Listen: Sitka Assembly candidates discuss business community in Chamber of Commerce forum
Description
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(From left to right) Assembly candidates Jonathan Wolf, Katie Riley, Thor Christianson, Sherri Blankenship, and Austin Cranford. (KCAW/McKenney)</figcaption></figure>Candidates seeking a seat on the Sitka Assembly gathered at Southeast Resort last week (9/24/25) to discuss local issues and answer questions from the public.
The two-hour event put on by the Greater Sitka Chamber of Commerce was briefly interrupted by a fire alarm. Despite a speedy evacuation and some chaos, candidates were able to share their views on a wide range of local issues, from how they’d support the local business community to their thoughts on police body cameras.
Five of the six assembly candidates participated in the live program, answering pre-provided questions from the Chamber of Commerce and questions posed by locals. Candidate Tracie Castle did not participate. In contrast to other forums this season that primarily focused on issues like housing and childcare, the chamber also asked candidates how they’d reduce barriers to business development, if elected.
You can listen to Part 1 here:
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You can listen to Part 2 here:
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Sitka’s municipal election is Oct. 7. You can find more information here.
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