Author: Robert Woolsey

Joe Geldhof wants Alaskans to take a more active role in creating state and national energy policy. The Juneau-based public interest attorney was in Sitka today (Tue 5-4-10) to speak to the Rotary Club. Geldhof is well-known for co-writing the 2006 cruise ship initiative, and for arguing an appeal for Sitkans for Responsible Government before the Alaska Supreme Court. This time, however, Geldhof is not spearheading a legal battle. Instead, he’s taken an assignment from the San Francisco-based Energy Foundation to talk to Alaskans about energy policy, and the role individuals can play in helping to shape it. He spoke with KCAW’s Robert Woolsey:

Three pieces of land could be subdivided from the former Sheldon Jackson College Campus after Tuesday night’s Planning Commission meeting. The college closed in 2007, and the company managing its property says the move is necessary to be able to start selling the property and pay down the college’s debt. But the daughter of the college’s first president says the subdivision of the campus is happening too quickly, and could lead to further fragmentation of the campus.

Sitka’s Assembly began sifting through the city and borough’s 2011 budget at a work session held Thursday night.

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.