Sorted by date Results 776 - 800 of 1054
To the Editor: The Board of Fish was created to protect our salmon, not just some of them, but all of them. The Stikine River fish count is in the thousands, it is what B.O.F is calling a concern. This concern has turned into an emergency closure being very restrictive in management across fisheries. There are five streams south of the Stikine that have King Salmon returning that the B.O.F call stocks of concern. When you look at the number of fish that are returning to these five streams it is astounding. As of Monday afternoon 2-5-2018, the B...
Governor Walker submitted a budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year. The proposed budget includes a direct increase of $34 million in Public Safety Investments, funding for Medicaid, health care reform strategies, and deferred maintenance projects within the state. Unrestricted General Fund (UGF) revenue is projected to be about $2.1 billion while spending is nearly $4.6 billion, leaving a deficit of approximately $2.5 billion. This is troubling because the state has nearly exhausted its savings account, the Constitutional Budget Reserve Fund...
When ownership of a newspaper or broadcast outlet changes, it’s big news. It’s the lead story of the day. Everyone wants to know who the new owner is, and what changes will be made to the organization. In the case of KSTK, Wrangell’s public radio station, the proposed ownership change was advanced with barely a whisper to the public. With approximately 234 letters mailed to active supporters and bits of information shared with a few others, minimal notification was made of changes that were coming to Wrangell’s station. This newspaper stumble...
It’s so frustrating to go through life and not know how to fix things. One of the greatest skills we can have is the ability to troubleshoot; to look at a problem, to discover why something isn’t working, and make the necessary repairs and adjustments to fix a problem at hand. For example, I wish I had a greater ability to troubleshoot problems with vehicles or boats. Growing up, my dad could seemingly “fix anything.” You’d think I would have paid more attention when he was fixing things. In my defense, when my dad fixed things he would oft...
To the Editor: Recently you published an editorial in which you expressed your opinion about the proposed sale of KSTK to Coast Alaska. The members of the KSTK board, the Coast Alaska board, and yes, even the KFSK board, have spent a lot of time examining the options available, and after much thought and discussion, came to the proposed transfer. The membership of KSTK, (that is, all donors of $20 or more in the past year) were advised of the particulars and invited to vote at a special meeting held for this issue, and approved it unanimously....
Lack of support from KSTK public radio listeners and businesses in Wrangell may bring ownership changes to the station. A public notice published in last week’s Wrangell Sentinel foreshadows the transfer of radio station assets to CoastAlaska in Juneau. CoastAlaska provides administrative support and other services for seven Southeast public radio stations including KSTK. Reductions in grant revenue and local donations, has made the station’s financial situation untenable. We’re not convinced that moving the station’s operations to CoastAl...
The clamor of “take me fishing” is taking on new meaning in Alaska. Prospects for a deckhand apprenticeship program just got a big lift from a $142,000 national grant awarded to the Sitka-based Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association (ALFA), and the group plans to get more boots on deck statewide. Deckhand apprenticeships are recommended as one way to attract younger entrants into an industry where the average fisherman’s age in Alaska is over 50. ALFA has been crafting a local deckhand training program since 2015, and the grant from the Nation...
Yes the winter is upon us and the summer fun is behind us, but we still have things to look forward too. Our children are back in school and by now very accustomed to their individual schedules. Maybe now they are thinking about trick or treating, maybe thinking about snow but it’s too early for snow. Nevertheless we have things to be excited about no matter the time of the year. It is nice to be able to embrace each particular time of year and what individual things happen. Finding the fun and feeling the excitement keeps us looking to the f...
Last Thursday, I hosted a town hall in Ketchikan to discuss the revenue options for the upcoming special session. Our primary topic was Governor Walker’s wage and self-employment tax bill that he submitted for the Legislature’s consideration. I plan to propose an amendment to his bill, part of which I’ve outlined below. His proposal calls for a 1.5 percent flat tax on wages or self-employment income that includes a capped amount of $2,200.00, which would be the amount owed by an individual making $170,000 annually. I plan to introduce a 50% d...
The Alaska Marine Highway System needs forward funding. I don’t think I need to say it twice. If money is allocated to the AMHS for its future expenses, the AMHS can properly plan sailings which would: capture revenue from tourists (including those considering traveling with their RVs or vehicles), allow businesses to send employees to neighboring islands, and provide more advance planning options for Alaskans. Of course, the ferry system would also benefit from being more insulated from political influence. Currently, support for the marine h...
It is September 2017 and school has once again started. From my window in the Wrangell Senior Apartments I see the youngsters coming up the street to the elementary school; a rain coated brother looking less eager than his sister; here come two boys racing each other on their bikes and jumping off to greet one another. The big yellow school bus pulls up unloading its load. A little girl hurries to meet a friend, and a boy is sharing some toy from his backpack with a friend. Here comes the proud parent holding tight to a tiny hand while also...
If legislators do not pass a budget within the regular legislative session, they should not receive legislative per diem during the subsequent special session. Alaskans for Integrity – a group founded by one independent lawmaker, one Democratic lawmaker and one Republican citizen –proposed a ballot initiative for 2018 that will raise legislative standards of financial transparency and accountability to the public. I support this initiative, known as the “Alaska Government Accountability Act.” If approved by voters, this ballot initiat...
To the Editor: I’ve heard community leaders pose the question, “How can we make Wrangell a community that attracts and retains those in the younger generations?” With the dark economic cloud looming on Alaska’s horizon, the answers to this question will become even more imperative. The changing and progressing ideological beliefs of millennials and generation Z are important to consider. Support for gay rights among younger age groups is higher than ever before. This shift has been locally evident, with recent LGBTQA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexua...
To the Editor: There were some things that need to be mentioned about the article “Rock Pit site selection at creek raises concerns” in the August 3, 2017 issue of the Wrangell Sentinel. The volume of lead-stabilized soil that will be hauled is around 20 truckloads per day, not 30-40. The 30-40 truckloads per day includes both the lead-stabilized soil and the transport of clean rock to be used for the construction of chimney drains, as well as base and cover fill, and which would come from another local quarry. Transport of clean rock was pro...
As the fisheries industry continues to expand and Wrangell’s Marine Service Center’s services demand increases, I believe Wrangell’s economy has nowhere to go but up. However, to accommodate this growth, the state must maintain their services in Wrangell. I am particularly concerned about the conservation of state jobs in Wrangell. Several years ago, Wrangell lost its social worker and its fisheries biologist. Now, the loss of the Wrangell trooper and the potential of reduced funding to the city jail weigh heavily, as Wrangell’s state jobs sl...
Here we are well past July 4 and all the excitement of the celebration of our country’s birth. We had great times with ample food to eat, events to watch and participate in. A great day for us. It is fun to see friends and get caught up on their lives the people that no longer live here but are part of our past and remembered in our hearts. The day is filled with excitement, joy, and love for one another. We do things we don’t always do as in our daily routine we spread our wings and fly into the unknown with new things that have not been don...
To the Editor: Help prevent the destruction of another cabin by the U.S. Forest Service as early as August. Jens, Jake, and Carrie Hammer recently lost their father, Kenny Hammer. They inherited a cabin up Petersburg Creek that the Forest Service is in the process of forcing the family to remove. In their effort to eliminate every cabin ever built on Forest Service land, the Forest Service designed a permit plan that only allows one transfer within a family. When a family member dies, the Forest Service reserves the right to destroy that...
History of city negotiations I feel as a City employee, who is in the union, I must say something. Circa 2004, the employees approached the council with the issue of wages and the fact that they had not changed, plus the fact that we were behind something on the order of 8% (memory) in the cost of living. As the City did not want a union to enter into the fray, they offered to give us half of the cost of living we were behind in that year, and the rest the following year, plus a wage study was authorized. That year all went well, sort of. The e...
The views I am about to express are of my own, and not representative of my employers or unions, past or present. I worked for the City and Borough of Wrangell for approximately six years, two as a Harbor Security/Maintenance, and four as a Water/Wastewater Treatment Operator. Last year my family and I had to make the hard decision to move to Petersburg. The main contributing factor for us was, as in most cases, money. While working for the borough in those six years, there was no true C.O.L.A. (cost of living adjustment.) We received a $750...
Southeast Alaska’s beautiful scenery, abundant recreation facilities and pristine wilderness make us proud to call this land our home. We know our lands need regular beach clean-ups, invasive species must be pulled, and trails should be maintained for maximum safety and enjoyment. We also know our vast public lands are a prime resource for wilderness skills training, seasonal employment, and youth education. The Alaska Forest Fund is a potential opportunity for providing jobs, skills training, and improved maintenance of our public lands. I...
In My Opinion I am the art teacher for Wrangell Middle and High School, and I’m very proud of that position. As an art teacher I try to get my students to see things differently; I encourage them to see outside the box. I want them to see themselves as artists and to learn to be creative. Not everyone can see their own potential. They have to learn how. I think we used to teach that here in Wrangell. I think our school district is changing and not for the benefit of the students. I see a pattern in this district of people leaving Wrangell (Elem...
What are the priorities of Alaskans? Does our budget reflect those priorities? The Senate’s priority is loud and clear: oil companies. The Senate’s revision of HB 111, “Oil and Gas Production Tax,” works only for oil companies while leaving Alaskans worse for the wear. Originally, the House version of HB 111 reduced the base tax rate on oil from 35% to 25% to encourage increased exploration and development on the North Slope. It protected Alaskans during low oil prices by hardening the minimum tax floor. The House version was projected to brin...
For those following the issues facing our state, it’s no surprise that Alaska’s $2.7 billion budget deficit is the biggest issue. For the last five years, Alaska has had a budget deficit. Those deficits have caused the state to burn through at least $12 billion in savings, and we are quickly running out of savings. In the previous legislative sessions (2013-2016), the Legislature – led by Republican majorities – was unable to address the issue in any meaningful way other than to continue reducing the budget and kicking the can down the road. S...
As expected, it’s been a challenging legislative session, and from here on, the budget will be the forefront of every discussion. Both the House and the Senate are creating Alaska’s budget, but it’s clear that the bodies have differing approaches. Last week, I wrote a letter explaining the House approach to resolving Alaska’s fiscal crisis. To recap, the House proposed budget is $81.7 million in General Funds less than our current fiscal year. State agencies have been reduced by $62 million. Despite these cuts, the House Majority Coaliti...
In the last few weeks, folks have called and emailed to ask about our budget and what’s happening in the Capitol. There’s a lot of misinformation out there, and in this climate, where every Alaskan is worried about the future, it’s important to keep things in focus. With budget numbers flying and hundreds of amendments under consideration, I’m going to pick out the most significant changes – those that will affect you and your family – to highlight. Keep in mind that this is the budget as of March 16th, 2018, 3:30 PM. With hours of debate and...