Local News

Sitka’s plummeting school enrollment poses funding challenge

by Robert Woolsey and Katherine Rose | Jan 11, 2019

Enrollment in the Sitka School District is in a steep decline. During the very first walk-through of the 2020 numbers on Wednesday (1-9-19), district officials projected a budget next year based on 1,187 students -- a loss of 89 students in three years. How much the city will contribute to local schools remains an unknown.

At city budget work session, a list of ‘unknowns’

by Katherine Rose | Jan 11, 2019

During its first budget work session of the year Thursday evening (1-10-19), the Sitka Assembly listened as the city’s chief financial officer, Jay Sweeney described the list of unknowns at the state and federal level -- and how they could drastically change the final budget.

Students rush Jan. 1 registration at Sitka Fine Arts Camp

by KCAW News | Jan 11, 2019

The rush is on in Sitka for spaces at this summer’s Sitka Fine Arts Camp. Camp director Roger Schmidt says that he opened registration at 12:01 a.m. on January 1st, and within the first hour 240 students had registered for the middle school and high school camps: A new record.

Air Station Sitka flies without pay during government shutdown

by Robert Woolsey, KCAW | Jan 11, 2019

Coast Guard personnel in Sitka are reporting for duty as usual during the government shutdown -- and hoping they’ll draw paychecks next week (January 15). Commander Michael Frawley says the 120 uniformed personnel at Air Station Sitka are working without the certainty pay while the President and Congress remain at odds over funding for a border wall with Mexico.

Job Openings

Picture yourself as the KCAW reporter

Jan 8, 2019

Raven Radio is hiring a full-time reporter. Alaska is an amazing place for a journalist, and Sitka is in the sweet spot with dynamic municipal and tribal politics, a rich arts and cultural life, a diverse community, awesome natural resources, and a stunning environment. News happens here in an extraordinary way. Just ask Brian Mann (NCPR/NPR), Ed Ronco (KNKX Seattle), Rachel Waldholz (Bosch Fellow, Germany), Emily Kwong (John Alexander Fellow, NPR), or the many other reporters who honed their skills here.

The Morning Interview

Sentinel Sports: Crossover basketball sharpens skills for tournament play

Jan 15, 2019

Early season crossover play can make a difference for high school basketball teams in small regions, like Sitka and Mt. Edgecumbe high schools -- which are the only 3A teams in Region V. 4A Ketchikan will visit in February to take on the Braves. Sentinel Sports editor Klas Stolpe discusses the weekend's basketball results, and previews this week's Mt. Edgecumbe Invitational tournament.

Sitka School District retools social media strategy

Jan 14, 2019

School board members Jennifer McNichol and Eric VanCise joined KCAW's Erin Fulton in the studio to talk about the Sitka School District's new social media strategy, and this month's message: Multi-tiered instruction.