Callie Simmons from Sitka Tribe of Alaska’s Resource Protection Department joins KCAW to discuss STA’s upcoming training on home heating oil tanks. Hands-on demonstrations will go over proper maintenance of tanks, how to prevent leaks, and how to deal with spills. The training will take place Oct. 22 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Sheet’ká Kwáan Naa Kahídi Community House, featuring door prizes, spill kits for home, and light refreshments. Listen to the conversation here:

Editor’s Note: This is a developing story and will be updated.

Note: The opinions expressed in commentary on KCAW are those of the author(s), and are not necessarily shared by the station’s board, staff, or volunteers.

Hi – I am Tory OʼConnell Curran, and this is my opinion.

I want to take a minute to cut through the endless political mailers, ads, and social media posts we are all drowning in to warn Alaskan voters about a spoiler candidate for US House of Representatives, Eric Hafner. Hafner is listed on the general election ballot as a Democrat and his name is at the top of the choices for US Representative on our ballot form in House District 2. Don’t be fooled! Eric Hafner has no ties to Alaska and has never been here. He holds a South Dakota address and a NY phone number where he is in federal prison until 2036 for pleading guilty to threatening to kill or injure elected officials, police, judges and their families. He and his mother are known for running in US House offices in states of which they are not residents or have never visited and have run as both republicans and democrats. A dark money GOP SuperPac financed his primary campaign. He is a spoiler!

Fortunately, we have a great choice! Bill Hill is an independent candidate endorsed by the Alaska Democratic Party, Alaska AFL-CIO, the National Education Association, the Alaska Firefighters among many others. Bill was born in Kokhanok and is a lifelong Alaskan, commercial fisherman, former construction worker, and a 25-year educator as teacher, principal, and superintendent. The Alaska Superintendents Association named Bill Hill the state’s superintendent of the year in 2022 when he was working for the Bristol Bay Borough School District.

Bill is running to put Alaskans first. Unlike Nick Begich, our current Representative, Bill will work to ban congressional stock trading, end special tax breaks for billionaires and large corporations, and vote against forever wars lowering costs for working families. I am a registered Democrat, and I am voting for Bill Hill. Unfortunately, because Hafner is listed as a Democrat, recent polling shows he may get 7% of the vote! Outrageous! It is important to get the word out about this – your vote is too precious to waste on someone who couldn’t even serve if elected. High costs and DC corruption are clearly linked, and it is time for a real change in DC. That is why I am supporting Bill Hill for House of Representatives. Early voting starts Tuesday October 20th in Sitka and Election Day is Tuesday November 3rdd. I am voting early this year to ensure my vote counts. With deference to the great Barbara Jordan “the stakes are too high for voting to be a spectator sport”! Thank you and see you at the polls!

Ballots for Alaska’s Nov. 3 general election are set, and Alaska Public Media, in partnership with the Alaska Beacon, Anchorage Daily News and KTOO, put together this voter guide to help you learn about the candidates and compare their positions on various issues.

You’ll see fresh Q&As with the candidates who made the ballot in the three statewide races: U.S. Senate, U.S. House and governor and lieutenant governor.

And for the state House and Senate races, we’ve carried forward the Q&As we did with those candidates ahead of the August primary election, but cleaned up the candidate lists to reflect who didn’t advance or has dropped out.

Leaders and supporters of Sitka’s Parks and Recreation program are developing a plan for its future, and they want the community’s feedback. Parks and Recreation Manager Kevin Knox and Monique Anderson, a landscape architect at Anderson Land Planning, joined KCAW on the Morning Interview to discuss the 20-year master plan and an upcoming open house hosted by the Sitka Recreation Foundation and the city on Thursday, October 22, from 4-7 p.m. at Harrigan Centennial Hall. Listen to their conversation here:

New school board members were sworn in on Friday (10-16-26) during a special meeting at the Sitka School District office.

Phil Burdick took his oath of office in-person, while Kat Richards and Matt Potter were sworn in while attending the meeting virtually. Burdick will serve his second full-term on the Sitka School Board, while Richards and Potter are beginning their first elected terms. Both were appointed to the board earlier this year to fill vacancies. Richards was elected to a three-year term, and Potter will serve a one-year term. 

After the members were sworn in, the board elected its officers for the year, unanimously appointing Burdick as the board’s president, Paul Rioux as vice president, and Courtney Amundson as clerk.

Joann Torgeson and Pat Kehoe from Sitkans for Peace and Democracy join KCAW for the Morning Interview. The community can stop by the Crescent Harbor net shed 11 a.m. Saturday (10-17-26) for more information about early voting for the upcoming midterm election. After, the group will make their way to the roundabout for a No Kings protest at 11:30 a.m. Listen to the conversation here:

The 10th Annual Alaska Day Brewfest is Sunday, October 18, 2026 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Harrigan Centennial Hall. Garry White with the Sitka Economic Development Association joined KCAW for the Morning Interview to discuss the event. Listen here: