Sorted by date Results 251 - 275 of 387
At Southeast Conference last week in Haines, Alaska Marine Highway Reform Initiative presented its draft report assessing the state ferry system SEC had been tasked by the governor's office in May 2016 with organizing a statewide planning process to improve the ferry service's long-term viability. The 12-person steering committee subsequently formed to direct that effort has since moved into its second phase, preparation of a proposed organizational model which would better meet the state's tran...
With Southeast Conference wrapping up in Haines this morning, municipalities, businesses and individuals from around the region should have a better idea of how the economy is faring. Each year, SEC’s Southeast Alaska By the Numbers report looks at the preceding year’s demographic and labor statistics, noting trends and making forecasts where possible. Released just this week, the report for 2016 indicated it had been a tough year for the region, economically speaking. For the first time since 2007 jobs and earnings were both down from the prev...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The winning bidder for Alaska’s ferry Taku wants to turn the 352-foot (107-meter) vessel into a waterfront hotel and restaurant in Oregon. Portland resident Jonathan Cohen’s $300,000 bid on Friday was six times higher than the next bid, The Juneau Empire reported. Cohen represents a group of Portland investors who want to make the mothballed ferry a floating hotel at a pier in northwest Portland. “Our hope is to bring it to Portland, Oregon, where we’re based and to use it as a way to give this very historic vessel a...
WRANGELL — Later this month the region’s economic development organization will be meeting in Haines to discuss new trends, problems and opportunities it will face in the coming year. Representing many of the area’s municipalities, federally-recognized tribes, businesses, government agencies and organizations, Southeast Conference holds two major forums each year, in the spring and in the fall. Its autumn meeting is its biggest, in past years drawing hundreds to hear about and discuss concerns unique to the region, from transportation and u...
(Juneau, AK) – The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities proposed Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) schedule for fall, winter, and spring 2017-2018 is now available for public review. With the timing of the budget, the public comment period is slightly shorter than those in recent years, to allow the public sufficient lead time to make reservations for sailings that begin on October 1st. The draft schedule is based on established community service needs and events. It is available online with accompanying documents at dot....
Salmon skin, heads, bones and other body parts have long been popular in cultural usages around the world. Now add salmon sperm to the list of desirable byproducts being hailed by specialists in two diverse realms of research. A team of Japanese researchers is calling dried salmon sperm a miracle product for its ability to extract rare earth elements (REEs) from ore. An ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements and metals that can be extracted from the earth through mining. The rocks are refined, usually by smelting,...
KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) – The Alaska ferry Taku did not receive any bids during the state Marine Highway System’s most recent attempt at selling it. The minimum bid on the ship will now drop, CoastAlaska News reported Monday. A previous attempt at selling the ship priced it at $1.5 million, while the latest attempt had a minimum bid of $700,000. The Taku will be out for bidding one more time at a price that’s yet to be determined, Highway system General Manager John Falvey said If no one buys it, the ferry could be sold for scrap, he said....
JUNEAU, Alaska – The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) announced Wednesday that due to ongoing repairs the M/V Columbia will require additional time at Vigor Shipyard in Portland, Oregon. This delay will impact some passengers. Affected passengers are being notified by AMHS staff now. The M/V Malaspina is currently running in the Columbia’s place, and will continue until the Columbia is back in service on July 26. The Malaspina is a smaller vessel, therefore some passengers will not get the cabins they reserved and some vehicle res...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – Officials are lowering the asking price for a state ferry that has been tied up since 2015. The Alaska Marine Highway System had put the ship up for sale in March, but no one responded by the Tuesday deadline, CoastAlaska News reported Wednesday. After being on the market for a minimum bid of $1.5 million, the new minimum bid for the ship is $700,000, spokeswoman Meadow Bailey said. “This gives people who expressed an interest in the vessel a little bit more opportunity and perhaps makes the vessel a little bit more att...
KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) – An Alaska Marine Highway System ferry will not depart in May as scheduled. The Ketchikan Daily News reported Saturday that the Tustumena ferry was found with extensive steel defects in its engine room. The Alaska Marine Highway System is working with the U.S. Coast Guard on a repair plan to make the 53-year-old vessel safe again. “The steel is tested for thickness, and when they go through and there are sections where it’s rusted or pitted and the steel is not of the desired thickness anymore, then it’s conside...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – The Alaska Marine Highway System needs a new manager. Capt. Mike Neussl is leaving his post to care for an ill family member, he said. “It’s an important job and I clearly enjoyed doing it,” Neussl said. “But it is a stressful job and these are very challenging times and it’s not been easy.” Neussl’s departure comes on the heels of state budget cuts forcing the ferry system to reduce sailings and cut amenities, CoastAlaska News reported. A replacement for Neussl won’t be selected right away, Transportation Co...
WRANGELL – Regional economic forum Southeast Conference is seeking out data on private sector investment for its annual report on the economy. The survey is supposed to only take three minutes, asking for general information on significant private project investments one’s business or company had made between July 1, 2016 and June 30 in Southeast Alaska. All individual survey answers are completely confidential, and will be reported in aggregate only. “We do this annually so we can get a better feel for what the private investment is in the...
WRANGELL – Wrangell’s district representative for the State Legislature teleconferenced in late last week to update constituents on what’s going on in Juneau. Rep. Dan Ortiz (I-District 36) called in to Legislative Information Office locations in Ketchikan and Wrangell to explain ongoing bills and field questions on March 23. Likely the biggest issue on Alaska’s collective mind is its budget deficit, which by various measures is set to drain billions from the state’s savings this year. With spending left as is, the Legislative Finance Div...
JUNEAU – The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) is selling the M/V Taku through a sealed bid sale. The minimum bid price is $1.5 million and interested bidders must have a bid bond of $5,000. The complete bid package is available on the state's Online Public Notice website. ADOT&PF is selling the vessel "As Is/Where Is" to the highest bidder. The sale process involved getting Federal Highway Administration approval since federal funding was used to maintain the v...
State Senator Bert Stedman predicts the legislature will be in session for a full 120 days with an additional 30 day session if they are to complete their work this session. “There’s a lot of talk of the 90 day session but the constitution calls for 121 days. “We’ve only finished in 90 days one time,” Stedman noted. Stedman was in Petersburg this past weekend to attend the Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet along with his wife Lureen. Stedman said there is a “near zero chance of a 90 day session with any quality work being accomplishe...
WRAGNGEL – When Southeast Conference meets for its annual Mid-Session Summit in Juneau later this month, among the items high on its list for discussion is the structural reform of Alaska's ferry system. Southeast Alaskans have become dependent on the state's Marine Highway System since its establishment in 1959, essentially becoming their road network into and out of the region. It is a significant economic driver for the coastal communities it services as well, with an estimated impact of j...
Repairs to one of Southeast’s primary public ferries will take longer than anticipated. Alaska Marine Highway System reported the M/V Matanuska may not return to service until February 20, 10 days later than initially expected. Taken offline on January 3, the ship is currently in Ketchikan for its annual maintenance overhaul. “During that process they found some steel that needs to be replaced before it can return,” explained Department of Transportation and Public Facilities spokesperson Meadow Bailey. The delay has affected scheduling for s...
A public corporation is being proposed to manage Alaska Marine Highway ferry operations, according to a ferry governance study released by the Southeast Conference. Such a proposal would create a more businesslike approach to running the system and the inclusion of private sector expertise, leadership and accountability. Seattle-based Elliott Bay Design Group, produced the draft report with Juneau-based research firm McDowell Group. It was presented at a meeting of the Marine Transportation Advisory Committee. The project team recommended the f...
For more than 50 years, AMHS has served a critical infrastructure need for Alaska residents, communities, industries, and public services. • In 2014, AMHS carried 319,000 passengers, 108,000 vehicles, and nearly 4,000 container vans. • The ferry system plays an integral role in Alaska’s visitor industry, carrying more than 100,000 non-resident passengers annually. Anchorage continues to be the top Alaska destination for visitors traveling on the ferry. • AMHS accounted for 1,700 Alaska jobs and $104 million in Alaska wages and benefits in 2014...
Roads with ferries don’t work To the Editor: This fall Governor Walker has been weighing the pros and cons of proceeding with the Juneau road extension. The project entails fifty miles of new pavement, which would dead end at a ferry terminal on the uninhabited Katzehin River delta across the Lynn Canal from Haines. As residents of Petersburg and Wrangell know, long roads with short shuttle ferries have not worked out as hoped for in Southeast Alaska. The South Mitkof and Coffman Cove terminals, while beautiful facilities, have been largely shu...
The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) has released its 2017 summer schedule. Reservations are now available for booking at FerryAlaska.com, by calling 1-800-642-0066, or visiting ferry terminal staff throughout the system. The AMHS summer schedule covers ferry travel from May through September. In conjunction with the summer schedule, AMHS will implement the second of five planned annual tariff adjustments. The adjustments are intended to level similar-distanced fares across the system. The new fares will apply to all travel beginning May 1,...
Michael Sheldon was born and raised in Petersburg and he has strong beliefs when it comes the citizens of Alaska and the Permanent Fund dividend. He's registered as a write-in candidate to challenge incumbent Bert Stedman for Senate District R in the upcoming election. "I've been here all my life," Sheldon says. "And I'm still a human being and not a politician." Sheldon's worked as a handyman for the last 10 years, and he worked in the fishing and logging industry when he was younger. He's a...
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities proposed Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) schedule pattern for summer 2017 is now available online for public review. The documents can be accessed through a link on the AMHS homepage at FerryAlaska.com or directly through the following web address: dot.alaska.gov/amhs/share/schedule/considerations.pdf This is an opportunity for communities to review and comment on the proposed schedule in consideration of community events. Written comments will be accepted prior to Oct. 24 via...
Repairs to the Alaska Marine Highway System’s M/V Columbia are going to take longer than anticipated and it won’t return to service this year, according to Jeremy Woodrow, Alaska Department of Transportation spokesman. The ferry headed for dry dock in Oregon at the end of September to be looked over after divers in Wrangell reported a bent starboard propeller. After arriving in Oregon, the damage turned into much more, and the vessel will take around six weeks to repair, Woodrow says. “Up...
Last week Alaska's Lieutenant Governor Byron Mallott delivered the keynote address at Southeast Conference's annual meeting in Petersburg. Mallott talked about the below average pink salmon runs, the Alaska Marine Highway System and transboundary rivers mining issues in Southeast. Mallott in an interview with the Pilot, discussed current issues facing the region, including this year's Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) and the importance of the ferry system. Mallott said he is in full agreement with...
