Post 3 swings into action Pro-democracy paper publishes Ketchikan set to play six games over • final edition, four days, See page 6 Page 10 61 º/56º Weather, page 3 $1.00 THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 2021 TWITTER.COM/KDNNEWS WWW.KETCHIKANDAILYNEWS.COM 10 PAGES It’s their mountain, after all Board approves all agenda items SI candidate review scheduled, scope of Native consultation training expanded By SAM STOCKBRIDGE Daily News Staff Writer The Ketchikan School Board closed out a meeting on Monday evening just 71 minutes after it convened, unanimously approving all topics on its agenda, including a salary schedule, a collective bargaining agreement, a memorandum of agreement with the Ketchikan Gateway Borough to pave potholes at Point Higgins Elementary School and the purchase of new science tables for Schoen - bar Middle School. Board members also set a date to conduct a six-hour review of candidates' applications for the permanent superintendency with the assistance of the As - sociation of Alaska School Boards and agreed to extend a training opportunity involving Native organizations to other entities in Southeast Alaska. Board President Kim Hodne had been excused from the meeting. Vice Pres - ident Diane Gubatayao acted in his stead. Salaries The board unanimously approved two salary contracts. The board reviewed a salary schedule for professional classified employees, which are non-union at-will employees of the district responsible for managing See ‘School Board,’ page 3 Ferry for free: Ketchikan Daily News - 06/24/2021 Alaska offers 58-year-old Two Sitka blacktail deer travel up Deermount Street on Tuesday. Staff photo by Dustin Safranek Malaspina to the Philippines JUNEAU (AP) — The state of "This vessel is surplus to our Alaska is trying to dispose of a 58- fleet, is in need of some repairs, year-old ferry, and even has offered but does have some service life Tentative infrastructure deal reached to give it free to the government of left," according to Dunleavy's letter the Philippines. dated May 20 and obtained by the Gov. Mike Dunleavy offered to Alaska Public Media in a routine give the Malaspina ferry away in a public records request for the gov - Bipartisan group to brief Biden on 'framework' after breakthrough in talks letter last month to the Philippines ernor's correspondence. consul general in San Francisco, "We would be willing to provide By SEUNG MIN KIM meetings today with the bipartisan group of Senators CoastAlaska reported. See ‘Malaspina,’ page 3 The Washington Post who have been negotiating about infrastructure," WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of senators White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a tentatively reached an agreement with White House statement. "The group made progress toward an out - officials Wednesday on hundreds of billions of dol - line of a potential agreement, and the President has lars in new spending for the nation's infrastructure invited the group to come to the White House tomor - system, giving a significant boost toward one of Pres - row to discuss this in-person." ident Joe Biden's biggest domestic policy ambitions. Other tasks that remain for the bipartisan group Multiple senators leaving an evening negotiating ses - of Senate negotiators include briefing their leader - sion at the Capitol said the group — which included ship and their respective caucuses. But, Collins said, five Democrats, five Republicans and top White House "I'm optimistic that we've had a breakthrough." officials — had reached a framework of a deal. They White House officials huddled with Democratic said senators would go to the White House on Thurs - leaders immediately after the negotiations concluded day to brief Biden personally on the details. Wednesday night on Capitol Hill, a sign they were "There's a framework of agreement on a biparti - already plotting next steps. Senate Majority Leader san infrastructure package," Sen. Susan Collins, R- Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-AK, leaves a closed- Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said "we support the con - Maine, said, exiting the meeting. "There's still details door bipartisan infrastructure meeting with cepts that we heard about" but deferred further com - to be worked out." a group of senators and White House aides ment until the agreement was officially announced. Senators declined to disclose details of their agree - on Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday. It is less clear whether GOP leaders will sign off on ment but stressed that the group had agreed not just the package, though White House officials have long AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta on the spending levels for various infrastructure felt it would be politically treacherous for Republi - The Alaska Marine Highway System ferry Malaspina and Amak projects, but also how to pay for it. An earlier frame - spending over five years, including $579 billion in can leaders to try to oppose a bipartisan infrastruc - Towing tugboat Jennie B. share a mooring on May 21 in Ward Cove. work reached by the senators — which did not have new projects and initiatives. ture package that would improve highways, roads Staff photo by Dustin Safranek White House approval — included $974 billion of "White House senior staff had two productive See ‘Infrastructure,’ page 3 AK lawmakers open Fast ferry transfer AP&T begins survey new special session could start by Friday for undersea cable As standoff over state budget drags on 214-mile fiber optic cable planned to JUNEAU (AP) — Alaska lawmakers opened their second special session Wednes - Red Zed I set to pick up fmr. AMHS day with little public progress toward resolution on a state budget standoff. run between Juneau and Coffman Cove The Legislature passed a budget package last week. But Gov. Mike Dunleavy called it "defective," citing as a concern the House's failure to garner sufficient sup - vessels Chenega and Fairweather By CALEB VIERKANT port for a procedural effective date vote. The effective date provisions fell four votes Wrangell Sentinel short of passage. Just two of the House Republican minority caucus' 18 members By SAM STOCKBRIDGE 1:00 am Friday for submersing," Alaska Power & Telephone has begun preparations for a 214-mile fiber optic voted with the majority in support. Daily News Staff Writer with the ferries possibly being cable that will run from Juneau down to Coffman Cove. The SEALink subma - Legislative attorneys and the Department of Law have offered differing views on The crew of the heavy lift vessel loaded onto the vessel between 8 rine cable project will bring faster broadband internet access to communities what the failed vote might mean. The attorney general has asked a judge to weigh Red Zed I could start loading the a.m. and 10 a.m. that same day. like Coffman Cove and Kasaan on Prince of Wales Island. in. The new fiscal year starts July 1. former Alaska Marine Highway Bradford said he would know the While the project is not expected to affect Wrangell, AP&T Business Devel - Dunleavy introduced a new budget bill Wednesday but House Speaker Louise System ferries Chenega and Fair - transfer plans "for certain" by opment Vice President Jason Custer said Wrangell could be the target of future Stutes said securing support for the effective date provisions attached to the bill weather as early as Friday morning. Thursday afternoon. improvements in the company’s Southeast network. passed last week was her priority. She said she was optimistic about negotiations In correspondence with the Daily The Alaska Department of Trans - “It’s a major investment in the region, and we’re glad to see it happen,” he but declined to provide specifics. News on Wednesday afternoon, portation sold the two fast ferries to said. “Having broadband is having options.” Senate President Peter Micciche said the Senate is standing by as the House works Ward Cove Group member Stephen a Spanish company, Servicios y Custer said the cable will start at Lena Point, north of downtown Juneau, through the matter. Bradford wrote that the captain of Concesiones Marítimas Ibicencas then run south to Petersburg. The cable will be run overland across Mitkof Is - "This seems to be an issue between them," he said of the House caucuses, "and the Red Zed I "wants to begin SA, for $5.17 million on March 10. land before going back into the water, past Wrangell and down to Coffman we are certainly hoping and praying that they come to resolution here in the next preparing the ballasts (at) about See ‘Ferry transfer,’ page 2 Cove. couple days." See ‘Undersea cable survey,’ page 2 Ketchikan, Alaska SPORTS • WORLD • ALASKA • NATION Today’s Trivia: How old was the tank that was recently demolished ©2021 Page 5 : Justices rule in favor of student’s free speech VOL. 93 NO. 146 at Petro Marine’s Stedman St. fuel storage facility? (USPS 293-940) www.ketchikandailynews.com Answer, Page 2 June 24, 2021 9:04 am (GMT -8:00) Powered by TECNAVIA Thursday, June 24, 2021 KETCHIKAN DAILY NEWS LOCAL/ALASKA 3 IN BRIEF School Board Continued from page 1 Alaska sees 49% increase in syphilis infection rates and/or supporting districtwide operations. at Step 1 and $82,758 at Step 10. The mainte - which mandated more communication between JUNEAU (AP) — Alaska health officials say 361 cases of syphilis were re - In a phone interview on Wednesday morning, nance director, the next-lowest salary, starts at school districts and local tribal entities concern - ported in 2020, a 49% increase over the previous year. District Business Manager Katie Parrott con - $95,297 at Step 1 and increases to $108,295 at ing use of Native education grant funds. The numbers didn't surprise Susan A. Jones, an Anchorage-based public firmed that there are currently only three pro - Step 10.