Month: November 2008

A Sitka couple has been arrested on a combination of drug and extortion charges. Forty-eight year old Jimmie D. Richardson and his wife, Wendy Jo Richardson were apprehended in Sitka last week on a report that they had hired a contract-killer from the lower forty-eight to murder a relative.

A bear that's looking for some last minute snacks before winter hibernation isn't making a lot of friends in PA.

Sitka is entering the winter with two full reservoirs above its hydro-electric plants, but that was also the case last year. Low rainfall in the end of November and in December 2007 caused Blue and Green lakes to run low earlier than expected. Outgoing utility director Charlie Walls believes that over the next ten years Sitka could easily repeat the experience of this year, when the electric department was forced to run backup diesel generators to conserve water in the lakes. In fact, he believes it’s inevitable if oil prices remain high. In the second part of a two-part interview, Walls talks with KCAW’s Robert Woolsey about creating the policy and the political will to keep the town living within its electrical means until more hydro power is available in 2018.

The last of our candidate profiles features Sharon McIndoo, running for one of four Tribal Council seats and 16 year incumbent, Woody Widmark, running for Tribal Chair. Sitka Tribe of Alaska's elections are tomorrow, November 11th.

Despite slowly falling prices for fuel oil, Sitka’s electrical system is still feeling the pinch of increased demand. In fact, fuel oil would have to fall well below $3-dollars a gallon to be competitive again with electrical rates in Sitka, where consumers pay just over $.09 cents per kilowatt hour to heat their homes with electricity. Until the expansion of the Blue Lake hydro project comes online in 2018, Sitka’s electrical department may be forced to meet increasing demand by running the backup diesel generators on Jarvis Street, and burning huge quantities of diesel fuel to do so. In a worksession with the Sitka assembly last month, outgoing electrical director Charlie Walls tried to prepare local lawmakers for a future where electric rates in Sitka could be – at least for a few years – fifty-percent more expensive. In part 1 of a 2-part interview, Walls spoke with KCAW’s Robert Woolsey about his interest in creating electrical policy in Sitka to fend off higher rates.

A program that helps women overcome stereotypes and feel good about themselves, regardless of their size is now available in seven Southeast communities.

KCAW's Robert Woolsey profiles Clara Gray, Rachel Moreno, and Tom Gamble (with help from Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock). The Tribal Council election in Sitka is Tuesday, November 11th.

The four-thousand members of the Sitka Tribe of Alaska will be going to the polls on Tuesday (11-11-08) to elect a new tribal council. The federally-recognized tribal government for Sitka manages a wide variety of social services for its citizens, including a tribal court. The STA’s annual budget is about $7-million dollars. This year six candidates are running for four open seats on the nine-member council, and two candidates are running for chairman. KCAW has extended an invitation to each candidate to share his or her views about the work of the council. While travel schedules did not allow full participation, we did connect with several candidates. KCAW’s Robert Woolsey has profiles of Mike Baines, Dennis Demmert, and George Paul. (With help from Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock.)

Turnout in Sitka was high for Tuesday’s general election, but it will be up to early and absentee voting to determine if it was a record. Except for incumbent state senator Bert Stedman, who ran unopposed, Sitkans preferred democrats in all races.