Hope McKenney, Author at KCAW

Flipped boat, trailer cause Sitka road closure on July 4

A section of Halibut Point Road was closed to traffic for two hours on Saturday (7-4-26) after an unsecured trailer carrying a boat flipped near Sitka’s downtown roundabout.

Team to salvage site of Coast Guard helicopter crash in Sitka

A team of experts is working to salvage a Coast Guard helicopter that crashed on Sitka’s Harbor Mountain last month.

X-3 departs Sitka for DNA analysis after successful disinterment

The remains of an unidentified WWII soldier buried in Sitka have been successfully exhumed and are now headed to a Midwest forensics lab for possible identification. The unknown serviceman, known simply as X-3, was disinterred by a Department of Defense agency team over the course of five days.

Researchers dig into death of deep-sea whale found near Sitka

A deep-sea whale rarely seen in Southeast Alaska washed up onshore near Sitka in early June. The goose-beaked whale was found by a group of Sitkans who were camping at a U.S. Forest Service cabin on Kruzof Island.

More than 100 Sitkans march downtown to celebrate LGBTQ2+ Pride

More than 100 Sitkans decorated in rainbows and holding signs that read “Love is a terrible thing to hate” and “Protect Queer Kids,” gathered in Totem Square on Saturday for the culmination of Pride Month.

STA calls for respect for totem poles, culturally significant places in light of disrespectful social media trend

Sitka Tribe of Alaska has joined several other Southeast Alaska tribes in condemning a recent social media trend where users dance around Alaska Native totem poles, replicating a scene from a popular early-2000s rom-com.

Dunleavy vetoes $123k for Mt. Edgecumbe maintenance position

Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed about $123,000 from the state budget Wednesday that was earmarked for a maintenance position at Mt. Edgecumbe High School in Sitka.

City clarifies sales tax responsibilities for Sitka business owners

The Sitka Assembly approved a new ordinance Tuesday night (6-23-26) that clarifies the sales tax responsibilities of local business owners.

Military agency prepares to exhume remains of unidentified WWII soldier in Sitka cemetery

Officials with a U.S. Department of Defense agency are preparing to exhume the remains of an unidentified WWII soldier known simply as "X-3" who is buried in the Sitka National Cemetery.

Assembly suggests $1M plan to tackle Sitka’s childcare shortage

The City of Sitka is continuing to brainstorm solutions to the island’s childcare shortage. In a special work session Tuesday night (6-16-26), the assembly decided to move forward with an option from a recently completed childcare study. It’s estimated to cost about $1 million a year. But assembly members still need to refine what they want in the plan before figuring out how to pay for it.