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Wednesday
October 23, 2013
Humpbacks Feeding
Humpback whales are large baleen whales that feed on small prey in dense concentrations, such as krill or herring. While other baleen whales feed by swimming rapidly forward, humpbacks are adapted for fine-scale movement to create bubble nets to corral and contain their prey into a small area so that they can more efficiently scoop them up in their large filter-feeding mouths. This was in the Clover Pass area north of Ketchikan.
Front Page Photograph By MIKE SMITH ©2013
(Please respect the rights of photographers, never republish or copy
without permission and/or payment of required fees.)
Alaska: Forty-nine Schools Recognized as Alaska Reward Schools - Of 507 public schools in Alaska, the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development has recognized 49 public schools as 2013 Reward Schools to honor their student achievement from the 2012-2013 school year. Several schools in Southeast Alaska made the list; however, there were no schools in Ketchikan recognized as Reward Schools.
The Reward Schools designation is part of Alaska’s new school accountability system, which is in its first year. With a waiver under the No Child Left Behind Act, Alaska replaced the former federal accountability system of Adequate Yearly Progress with a state system that not only identifies schools most in need of support but also recognizes schools that are improving students’ learning.
“It is a pleasure to announce Alaska’s Reward Schools for 2013, an achievement shared by their families and educators,” said Alaska Education Commissioner Mike Hanley. “Reward Schools strive to meet the academic needs of all students, however large or small the school is. They support students’ progress toward the goals of proficiency and graduation. We congratulate them.”
Reward Schools are recognized in two categories: highest performing and high progress. This year, 31 schools are highest-performing and 37 schools are high progress. Nineteen schools are being recognized in both categories, making a total of 49 schools to be named Reward Schools.
Alaska names both categories of Reward Schools in three grade spans: K-8 schools, 9-12 schools, and K-12 schools, which represent the spectrum of rural and urban schools. (Elementary schools and middle schools are included in the K-8 grade span.)
To qualify for Reward status as a highest-performing school: - More...
Wednesday PM - October 23, 2013
Alaska: Permanent Fund gains 4.6% in first quarter - The Alaska Permanent Fund returned 4.6 percent for the first quarter of fiscal year 2014, and increased in value by $2.2 billion from the start of the fiscal year to reach $47.0 billion, according to unaudited figures released by the Corporation. The Fund’s investments were positioned more conservatively (and assumed less risk) than the composite performance benchmark, and as a result lagged the benchmark return of 5.7 percent for the period ending September 30.
The Fund’s stock portfolios, which comprised close to half the Fund’s investments, drove the positive performance for the quarter. The U.S. portfolio returned 8.3 percent, while the Non-U.S and global portfolios gained 8.8 and 8.0 percent respectively.
“Although economic indicators suggest that we should be seeing more sluggish returns, both U.S. and overseas markets ended the quarter on high notes,” said Michael Burns, CEO. “The path wasn’t completely smooth. Concern over whether the Fed would continue its stimulus program lead to a dip in U.S. stocks mid-quarter, but the Fed held steady leading to a September rally.” - More...
Wednesday PM - October 23, 2013
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Alaska: Historic plane to ‘fly’ again at Fairbanks airport By THERESA BAKKER - One of the largest items in the history collections at the University of Alaska Museum of the North will once again soar over travelers walking through the Fairbanks International Airport terminal, thanks to a large-scale community effort to restore the plane.
A 1968 photograph of the Curtiss JN-4D “Jenny” Aircraft purchased by the Farthest North Airplane Co. in 1923 for pilot Carl Ben Eielson. The University of Alaska Museum of the North artifact will once again be on display at the Fairbanks International Airport after a large community-effort to restore it to its original appearance.
Photo courtesy University of Alaska Museum of the North
In 1923, pilot Carl Ben Eielson persuaded a group of Fairbanks businessmen to purchase the Curtiss JN-4D “Jenny” Aircraft. The war-surplus airplane cost $2,400. Eielson turned a profit within the week by giving demonstration flights over Fairbanks. Eielson and his backers started the Farthest North Airplane Co., which flew goods, people and, eventually, the first airmail routes to communities around Fairbanks.
The artifact connects people to many portions of Fairbanks’ roots, and the museum has long wanted to display it for the public, said senior ethnology and history collections manager Angela Linn. “With an object of this size, our options have been limited. We’re fortunate that the Department of Transportation and the staff at the Fairbanks International Airport have been so supportive of the project.
“Not just once, but twice, they’ve gone out of their way to accommodate this 1,450 pound plane, suspending it from the ceiling so that it can fly above passengers as they arrive and depart Fairbanks. It’s a reminder of the aviation history of this community.”
When the plane was first installed at the airport in 1981, it was thanks to the efforts of a host of Air Force mechanics who moved the plane to a storage facility at Eielson Air Force Base while a cosmetic overhaul of the plane was completed. They attached wings from another type of biplane known as a “Swallow.” For that and other reasons, local aviation buffs have long dreamed of restoring Eielson’s plane to its original aesthetic. - More...
Wednesday PM - October 23, 2013 |
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Columns - Commentary
DAVE KIFFER: In Ketchikan, We Have Our ‘Thrill' - Wow, as far as Our Fair Salmon City is concerned, USA Today is the gift that just keeps on giving. A couple of weeks ago, USA Today noted that Ketchikan highways offer a view of one the “emptiest, loneliest” vistas anywhere (Have they been to Barrow???). Now, we have received an even higher accolade from the “nation’s newspaper.”
Ketchikan International Airport has been named one of the “10 Most Thrilling Airports” in the world, according to USA Today.
Wow. I mean really, wowser, wowser, wowser!
Not just in Alaska, not in the US of A, but in the whole wide wacky wonderful world.
Yep, in amongst airports that are little more than goat paths in the Himalayas or penguin paths in Antarctica, our own little salmon path to “Outside” is listed.
Top ten, baby!
Woot, woot!!!
According to Airfarewatchdog.com, KIA makes the list because “the awfully short runway is close to mountains and the ocean, which drops to freezing temperatures.”
That does sound pretty “thrilling” all right, and yet, doesn’t it sound like just about every other airport in Alaska?
Of course, when I saw the headline “Scary Landings: See the 10 ‘most thrilling’ airports," I immediately started reading because I knew there had to be at least one Alaska one on the list. I was just shocked that “we was it.”
After all, for years, surveys of pilots have always listed the Juneau airport as one of the most dangerous ones in the country, primarily because the northern approach comes through some serious mountains and then is complicated by one last flop down over the Mendenhall Peninsula at the last minute.
We have all been thrilled at one time or another to hear the pilot announce that we are “overheading” Juneau rather than giving the landing another try. The Capital City is nice and all, but not so much so that it is worth augering into a mountain side in a snowstorm to get there.
Even the most up-to-date technology has not prevented a number of serious crashes at Juneau over the decades and that is before you take into account the frequently awful weather, especially during the winter.
- More...
Wednesday PM - October 23, 2013
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the editor at editor@sitnews.us or call 617-9696
Sitnews reserves the right to edit.
 RE: Shutdown was orchestrated... By Edmond Paquette -
I was sure that the shutdown was a planned deal by the Liberals and the Democrats. - More...
Monday PM - October 21, 2013
RE: Government shut down planned in advance By A. M. Johnson - The Federal Government in 13 seconds? Like faster than a speeding bullet? Ha ha ha ha ha, good one. Now that IS funny.. - More...
Monday PM - October 21, 2013
Technology By Amanda Mitchell - We are subjected to many things invisible to the naked eye. To name a few: viruses, bacteria, radiation, gravity, ….gnomes. Just kidding about the last one, they are very visible. Some of these tiny forces can help us and some can hurt us fast or leave their dirty work to be found later. Just because we don’t see these things does not mean we should ignore their presence. There has been an increasing awareness that our technology can greatly impact our bioelectric bodies. This is to include: sound waves, radio waves and electromagnetic waves. You can add your own to the list. The military has sonic weapons, police use stun guns, I have a cute little magnetic bracelet that helps with motion sickness and even many medical devices can send electric coursing through our bodies. Good and bad, our technology around us has the ability to track, incapacitate and rehabilitate. - More...
Monday PM - October 21, 2013
Obama's Fingerprints All Over IRS Tea Party Scandal By Wiley Brooks -
The Tea Party Patriot’s stated mission is to “restore America’s founding principles of Fiscal Responsibility, Constitutionally Limited Government and Free Markets”. - More...
Monday PM - October 21, 2013
Library Funding Yet Again By Agnes Moran - Every Borough resident, with the exception of the folks in Saxman, pays to support library operations. (If you rent instead of own, your landlord is paying taxes that support the library on your behalf and most likely recouping the cost through your rent payment.) Borough residents residing outside of the city boundaries of Saxman and Ketchikan pay an additional $422,570 or roughly $82 per person for operational support for the library. - More...
Friday PM - October 18, 2013
Re: Bears and Garbage By Bob Pelkey Jr. -
Our garbage receptacle (City of Ketchikan provided green trash container) has only been hit twice this year so far in late May. Others in our immediate area are tipped and dumped on average every night or two with-in our Woodland Ave./Deermount St. neighborhood. Here are some simple suggestions to discourage the bears consistent return to the same receptacle time after time. - More...
Friday PM - October 18, 2013
Remember the people that make things work By Dragon London -
There are two people in this town that I feel never get acknowledged for what they do... and yet they are so the hub of what really makes our city work... Katy Suiter and Kim Stanker, our Ketchikan City Clerk and Assistant Clerk. - More...
Friday PM - October 18, 2013
RE: Shutdown was orchestrated... By Geoff Offermann -
That was pretty funny. Was it a serious letter, do you think? I mean really. Talk about overthinking something. "Designed, specified, requisitioned, bidded, awarded, ordered, manufactured, AND delivered." - More...
Friday PM - October 18, 2013
Alaska Victimization Survey By Diane Gubatayao - October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and on the evening of Tuesday, October 15th, a particularly significant event is occurring here in Ketchikan. Dr. Andre Rosay of the University of Alaska, Anchorage Justice Center along with Lauree Morton, Executive Director of the State of Alaska Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, will be in Ketchikan to release new data collected this summer here in Ketchikan. - More...
Monday PM - October 14, 2013
Invitation to sing By Rob Holston -
Please consider singing with us this year in the Clover Pass Community Church "Singing Christmas Tree." We are typically a group of about 40 Christian singers. We sing basic 4-part harmony and are looking for soprano, alto, tenor an bass singers. Don't worry, all people fit into one of these categories, more or less :) - More...
Monday PM - October 14, 2013
Sealaska President's Retirement By Dominic Salvato -
It's not comforting to some Sealaska shareholders in the comments of Sealaska's President and CEO Chris McNeil's willingness to help find a new CEO upon his retirement, as reported here at Sitnews. - More...
Monday PM - October 14, 2013
Shutdown was orchestrated and planned well in advance By A. M. Johnson - The following letter submitted to Senator Murkowski regarding the preparedness of the Obama administration in notifying the public of specific closings of parks and public monuments. - More...
Monday PM - October 14, 2013
Bears eating garbage - By Bryce Mattson -
Bears can be nuisances in Ketchikan. We all know about the bear cub that wrecked the produce in Tatsuda's. While bears are cute from a distance, someone has to pick up the mess they make. It is our responsibility as citizens to pick up the mess they make and secure our garbage cans. As citizens in a bear populated area we need to maintain and secure our trash and pick it up after bears. - More...
Monday PM - October 14, 2013
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