Author: Robert Woolsey

Senator Lisa Murkowski delivered a wide-ranging speech on the major issues facing the state, in her annual address to the legislature in Juneau last week. Although the bulk of her remarks covered Alaska’s role in the United States’ evolving energy strategy, she did touch on tourism, fishing, and the timber industry. KCAWs Robert woolsey sought out reaction from stakeholders:

Sealaska says a survey it conducted shows more than half of Southeast Alaskans support a lands-selection bill it’s trying to push through Congress.The poll shows support increasing when residents learn more about the legislation. But opponents say they’ve found out enough to know it’s a bad idea. CoastAlaska’s Ed Schoenfeld reports. Click on this story's title to view the survey results.

"Is some bad music being written?" asks pianist Blair McMillen with a laugh, "Well, not everything is a home run." McMillen plays a selection of traditional and contemporary classical music for solo piano Saturday (2-20-10) 7 PM in the Sitka Performing Arts Center. He joins Alaska Arts Southeast director Roger Schmidt and KCAWs Robert Woolsey for the Morning Edition interview.

Governor Parnell took the occasion of his visit to Sitka to ceremonially sign his first bill into law since taking office last July. Senate Bill 59 allows the use of electric cars on highways in communities of fewer than 35,000 people.

The Sitka School District is getting ready to set its 2011 budget, and it’s facing a financial shortfall. As board members consider possible cuts to programs, parents are fighting to continue a program they feel is threatened.

As Gov. Sean Parnell spoke in Sitka on Wednesday afternoon, the ferry Matanuska sat docked in Sitka, awaiting the arrival of a part from Sweden. The Matanuska began experiencing problems over the weekend, and officials were hopeful it could get underway Wednesday night. The vessel is more than 45 years old. Parnell said his office is asking the legislature to authorize 60 million dollars toward construction of the new Alaska class ferry. He talked about that, and a host of other issues affecting Southeast Alaska during an interview with Raven News.

Governor Sean Parnell today (Wed 2-11-10) fired back at legislative critics of his proposed scholarship program for college-bound students. Parnell was in Sitka, speaking before the chamber of commerce.

The Elizabeth Peratrovich Day parade that passed through Sitka on Tuesday (2-16) included a new addition – a totem pole sculpted by Tommy Joseph and commissioned by the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s right, the Census Bureau.

Another organization is offering a reward in connection with the shooting deaths of protected birds around Sitka. Six bald eagles were found dead in various locations around Sitka during December and January, apparently from small-caliber gunshot wounds.

UAF ocean chemistry researcher Dr. Jeremy Mathis says the pH levels of the world's oceans are dropping as atmospheric carbon continues to rise. The increasing acidity is measurable, and the effects are already being seen on shell-building organisms. Full interview with Mathis, Michelle Putz of the Sitka Global Warming Group, and KCAW's Robert Woolsey.