices. Mind you, this was PRIOR to the January 2008 date that the Borough actually put the RFP out! Oh by the way - Dawson did not pay the $50K downpayment until the VERY day the RFP went out for public bid!!! Does something stink here? (Who is taking another bite out of whose apple?!) - More..
Tuesday - August 03, 2010

letterDetailing WITH Insurance By Nelson Hays - I have had several people ask me if the letter Terry Miles posted last week about a detail job gone wrong was AT my shop, and I want to clarify - IT WASN'T ME! The description of the business as a "detail" shop with a young owner made many people suspect me, but I assure you it was another company. - More...
Tuesday - August 03, 2010

letterBike Safety By Marie- Jeanne Cadle - I would like to respectfully request that bike riders signal when coming up on walkers or more slow moving riders, perhaps even telling them on which side they will pass. I am excited to see more and more bike riders out and about, but riders need to remember they are almost silent and are usually moving much faster than those they are passing. - More...
Tuesday - August 03, 2010

letterThe Whitecliff factor By Rodney Dial - Mr. Thompson, I agree with your letter and share your frustration with the way the Whitecliff project has progressed. Here is my take on the issue as I see it over the last several years: - More...
Saturday - July 31, 2010

letterStill want to know... Still no Answers. By Marilyn Blair - It's nice to see that a shareholder would take all that time to go to Cape Fox Corporation (CFC) and research years of archives to learn so much about my time with CFC and things that transpired during my time as a board member of Cape Fox. But, Eric, you give one board member way too much credit! You make it seem as if I brought all those proposals to the board when I didn't. LOL! Sorry, just couldn't help but find it all so humorous. Really, IF I was so powerful, believe me, all Cape Fox Shareholders would be rich right now! - More...
Saturday - July 31, 2010

letter Service Ketchikan with USCIS Office By Jose S Garcia - It is lamentable to note that Legitimate Permanent Residents (LPRs) takes the cudgel in spending their own money to go to Juneau to avail of the applications for US Citizenship (N400). - More...
Saturday - July 31, 2010

letterAmnesty won't work: Secure our borders By Clarence E. Hill - Albert Einstein defined insanity as "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - More...
Saturday - July 31, 2010

letterRE: Drainage (and the purpose of government); and bear stuff too By Vanessa Nowland - I bet if SitNews had a "like" button similar to Facebook's there would be a lot of "thumbs up" for Mr. Hofeling's opinion letter. I recall getting the exact same response from the city when we lived on Ketchikan Lakes Road. It wasn't until my husband fell on the glacier that covered our road, injuring his ribs and the ambulance almost took out a utility pole trying to get to us that they started paying any attention. - More...
Saturday - July 31, 2010

letterThankful By Joey Tillson - A while ago, I posted a letter on SitNews stressing the importance of community and how this is my home. The many events over the course of a year have put many of us all in stressful, hurtful times. But I will tell you and stress it again, what I love about this town is the sense of community you will NOT find anywhere else. No matter what walk of life each of us has stumbled into, we are still community. - More...
Saturday - July 31, 2010

letterSkate Park By Connie Williams - Is the Borough experiencing the same song and dance about a skate park as it did in 1997-1998? Lots of folks, talking to assembly members and parks and recreation staff about the importance of supporting the youth and giving them something to do. Government officials were hearing it in the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's. The problem I saw was you had many folks in favor of the project, but in reality, only a few, by comparison actually utilized the facility for what it was intended. - More...
Saturday - July 31, 2010

letterSitNews By Lou Ann Richardson - I just wanted to send out a couple thank you's. First to Sitnews editor Mary Kauffman for her dedication and committment to keeping Sitnews current and relevant. Thank you Mary, we know it's often challenging. Second, to the various photographers who take the time to find those special moments in this grand place and then share them with all of us here on Sitnews. I always look forward to seeing what the front page has in store from day to day. - More...
Saturday - July 31, 2010

letterRE: Bailey Bay Hot Springs By Linda Beaupre - In regards to Bailey Bay Hot Springs, my husband and I tried to hike up to the hot springs last summer. Unfortunately the trail we found was in a sorry state of disrepair. The rope crossing the creek was frayed and loose (and dangerous!) and a large landslide had taken out the entire trail right after the waterfall, ending our journey since we had no way of circumventing the landslide. Large parts of the trail was nothing more than mud pits. - More...
Saturday - July 31, 2010

letterBack to old tricks. By Glen Thompson - I haven't written Sitnews in a while but the issue is simply too important to let slip by. When I was elected to the Assembly, the Borough finances were in shambles. We had less than $1 million in General Fund reserves, we had a Schoenbar project that was in serious trouble and under water by several million dollars. Thank heaven we had a Land Trust Fund with a few million savings in it that we could borrow to fill the gap. Had the Legislature not come through and reimbursed us to the tune of $6 million, we would be in a fine pickle still! Our mill rate was approaching 7 and we were having trouble funding basic services and schools. - More...
Wednesday - July 28, 2010

letterDrainage (and the purpose of government) By Dustin Hofeling - Living in a rain forest, drainage is a problem we all have to face sooner or later. I live on Deer Mountain Court, which is a road that has been forever plagued by drainage problems. I plan to put to fix the drainage issue on my property - what home owner wouldn't want to do this? But it will do no good unless the city fixes the drainage issue on the street that they built and paved. - More...
Wednesday - July 28, 2010

letterBailey Bay Hot Springs Should Remain Public By Mike Sallee - Many of the people in the Ketchikan area have enjoyed Bailey Bay Hot Springs - known to some as Shelokum Hot Springs.  It is a picturesque and remote hot springs nestled next to excellent trout fishing on Lake Shelokum, just north of Bell Island Hot Springs. - More...
Wednesday - July 28, 2010

letterWhat Happened to our SkatePark? By Bobbie McCreary - Monday night I appeared in front of the Borough Assembly during public comments. I passed out a letter from Taira Wilhelm (Kayhi grad 2008) along with the recent Sitnews letters. I explained I would take only a little of their time as this was a special meeting to address the White Cliff building. I explained that day as I left the Youth Center building project on Park Avenue and drove up Schoenbar towards the bypass I passed by Walker Field. I looked at the fenced lot with a truck and a few pieces of miscellaneous equipment in it and said (out loud, actually!) WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO OUR SKATEPARK? - More...
Wednesday - July 28, 2010

letterSupport Bill Walker for Governor By Radford, Harrington, Fultz, Carson, Radford, Bakk, Cooke - We listened to gubernatorial candidate Samuels on the radio this week. Ralph talked about the decline of oil output, which provides 90% of our State income, but we didn't hear any plan to replenish this lost revenue. He would like to see more oil drilling in Alaska. Wouldn't we all, but does anyone seriously think we can count on that to pay for our State government in the near future? He mentioned cutting State spending, but we are talking about 90% of our income disappearing! He supports a natural gas bullet line which he says will provide cheap energy to Alaskans, but the figures all show that a gasline carrying only the small amount Alaskans would use would be far too expensive to provide low cost fuel. Also, there are no permits, rights of way or environmental studies done for a bullet line, which puts construction ten years in the future. - More...
Wednesday - July 28, 2010

letterAlaska Lifeline: Walker for Governor By Barb Lander - Reality Check! Think oil and gas issued aren t important to us in SE Alaska? Oil production is approaching a critical low that will mark the end of the pipelines viability. No oil flowing through the pipeline no oil revenue. The massive cuts in services AND new taxes needed to keep this vast state even barely functioning are staggering. Alaskan life as we know it is about over! - More...
Wednesday - July 28, 2010

letterFaces of the Sea By Judith Green - We in South East communities are used to artists giving us photos, drawings, paintings, and writings based on the culture of this great land. - More...
Wednesday - July 28, 2010

letterJapanese Knotweed By Jane Collins - I have had this awful weed behind my shoe shop here in Northampton, UK for the last 4-5 years if not longer. It will NOT go away, despite everything I try to do. We are now using a powerful chemical that my husband uses on his farm to see if does the trick so it is just a matter of waiting to see the result. - More...
Wednesday - July 28, 2010

letterJapanese Knotweed Removal By Samantha Quinn - I was reading the letters regarding the Japanese knotweed problem some are having and found this information on Wikipedia.com on it's removal. I hope this helps! - More...
Wednesday - July 28, 2010

letter RE: Cape Fox Corp. Lack of Respect for Shareholders By Eric Trout - TO CAPE FOX SHAREHOLDERS: Marilyn Blair's letter is just another attempt to twist the issues while protecting her real personal interests. We all know there are two types of politicians, the ones who tell the truth and fight for what's right, the other politicians who twist the issues to benefit their own personal interests. Marilyn has been in the Cape Fox Board room for over 15 years I would say she has a history and experience in twisting issues. - More...
Monday - July 26, 2010

letterWater Street Sidewalks By Chris Elliott - We have a one-way tunnel with a road going the other way around it. Now we have parallel sidewalks on Water Street. - More...
Monday - July 26, 2010

letterSkateboard Park By Norm Noggle - I would like to second Vicky's suggestion to develop a skateboard park in Ketchikan. I agree that the existing half pipe at the rec center is very limited in developing skateboard riding skills. I would suggest that if there are a solid number of kids who want a qulaity skateboard park, then they need to organize (with adult assistance) and begin identifying the assets and barriers involved in the development of such a site. Some of the concerns that need to be addressed include: - More...
Monday - July 26, 2010

letterRe: Skate Park By Keith Woodard - Although I haven't really followed the skate park issue, I can sympathize with you Vicky. I know what it was like growing up as a bored teenager in this town with seemingly little to do. And I'm really saddened that as much community spirit this town has and as much as people would like to help the youth here, there still hasn't been a new skate park built among other things. - More...
Monday - July 26, 2010

letterRE: Skate park By Lexie Jones - I'm a 24-year-old who thinks we shouldn't always be looking for handouts! - More...
Monday - July 26, 2010

letterDoing Business without insurance By Terry Miles - Recently, I took my motorcycle, that happens to be a custom chopper into a local "Detail" shop here in the Ketchikan area, to have it cleaned and detailed. The bike is worth about $75k... it's a custom.  - More...
Monday - July 26, 2010

letterConcerned about Japanese Knotweed By Melinda Stewart - Browsing Sitnews this morning I saw the letter posted on Rotary Beach. Reading the description and looking at pictures online of knotweed, it is EXACTLY what I have growing in my yard!! - More...
Monday - July 26, 2010

letter Goodbye, Don & Lois Kralis By Bill Sullivan - I was saddened to read of the passing of Don and Lois Kralis. They will be missed. - More...
Monday - July 26, 2010

letterAdhere To Immigration Laws By Donald A. Moskowitz - The federal government, working with the border states, should provide the personnel and resources to secure our borders. - More...
Monday - July 26, 2010

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