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Thursday PM
September 17, 2015
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Tongass Sunrise
Front Page Photo By CINDY BALZER ©2015
Click Here to select your Favorite Front Page Photo(s) of the Month
(Submit your photograph to be featured on the SitNews' front page. Email photo to editor@sitnews.us include your name and a brief photo description.)
Southeast Alaska: Southeast Conference Releases Three Regional Economic Reports - In conjunction with their Annual Meeting being held this week in Prince Rupert, BC, the Southeast Conference has released three Southeast Alaska economic reports.
Southeast Conference’s annual regional economic publication - Southeast Alaska by the Numbers 2015 - tells two stories about the regional economy: a positive tale of five-year trends, and a more sobering one-year analysis and future forecast.
Over the last five years the region grew by 2,600 people and 1,500 jobs. Total workforce earnings increased by $275 million, with most of that coming from the private sector ($209 million).
With the exception of government, nearly every sector flourished. New jobs and investments occurred in the areas of seafood, tourism, mining, construction, healthcare, maritime, and energy.
However, data from the last year especially indicates an economic contraction. Between 2013 and 2014 there were few areas of growth, and many indicators trended slightly downwards.
The regional population declined by 30 people. Jobs fell by 300, mostly in the areas of government, construction, and health care. There were 34,000 fewer cruise and ferry visitors to the region. The value of seafood harvested in the region fell by $92 million. The price of gold fell by 10%. Early 2015 job reports show more losses on the way.
The most concerning signal is the long-term strength of our government, which accounts for more than a third of all workforce earnings in the region. The 16-page overview provides analysis on demographics, employment, and earnings; the maritime, visitor, seafood, mining, timber, and health care industries; along with public sector developments.
In the summer of 2015, 416 Southeast Alaska business owners and top managers from 29 communities in the region responded to the Southeast Alaska Business Climate Survey, answering 45 questions about their experience operating businesses in the region.
The Business Climate Survey takes the “pulse” of southeast's local business community and the economy, and was last completed in 2010. Industry leaders were asked to predict the economic future for their industry or business.
Survey respondents as a whole were slightly more optimistic than they were five years previously: 38% expected the outlook for their business or industry to improve, compared to 34% five years ago.
The only industry in which the majority of business leaders responding expect the economic outlook of their industry to become “better” or “much better” is the visitor industry.
On the other end of the spectrum, business leaders from the timber, construction, and healthcare sectors are pessimistic about worsening economic conditions for their industries.
The survey included questions about traditional barriers and benefits to business operations. Elements which business leaders were most likely to call barriers included the overall cost of business, with 82% of all business leaders surveyed calling business costs a moderate or significant barrier.
Other top barriers included transportation costs - both the costs of transporting freight and people; the cost of real estate - in terms of business real estate and the high cost of housing for employees; and the availability of a skilled professional workforce. - More...
Thursday PM - September 17, 2015 |
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Southeast Alaska: Alaska Native Sisterhood Celebrates 100-Year Anniversary - Some of the first meetings of the Alaska Native Sisterhood (ANS) were documented on brown paper bags. “I recall my mother, Louise Bradley, telling me the group of ladies didn’t have enough money for paper during the formation years for ANS,” said former ANS Camp #1 President Marge Byrd. “But that didn’t stop them from getting work done.”
Left to RightL Sealaska Director Richard Rinehart presents a check to Wrangell ANS Camp #1 President Sandy Churchill for $2,500 to help with the costs of celebrating this milestone.
Photo courtesy
Sealaska
Byrd has been a member of ANS Camp #1 since 1951 when she was 16 years old. “I’ve been carrying on the mission of ANS since I was a teenager because of my mother as well as the wonderful stories I heard while sitting next to Elders.”
The ANS is celebrating 100 years at the 2015 annual Grand Camp Convention in Wrangell, Alaska. Founding ANS member Josephine Ukas wrote about the formative years in the July 1962 edition of “The Voice of Brotherhood.” Ukas recalled that in the fall of 1914, eight ladies met at Louise Bradley’s home. They asked for help on organizing their efforts and a local judge said they needed a book of rules and a name. Their first choice was Alaska Daughters Home Leagers and North Star. After a suggestion by George Blake, the group decided on an auxiliary to the existing Alaska Native Brotherhood (ANB). - More...
Thursday PM - September 17, 2015
Southeast Alaska: Alaska Native Rural Village Faces Budget Cuts with a Vengeance- The Community of Yakutat has been around for generations, and they have decided they will not quietly stand by and watch their way of life disappear during tough economic times. To address issues facing the community, Yak-Tat Kwaan, Inc. held the first of a series of listening sessions in Yakutat on August 25, 2015, at the Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall.
The Community of Yakutat is one of many rural and poverty stricken Alaska communities facing devastating cutbacks from federal, state and local governments. They may not agree with cutbacks, but they decided they can not idly stand by and watch their families starve, their children grow up with poor education and their family structures be torn apart.
With what they are describing as with a vengeance and swift decision making, the governments, organizations and businesses gathered at the Kwaan listening session to share common grounds that focused on jobs, housing, education, cost of living and diversifying economic investments so they may have a place to call home for today and generations to come. This is not the first, as the City and Tribe have also shared common gatherings.
“We are not alone in our fight, as many of our Alaska villages are facing crippling economic impacts. Yakutat’s social and economic well-being is affected by national, state and local budget cut-backs,” said Yak-Tat Kwaan, Inc. Chair Debra Lekanof. “The Corporation recognizes the social and economic hardship of these cut-backs which affect our shareholders and residents of Yakutat and we will do what we can to support one another.”
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“As part of the Corporation’s strategic planning, it is the intent of Yak-Tat Kwaan, Inc. to hear first-hand from the City & Borough of Yakutat, Yakutat Tlingit Tribe, businesses, residents and shareholders on how we can work together to address the impacts of these budget cutbacks affecting Yakutat,” said Yak-Tat Kwaan, Inc. Secretary/Treasurer Donald Bremner.
Yakutat faces critical economic impacts from a poor fish return, cutbacks in fish prices, cuts in education, as well as the continued rise of gas, heating fuel and grocery prices. This is a town where gas is over $6 a gallon, heating fuel is almost $10 a gallon and a 60 count box of diapers can be up to $65 dollars. This is the reality of the community. It is with these challenges that the community governments, organizations and businesses say they are persevering to provide a common economic plan that will help bring jobs and diversity in economic investments.
Where they face economic impacts there is a silent crisis that is adding to the weight of community members, and that is the crippling budget cuts throughout rural Alaska Village’s school systems. Since 2005 the Yakutat School has gone from 140 K-12 students to 89, with a cut of $216,408 in 2015 FY. - More...
Thursday PM - September 17, 2015
Science: Ancient hybridization key to domestic dog's origin, wolf conservation efforts - The ancestry of man's best friend may be more complicated than its furry coat and soulful eyes betray. Understanding the evolutionary history of the domesticated dog may ultimately help protect endangered wolves, according to a study from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Vladimir Dinets, research assistant professor of psychology, has published an overview examining the confusing and often misunderstood system used to classify dogs and related animals such as wolves and jackals. He has proposed a logical and scientifically sound classification scheme to help make sense of all the contradictory claims. The study appears in the Vavilov Journal of Genetics and Breeding. Dinets compiled his overview by reviewing existing studies about dog classifications.
"The study shows how complex and surprising can be the evolutionary history of familiar animals we think we know perfectly well," he said.
The relationships between dogs, wolves and jackals are complicated and controversial, Dinets noted. Scientific studies and popular literature contain countless alternative ideas on their composition and the number of their species, both of which can be difficult to track. - More...
Thursday PM - September 17, 2015 |
Columns - Commentary
MICHAEL REAGAN: Scoring the Great Debate- I didn't watch CNN's telecast of the Republican debate because I was there in person.
For some reason — maybe it was my last name -- I was able to score three second-row seats at the Reagan Library for the two debates.
More than 20 million people around the world tuned in, apparently making the three-hour debate CNN's highest rated show ever.
It was a long night of politics and entertainment. I just hope my fellow conservative Republicans watching on TV saw the same political reality show I did -- and learned some lessons.
It's pretty clear to everyone from Joe Scarborough to the New York Times editorial board that the three big winners Wednesday night were Carly Fiorina, Chris Christie and Marco Rubio.
All three shined on stage when it came to substance, but Fiorina made herself a national household name overnight. - More...
Thursday PM - September 17, 2015
DANNY TYREE: Boy, I Miss the TV Class of 1965 - As I begin my 41st year of collecting the Fall Preview issues of "TV Guide," my mind drifts back to the programs that turn 50 this fall.
Yes, 1965 produced the infamous "My Mother The Car" and long-forgotten flops such as "Camp Runamuck"; but it also gave the world a number of shows that still hold a special place in the hearts of millions.
I'm sure "I Dream of Jeannie" raised some eyebrows during its day; but now the "cohabitation" seems innocent and sweet, and Barbara Eden's costumes look about like what Miley Cyrus would wear if the Video Music Awards were held at the North Pole.
"The Wild Wild West" (I still remember my brother's 1969 lunchbox) did both the spy and Western genres proud; but nowadays a Western elicits outcries of "Ick! That's so old-fashioned and irrelevant to my daily life. Of course if they replaced the school marm with a Viking warrior..."
Reruns of a CGI-free "Lost In Space" still get me excited, but I hope there's not another remake. Don't mar my memories by having the robot shout, "Danger, Will Robinson! Danger! The feds are raiding Dr. Smith's meth lab!"
The popular "Hogan's Heroes" was derided as trivializing Nazi atrocities, but what DOESN'T get trivialized in 2015? ("That Nazi wouldn't let me sell baby parts!")
Maybe "F Troop" and the others needed more diverse casting ("I'm thinking the flamboyantly gay Asian-American actor to play Wrangler Jane — but only if he is clinically diagnosed with Tourette syndrome"), but they were still good fun. Perhaps they numbed our brains, but at least we didn't have nightmares about someone trying to EAT our brains. - More...
Thursday PM - September 17, 2015
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Political Cartoon: Pot or Pesticides
By Mike Keefe ©2015, Cagle Cartoons
Distributed to subscribers for publication by Cagle Cartoons, Inc.
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 Open Letter: Dear Delta and Future Delta Fliers By Derek Meister - In the interest of veracity, it will suffice to say here that prior to the writing of this final letter regarding our experiences with Delta Airlines, there were indeed several very bizarre and disappointing events that occurred including, but not limited to, compensatory letdowns and wholly unexplainable phone call redirections to apparently scam-oriented sweepstakes prizes. And then it all changed. - More...
Tuesday PM - September 15, 2015
Matt Eisenhower By John & Jillian Malouf - I am pleased to write a letter of reference for Matt Eisenhower for the position of School Board Member of Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District. - More...
Sunday AM - September 13, 2015
POW Gas Prices By Rev. Edmund J. Penisten - The lead article concerning high motor fuel costs in Alaska incorrectly lists the average price of gasoline on Prince of Wales Island as being $3.32 as of September 8. The least costly gasoline on POW has been $3.879 for the past few weeks, and it is sold by the Alaska Commercial Company gas station in Klawock. - More...
Sunday AM - September 13, 2015
Republican leadership bullied By A. M. Johnson - It's a continued frustration watching Republican members of Congress continue to allow the criminal acts by this President regarding how the three branches of government work without any pushback. And now the complete surrender to the breaking of law, by the President with noncompliance of the 'Corker’ law passed requiring the President to present ALL facets of details included ‘secret side deals’ with or related to the Iran agreement. - More..
Sunday AM - September 13, 2015
RE: "Stop Feeding the Beast" By Wiley Brooks - I'm not going to get into a pxxxing contest with a gadfly who spent his professional life profiting from a politically corrupt, archaic tax system. Much of his rhetoric is laced with demagoguery. Mr. Stephen Eldridge has been discredited by numerous taxation experts. - More...
Sunday AM - September 13, 2015
FairTax marketers By Stephen Eldridge - The FairTax marketers are attacking AK. On the same day that SitNews published my reply to AK FT Director Wiley Broojs' letter, they published two more FT propaganda Letters-I replied to one of those two, Joe' O'Hara's and here reply to Amerogo Cimino's. - More...
Sunday AM - September 13, 2015
Flat Tax vs FairTax By Stephen Eldridge - Sitnews recently published my reply to AK FairTax (FT) Director Wiley Brooks' Letter along with a Letter from another FT marketer Joe O'Hara whose Letter explains NOTHING specific about the FT, but merely offers generic propaganda. - More...
Sunday AM - September 13, 2015
A DISTINCT & PREDICTABLE PATTERN By David G Hanger - The inefficiency, incompetence, and outright corruption that monopolies always bring is once again on display in Southeast Alaska with the now annual “GREAT ALASKA GASOLINE GARGANTUAN PRICE GOUGE & RIP-OFF” in full flood. I am sure we will hear that redundant chiming of excuses why all this has to be, but remember one simple thing: They are all a bunch of damned lies. Every year after the Fourth of July gasoline prices go down, the past two years incredibly dramatically, because of seasonal declines in demand, and generally stay down until after Thanksgiving, i.e. the onset of winter. Everywhere but Southeast Alaska where the rigged deal is in. All evidence indicates our politicians belong to Crowley [shipping], bought and paid for. - More...
Wednesday PM - September 09, 2015
Ketchikan's cigarette tax By Chris Elliott - I'm down to 2-3 cigarettes a day, so a tax on them isn't going to hurt me much, but I think our government leaders are missing out on a real cash cow... BOOZE! If they're just looking for an easy mark, booze is going to bring in a lot of extra cash if a hefty tax is levied on it. - More...
Wednesday PM - September 09, 2015
RE: Are You Ready for Back to School 2015? By Amanda Mitchell - Recently, Susan Johnson, wrote into the Sitnews about ‘tighter immunization laws’ in many states. As a clarification, in our State you are allowed religious and medical vaccination exemptions. Hopefully, one day in our State there will be personal exemptions as well. Yes, some states are moving to take your rights away to define what you can or cannot do with your bodies. Some would like States to have full control to define what is healthy and then force you to do what it defines as best. If you believe you have a right to force someone against their will to inject something into their body or alter it for your safety, well-being or desires, then you incorrectly put your responsibility onto somebody else. (So much for tolerance and acceptance of a way a person is or was born, huh? ) Also, if you believe you are responsible for what I or any other person does with our bodies, then you have deemed yourself to be our master and owned by you. Disturbing to say the least as slavery was abolished long ago, but also this paves a very dangerous path for genetic engineering and transhumanism to eventually lead to genocide for those that don’t quite measure up to the ‘health’ standards defined by man. - More...
Wednesday PM - September 09, 2015
THORNE BAY RESIDENTS BEWARE OF THE CITY COUNCIL By Guy Lane - I filed a complaint against the City of Thorne Bay and spoke against the City Council and Administrator, I am now being harassed by the City to an unprecedented level as they attempt to take my constitutional rights and means to protect my family away, this could happen to any resident who makes a complaint or grievance against the City, "there has been recent complaints from several residents of being intimidated and the City Council refused to hear their complaint during a council meeting and or just belittled them". - More...
Wednesday PM - September 09, 2015
Terrorists? By Robert B. Hoston Jr. - Hillary Clinton is now comparing Republican presidential candidates to terrorists. Terrorist are known for barbaric acts of taking innocent lives, even beheadings and not caring for women. Clinton is comparing presidential candidates to terrorists as she touts women’s rights to healthcare, i.e. “the right to kill" their pre-born children by abortion. - More...
Wednesday PM - September 09, 2015
Open Letter to President Obama By Brett Veerhusen - The Seafood Harvesters of America (the Harvesters) represents 17 commercial fishing organizations from Alaska, to the Gulf of Mexico and New England. As its Executive Director, a life-long Alaskan fisherman, Bristol Bay fisherman, and the son of a man who has fished for 45 years in Alaskan waters, I [welcomed your recent] visit to this great state. - More...
Wednesday PM - September 09, 2015
Global warming By Duane Hill - Inuit verbal tradition includes stories about warmer years, so "global warming" is nothing new. - More...
Wednesday PM - September 09, 2015
Trump The Loose Cannon By Donald A. Moskowitz - Donald Trump should not be a candidate for President of the United States. He is a volatile "loose cannon" who is out of control, and I am not referring to the immigration issue, which has to be addressed by more logical minds. - More...
Wednesday PM - September 09, 2015
Rebirth of America and the World By Joe O'Hara - There is a multitude of 2016 presidential hopefuls - physicians, business people, politicians, liberals, a socialist, and many conservatives - all claiming to have the best interests of the American people at heart. - More...
Wednesday PM - September 09, 2015
Federal income taxes By Amerigo M Cimino - I am heartily in favor of the Fair Tax. Which I think is the only fair way to finance our Federal Government. The Fair Tax is Fair, because it treats every person as equals! There is no discrimination. as race; color; or creed! The Fair Tax is Blind, exactly as our figure of Justice! - More...
Wednesday PM - September 09, 2015
RE: "Stop Feeding the Beast" By Stephen Eldridge - Mr. Brooks, the Alaska FairTax (FT) Director continues to spew FT propaganda that is false and misleading. He once again pounds on the evils of the current system which we all agree with, including those of us who favor a very flat income tax. He claims (falsely) that "The IRS would be terminated and collection of consumption taxes would become a state level responsibility." That is false on all levels. - More...
Wednesday PM - September 09, 2015
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Ketchikan
Regular Election
October 6, 2015
For the 13th year, Sitnews will be providing a FREE web page to all local 2015 candidates.
1. Local candidates are requested to provide basic background information, experience and qualifications for the public office for which they seek.
2. Candidates are requested to address what they would like to accomplish if elected and issues of concern.
3. Send Photographs
4. Include your FaceBook address
Email to editor@sitnews.us by September 30, 2015
Statements will be published as received.
Borough Assembly
3 Year Term
2 Seats Open
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Scott (Sheen) Davis |
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Trevor Shaw |
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Stephen Bradford |
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Gabriel Duckworth |
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Kim
Hodne |
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James
Schenk
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Susan
Pickrell
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Jason
Mitchell
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Felix
Wong |
School Board
3 Year Term
3 Seats Open
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Conan
Steele
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Misty
Archibald |
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Alma
Manabat Parker |
KTN City Council
3 Year Term
2 Seats Open
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Spencer S.
Strassburg
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KTN City Council
1 Year Term
1 Seat Open
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Julie
Isom
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Charles F.
Slagle |
KTN City Mayor
3 Year Term
1 Seat Open
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The Local Paper is now available online.
Click here for this week's printed edition.
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