Ketchikan

Ketchikan Assembly to take up $347,000 for new South Tongass ambulance after 2024 fire

A 2024 fire took both of South Tongass' ambulances. Ketchikan's Assembly takes up $347,000 in federal money Monday to replace one, plus a heart monitor.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Southeast Alaska gillnetters caught less salmon this year but expect higher pay

Southeast gillnetters caught less of every salmon species than average this year, but prices are way up, so the paycheck should be bigger. Not a bad trade.

by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

University of Alaska Southeast students received about $1.47 million in Pell Grants last school year

UAS students got about $1.47 million in federal Pell Grants last school year. It's need-based aid for undergraduates, and it never has to be paid back.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Ketchikan hunter treated for hypothermia after overnight search

A Ketchikan hunter activated his satellite SOS device Wednesday evening and was found with hypothermia after an overnight search that resumed Thursday morning.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Boater swims to Admiralty Island after fishing vessel sinks, rescued by Coast Guard a day later

His fishing boat sank near Murder Cove, his life raft leaked, so he swam to Admiralty Island in a survival suit. A Coast Guard helicopter found him a day later.

by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Ketchikan Borough Assembly weighs removal process for appointed board members

Ketchikan's Planning Commission voted 6-0 to censure Darlene Dollimont-Svenson and ask her to resign over remarks about KIC. She apologized but didn't resign.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read

Follows: Ketchikan planning commission to consider censuring commissioner over remarks about Ketchikan Indian Community

Ketchikan Gateway Borough staff propose allowing housing on commercial waterfront land

Ketchikan Gateway Borough staff want to let housing onto commercial waterfront land and relabel seven parcels. The Planning Commission picks it back up Oct. 13.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly sets Oct. 5 work session on school activities funding

Ketchikan students, coaches and parents told the borough school activities are turning pay-to-play. The Assembly takes up whether it can help Oct. 5.

by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom Sep 21

Ketchikan accepts $6.9 million to replace Bar Harbor floats, Mountain Point launch

Ketchikan is getting $6.9 million from the state to replace two tired Bar Harbor floats and rebuild the Mountain Point boat launch. Work runs into 2029.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom Sep 17

Ketchikan Indian Community gets $900,000 to revive its fleet for subsistence trips, training and charters

Ketchikan Indian Community is putting 23 boats back to work with a $900,000 federal grant: elder-led subsistence trips, youth training and halibut charters.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Weather Service cancels Ketchikan wind advisory early after gusts fall short of forecast

Ketchikan's windstorm came in under budget: forecasters warned of 50 mph gusts, the airport topped out around 36, and the advisory ended three hours early.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Alaska prisons seek contractor for mental health care, with video visits allowed in Nome, Bethel and Ketchikan

Alaska's prisons want a contractor for mental health care at four facilities. In Nome, Bethel and Ketchikan, clinicians might visit in person only monthly.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Ketchikan man, 78, dies after his vehicle leaves North Tongass Highway near Mile 13

John Olson, 78, of Ketchikan died Saturday after his vehicle left North Tongass Highway near Mile 13. Troopers haven't said what caused the crash.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Alaska courts now send free text reminders before hearings to anyone with a case number

Forgetting court just got harder. Text a case number to the Alaska Court System and it'll remind you at 4 pm the day before your hearing, for free.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom Sep 15

Coast Guard awards $36.4 million to repair industrial facility at Base Ketchikan

The Coast Guard is spending $36.4 million to repair a building at Base Ketchikan, the borough's biggest federal contract this year by a wide margin.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Ketchikan planning commission to consider censuring commissioner over remarks about Ketchikan Indian Community

Ketchikan's planning commission will weigh censuring a commissioner over remarks about the Ketchikan Indian Community, a day after a removal law is introduced.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom Sep 15

Ketchikan's new tourism board will not include the cruise line agencies

Ketchikan is seating a tourism board without the cruise agencies on it. Whether the industry has grown too fast stays with the city council.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Alaska Power Company asks to waive charges for customers cut off by disasters

Alaska Power Company wants to stop charging people to reconnect after a disaster. Its customers pay about twice what Anchorage pays for power.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

A wind advisory covers Ketchikan and Metlakatla until 2 pm Tuesday

Ketchikan and Metlakatla are getting gusts of up to 40 mph through Tuesday afternoon, and the Alaska Range could see 70 mph by Friday morning.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Ketchikan Gateway Borough gets $347,000 to replace a South Tongass ambulance

South Tongass lost both its ambulances when the station burned in 2024. It has been driving an 18-year-old hand-me-down from Valdez ever since.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Flags fly at half-staff Tuesday for former Ketchikan Rep. Cheri Davis

Flags fly at half-staff Tuesday for Cheri Davis, who spent a decade on the Ketchikan School Board before she represented the town in Juneau.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Former Ketchikan church elder pleads guilty in child exploitation case

Dwight Chris John pleaded guilty to possessing child sexual abuse material. He faces 10 to 15 years in prison at a Dec. 16 sentencing.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Sitka school policy committee rejects copying Ketchikan's student drug-testing rule

Sitka turned down copying Ketchikan's student drug testing rules. One of its two new drafts could extend testing past sports to band, drama and debate.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readFrom Sep 10

A Southeast power agency seeks to free a line from federal terms

SEAPA wants to pull a 30-mile transmission line out of its Swan Lake hydro license before a 40-year relicensing, keeping the line but shedding the terms.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Nonresident rockfish retention stays closed in Ketchikan waters

Nonresident anglers in Ketchikan cannot keep yelloweye, quillback, canary, China, copper, tiger or rosethorn rockfish through year-end, though Alaska residents may keep one a day.

by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Remains of at least 10 and an 1895 mortuary pole can return to Sitka Tribe after Oct. 16

Tongass National Forest cleared remains of at least 10 Native individuals for return to Sitka Tribe of Alaska starting October 16, including a mortuary pole held since 1895.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Former Ketchikan church elder pleads guilty to federal child sexual abuse material charge

A 74-year-old former Ketchikan church elder pleaded guilty to possessing over 1,000 images of child sexual abuse material and faces at least 10 years in federal prison

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Ketchikan council to vote Thursday on $30,000 landslide grant

Ketchikan votes Thursday on $30,000 to work out how much rain makes the slopes above town dangerous. The work already started two weeks ago.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Alaska has $272 million to change rural health care. The requests reached $2.5 billion.

Alaska has 217 preliminary rural health awards worth about $209 million — enough to replace equipment and add services, but not to replace Medicaid coverage.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago4 min read

A stolen pickup went through the doors of three Tongass Avenue businesses

A stolen pickup went through the doors of McDonald's, Madison Lumber and Tongass Marine in one night. The damage estimate runs near $100,000.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Ketchikan council to vote on seventh amendment to water consulting deal

Ketchikan avoided a $70 million filtration plant by proving its mountain-lake water meets federal conditions for filtration avoidance.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

A $16 million award would restructure primary care across the Interior

The biggest award in Alaska's rural health program is $16 million to change how primary care gets delivered and paid for across the Interior.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Follows: Alaska adds $16.8 million in rural health awards without naming who gets the money

Federal record rates Ketchikan's Water Street viaduct 'Poor'

The Water Street viaduct in downtown Ketchikan, carrying 14,000 vehicles a day, is rated poor, but the state is funding only repairs, not replacement.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min readFrom Oct 15, 2025

Follows: Overnight drilling comes to Ketchikan's aging viaducts, part of a plan to repair them now and replace them later

Ketchikan borough seeks proposals for Herring Cove neighborhood plan

Ketchikan borough voted to hire a planning firm for Herring Cove, where 55,000 to 60,000 annual visitors overwhelm a site with no sidewalks, restrooms, or bear-proof trash bins.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Southeast geoduck season set at 264,000 pounds, first opening planned Oct. 7

Alaska cut Southeast geoduck harvest to 264,000 pounds this season, down 40% from last year, with the first opening set for October 7 pending toxin tests.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

A Soldotna council member's consulting firm earned up to $1 million last year

Soldotna pays Daniel Nelson up to $5,000 a year to sit on its city council. Governments paid his consulting firm up to $1 million last year.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Troopers refer charges after Ketchikan pursuit and crash

State Troopers referred felony charges against an 18-year-old Ketchikan driver who refused to stop on North Tongass Highway on Sept. 3, lost control, and crashed into a ditch during the pursuit.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min readFrom Sep 3

Injured hiker flown off Deer Mountain in Ketchikan

A 26-year-old hiker was flown off Deer Mountain near Ketchikan on Saturday after becoming unable to walk, the second rescue on that trail in months.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Ketchikan has five years to start disinfecting the sewage it discharges

Ketchikan's sewage plant does not disinfect what it discharges. EPA gave it five years to change that, and voters approved $15 million to do it.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Tlingit & Haida sought $8.4 million for child care after the landslides and floods, and got $1.1 million

Tlingit & Haida received $1.15 million in federal child care recovery money for six Southeast Alaska communities, about one-seventh of the $8.4 million the tribe requested.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read