Ketchikan
RSSNews from Ketchikan, Alaska
Rockslide blocks both lanes of North Tongass Hwy near Ward Cove
A rockslide near Cannery Creek blocked both lanes of North Tongass Highway in Ward Cove on Tuesday morning, cutting the primary road corridor serving Ketchikan's north side. Check Alaska 511 for current status before traveling.

Alaska's stacked weekend of BIG EVENTS
Get out of your house. Like, summers gonna be done soon. What're you waiting for?

Injured hiker rescued by boat along George Inlet near Ketchikan
A hiker injured in a fall near Ketchikan called for help Tuesday afternoon, and Alaska Wildlife Troopers and the Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad reached him by boat and took him to a hospital.

Ketchikan anglers can keep more kings this month, even with a slow run
Ketchikan anglers can keep more kings this month even though the run is slow, though area closures still apply and the department hasn't explained the increase.

A Ketchikan man is jailed on burglary and assault charges
A Ketchikan man is held without bail on five charges, including burglary and assault, after allegedly forcing his way into a home and blocking a report to police.

Upper Copper River king salmon fishery requires new permit in 2026
Alaska Department of Fish and Game now requires a free individual permit for all anglers targeting king salmon in the Upper Copper River drainage, with mandatory harvest reporting by August 31, 2026.
Heat advisory in effect for Ketchikan, Hyder, and Annette Island until 7 PM
NWS Juneau issued a heat advisory Tuesday for Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Hyder, and Annette Island, warning that interior locations could hit 80 degrees and that residents unaccustomed to the heat face risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Ketchikan's fishing fleet is stuck without showers in peak season
A collapsed drain pipe left Ketchikan's fishing fleet without public showers during peak season — and nobody's even opened the floor yet. One fisherman gave the harbor board an earful.

Ketchikan's hospital, its own residents can't get answers
Ketchikan's hospital is losing money it won't fully document and renovating an ER whose bed count its own administrator can't name — while patients wait in hallways.

Ketchikan Creek opens to dip netting for hatchery king salmon
Kings are closed across much of Alaska, but Ketchikan Creek just opened to dip netting for hatchery Chinook. Wild ones go back. Residents only, net in hand.

Man believed to be Portland hiker found dead near Ketchikan's Deer Mountain Trail
A Portland hiker who called Alaska State Troopers lost near Ketchikan's Deer Mountain Trail on June 14 was found dead the next morning at the bottom of a cliff during a helicopter search.

Whale permit for Ketchikan bridge counts down to the single animal
Federal regulators will let a Ketchikan bridge project disturb up to 63 humpback whales. Last season's number was 62. Nobody filed a comment either way.

Ketchikan is about to get drenched
Ketchikan and Annette Island could get up to 2.75 inches of rain Monday — a real soaking, even for one of the rainiest corners of the country.

Saxman man arrested for felony DV assault with prior convictions
Alaska State Troopers arrested Floyd Jackson, 59, of Saxman early Monday on a felony domestic violence assault charge elevated by prior DV convictions within the past decade.

Ketchikan's library could lose 40% of its budget — and who picks the books is part of the fight
Ketchikan's library may lose 40% of its funding as the borough and city feud — a money fight tangled up with a quieter one over who controls what's on the shelves.

Ketchikan seeks bids for City Hall heating, civic center floors, fuel supply
Ketchikan is seeking bids for a new City Hall heating system, Ted Ferry Civic Center flooring replacement, and fuel supply for city vehicles, with two bid deadlines already passed and fuel bids still open.

Anchorage faces $1.3 billion stormwater infrastructure deficit
Anchorage has 400 miles of failing storm pipes creating a $1.3 billion repair deficit with no dedicated funding. • Current emergency bonds cannot keep pace with deterioration causing sinkholes and flooding. • Replacing 4,000 feet of pipe on one street costs $25 to $50 million. • City exploring dedicated stormwater utility for long-term funding.

DNR extends geoduck farm lease near Ketchikan; comment period open
Alaska extended Tom Carruth's geoduck farm lease near Ketchikan for two more years, opening a 30-day public comment period that started June 23.

A Ketchikan stabbing, and the jail violence the public rarely sees
A man at the Ketchikan jail is charged with stabbing another inmate with pencils — a rare public glimpse of the kind of violence that is common behind bars and rarely reported.

JAG Marine takes over Ketchikan Shipyard after state ends Vigor's 20-year run
AIDEA replaced Vigor Alaska with JAG Marine Group to operate the state-owned Ketchikan Shipyard after 20 years, citing poor performance. JAG projects adding 100 or more jobs over two years.

Ketchikan warrant service leads to three arrests at one home
Alaska State Troopers arrested Teeka Edenshaw, 35, at a Ketchikan home June 12 after she was found hiding in the attic to evade felony probation warrants. • Murphy Charles was charged with first-degree hindering prosecution for helping Edenshaw climb into the attic. • Fred Reigard, 54, was arrested for first-degree failure to register as a sex offender, a charge he had a prior conviction for in 2023.

Ketchikan House race pits utility incumbent against borough assembly challenger
Ketchikan has a race on its hand with a last minute filing

Ketchikan Council approves pursuit of $23M federal grant for electric grid upgrades
Ketchikan Council votes to apply for $23M federal grant to upgrade electric grid and enable shore power for cruise ships. • Project replaces aging transmission lines, increasing capacity from 20 to 35 megawatts over four years. • Department of Energy covers $17M, city matches roughly $6M with possible state funding. • Application deadline is May 17.

Ketchikan closes Gorge and Sayles streets through fall 2026 for viaduct replacement
Ketchikan closes Gorge and Sayles streets through fall 2026 for viaduct replacement, forcing drivers to use alternate routes while crews work six days a week.

Ketchikan woman charged with violating DV no-contact order
Ketchikan woman arrested after appearing at a residence she was court-ordered to avoid in an active domestic violence case, held without bail pending arraignment.

Ketchikan anglers catch a rare break on king limits
Good king news for once: Ketchikan visitors can now keep two a day, and hatchery-fed Herring Bay is basically a free-for-all — while the wild-stock rules stay locked down.

Ketchikan tender float meets code, port says after charter operator's safety request
Ketchikan's Tender Float 3 meets building codes without guardrails, port officials confirmed after engineers found no code requirement for railings on the 18-inch-high float.

A Ketchikan-area geoduck farm wins a 20-year lease renewal
Geoducks are giant, long-necked clams that can live past 100 and sell for a fortune. A Ketchikan-area farm that grows them just locked in 20 more years.

NWS Juneau narrows wind advisory to Ketchikan, Annette Island, Prince of Wales
NWS Juneau narrowed a wind advisory Monday afternoon to Ketchikan, Annette Island, and Prince of Wales Island through 7 p.m., with southeast winds gusting to 45 mph and heavy rain expected.

Ketchikan Council selects Glenn Adams as new city manager
Ketchikan City Council voted 6–1 to hire Glenn Adams as city manager and utilities director. Adams has 26 years of military experience managing large facilities and previously led cities in Virginia and Texas.

Ketchikan charter operators to discuss new fishing rules May 21
Alaska Department of Fish and Game will meet with Ketchikan charter boat operators on May 21 to discuss new sport fishing regulations for the 2026 season.
Ketchikan harbor parking enforcement back after contract gap
Ketchikan's harbor parking enforcement resumed after a contract gap left derelict vehicles and people living in cars occupying lots for months, with police and parking enforcement now working through a backlog.

Tour operator reports 10 guests fell from Berth 3 dock; harbor board urges safety barrier
Tour operator reports 10 guests fell from unprotected Berth 3 dock. Ports and Harbors Board voted to recommend city install safety barriers where passengers disembark. Operator also disputes electrical bill that jumped from $250 to $1,600 monthly after city changed billing method.

Ketchikan awards $2.74M city hall HVAC contract, taps reserves
Ketchikan City Council voted 4-3 to spend $2.74 million replacing city hall's HVAC system using reserves and deferred street projects. • One council member opposed the spending, citing residents losing power and leaving town due to rising costs. • The HVAC units are over 20 years old and no longer meet code.

Ketchikan postpones cruise-dock expansion for one year
Ketchikan City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to delay a $290,000 design contract for expanding Berth 1 at the cruise dock, citing community concerns about ship volume and the need to repair existing docks first.

Ketchikan fails to reach agreement with city manager candidate
Ketchikan City Council and selected city manager candidate Glen Adams failed to reach agreement on employment terms Friday, ending negotiations for the combined city manager and utilities general manager role.

Ketchikan Gateway Borough opens candidate filing for October election
Ketchikan Gateway Borough opens filing for Assembly, Mayor, and School Board. • Candidates need 10 voter signatures and a financial disclosure form.

Ketchikan Superior Court Judge Katherine Lybrand seeks retention
Ketchikan Superior Court Judge Katherine Lybrand, appointed in 2022, is seeking voter retention in November 2026 after handling criminal, family, and probate cases across the First Judicial District.

Sullivan-backed federal work drives Alaska shipyard training deal
AIDEA, JAG Marine Group, and Generations Southeast signed a workforce training agreement January 13 to prepare Alaskans for shipyard jobs tied to federal icebreaker and Coast Guard maintenance work Senator Dan Sullivan has promoted.