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SitNews - Stories In The News - Ketchikan, Alaska
Monday
November 09, 2020

Front Page Photo By SUSAN HOYT


Swimming Bear
This Black bear was enjoying a swim on a beautiful day at Herring Cove.
Front Page Photo By SUSAN HOYT ©2020ß
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National Native American Heritage Month: Ketchikan Schools Partially Desegregated in 1929; Ketchikan Native family went to court for right of daughter to attend Main School By DAVE KIFFER - A quarter century before Brown v. The Board of Education ended separate but equal schools country wide, a case in Ketchikan determined that Alaskan schools shouldn’t be completely segregated.

Ketchikan Schools Partially Desegregated in 1929; Ketchikan Native family went to court for right of daughter to attend Main School

Paul and Nettie Jones
Photo courtesy Joanna (Kennedy) Hendricks ©

Irene Jones, the daughter of Paul and Nettie Jones, was of mixed Indian and White heritage. In September of 1929, her family attempted to enroll her into the 6th grade at Main School.

In those days, the city of Ketchikan had three schools.

White Cliff was an elementary school in Ketchikan’s West End. Main School was a K-12 school above Ketchikan’s Downtown area. The Bureau of Indian Affairs ran a K-8 school for Natives on Deermont Avenue.

For two days, Irene Jones, sister Geraldine Jones and Janet Kennedy, attended Main School, but then Superintendent Anthony Karnes removed them from their classes and told their families they needed to attend the BIA school “where all of her kind should go” instead.

Paul and Nettie Jones appealed Karnes’ action to the School Board, which turned them down. The Jones’ then went to court to get the decision overturned.

It wasn’t the first time that parents had tried to enroll Native or part-native children into the “white” schools in Ketchikan, In fact, at various times, Native children attended school along with white students in Ketchikan’s early years.

But in 1928, Simon Booth had attempted to enroll his mixed race daughter at Main School and Karnes had denied her admittance.

Shortly thereafter, December 7, 1928, the Ketchikan School Board passed a new rule that limited attendance at White Cliff and Main School to only those students “who are not acceptable to the United States Bureau of Education.”

The Bureau of Education oversaw BIA schools, so any student who had any Native blood was now ineligible to attend either White Cliff or Main School. 

In their filings before the court, the Jones family, represented by prominent attorney William Paul, noted that in 1905 Congress had established a system of education in Alaska for “ white children and children of mixed blood who lead a civilized life” and that the new rule by the School Board violated Irene Jones’ 14th Amendment rights.

Paul argued that a local or territorial government could not overrule the Federal Government on this issue.

As part of its argument the Ketchikan School District also contended that because of “overcrowding” at Main School, there was no room for Jones or any other Native students who would want to attend Main School if the policy to not accept students with Native blood were overturned.

On October 9, Paul presented information to the court that contradicted the overcrowding argument. Four students who were currently enrolled at Main School actually lived outside the corporate boundaries of Ketchikan. Those students, who lived at Saxman and on Gravina Island, were only supposed to be accepted if no other in city students were eligible. Jones’ family clearly lived within the Ketchikan boundary.

Paul also found evidence that extra desks had been removed from the Main School sixth grade classroom and that the previous year, 1928, there had been 43 students in the class, 10 more than the 1929 number of 33.

Paul similarly raised the issue of accreditation at the BIA which apparently had not filed the property paperwork in a timely manner. Paul contended that an unaccredited school could not provide a comparable education to an unaccredited one and that Natives’ graduating from an unaccredited school would have trouble continuing their education elsewhere.

On November 29, 1929, Federal District Court Judge Justin Harding of Skagway ruled that the board’s Dec. 7, 1928 action was invalid and that Irene Jones be admitted to Main School. - More...
Monday PM - November 09, 2020


Ketchikan: Significant Increase in COVID-19 Cases Brings Ketchikan & Saxman Risk Level to High; Responsive action SHOULD be taken immediately By MARY KAUFFMAN - With the increase in COVID-19 positive cases in the local area, last week the Ketchikan Emergency Operations Center increased Ketchikan's community risk level to HIGH indicating there is a significant threat to life or property due to the increase in the COVID-19 virus or Contagious Disease Outbreak. Citizens are asked to take responsive action immediately to protect their health.

While few positive cases (4) were reported in September, October saw an increase of 34 positive cases. From November 01 - November 9, a total of 66 positive cases have been reported. Of the hospitalizations, as of today, there were no new hospitalizations reported today, and two of the previous four hospitalized individuals have been discharged. Two individuals remain hospitalized.

Today’s cases bring the cumulative Covid-19 case count, including travelers, to 171. The number of positive cases of individuals residing or staying in Ketchikan is 159.  Of the 159 cases, 74 are still active, and 85 have recovered.  (Case reports are provided daily by the Ketchikan EOC and can be found online -- scroll down to media releases to read the full reports.)

Today, there were 10 new positive cases reported. Saturday there were 12, Friday there were 11, Thursday there were 6, Wednesday 7 new positive cases were reported, 10 were reported on Tuesday, and 6 last Monday.

Local mayors representing the City, Borough and Saxman reached out to the public addressing the substantial increase in COVID-19 positive cases asking for cooperation from the community in flattening the curve.

Rodney Dial, Ketchikan Gateway Borough Mayor said in a prepared statement, "Throughout the pandemic the community has pulled together and we have done remarkably well protecting public health while minimizing the impacts to our economy and quality of life.   Unfortunately, due to a recent increase in cases the community has moved to level 3, the High-Risk Level. The response from the business community has been remarkable as many have taken extra precautions such as reducing capacity to less than 50%, and redoubling social distancing and sanitation procedures. In addition, we are asking that all bars close to help us gain control of our outbreak.   Failure to stem the growth of cases at this point, could lead to greater restrictions on our businesses in the future…something we all want to avoid. Remember the goal… keep the curve flat, to keep our hospitals from being overwhelmed.  This is best way to keep people safe and keep our economy open.   Thank you for leading the way Ketchikan, stay strong."

Frank Seludo, City of Saxman Mayor released a prepared statement saying, "Our community has had many positive Covid-19 cases recently with four hospitalizations.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to these people and their families.  Let’s slow down the spread of Covid-19 by taking some extra steps to stay healthy.  I am asking our families to stay in their own homes and keep a safe distance from people not in your household.  If someone in your household is sick with Covid-19, please take measures to keep that person isolated to their own room if possible, and to sanitize regularly.  Take advantage of grocery and restaurant delivery and pick up options.  Check on each other through phone calls and video chats. Thank you for working to keep our community safe.  We will get through this together."

Bob Sivertsen, City of Ketchikan Mayor, also released a prepared statement saying, "We have had a substantial increase in COVID-19 cases on our island and it is a serious concern.  I want to urge all of our citizens to join me in following the EOC’s recommendations so we can get back to a low case count instead of climbing to a higher risk level.  Please stay home if you are sick.  If you are a close contact to a positive case, you need to quarantine for 14 days – no exceptions.  If you are healthy and are not required to quarantine, please stay home except for essential services. By wearing masks when we do have to be out in public, we can all do our part to reduce the spread of COVID-19.  I am urging everyone to follow these recommendations so we can maintain and even reduce our risk level.  I am positive that we can work together to reduce our cases in Ketchikan, and I appreciate all the hard work you are doing."  

What does the change in Risk level to High mean? - More...
Monday PM - November 09, 2020



 
jpg video

Alaska: Governor Issues New Public Health Disaster Emergency Declaration for COVID-19; Governor asked to Convene Legislature to Address Disaster Declaration Posted & Edited By MARY KAUFFMAN - Friday Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy announced that he is issuing a new 30-day Declaration of Public Health Disaster Emergency (“disaster declaration”) in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The declaration will go into effect on 12:01 a.m. on November 16, 2020 and will expire on 11:59 p.m. on December 15, 2020.

Dunleavy’s initial March 11, 2020 disaster declaration was issued in response to the imminent threat of an outbreak of COVID-19 in Alaska, and expires in less than 10 days. The COVID-19 outbreak has not abated, nor is Alaska in a position to declare that a public health emergency does not exist. Recent conversations with legislators, health professionals, and business leaders confirm a broad consensus that it is in the state’s best interest to ensure we have an emergency declaration in place beyond November 15.

“This new disaster declaration is based upon the determination of moving from the threat of a pandemic to an actual pandemic. Given the tools the declaration will provide to the state, boroughs, and municipalities, as well as our health professionals and medical facilities, this declaration will continue to provide certainty to Alaskans during this pandemic,” said Governor Mike Dunleavy. 

Dunleavy said, “The Legislature has indicated they do not currently have the support of their members to call themselves into a special session. If the Legislature chooses to convene to address this new order, my administration is ready to assist in developing long-term solutions to manage this emergency and protect the public safety and health of Alaskans.”

House Speaker Bryce Edgmon (I-Dillingham) said in a prepared statement Friday, “Today, we made clear to the governor that we are committed to do whatever it takes, including holding a special session on the sole issue of the disaster declaration, to give our healthcare workers on the frontline the tools to fight the pandemic without bureaucratic restraints."

Edgmon said, "However, the path the governor has chosen is fraught with risks, including opening the 30-day Declaration of Public Health Disaster Emergency to legal challenges that could remove the emergency powers the Legislature granted to Alaska’s healthcare providers. We will continue to work with his administration to find a legal solution to resolve this as quickly as possible."

Senate President Cathy Giessel (R-Anchorage) released a prepared statement after Governor Mike Dunleavy announced that he is issuing a new 30-day Declaration of Public Health Disaster Emergency.  Giessel said, “Our continued public health response to the virus should be smart, secure, and protect Alaskans. As infection rates and deaths increase, Alaskans are looking for clear leadership and the preservation of important public health measures to support a robust response. Funding to our healthcare infrastructure and personnel must be readily available." - More...
Monday PM - November 09, 2020



 

 

Alaska: Alaska Division of Elections to Begin Absentee Ballot Count - Today Alaska Lieutenant Governor Kevin Meyer, with the Alaska Division of Elections, released the schedule for conducting absentee ballot counts on Tuesday, November 10th. Updated counts will be released twice daily: at 5:00pm AKST and again at close of business.

“It is the mission of my office and the Division of Elections to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by administering elections with the highest level of professional standards, integrity, security, accuracy, and fairness,” said Lt. Governor Meyer. 

Meyer said, “With a record amount of absentee ballots issued, and an outstanding amount of early voter turnout, we are taking very seriously our role in tabulating all ballots.” - More...
Monday PM - November 09, 2020

Southeast Alaska: SHI TO SPONSOR LECTURE ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN INDIGENOUS SOUTHEAST ALASKA; Free virtual event part of Native American Heritage Month celebration - Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a free online lecture this Thursday on sustainable development in Indigenous Southeast Alaska as part of its series in recognition of Native American Heritage Month.

The lecture, "Values, Tenure, and Organization: Critical Dimensions of Sustainable Development in Indigenous Southeast Alaska," will be given by Dr. Thomas Thornton, dean of Arts and Sciences and vice-provost of Research and Sponsored programs at the University of Alaska Southeast and affiliate professor at Oxford University's Environmental Change Institute.

Values, tenure, and organization are highly evolved tools for achieving sustainable development in complex and changing social-ecological systems. However, for sustainability success they must be productively aligned, Thornton wrote.

This is well illustrated by the development of the Indigenous values, tenure, and organization at the regional intra- and intertribal scales in greater Southeast Alaska, wherein a complex socio-political organization developed over thousands of years to sustain balanced use of the rich but dynamic and "patchy" Pacific coastal waters and temperate rainforest. Native cultural values and institutions were severely disrupted and subordinated with colonization, however, and then only partially realigned with the progressive, hybrid neo-institutionalism of the Alaska Native Brotherhood, Indian Reorganization Act, and Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act eras. - More...
Monday PM - November 09, 2020


jpg Political Cartoon: 46th President

Political Cartoon: 46th President
By
Bart van Leeuwen ©2020, PoliticalCartoons.com
Distributed to subscribers for publication by Cagle Cartoons, Inc.


Harris addresses nation as first woman vice president-elect
Election 2020: Harris addresses nation as first woman vice president-elect - Former Democratic U.S. vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris addressed the nation as the first woman vice president-elect on Saturday evening in Wilmington, Delaware, thanking supporters and the women who came before her for helping her make history.

After news organizations called the presidential race for former Vice President Joe Biden earlier on Saturday, an exuberant Harris, quoting the late congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis, said, “Democracy is not a state. It is an act,” and told cheering supporters that they had “ushered in a new day for America.”

The vice president-elect called her mother, who was 19 years old when she came to the U.S. from India, “the woman most responsible for my presence here today,” saying her mother “believed so deeply” in America.

Harris also credited the “generations of women — black women, Asian, white, Latina, Native American women” who made possible her rise to the second-highest office in the land. - More...
Monday PM - November 09, 2020


 
Columns

jpg RICH MANIERI

RICH MANIERI: LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE 2020 ELECTION - Sure, we didn’t know who won right away, or the next day, or the day after that, but we still learned quite a bit from the election.

Among other things, I learned that “pollster” should no longer be considered a job.

Those who have made polling their life’s work need to pursue another vocation. They blew it “bigly” again, with an assist from a media that lapped up every flawed percentage point.

In some cases, the media made a hash of their own polls. For example, on Oct. 28, a Washington Post poll had Biden with a 17 point lead over President Trump in Wisconsin. “Missed it by that much,” as Maxwell Smart once said. Yes, former vice president Joe Biden won the state, but by less thanß a percentage point, as of Thursday. - More....
Monday PM - November 09, 2020

jpg TOM PURCELL

TOM PURCELL: AMERICA 2020: A GOOD TIME FOR A NICE, LONG SLEEP - “It’s a miracle!” said the doctor. “You’ve just awakened from a coma after a terrible accident in October 2016, but you’re doing well, all things considered!”

“I’ve been out for more than four years?” said the patient.

“That’s right,” said the doctor. “You must have several questions?”

“You bet, Doc! I remember when America elected President Obama, a time of great healing and hope and change. Americans are surely getting along better than ever now?”

“It’s best that we come back to that one later,” said the doctor. “Anything else?”

“I remember Hillary Clinton won the Democratic nomination and appeared she’d - become America’s first female president,” said the patient. “How’s she doing?”. - More...
Monday PM - November 09, 2020

jpg Ben Edwards

Financial Focus: Protect Your Finances from “Cyberthieves” Provided By Ben Edwards, AAMS® - You’ve no doubt heard reports of personal data being stolen and used for financial fraud – anything from online shopping on your credit cards to actual theft from your financial accounts. This problem won’t go away anytime soon – but you can take steps to defend yourself.

Here are a few suggestions:

• Use multifactor authentication or other extra security options with online accounts. Many of your online accounts offer extra security by giving you the option to prove your identity in different ways. With mutifactor authentication, you must provide at least two different factors to prove your identity when you log in to an account. This additional layer of security provides you with much greater protection.

• Be creative with passwords. Create different passwords for work, financial services sites, social media and email – and give each password some length and complexity. Consider passphrases – actual words combined with symbols and numbers (for example, “ThisIsAPassphrase!2468”), for sites that allow them. - More...
Monday PM - November 09, 2020

 
      

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jpg Opinion

Defend Alaska Elections – Vote No on 2 By John Sturgeon, Chair
and all co-chairs of Defend Alaska Elections - We write because Alaskans urgently need to know the truth about Ballot Measure 2. Much has been written about the well-documented dangers of ranked choice voting – thrown-out ballot percentages that reach 30%, a computer system that fails to establish a majority winner in 61% of elections, and massive increases in outside spending and partisan attacks that follow in its wake. But little has been written about the dark money fueling Ballot Measure 2.

As Alaskans head to the poll in a matter of days, you deserve the truth. Ballot Measure 2 is being funded by dark money and out-of-state billionaires. In fact, over 99% of their funding is from dark money sources and 99.5% of it comes from entities in the lower 48.

Many of you may be surprised by these figures. Millions of dollars in advertising has been spent claiming the measure is a solution to dark money. The truth is that Kathryn Murdoch and her highly paid consultants in Alaska could care less about dark money. How could they when every paycheck they cash is funded entirely by dark money? - More...
Friday AM - October 30, 2020

jpg Opinion

"Yes" on Ballot Measure 1: Fair Share By Merrick Peirce - I want Alaskans to know about the kind of people I've had the pleasure of working with over the last year and a half as our little group of Alaskans worked to give you the opportunity to vote on whether or not we receive a Fair Share of Alaska's oil- with Ballot Measure One.

I am not going to write about the benefits passage of Ballot Measure One will bring Alaskans.  I simply want you to understand the kind of Alaskans we are.

One of them is Vic Fischer.  Vic helped write the Alaska Constitution.  Vic is the only delegate who wrote our Constitution who is still living.  Vic knows our history because he's lived it.  This  story tells you what a fighter Vic is.  We had organized a sign waving event.  A simple event where we hold signs and wave at passing cars.  Vic came, despite a problem he had with his leg.  But there he was, at 96 years young, climbing a highway embankment, in some discomfort, so he could help, one more time. - More...
Friday AM - October 30, 2020

jpg Opinion

No on Ballot Measure 1 - Fair Share Act By Chelsea Goucher - Please join me in voting “no” on ballot measure 1. The so-called “fair share act” seeks to reconfigure Alaska’s oil and gas tax structure by amending the current regime established by Senate Bill 21, or the More Alaska Production Act (MAPA).

This regime is working. Established in 2013, MAPA is structured to take less from oil producers when oil prices are high, and more from producers when prices are low. This balances the interests of the State with the interests of the producers: a global recession that results in plummeting oil prices doesn’t necessarily cripple the State’s budget, and lower taxes when prices are high and the economy is booming means producers view Alaska as competitive and are rewarded at the margin for actually producing oil. MAPA also creates credits for smaller producers that encourage exploration and which effectively make it less expensive for them to get each new barrel of oil out of the ground; it does not give these credits to larger producers like Conoco or BP. - More...
Friday AM - October 30, 2020

jpg Opinion

Alaska's fair share By Ray Metcalfe As of October 26th, West Texas Crude is selling for $38.45. That means they are losing between $7.55 and $13.55 on every barrel. It also explains why 16 Texas producers have declared bankruptcy since January. (See oil patch bankruptcy monitor link.)

Calculations from ConocoPhillips show the combine production and delivery costs for Prudhoe, Kuparuk and Alpine oil fields to range between $22 and $25. As of October 26th, North Slope crude is selling on the West Coast for $41.64, which means every barrel of Alaskan's legacy field's Crude produces a net profit of between $16.64 and $19.56.

Take the lower profit number and times it by 500,000 barrels per day, and times that number by 365 days, and you get a net profit of over $3 billion; more than $4,000 per man woman and child in Alaska. Any other oil producing country would be keeping between 70 and 90% of that $3 billion. But you and I won't get any of it. In 2014, your bought and paid for legislators voted to give Alaska's fair share of North Slope profits to BP, Exxon, and ConocoPhillips. - More...
Friday AM - October 30, 2020

jpg Opinion

Dan Ortiz for House District 36 By Tony Gosnell - Rep. Ortiz has earned my vote again this election cycle. As a small business owner, I brought an issue to Dan’s office staff and asked for assistance in seeking a remedy for an oversite in the State Statutes. Rep. Ortiz heard my concerns. Ultimately it was a matter that would require a change be made in the language of the law. It was something that could not be corrected without effort. I first brought forward the issue in early 2018. I was able to watch the process over a two-year period via televised hearings and through extended correspondence the process of bringing a bill into law.

Through this experience I learned that Rep. Ortiz has a professional committed staff, and that Dan is responsive to his constituents and that he is willing to invest time and energy into small business issues as well as the larger Issues that we all read about in the paper. - More...
Friday AM - October 30, 2020

jpg Opinion

Vote Dan Ortiz for District 36 By Joe Williams, Jr. - I am in full support of Dan Ortiz as he is honest, tireless worker for Ketchikan.  A man of his word.  His agenda is all for Ketchikan.

I would like to say publicly THANK YOU DAN for representing Ketchikan. - More...
Friday AM - October 30, 2020  

jpg Opinion

Ballot Measure 2 will disproportionally harm Alaska Natives. By Dana Leask-Ruaro - This 25-page initiative would replace our simple method of voting with a complicated scheme financed by Lower-48 billionaires, without Alaska’s unique diversity in mind.

One year after all Alaska Natives were granted US citizenship, the Alaska Territorial Legislature enacted a literacy law requiring that voters be able to read and write in English – effectively disenfranchising thousands of Alaska Natives. Measure 2 will have a similar effect.

Lower-48 billionaires cannot begin to understand what it’s like to vote in rural Alaska, where one might have to travel through difficult terrain by boat, plane, or four-wheeler to get to a polling location. - More...
Friday AM - October 30, 2020

jpg Opinion

The Peoples' Representative By Austin Otos - I have known Dan Ortiz for 15 years as a devoted teacher, local representative, and most importantly, a personal friend. The past three election cycles I’ve keenly followed Representative Ortiz and his assentation to be a staunch advocate for local issues within our State Legislature. His record clearly shows legislation that has directly benefited our local community. From supporting our burgeoning mariculture industry, to defending the Alaska Marine Highway System from drastic budget cuts, and protecting our state’s founders living in pioneer homes, Ortiz has dedicated his civic life to representing all of District 36.

An elected officials first responsibility is to those who they serve, not a political institution. District 36 once again needs a candidate that works for the people, not a political party. With political partisanship dividing our state and country at historical levels, we need a truly independent representative that works across party lines and enacts legislation beneficial to our Southeast region. I believe Ortiz has the best interests of younger generations of Alaskans in mind when stabilizing our PFD system. The number one thing I hear from people is Dan’s responsiveness to constituents. No matter if you reside in his most rural community to the most populous, he treats all people equally. - More...
Friday AM - October 30, 2020

jpg Opinion

Reelect Dan Ortiz By Carrie Starkey - I write this letter in support of Dan Ortiz’s reelection to the District 36 House seat. As the previous executive director for the Ketchikan Chamber of Commerce, I had an opportunity to work with Dan on many occasions, and always found him to be a strong advocate for our region and its businesses. From my experiences at the Chamber, it is clear to me which of the current candidates has a history of advocating for our local business owners and operators.

Representative Ortiz was always available for work with the Chamber, and proud to work along side us in any capacity. Not just in

his attendance for every Chamber event to which he was invited, but the work that he did within my time there, advancing the interests of our community and businesses in partnership with the Chamber. Not the least of these was his effort to bring about a legislative change that specifically allowed our Chamber to operate a Race Classic in conjunction with the R2AK annual boat race. As our ferry system faced threats, I watched him work tirelessly with Alaska state officials and our partners in Prince Rupert, with whom he holds good relationships and have achieved positive change. Through his membership, presentations, participations, and eagerness to partner with the Chamber on anything we needed, I came to see Representative Ortiz as a strong ally to the business community of Ketchikan, and our region as a whole. - More...
Friday AM - October 30, 2020

jpg Opinion

"No" on Ballot Measure 2 - Defend Alaska Elections By Charlie and Becky Huggins - This September, our nation celebrated the 233rd anniversary of the signing of our Constitution, the best and most consequential political document in human history. Framed by our Founders, amended to enshrine our most cherished rights, further improved to expand liberty to all following the bloodiest war in our history and in the 20th century, the Constitution has endured as our guide in this experiment in self-government.

Now, Ballot Measure 2 – an initiative backed by Outside billionaires – would do away with some of the basic principles behind this great charter.

The American conception of republican government is one where the people rule. We do not have kings or emperors. We elect our representatives and, when we are unhappy with how they govern, we can replace them.

Currently, that process is simple and straightforward. Every Alaskan is entitled to one vote and has the right to exercise that vote for whomever they want. If the billionaires from New York and California pushing Ballot Measure 2 have their way, however, Alaska’s “one person, one vote” model will come to an end. In its place, will be a complicated new scheme of ranking candidates.

The winners under this new scheme will be the insiders – those with the most time, resources, and know-how to game the system. The losers will be everybody else. If you are not interested in playing along with their new game, and only prefer to vote for one candidate, then your ballot is at risk of being discarded entirely. - More...
Friday AM - October 30, 2020

jpg Opinion

The Case Against Ballot Measure 2 By John Sturgeon - "How are you voting on Ballot Measure 2?”

It’s a question many Alaskans have yet to answer. You’ve probably heard it has something to do with ranking candidates and putting everyone into one big primary. But despite the millions spent by out-of-state billionaires to prop up Ballot Measure 2, they really haven’t explained much.

There’s a reason for that.

The truth is that the dangers of Ballot Measure 2 – all 25 pages and 74 sections – can’t be conveyed in 15-second soundbite. What I’m about to tell you will take a few minutes to read, but it’s critical that you know why this initiative would be an unmitigated disaster for our democracy.

In 2016, Maine become the only state in the country to utilize ranked choice voting after 388,273 voters in a state of 1.3 million people approved the measure. What followed was a travesty. The very next election, a moderate congressman named Bruce Poliquin won his election by a margin of 2,632 votes. Unfortunately, the ranked choice computers didn’t agree with Maine’s voters.

After nearly two weeks of chaos, the algorithms decided voters actually preferred Poliquin’s opponent, Jared Golden. But here’s where it gets crazy. Over 8,000 voters had their ballots thrown out because they didn’t want to rank candidates they didn’t like. Others simply made a mistake when filling out the 25-bubble ballot. This meant Golden was declared the winner with less than 50 percent of the vote. - More...
Friday AM - October 30, 2020

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Oil Industry Lies Again By Sharman Haley - The October 14 ADN op-ed by Kim Reitmeier claiming the oil tax initiative would cost jobs, and the economic analysis by the American Action Forum (AAF) on which he relies, are fatally flawed. The two academic papers at the heart of the projection are based on Texas and Lower-48 oil field data. The academic conclusions are mis-applied to Alaska. - More...
Monday AM - October 26, 2020

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Confirm Amy Coney Barrett By Laura Antonsen - Her background, experience and performance before the Senate Judiciary Committee inspire hope that Amy Coney Barrett will become an impactful legal heavyweight on the U.S. Supreme Court.  The Senate should confirm her. - More...
Monday AM - October 26, 2020

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Open letter to the Ketchikan School Board By Allison Brown - I am writing this letter to the board to express concern and frustration of the complete incompetence of the leadership in the district. At a time when the communities emotions are at al all time high, there is absolutely NO reason that a text, email etc. should have been sent out with inaccurate information. That is NOT a mistake that is taken lightly. Causing fear and panic in this already trying time is unacceptable. - More...
Monday AM - October 26, 2020

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Dan Ortiz has misled the voters By Hans H. Antonsen - The most misleading word on a political candidate’s campaign poster right now is the term “Independent”. - More...
Monday AM - October 26, 2020

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"The Student Behind the Mask" By Steve Speights - About two weeks ago I was talking with a friend that teaches at Ketchikan High School, he made the comment that this year is so much more difficult both for the students as well as the teachers. He said that the students seem more down, there's no laughter in the hallways. He said that many of the teachers are having a hard time recognizing their students, because of the mask thing. - More...
Monday AM - Octobr 26, 2020

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COVID, CARE Funds and KGBSD Building Ventilation Systems By Mark O’Brien - Germany is investing $488 million in an effort to improve air circulation in public buildings. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), a professional association seeking to “advance heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration” has established guidelines for building administrators to refer to when dealing with coronavirus-related issues. The United States Congress earmarked Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARE) funds to states to help with the added expense to get buildings better prepared to cope with the transmission of this virus. As a retired elementary teacher with twenty-three years here in Ketchikan, I am concerned with the air quality that students and staff cope with on a daily basis. - More...
Monday AM - October 26, 2020

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BALLOT MEASURE 2 OFFERS A BETTER PATH FOR RURAL ALASKA By Sen. Lyman Hoffman, House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, Sen. Georgianna Lincoln, Sen. Albert Kookesh, Rep. John Lincoln, Mayor Mamie Pardue, Abel Hopson-Suvlu, and Reid Magdanz - This November 3rd, we urge rural Alaskans to vote YES on Ballot Measure 2. - More...
Monday AM - October 26, 2020

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Ballot Measure 2 Would Improve Our Election Process by Knocking Down Barriers to Competition of Ideas By Jason Grenn - Would the Founding Fathers recognize our polarized and dysfunctional political system? As Election Day approaches, the airwaves overflow with negative advertising and nary a solution to the problems that plague our state. - More...
Monday AM - October 26, 2020

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Al Gross for U.S. Senate By Laine Welch - Alaskans should not be surprised that it took Dan Sullivan a decade to say he opposes the Pebble Mine. That came only after the Pebble Tapes revealed mine backers boasting about how Sullivan was hoping to “ride out the election” and that “he’s off in a corner being quiet.” - More...
Monday AM - Octobr 26, 2020

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The FDA and CDC Promised Transparency in the Vaccine Approval Process. Here's How Congress Can Hold Them to It By U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan and Lisa Murkowski - The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a devastating impact on the health and economic well-being of families and communities across the country, and this virus will remain a significant threat until a safe and effective vaccine can be made available to all.- More...
Monday AM - October 26, 2020

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Past time for a new noise ordinance in the City of Ketchikan By C. Gellings - It is well past time for a new noise ordinance in the city of Ketchikan. If you confront someone about a noisy activity before 11am they will give you the most banal answer as to why they are going to do it anyway. - More...
Monday AM - October 26, 2020

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