By Editor, on December 31st, 2011 By Andrew Halcro
JUNEAU–According to the Alaska Department of Revenue, the state will depend on oil & gas revenues to fund 92% of state spending this coming fiscal year. With increasing government costs and decreasing oil production, Alaska’s economic engine needs an overhaul.
In 2007, just weeks after successfully pushing through the largest tax increase on the oil & gas industry in the state’s history (ACES), the Palin administration proudly predicted that oil production would be 675,000 barrels per day in 2011. The actual production number turned out to be 603,000 barrels per day.
In fact, according to the optimistic projections after the tax increase was adopted, the Palin administration didn’t forecast Alaska’s daily oil production would drop to current day levels until 2022.
Looks like we arrived at their projected decline destination ten years early.
Read Halcro’s full editorial opinion at AndrewHalcro.com
By Editor, on December 30th, 2011 by Jeff Richardson | FAIRBANKS DAILY NEWS-MINER
FAIRBANKS — Filing for an Alaska Permanent Fund dividend check is a happy ritual for most Alaskans, but this year some residents have been a little too eager to get their paperwork in the mail.
The Alaska Department of Revenue has received hundreds of applications this week for the 2012 PFD and expects as many as 1,000 could arrive in Juneau by the end of the year.
That prompt attention comes with a drawback: Applications aren’t valid unless they’re signed and delivered after Jan. 1.
Read more: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner – Mailing glitch results in early PFD filings
By Editor, on December 30th, 2011 By: Travel World News Editor
SITKA–Alaskan Dream Cruises, one of the newest small-ship cruise lines sailing in Southeast Alaska, is announcing three new itineraries, additional ports of call and ship renovations. Alaskan Dream Cruises is owned and operated by an Alaska Native family in Sitka, Alaska. The company will operate its second season from May through September 2012.
The 42-passenger Alaskan Dream will sail on three new itineraries in 2012: an eight-day trip that focuses on many less-explored destinations, including Hobart Bay and Kasaan, and two more comprehensive 11- and 13-day trips through the Inside Passage. The three itineraries also include new ports of call for the cruise line: Ketchikan, Skagway, Haines, Thorne Bay, Kasaan, Wrangell and Gustavus.
Read the full story in the Travel World News.
Visit Alaska Dream Cruises website.
By Editor, on December 29th, 2011 By Hope Yen | AP
Texas, Utah and Alaska were the fastest-growing states in 2011, according to new Census Bureau estimates. Alaska’s population grew 1.8 percent from April 2010 through June 2011, double the nationwide average. Alaska’s estimated population on July 1, 2011, was 722,718, a gain of about 12,500, reports the Census Bureau.
Read full story in the Anchorage Daily News.
By Editor, on December 29th, 2011 By Kimberly Nicoletti | SUMMIT DAILY NEWS
While some participants on reality shows accuse producers of cutting and slicing minute pieces in such a cutthroat way as to make the final cut overly dramatic, the Andersons say TLC didn’t have to do that: Their life is that dramatic.
Thursday, TLC premieres the Breckenridge family’s real-life commercial fishing business in Alaska, and the family admits TLC didn’t have to manipulate its “characters” to deliver a compelling seven-week series that depicts the extreme highs and lows of commercial fishing in Alaska — and some of the tense family dynamics accompanying the Anderson’s family business.
Read full article in the Summit Daily News.
By Editor, on December 29th, 2011 SEATTLE (AP) — The Washington state ferry service isn’t going to start turning away hefty passengers, but it has had to reduce the capacity of the nation’s largest ferry system because people have been packing on the pounds.
Coast Guard vessel stability rules that took effect nationwide Dec. 1 raised the estimated weight of the average adult passenger to 185 pounds from the previous 160 pounds, based on population information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
…The new stability rules may have a bigger impact on the smaller charter fishing boats, such as those that take anglers fishing out of the Pacific Ocean ports of Westport and Ilwaco, Young said. Any vessel that carries more than six paying customers has to be inspected and certified by the Coast Guard as a passenger vessel.
Read full article in the Seattle PI.
By Editor, on December 29th, 2011 By Diane Cardwell and Rick Gladstone | NY TIMES
The United States economy managed to cope this year despite triple-digit prices for barrels of oil. The lessons may come in handy, economists say, because those prices will probably be sticking around.
With Iran threatening to cut off about a fifth of the world’s oil supply by closing the Strait of Hormuz and unrest in Iraq endangering the ability to increase production there, financial analysts say prices for two important oil benchmarks will average from $100 a barrel to $120 a barrel in 2012.
Read full article in the New York Times.
By Editor, on December 20th, 2011 AP | ADN
JUNEAU — Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell estimates a proposed coastal management program would cost $5.4 million a year. The program is being proposed as a ballot initiative.
Read more in the Anchorage Daily News.
By Editor, on December 20th, 2011 Jill Burke | ALASKA DISPATCH
It’s nearly guaranteed to be a monumental showdown, the kind Alaska seems to spawn regularly. On Wednesday, a handful of lawyers will volley before a federal judge over whether the U.S. government properly chose to shut down cod and mackerel fisheries in Southwest Alaska, giving the well being of an endangered marine mammal preference over the livelihood of scores of fisherman.
Read the full article in the Alaska Dispatch.
By Editor, on December 15th, 2011 by Andrew Halcro
Bristol Bay–The recent television ads created by the opponents of Pebble Mine have reached an absurdly new low. Unfortunately, that’s not surprising for this crowd.
Read Halcro’s opinion at andrewhalcro.com.
By Editor, on December 13th, 2011 Alex DeMarban | ALASKA DISPATCH
The National Marine Fisheries Service has renewed plans that may lead to a listing of the ribbon seals under the Endangered Species Act, bringing to three the number of ice-dependent seals in Alaska that could be protected by the act.
The agency rejected a ribbon-seal listing in 2008 but said new information warrants a second look. That’s disappointing news, said Rick Rogers, executive director with the pro-industry Resource Development Council in Anchorage.
The combined population of ribbon, bearded and ringed seal populations in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas exceed 1 million animals, so why should they fall under the act’s protections, he wondered.
Read full article in the Alaska Dispatch.
By Editor, on December 12th, 2011 Press Release
December 9, 2011, Juneau, Alaska – Governor Sean Parnell today announced that his Fiscal Year 2013 budget will prioritize disaster and emergency preparedness. The governor’s budget proposal will include $4.9 million for emergency food supplies to be distributed and securely stored in several locations throughout the state. This appropriation, in conjunction with funding provided in last year’s capital budget for emergency power and water purification, will help communities prepare and provide critical emergency services. Read more->
By Editor, on December 12th, 2011  Mia Bennett | ALASKA DISPATCH
The U.S. Congressional Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, part of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, held a hearing earlier this month on U.S. Coast Guard operations in the Arctic. The chief topic of concern was icebreakers. As I reported back in February, the U.S. will be without heavy icebreakers for at least two years.
Read full article in the Alaska Dispatch.
By Roger Maynard, on November 24th, 2011  Connelly Lake outlet, photo by Danny Gonce Paid commentary:
As you all probably know, AP&T has filed an application for a preliminary permit from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the Connelly Lake Hydroelectric Project (Project). We have read all of the comment letters that have been submitted to FERC as of November 21, 2011, and it seems like there are a few misconceptions about our plans. We’d like to take this opportunity to clarify a few matters regarding our interest in the Connelly Lake site. We have structured this as a series of questions and answers. Read more->
By Editor, on November 19th, 2011  Sen. Mark Begich Press release:
Permanently banning responsible development of the enormous energy resources beneath Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) takes billions of dollars out of the economy, costs Americans sorely-needed jobs and contributes to higher prices to heat their homes and gas up their cars, says U.S. Sen. Mark Begich. Read more->
By Editor, on November 11th, 2011 Press release
WASHINGTON, D.C.–Today, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) and Rep. Don Young (AK-at large) announced plans to introduce the Alaskan Energy for American Jobs Act to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for future energy production and job creation. Read more->
By Roger Maynard, on October 27th, 2011  AP&T Manager of Power Operations for Haines, Danny Gonce HAINES–The Connelly Lake hydro issue always draws a crowd in Haines, and last Friday’s Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Chilkat Bakery & Restaurant was no exception.
AP&T’s Manager of Power Operations for Haines, Danny Gonce, said that AP&T has applied to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for additional permits to continue studying the Connelly Lake hydro site, and the comment period for that permit is now closed. Several comments were received, both for and against. Read more->
By Editor, on October 19th, 2011 Alaska Airlines Press Release
ANCHORAGE — Alaska Airlines announced a new program today exclusively for residents of the state of Alaska. Club 49™ offers Alaska residents special perks, including free checked baggage, last-minute travel discounts and exclusive emails featuring weekly fare sales.
“Alaska Airlines’ success would not be possible without the loyal support of residents in the state whose name we proudly fly on our aircraft,” President Brad Tilden said. “Club 49 is our way of making air travel more affordable and saying ‘thank you’ to Alaskans.”
Club 49 benefits are available to all Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members who are Alaska state residents. Residents can join the complimentary program by visiting www.alaskaair.com/club49.
By Editor, on October 19th, 2011 By Andrew Halcro
October 19, 2011: After the ballots had been counted Monday evening, and it appeared voters of the Lake and Peninsula Borough had narrowly approved a controversial anti-mining initiative, the look on Bob Gillam’s lawyers face said it all; they had their lunch eaten.
Even though the measure passed, and even though Gillam appeared to be rewarded for his half million dollar campaign investment, the narrow 34 vote win represented a huge loss for Gillam and his anti-mining crusade and a huge win for the Pebble Partnership.
Read full opinion in AndrewHalcro.com.
By Editor, on October 19th, 2011 The Ketchikan Daily News and KRBD radio reported a small black bear cub walked in the front door of Tatsuda’s IGA. The scared animal found its way to a produce cooler, where it made a mess.
Meat department manager Joe Stollar filmed the bear’s capture. He said the little bear was just trying to hide.
Click to view: Bear in Tatsuda\’s Grocery on Youtube
Read full article in the ADN.
By Editor, on October 19th, 2011 John Stossel | TOWNHALL.COM
What’s there to say about Occupy Wall Street? The answer isn’t so simple. Some complain about taxpayer bailouts of businesses. Good for them. In a true free market, failing firms would go out of business. They couldn’t turn to Washington for help.
But many protesters say they’re against capitalism. Now things get confusing.
Read Stossel’s column in Townhall.com.
By Editor, on October 15th, 2011  U.S. Rep. Don Young WASHINGTON, D.C.– Alaskan Congressman Don Young released the following statement regarding the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s passage of H.R. 2309, the Postal Reform Act of 2011, which includes a provision that would have a drastic effect on the bypass mail program on which many Alaskans rely:
Read more->
By Editor, on October 13th, 2011 by Chuck Tobin | WHITEHORSE STAR
WHITEHORSE, YT–The value of construction in the city continues to eclipse last year, according to figures compiled by the city.
Last month alone, the city issued construction permits for housing and other projects with an estimated total value of $14.3 million, according to records.
In September 2010, the value of construction permitted in September was $4.3 million.
The total value of construction for the first nine months of this year is estimated at $86 million, compared to $59.2 million to the end of September last year.
For all of 2010, the total value was estimated at $69.4 million.
The city calculates the value of construction based on the estimated development cost of a project when the building permit is issued, not including the price of the land.
Read more in the Whitehorse Star.
By Editor, on October 12th, 2011 WASHINGTON, D.C.–Beginning in the early 1970s, the late GOP Sen. Ted Stevens helped come up with the idea of “bypass mail service,” which allowed Alaskans — including many in remote areas reachable only by plane — to send and receive mail using private air carriers without it ever being handled by the Postal Service. These intra-Alaska mail deliveries cost Alaskans the same as mail sent in the lower 48 states, despite actually costing far more to deliver.
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Cal.) and Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Fla.) are pushing to have the state of Alaska repay that extra $70 million the Postal Service shells out every year.
Read more in the Politico.
By Roger Maynard, on October 11th, 2011  Miles Furniture Showroom, 5th and Main in Haines For years, Haines folks have had the luxury of a locally owned source for furniture, carpets, floor coverings, appliances, home electronics and more. Today, Scott and Candi Bradford are the proud new owners of Miles Furniture Showroom.
The new owners are enthusiastic about their new purchase. ”We’re not making too many changes right away,” said Scott Bradford, “The only immediate change will be some hobby items, Yankee candles, and some pet supplies in that corner in the front of the store. Otherwise, the store and the business will remain the same.” Then he smiled and added, “I’m one of only a half-dozen Lionel Model Train dealers in Alaska.” Read more->
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| Nate Beeler
The Columbus Dispatch
May 16, 2012
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Lynn Canal Map & Marine Traffic (refresh for current ship positions)
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P.O. Box 784
Haines, Alaska 99827
Editor:
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P.O. Box 784
Haines, Alaska 99827
editor@hainesnews.net
The Haines Alaska News is a public information service of the Alaska Alliance for Commerce, Inc., a grassroots movement organized to advocate for small business and a free market economy in Alaska.
The AAFC is organized under section 501(C)(4) of the U.S. Tax Code; contributions are not tax deductible. |
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