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	<title>Syndicated Archives - KRBD</title>
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	<description>Community Radio for Southern Southeast Alaska</description>
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		<title>Ketchikan, Wrangell join forces to revitalize Southeast&#8217;s maritime industry</title>
		<link>https://www.krbd.org/2026/04/03/ketchikan-wrangell-join-forces-to-revitalize-southeasts-maritime-industry/</link>
					<comments>https://www.krbd.org/2026/04/03/ketchikan-wrangell-join-forces-to-revitalize-southeasts-maritime-industry/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Hunter Morrison]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 04 Apr 2026 01:16:40 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Local News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Syndicated]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.krbd.org/?p=265411</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<img width="627" height="376" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-627x376.webp" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-627x376.webp 627w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-1280x768.webp 1280w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-440x264.webp 440w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" /><p>Their efforts are in line with one of President Trump’s executive orders to "restore America’s maritime dominance." </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/04/03/ketchikan-wrangell-join-forces-to-revitalize-southeasts-maritime-industry/">Ketchikan, Wrangell join forces to revitalize Southeast&#8217;s maritime industry</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krbd.org">KRBD</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="627" height="376" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-627x376.webp" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-627x376.webp 627w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-1280x768.webp 1280w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-440x264.webp 440w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" />
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1250" height="814" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-scaled.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-240370" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-scaled.webp 1250w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-768x500.webp 768w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-1536x1000.webp 1536w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-1080x703.webp 1080w" sizes="(max-width: 1250px) 100vw, 1250px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A deckhand aboard Ketchikan&#8217;s airport ferry watches as tugs maneuver the Inter-Island Ferry Authority&#8217;s M/V Stikine outside the Ketchikan Shipyard on March 8, 2022. (Eric Stone/KRBD)</figcaption></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-audio"><audio controls src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/03maritime.wav"></audio></figure>



<p>The City and Borough of Wrangell and the City of Ketchikan have adopted a joint resolution to establish a Maritime Prosperity Zone. They’re looking to build upon their strengths &#8211; from <a href="https://www.kstk.org/2026/02/27/jag-marine-plans-for-what-could-become-southeasts-largest-shipyard-partners-with-wrangell/">shipbuilding</a> to port infrastructure to maritime logistics. Each community has deepwater access, has developed expanded maritime industrial infrastructure and uses low-cost renewable hydroelectric power.</p>



<p>Wrangell’s borough manager Mason Villarma said they’re responding to an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/restoring-americas-maritime-dominance/">executive order</a> issued by President Trump in 2025 to “restore America’s maritime dominance.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>&#8220;We realized that there&#8217;s strength in a partnership with Ketchikan to get the home ports, to get the maintenance facilities together,&#8221; Villarma said. &#8220;So we&#8217;ve deemed ourselves collectively as the Southeast Alaska Maritime Industrial Corridor, and so we&#8217;re seeking designation for our two communities. There&#8217;s only 100 communities in the United States that will get this declaration.&#8221;</p>



<p>According to Trump’s Maritime Action Plan, those hundred selected communities will have that designation for 10 years.&nbsp;</p>



<p>According to the President’s executive order, maritime workforce and shipbuilding capacity has “been weakened by decades of Government neglect, leading to a decline in a once strong industrial base.&#8221; It goes on to say that “the United States constructs less than one percent of commercial ships globally” while China produces “approximately half.” </p>



<p>The executive order’s goal is to allow the selected communities to apply for federal funding and improve workforce development.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Villarma said federal subsidies and technical support will help the communities that participate in the program. He said the new maritime prosperity zone would help expand domestic capacity and national security.&nbsp;</p>



<p>&#8220;As our national security fleet continues to grow at the Coast Guard and U.S. Navy, there&#8217;s opportunities for Alaska to create jobs and do that work here,&#8221; Villarma said. &#8220;So most of that work, you know, 60% of it, goes to Washington, California, and now they can&#8217;t even get into yards. So it&#8217;s a really great opportunity.&#8221;</p>



<p>JAG Marine Group, for example, has a large-scale shipbuilding and repair yard in Ketchikan and <a href="https://www.kstk.org/2026/02/27/jag-marine-plans-for-what-could-become-southeasts-largest-shipyard-partners-with-wrangell/">wants to expand in Wrangell</a>. Villarma said the federal designation would help this effort.</p>



<p>Ketchikan City Councilmember Jack Finnegan said if the maritime zone is selected, it could help catalyze private investment in the region’s maritime industry. He said it could also help grow Ketchikan’s population.&nbsp;</p>



<p>&#8220;Anytime we have the opportunity to strengthen an industry that&#8217;s so critical to our community, I think it just bolsters the workforce,&#8221; Finnegan said. &#8220;It feasibly draws more workers here. It draws more families here.&#8221;</p>



<p>And that’s important to both Ketchikan and Wrangell. The <a href="https://www.kcaw.org/2025/09/17/southeast-alaskas-number-one-economic-problem-is-declining-younger-people-economist-says/">latest economic data</a> show that young people leaving Southeast is impacting the workforce.&nbsp;</p>



<p>A resolution to support the Maritime Prosperity Zone will go before the Ketchikan Borough Assembly on Monday. Borough Mayor Austin Otos expects the assembly to approve it.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong><em>KSTK&#8217;s Colette Czarnecki contributed to this report. </em></strong></p>



<p><em>Hunter Morrison is a Report for America corps member for KRBD. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one. Please consider&nbsp;<a href="https://coastalaska.secureallegiance.com/ktoo/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=04WEB3&amp;PAGETYPE=PLG&amp;CHECK=Shg466wALquhUdIUA71SrhiCxtaFReuS">making a tax-deductible contribution</a>.</em>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/04/03/ketchikan-wrangell-join-forces-to-revitalize-southeasts-maritime-industry/">Ketchikan, Wrangell join forces to revitalize Southeast&#8217;s maritime industry</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krbd.org">KRBD</a>.</p>
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			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Forest Service invites local input on Tongass plan revision</title>
		<link>https://www.krbd.org/2026/04/02/forest-service-invites-local-input-on-tongass-plan-revision/</link>
					<comments>https://www.krbd.org/2026/04/02/forest-service-invites-local-input-on-tongass-plan-revision/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sydney Dauphinais]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 01:36:04 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Local News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Syndicated]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.krbd.org/?p=265326</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<img width="627" height="376" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TONGASSNATFOREST-627x376.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TONGASSNATFOREST-627x376.jpg 627w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TONGASSNATFOREST-440x264.jpg 440w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" /><p>The Forest Service had an in-person engagement meeting at the Discovery Center in Ketchikan on Wednesday. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/04/02/forest-service-invites-local-input-on-tongass-plan-revision/">Forest Service invites local input on Tongass plan revision</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krbd.org">KRBD</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="627" height="376" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TONGASSNATFOREST-627x376.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TONGASSNATFOREST-627x376.jpg 627w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TONGASSNATFOREST-440x264.jpg 440w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" />
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1098" height="824" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TONGASSNATFOREST.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-258390" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TONGASSNATFOREST.jpg 1098w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TONGASSNATFOREST-768x576.jpg 768w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TONGASSNATFOREST-1080x810.jpg 1080w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TONGASSNATFOREST-627x471.jpg 627w" sizes="(max-width: 1098px) 100vw, 1098px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A Tongass National Forest sign is shown just outside Ketchikan after a snowy November day. The Tongass is the nation’s largest national forest and covers most of Southeast Alaska  (Sydney Dauphinais/KRBD)</figcaption></figure>



<p>The Forest Service is revising the Tongass National Forest management plan, and will use community input as guidance on how they will manage the forest for the next 10 years or so. </p>



<p>Delilah Brigham, a planning officer for the Tongass, gave a presentation of suggestions to a room of about 20 people in the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center on Wednesday.</p>



<p> “In order for us to make sure that we are providing the lifestyle and recreational opportunities that they want from their public land, we have to have that feedback from the public in order to incorporate it into a plan revision,” Brigham said. </p>



<p>Brigham says when they’ve asked communities about their visions for the Tongass, there’s been emphasis on recreation opportunities, sustainable timber management and protection of existing ecosystems.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The National Forest Management Act recommends management plans be updated every 10 to 15 years. The management plan for the Tongass was last updated in 2016. Brigham says when getting feedback from people in Southeast, there’s been a lot of interest in balancing recreation use for tourists and locals. The current iteration of the plan, she said, doesn’t touch on tourism much.</p>



<p>The Forest Service has been getting input from people across the country. But Brigham, who lives on Prince of Wales, says the local input is crucial.&nbsp;</p>



<p>&#8220;These communities in which we&#8217;re having the workshops, people are living and working and are in the National Forest every single day,&#8221; Brigham said. &#8220;People who are living here are more affected by our management activities than somebody who lives in West Virginia. They want us to really look at our management of the Tongass National Forest, because it&#8217;s important to them as well, but our management activities aren&#8217;t impacting them directly, like it does here with these communities.”</p>



<p>Brigham specified that the document presented is not an official draft plan, but an engagement document of suggestions for community members to build on. She said public feedback is essential to providing a robust forest plan &#8212; and she’s not worried about contradictory directives coming from Washington, D.C. She said they will have to adhere to the plan no matter what comes from the White House.</p>



<p>&#8220;The plan gives the vision of what we want to accomplish on the Tongass,&#8221; Brigham said. &#8220;Executive orders and other direction that comes from Washington D.C. gives more on, ‘this is what we want you to focus on,’ but our plan is the guiding document, and actually how we implement it.” </p>



<p>Jeff DeFreest is with the Recreational Aviation Foundation, a nonprofit that advocates for protecting access to the backcountry. He lives in Ketchikan. He showed up to the event because he’s specifically interested in protecting the Forest Service cabins in the Tongass. Some of those cabins are fly-in only. He wants the cabins to be specifically addressed in the plan.&nbsp;</p>



<p>&#8220;When it comes down to congressional funding, they&#8217;ll make priorities and it&#8217;ll be, you know, ‘do this, do that, build a trail,’&#8221; DeFreest said. &#8220;But the cabins could really easily fall through the cracks in funding and delegation of congressional dollars.&#8221; </p>



<p>He wants to make sure that doesn&#8217;t happen. </p>



<p>&#8220;Some of these cabins that are not getting as much use, or they&#8217;ve been neglected because of lowered budgets, and so basically being allowed to decay, and, you know, with deferred maintenance on them, and then it&#8217;s too expensive for the Forest Service to fix them.&#8221;</p>



<p>Forest Service staff provided feedback forms for attendees to fill out and specify their interests and concerns. <a href="https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/CommentInput?Project=64039" type="link" id="https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/CommentInput?Project=64039">Submittals are welcome until May 6.</a> The Forest Service will then synthesize the community input to draft plan content and release the draft environmental impact statement this fall. The final plan is expected next summer. </p>



<p>In the next several weeks, there are in-person feedback sessions being held <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/r10/tongass/planning/forest-plan/plan-revision-public-engagements">across Southeast,</a> including in Craig, Hydaburg, Naukati Bay, Kasaan and Thorne Bay. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/04/02/forest-service-invites-local-input-on-tongass-plan-revision/">Forest Service invites local input on Tongass plan revision</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krbd.org">KRBD</a>.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>Labor union files charges against Ketchikan shipyard operator</title>
		<link>https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/31/labor-union-files-charges-against-ketchikan-shipyard-operator/</link>
					<comments>https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/31/labor-union-files-charges-against-ketchikan-shipyard-operator/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Hunter Morrison]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 01:23:11 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Local News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Syndicated]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.krbd.org/?p=265161</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<img width="627" height="376" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00251-627x376.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00251-627x376.jpg 627w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00251-1280x768.jpg 1280w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00251-440x264.jpg 440w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" /><p>Local 23 claims that JAG Ketchikan has refused to negotiate with them on employee benefits from a 2023 collective bargaining agreement. But JAG says it’s not legally obligated to abide by that agreement.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/31/labor-union-files-charges-against-ketchikan-shipyard-operator/">Labor union files charges against Ketchikan shipyard operator</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krbd.org">KRBD</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="627" height="376" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00251-627x376.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00251-627x376.jpg 627w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00251-1280x768.jpg 1280w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00251-440x264.jpg 440w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" />
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1250" height="833" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00251-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-178539" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00251-scaled.jpg 1250w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00251-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00251-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00251-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00251-1080x720.jpg 1080w" sizes="(max-width: 1250px) 100vw, 1250px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The ferry Columbia is shown at Ketchikan&#8217;s shipyard on Sept. 19, 2022. (Eric Stone/KRBD)</figcaption></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-audio"><audio controls src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/31JAGCharges.wav"></audio></figure>



<p>Local 23 is an Alaska-based chapter of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers, or SMART. The union filed three charges against JAG Ketchikan in December, January, and March. </p>



<p>“The biggest concern is the deterioration of the pre-existing conditions and benefits that we had negotiated for with the previous operator,&#8221; said Local 23 business manager Randy Golding. &#8220;With this new operator coming in, all that&#8217;s off the table.” </p>



<p>The union filed the charges with the National Labor Relations Board, asserting that JAG Ketchikan is not recognizing them or their collective bargaining agreement that was adopted under the previous shipyard operator, Vigor. They allege JAG has made “unilateral changes in terms and conditions of employment” including ending dirty pay, or special pay for work on ship septic systems containing human waste.  </p>



<p>William Earnhart is an Anchorage-based attorney representing JAG. He said the company has no legal obligation to recognize the labor union or the collective bargaining agreement. </p>



<p>“JAG is not a successor business. We didn&#8217;t go in and just buy them out,&#8221; Earnhart said. &#8220;So we&#8217;re not a successor. We&#8217;re hiring more employees. We&#8217;re not bound by that contract.”</p>



<p>JAG Marine Group took charge of the Ketchikan shipyard in <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/02/06/ketchikan-shipyard-employment-business-volume-increases-under-new-leadership/">September</a>. That’s after Alaska’s state development agency, AIDEA, <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2025/03/05/aidea-plans-to-end-agreement-with-vigor-for-state-owned-ketchikan-shipyard/">ended a two-decade partnership with the shipyard’s previous operator</a>, Vigor. A 2025 letter from AIDEA cited Vigor’s poor performance. </p>



<p>Luke Rebecchi is a Washington, D.C. based attorney for SMART. He said Local 23 has represented Ketchikan’s shipyard workers since 2022, when the facility operated under Vigor. </p>



<p>Rebecchi said the union negotiated a three-year labor contract with Vigor that guaranteed wage increases and premium-free health insurance benefits, among other things. He said in January, under JAG, health insurance premiums went up by more than 25%. </p>



<p>“We just want to make sure that the members are taken care of, and ultimately, we don&#8217;t believe that JAG feels the same about the local membership as we do,” Golding said.</p>



<p>Bergan Wieler is the general manager for JAG Ketchikan. He said the shipyard could have been shuttered if JAG hadn’t taken it over. And he said the shipyard currently offers voluntary, premium-based health insurance plans. </p>



<p>“I, myself, my family, have signed up for it,&#8221; Wieler said. &#8220;I pay the premiums to ensure that I have the good healthcare that JAG provides to cover my children, and my wife, and myself here in Ketchikan.”</p>



<p>It is unclear when the National Labor Relations Board will decide whether to move forward with Local 23&#8217;s charges. Attorney Rebecchi said the board has a backlog of cases that were exacerbated by last fall’s federal government shutdown. </p>



<p><em>Hunter Morrison is a Report for America corps member for KRBD. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one. Please consider <a href="https://coastalaska.secureallegiance.com/ktoo/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=04WEB&amp;PAGETYPE=PLG&amp;CHECK=Shg466wALqviQl%2byqVkEd4HJipnY8PNT">making a tax-deductible contribution</a>.</em> </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/31/labor-union-files-charges-against-ketchikan-shipyard-operator/">Labor union files charges against Ketchikan shipyard operator</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krbd.org">KRBD</a>.</p>
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		<title>Ketchikan expected to see record number of cruise ship passengers</title>
		<link>https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/27/ketchikan-expected-to-see-record-number-of-cruise-ship-passengers/</link>
					<comments>https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/27/ketchikan-expected-to-see-record-number-of-cruise-ship-passengers/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sydney Dauphinais]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 2026 00:11:27 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Local News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Syndicated]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.krbd.org/?p=264954</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<img width="627" height="376" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IMG_7526-627x376.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IMG_7526-627x376.jpg 627w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IMG_7526-1280x768.jpg 1280w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IMG_7526-440x264.jpg 440w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" /><p>Ketchikan is expected to see over 1.6 million cruise ship passengers this summer. That’s up over 100,000 from last year.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/27/ketchikan-expected-to-see-record-number-of-cruise-ship-passengers/">Ketchikan expected to see record number of cruise ship passengers</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krbd.org">KRBD</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="627" height="376" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IMG_7526-627x376.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IMG_7526-627x376.jpg 627w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IMG_7526-1280x768.jpg 1280w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IMG_7526-440x264.jpg 440w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" />
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1250" height="833" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IMG_7526-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-237556" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IMG_7526-scaled.jpg 1250w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IMG_7526-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IMG_7526-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IMG_7526-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IMG_7526-1080x720.jpg 1080w" sizes="(max-width: 1250px) 100vw, 1250px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Passengers disembark from a cruise ship in downtown Ketchikan in June 2024. (Michael Fanelli/KRBD)</figcaption></figure>



<p>Ketchikan is expected to see over 1.6 million cruise ship passengers this summer. That’s more than the island has ever seen and up over 100,000 from last year. The Visitors Bureau expects 58 ships this summer, compared to 48 ships in 2025. </p>



<p>Laurie Booyse is the city’s tourism manager. She acts as a liaison between the city and the local tourism industry tourism partners, cruise lines, local vendors, and the community. Booyse says that in the off season, she works with the city council on ordinances that will help the city prepare for spikes in visitors.</p>



<p>“We are seeing some bigger ships come in this upcoming summer, and that is going to mean that our infrastructure is going to be affected a little bit differently,&#8221; Booyse said. &#8220;But as a city, we are prepared to do what we need to do to make sure that people stay safe and that the downtown area stays clean.” </p>



<p>One proposal, which the council has been discussing for several months, is <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/01/16/ketchikan-borough-city-weighs-downtown-restroom-options/">constructing a public bathroom</a> in the main downtown area on Creek Street. But that isn’t expected to happen in time for this summer.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The number<em> </em>of ships visiting the island hasn’t been increasing much &#8212; the highest year on record was 54 ships in 2022 &#8212; but the capacity of the ships has been steadily increasing, Booyse says. The largest cruise ship set to visit can carry over 4,000 passengers.</p>



<p>With Juneau’s <a href="https://www.ktoo.org/2024/05/31/with-cruise-tourism-booming-juneau-has-negotiated-a-limit-on-how-many-passengers-can-come-off-ships/">passenger cap</a> going into effect this summer, the First City could see nearly as many cruise ship passengers as the capital. Juneau&#8217;s Visitor Industry Director Alix Pierce says 1.69 million are expected in Juneau this coming season. And, she says, the cap has led to increased visitation in Ketchikan. Juneau cancelled a few Royal Caribbean calls to meet the caps, and they ended up shifting to Ketchikan’s Ward Cove, instead.</p>



<p>Booyse says that she expects the island will see more increases than just cruise ship passenger this summer. She says in recent years, the number of airline and ferry visitors has crept up significantly. And the visitors who come by ferry or plane stay for multiple days and are looking for a wider variety of experiences.</p>



<p>“So they want to kind of dive deeper into the community,&#8221; she said. &#8220;You may see them coming to say the Monthly Grind, or going to Fish Pirate&#8217;s Daughter, or experiencing more of those kinds of things.” </p>



<p>Booyse says with more visitors staying for longer periods of time, the community needs to decide how &#8212; and where &#8212; they want to develop across the island rather than just in the downtown area. Some of those developments are already in the works at Ward Cove, with existing downtown businesses expected to expand out north as early as May. </p>



<p>The first cruise ship of the season is expected to dock in Ketchikan on Sunday, April 12. </p>



<p></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/27/ketchikan-expected-to-see-record-number-of-cruise-ship-passengers/">Ketchikan expected to see record number of cruise ship passengers</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krbd.org">KRBD</a>.</p>
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		<title>Ketchikan school board delays approval to close elementary schools</title>
		<link>https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/26/ketchikan-school-board-delays-closure-of-elementary-schools/</link>
					<comments>https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/26/ketchikan-school-board-delays-closure-of-elementary-schools/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sydney Dauphinais]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 01:51:04 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Local News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Syndicated]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.krbd.org/?p=264879</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<img width="627" height="376" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Untitled-design-3-scaled-e1722018784595-627x376.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Untitled-design-3-scaled-e1722018784595-627x376.jpg 627w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Untitled-design-3-scaled-e1722018784595-440x264.jpg 440w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" /><p>The board delayed closing schools and approved a reduction in force plan during their Wednesday night meeting. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/26/ketchikan-school-board-delays-closure-of-elementary-schools/">Ketchikan school board delays approval to close elementary schools</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krbd.org">KRBD</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="627" height="376" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Untitled-design-3-scaled-e1722018784595-627x376.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Untitled-design-3-scaled-e1722018784595-627x376.jpg 627w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Untitled-design-3-scaled-e1722018784595-440x264.jpg 440w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" />
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1229" height="820" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Untitled-design-3-scaled-e1722018784595.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-223366" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Untitled-design-3-scaled-e1722018784595.jpg 1229w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Untitled-design-3-scaled-e1722018784595-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Untitled-design-3-scaled-e1722018784595-1080x721.jpg 1080w" sizes="(max-width: 1229px) 100vw, 1229px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The White Cliff building is seen on July 19, 2024. (Michael Fanelli/KRBD)</figcaption></figure>



<p>The Ketchikan Gateway Borough School Board delayed approval of closing two elementary schools at their regular Wednesday night meeting. It’s part of an effort to address a massive budget deficit due to declining enrollment and years of high operating costs. </p>



<p>Nearly a dozen staff members in blue, tie-dyed Point Higgins sweatshirts attended the meeting to honor their school &#8212; likely in anticipation of its closure this upcoming school year. Point Higgins Principal Todd Henke played <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Syu6R9E9Zaw">video montages</a> of the school students and staff. Teachers in the audience laughed seeing videos of their students on screen. Several board members cried. </p>



<p>But when it came time to vote, board member Shari Montgomery said there isn’t enough information to close that school or Fawn Mountain Elementary quite yet. She said there needs to be more plans in place before making such a big decision.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“I don&#8217;t think we can just start closing schools without any plans of where our kids are going or how they&#8217;re going to get there,&#8221; Montgomery said.</p>



<p>She also said she’d like to see financial data on the projected savings of school closures before a vote happens.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>“We have a lot of heartbroken people about losing our neighborhood schools,&#8221; Montgomery said. &#8220;After last year&#8217;s failed attempt to save money with the restructuring, providing that financial information upfront can help rebuild trust and show that this is a viable plan and not just another experiment with our children.”</p>



<p>Montgomery said there needed to be a &#8220;comprehensive closure plan&#8221; &#8212; one that includes where the kids will go and what transportation will be provided for them to get to their new schools. </p>



<p>The board unanimously approved to delay approval and direct district staff to draft a closure plan to be presented at the regular board meeting April 8. </p>



<p>Around a dozen people commented at the meeting. Many of them asked the board to include Career and Technical Education, or CTE programming, in next year’s district budget. Nearly everyone who spoke asked for transparency from the board on what programming is being preserved. </p>



<p>On the <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pxNAAp9OqA1wTVujlscULS2mCalURfyX/view?usp=sharing" type="link" id="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pxNAAp9OqA1wTVujlscULS2mCalURfyX/view?usp=sharing">agenda</a> was also a <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/12/school-board-rejects-reduction-in-force-plan/" type="link" id="https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/12/school-board-rejects-reduction-in-force-plan/">Reduction in Force plan</a> &#8212; a document that legally outlines how and why<em> </em>layoffs can be made. It doesn’t address what is being cut. </p>



<p>Some board members, like Ali Ginter, were concerned about that. She wanted to know what was being cut before voting on the RIF plan. </p>



<p>“We had several public comment regarding the protection of the programs,&#8221; Ginter said. &#8220;Had we had that in this RIF plan, I doubt that we would have had so much confusion up at that podium.” </p>



<p>But, according to interim superintendent Sheri Boehlert, approving the RIF plan is a necessary step before approving the budget. </p>



<p>&#8220;We cannot outline every single specific program in there, because if the budget doesn&#8217;t get passed in its first reading, there may be changes and fluctuations,&#8221; Boehlert said. &#8220;And we do not want to be held to a document that outlined a specific program, and then the budget changes, and now we&#8217;re held to that program and to what&#8217;s in the budget.”</p>



<p>And that approval is time-sensitive &#8212; the Ketchikan Education Association, the local educators’ union, initially wanted it approved before Spring Break so staff who are facing layoffs could be made aware as soon as possible.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Boehlert explained that if teacher contracts are released as soon as possible &#8212; the day after the budget is expected to be finalized &#8212; the earliest teachers could be notified of layoffs is May 9. State law requires tenured teachers who are being laid off need to be notified by May 15.</p>



<p>“That gives us six days,&#8221; Boehlert said. &#8220;Six days to effectively, and with empathy and with heart, let these people know that they&#8217;re not going to have a job. If we push this later and we don&#8217;t approve it until whenever down the road, we get to the point where if we are even one week late, we will be in jeopardy of [having to] bring back every teacher, and then you will be facing a real challenge.&#8221;</p>



<p>Boehlert said that after weeks of collaboration &#8212; aside from a few “wordsmithing” changes &#8212; the KEA and district staff were in agreement on the plan &#8212; up until early Wednesday afternoon, just hours before the board meeting. At that point, Boehlert said, it was too late to make any last-minute changes. And, she said, it’s been approved by the district&#8217;s legal team multiple times.</p>



<p>Board Vice President Melissa Reed supported the RIF plan as presented. She said she wanted to honor the work that had already been done.</p>



<p>“I am really concerned that we keep putting this off and making small word changes rather than giving our staff and our teachers and our administrators the knowledge to go forward,” Reed said.</p>



<p>Board member Ginter said she wouldn’t vote to approve the plan until she was sure the KEA president was satisfied with the version of the RIF plan presented.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“I don&#8217;t feel like we should be rushing this,&#8221; Ginter said. &#8220;I really don&#8217;t feel comfortable that we are missing elements of this document. Even if legal has said, ‘oh yeah, it&#8217;s fine.’ Other districts, I&#8217;m sure, have heard, ‘oh yeah, it&#8217;s fine,’  but then they&#8217;ve been sued.” </p>



<p>KEA president Lindsay Tucker said in an email to KRBD that while they understand the district must enact a RIF, they continue to have reservations about the plan adopted.</p>



<p>As part of a statement, Tucker wrote: “The language currently presented in the RIF lacks the specificity needed to ensure fair and consistent implementation. For example, there is an absence of identified programming priorities. A responsible RIF plan should be guided by a clear understanding of which programs and services the district intends to preserve. Without that clarity, it is impossible to fully assess how proposed staffing reductions will impact the educational opportunities available to students.”</p>



<p>Tucker said KEA continues to insist on collaboration between the district and the union going forward.</p>



<p>The RIF plan was approved 5-2, with Montgomery and Ginter voting no.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The school board meets again in a special meeting this Saturday, and another special meeting next Wednesday. They are expected to approve next year’s budget April 8, the same day they are expected to vote on both school closures.<br></p>



<p><br></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/26/ketchikan-school-board-delays-closure-of-elementary-schools/">Ketchikan school board delays approval to close elementary schools</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krbd.org">KRBD</a>.</p>
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		<title>One year later, Ketchikan remembers rockslide that bisected island&#8217;s main road</title>
		<link>https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/25/one-year-later-ketchikan-remembers-rockslide-that-bisected-islands-main-road/</link>
					<comments>https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/25/one-year-later-ketchikan-remembers-rockslide-that-bisected-islands-main-road/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Hunter Morrison]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 02:37:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Local News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Syndicated]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.krbd.org/?p=264808</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<img width="627" height="376" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jason-Baldwin-KPUtv-Drone-Photo-627x376.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jason-Baldwin-KPUtv-Drone-Photo-627x376.jpg 627w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jason-Baldwin-KPUtv-Drone-Photo-1280x768.jpg 1280w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jason-Baldwin-KPUtv-Drone-Photo-440x264.jpg 440w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" /><p>This month marks one year since a non-fatal rockslide split Ketchikan’s only highway in two. In the days following, locals came out of the woodwork to help their neighbors get to where they needed to go. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/25/one-year-later-ketchikan-remembers-rockslide-that-bisected-islands-main-road/">One year later, Ketchikan remembers rockslide that bisected island&#8217;s main road</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krbd.org">KRBD</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="627" height="376" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jason-Baldwin-KPUtv-Drone-Photo-627x376.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jason-Baldwin-KPUtv-Drone-Photo-627x376.jpg 627w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jason-Baldwin-KPUtv-Drone-Photo-1280x768.jpg 1280w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jason-Baldwin-KPUtv-Drone-Photo-440x264.jpg 440w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" />
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1250" height="938" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jason-Baldwin-KPUtv-Drone-Photo-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-240804" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jason-Baldwin-KPUtv-Drone-Photo-scaled.jpg 1250w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jason-Baldwin-KPUtv-Drone-Photo-768x576.jpg 768w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jason-Baldwin-KPUtv-Drone-Photo-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jason-Baldwin-KPUtv-Drone-Photo-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jason-Baldwin-KPUtv-Drone-Photo-1080x810.jpg 1080w" sizes="(max-width: 1250px) 100vw, 1250px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">2025&#8217;s Wolfe Point landslide near Ketchikan seen from above. (Jason Baldwin/KPU)</figcaption></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-audio"><audio controls src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/25RockslideAnniversary.wav"></audio></figure>



<p>Ketchikan’s Jeff Karlson remembers that early spring day all too well. He’s the owner of Lighthouse Excursions, a Ketchikan-based boat tour company. When he first heard about the <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2025/03/20/rockslide-blocks-traffic-on-ketchikans-main-road-cutting-off-access-to-the-islands-north-side/">rockslide</a> near the airport ferry terminal, he thought it’d be cleared pretty quickly. </p>



<p>“And I remember originally thinking like, ‘Oh, gosh, another landslide,’ and then, ‘Oh, this one&#8217;s not too big of a deal. So that&#8217;s good news,’&#8221; Karlson said. &#8220;And then, of course, it became evident pretty quickly that it wasn&#8217;t going to be cleared for quite some time.”</p>



<p>It would be four days before debris on the Tongass Highway near Wolfe Point would be partially cleared.&nbsp;</p>



<p>So Karlson stepped up. He was gearing for the summer season when the slide happened. His company took shifts assisting a few other boat tour operators with transporting commuters blocked by the rubble. </p>



<p>“This was, I think, the most unique kind of a service that we were able to provide, especially when it comes to an emergency,” Karlson said.</p>



<p>Wolfe Point had been an area of concern to local officials for a number of years. It experienced several rockfalls, and the state Department of Transportation was in the process of alleviating the area’s rockfall risk when the slide occurred. <a href="https://dot.alaska.gov/sereg/projects/wolfe-point/">According to DOT</a>, those efforts included debris cleanup in ditches, slope stabilization and more. Nearby powerlines made cleanup efforts challenging.</p>



<p>The borough and city governments signed a joint disaster declaration and state geologists assessed the slope before cleanup efforts began. That essentially pooled more state resources to address the rockslide. The borough assembly has not introduced action items about the rockslide area since. The city council in July approved a funding reimbursement for costs the city incurred during the rockslide response. </p>



<p>Rodney Dial was the borough mayor at the time of the Wolfe Point rockslide. He said locals from all sectors came together to ensure disruptions on the island were limited.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“It&#8217;s surprising how many different issues that you actually wind up with,&#8221; Dial said. &#8220;You have people that need to go to the hospital that might be in the north end. You have people that need to get medication. And so, there&#8217;s just all of these different issues that all of a sudden come up, and it was really a team effort to address it.”</p>



<p>Ketchikan Fire Chief Rick Hines said the North Tongass Volunteer Fire Department provided emergency medical services to those cut off from the hospital by flying or boating patients to an ambulance south of the slide. And Point Higgins Elementary School, north of town, was prepared to overnight students at the school who were separated from their families, although they didn’t end up needing to.&nbsp;</p>



<p>And despite shoulder season preparations, boaters transported thousands of passengers during the multi-day closure. Emma Bullock is Allen Marine Tours&#8217; senior sales and marketing manager. She said the company moved about 4,000 passengers in the week following the slide.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Bullock said one of the biggest takeaways from the disaster was the community’s resiliency.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“It did not stop Ketchikan from the daily activities,&#8221; Bullock said. &#8220;We were having people coming on with their dogs to go out hiking out by Ward Lake, and it didn&#8217;t slow down the beats of what makes Ketchikan.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>Karlson, with Lighthouse Excursions, said he enjoyed the opportunity to help his neighbors in need. His company moved about 500 people.</p>



<p>Karlson said that considering his company primarily serves tourists, the rockslide response was a rare chance to connect with locals. </p>



<p>“This was the absolute opposite. It was seeing a familiar face on every run, if not the whole boat being familiar,&#8221; Karlson said. &#8220;And so seeing some familiar faces aboard my boat who have never been aboard my boat, that was quite fun.” </p>



<p>In the year following the Wolfe Point rockslide, state DOT said it’s monitoring the site via drone to ensure future rockslides or falls won’t happen there. They’ve also installed a rock debris buttress.&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Jeff Karlson. </em></p>



<p><em>Hunter Morrison is a Report for America corps member for KRBD. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one. Please consider&nbsp;<a href="https://coastalaska.secureallegiance.com/ktoo/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=04WEB3&amp;PAGETYPE=PLG&amp;CHECK=Shg466wALquhUdIUA71SrhiCxtaFReuS">making a tax-deductible contribution</a>.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/25/one-year-later-ketchikan-remembers-rockslide-that-bisected-islands-main-road/">One year later, Ketchikan remembers rockslide that bisected island&#8217;s main road</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krbd.org">KRBD</a>.</p>
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		<title>Coast Guard temporarily relieves commanding officer of Ketchikan-based cutter</title>
		<link>https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/24/coast-guard-temporarily-relieves-commanding-officer-of-ketchikan-based-cutter/</link>
					<comments>https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/24/coast-guard-temporarily-relieves-commanding-officer-of-ketchikan-based-cutter/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sydney Dauphinais]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 23:00:27 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Local News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Syndicated]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.krbd.org/?p=264714</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<img width="627" height="376" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00344-627x376.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00344-627x376.jpg 627w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00344-1280x768.jpg 1280w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00344-440x264.jpg 440w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" /><p>Commanding officer for the Douglas Denman was temporarily relieved following an investigation that led to a “loss of confidence.” </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/24/coast-guard-temporarily-relieves-commanding-officer-of-ketchikan-based-cutter/">Coast Guard temporarily relieves commanding officer of Ketchikan-based cutter</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krbd.org">KRBD</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="627" height="376" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00344-627x376.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00344-627x376.jpg 627w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00344-1280x768.jpg 1280w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00344-440x264.jpg 440w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" />
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1250" height="833" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00344-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179349" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00344-scaled.jpg 1250w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00344-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00344-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00344-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC00344-1080x720.jpg 1080w" sizes="(max-width: 1250px) 100vw, 1250px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Crewmembers file towards the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Douglas Denman shortly after its commissioning. (Eric Stone/KRBD)</figcaption></figure>



<p>The commanding officer of the Ketchikan-based Coast Guard cutter Douglas Denman has been temporarily relieved from their position. Lieutenant Edwin Kuster was temporarily relieved Monday following an investigation that led to what they call a “loss of confidence.” </p>



<p>Pamela Manns, a Public Affairs Officer with the Coast Guard, said in an email, “the commanding officer was not meeting the high standards of leadership and performance expected of someone in their position.” </p>



<p>Manns also clarified that the relief status is not due to misconduct. She said the primary purpose of the relief is to “ensure the safety, operational effectiveness, and morale of the cutter and its crew.” </p>



<p>The temporary relief may or may not become permanent. If warranted, that decision will be made by the Commander of the Coast Guard Personnel Service Center.&nbsp;</p>



<p>An interim commanding officer has been appointed to the Douglas Denman to maintain all operations. There are four cutters based in Ketchikan.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This comes at a time when the Coast Guard is experiencing a lapse in funding due to the Department of Homeland Security being largely shut down, limiting availability to respond to media requests.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/24/coast-guard-temporarily-relieves-commanding-officer-of-ketchikan-based-cutter/">Coast Guard temporarily relieves commanding officer of Ketchikan-based cutter</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krbd.org">KRBD</a>.</p>
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		<title>Ketchikan not selected for underwater tunnel project</title>
		<link>https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/24/ketchikan-not-selected-for-tunnel-building-challenge/</link>
					<comments>https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/24/ketchikan-not-selected-for-tunnel-building-challenge/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Hunter Morrison]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 22:45:06 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Local News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Syndicated]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.krbd.org/?p=264710</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<img width="627" height="376" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-627x376.webp" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-627x376.webp 627w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-1280x768.webp 1280w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-440x264.webp 440w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" /><p>The Ketchikan Gateway Borough is not the winner of a contest that could’ve built a free, underwater commuter tunnel between the city and Gravina Island. The option was considered an alternative to the airport's aging ferry fleet. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/24/ketchikan-not-selected-for-tunnel-building-challenge/">Ketchikan not selected for underwater tunnel project</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krbd.org">KRBD</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="627" height="376" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-627x376.webp" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-627x376.webp 627w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-1280x768.webp 1280w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-440x264.webp 440w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" />
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1250" height="814" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-scaled.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-240370" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-scaled.webp 1250w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-768x500.webp 768w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-1536x1000.webp 1536w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/npr.brightspotcdn-1080x703.webp 1080w" sizes="(max-width: 1250px) 100vw, 1250px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A deckhand aboard Ketchikan&#8217;s airport ferry watches as tugs maneuver the Inter-Island Ferry Authority&#8217;s M/V Stikine outside the Ketchikan Shipyard on March 8, 2022. (Eric Stone/KRBD)</figcaption></figure>



<p>The Ketchikan Gateway Borough is not the winner of a <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/02/20/the-bridge-to-nowhere-could-be-replaced-with-the-tunnel-to-somewhere-ketchikan-borough-weighs-airport-ferry-alternatives/">contest </a>that could’ve built a free, underwater commuter tunnel between the city and Gravina Island, where the airport is.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Nearly 500 applicants from around the world submitted proposals for the “Tunnel Vision Challenge,” a demonstration project led by Elon Musk’s construction firm, The Boring Company. According to its website, the company will construct a tunnel up to a mile long and 12 feet wide for the contest’s winner.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Ketchikan Borough assemblymember Rodney Dial, who stumbled upon the opportunity, said in an interview with KRBD that there’s a need for a fixed access route between the two islands because the airport’s ferry fleet is nearing the end of its operational life. He said replacing just one could cost around $30 million. The airport is also undergoing a multi-million dollar expansion, which could bring additional passengers to Ketchikan.</p>



<p>“We have a number of issues that a fixed link could solve, as well as promoting sustained economic development for our community,&#8221; Dial said. &#8220;That&#8217;s really the big picture here is we just need to start thinking big, looking for ways that we can address known problems while at the same time growing the economy.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>Dial said a ferry alternative to Gravina could also open up land to combat Ketchikan’s <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2022/12/16/ketchikans-housing-crisis-could-cost-the-community-a-generation-planning-director-tells-borough-assembly/">housing crunch</a>. At a Feb. 2 borough assembly meeting, Dial said that a fixed route to Gravina could be “the greatest economic opportunity the community’s ever seen.” Dial co-sponsored a resolution last month alongside assemblymember Sharli Arntzen supporting the proposal, which gained unanimous support from the assembly.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Earlier this month, Ketchikan’s tunnel proposal was in the top 16 finalists. The Boring Company announced Monday that it will move forward with three tunnel proposals in New Orleans, Baltimore and Dallas.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Even though Ketchikan was not selected as the contest’s winner, Dial said submitting the no-cost proposal was worth a shot.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Who knows where this will lead, but I&#8217;m hopeful that something positive will come out of it,” Dial said.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Dial hopes the opportunity will lead to future consulting with The Boring Company that could help to develop a fixed access route between Ketchikan and Gravina Island.&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>Hunter Morrison is a Report for America corps member for KRBD. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one. Please consider <a href="https://coastalaska.secureallegiance.com/ktoo/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=04WEB3&amp;PAGETYPE=PLG&amp;CHECK=Shg466wALquhUdIUA71SrhiCxtaFReuS">making a tax-deductible contribution</a>.</em> </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/24/ketchikan-not-selected-for-tunnel-building-challenge/">Ketchikan not selected for underwater tunnel project</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krbd.org">KRBD</a>.</p>
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		<title>Lawsuit against Ketchikan jeweler settled for $60K</title>
		<link>https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/23/lawsuit-against-ketchikan-jeweler-settled-for-60k/</link>
					<comments>https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/23/lawsuit-against-ketchikan-jeweler-settled-for-60k/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sydney Dauphinais]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:06:52 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Local News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Syndicated]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.krbd.org/?p=264632</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<img width="627" height="376" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_4132-627x376.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_4132-627x376.jpg 627w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_4132-1280x768.jpg 1280w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_4132-440x264.jpg 440w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" /><p>A Ketchikan jeweler will have to pay $60,000 to the state in disgorgement and restitution to four customers for selling fake gold.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/23/lawsuit-against-ketchikan-jeweler-settled-for-60k/">Lawsuit against Ketchikan jeweler settled for $60K</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krbd.org">KRBD</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="627" height="376" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_4132-627x376.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_4132-627x376.jpg 627w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_4132-1280x768.jpg 1280w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_4132-440x264.jpg 440w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" />
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1250" height="703" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_4132-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-218866" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_4132-scaled.jpg 1250w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_4132-768x432.jpg 768w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_4132-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_4132-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_4132-1080x607.jpg 1080w" sizes="(max-width: 1250px) 100vw, 1250px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Soni, Inc. owns Flawless Fine Jewelry in downtown Ketchikan on Front Street, right in front of the cruise ship docks. The company has owned multiple jewelry stores downtown. (Jack Darrell/KRBD)</figcaption></figure>



<p>A Ketchikan jeweler will have to pay $60,000 to the state in disgorgement and restitution to four customers for selling fake gold. That’s according to a <a href="https://law.alaska.gov/pdf/press/260319-ConsentJudgment.pdf">settlement</a> filed in a Ketchikan Superior Court last week.</p>



<p>State prosecutors <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2024/05/28/state-prosecutors-sue-ketchikan-jeweler-over-sale-of-fake-gold/">filed a lawsuit</a> in May of 2024 against Soni, Inc., which owns Flawless Fine Jewelry in downtown Ketchikan on Front Street, right in front of the cruise ship docks. Company director Sunita Lakhwani is also listed as one of the defendants. Undercover investigators with the state purchased what was represented as gold quartz mined in northern Alaska and handmade primarily by Ketchikan-based jewelers. In reality, the jewelry was from Southern California. What was misrepresented as “natural gold quartz” and “24-karat gold nuggets” was often low-purity 14-karat gold, and sometimes contained no gold at all. </p>



<p>Salespeople also told undercover investigators that natural gold quartz only occurs in Alaska and can only be legally purchased in Alaska, which is false.</p>



<p>Assistant Attorney General Ian Engelbeck was the lead attorney on the case. </p>



<p>&#8220;This case was important because it&#8217;s not just about one business telling folks that something&#8217;s from Alaska when it isn&#8217;t,&#8221; Engelbeck said. &#8220;When a business misrepresents its goods like that, it doesn&#8217;t just hurt the guests who get fooled by these misrepresentations. It also hurts every honest business that&#8217;s trying to compete with businesses that are not representing their goods truthfully.&#8221;</p>



<p>In a permanent injunction, the state ordered Soni, Inc. to truthfully represent the origin of its products and required the business to refrain from using the word “Alaskan” to describe any of its products without documentation that the raw materials were sourced here. The company is also open to being audited by state investigators, and is ordered to clearly tag all jewelry containing fake gold as “imitation stone.”</p>



<p>Additionally, Soni, Inc. will have to make three payments of $20,000 to the state by Oct. 1 of this year. They are also required to pay restitution payments to four customers who were misled by store employees, totaling nearly $9,000. The payments made to the four individuals will be deducted from the $60,000 in disgorgement.</p>



<p>Engelbeck said in Southeast Alaska, salespeople misrepresenting Alaska-themed goods to visitors isn’t uncommon. </p>



<p>&#8220;And after we had filed this lawsuit against Soni, Inc, we sent a copy of this lawsuit to jewelry stores across the state, reminding them of their obligations to sell their goods truthfully,&#8221; he said.</p>



<p>The store Flawless Fine Jewelry is currently closed and the number listed online is disconnected, likely for the tourist off-season, but the state reports they are still doing business. The company could not be reached for comment.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/23/lawsuit-against-ketchikan-jeweler-settled-for-60k/">Lawsuit against Ketchikan jeweler settled for $60K</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krbd.org">KRBD</a>.</p>
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		<title>M/V Lituya to begin daily ferry service</title>
		<link>https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/18/m-v-lituya-to-begin-daily-ferry-service/</link>
					<comments>https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/18/m-v-lituya-to-begin-daily-ferry-service/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Hunter Morrison]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Mar 2026 22:16:31 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Local News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Syndicated]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.krbd.org/?p=264356</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<img width="627" height="376" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/IMG_4486-627x376.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/IMG_4486-627x376.jpg 627w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/IMG_4486-440x264.jpg 440w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" /><p>The state ferry Lituya will soon begin 7-day-a-week ferry service between Ketchikan and Annette Bay. The vessel serves as one of the primary means of transportation between the two islands. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/18/m-v-lituya-to-begin-daily-ferry-service/">M/V Lituya to begin daily ferry service</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krbd.org">KRBD</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="627" height="376" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/IMG_4486-627x376.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/IMG_4486-627x376.jpg 627w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/IMG_4486-440x264.jpg 440w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" />
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="902" height="572" src="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/IMG_4486.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-52963" srcset="https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/IMG_4486.jpg 902w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/IMG_4486-300x190.jpg 300w, https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/IMG_4486-768x487.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 902px) 100vw, 902px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Alaska Marine Highway System ferry Lituya provides regular service between Metlakatla Indian Community and Ketchikan.  (KRBD file photo by Leila Kheiry)</figcaption></figure>



<p>The state ferry Lituya will soon begin 7-day-a-week ferry service between Ketchikan and Annette Bay. It has been available just five days a week. The Alaska Marine Highway vessel serves as one of the primary means of transportation between the two islands.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Albert Smith is the mayor of the Metlakatla Indian Community on Annette Island, the only reservation in Alaska. He said the expanded ferry schedule will not only improve travel reliability for healthcare access and school trips, but also for work opportunities in Metlakatla.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“They could catch the ferry in the morning coming from Ketchikan, and go home at the end of the day,&#8221; Smith said. &#8220;It&#8217;s a commute for them, but a reliable one. They could come over, it could help us get our projects done a lot faster.”</p>



<p>According to the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, the new ferry schedule could also increase tourism and small business activity on Annette Island. </p>



<p>Smith said Metlakatla’s tribal government has worked with the state for decades to bring increased ferry service to their community.</p>



<p>“I&#8217;m very, very proud of all the hard work that&#8217;s gone into it by so many, including previous administrations and councils,&#8221; Smith said. &#8220;And our current administration and council&#8217;s got a lot of hours of work into this.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>DOT says the Lituya’s seven day a week ferry service will begin at the end of March or early April. The Inter-Island Ferry Authority also provides transportation service between the two communities when the Lituya is up for repairs. </p>



<p><em>A previous version of this article implied that the Inter-Island Ferry Authority provides regular service between Ketchikan and Annette Island</em> <em>and inaccurately referred to DOT as the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Safety. </em></p>



<p><em>Hunter Morrison is a Report for America corps member for KRBD. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one. Please consider&nbsp;<a href="https://coastalaska.secureallegiance.com/ktoo/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=04WEB&amp;PAGETYPE=PLG&amp;CHECK=Shg466wALqviQl%2byqVkEd4HJipnY8PNT">making a tax-deductible contribution</a>.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.krbd.org/2026/03/18/m-v-lituya-to-begin-daily-ferry-service/">M/V Lituya to begin daily ferry service</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krbd.org">KRBD</a>.</p>
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