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Thursday
December 04, 2014
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Tongass Sunrise
Thursday's sunrise with Pennock Island in the background.
Front Page Photograph By STEVE SPEIGHTS ©2014
(Please respect the rights of photographers, never republish or copy
without permission and/or payment of required fees.)
Alaska: Sealaska bill included as part of National Defense Authorization Act - U.S. Senators Mark Begich (D-AK) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) commented on an agreement reached Wednesday by House and Senate negotiators on a broad package of lands and resources measures nearly six years in the making. The agreement, included in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015, contains Alaska-specific provisions that will make final Sealaska’s land entitlement under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971. That provision allows Sealaska to select approximately 70,000 acres of land and gain title to important historic and sacred sites while preserving extraordinary public access to these private lands for hunting and other activities.
Additionally, among many other provisions, it places approximately 150,000 acres elsewhere in the Tongass National Forest in protected status.
“I am pleased that after weeks of negotiations, we have reached a bipartisan and bicameral agreement to advance this series of public lands bills,” Murkowski said. “We have worked hard to develop a balanced package that will increase resource production and provide new economic opportunities for western communities.”
“While this overall bill and this package are not perfect, through negotiation and hard work, we have been able to move forward on development interests that advance Alaska’s economy,” said Begich. “This is a big win for Alaska and the regional economies in Southeast and Northwest Alaska.”
The joint agreement on the package will support job creation and economic growth through a balanced approach to improving public lands management, natural resource development, and conservation, while fully protecting private property rights and recreational interests.
In addition to the Sealaska legislation, the lands package includes two other beneficial Alaska provisions, one affects lands owned by the Municipality of Anchorage and another relates to a former Air Force site in Northwest Alaska. - More...
Thursday PM - December 04, 2014
Alaska: GCI To Purchase Wireless Subscriber Base From Alaska Communications - Alaska Communications and GCI have signed definitive agreements for Alaska Communications to sell its wireless subscriber base and its 33 percent interest in its partnership in the Alaska Wireless Network, LLC to GCI for $300 million.
"We are pleased to reach these agreements that allow each company to pursue its own strategy," said Alaska Communications President and CEO Anand Vadapalli and GCI President and CEO Ron Duncan in a joint statement. "We are committed to a seamless service transition for wireless customers. Alaskans will continue to benefit from a vibrant competitive market for wireless services."
Vadapalli added, "We appreciate the loyal support of our wireless customers and thank our wireless team who consistently deliver excellent customer service. We will continue to provide customers with this same level of quality service and support during the transition of wireless services."
Duncan concluded, "We welcome wireless subscribers from Alaska Communications and are committed to providing them the latest technologies and superior customer service on Alaska's only statewide network." - More...
Thursday PM - December 04, 2014
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Alaska: NOAA FISHERIES PROPOSES ARCTIC RINGED SEAL CRITICAL HABITAT, SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENT - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) expressed strong concerns over the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) recently announced proposed rule to designate approximately 350,000 square miles in the northern Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas as critical habitat for ringed seals.
Murkowski said, “This is an unprecedented attempt to place restrictions on a larger than Texas-sized area of water surrounding our state. I remain skeptical that the listing of ringed seals based on a 100 year weather projection was justified, and I am concerned that this designation would severely impact any economic development from Northwest all the way to our border with Canada.”
In December 2012, NOAA Fisheries declared four subspecies of ringed seals, including the Arctic ringed seal in Alaskan waters, as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). After extensive input from local and state governments, Native partners, and the public to determine proposed critical habitat areas, NOAA Fisheries today is releasing those proposed designations for public comment. The proposed critical habitat designation includes no regulatory restrictions, only a consultation requirement for federal agencies. Arctic ringed seals are also protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
According to NOAA, the proposed critical habitat area in the northern Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas provides sea ice conditions that are essential for the survival of Arctic ringed seals. The designation of critical habitat areas, land or water under United States jurisdiction that includes habitat features essential to the conservation of a threatened or endangered species, is required for species listed under the ESA.
Ringed seals nurse and protect their pups in snow caves, which are threatened by late ice formation in the fall, rain-on-snow events in the late winter, earlier break-up of spring ice, as well as decreasing snow depths, which are projected to be too shallow for snow cave formation by the end of the century. Ringed seals also rely on sea ice for extended periods during molting, breeding, whelping, and nursing. Scientific evidence shows that sea ice is projected to shrink both in extent and duration in the future. - More...
Thursday PM - December 04, 2014
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Alaska: HANDYMEN SOON TO BE REGISTERED, BONDED IN ALASKA; New law effective January 1, 2015 increases public protection - Need your deck repaired? New screen door installed? Until January 1, these minor jobs can be performed by anyone - no registration or bond required. Starting in 2015, all construction contractors will require registration and bonding, regardless of the size or type of work performed.
New law effective January 1st requires handmen to be registered and bonded in Alaska
State law currently exempts work in a number of categories, including jobs less than $10,000. In a move designed to provide consumer protection to Alaskans, the legislature passed SB 193 extending the bonding requirement to all construction contractors - including those often known as “handymen” who work on smaller jobs.
While many handymen don’t consider themselves construction contractors, Alaska Statute currently defines a contractor as “a person who, in the pursuit of an independent business, undertakes or offers to perform, or claims to have the capacity to perform, or submits a bid for a project to construct, alter, repair, move, or demolish a building, highway, road, railroad, or any type of fixed structure, including excavation and site development and erection of scaffolding” (AS 08.18.171(4)). According to the new law, regardless of the size of the job, any business or person that advertises as performing this type of work must be registered, bonded, and insured. - More...
Thursday PM - December 04, 2014
Alaska: Report on Regulation of Marijuana in Alaska Released - Copies of a legislative research report were released yesterday on the legalization and regulation of marijuana.
The 36 page report answers several questions about the impact of Ballot Measure 2 and the differences between Alaska's marijuana initiative and that of other states, such as Washington and Colorado.
Under the new law, the Alaska Legislature has the authority to establish a Marijuana Control Board. Until then, however, the authority for regulating marijuana is vested in the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board. The question of when and if to establish a new Board will be an issue this upcoming legislative session.
Senator Lesil McGuire (R-Anchorage) released the report stating, "I am sharing this information so it can be used to craft the best policy this upcoming legislative session." McGuire said, "Researching and looking to the examples of Colorado and Washington will be tools used in developing our own policies." - More...
Thursday PM - December 04, 2014
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Alaska: Museums bring objects closer to home By THERESA BAKKER - In November 2014, a box arrived at an archaeology lab on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus bearing a postmark from Arizona. The crate with wooden slats and dovetail corners seemed like something from an earlier time — when packages looked like they had traveled over both land and sea.
An ivory harpoon counterweight, this artifact was collected on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, in 1927. It was recently returned from the Arizona State Museum, where it had been on loan since 1955.
The shipment signified the reversal of a trend in the mid-20th Century to move cultural artifacts around the country among museums in an effort to tell the story of the first peoples. Now archaeologists recognize the value of keeping these collections closer to their communities of origin.
Archaeologists at the University of Alaska Museum of the North carefully removed the lid and found layers of foam protecting about 100 artifacts tucked into slots. These objects, originating from the Interior, Point Hope and St. Lawrence Island in Alaska, had been sent to an Arizona museum in the 1940s and 1950s, a time when it was common for museums to collect items representing the world’s cultures.
The box contained a wide variety of items, from harpoon heads and arrowheads to knife handles and a needle case. The box also contained human figurines and images, carved bears, winged objects and combs.
Josh Reuther is the UAMN curator of archaeology. His focus is on geoarchaeology — understanding the changes in human technological and subsistence systems. But he has another responsibility. To ensure that the people who live in both urban and rural communities of Alaska and the museum have a role in understanding the history and prehistory of the development of those landscapes.
“We wanted to bring the collections back to the regions where they were collected,” he said. “So that they will be available to both community members and researchers.” - More...
Thursday PM - December 04, 2014 |
POLITICAL CARTOON: Oil price war and consumers
By John Cole, The Scranton Times-Tribune
Distributed to subscribers for publication by Cagle Cartoons, Inc.
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 Too Much, For Too Few, For Too Long By Ray Austin - I have always felt that culture is important to our identity; for decades I have been an advocate for culture, education, and employment of Alaska Native people. As a shareholder, I hoped that Sealaska Corporation would share my goals, as well as Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI), the non-profit affiliate. Sealaska Corporation was founded as part of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, and currently serves over 20,000 shareholders across the country. The Sealaska Heritage Institute has become the face of Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian culture and hosts a biennial celebration in Juneau, Alaska, which is a source of great pride for the people. I have always worked for the betterment of our people through my involvement with Celebration as stage manager; an independent candidate for the Sealaska Board; and the originator of the Sealaska shareholders Facebook website. - More...
Thursday PM - December 04, 2014
Ketchikan Driving By A.M. Johnson - In response to Rodney Dial's fine response to Ketchikan driving suggestions, I would like to contribute. Often while visiting our boat moorage behind the VFW lodge, one will find at high traffic conditions the frustration of awaiting departing cars at the exit attempting to make a left hand turn North. Over time one will have discovered that time and frustrations can be eliminated if the driver will turn RIGHT with the traffic and motor down to the KPU or Third Ave. to Alaska Car Rental. Make a U-turn and head North. You will find this move is a better use of time and traffic flow of those behind you waiting to access Tongass from the harbor parking. - More...
Thursday PM - December 04, 2014
RE: Anonymous naming-and-shaming on social media By Donita O'Dell - I want to take a minute to thank Rodney Dial for his constructive and respectful comments about driving (and parking) problems that he sees affecting our community. - More...
Thursday PM - December 04, 2014
Fergerson By A. M. Johnson - After the many days of watching and hearing all sides of the tragic situation that developed and played out in Ferguson one has to make each a personal observation and draw his/her conclusion to the results of the social conclusions that were represented in all the information released to the public. - More...
Thursday PM - December 04, 2014
Riots By Edwin Slaten - It is time for the news media to become honest and admit that they are responsible for the riots all over the country concerning the Ferguson situation. They were also responsible for the Zimmerman, Trayvon Martin deal in Florida. I saw on TV when Martin was on top of Zimmerman beating his head against the concrete sidewalk. - More...
Thursday PM - December 04, 2014
Prostate Cancer and Energy Poverty By Isaac Orr - Smoking, obesity, exposure to toxic chemicals: Which of these factors do you think plays the biggest role in determining how deadly prostate cancer will be in a given situation? The correct answer is none of them. The most life-threatening factor in prostate cancer is poverty, coupled with a lack of access to electricity. This condition, called “energy poverty” by the World Bank, is the reason all illnesses – including prostate cancer – are far more devastating to people in poor nations than in the developed world. - More...
Thursday PM - December 04, 2014
Sitka Sound herring stock biomass By Jeff Feldpausch - The Sitka Tribe of Alaska (STA) is alarmed but not surprised at the recent press release by Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) that the Sitka Sound herring stock biomass is in sharp decline. The projected biomass of 44,237 tons is a 50 percent reduction from the 2013 post season biomass estimate and a 70 percent reduction from the biomass observed in 2011. - More...
Monday PM - December 01, 2014
RE: Anonymous naming-and-shaming on social media By Rodney Dial - I found Donita O'Dell’s letter on the “Ketchikan parking failures” Facebook page interesting. If the intent of her letter was to promote civil discourse, then on that point I agree; that is something we can all improve on. - More...
Monday PM - December 01, 2014
KPU Tech By Marlene Steiner - I was watching a program on TV Sunday and it went to tiles, then it went black. I tried other channels and it was the same thing. I tried to call the tech people through both local numbers, that did not work. I want to know why someone has to call both local numbers about 5 times and still gets the same thing - dead air. I thought that when a number is publish in the phone book, it should work, not be dead air. - More...
Monday PM - December 01, 2014
Music Around the World By Judith Green - The Saturday night performance of the Ketchikan Community Concert Band was no exception to what one would anticipate - wonderful! awesome! full of grand music and local musicians. - More...
Thursday AM - November 27, 2017
The Three C's - Is It Really Worth it? By Teri Walker - I ask you a simple question this holiday season, is that "deal" really worth it? Is the cost of sacrificing your holiday memories really worth those headphones? - More...
Thursday AM - November 27, 2014
Identity theft By Pam Thornlow - If it can happen to me, it can happen to you. We had customers all summer long telling me they had been told online that we were full and wouldn't you like to stay at one of the other local choices. I couldn't figure it out because we showed availability. - More...
Thursday AM - November 27, 2014
Anonymous naming-and-shaming on social media By Donita O'Dell - This letter is written to urge the anonymous owner of the page Awesome Ketchikan Parking Failures to remove this naming-and-shaming page directed at a personal pet peeve of bad parking from Facebook. For those who are not familiar with the concept of naming-and-shaming, it involves publicly identifying people or groups who have engaged in some kind of bad behavior (illegal, immoral, socially unacceptable, etc) to discourage that kind of behavior. In the specific case of the Awesome Ketchikan Parking Failures Facebook page, photos are posted of vehicles around town that are parked in any manner that the publisher deems unacceptable: not adequately within the lines, in a designated no parking area, in a handicap zone without the appropriate decal, etc. - More...
Thursday AM - November 27, 2014
Systemic Problem By Robert Holston - Presidant Obama gives a good speech that misses one key systemic point. Michael Brown had a big problem long before he fell dead in a Furgeson street and long before he bullied a store clerk and stole a box of cigars. Lack of a moral compass and no respect for authority lead to his “suicide” in the streets. The “white cop” not being indicted for gunning down an unarmed “black child” is the media’s focus and thus the President’s. - More...
Thursday AM - November 27, 2014
Ferguson and the Soft Racism of Invisible Barriers By John H. Horst - The safety of a living room thousands of miles away from Ferguson seems to make it easy to turn away from the televised images of violent protest. The conservative orientation toward the rule of law only seems to make it easier to turn away and dismiss the protestors’ refusal to come to terms with the truth. But comments made by President Obama after the grand jury announcement challenge us to step back and consider how terribly different our perspectives have to be to get to where we are today in places like Ferguson. - More...
Thursday PM - November 27, 2014
Time for Alaska to Rise as One By Bill Walker and Byron Mallott - Across Alaska, front yards, car bumpers and jacket lapels are shedding campaign signs, stickers and pins. Air waves, newspapers and social media are focusing again on other aspects of our diverse but connected lives. The heated partisan rhetoric and rancorous debate that dominated these long months should now truly end. The theme, “Rise As One,” of the Alaska Federation of Natives annual convention held this year in Anchorage is a fitting aspiration for all Alaskans. It is time for Alaskans to rise as one. - More...
Monday PM - November 24, 2014
Fukushima Radioactivity Detected Off Pacific Coast; Judged Harmless By A.M. Johnson - Regarding the headline on radioactivity resulting from the Fukushima tidal situation of some months past. It is very encouraging to read that the levels of radioactivity are as low in the report. Much as Global Warming, the hype given to the potential excited beyond the end result. On another aspect of this tidal wave was the spectacular reports of the drift debris fields that were in some reports, the size of Texas. These masses of debris were to descend on our beaches in such quantity that a near National disaster was in the preparation stages. - More...
Monday PM - November 24, 2014
AMHS Not Efficiently Managed By Mary Lynne Dahl - My husband and I have a cabin in Smithers, BC. Like many Ketchikaners, we ski at the family ski hill in Smithers every winter and spring. We get there via the AMHS ferry to Prince Rupert, and then drive east for about 4 hours to reach Smithers. This year, as usual, we booked passage on the ferry Taku to Prince Rupert leaving Ketchikan November 24 and returning 2 weeks later on the next ferry to Ketchikan. Round trip with a car and cabin for 4 was $412. Our plans were for our family in Washington to drive up and meet us at our cabin and share Thanksgiving at the cabin, as we always do. Just 2 days ago, only 4 days before we were scheduled to depart, we got a phone call from AMHS informing us that our ferry trip was being cancelled. - More...
Monday PM - November 24, 2014
Thoughts of Ketchikan By Norma (Meanne) Malek - I just want to comment on the Malaspina and on one wonderful Ketchikan pioneer woman that I love dearly and will always call mom. She was mom to everyone and worked on the Malaspina till the mid 2000s and her family racketed the town with parties along with all of my hometown family. Alvina Elizabeth Shayen, the mother I remember at six or seven, as I was the seventh child of my family born on the earthquake day, a few years later. - More...
Monday PM - November 24, 2014
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