The city of Sitka has brokered a “Memorandum of Understanding” with the local cruise dock. And while some assembly members were on board with approving the agreement as-is, they postponed a vote until the next meeting after a number of community members said they needed more time to review the document. The post Assembly postpones vote on cruise dock agreement appeared first on KCAW.
Makhnati Island was formerly a World War II defense battery, and now is a federally-protected area for subsistence herring. The Federal Subsistence Board will decide in a few months whether it remains that way. The post Makhnati Island herring subsistence closure up for federal review appeared first on KCAW.
Sitka is far behind state and national averages for the availability of childcare, and it’s creating a crisis of unintended consequences in business, education, and the overall well-being of the community. The first in a series of panel discussions sponsored by the Sitka Chamber of Commerce (10-9-24) lent some hard data to Sitka’s childcare crisis, and began to explore solutions. The post It’s more than a feeling: Capacity of Sitka’s childcare centers at rock-bottom appeared first on KCAW.
Sitka’s Indigenous Peoples Day celebration was a feast for the senses, and a rich lesson in what it means to be a contemporary Lingít person. The event spanned over four hours Monday evening (10-14-24). The post Indigenous Peoples Day panel reflects on Haa Ḵusteeyí appeared first on KCAW.
The Sitka School Board has agreed to a plan that would create a district preschool for up to twenty students – but it won’t be free. District administrators advocated for the plan as a way to both ease Sitka’s childcare shortage, and to better prepare students for kindergarten. However, at least one board member was concerned that the $1,000-per month tuition was not serving the district’s mission of equity. The post New Sitka School Board tackles its first policy call, agrees to launch a tuition-based preschool appeared first on KCAW.
A dispute over the management of the Sitka Animal Shelter at least two years in the making came to a head this summer, when the police department barred volunteers from the facility. The ousted volunteer group brought its complaints to the Sitka Assembly this week, hoping not just to be allowed back in, but to set a new course for the troubled operation. The post Assembly looks for solutions after volunteers were barred from Sitka Animal Shelter appeared first on KCAW.
“It's our highway within Southeast Alaska, and that's what folks aren't understanding,” said Melissa Wileman with the City and Borough of Sitka. The post Alaska’s winter ferry schedule starts Oct. 1 and looks like last year appeared first on KCAW.
Research in Southeast Alaska could expand the changing story of how the first humans arrived and traveled in the American continents. A Canadian archeologist is looking for evidence of human activity along the coast, in areas long since inundated by the rise in sea level following the last ice age. The post SE Alaska’s ‘Submerged Past’ offers clues to human migration in North America appeared first on KCAW.
The recent 16-day internet outage in Sitka revealed a lot about the humanity of its residents, most of whom stepped up in one way or another during the event. But it also revealed a startling dependence on a cable made of glass fibers, together no thicker than a garden hose, which runs for hundreds of miles along the seafloor. The post Why Sitka lost almost everything else when it lost the internet appeared first on KCAW.
Municipal election season is in full swing in Sitka, and around the region. Candidates hoping to serve as Sitka’s mayor and assembly members crowded in KCAW’s air room Tuesday night (9-17-24) for two live forums. The post Listen back to KCAW’s municipal candidate forums appeared first on KCAW.
Mayoral candidates faced off for the first time on Friday (9-13-24) in a forum held by the Sitka Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber’s candidate forums typically focus on issues of interest to the local business community- topping the list this year were childcare, workforce housing, and the visitor industry. The post Mayoral candidates share their platforms at Chamber forum appeared first on KCAW.
Sitka’s economy is thriving – according to the numbers, anyway. At the annual presentation on Sitka’s economy delivered last week (9-12-24) by Rain Coast Data, residents learned that the workforce, wages, and other economic indicators had all returned to pre-pandemic levels – and then some. But there were a couple of very serious negatives, too. The post Report: Sitka’s economic rebound a study in contrasts appeared first on KCAW.
A documentary examining the impact of the explosive growth of cruise tourism in Sitka will debut this weekend on national television. Cruise Boom looks at both the positive economics of cruise tourism, and its potential to drive harmful change – not just in Sitka, but in port communities around the world. The post ‘Cruise Boom’ documentary makes national debut on PBS appeared first on KCAW.
Parents and teachers unhappy over the Sitka School District’s decision to leave school libraries unstaffed with librarians are taking matters into their own hands. A group is organizing a library card drive, to bring students into Sitka’s public library system. The post Unable to check out books at school, Sitka students sign up for public library cards appeared first on KCAW.
Although she stopped paying her professional membership dues for a while when she had a baby, municipal attorney candidate Rachel Jones has an unblemished record with the Alaska Bar Association. The post Sitka attorney candidate addresses questions about Alaska Bar license appeared first on KCAW.
Sitka’s airport expansion project is well underway this summer, and one could say the situation is escalating. Earlier this month (8-12-24) the construction team installed the island’s first ever escalator in the new, two-story departures addition. KCAW’s Katherine Rose went over to the airport to see how the project is progressing. The post Airport renovation project ‘escalates’ with Sitka’s first escalator appeared first on KCAW.
Nick Begich III, his wife Dharma, and son Nicholas. (Nick Begich for Alaska image) Nick Begich wants a return “normalcy” in Republican politics in the nation’s capitol, and a chance to fight for responsible resource development in Alaska. Begich is … more The post Unhappy with ‘caustic’ politics, House candidate Begich seeks a return to normalcy appeared first on KCAW.
Amanda Williams was an eighth-grade Science teacher at Blatchley Middle School, until an unprecedented workforce reduction in Sitka's schools eliminated her job. Now she's the only candidate for one of two seats on the Sitka School Board, with an interest in helping develop curriculum. The post Her job gone, a former teacher returns to a (likely) seat on Sitka School Board appeared first on KCAW.
A renowned culture-bearer in Sitka passed away last month. Daanax.ils'eik Chuck Miller was an educator and community leader who shared Lingit language, history, and pride with the Sitka community. The post Miller leaves legacy of Lingít pride and tradition appeared first on KCAW.
Last week, another Sitkan threw their hat in the ring for the mayor’s seat. Leah Mason is challenging incumbent Mayor Steven Eisenbeisz. KCAW spoke with Mason about her interest in leading Sitka’s assembly, and her goals should she be elected to the two-year term. The post A two-way contest for Sitka’s mayor as Leah Mason enters race appeared first on KCAW.