Alaska

Alaska ferry Malaspina sold for second life as a floating museum in Ketchikan

Published

2 years ago

June 2, 2022

Alaska ferry Malaspina sold for second life as a floating museum in Ketchikan

JUNEAU, Alaska (KTUU) – One among Alaska’s unique ferries has been formally bought, and it’s now set to get a second life as a floating museum just a few miles outdoors of Ketchikan.

The M/V Malaspina, which got here into service in 1963, has been sitting idle for shut to a few years. The state of Alaska has been paying $450,000 a yr since then to retailer and keep the ship.

On Wednesday, businessman John Binkley formally purchased the ferry for $128,250. He mentioned the Malaspina will likely be reborn as a museum with a deliberate assortment of memorabilia.

“Actually to protect historical past, to have fun the women and men who’ve for many years served Alaskans as crewmembers on the Alaska Marine Freeway System,” Binkley added.

There’s additionally a plan to make use of the ferry for employee housing and to assist prepare future mariners. However Binkley says it’s “daunting” how a lot work will have to be carried out earlier than the ferry opens to the general public, which he hopes will occur subsequent spring or summer season.

The ferry’s paint is peeling, it’s streaked with rust, and pipes have burst inside. Binkley says it should take “tender loving care” to get {the electrical} and water methods working once more for friends. When requested how a lot it may cost a little to revive, Binkley mentioned, “I don’t need to know,” whereas laughing.

The Alaska Division of Transportation & Public Amenities says it has bought 5 state ferries up to now 20 years. The M/V Taku was scrapped in 2018 and two of Alaska’s quick ferries have been bought final yr, crusing throughout the Atlantic Ocean for a second life in Spain.

The Malaspina, recognized affectionately as “The Queen of the Fleet,” was taken out of service in 2019. There have been estimates it might price upwards of $70 million to get it crusing once more.

The state had supplied to present the Malaspina to the Philippines authorities at no cost, and there have been discussions about scuttling it to save lots of on storage prices. Its second life as a museum is being pitched as a manner “to protect her legacy.”

”As the previous Queen of the Fleet, and first mainline vessel constructed, we didn’t need simply any future for the Malaspina, and we definitely didn’t need her bought for scrap metallic. This provides her a retirement we could be happy with,” mentioned Capt. John Falvey, common supervisor of the Alaska Marine Freeway System, by means of a ready assertion.

Binkley is head of the Ward Cove Group, which manages a brand new cruise ship complicated seven miles outdoors of Ketchikan on the location of an previous logging mill. The guests heart will welcome tens of hundreds of cruise ship passengers every year.

Guests are set to study in regards to the Tongass Nationwide Forest and the area’s historical past of logging. Quickly, cruise ship passengers, college youngsters and Alaskans normally, will be capable of come and study extra in regards to the Alaska Marine Freeway System.

“Let’s preserve our historical past right here, and let’s have fun it,” Binkley mentioned. “It’s a improbable historical past that we’ve, and an exquisite transportation system. And so many individuals in different components of Alaska don’t even learn about it, what it means to coastal Alaska.

“And the way laborious these folks on these ferries labored daily to serve Alaskans, and we need to have fun that, we need to spotlight that, and actually pay honor to them, and the entire transportation system that we depend on down right here in Southeast.”

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Alaska

Alaska Republicans bring in national lawyer, will ask for recount on Ballot Measure 2

Published

1 hour ago

November 25, 2024

Press Room

Alaska Republicans bring in national lawyer, will ask for recount on Ballot Measure 2

The Alaska Republican Party said on Sunday that it will be asking the Division of Elections for a recount of the votes on Ballot Measure 2, which gave Alaskans the option of repealing ranked-choice voting.

Although dark money from Outside Alaska overwhelmed proponents of the repeal, it ended up failing to be repealed by just 664 votes, a tiny margin.

Of the 340,110 votes cast on the measure, the margin of “No” votes to “Yes” votes was 160,619 to 159,955, or 50.1% to 49.9%. The state must cover the costs of a recount when the margin is this close.

“We will submit this request, along with the names of the requisite Alaskan voters required to initiate this process, once the election is certiﬁed, which is scheduled for November 30, 2024,” said the statement issued by the Alaska Republican Party.

The party has hired the Dhillon Law Group, led by Harmeet K. Dhillon, to be on the ground during the recount and review, along with Alaska-based party counsel and observers.

“Ms. Dhillon and her firm are a nationally recognized, seasoned election integrity legal team, and bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to this recount process. Ms. Dhillon is an expert in election law. She and her colleagues Michael Columbo and Mark Meuser were recently on the legal teams in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and other crucial locations nationally to ensure a fair, transparent, and thorough process,” said Party Chairwoman Carmela Warfield. “Our Party Counsel, Ms. Stacey Stone and her team, are experienced Alaskan election law practitioners, and in September 2024, they successfully intervened on the Alaska Republican Party’s behalf in the case of Alaska Democratic Party v. State of Alaska Division of Elections, ultimately prevailing in the Alaska Supreme Court.”

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Alaska

101-year-old woman shares her birthday reflections with Alaska’s News Source

Published

9 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Press Room

101-year-old woman shares her birthday reflections with Alaska’s News Source

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Norma Aldefer didn’t expect to turn 100. Now, one day after her 101st birthday, she’s even more surprised.

Inside her pristine apartment, Aldefer’s table is full of cards wishing her a happy birthday. She points out a favorite, which reads “You’re how old?”

Celebratory messages from loved ones, along with congratulations from state officials Senator Lisa Murkowski and Governor Mike Dunleavy. Aldefer said last year’s centennial birthday even brought in regards from President Joe Biden.

Aldefer moved to Alaska to marry her husband, who was originally from her hometown. The photograph she has at her side is of her as a younger woman posing with her mother in 1948.

Norma and her parents pose “all dressed up” for family photos.(Olivia Nordyke)

“We took pictures of ourselves and and I’m all dressed up in high heels and a hat and a purse. And my little bag that I was carrying.” Aldefer said she was scared leaving the small farm she grew up on, but by working as a telephone operator for Southwestern Bell, she expanded her horizons.

Multiple times Aldefer stated she’s remained curious all her years. She said it’s the reason she’s been able to maintain herself rather than losing her faculties, and believes it’s the way to feel fulfilled.

“Sometimes people get into things they don’t enjoy, but they think, ‘Oh, I have to make a living.’ Don’t do that. If you’re not comfortable, go do something else,” Aldefer said.

“May not make a good living for a while, but you might enjoy life.”

Aldefer says she still enjoys life, and continues to enjoy a nightly martini alongside cheese and crackers before she begins to cook dinner.

Over the course of the interview, she marveled at her gratitude for her world – calling herself blessed.

“I know I’m not going to be here much probably much longer, but I’ve had such a good life, you know. I’m not afraid of it.”

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