Sourdough Stampede NCL to resume trips in Greece, • Ken Teune Memorial race Caribbean, results in, See page 6 Page 10

42 º/32º Weather, page 3 Ketchikan Daily News - 04/07/2021 $K1.00 ETCHIKAN WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 2021 T WDITTER.COAM/KDNI NEWLS Y N WWW.KEETCHIWKANDAILYNSEWS.COM 12 PAGES House reps talk Vessel Voyeurs Alaska tourism KVB’s Mackey shares stats informing effect of pandemic on local industry By DANELLE KELLY Daily News Staff Writer An overview of Alaska tourism in 2021 was given by travel association rep - resentatives in a virtually held Alaska Legislature Arctic Policy, Economic De - velopment and Tourism Committee meeting Thursday. Ketchikan Visitors Bureau President and CEO Patti Mackey gave a presenta - tion at the meeting, as did tourism industry representatives from Visit Anchor - age, Explore Fairbanks and the Alaska Travel Industry Association. The committee chair, Rep. Grier Hopkins, D-Fairbanks, led the meeting. Also present were Reps. Harriet Drummond, D-Anchorage; Sara Hannan, D-Juneau; Liz Snyder, D-Anchorage; and Tom McKay, R-Anchorage. Alaska Travel Industry Association President and CEO Sarah Leonard began the session by outlining the topics to be covered: the effects that the COVID-19 See ‘House committee-tourism,’ page 5 SB set to meet in executive session ‘Legal matter’ to be discussed privately By SAM STOCKBRIDGE announcement states. Daily News Staff Writer The district's announcement does Drivers use the pullout at the Murphy's Landing Seaplane Base to view the heavy lift vessel Red Zed I while it anchors in the Tongass The Ketchikan School Board will not provide any additional informa - Narrows on Saturday. Staff photo by Dustin Safranek meet in person on Wednesday to tion about the nature of the legal privately discuss "a legal matter," matter. Board President Kim Hodne according to a press release pro - and Superintendent Beth Lougee vided on Monday. could not be reached for comment "Immediate knowledge of (the as of deadline Tuesday. matter) would clearly have an ad - The special session will include Court takes up appointments dispute verse effect upon the finances of time for the board to hear citizen See ‘School Board,’ page 2 the (Ketchikan) school district," the Legality of Dunleavy appointments in question after lawmakers fail to confirm By BECKY BOHRER sions of law dealing with appointments nates he or she needs to administer state Associated Press were unconstitutional. affairs and oversee the delivery of essen - JUNEAU — The Alaska Supreme Court is consid - Dunleavy's pick for Department of tial services." Court decision alters ering whether Gov. Mike Dunleavy improperly kept Revenue commissioner, Lucinda Ma - Megan Wallace, an attorney for the in place appointments to boards, commissions and honey, was among the affected ap - Legislative Council, in arguments Tues - his Cabinet after lawmakers failed to meet to con - pointees. day said the state constitution is "silent" sider the appointments. Janell Hafner, an attorney with the De - on what happens in the face of inaction. Native adoptions law Superior Court Judge Philip Pallenberg in Febru - partment of Law representing Dunleavy, Without specific constitutional language ary ruled that Dunleavy was prohibited by law from said Tuesday that the legislature "abdi - to provide direction, "the legislature had Parts of law giving Native American families making recess appointments of the same people cated" its responsibility to render judg - the power to fill in the gaps," she said. lawmakers had failed to confirm. The ruling came ment in joint session on Dunleavy's Amid COVID-19 concerns last year, the preference were effectively struck down in a case brought against the Republican Dunleavy appointments. She said the case is about Legislature passed a law allowing law - in December by the Legislative Council, which is "whether the legislature can weaponize makers to adjourn and take up confirma - April 7, 2021 2:00 pm (GMT -8:00) NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Parts of a federal law giving Native American families madePowered up o fby H TECNAVIAouse and Senate leaders. State attor - its own inaction and encroach on guber - tions later. preference in the adoption of Native American children were effectively struck neys, on Dunleavy's behalf, appealed the ruling. natorial authority, making Alaskans pay That law said if lawmakers didn't act down Tuesday by a sharply divided federal appeals court, a defeat for tribal lead - The council argued that appointments presented the price for its own inertia." Mike Dunleavy on the appointments either a month after ers who said the 1978 law was important to protecting their families and culture. by Dunleavy in early 2020 lapsed in December A filing with the court by attorneys for an initial pandemic disaster declaration The complex ruling from 16 judges of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals when lawmakers failed to act on them, though they the state, including Hafner, said the Legislative expired or by Jan. 18 — whichever was first — that upholds a lower court's finding that the Indian Child Welfare Act's preferences said Dunleavy was free to reappoint a person who Council's position "permits the legislature to amounted to them declining to confirm those peo - for Native American families or licensed "Indian foster homes" violate constitu - was declined when a new legislative session began. kneecap an administration without the accountabil - ple. The declaration ended on Nov. 15. tional equal protection requirements. The current session started on Jan. 19. ity of a vote, frustrating the will of the electorate by But Dunleavy, in a letter to legislative leaders on See ‘Native adoptions law,’ page 2 Attorneys for the state argued that some provi - impeding a governor's ability to utilize the subordi - See ‘Appointments dispute,’ page 3 On the Mississippi, small cruises not just surviving but thriving American Queen Steamboat Co. is running ahead of its 2019 numbers, without a positive case in sight By FRAN GOLDEN There's also the fact that he's allowed to operate while modern, 190-passenger riverboat and two small paddle- Waggoner said the numbers at American Queen Steam - Bloomberg much-larger competitors cannot, including Royal wheelers. All will sail at limited capacity, with a vaccine boat are running ahead of 2019 levels. The company saw On the fancy new 245-passenger American Countess Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Line, even required for departures through April 30, 2021. (After significant upticks in January, on the heels of the U.S. riverboat, passengers sip complimentary mint juleps on mega-river cruise line Viking River Cruises. Since the that, the company plans to only require negative PCR vaccine rollout, and again in February, when it an - a top deck, masks wrapped around their wrists like cruise industry shut down in March 2020, the U.S. Cen - tests.) nounced a requirement that guests, crew, and even bus bulging bracelets, while the ship's big, red paddle wheel ters for Disease Control and Prevention has blessed only If the CDC allows it, Waggoner hopes to add the opu - drivers be vaccinated for sailings, starting in July, he said. churns through the Mississippi. It's a post-pandemic sight cruise ships carrying fewer than 250 passengers and lent American Queen, the world's largest paddleboat- "We're excited with our sales momentum." to behold-even if these are not quite post-pandemic crew. Waggoner's four ships are among few of these in which can carry more than 420 passengers-by the end of For trips before July, guests are required to take a PCR times. Still, its mere occurrence puts John Waggoner, the U.S., making them a rare option for millions of Amer - May. All three vessels sail the Mississippi and some trib - test during a one-night pre-cruise hotel stay that's in - founder and chief executive officer of the four-ship ican cruise lovers who are otherwise stuck in a holding utaries: the Ohio, Cumberland, and Tennessee rivers. A cluded in the price of eight-night sailings that start at American Queen Steamboat Co., in the catbird seat as far pattern. fourth riverboat may soon traverse the Columbia and $2,000 per person. Waggoner said he expects most pas - as the cruise industry is concerned. Larger companies are hatching plans to circumvent the Snake rivers in Washington and Oregon, following the sengers, a demographic that tends to be age 65 and up, On long, white-and-red-painted boats with open decks, CDC's orders by restarting Caribbean-only sailings this route of 19th-century explorers Lewis and Clark, pending will have already been vaccinated. decorated with fanciful Victorian-style gingerbread trim, summer. But American Queen is already back in busi - negotiations with those state governments. Shots were a big factor in the company's decision to Waggoner sells hardcore Americana that's steeped in U.S. ness with two boats-the American Countess and the There's reason to believe the authorities will bite. In get back on the river. history. It's a hot product under the current circum - smaller, 166-passenger American Duchess-both operating its first few voyages carrying paying customers up and "We're like a family business," Waggoner said. "I had stances, he says. since mid-March with reduced capacity to allow for so - down the Mississippi, American Queen had no con - to ask myself: When am I comfortable? When would my "There's a big push to buy in America," Waggoner said cial distancing and comply with the 250-person limit. Its firmed cases of covid-19. That bucks a pattern of positive wife be comfortable? Our family is rushing to get the vac - in an interview. "So: U.S.-flagged vessels, built in Amer - less-luxurious competitor American Cruise Lines also re - cases among cruise lines-including small-ship ocean lines cine and start cruising again." ica, manned by U.S. employees. I think there's a big turned to the Mississippi on March 21, and plans to have SeaDream Yacht Club and Hurtigruten-that has loomed Ports such as Baton Rouge, La., and Natchez, Miss., move towards that." three boats on the river in April. These include a new, over the cruise industry like a dark cloud. See ‘Mississippi cruises,’ page 3

Ketchikan, Alaska SPORTS • WORLD • ALASKA • NATION Today’s Trivia: How many riders does the Inter-Island ©2021 Page 12 : Kayhi seniors look toward future at colleges VOL. 93 NO. 80 Ferry Authority expect in 2021? (USPS 293-940) www.ketchikandailynews.com Answer, Page 2 Ketchikan DailyWednesday, News April- 04/07/2021 7, 2021 KETCHIKAN DAILY NEWS NATION 5 House committee-tourism Continued from page 1 Arkansas enacts trans pandemic has had on Alaska’s tourism area, she said, offering a bright spot for economy, as well as the future goals the ‘The cruise economy in Ketchikan makes up their 2021 season. Alaska travel industry has set. Like Anchorage, Hickok said that the In the time period from March 2020 about 96% of the overall industry. But, we are loss of meetings and conventions was a youth treatment ban to March 2021, Leonard said, the pan- big loss for the Fairbanks community, demic has caused a loss of more than also happy to welcome roughly 45 to 50,000 showing a $2.2 million loss in 2020. $500 billion to the U.S. travel economy. “We never — as many businesses and First state to do so, over gov.’s objections “At our current pace, the industry isn’t independent travelers each year.’ probably all of you — we never antici- expected to fully recover until 2025,” she pated the depth and breadth of this pan- LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — pared the restriction to other limits said. — Patti Mackey, Ketchikan Visitors Bureau demic,” she said. Arkansas lawmakers on Tuesday the state places on minors, such as Leonard said that pre-pandemic, As did Saupe, Hickok mentioned aid made the state the first to ban gender prohibiting them from drinking. about 60% of Alaska’s visitors arrived from the federal CARES Act funding as confirming treatments and surgery for "They need to get to be 18 before via cruise ship, and more than one-third 3,623 visitors via ferry. July, but only 24% said “yes” if the the critical to saving many aspects of the transgender youth, enacting the prohi- they make those decisions," Republi- by air. The rest arrived by land or the Another slide listed some of the losses 2021 season was entirely canceled. economy of her community. bition over the governor's objections. can Rep. Robin Lundstrum said. Alaska Marine Highway. in 2020 such as 52 cruise vessels, 606 Not only was the loss of revenue a Hickok shared optimism about the op- The Republican-controlled House The Family Council, a conservative In 2019, 2.5 million visitors to Alaska port calls and 1.25 million cruise passen- concern, but also the loss of employees portunities brought by the anticipated and Senate voted to override GOP group that backed the measure, generated more than $4.5 billion in eco- gers. as time goes on without a cruise season independent travelers coming to Alaska Gov. Asa Hutchinson's veto of the praised lawmakers for enacting "his- nomic activity, and supported more than "The cruise economy in Ketchikan was a stressor that business owners ex- in 2021. measure, which prohibits doctors toric legislation." 50,000 directly and indirectly related makes up about 96% of the overall in- pressed, Mackey said. Another note of optimism she shared from providing gender confirming "I do hope my veto will cause my jobs, which translates to about 10% of dustry. But, we are also happy to wel- Although there still are expected visits was that the Fairbanks International Air- hormone treatment, puberty blockers Republican colleagues across the Alaska’s workforce, she said. come roughly 45 to 50,000 independent from small cruise vessels and independ- port is seeing “35% more lift than sum- or surgery to anyone under 18 years country to resist the temptation to put Large-ship cruising, as well as tourism travelers each year," Mackey said ent travelers, those expected numbers mer of 2019,” adding, “That is just old, or from referring them to other the state in the middle of every deci- by land, continue to be impaired by She also said that Ketchikan differs will not be anywhere close to the num- incredible.” providers for the treatment. sion made by parents and health care Canada’s restrictions on their borders from other Alaska cruise ports, in that it bers of cruise passengers that were One of the reasons they are seeing Opponents of the measure have professionals," Hutchinson said in a and ports as an effort to mitigate the is a significant distance from other cities scheduled to visit Ketchikan in 2021. more carriers, she said, is that “some of vowed to sue to block the ban before statement after the vote. spread of COVID. At this time, Cana- and also is either the ships' first or last Mackey mentioned that her greatly re- the major carriers aren’t able to do their it takes effect this summer. dian ports are closed through February stop within Alaska. duced staff of four has been working long-haul trips to Europe and overseas, Hutchinson vetoed the bill Monday 2022. As a result, she said, “Our port times with travel professionals to create itiner- so they’re taking the longest-haul trip following pleas from pediatricians, so- Virtually all of the large cruise ships are pretty limited. Juneau might see 10- aries for independent travelers to make that they can domestically, and that cial workers and the parents of trans- that visit Alaska are foreign-flagged ves- to 12-hour a day visits, where Ketchikan travel through multiple Alaska commu- would be to Alaska.” gender youth who said the measure sels. With the ports closed, foreign- will see people for about half that time, nities as easy as possible. The ease of She said that situation may create a lot would harm a community already at flagged ships cannot sail from U.S. ports six to eight hours a day.” embarking on a cruise ship which then of opportunity for independent and risk for depression and suicide. The in the Lower 48 to an Alaska port with- One benefit of often serving as the last carries one effortlessly through a series smaller-group travel. ban was opposed by several medical out a stop at a Canada port, due to the stop in a cruise itinerary, Mackey said, of stops is difficult to match for an inde- She also shared results from recent re- and child welfare groups, including U.S. Passenger Vessel Services Act that is that visitor spending is boosted when pendent traveler. search on the American traveler that the American Academy of Pediatrics. requires that stop for such vessels. they realize Ketchikan is their last Alaska tour agencies are ramping up showed Alaska communities as sitting in "This legislation perpetuates the A report that Leonard shared, com- chance to buy the Alaska items they their messaging about tourism in the the top three desired travel destinations. very things we know are harmful to piled by the McKinley Research Group, hadn’t purchased earlier. state, Mackey said, as there is much Municipality of Skagway Visitors De- trans youth," Dr. Robert Garofalo, di- compared the numbers of all travelers to “The retail revenue side of things is a competition for visitors as communities partment Specialist Wendy Anderson vision head of adolescent and young Alaska from 2019 to 2020, and showed very big part of the overall impact to across the country are scrambling for a also spoke at the meeting, and men- adult medicine at Lurie Children's that Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau Ketchikan,” she said. return of tourism dollars. tioned the CARES Act funds as having Hospital in Chicago, told reporters on experienced losses of 59% across the In a normal season, cruise passengers Speaking of the financial assistance of- been critical to the support of her com- a press conference call held by the board. spend about $200 million in Ketchikan fered to businesses by the federal gov- munity during the pandemic. Human Rights Campaign. "They're Leonard showed graphs that illus- during the summer season. Ship crew ernment, such as the Coronavirus Aid, Rep. Hannon spoke of the unique not just anti-trans. They're anti-sci- trated the percentage change in different members spend about $7 million during Recovery and Economic Security Act's hardships that Skagway has experienced ence. They're anti-public health." employment sectors from June 2019 to a season in Ketchikan, Mackey said. Paycheck Protection Program, Mackey during the pandemic. The bill's sponsor dismissed opposi- June 2020. Other revenue lost to the pandemic said it has been critical to the survival of “How amazing Skagway has per- tion from medical groups and com- The scenic and sightseeing transporta- mitigations were $19 million in state and many. formed in the devastation, where 90% tion sector was the hardest hit, with a local fees, $10 million in miscellaneous “The assistance has been a godsend of local government revenue was lost, 75% decline. The leisure and hospitality cruise line purchases and $4.3 million in for so many of our businesses, but what and Skagway had been the only growing employment sector, as well as the ac- sales taxes, according to an informa- they really want to do is get back out community in Southeast over the last commodations and food service sectors, tional slide presented by Mackey. there and do what they do best, which decade,” she said. were nearly even, declining by 37% and Mackey also displayed a chart that is entertaining folks, showcasing our She also lauded the community for 35%, respectively. The Denali Borough showed unemployment numbers that great state and of course, helping to being able to hold in-person schooling all and the Skagway Municipality topped jumped by a bit more than 60% in the drive our economy,” she said. year, and ended her comments with a both of those categories in job losses Ketchikan area in April through July of Visit Anchorage President and CEO spirited call to people to visit Skagway in with more than 80% lost in 2020. 2020. Julie Saupe gave an overview of that 2021 to support the “glamorous Gold The Ketchikan Gateway Borough A recent survey conducted by the city’s challenges brought on by the Rush town,” in the “sunniest part of showed a loss of 50% in leisure and hos- KVB showed that 70% of local busi- COVID-19 pandemic, which varied Southeast Alaska” and to patronize its pitality jobs and 40% of accommodation nesses reported that their revenue was from those outlined by Mackey. local businesses. and food service jobs, according to the down 50% to 75% or more due to the She listed the leisure and business sec- Anderson also emphasized the “huge” report. pandemic. tors, as well as the conventions and role of the Alaska Marine Highway Sys- A loss of 30% was realized statewide She pointed out that a particularly meetings travel sectors, as the central tem in bringing potential independent in air transportation jobs, with 40% of devastating circumstance for businesses areas of revenue loss in Anchorage. travelers to Southeast Alaska in 2021. those jobs lost in the KGB. was that because the cruise season was Anchorage was an outlier compared “We have to support tourism market- A loss of 75% was seen in arts, enter- predicted to expand from 2019 to 2020, to the rest of the state, Saupe said, in ing and the infrastructure around tainment and recreation jobs in the many of them had prepared by investing that employees of companies who tourism destinations if we’re going to KGB, but Skagway topped all other heavily in preparation. needed hotel rooms in which to quaran- keep that real spirit of Alaska alive and areas surveyed with a loss of 87% of “Businesses purchased new equip- tine kept those businesses busy. How- well for our visitors and our residents,” those jobs. The statewide percentage of ment, they were basically out on a limb ever, the rate that hotels were able to she said. job losses in that sector was 48%. Scenic for new vehicles, new boats, or really charge per room were “significantly and sightseeing transportation employ- major purchases to expand their busi- down.” ment loss was 75% statewide, with the ness and to be able to accommodate the The Anchorage area saw an approxi- KGB showing a loss of 85%. growing number of visitors,” she said. mately 25% loss in tourism jobs, Saupe Leonard said that the statewide An additional challenge was that due said. Another loss for Anchorage during tourism organizations are working to to the seasonality of those businesses, the pandemic was Iceland Air at the An- spread the message that “we are ready they’d not only invested the extra chorage International Airport. to provide Alaska experiences.” money, but hadn’t received revenue She said there continues to be wide- She added that the COVID-19 vaccine since the end of the 2019 season. spread anxiety about how many busi- availability has been “a hot topic in our “One of the biggest fears we have is nesses might be permanently lost due to industry and has really changed the con- that we may have businesses that will the pandemic, referring to Mackey’s versation for travel, in that Alaska is per- not see any revenue whatsoever coming statements about the challenges busi- ceived as an even more safe destination in their doors possibly for as long as two nesses have faced as similar to Anchor- and one that is open for business.” years,” she said. age’s. Rep. Hopkins asked Leonard about Looking forward into 2021, Mackey Saupe said that in a normal year, 40% the status of the effort by the federal del- said the original hopeful forecast for the to 50% of overnight visitors in Anchor- egation to create a work-around to the season has dimmed as large cruise ships age come from cruise passengers. PVSA to allow large cruise ships to travel continue to be stymied in restarting. She said that as her organization pre- to Alaska once the Centers for Disease There has been a 55% decline in sched- pares marketing materials, they are fo- Control and Prevention clears them to uled port calls so far. She added that if cusing on showing how safe Alaska is as once again carry passengers on voyages. they do get the green light to restart, it a destination. Leonard said that she knows that takes about 60 to 90 days to become “Visitors are watching. That’s one of they’re in “continual” conversations cruise ready. the things we learned from our re- about those issues at the federal level, A positive note, she said, is that Alaska search,” Saupe said. “Visitors do care but, “we’re hearing that the window is Airlines has restarted a flight to what a destination is doing before they closing on timing for that.” Ketchikan that previously had been re- book.” Ketchikan’s Patti Mackey spoke next moved, and Delta Air Lines also has de- The success Alaska has realized with about the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau's cided to return to serving Ketchikan vaccinating residents, and the wide- perspective on the effects of the pan- with seasonal flights. spread news coverage of that success demic on local tourism. Another survey question posed by the will help, as well, she said. She shared a slide which listed KVB, Mackey said, was “Can your busi- Explore Fairbanks President and CEO tourism statistics for Ketchikan from ness endure a delayed restart?” Deb Hickok spoke about the effects of 2019: 46 different cruise ships, 570 Eighteen percent said yes, if business the pandemic on her community. cruise ship stops, 1.2 million cruise ship started in May. Thirty-five percent said She said that 40% of the job losses in passengers, 38,764 visitors by air and they could get by if the season started in Fairbanks in 2020 were in the leisure and hospitality sector. The next largest loss was in the transportation sector, she ‘Visitors are watching. That’s one of the things said. we learned from our research. Visitors do care 41% of the Fairbanks summer tourists also are from cruise ships, she said. what a destination is doing before they book.’ There are cruise-land tours that bring visitors to their area. — Julie Saupe, Visit Anchorage Princess and Holland America cruise lines are bringing land-based tours to the

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