Ketchikan

Aging commission hears Ketchikan seniors Monday on next state senior plan

Alaska Commission on Aging hears from Ketchikan seniors Monday to help shape the state's next four year senior services plan.

by Walter AlaskaNews21h ago2 min read

Ketchikan boy dies after collapsing Monday; state medical examiner requests autopsy

A Ketchikan boy collapsed and stopped breathing Monday morning and died at a local hospital despite CPR, troopers said. An autopsy is planned.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago1 min read

South Tongass fire chief Steve Rydeen to retire Dec. 1, weeks after his station reopened

South Tongass Fire Chief Steve Rydeen retires Dec. 1, weeks after crews moved back into the station that burned in 2024. Wednesday's board meeting is his last.

by Walter AlaskaNews4d ago2 min read

Alaska Supreme Court will weigh state search warrants for Metlakatla tribal property

A Ketchikan judge ruled state courts can't issue search warrants for Metlakatla tribal property. The Alaska Supreme Court hears the state's challenge Jan. 6.

by Walter AlaskaNews4d ago4 min read

Ketchikan's Totem Heritage Center marks 50 years with a new exhibit

Ketchikan's Totem Heritage Center, home to 19th-century Tlingit and Haida totem poles, turns 50 this month and was set to open a new exhibit Friday.

by Walter AlaskaNews6d ago2 min read

Sinkhole found under Ketchikan harbor shop as council adds $151,000 for storm repairs

Ketchikan crews tearing down a storm-damaged harbor shop found a sinkhole beneath it. The City Council added $151,000 to fix the failed drain behind it.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min read

Follows: Ketchikan's storm damage estimate tops $4 million as the state steps in

Gusts reached 111 mph on high ground near Metlakatla as storm cut power in Ketchikan

Wind gusts hit 111 mph near Metlakatla Thursday as the storm downed trees and knocked out power in northern Ketchikan.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min read

Follows: Metlakatla station records 87 mph gust before Thursday high wind warning

Ketchikan council to vote on $1.9 million to start designing a new water line

Ketchikan's water shares 1926 tunnels with its hydro plant, so fixing them means shutting off the tap. The council votes Thursday on $1.9M toward a bypass.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min read

Ferry Columbia sidelined in Ketchikan for engine repairs, due back Nov. 8

The ferry Columbia is laid up in Ketchikan, due back Sunday, while a Wärtsilä technician and crew replace a piston and cylinder liner in its port main engine.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Ketchikan borough manager proposes paying less for city library as deal nears end

Ketchikan borough manager wants to cap the city's library payment below the city's request. Assembly votes Monday, with the current deal ending Dec. 31 and access unclear after that.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Craig police chief expects slower prosecutions after Ketchikan DA's departure

The office that prosecutes crimes on Prince of Wales Island has lost its district attorney, and Craig's police chief says prosecutions will slow.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Ketchikan weighs $63,750 more to design a tank for Ravenwood's low water pressure

Ketchikan's assembly votes Monday on $63,750 more for a Ravenwood water tank design, mostly a control panel. The project was first identified around 2006.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Coast Guard hires Ketchikan dive company to handle fuel on boat aground in Raymond Cove

The Coast Guard hired a Ketchikan dive company, without taking bids, to deal with fuel and oil aboard the Sultan, a boat aground in Raymond Cove.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min read

Two hurt after vehicle loses control on ice and hits a guardrail in Ketchikan

Two people were hurt when their vehicle lost control on ice and hit a guardrail on Ketchikan's Revilla Road. No impairment is suspected, troopers said.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read

NOAA closes out its $5.2 million Rainier overhaul at Ketchikan Shipyard

NOAA closed out a $5 million repair order for the survey ship Rainier at Ketchikan Shipyard, clawing back $392,172 in unused funds.

by Melinda Communities.News2w ago1 min read

Geoduck divers get two more days near Ketchikan under a smaller Southeast harvest target

Geoduck divers get two more days near Ketchikan this week. Southeast's harvest target is about 40% below last year's, and two areas are still closed.

by Bill AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read

Ketchikan mayor asks PeaceHealth to account for summer crowds in ER remodel

Ketchikan's mayor asked PeaceHealth to mind cruise season in its ER remodel. Nearly a third of summer Priority Care clinic patients had outside addresses.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Ketchikan planners to rehear parking variance for KIC's planned shelter after notice error

Ketchikan planners will rehear KIC's request to build a four-story shelter with one parking space instead of 24, after some neighbors weren't mailed notice.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Committee drops visitors bureau chief from Ketchikan's planned tourism board

A Ketchikan committee cut the visitors bureau chief from the city's planned tourism board, with a member saying the board may someday review the bureau's work.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Ketchikan resident urges hospital committee to back a PeaceHealth-paid ombudsperson

A Ketchikan resident wants a PeaceHealth-paid patient ombudsperson. Another said with low turnout, the town gets the hospital care it didn't vote for.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Corps proposes raising and rebuilding Ketchikan's Bar Harbor breakwaters

Army Corps plans to raise and rebuild Ketchikan's deteriorating Bar Harbor breakwaters, protecting moorage for 520 fishing boats. Public comments on the draft plan are due Nov. 21.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

South Tongass fire crews move back into rebuilt Station Four in Ketchikan

South Tongass fire crews moved back into rebuilt Station Four on Sept. 21, more than two years after an April 2024 fire destroyed it. The blaze destroyed four vehicles including two engines and an ambulance, with a second ambulance suffering serious smoke damage.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Ketchikan viaduct repairs slip to 2030, the second delay since August

Ketchikan viaduct repairs slid from 2027 to 2028 and now 2030, and a draft state plan would spend $10.25 million designing a partial Water Street replacement.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Ketchikan's storm damage estimate tops $4 million as the state steps in

Ketchikan's storm damage estimate has topped $4 million, with a collapsed harbor storm drain added to the Ward Cove substation, and the state is helping pay.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago3 min read

Ketchikan Assembly to certify results electing Bolling, Ortiz and Arntzen Tuesday

Ketchikan Borough Assembly meets Tuesday to certify Oct. 6 election results, seating Bolling, Ortiz and Arntzen. The library takeover measure failed outside city limits, so it did not pass.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Helicopters will keep a remote Unuk River gage running below British Columbia mines

Interior ordered helicopter flights to service a USGS gage on the Unuk River, which watches the water coming down from three British Columbia mining projects.

by Maggie AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Ketchikan Assembly to vote Tuesday on Ward Cove substation disaster declaration

Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly votes Tuesday on keeping its Ward Cove substation disaster declaration in force. Repairs could cost up to $1.59 million, more than KPU and the city have on hand.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Appeals court upholds conviction for threat during Ketchikan bail hearing

Alaska Court of Appeals upheld Michael Henderson's conviction for threatening a witness during his son's Ketchikan bail hearing. The jury found the threat real, and he's serving 18 months.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

AIDEA board to vote on a $75 million company to invest in undersea internet cables

Alaska's internet leans on four undersea cables, two of them 27 years old. AIDEA could put up to $75 million toward replacing them, and maybe reaching Asia.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Ketchikan Shipyard workers rejoin union after new operator said old contract didn't apply

New operator, same union. Ketchikan Shipyard workers voted 27-7 to rejoin their union after the yard's new operator said their old contract didn't carry over.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min readFrom Sep 22

Flood watches and gusts to 55 mph hit southern Southeast as an atmospheric river arrives

Southern Southeast faces up to 6 inches of rain and gusts to 55 mph Thursday into Friday, with flood watches from Ketchikan up to Petersburg.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

Petro Marine seeks state water quality sign-off to rebuild its Ketchikan fuel dock

Ketchikan's only fuel supplier, by its own account, wants to rebuild its aging Tongass Narrows dock. First it needs DEC to sign off on water quality.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min readFrom Oct 7

Weather service lifts Petersburg dense fog advisory early; more fog possible Wednesday

Petersburg's fog lifted hours early Tuesday. It could be back by Wednesday morning, and a flood watch starts Thursday. Southeast doesn't do quiet weeks.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Atmospheric river could drop 3 to 5 inches of rain on southern Southeast in a day

Southern Southeast could get 3 to 5 inches of rain in a day starting Thursday. Rivers may hit the tops of their banks. Mariners: check those bilge pumps.

by Alaska News1mo ago2 min read

State posts logging plan for 365-acre timber sale near Coffman Cove on Prince of Wales

The state posted a logging plan for a 365-acre timber sale near Coffman Cove on Prince of Wales Island. The plan and a comment deadline aren't public yet.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Ketchikan lost jobs in 2025 as Southeast Alaska set employment and wage records, report says

Southeast Alaska hit record jobs and wages in 2025. Ketchikan went the other way, losing 23 jobs even as its wages rose 5%, a new regional report says.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom Sep 29

Ketchikan planners may redo approval for KIC shelter after some neighbors weren't notified

Ketchikan's planned permanent shelter got its parking variance in September. Now the borough may redo the vote because some condo owners were never notified.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Board of Fisheries committee to take up remote testimony and process changes Oct. 21

A Board of Fisheries committee meets Oct. 21 on remote testimony and process recommendations. Its chair has "struggled with" virtual participation.

by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Ketchikan voters decide council races, $25 million bond and library

Ketchikan voters decide four City Council seats, a $25 million electric-utility bond, three Assembly seats, two School Board seats, and whether the borough takes over library operations Tuesday.

by Alaska News1mo ago3 min read

Ketchikan Indian Community asks judge to halt Shelter Cove timber sale before contract award

Ketchikan Indian Community and two conservation groups asked a judge to halt the Shelter Cove timber sale before the Forest Service awards a logging contract.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom Sep 30