Chief Peter John passes away at 102

Athabascan leader Peter John dies

The Associated Press

FAIRBANKS (August 9, 2:05 p.m. ADT) - Chief Peter John, the traditional chief of Athabascan Indians, died Friday in his log home in Minto.

John, 102, was surrounded by family and village elders when he died.

"He'll be greatly missed by everybody," said Andy Jimmie, chief of Minto. "It was an honor to live in the village with him."

John was born Oct. 15, 1900. His mother died when he was 2 and he saw his first white man when he was 10 years old. His formal education ended in elementary school.

John never stepped foot outside of Alaska and lived most of his life in Minto, a community of about 230 people 130 miles northwest of Fairbanks.

John's mother died when he was 2 and he saw his first white man when he was 10 years old. His formal education ended in elementary school.

Known as an outspoken man, he testified for Alaska Native land claims during the late 1960s and advocated sobriety for Alaska Native people.

He was elected by Athabascan elders in 1992 to be their traditional chief. The position is a teaching role, not a political one.

He taught tradition and sought to remind people what it meant to be Athabascan. He wrote a book, "The Gospel According to Peter John."

The self-taught John was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 1994. His wife Elsie John died in 1995.

Gov. Frank Murkowski on Saturday ordered that the Alaska flag be flown at half staff from Monday morning through Friday afternoon in John's honor.

Talk about funny!

Federal security forces on hand for Greenpeace visit

The Associated Press

KETCHIKAN (August 8, 3:35 p.m. ADT) - Six members of the Federal Protective Service are on duty here for a visit by the environmental group Greenpeace.

The officers, dressed in black tactical uniforms, work in shifts, with two officers on duty at all times to protect the Federal Building, said Officer Katherine Maxey.

The six officers were pulled together for the assignment from posts in Vancouver, Wash., Anchorage and Seattle, Maxey told the Ketchikan Daily News. If the Greenpeace ship Esperanza moves to Juneau, or another city containing federal property to protect, the officers also will move, she said.

Maxey said the officers' mission, as explained to her, is: "just to assure nothing goes wrong, given that Greenpeace is here and given the history of Greenpeace."

She said she and fellow Officer K.C. Gardner were enjoying Ketchikan's warm weather and the view of salmon jumping in Thomas Basin while they patrolled the Federal Building parking lot.

The little-known Federal Protective Service, formerly a unit of the General Services Administration, has been transferred to the Homeland Security Department, Maxey said.

Melanie Duchin, a Greenpeace campaign coordinator aboard the Esperanza, called the federal agency's presence in Ketchikan excessive.

"I think it's a waste of taxpayers' dollars," Duchin said. "And those security officers could be used on a real security issue in Ketchikan."

Duchin acknowledged that Greenpeace has at times performed acts of civil disobedience, but said more than 99 percent of its activities are legal.

"We have no plans to disrupt anything here in Ketchikan," Duchin said.

Greenpeace is in Ketchikan this week as part of a trip through Southeast Alaska to protest logging in the Tongass National Forest.

"Kiss me again before you go/there's something more that you should know/my life will be hell/without you, my belle"

Cheap Tricks newly released album Special One has soemthing on it for everyone.It's dark, and it's light. It's catchy and confusing. It once again showcases the awsome talents of what is arguably America's best rock band. From opening rocker "Scent of A Woman," a tune which seems to be offending some critics under the age of, oh, say, 13 to the haunting title cut "Special One" the Trick proves once again that they can do it their way.
I've browsed a few reviews of the album and suffice to say they are split down the middle, but count ME on the right side.

Cheap Trick has written more than a few songs about suicide (Auf Wiedershien; Oh, Candy to name 2) and "Special One" had the working title of the Dr. K (Kevorkian) song. If you know anything about suicide then it can take a few listens to to get used to. However, it can only be called a love song.

Cheap Trick cancelled at the fair- I'm Downed

But the fans in Northern California are excited about going to see them August 23rd at the Reno Hilton!