Author: Robert Woolsey

Megan Lehmann’s first Boston Marathon was one of the state’s fastest. The 24-year-old Sitkan was the top Alaskan female in the April 19th event. She finished in 3:21:07, four minutes ahead of Kathryn Povolo of Anchorage. On the men's side, Sitkan Jonathan Kreiss-Tompkins was the fifth-fastest Alaskan, with a time of 3:12:30.

Sitka’s declining population has leveled off in the last three years, and the seafood, government and health care portions of the city’s economy are holding up well. That’s according to a presentation made to the Sitka Economic Development Association by Juneau economists Eric McDowell and Dan Robinson. One major sector of Sitka’s of the economy, though, is in for a rough year: Tourism. And it was tourism that dominated much of the discussion at an economic forum on Wednesday (4-28-10).

An extended excerpt of Al Strawn's presentation on the suspected embezzlement at ALPS Federal Credit Union, and its impact on the organization's finances. From a public meeting in Sitka on April 27, 2010. Part 2 of 2.

An extended excerpt from board member Roy Anderson's remarks on the ALPS recall petition. From a public meeting held in Sitka on April 27, 2010.

An extended excerpt of Al Strawn's presentation on the suspected embezzlement at ALPS Federal Credit Union, and its impact on the organization's finances. From a public meeting in Sitka on April 27, 2010. Part 1 of 2.

Smoking will still be allowed in bars and private clubs throughout Sitka, at least until October. Sitka's Assembly was set to decide whether to ban smoking in those locations at its regular meeting Tuesday (4-27) night, but opted instead to put the issue on this October's municipal election ballot.

The board and senior management of the ALPS Federal Credit Union tried to reassure the public that the institution was in good financial shape at an open meeting in Sitka’s Harrigan Centennial Hall Tuesday night (4-27-10). The meeting was contentious and often acrimonious. The credit union has been rocked by suspected embezzlement in the office of the former chief operating officer; the board is weathering a recall effort by members unhappy over the handling of the apparent dismissal of the credit union’s popular former chief executive officer.

As Sitka's Assembly considers a ban on smoking in bars and private clubs, University of California San Francisco Professor Stanton Glantz that secondhand smoke poses serious risks at even limited levels, and that legislative efforts elsewhere have been effective at curbing those effects.

Mt. Edgecumbe high school students made a strong showing at this year’s Native Youth Olympics. The 40th annual Olympics were held last weekend in Anchorage. As one of the only individual schools competing against larger school districts, the Edgecumbe team put up several impressive individual performances, and fell short of a three-way tie for fourth place by only two points.

The Sitka Conservation Society held its Parade of Species in downtown Sitka on Friday afternoon (4/23). The annual event is timed to be near Earth Day, and invites residents – young and old – to dress up as their favorite animal. KCAW’s Ed Ronco dressed up as the elusive species “broadcastus journalistus” and went roaming among the menagerie.