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Senate blocks drilling in Alaskan refuge - Senate Democrats Wednesday successfully blocked efforts by Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas exploration.

Since 1980, Republicans trying to open the wildlife refuge on Alaska's North Slope to oil drilling have run into tough opposition from conservationists and environmentalists.

The Democrats were able to sustain a likely filibuster of a key defense spending bill that contained an amendment by Stevens that would permit exploratory drilling in ANWR.

Two Republicans - Sen. Lincoln Chaffee of Rhode Island and Sen. Mike DeWine of Ohio - joined Democrats in denying their party the 60-vote supermajority that would have ended a filibuster. The vote was 56-44.

President George Bush Wednesday morning urged the Senate to pass the defense appropriations bill for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and hurricane relief.

Democrats wanted Stevens to remove the oil drilling language from the defense bill so the measure could be passed. With the oil drilling language removed, the defense spending bill was later approved.

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) said, "We are extremely disappointed by the outcome of the vote to break a likely filibuster on ANWR today. We won support from all but two Republicans for a bill that contained all the environmental stipulations needed to fully protect the environment and wildlife of the North Slope. Opening ANWR to limited oil and gas exploration is the right thing to do."

Murkowski said, "Whether or not to develop America's most significant energy reserve is obviously not settled. The fight to open ANWR is not over."

"We have a commitment from Congressional leaders that we will consider ANWR again next year. Hopefully, then we will finally get the fair vote where this issue will be decided by a simple majority of the U.S. Senate," said Senator Murkowski.

"What is clear from today is how much all Alaskans owe to my colleague Senator Ted Stevens. He followed Senate rules, honored Senate traditions and worked harder on this issue than anyone could have. It is an honor to work with him and we will continue to work toward the goal of providing America with the energy this nation so desperately needs," she said.

Senate reaches Patriot Act compromise - U.S. Senate leaders struck a deal to extend expiring provisions of the Patriot Act for six months while politicians negotiate its more controversial parts.

Republican leaders had been unable to overcome a filibuster by the act's critics in the Senate, who had expressed concern about privacy invasions and civil liberties, CNN said.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., announced the deal Wednesday night, CNN said.

The bipartisan agreement apparently ends an impasse, with Democrats urging a three-month extension of the anti-terrorism law and Republicans fighting for outright re-enactment.

The U.S. House voted to renew the provisions last week, with some compromises. The House must still act on the Senate's six-month extension.

Sixteen provisions in the act will expire on December 31, 2005

National: Experts wonder why disaster warnings don't work By LEE BOWMAN - New Orleans received more warnings about the threat posed from a major hurricane than any other location in the country over at least the past decade.

Study after study by meteorologists, coastal engineers, sociologists and emergency managers, among others, spelled out doomsday scenarios for the only major metropolitan area in the United States lying below sea level.

While the predictions initially may have been published in specialized scientific journals or presented to colleagues at scientific meetings, they were amply repeated hundreds of times in the popular media.

Yet ever since Hurricane Katrina came ashore Aug. 29, those scientists and policymakers at all levels of government have been wondering why the dire forecasts didn't make more difference on the ground. - More...
Wednesday PM - December 21, 2005

Alaska Community Service Honors Their Amazing Volunteers Don Murray, Director of ACS, presented an Alaska Community Service volunteer award to Juanita Diamond for her volunteer service as a Senior Companion. Photograph by Gretchen Klein

Ketchikan: Alaska Community Service Honors Their Amazing Volunteers - Don Murray, Director of Alaska Communications Systems, had the honor of presenting Alaska Community Service's awards to some of Ketchikan's amazing senior citizens, volunteers, and sponsors at a recognition ceremony held at the Ketchikan Senior Center on December 15th.

Recipients for the special recognition awards were selected for their "amazing" volunteer efforts through the Ketchikan Alaska Community Service (KACS).

KACS's Outreach Coordinator, Gretchen Klein said the volunteer community members recognized were each presented a certificate, a rose and a gift basket. - More...
Wednesday PM - December 21, 2005

Ketchikan: Ketchikan Marine Education Committee Annual Meeting Set - The Annual Meeting for the Ketchikan Marine Education Committee (KMEC) is scheduled for Thursday, January 5, 2006 at 5:30pm at the UAS Ketchikan Technical Center, 600 Stedman.

KMEC is a non-profit organization established for the purpose of promoting and facilitating maritime education in secondary and post secondary schools in the Ketchikan area. - More...
Wednesday PM - December 21, 2005

Ketchikan Youth Court Graduates Largest Class Standing: United Youth Courts of Alaska President, Kenny Pearson and Lt. Governor Loren Leman. Kneeling:Superior Court Judge, Trevor Stephens; First Judicial District Ketchikan Youth Court Board of Directors, Desiree Morely, Ron Barnes and Amanda Skiles and Ketchikan Youth Court Director, Bob Combs. Photograph by Gretchen Klein

Ketchikan: Ketchikan Youth Court Graduates Largest Class - The 10th graduating class of the Ketchikan Youth Court was its largest ever. Alaska Lt. Governor Loren Leman joined the graduates' friends and families filling the Ketchikan courtroom on Saturday, December 10th.

The 16 graduates, grades 6-12, studied for eight weeks under Superior Court Judge Trevor Stephens. During that time they were taught about law and court procedures. At the end of their studies, each student had to pass a comprehensive "Bar" exam which was graded by Judge Stevens in order to qualify for graduation.

Those passing the comprehensive "Bar" exam will now serve as attorneys, judges, bailiffs, clerks and jurors in the Ketchikan Youth Court. They will determine the sentences of offending peers referred to the program by the courts. - More...
Wednesday PM - December 21, 2005

Viewpoints Opinions/Letters Toy Ride By Jennifer Brewer - Wednesday PM Saddam Hussein and Tookie Williams By Mark Neckameyer - Wednesday PM Appreciate efforts of DOT guys By Suzan Thompson - Wednesday PM Holiday is much more... By Floyd Crocker - Wednesday PM High cancer rate? By Carol Christoffel - Wednesday PM Passport Information By Jackie Williams - Wednesday PM What MY Elders Taught Me By Kevin Mackey - Wednesday PM Please Support the Homeless Shelter By Gary Boatwright - Tuesday PM Governor's Support For Knik and Gravina Bridges By Gregory Vickrey - Tuesday PM Slow Down By Chief David Hull - Tuesday PM Accidents By Aleisha Filyaw - Tuesday PM The Christmas Boat Parade By Ann Hupe - Tuesday PM Open Letter to Ketchikan Indian Community By Rob Sanderson Jr. - Tuesday PM RE: Town Tree By Dave Kiffer - Tuesday PM The Lazy People Continue To Dump Trash By Jerry Cegelske - Tuesday PM Patriot Act and Privacy By Virginia E. Atkinson - Tuesday PM Passports? By Neil Gray - Tuesday PM Answers, Part Two By Robert D. Warner - Tuesday PM "Happy Holidays" By Susan Bachant - Tuesday PM Alaskan bridge falling down By Virginia E. Atkinson - Tuesday PM Alaska Revenues By Glenn Bell - Tuesday PM Respect For Elders By Andrew Hamilton - Tuesday PM 2005 Ketchikan Boat Parade By Pat Long - Sunday PM Answers By Rick Grams - Sunday PM No lack of room for expansion in Ketchikan By Charlotte Tanner - Sunday PM Town Tree By Jacquie Meck - Sunday PM Bridges Supported by Whom? By Don Hoff Jr. - Sunday PM SitNews By Bobbie McCreary - Sunday PM How can a shrinking city expand? By Robert McRoberts - Sunday PM Indigenous By Kevin Mackey - Sunday PM Sneak Attacks By Sheridan "Pete" Peterson - Sunday PM More Viewpoints/ Letters Publish A Letter Political Cartoonists Political Cartoons Ketchikan Thursday, December 22, 2005 Noon: The Assembly/School Board Liaison Committee scheduled to meet on Thursday, December 15, 2005, has been changed to Thursday, December 22, 2005 at noon in the City Council Chambers. December Calendar Ketchikan Arts This Week Today's Forecast Current AK Weather Map City Police Report 12/12/05 AK Troopers Daily Dispatch Classifieds & Announcements December 2005 Click on the date for stories and photos published on that day... S M T W T F S   28 29 30 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Front Page Archives

Preston MacDougall: Chemical Eye on Merry Gentlemen - Even if they're not particularly religious, many freshman chemistry students will say a prayer before taking their Fall semester final exam, usually just before Christmas. It might go something like this:

Please, God, give me strength to get through this, even though I haven't slept, or eaten much lately. Help me to know the difference between right and wrong (answers).

If they happen to be taking a night class, their prayer will coincide with the Office of vespers, or the evening prayers, at the nearest cathedral or monastery. "Vesper" also happens to be the way a crucial theoretical concept, that the students are sure to be tested on, is mispronounced. - More...
Wednesday PM - December 21, 2005

Martin Schram: When convenient, Bush applies liberal standard - WARNING LABEL: This column is about to make two points that may cause sudden shock to faithful readers.

One: President Bush is right when he says that in today's age of global terrorism, a president needs to move quickly and decisively (or as he recently put it, "faster and quicker") to protect America's homeland after receiving intelligence about a suspected terrorist in our midst.

Two: Knee-jerk liberalism is again running rampant (see also: amok) in Washington, threatening our dearest democratic values. It must be stopped if we are to safeguard America and preserve America's distinctive democratic greatness. - More...
Wednesday PM - December 21, 2005

Paul Campos: Bush's Orwellian view of civil liberties - Franz Kafka and George Orwell would have gotten a grim laugh out of President Bush's radio address on Saturday, in which the president assured the nation that he had ordered Americans to be spied on, in direct defiance of a federal law that specifically prohibits such spying, because he is dedicated to protecting our "civil liberties."

Bush's executive order, which he has renewed more than 30 times in the past four years, violates the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The FISA, which was passed by Congress after Richard Nixon used the nation's intelligence services to spy on his political enemies, requires the government to get a warrant from a special court, the FISC, before it can use shadowy organizations such as the National Security Agency to spy on Americans. The evidentiary standards for obtaining such warrants are low, and indeed the government has an almost unbroken record of success before the FISC. - More...
Wednesday PM - December 21, 2005

Jay Ambrose: Rights threats come from all directions - President Bush should quit his legally unauthorized eavesdropping on Americans, and no one should argue, as some conservatives have, that there is an understanding buried deep in the Constitution that grants him the privilege of doing whatever he darned well pleases if we are involved in a war.

This understanding is buried so deep that, to detect it, you have to go into a trance-like state of imagining that constitutional language implies meanings contrary to what that language actually states. Give it up, friends. - More...
Wednesday PM - December 21, 2005

Dale McFeatters: Intelligent design religion, not science - Federal District Judge John Jones had a decisive, but, alas, probably not final, judgment on an ongoing high-school controversy: "The overwhelming evidence is that intelligent design is a religious view, a mere re-labeling of creationism and not a scientific theory."

The supporters of intelligent design are persistent, though, and this much-watched Pennsylvania case will not be the end of it, but Jones' 139-page opinion is a valuable blueprint to other supporters of classic science who will be forced to fight this backdoor attempt to insinuate the biblical version of creation into the classroom. - More...
Wednesday PM - December 21, 2005

Clifford May: Are anti-terrorism measures necessary? You bet your life - Let's roll the dice. It's been more than four years since terrorists slipped past American intelligence, eluded law enforcement and slaughtered thousands of Americans on American soil.

Why haven't they managed to strike us here at home again? Who knows? Maybe it's nothing we've done. Maybe it's sheer luck. Maybe our luck will hold. So let's take a chance, OK? - More...
Wednesday PM - December 21, 2005