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I am almost a lifetime SE Alaskan and my wife and I are current residents of Wrangell. I moved to Ketchikan in 1943 when I was ten years old and have lived and worked in almost every major Southeast Alaska city including Ketchikan, Juneau, Wrangell and Sitka and played a lot of high school basketball in Petersburg. I continue to invest in institutions that provide services in each of those communities including Haines and Skagway. I cite these facts because I know how sensitive SE residents are to suggestions offered by well-meaning persons...
Vital role of AMHS not addressed To the Editor: Recently I traveled to Juneau to meet with Legislators to discuss the importance of the Alaska Marine Highway. Mayors and administrators from statewide coastal communities teamed up to highlight the importance of the system. We heard stories of food shortages, missed medical appointments, and economic hardship from around the state. I found that the message was received with a sympathetic ear, but our friends from non-maritime communities believe that the ferry system serves too few at too great...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — With an aging fleet, fewer riders and major budget reductions, the Alaska Marine Highway System is feeling the hurt. Six of the state's 11 ferries have been taken out of service as of Dec. 9 and service to coastal communities has been reduced multiple times. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have said they believe ferries are a vital economic engine for Southeast Alaska, but how to keep that engine running is up for debate. One proposal, or at least the idea of it, has gotten the attention of a number of stakeholder g...
After thorough inspections of the 45-year-old M/V LeConte and the 44-year-old M/V Aurora, the Alaska Marine Highway System is moving forward with repairs for the LeConte. Engineers inspecting the ships determined that both will require extensive steel replacement. The Aurora will require 20% more steel to be replaced and locations are more challenging because of associated electric, plumbing, and hydraulic lines. Repair work on the Aurora will be more expensive and will take longer. Estimates fo...
JUNEAU – Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) was recently informed that the M/V LeConte is in need of more extensive repairs than originally anticipated. AMHS budgeted $1.2 million for overhaul of the 45-year-old LeConte, but after an extensive survey of the steel hull, it was determined that considerable repair work is needed. The additional repairs are estimated to cost $4 million. Repair work has temporarily stopped on the LeConte. On Nov. 4, AMHS will bring the M/V Aurora into the Vigor shipyard dry-dock in Ketchikan for annual overhaul and...
The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) is ending service to Prince Rupert, British Columbia, effective Oct. 1, 2019. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is requiring AMHS to secure a Canadian law enforcement presence to protect CBP’s personnel in Prince Rupert while inspection tasks are performed. All avenues for local law enforcement were pursued, but AMHS was not able to secure the staff necessary to fulfill this requirement. The new requirement specifies a Canadian law enforcement p...
With approximately 400 members of the Inlandboatmen's Union going on strike last Wednesday, July 24, operations of the Alaska Marine Highway System have come to a halt. Without ferry services, many people across the state, especially in Southeast Alaska, found themselves stranded. In the communities of Wrangell and Petersburg, many people are facing disruptions to their schedules, families, and work. WRANGELL: Several of Wrangell's children and adults attending a church camp in Juneau were...
The State and the Inland Boatmens Union have reached a tentative agreement. AMHS is resuming service, to see the new schedule click link below: https://www.dot.state.ak.us/oars/reservations/CalendarFM.amhsf?selectMonth=August+2019&selectPort=Petersburg&selectVessel=All+Vessels&action=Get+Schedule Call 1-800-642-0066 with questions. Due to the high volume of calls, it may take time to connect with a customer service representative. AMHS staff will never request credit card information from... Full story
Judith (Judy) E Erickson, 71, passed away June 1, 2019 in Juneau, Alaska with her children by her side. The first of five children, Judy was born February 29, 1948 to Delbert (Pete) and Irene Erickson in Dallas, Oregon. She grew up in Auburn, Washington. After her parents and younger siblings sailed north to Petersburg aboard the FV Irene E in 1967, Judy followed a year later. She worked for many years at her mother's restaurant, Irene's and she later worked for AMHS prior to her retirement.... Full story
The Alaska Marine Highway System removed the FVF Fairweather from service and transported the vessel to Ketchikan where it waits to be put up for sale. Last week the FVF Fairweather sailed from Juneau to Ketchikan's Ward Cove where it will be stored. Both the FVF Fairweather and the FVF Chenega, which has also been put in storage, will be put up for sale in the coming months, according to Department of Transportation public information officer Aurah Landau of Juneau. "AMHS has determined it...
Many of the strongest and best memories from my childhood growing up in Juneau revolve around riding Alaska's ferries to swim meets to communities like Petersburg, Sitka, and Ketchikan. And later, as an adult, I have traveled across Southeast on ferries dozens of times for family trips, to deliver orthopedic clinics and surgery to remote communities, for hunting, and for basketball games. Those trips opened my eyes to the astounding beauty and breadth of our state, and they introduced me to...
Dave Kensinger, former chairman of the Marine Transportation Advisory Board, anticipates that the Alaska Marine Highway System could face difficulties restarting services if it were to shut down in October. Under Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s proposed 2020 fiscal year budget, cuts to the AMHS would prevent the ferry system from operating past Oct. 1. Should the ferry system shut down, Kensinger said that a ripple effect would make it increasingly hard to get it up and running again. Specialized employees would find themselves without work and have to s...
JUNEAU — The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) is making a vessel route change with the goals of saving money and utilizing the new Alaska Class Ferries (ACF) as soon as possible. AMHS will move the ACF Tazlina to Lynn Canal to replace service by the F/V Fairweather, starting in May 2019. The ACF Hubbard will move to Prince William Sound to replace service provided by the Aurora in 2020. “I commend AMHS for taking a hard look at the system and recognizing opportunities to save money,” said DOT&PF Commissioner John MacKinnon. “By putting...
With the adjournment of the Legislature on May 12, Senator Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, talked to The Pilot during the Little Norway Festival about the session. The legislature realized they have to restructure the Alaska Permanent Fund (APF) and Senate Bill 26 does that. Stedman was one of 13 senators who voted in favor of the legislation. With a $2.5 billion deficit the APF has to be protected. He has favored that idea for a long time because it would limit payouts and gives the public the opportunity to look at its structure. The bill sets a...
Susan Flint and Chelsea Tremblay appeared before the Petersburg Borough Assembly Monday night seeking a sponsor to sign an ordinance that would remove the Senior Citizen Sales Tax Exemption and replace it with a needs based rebate program. Flint noted that nearly 600 tax-exempt cards are in use and in some cases two generations of a single family hold the cards. The ordinance change would be presented to the voters in the form of a proposition at the next regular election on October 2, 2018. The proposition would repeal the current sales tax ex...
KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) — A former state ferry has departed from Alaska after serving in the Alaska Marine Highway System since 1963. The Taku left Ward Cove in southeast Alaska Tuesday morning and is headed for Singapore, the Ketchikan Daily News reported. The Alaska Department of Transportation transferred ownership of the vessel to Jabal Al Lawz Trading Est., a Dubai-based company, in January. It was sold for $171,000. Some people gathered to say goodbye the vessel on Tuesday including Bill and Wynn Hopkin, who both worked aboard the Taku. B...
The Alaska Marine Highway System announced it has adjusted ferry service schedules for the middle of April in order to help roughly 400 students and chaperones from across Southeast travel to the Region V Music Festival in Juneau. AMHS will be rerouting the M/V LeConte to make a round-trip run through southern Southeast to pick up and return the students. With this service adjustment, students from Ketchikan, Wrangell, Metlakatla and Klawock will be able to attend the annual festival. Students from Sitka and Haines will use a...
One of Southeast's primary ferries will be out of service longer than expected as it undergoes annual maintenance, affecting the winter schedule. The Alaska Marine Highway System announced last week the M/V Malaspina will be out of commission several months longer than expected. The vessel went in for its annual overhaul and certification on October 1, with the intention of returning it to service on December 22. During the overhaul engineers determined an extensive replacement of the craft's...
(JUNEAU, Alaska) – The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) announced Wednesday that extended repairs needed on the MV Malaspina will change winter ferry service for Southeast Alaska and Prince Rupert. The Malaspina went in for its annual overhaul and certification on October 1, 2017 and was scheduled to return to service on December 22, 2017. During the overhaul, engineers determined that extensive steel replacement was needed and that both propeller hubs must be repaired. Because shipyard space is limited and propeller hubs will take s...
The Department of Transportation and Public Facilities reported that the M/V Kennicott has been temporarily taken out of service. After completing its southern run to Ketchikan on November 4 it entered dry dock for repairs. "It's got a leaky seal on its port-side propeller," explained Aurah Landau, public information officer for Alaska Marine Highway System's South Coast office. She estimated repairs should take until mid-month to complete, and the ferry may return to service later next week....
October 12, 1917 – Olaf Arness made a business trip the first of the week to Ketchikan, where he was called to confer with Robert B. McClary, of the signal corps, U.S.A. Mr. McClary stated that it is essential that the government get all of the aeroplane spruce in the country, and he was anxious to learn of the condition and prospects for operating the big mill at Petersburg. Mr Arness was able to give assurance that the mill will be running next spring. October 09, 1942 – A new course in First Ade is being taught in the Senior High School und...
At Southeast Conference last week in Haines, Alaska Marine Highway Reform Initiative presented its draft report assessing the state ferry system SEC had been tasked by the governor's office in May 2016 with organizing a statewide planning process to improve the ferry service's long-term viability. The 12-person steering committee subsequently formed to direct that effort has since moved into its second phase, preparation of a proposed organizational model which would better meet the state's tran...
Name: Richard Burke Age:38 Experience: Civil Engineer. US Navy Submarine Service Vet. 1998-2003. AAS in Civil Engineering Technology, Mount Hood Community College 2005, BS Forest Engineering, Oregon State University 2010. Lived in Petersburg for 7 years. 5 years in Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department. 2 years on Petersburg Borough Planning & Zoning with a very good attendance record. I wrote Proposition 6 on this ballot. Why do you seek public office? I love Petersburg, and I think I can make...
(Juneau, AK) – The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities proposed Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) schedule for fall, winter, and spring 2017-2018 is now available for public review. With the timing of the budget, the public comment period is slightly shorter than those in recent years, to allow the public sufficient lead time to make reservations for sailings that begin on October 1st. The draft schedule is based on established community service needs and events. It is available online with accompanying documents at dot....
