Month: March 2011

Flags were flown at half-staff today (3-18-11) at Russian-American heritage sites around the world in honor of scholar Svetlana Fedorova. One of those sites is Sitka’s Castle Hill.

Sitka’s spring herring fishery appears on course to top $12-million for the second year in a row. Area management biologist Dave Gordon told the Sitka Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday (3-16-11) that the 2011 harvest could exceed last year’s take of nearly 18,000 tons. Gordon offered an unusual look behind the scenes at one of the state’s most lucrative fisheries.

The Sitka School District will eliminate four positions, lay off one person, and reduce spending on student activities. The cuts approved by the school board Wednesday night were made to balance an $18 million dollar budget.

Peggy Wilson (R-Wrangell) represents House District 2 in the Alaska Legislature. This week she comments on the Alaska Transportation Infrastructure Fund (ATIF) and Coastal Zone Management.

The Department of Fish & Game plans to hold five openings this spring to allow seiners to target a record number of herring in the sac roe fishery. The first aerial survey of the season occurred Monday morning (3-14-11), and covered waters from West Crawfish Inlet to Salisbury Sound.

A ceremony this weekend marked the end of the road for Sheldon Jackson College. The college ceased operations in 2007. In February, ownership of the core campus was officially transferred to Alaska Arts Southeast, which runs the Sitka Fine Arts Camp. Saturday’s ceremony was largely symbolic, but no less significant for those connected to the historic school.

About thirty Sitkans stood in solidarity with public workers in Wisconsin Friday afternoon. The mixture of fishermen, business owners, former teachers, and high school students assembled near the roundabout at 2 PM. A small-but-loud counter-protest of Tea Party supporters was a few feet down the sidewalk.

The tsunami warning for most of the west coast of the US and Alaska was downgraded to an advisory early this afternoon. But many coastal communities saw significant tidal action as a result of Thursday evening’s earthquake off the east coast of Japan.

The Sitka Long-Range Planning and Economic Development Commission no longer exists. Assembly members voted to disband the group in February, but those opposed to the move had hoped the issue would be reconsidered last night, and get another hearing. It wasn't, and it didn't.