Author: Robert Woolsey

The Alaska Department of Fish & Game has closed the hunting season for female deer over much of northeast Chichagof Island. A closure of the federal subsistence hunt for does – when it is announced -- will mirror the state closure. The department blames two hard winters in a row for the steep decline in deer numbers in the area. Without animals to hunt, the residents of Hoonah are looking ahead at a hard winter of their own, regardless of the weather.

Emergency response agencies Thursday night (9-24-08) called off a massive search for a Sitka man missing since early Monday morning. 60-year old Jerry Kinsey was last seen walking into the woods after failing to meet his wife after a routine workout at the local gym. He has not been seen since.

Sitka voters this October will fill four municipal seats – two on the assembly and two on the school board. The four candidates who have filed for those seats met for the first election forum of the season this week at the Sitka Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Wednesday (9-23-09).

City leaders heard about future plans for Sawmill Cove Industrial Park at last night’s Sitka Assembly meeting. Among the highlights of the strategic plan is a city-owned multi-use dock.

At lunchtime on Monday, a group of about a dozen people unfurled banners in the middle of downtown Sitka, hoping to raise awareness for climate change. And as it turns out, their banners, whistles and shouts were part of a larger effort.

The list of which schools made adequate yearly progress is out. In Sitka, it’s a mixed bag of good news and bad news. And every year, it’s also controversial news, about a system some educators say is patently unfair.

The state Disaster Policy Cabinet has met to discuss the crisis at the Pelican Seafoods Plant. Whether or not the town wins a formal disaster declaration remains up to the governor.

Sitka Community Hospital has 27 beds, six doctors and, as of this week, a new CEO. Hugh Hallgren started work on Sept. 15. He’s been a hospital administrator since 1982 and comes most recently from Ketchikan. KCAW’s Ed Ronco talked with Hallgren on Friday (9-18-09) about his goals for the hospital.

Sen. Hollis French swung through Sitka today (9-17-09) on a three-city tour of Southeast. The Anchorage democrat announced his intention to run for governor in July. He’ll vie for the democratic nomination next August against two other candidates so far, former house minority leader Ethan Berkowitz and Anchorage businessman Bob Poe. As chairman of the senate judiciary committee, Senator French last year led the bipartisan committee that investigated then-Governor Sarah Palin’s abuse of power in what has become known as “Troopergate.” He spoke with KCAW's Robert Woolsey:

While there is no longer an imminent threat of an uncontrolled release of ammonia in Pelican, the town’s hydro plant remains offline. Now, the lack of inexpensive power may prove just as hazardous to the Chichagof Island community as the lack of water.