Fast Ferries Sold

Kayhi sweeps Thunder Mt. LA opens first tiny home village to ease • Kings prep for tourney game, Lady Kings set homeless crisis, to host MEHS, See page 6 Page 5

35º/29º Weather, page 3 Ketchikan Daily News - 03/12/2021 $1.00K ETCHIKAN FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 TWITTER.COM/KDNNEWS DAILY N WWW.KETCHIKANDAILYNEWS.COMEWS 10 PAGES Rock Slope Stabilization Fast ferries sold

The Alaska Marine Highway System ferries Fairweather and Ch- enega are seen moored on April 17, 2019 at the former pulp mill dock in Ward Cove. Staff photo by Dustin Safranek, File ADOT announces $5.17M deal to sell Fairweather, Chenega finalized By SCOTT BOWLEN ing about $2.06 million for the Fair- Daily News Staff Writer weather and $3.11 million for the Ch- Sold! enega, both of which are currently A Spanish firm has purchased the moored in Ward Cove. The Chenega Alaska Marine Highway System’s two has been out of service since 2016; the fast vehicle ferries for a combined Fairweather since 2019. total of $5.17 million in a deal final- Servicios y Concesiones Maritimas ized on Wednesday, according to the Ibicencas, which operates a seven-ves- Alaska Department of Transportation. sel ferry service under the brand DOT on Thursday announced that name of Trasmapi, was the sole bidder Servicios y Concesiones Maritimas for the vessels. Its original combined Ibicencas S.A. of Ibiza, Spain, is pay- See ‘Fast ferries,’ page 5 Dunleavy withdraws

Above, Advanced Blasting Services crew works at an order to split DHSS Alaska Department of Trans- portation rock slope stabilization project on March 5 on Clearing way for legislative review Shoreline Drive. JUNEAU (AP) — Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said he is withdrawing an ex- At right, driller Kyle Sweet ecutive order proposing reorganization of the state health department, with sweeps loose rock from a sec- his office citing "technical issues" that need to be addressed. tion of road at a DOT rock His office, in a statement Thursday, did not specify those issues but it said a slope stabilization project. review was under way and a revised order would be submitted for legislative Sweet drilled several holes into review "as soon as possible." The original proposal called for reorganizing func- the slope that will serve as an- tions of the department into two departments. chor points for reinforcement. The House Health and Social Services Committee earlier this week advanced a resolution disapproving of the order amid legal questions about some of the At left, plastic grout tubes are provisions and concerns the process was moving too quickly. The issue had positioned inside two drilled been set for further review by the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday. holes for rock bolts on Thurs- Because it is an executive order, lawmakers were not able to make amend- day at the DOT rock slope sta- ments the way they could to a bill. bilization project on Shoreline Senate Democratic Leader Tom Begich in a statement thanked Dunleavy for Drive. withdrawing the order. "Many of us recognize the need to reorganize the De- March 15, 2021 8:35 am (GMT -8:00)partment, but it should be done in a deliberative and thoughtful manner. I look Powered by TECNAVIA Staff photos by Dustin Safranek forward to working with the Governor on this effort," he said.

KTN adds US reports surge of Big oil eyes other places to drill one new Industry prepares to roll with punches in climate fight kids at SW border By MEAD GRUVER and MATTHEW BROWN Associated Press virus case CASPER, Wyo. — President Joe Biden's bid to tackle climate change is running straight through the heart of the Number of children seeking to U.S. oil and gas industry -- a much bigger, more influential EOC says 77 test foe than Democrats faced when they took on the coal in- cross border themselves up 60% dustry during the Obama years. results pending Coal dominated U.S. power generation for decades, with By BEN FOX the bulk of that fuel coming from the massive strip mines KETCHIKAN (KDN) — The Associated Press of Wyoming's Powder River Basin — a market that col- Ketchikan Emergency Operations WASHINGTON — The number of migrant children and families seek- lapsed in recent years as utilities switched to natural gas. Center recorded one new COVID-19 ing to cross the U.S. southwest border has surged to levels not seen since Fast forward to 2021 — and oil and gas have eclipsed coal case on Thursday, breaking an eight- before the pandemic, a challenge for President Joe Biden as he works to to become the biggest human source of greenhouse gas day streak of no new positive test re- undo the restrictive immigration policies of his predecessor. emissions from public lands and waters, federal production sults. Statistics released Wednesday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection data indicates. That's made government fuel sales an irre- "The individual is currently asymp- showed the number of children and families increased by more than sistible target for Democrats as they try to rein in climate tomatic and the source of the virus is 100% between January and February. Kids crossing by themselves rose change. under investigation," according to a 60% to more than 9,400, forcing the government to look for new places Biden's election has put big oil companies on the defen- An oil well is seen east of Casper, Wyo., on Feb. 26. Thursday evening press release from to hold them temporarily. sive after largely having their way in Washington under AP Photo/Mead Gruver the local EOC. "During the contact in- The surge has been seized on by Republicans and former President President Donald Trump. But in taking on petroleum com- velopment. You're hurting these little guys that are dream- vestigation, Public Health will coordi- Donald Trump as a line of attack on Biden, though his administration is panies with a moratorium on oil and gas lease sales, Biden ing up where no one else thought there was any oil and nate with the positive person to reach turning back nearly all single adults, who make up the majority of bor- picked a foe that spent lavishly over decades to secure al- gas," said Steve Degenfelder, land manager for family- out to anyone who may be a close con- der-crossers, under a public health order imposed at the start of the coro- legiance from Republican lawmakers. owned Kirkwood Oil & Gas in Casper, a community of tact and instruct them to quarantine navirus pandemic. The industry is also deeply enmeshed in local economies about 60,000 known as The Oil City. as appropriate." The Biden administration is temporarily holding children and families, -- from Alaska and the Gulf Coast to the Rocky Mountain Trump's final months in office saw a huge spike in new The local positivity rate was 0.18% mostly from Central America, for several days. They are generally then drilling hub of Casper, Wyoming -- posing a challenge to drilling permits after his administration sped up approvals. on Thursday, the lowest it has been allowed to enter the U.S. while authorities evaluate their claims to asylum the Democrat as he tries to navigate between strong action As a result, some companies with the biggest presence on since last spring. Results were still or see if they have any other legal right to stay in the country. on the climate and recovering from the pandemic's finan- public lands have announced that they are ready to pending from 77 tests. See ‘Migrant kids,’ page 3 cial devastation. weather changes under Biden. See ‘COVID-19,’ page 3 "You're not hurting the big guys that are doing all the de- See ‘Biden vs. oil,’ page 2

Ketchikan, Alaska SPORTS • WORLD • ALASKA • NATION Today’s Trivia: What was the highest voltage recorded ©2021 Page 9: Digital art by Beeple sells for $69.4 million VOL. 93 NO. 58 during Schoenbar’s battery challenge? (USPS 293-940) www.ketchikandailynews.com Answer, Page 2 Friday, March 12, 2021 KETCHIKAN DAILY NEWS NATION 5 LA opens first tiny home village for homeless 39 prefab units installed on one-acre plot in hope of easing the city’s homelessness crisis By CHRISTOPHER WEBER streets," she said. Los Angeles ballot measure meant to tions from nearby residents who Associated Press Tiny homes have been promoted as fund as many as 10,000 supportive needed to be convinced it's a safe, LOS ANGELES — Amy Skinner took the solution to all kinds of housing housing units took too long to ramp up clean opportunity for shelter, Kerko - notice when brightly colored structures needs — an affordable option in expen - and advocates for the homeless de - rian said. started taking shape earlier this year on sive big cities and simplicity for people manded officials act immediately. The Ken Craft, CEO of the nonprofit a drab patch of asphalt across from a who want to declutter their lives. They city and county began looking for cre - Hope of the Valley, which operates Los Angeles park where she occasion - are increasingly used as shelter for ative, affordable solutions to get people Chandler Street, said he asks dubious ally slept outdoors. homeless people in other California out of the tents that line sidewalks near neighbors if they would rather have a Skinner, who's been homeless for cities, including San Jose and Sacra - downtown and under freeway over - tent encampment or the tiny homes on three years, watched as workers built a mento, as well as nationally in Seattle, passes in suburban areas. the land. fence with a security gate and trans - Minneapolis and Des Moines, Iowa. City Councilman Paul Kerkorian, "Here we have services," he said. formed the city-owned property into Chandler Street village was devel - whose district includes North Holly - ""Here people can start to chart a path LA's first tiny home village offering in - oped and funded by Los Angeles as wood, said officials zeroed in on the out of homelessness." terim housing and services for people part of an emergency response to the abandoned, awkwardly shaped slice of Counselors at Chandler Street pro - who lack shelter. worsening homelessness crisis. A 2020 land across from the park. vide mental health treatment, legal aid Then in early February, Skinner was tally found there were 66,400 homeless "It was ideally suited for this use and and assistance with job searches. Skin - handed the keys to one of the 39 prefab people in Los Angeles County — up not much else," Kerkorian said. ner is getting her Social Security card, units at the one-acre plot in a North more than 12% from the previous year. The tiny home village had to over - which she hopes is a first step toward Hollywood neighborhood. She and her More than 150,000 people are home - come some "not-in-my-backyard" reac - full employment. partner, John Golka, moved into the less statewide. Gov. Gavin Newsom 64-square-foot (6-square-meter) space said Tuesday during his State of the with their little dog, Smalls. State address that he plans to commit It's cramped but comfortable inside Workers talk to a resident, at right, in front a row of tiny homes for the $2 billion this year to create more hous - their temporary home — with four win - homeless on Feb. 25 in the North Hollywood section of Los Angeles. ing for those without shelter, while si - dows, two beds, shelving and an A/C multaneously addressing mental health unit. The inscription on the welcome AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez and substance abuse issues. mat at the front door captures their said after a morning smoke with other trailer" with toilets and showers was The pandemic has forced even more new mood: "This is our happy place." new residents in the community's just steps away. residents onto the streets, as congre - "Being able to lock the door and have shared outdoor space. Bright red picnic "Just being able to fall asleep! That's gant shelters cut capacity to maintain a place to sleep is huge," Skinner, 48, tables stood nearby and a "hygiene so hard to do when you're on the social distancing. Meanwhile, a 2016 As GOP makes it harder to vote, few dissent State lawmakers push wave of legislation to limit absentee and mail voting ATLANTA (AP) — In Arizona, a Republican state easy to miss. voting, and they need to be very careful because senator worried aloud that his party's proposed "It's appalling what's happening," said former they could be shooting themselves in the foot to voter identification requirements might be too Republican National Committee chairman Michael restrict that and make it more difficult,," said Terry "cumbersome." But he voted for the bill anyway. Steele, who condemned the silence of the GOP's Sullivan, a Republican strategist. In Iowa, the state's Republican elections chief elected officials. "There have been no provable, ob - If elected Republicans share these concerns, put out a carefully worded statement that didn't vious, systemwide failures or fraud that would re - they have done little so far to slow the momentum say whether he backs his own party's legislation quire the kind of 'legislative remedies' that of major legislation in competitive states like Geor - making it more difficult to vote early. Republican legislatures are embarking on. What gia, Arizona, Florida and Texas, where Republicans And in Georgia, Republican Lt. Gov. Geoff Dun - the hell are you so afraid of? Black people voting?" control the state legislature and the governor's of - can left the room as Senate Republicans approved Experts note that most changes up for debate fice. a bill to block early voting for all but the GOP's would disproportionately affect voters of color, Democratic officials, civil rights leaders and vot - most reliable voting bloc. Duncan instead watched younger people and the poor — all groups that his - ing advocates are horrified. Monday's proceedings from a television in his of - torically vote for Democrats. But Republicans are Martin Luther King III said he spent last week - fice to protest. also pushing restrictions with the potential to place end in Selma, Alabama, celebrating the 56th an - This is what amounts to dissent as Republican new burdens on GOP-leaning groups. niversary of his father's bloody march across the lawmakers push a wave of legislation through It's a startling shift for a party whose voters in Edmund Pettus Bridge. Instead of being a day of statehouses across the nation to make voting more some states, such as Florida and Arizona, had em - celebration, he said, there was a sense that the civil difficult. The bills are fueled by former President braced absentee and mail voting. Several Republi - rights movement was sliding backward because of Donald Trump's false claims of widespread voter can strategists note the party may be passing laws the Republican voting proposals. fraud and many are sponsored by his most loyal that only box out their own voters. "There's no question about this being a higher alKetchikanlies. But su pDailyport f oNewsr the e- f03/12/2021fort is much broader "There are multiple states and in multiple demo - level of Jim Crow," King said in an interview. He than just Trump's hard-right base, and objections graphics where Republicans consistently outper - said he's worried that little can be done to stop the from GOP policymakers are so quiet they can be form Democrats in early voting and absentee Republican effort in the short-term.

Fast ferries Continued from page 1 bid of about $4.6 million was far sel-tracking website www.marinetraf - — responsible for the propulsion sys - and 2019 (Fairweather). AMHS in below the state’s $10 million reserve, fic.com. AMHS spokesperson Sam tems, as reported by The Associated 2019 announced that it would “sur - but AMHS subsequently negotiated Dapcevich said it’s anticipated to ar - Press. plus” the ferries because of the oper - the final sales price up by about rive within the next couple of weeks, Dan Sullivan, the current Alaska ating costs. $500,000. but a specific date is not available yet. senator who was serving as the state’s Thursday’s AMHS announcement The AMHS announcement said the The departure of the Fairweather attorney general at the time, said then said that when AMHS didn’t receive sale proceeds would be placed in the and Chenega likely will be the last that the lawsuit was filed to protect interest in the vessels from other state state’s Vessel Construction Fund, “ an Alaska chapter of an experiment that the state’s “fiscal integrity.” agencies or Alaska municipalities, it account used for future AMHS vessel didn’t live up to high hopes. “We received a faulty product,” Sul - listed the ferries for sale. The bid maintenance and construction.“ Intended for high-speed operations livan said. opening was Jan. 21. “This sale is a significant milestone — the ships have service speeds of 32 The lawsuit was settled in 2013, At 71 meters, the 210-passenger in our long-term vision to reshape the knots — to cut travel times in areas with MTU Friedrichshafen agreeing to Fairweather and Chenega are larger Alaska Marine Highway System," such as Lynn Canal and Prince supply eight new engines and provid - than any ferry in Trasmapi’s seven- DOT Commissioner John MacKinnon William Sound, the 235-foot, diesel- ing an option for the state to buy two vessel fleet. All of Trasmapi’s current said in a prepared statement. "Selling powered, jet-drive catamarans were new spare engines at cost, according ferries are catamarans with jet propul - the fast ferries is a move to right-size built at the Derecktor Shipyards in to The Associated Press. sions, but only one — the 60-meter Ketchikan Gateway Borough the fleet and lets AMHS redirect funds Bridgeport, Connecticut, for a com - According to a Thursday report by Castavi Jet — has a car deck. The Ch - used for their storage to operations. bined cost of $68 million. KTOO, Trasmapi is negotiating a pur - enega and Fairweather’s car decks can This moves us toward our goal of a The Fairweather was delivered first, chase of the spare engines separately. accommodate about 31 20-foot vehi - Parks & Recreation more sustainable and affordable level in 2004, followed by the Chenega in In addition to the engine issues, the cles each, according to AMHS. of service for Alaskans." 2005. But the vessels had difficulties fast vehicle ferries’ operations were Based in Ibiza, one of the Balearic The ferries aren’t expected to be in early on — especially with the engines limited in some weather/sea state con - Islands off the east coast of Spain, Ketchikan much longer. Trasmapi has and propulsion systems. ditions, and fuel consumption levels Trasmapi operates between Ibiza, the “enlisted“ the heavy-lift ship Red Zed A 2006 overhaul on the Fairweather and costs for the high-speed ships nearby island of Formentera, and the ACTIVITIES 1 to take the two ferries to Spain via found hairline cracks in the steel were a factor in the vessels being mainland Spanish ports of Barcelona the Panama Canal, according to sleeves of all four of its MTU diesel taken out of service in 2016 (Chenega) and Valencia. for information call 228-6650 AMHS information. engines, in addition to problems with As of Thursday evening, the Red bull gears, shafts and bearings. That’s SPRING QUARTER MARCH 1, 2021 – MAY 31, 2021 Zed 1 was moored just south of the according to a 2010 state lawsuit filed Hours: Monday – Friday 5am – 9pm, Saturday 7am-9pm, Sunday 11am-6pm Vancouver Island town of Nanaimo in against the shipbuilder and the com - British Columbia, about 550 miles panies — MTU Friedrichshafen, Pool Hours: Monday – Friday 5am – 8pm, Saturday 7am-4:30pm, Sunday 11am-4:30pm from Ketchikan, according to the ves - GmbH and MTU Detroit Deisel Inc. FACILITY CLOSURES: April 4th Easter – Both – All Day • May 31st Memorial Day – Both – All Day *The facility is limited during COVID risk levels 2 moderate, and 3 high. We are currently o! ering a wide variety of programs and events!

It’s SPRING BREAK CAMP: KRBD’s 3/15 – 3/19 8am – 3pm • Ages 5-10, $80/week KRBDKRBD’sSapphire Anniversarsy... Daily activities, science experiments, crafts, skating, swimming and more! Must bring your own lunch, snacks will be provided.

EASTER EGG HUNT: 45 Years of Community Radio Friday 4/2 @ City Park • Ages 0-12, $5 per participant YOU , OUR LISTENERS AND DONORS, ARE THE RAREST GEMS BECAUSE 5:30 sign in, 5:45 hunt begins, ra# e drawings will follow YOU HELP MAKE EVERYTHING WE DO POSSIBLE. Must be PRE-REGISTERED!

Become a sustaining member or make a one-time 24TH ANNUAL DOUBLE IRONMAN TRIATHLON donation during our QUIET DRIVE Looking for a fun way to kick of some exercise while competing solo or in teams? This is the perfect event for you! by going to krbd.org, You can complete your running/swimming/biking anywhere you wish! calling the station at 225-9655, You do not even need to be local during the event! All miles are recorded, turned in, and logged with weekly progress reports of all competitors. or mailing to 1101 Copper Ridge Lane First 20 to register will receive an awesome shirt from this years event! You will have 6 weeks to complete 208 miles biked, 4 miles swimming, and and you’ll be entered in a drawing for 52.4 miles running. There are two divisions with two categories in each; TWO ROUND-TRIP ALASKA AIRLINES TICKETS Beginner & Experienced and teams & solo. #alaskacares $17/ per participant ages 14+

Drawing will be held the ﬁ rst day of our On-air Drive, SWIMMING: Monday, March 29th, between 10 & 11 AM. Dollar swims – Friday 5:15-6:15pm, Sat/Sun 3:30-4:30pm Open swims – Friday 6:30-8:00pm, Sat/Sun 1:15-3:15pm Enter without donation by calling the station on the 29th between 9 & 10 AM. Current sustaining members are already entered in the drawing Ketchikan Parks & Recreation ketchikan_parksandrec KTNParksandRec See o ur brochure on the Parks & Recreation Web Site KRBDKRBD FM 90.1 90.7 101.7 105.3 107.1 www.kgbak.us/parks-recreation