Rosemarie Alexander

JUNEAU, ALASKA (2010-07-30) Nearly a dozen NOAA scientists are conducting a necropsy today (Friday) on a 43-foot female humpback whale struck Wednesday by a Princess Cruise ship.

They’re trying to determine if the whale died from the blow, or was injured, or dead, before the Sapphire Princess struck.

The carcass was removed Wednesday from the ship’s bulbous bow and beached on the backside of Douglas Island in a spot suitable for the necropsy.

NOAA spokeswoman Julie Speegle says a team of marine mammal biologists took preliminary samples Thursday in preparation for today’s necropsy. They also measured the whale.

Initial observations indicated the whale was a juvenile humpback, but it turned out to be much bigger. Female humpbacks generally measure between 35 and 45 feet in length.

Speegle says NOAA Law Enforcement officers also have begun their investigation and have a good idea now as to when the Sapphire Princess hit the whale.

"According to Princess Cruises, in their logbooks, the ship had to increase power at 1:30 a.m. to maintain speed and they’re thinking that might possibly be the point at which they connected with the whale in Chatham Strait," she says.

She says NOAA law enforcement team has interviewed the ship’s captain and some officers and is still in the process of gathering and reviewing evidence.

She says the necropsy team is led by veterinarians from NOAA Fisheries and the Alaska Sea Life Center.


The humpback whale was on the Sapphire Princess' bow as it sailed toward Juneau.
Image courtesy NOAA/NMFS

Ed Schoenfeld

JUNEAU, ALASKA (2010-07-30) Four Southeast communities are getting new or substantially upgraded ferry terminals in the next year or so. Some of the money is coming from the federal stimulus program.

One construction project will bring regular ferry service to Gustavus for the first time in years.

Gustavus is about 50 miles northwest of Juneau, near the mouth of Glacier Bay. Its population, 450, is larger than several communities on the marine highway system. But it’s only had brief periods of limited ferry service.

That will change sometime later this year.

Marine highway manager Chuck VanKirk says a new multipurpose dock helped along by federal stimulus money will allow passenger and vehicle service from Juneau, probably starting late fall.

"What we have initially planned is to add that as a stop both directions on the Pelican run," he says. "They will be able to over in the morning, leaving at 7 o’clock, getting to Gustavus by 11:30. And then the ship continues on to Pelican, coming back through late that evening, so it pretty much gives you better than half a day in Gustavus."

The dock, causeway, ramp and related structures are costing about $17 million. It will also be used for freight and fuel. Service by the small ferry LeConte will be monthly, at least for the winter, though additional service may be added later.

Hoonah, about 40 air miles west of Juneau, is also scheduled for terminal improvements. That includes about $3.8 million in waterside work.

"That was for rebuilding of the marine structure there, the catwalks, the ramps, the transfer bridge, the fendering and that sort of thing. And that was in essence stimulus money," says Marine Highway General Manager John Falvey.

He says the project should go out to bid within a month, and be finished by February. A separate, $3.1 million uplands project has already been completed.

"It consisted of a new building, the building’s in place now, the lot’s repaved, staging, sidewalks, lighting, fencing, curbs, gutters, the whole thing."

The dock work will allow fast ferries to stop in Hoonah, though there are no plans to do that yet. The LeConte usually serves the town.

Angoon’s terminal will also get a completely new ramp and float system. VanKirk says that could happen this year – or next.

"We gave the contractor a one-month period this coming fall in the event he could get everything fabricated and get the work up to the point where he could remove the old transfer system and put the new in. However, if they couldn’t get that accomplished we gave them a second period of time, which is September of 2011, to complete that work."

The $6.1 million project will allow fast ferries to dock in Angoon, about 55 miles southwest of Juneau and 40 miles northeast of Sitka. Construction windows are limited by fish runs.

Ferry service will be disrupted by the Angoon and Hoonah projects. Smaller ships on contract will provide fill-in service.

Annette Bay, near Metlakatla, about 15 miles south of Ketchikan, is also slated for a new terminal.

"We will have a completely new starboard side loading facility, ramp and there will also be a waiting shelter there. There will not be a terminal per say. And of course, a parking and staging area," he says.

Falvey says the structure will replace one closer to the city, shortening the sailing to and from Ketchikan. It should go out to bid in September and be completed by fall of 2011. The work is expected to cost about $8.1 million. The old terminal, at Port Chester, will be dismantled.

The route will continue to be served by the small ferry Lituya. The new terminal will be able to handle the Inter-Island Ferry Authority ships, which sometimes fill in, as well as other small ferries.

The marine highway system continues to look for a new location for the Ketchikan end of the Lituya’s route.

"We’re still in the process of what we call recon. We in essence started over again when it was determined we could not purchase property in Saxman."

That terminal would further shorten Lituya sailings. It now docks at Ketchikan’s main ferry terminal, on the other side of downtown.

Melati Kaye

PETERSBURG, AK (2010-07-30) Residents in Kake are still hoping for a cheaper source of electricity and are banking on a connection to hydro-electric power, available about 40 miles away in the neighboring community Petersburg. Located on the Northwest end of Kupreanof Island, the small community of 500 is currently powered by expensive diesel fuel. Officials there are also considering other options, including wind and biomass energy.

Ed Schoenfeld

JUNEAU, ALASKA (2010-07-29) The challenger in Southeast’s District 5 House race says he wants to focus on ferries, fisheries and finances. Cordova Democrat Robert Beedle hopes to win the seat held by Haines Republican Representative Bill Thomas. The incumbent has a similar agenda.

The race is to represent small cities and villages from eastern Prince William Sound to southern Southeast. Those communities include Metlakatla, Craig, Klawock, Kake, Angoon, Hoonah, Skagway and Yakutat.

Beedle is a member of Cordova’s City Council and a director of the town’s telephone cooperative. He’s also been part of organizations from the local Moose Lodge to the NRA to Cordova District Fishermen United.

He says he decided it’s time to serve a larger community.

Robert Beedle's campaign website
Bill Thomas' Legislative website
Read a wrap-up of Southeast races
Link to state elections information

"I’m a lifelong Alaskan born in Cordova. I’ve been doing service work and stuff in my community. I’ve been doing it my whole life. It’s just an opportunity to take it to the next level," he says.

Beedle’s fished commercially for 35 years and also owns a refrigeration business. The 52-year-old is married with four children.

He says he’s running in part to improve marine highway service. His Prince William Sound hometown is part of the route for the small ferry Aurora and the fast ship Chenega.

"The service is inconsistent and we don’t know if we’re going to have it year to year. And when you pull a boat out of service have one able to take its place instead of no service for a couple of months. Just a little more reliability there," he says.

He wants to support sustainable fisheries by increasing funding for
the state Fish and Game Department, as well as regional

  Robert Beedle                                       hatcheries. He says he’ll pursue alternative energy projects to lower electrical costs. And he wants to look for ways to tighten the state budget, though he has no specific plans.

Cordova is at the northwest end of House District 5, and Beedle admits he has not spent much time in its other communities, most of which are in Southeast. But he doesn’t see that as a problem.

Beedle, 22 seconds: I was looking at Haines’ website the other day and you could almost put Cordova’s name in there the way they described it. So I do see a lot of similarities. I’m sure there’s a few differences. There’s only a couple with roads. Most of us need to rely on planes and boats to get to the town.

Beedle faces no opponent in the August 24th Democratic party. But he’s up against Haines Republican Bill Thomas in the November general election.

He’s not critiquing the three-term incumbent, at least yet.

"I don’t feel like I’m running against Bill Thomas. I’m running for District 5, to represent the area. I would just like to step up and represent District 5 and I could do a great job," he says.

Thomas has won three hard-fought elections. He says his work in the Capitol, especially on the budget-writing Finance Committee, should help him get re-elected.

"People know I have the experience and knowledge and get around that building pretty well. So I’m hoping I just have to reiterate that again and tell them, look the success shows that we’ve been very successful the last six years. I think experience helps and let’s keep it going," Thomas says.

homas is a 63-year-old commercial fisherman, Vietnam Veteran and former lobbyist. He served on Haines’ Borough Assembly, chaired the Klukwan, Inc. village Native corporation board, was on the Chilkoot Indian Association Council, and is on the Sealaska regional Native corporation board of directors. He’s married with five children.

Like Beedle, he does not face a primary opponent. In fact, only one of six Southeast legislative races has a primary this year.

Incumbent Wrangell Representative Peggy Wilson is being challenged by Petersburg’s Steven Samuelson for the District 2 Republican nomination. The   
winner will face Sitka Assembly member and Democrat Reber Stein in the general                        Bill Thomas
election.

And there’s only one more regional general election race. Ketchikan Republican Representative Kyle Johansen faces Democrat Ottar Mobley of Thorne Bay in District 1.

Juneau’s legislative delegation -- Democratic Senator Dennis Egan, Democratic District 3 Representative Beth Kerttula and Republican District 4 Representative Cathy Munoz -- face no ballot opposition.

Thomas, in District 5, says this might be his last race.

"Redistricting may make it such a hurdle that it may not be worth it. Or I’ll have to work a little harder and we’ll see. I don’t know when the lines will be because when we’re done, who knows where I’ll be," he says.

This is the last election before population-driven reapportionment changes district boundaries. And Southeast will likely lose a House seat.

Matt Miller

JUNEAU, ALASKA (2010-07-29) Federal Fisheries officials are investigating a collision between a cruise ship and a whale.

As the Sapphire Princess approached Juneau on Wednesday, the crew of a smaller vessel reported seeing a whale lodged on the ship's bulbous bow.


A tug boat with divers pulled the whale off the cruise ship near the south end of Douglas Island before the Sapphire Princess pulled into Juneau at about 4 p.m.

National Marine Fisheries Service Spokeswoman Julie Speegle says agents from NMFS's Office of Law Enforcement and Protected Resources Division will interview the ship's crew.

Still unknown is the gender, size, age or species of the whale, or whether it was already sick or dead when it was hit.

Speegle says it could be unsightly for some tourists, as well as a biological hazard bringing such a large carcass into a highly-populated area for a necropsy.

Kirby Day of Princess Cruises says the Sapphire Princess did not report a collision or whale sighting after leaving Ketchikan Tuesday afternoon.

As the investigation is just getting underway, Speegle says it's premature to discuss any possible action or penalties against the crew or cruise line.

This is the second time the Sapphire Princess has struck a whale in the last year. The ship pulled into Vancouver, B.C. last July with a dead fin whale impaled on the bow.

Deanna Garrison

KETCHIKAN, ALASKA (2010-07-28) The State of Alaska has established a Southeast state forest, setting aside just over 25,000 acres of state lands for timber harvests. Nearly half of the 20 parcels that make up the new forest are located on Prince of Wales Island. Two are located on Gravina.

Joe Viechnicki

PETERSBURG, AK (2010-07-28) A court of appeals has upheld the 2007 murder conviction and sentencing of a Petersburg man. The three-judge panel last week denied an appeal by Anthony Haube in the 2005 death of Michael Gerber on Sing Lee Alley in Petersburg.

Melati Kaye

PETERSBURG, AK (2010-07-27) Spirits were high at Kake’s 16th annual Dog Salmon Festival this weekend. Damp marine weather made for a lower than normal turnout at the native community’s festival on the Northwest end of Kupreanof island. The skies cleared the day of the festival and attendees enjoyed Native foods and various races and prizes. Melati Kaye attended, produced this audio postcard and took some pictures that can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/52512799@N08/show/
For more pictures

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52512799@N08/show/

Ed Schoenfeld

JUNEAU, ALASKA (2010-07-27) Fifty-eight members of Congress have signed a letter opposing Sealaska’s lands-selection legislation.

The group of Democrats asked House committee leaders to keep the bill out of any larger public-lands measure. Supporters and opponents have said it’s most likely to pass as part of an omnibus lands bill.

The letter was released July 27th by the Alaska Wilderness League, based in Washington, D.C. It says the selections bill would, quote, “give the green light to industrial clear-cutting of the best remaining old growth in the United States.”

League spokeswoman Gwen Dobbs says the letter was spearheaded by Representatives Rosa DeLauro  of Connecticut and Raúl Grijalva of Arizona.

"We’re very much in support of these members of Congress coming forward and really showing leadership in terms of protecting our natural resource. And I think that we really commend them for coming out and asking their colleagues to protect the Tongass," she says.

The bill would allow Sealaska to complete its land selections outside boundaries set by the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The Southeast Native corporation and its supporters say the measure would boost the region’s economy and allow for a sustainable timber industry.

The letter was sent to the co-chairmen of the House Natural Resources Committee, the first stop for Don Young’s version of the bill.

Young was aware that the letter was being circulated. He sent his own letter discouraging colleagues from signing on. It said the legislation would not increase loss of old growth trees in the Tongass. He said, quote, “the legislation would preserve as much as 40,000 acres of roadless old growth timber … that could otherwise be harvested by Sealaska.”

The bill's main focus has been in the Senate Resources Committee, where Lisa Murkowski’s version is undergoing changes.

Robert Dillon is Murkowski’s committee spokesman.

"She’s listening to stakeholders from all groups and local residents who are impacted by this bill or have interest in it. She’s not paying too much attention to liberals in Congress who are trying to stop Alaska legislation," he says.

Murkowski released a series of amendments to the measure July 1st. Dillon says they are still under consideration and no hearing date has been set.

Click here to read the letter opposing the lands-selection legislation.

Read Don Young's response letter supporting the Sealaska bill.

Link to Murkowski's proposed bill changes.

Read Sealaska's perspective on the bill.

Hear a report on opposition to the bill from eight Southeast communities.

Tony Gorman

WRANGELL (2010-07-26) Wrangell's Dustin Johnson became the first winner of the Bearfest Marathon. It was his second victory of the year. The event was one of many that wrapped up the First Annual Alaska Bearfest over the weekend. KSTK' Tony Gorman has more.











Photo by KSTK News-Dustin Johnson is the first to cross the finish line in the Bearfest Marathon.



Photo by KSTK News-Adam Peterson celebrates as he finishes the Bearfest Marathon.



Photo by KSTK News-Craig Purviance makes his way toward the finish line in the Bearfest Marathon.



Photo by KSTK News-Ryan Long finishes the team marathon event for Team Long-N-Burker.



Photo by KSTK News-Joe Viechnicki waves as he runs the half-marathon.

Joe Viechnicki

PETERSBURG (2010-07-26) Two Republican candidates for State House District Two last week debated ideas for improving ferry and road links in Southeast as well as the importance of seniority in the Alaska legislature. Residents in District 2 voting the Republican ballot in the state’s August 24th primary will chose between five-term incumbent Peggy Wilson of Wrangell and challenger Steven Samuelson of Petersburg.

Deanna Garrison

KETCHIKAN, ALASKA (2010-07-23) A 38-year-old Pacific Airways pilot died in a floatplane crash Friday morning in Ketchikan. Federal agencies are investigating the cause of the crash, which killed the plane’s only occupant – pilot and Ketchikan resident Josh Merdock.

Tony Gorman

WRANGELL (2010-07-22) The first-ever Alaska Bearfest kicked off this week. In Wrangell, you can't talk about bears without mentioning the Anan Bear Observatory. The Observatory is one of the Wrangell Ranger District's biggest attractions. KSTK's Tony Gorman went down to Anan last week and filed this report.







Photo by KSTK News-A black stands in the way of visitors at the Anan Bear Observatory.



Photo by KSTK News-Visitors watch as a black bear makes its way down to the creek.



Photo by KSTK News-A sow gets food for her cub.



Photo by KSTK News-A black bear waiting for the perfect time to snag a pink salmon.



Photo by KSTK News-A brown bear makes an appearance at the Anan Bear Observatory.

Melati Kaye

PETERSBURG, AK (2010-07-22) There's been a small baby boom in Petersburg over the past two years. And the families who are having babies, or who are expecting babies, are dealing with a lot of things that young families didn't have before, including delivering out of town

Tony Gorman

WRANGELL (2010-07-20) Locals flocked to Shoemaker Park over the weekend to participate in the Second Annual CAS Walk. The Walk was organized by the Hammer family in an effort to raise awareness about Childhood Apraxia of Speech also known as CAS. One of the Hammers' son, Carter, was diagnosed with the rare disorder several years ago. KSTK's Tony Gorman visited Carter and the Hammer family as well as attended the Walk and filed this report.






KSTK News-Carter helps his great-grandmother, Betty, makes fried bread.



KSTK News-Carter shows off some fresh fried bread.



KSTK News-Wrangellites participate in the Second Annual CAS Walk.



KSTK News-Holly and Carter Hammer during the Second Annual CAS Walk.