RUMORS STARTED BY UNION-FED ‘USEFUL IDIOTS’
A rumor floated on Twitter late Sunday had Southeast Alaska social media users spun up. The person who posted it reported that the Malaspina, an Alaska State ferry, had been improperly put in cold storage, the pipes had bursts, and the boat was flooded. Not only that, he wrote, the artwork on the ship was “looted” because there was no watchman on duty.
In fact, a minor pipe froze and burst, which cause a minor amount of water in four staterooms, according to the Alaska Marine Highway. There was no lasting damage and the water was cleaned up promptly.
The ferry, moored in Ward Cove near Ketchikan, has not been looted. The art was removed by Department of Transportation for safe keeping and is being stored off the ship. Kitchen items were also not looted, as reported, but some were removed by staff for use on other vessels.
All of this happened a couple of weeks ago but idle ferry workers are pushing rumors out on social media platforms through “useful idiots who are taking the bait,” according to a source inside AMHS.
The Malaspina was scheduled for an overhaul this winter, after it was discovered that it needed extensive steel replacement, at the cost of more than $16 million, plus another $24 million to refurbish the vessel. The funds have not been available for all that is needed for the 56-year-old boat, which still has the original engines in it.
Right now the Malaspina is sitting in warm storage, hooked up to shore power, under the care of a private contractor, while awaiting decisions from lawmakers about whether the state can afford the $40 million needed to repair the vessel, one of the original ships in the fleet of the Alaska Marine Highway System.
Last week, the Alaska Marine Highway System issued a request for information to determine interest from marine charter companies about the services they can provide to communities along the Marine Highway System’s route. Specifically, AMHS is trying to establish interim passenger and freight service for the northern Panhandle, now that the ferries have been unexpectedly sidelined.
AMHS anticipates that the updated Spring/Summer service will include special runs to accommodate the Cordova fishery.
The Matanuska is anticipated to return to service on March 2. The Tazlina is scheduled to return to service on March 5. Schedules are available at http://dot.alaska.gov/amhs/.
Well, when you go to the “Vince Beltrami School of Fake Journalism” the only skill set you gain is “how to be a tool”.
Not sure I understand.
In reference to the story on the Alaska Landfill.
I love how the bad steel was just “discovered”. Everyone knows all the old ferries have steel problems. Perhaps if the idiot that is Governor hadn’t destroyed the AMHS, there wouldn’t be any “idle” ferry workers talking on social media.
Matt,
Reminds me of that old adage; “A boat/ship/ferry is a hole in the water that you throw money into”. I say let the private sector take over. Isn’t it illegal anyway, for tax money to be used to compete with private enterprise? Insults and innuendo will fix nothing.
yes we should get rid of the state troopers. Everyone can call Wackenhut when they have an issue.
The old turn it over to private enterprise line, please. It is a federal highway that brings in hundreds of millions in federal highway funds, almost half of the states federal highways. No private enterprise would get that money. No private enterprise will take over a road system, there is no profit in it. There is a reason highways are run by Governments. No it isn’t illegal to run a highway. No private business in Alaska is competing with the Alaska Marine Highway, that is the reason it was created. Please educate yourself before using old adages.
1. Everyone knew about the steel work on the Mal, the USCG, and management.
2. Not sure how “warm” it is when pipes freeze.
This has got to be important to somebody! Let’s pass the hat in the ferry’s service area until the 40 mil’s been coughed up and then raise the cost of usage until it’s equitable.
You can thank me later.
Another uneducated response. Great. Half of Alaska’s federal highways are marine highways. They bring in hundreds of millions to the state, and are used throughout the State. Maybe if the people up north who are subsidized by AMHS miles would cough up their share, the problem would go away?
Lets pass the hat up north so that the locals pay for their own road system, without getting any of the Marine highway federal dollars that they have been getting for decades, maybe even payback what they used?
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