KCAW Staff, Author at KCAW

Musicians share highlights from Sitka Community Orchestra concert

The Sitka Community Orchestra came together on Friday to delight Sitkans with a free concert. KCAW Reporter-at-large Kat Rhoads attended the event and sent us this audio postcard.

Commission seeking community feedback on ‘Tourism Best Management Practices’ plan

The city's Tourism Commission is hosting a meeting on Wednesday (4-30-25) to gather community feedback on its Tourism Best Management Practices (TBMP) plan.

Local PT to lead workshop and six-week course on osteoarthritis

Physical Therapist Alicia Haseltine joined KCAW to discuss upcoming osteoarthritis workshops and classes in Sitka.

Walk2Connect training set for April 30 in Sitka

Walk2Connect equips organizations and individuals with the resources needed to lead walks, and to advocate for more walkable, safer communities for people of all ages and abilities.

After five decades, Sitka’s pro bono veterinary practice closes its doors

Sitka’s oldest veterinary practice has closed its doors. Dr. Burgess Bauder retired on January 1, after 51 years serving Sitkans and their pets. That Bauder’s practice was unusual is an understatement. In the first place, no one called him “doctor” – ever. He was a commercial cucumber diver and inspired thinker who built one of Sitka’s most iconic landmarks, the Rockwell Lighthouse. He is regarded as a brilliant diagnostician who didn’t just treat animals, he helped their owners understand how illness developed, and how to prevent it. Perhaps most unusual of all: His practice – from the very beginning – was free.

Sitka’s ‘place-based tourism’ conference hits the road — in Fairbanks

Alaska’s annual Heritage & Cultural Tourism Conference has wrapped up this week (3/27) – not in Sitka, but in Fairbanks. To celebrate the event’s 10th anniversary, the Sitka Tribe of Alaska took the conference on the road for the first time. As KCAW’s Robert Woolsey reports, the organizers believe the mission and values behind the conference are universal.

Brave Heart to host ‘Light Up a Life’ remembrance ceremony

On March 15, Brave Heart Volunteers will host a "Light Up a Life" remembrance vigil at St. Peter's by the Sea Episcopal Church, starting at 6 PM.

Municipal administrator: Sitka’s legislative priorities focus on infrastructure, transportation, and public safety

Every spring City Hall builds a list of legislative requests based on Sitka's Strategic Plan. Municipal administrator John Leach discusses this year's asks with KCAW's Erin Fulton.

From orchestra to gymnastics, Sitka’s Parks & Rec programs in full swing

Sitka's Parks & Rec office is gearing up for Spring Break, with a variety of programs for residents of all ages. Find links to Parks & Rec programs here.

Postcard: Student-built sheds bring local lumber into Sitka’s affordable-housing neighborhood

Sitka’s land trust cottages use a state-of-the-art model to create affordability, and now a high school construction class is using old-world skills to improve the neighborhood. Students are building storage sheds for every home using locally-sourced lumber.